Just A Reminder: You Can Start A Business with Anything

Now don't get your hopes up that I'm about to reveal some lucrative, untapped business secret. This is just something that happened that reminded me anything is possible.

About a week ago my roommate finally buckled down and decided to get the car checked. He expected that a worker at Auto Zone would diagnose the car's problems with a code reader, but his plans were ruined when he was informed that the practice is illegal in our state. While a clerk may not diagnose a car using a code reader, it is perfectly legal to buy the reader and check the vehicle yourself.

As you might expect, the code reader wasn't cheap. I believe he paid $66 for the cheaper one. So in an effort to make back the investment, he posted an ad online offering to read the codes for others for only $5. Turns out a lot of people have this problem. The ad was flooded with takers immediately. Now my roommate is not only covering the cost of the reader, he's started a savings account with these earnings that will cover the auto repair!

Granted this isn't a huge business, just a small local service, I was kind of inspired. My friend felt ripped off, and in five minutes started a business with this experience. Just a small bit of proof for everyone how easy it can be.

Why Everyone is Writing E-books, and Why You Should Too

Over the past few years e-book sales have exploded. E-readers are improving and more companies are offering self publishing. Regardless, we all grew up knowing that not just anyone can write a book. Wrong. Everybody knows something, and there's at least one person out there who wants to know what you know.

Now the big question: Why? Well really, why not? It's easy, costs little to nothing, and makes money. Best of all anybody can do it. You can self publish your e-book for free through Amazon or Smashwords (and I'm sure there are others), add a price tag, and then only put in as much work as you feel like.

Once the work is over, your E-book is not only proof of your knowledge but passive income! You'll earn every time someone purchases your book for as long as it's available.

Common Misconceptions About Writing an E-book

It will cost me a fortune.

No, not really. If you invest time and work it won't cost a dime. However that would nan doing everything yourself, including designing the cover, marketing, editing, etc. Fear not if you don't have all the necessary skills. Ever hear of Fiverr? Super cheap, quality work. Fiverr has many gigs for your e-book such as: Cover Design, Writing, Editing, Book Reviews, and Marketing.

I'm not experienced enough.

In what exactly? Writing? You have to get experience somehow. Hire an editor our a ghost writer to help you if you feel truly unconfident.

If you are inexperienced in the field you are writing first you need to determine if your knowledge is limited or if you're just nervous about writing it down. If you are writing a (non fiction) book and don't know what you're talking about, stop now and pick a new topic. Your focus is not in the right place and you will likely embarrass yourself.