1st Best Small Business Opportunities

This year's top 10 best small business opportunities list provides something for everybody, from the hot poker craze to anti-aging spas and smart clothing.

Each small business opportunity presented covers the birth of new industries as well as businesses in the later stage of development. Finding a small business opportunity is only half of the equation to owning a successful company. It's equally important to know if the presented opportunity represents the best for you. Take some time to explore your entrepreneur personality type and match it up with your ideal business.

As an added bonus this year, we have added a poll. Proceed to the last page and vote for the top business opportuntity of 2005 you like best.

Small Business Opportunity: The Business Coaching Craze

Over the past ten years, coaching has gradually risen to a billion dollar industry while outpacing the growth of the consulting business. How does coaching differ from consulting? "Coaches motivate people to action. They help them prioritize their projects and goals. They help them plan their work and work their plan---but they don't necessarily give them the actual strategies to execute, steps to take, business or marketing plans to follow, nor do they give financial or legal advice," states Janet Switzer in "How Experts Build Empires: Developing and Selling Coaching Programs."

One individual to discover the coaching craze is Action International's founder Brad Sugars. Action International has grown to over 600 franchisees who typically target small businesses with $500,000 to $10 million in sales. Action International charges $1500/month on a one-year agreement per client for 1 to 1.5 hours of coaching a week. Training includes a 10 day boot camp and 12 week academy.

Driving Force: Why is business coaching hot? "Over 85% of small and medium-sized businesses fail in the first five years. There is a huge market to help these small businesses. Also, it is not just the tools; it's the accountability that makes coaching work. Most business owners are not accountable to anybody," says Action International U.S. Sales Manager, Richard Bernstein.

Risks: Although the coaching profession has experienced strong growth, coaches can run into the same problems that have crippled consulting businesses. The heavy spending days of corporate consulting has reduced engagements from long-term to short-term with CEO's demanding a better return on investments. Business coaches will have to prove their value to small business owners.


.........we will meet 2morrow the 2nd Best Small Business Opportunities ..........