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What Are the Different Types of Self-Employment Opportunities?

Nicole Long
Nicole Long

Various self-employment opportunities exist for those with an entrepreneurial spirit. Opportunities range from small at-home operations to full scale retail and commercial endeavors. Options include businesses focused on administrative tasks, homemade goods, skilled or trade-based services, and many others.

Small home-based businesses are a way for many to start out in self-employment. These businesses offer a taste of self-employment often with less investment and capital needs, yet still provide the many benefits of self-employment, such as personal freedom. Home-based businesses are still required to tackle typical business operations tasks, such as taxes and meeting licensing requirements, but operate from the comfort of home.

Electricians are among skilled professionals who can ply their trade on a self-employment basis.
Electricians are among skilled professionals who can ply their trade on a self-employment basis.

Providing administrative and clerical tasks for clients is one option for a home-based business and an example of one of the many self-employment opportunities. This can include operating a business focusing on providing data entry, transcription, and customer service for businesses looking to cut costs and outsource basic tasks. Other ideas include operating a virtual assistant or website design business.

Web-based businesses, such as e-commerce websites, provide self-employment and opportunities to work from home.
Web-based businesses, such as e-commerce websites, provide self-employment and opportunities to work from home.

Starting a business dealing with homemade goods is also one of the various self-employment opportunities. Baked goods, food products, and crafts can provide a venue for expressing creativity while enjoying the profits that can stem from self-employment opportunities. Catering, cake decorating, and baked breads can be sold online or through an agreement with a local retailer. Crafts, including artwork, pottery, and jewelry, can also be sold in the same fashion.

A home based entrepreneur could focus on working as a direct seller of perfumes.
A home based entrepreneur could focus on working as a direct seller of perfumes.

Those specializing in a specific skill can also become self-employed by striking out on their own. This includes professionals, such as lawyers and accountants, and skilled trades’ professionals, such as plumbers and electricians. For some, a separate area in their home can serve as an office, while others will have to go on the road to complete their work.

People who are self-employed need to ensure they have the right equipment for their business needs.
People who are self-employed need to ensure they have the right equipment for their business needs.

Specific self-employment opportunities may require needs beyond what can be handled out of a home office. This will require securing larger retail or commercial space from which to run business operations. Businesses with a large amount of inventory or a large support staff are examples of the types of businesses that need more space.

Restaurants and retail establishments are just a few of the options for self-employment for those with a specific product or market niche in mind. In these instances, working from home isn’t typically an option largely due to the need for constant customer interaction. Other options include operating a pet store, sports and entertainment venue, or beauty salon.

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    • Electricians are among skilled professionals who can ply their trade on a self-employment basis.
      By: michaeljung
      Electricians are among skilled professionals who can ply their trade on a self-employment basis.
    • Web-based businesses, such as e-commerce websites, provide self-employment and opportunities to work from home.
      By: Eugenio Marongiu
      Web-based businesses, such as e-commerce websites, provide self-employment and opportunities to work from home.
    • A home based entrepreneur could focus on working as a direct seller of perfumes.
      By: adisa
      A home based entrepreneur could focus on working as a direct seller of perfumes.
    • People who are self-employed need to ensure they have the right equipment for their business needs.
      By: geniuskp
      People who are self-employed need to ensure they have the right equipment for their business needs.
    • Someone who enjoys food preparation may go into business as a caterer.
      By: Aleksey Kondratyuk
      Someone who enjoys food preparation may go into business as a caterer.
    • Writers can find a variety of self-employment opportunities online.
      By: elnariz
      Writers can find a variety of self-employment opportunities online.