by Liesha Petrovich
There is nothing wrong with having a traditional corporate job. They are predictable, mostly dependable, and help create workforce stability. Traditional jobs are the backbone of our economy and are completely essential.
They’re just not for me.
In Secret To Working Part-time – Create A Lifestyle Business!, I shared how you can create a business to fit your particular lifestyle. I’m a firm believer that you can live your life the way you want, including the job you choose. As a 20 year self-employed veteran, I can say it’s not always easy but it was the right choice for me.
If you’re bored of your job and ready to try something a little different, here are 5 cool job ideas that may be the key to your new professional future:
1. Teaching Mad Skills
These days, teaching goes way beyond public school classrooms. My main business is a karate school and about 10 years ago I started teaching after-school programs. I obviously had some experience, but I simply called and offered my services. It’s a main staple of my business these days.
If you have a skill you want to share, see what organizations may want your services. After-school programs are perfect for me, but you can try summer camps, day-cares, civic/church groups, and elderly care facilities. These organizations want to provide fun activities for members, like music, yoga, dance, singing, drama or even hula-hooping.
2. Flipping Cheap Houses
If you love watching guys flip houses on home improvement channels, why not try it yourself? According to Sean Terry, from Flip2Freedom, 5% of the population are distressed sellers. This means they need to get rid of a property for some reason and are motivated to sell at a lower price. And that’s your opportunity.
This isn’t the kind of new job you can jump into, but it can be a lucrative side hustle if you have the money to invest and don’t mind a little risk.
3. Pet Sitting
Americans will spend almost $60 billion on their pets this year! Sure, people love their kids and family, but they go bananas over their pets. And many of these people don’t want to leave their fur babies at cold, unfriendly kennels. They want their pets to be pampered and loved while they are away at work or on vacation.
If you’re an animal lover, consider becoming a pet sitter. Some operate large doggie daycares, while others specialize in-home care. It’s the perfect job for anyone who would rather take a dog for a walk than sit through another boring meeting.
4. Legal Cannabis Grower
Although many still consider the cannabis industry weird, unorthodox or even unethical, it’s actually becoming mainstream. And it’s also incredibly profitable as it’s projected to be worth $44 billion by 2020!
I recently attended a cannabis industry convention and was amazed at how normal it was. I expected the attendees to be hippies and burnouts. Instead, they were grandmothers and professionals. The industry isn’t easy, as laws continue to change and evolve, but it’s certainly an interesting industry with lots of business opportunities.
5. Lunch Truck/Food Cart
Many good cooks dream of opening a restaurant someday. Yet opening a restaurant is one of the riskiest and most expensive startups in the world. The overhead alone is staggering. However, starting a lunch truck business is much less expensive and it’s a growing industry. The mobile cuisine industry was worth about $850 million in 2015 and is expected to grow another $130 million by 2019!
There are still local regulations, permits, and inspections to deal with, but the possibilities are endless. BBQ, ethnic cuisine, cupcakes, waffles, and fusion are just a few crazy lunch truck themes. It’s not easy, but why not try this first if you’re dream is to own your own restaurant?
Your Business, Your Way
One of the best parts of the self-employed journey is that there are no rules – you can create or invent any kind of business you want. You can take what you love and figure out how to get paid for it. You could try one of these businesses or come up with something entirely new.
Just remember, your business is only limited by your imagination and creativity.
Liesha’s a freelancer by day and Kyokushin Black Belt by night.
She’s the author of Killing Rapunzel: Learning How to Save Yourself Through Determination, Grit, and Self-Employment (her mother hates the title – but it’s a metaphor mom!). She talks freelancing adventures at Microbusiness Essentials.
