| Running a small business allows you an impressive | | | | technology is there and people's minds are open to the |
| amount of flexibility. You can move with speed and | | | | possibility. Profits are not currently enormous, but |
| dexterity if an opportunity arises and a trend proves | | | | certainly decent. |
| popular - and profitable. Compared to the stately | | | | Other opportunities have sprung up from what initially |
| ocean liners of big business, small businesses are | | | | seemed to be 'amateur' or 'socialising' websites. If you |
| speed boats with good steering, which comes in handy | | | | think eBay is only for comic-book collecting geeks then |
| if land is sighted unexpectedly. | | | | think again. With millions of users worldwide it attracts |
| One of the main trends of the last few years has | | | | many small businessmen and women who use it as |
| been the rise of organic produce. The most obvious | | | | their main sales channel. Some home-based operators |
| examples are the ones sitting on supermarket shelves, | | | | have been able to turn hobbies into viable businesses, |
| labelled as organic and costing more than the | | | | selling anything from chairs to bikes to rare Roman |
| equivalent non-organic foodstuff. In this way, small | | | | coins. Now, third parties are jumping onboard, offering |
| farmers can make a virtue of quality over quantity and | | | | to streamline listings or sell software to optimise listings. |
| not lose out too much because of economies of scale. | | | | But a word of caution is needed. Although it is great to |
| However, there have been all kinds of niche markets | | | | realise that you have spotted a niche and have the |
| into which have fitted opportunist small businesses. | | | | flexibility to go for it, it is always important to look at the |
| Organic chicken farmers may not have wished to use | | | | bottom line - your business's finances. This is an area |
| antibiotics in their poultry farming, but there was a need | | | | where experience and a steady attitude is invaluable. |
| to find an alternative that would help prevent disease. | | | | Small business advice is available from a number of |
| One such equivalent was duly retailed: Herban is an | | | | organisations, including government bodies and banks. |
| essential oil based on oregano oil that can be added to | | | | Banks tend to define a small business as one with a |
| the birds' feed or drinking water. | | | | turnover of less than one million. |
| Although the concept of the Internet revolution is | | | | So if you can combine opportunism, professional |
| beginning to feel like old hat, the opportunities it offers | | | | advice, and a great deal of perseverance you might |
| are still spectacular. The current success stories, like | | | | yet hit those business pages. |
| Facebook, are splashed across the media business | | | | Diclaimer: |
| pages, and occasionally disappear very fast. But | | | | This article has been written for information and |
| behind every major success are thousands of steady | | | | interest purposes only. The information contained within |
| small businesses that are doing just fine. CPD | | | | this article is the opinion of the author only, and should |
| (Continuing Professional Development) has been a | | | | not be construed as advice or used to make financial |
| mainstay of professions like healthcare and law for | | | | decisions. Expert financial advice should always be |
| many years, but some small businesses are realising | | | | sought and any links contained within this article are |
| that they can offer an online CPD service - the | | | | included for information purposes only. |