4 Creative Ways You Can Make Money

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The job market is pretty bleak these days. Everyday you hear stories of another company laying off thousands of people. Even companies that we thought were untouchable are feeling the effects of this economy.

The days of working at a company for 40 hours and retiring with a pension are over. Job security is a thing of the past. If someone wants security today, they have to create it themselves.

We do however, live in an incredible time where you can create your own opportunities for success. No longer do we have to depend on the old school gatekeepers to do the things we want to do financially. Here are four ways you can create your own financial freedom.

1. Start a service business. In 2001, I started my first business, it was a service business in the vendor industry. At the height of the business I had five contractors in three states. I saw an opportunity and created a business from it.

Around you are many opportunities to make money that you’re probably not thinking about. Whether it’s a landscaping business, a car washing business, a house cleaning business, or something more advanced like working on cars at people’s homes, (They actually do that here in Maui) there are many opportunities.

Identify things that you’re good at, things that you enjoy doing, and things that people always ask you about. Somewhere in there is an idea that you could start a business from. The beauty is that these businesses don’t require a lot of money to start.

2. Start an online business. Online business is what I’m really passionate about. Location independence really appeals to me, all I need is a laptop and an Internet connection, and I can make money.

I will warn you up front that there are a lot of online businesses, and a lot of them talk about the same things. You can stand out despite the competition because everyone is different.

Starting an online business means taking an idea you have, or something you’re passionate about, and packaging it into digital information products or services.

There is an audience for anything online, and with 2.5 billion people logging on everyday, a potentially huge customer base. With today’s technology it’s easier than ever to put all of this together.

Here are some steps to take:

Pick an idea.
Set up a free website through WordPress.org.
Set all your information up on your website.
Create some great free content on your website, the free stuff is what draws people in.
Create something to sell, it can be an ebook, audio product, some videos, there are a lot of options.

Here is a free downloadable guide that will specifically walk you through this.

3. Book consulting at companies. Believe it or not, you have skills that a company would gladly pay you to train their employees on. The key is to identify that skill and find the right company. Companies paid outside consultants 39.3 billion dollars last year.

Approaching these companies, and locking in a contract is not as hard as you think. You identify a problem in a company that you can solve. You meet, and show them a solution. You tell them how much this will cost. It’s not going to be easy, but people are doing it everyday. A coaching client of mine just booked his fourth contract with a company.

Here is another free downloadable resource that will walk you through this.

4. Become a freelancer. Becoming a freelancer is just what it sounds like; you’re pretty much an independent contractor for hire. You can freelance for anything you can think of, or whatever skills you have.

We normally think of freelancers as website designers and such, but that’s not the case. Any kind of skill or passion you have, you can freelance for online.

There are some cool places that make this possible. It can be as elaborate as creating a full on membership website or as simple as taking your skills and creating a Google Helpouts account.

Look, there are opportunities all around us. You can take your passion and turn it into a business that generates real income. I’m not sitting here telling you it’s going to be easy.

If you’re willing to hustle, and wake up everyday and do what it takes, you can create work that you love. The alternative is living life of misery while heading into a job you hate everyday. Don’t choose that kind of life for yourself.

Too many come to the end of their life full of regret because they spent years letting a job they hate stress the life out of them. If you’re going to be successful, you have to wake up to this. Determine in your mind that you will do something about.

It starts in your mind.

Audio version:

What’s one idea you’d like to start a business with?

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This article originally appeared on the Good Men Project.

Photo: Flickr/ 401(K) 2012