Corporate Alt Girl

So you want to start a business, but maybe you don’t know how, or maybe you don’t have enough money? You might be thinking that you’re not creative enough or you don’t have products to sell. Well, there’s no gatekeeping here, so I’m about to share with you 4 business ideas that you can start today, have low start up costs, and best of all, can be done from the comfort of your home.

Life & Health Insurance Agent

First up, Life & Health Insurance Agent. You need to get licensed. This is a venture that keeps on giving — from flexibility, to residual  commissions, and working remotely. Online National Insurance School is one of many schools to choose from and you can take the course for under $200. After completing your course, you will need to schedule your exam — I recommend checking your state’s department of insurance website for testing locations. What’s great about this is that in many states you can do your course online AND take your exam remotely. Assuming you pass, you’ll wait for your state to approve your license and they’ll send you an email with your license. Finally, you’ll register with NIPR or Sircon.

Accounting

Starting a business as an accountant can be a rewarding venture that offers flexibility and  reduced overhead costs. The first step is to ensure that you have the necessary qualifications and certifications required to practice accounting in your jurisdiction, as credibility is paramount in this profession. Certification course prices will vary, but here is a free resource for you to start learning today. Setting up a dedicated workspace is crucial for maintaining professionalism and organization. Investing in reliable accounting software and secure technology will enable you to manage your clients’ financial data efficiently and safely. Networking and marketing are also key to building your client base; consider creating a professional website and leveraging social media platforms to showcase your services and expertise. Additionally, staying updated with the latest accounting standards and regulations will ensure that you provide the best advice and services to your clients. With careful planning and dedication, starting a home-based accounting business can lead to a successful and fulfilling career.

Blogger

Starting a blog from the comfort of your home presents a viable and flexible business opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs. With the option to establish a self-hosted website, like WordPress, you gain complete control over your digital space, allowing for a more personalized and professional online presence. Monetization avenues for your blog are diverse, including affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and advertising revenue, providing multiple streams of potential income. Importantly, blogging doesn’t mandate inherent creativity; it thrives on a spectrum of content types. Whether your strengths lie in technical analysis, educational tutorials, or creative storytelling, there’s a niche for your voice. This versatility makes blogging an accessible venture for many, with the capacity to grow and evolve alongside your personal and professional development.

Notary

Starting a notary business from home offers a flexible service in a world where official documents are a staple of many transactions. It allows for a low overhead startup, as the primary requirements are notary certification, a reliable printer, and a secure record-keeping system. Marketing your services locally and online can attract a diverse clientele, ranging from individuals needing notarizations for legal documents to businesses requiring regular notary services. Additionally, offering mobile notary services can expand your reach and provide added convenience to your clients. This business not only capitalizes on a niche market, but also offers the satisfaction of facilitating critical processes in people’s lives and businesses. I also recommend checking your state specifics as some states allow for remote notary transactions, making it that much easier for you to turn this into a profitable business for yourself. You can check out the National Notary Association to start your path to becoming a notary today.

Conclusion

There you go, everyone—four entrepreneurial ventures you can kickstart right from the cozy confines of your home. Do any of these resonate with you? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

The entry of Millennials and Gen Z into the workforce has brought about significant shifts in the expectations and preferences of employees. Consequently, it has brought on a lack of evolution in leadership & management across generations. This generational change has also created some resistance to evolving leadership and management practices in the workplace. Today, we will cover contributing factors to resistance and what we can do to work harmoniously across generations.

1. Traditional Leadership Styles: Many organizations still adhere to traditional hierarchical leadership styles that may not resonate with younger generations. Command-and-control approaches, top-down decision-making, and rigid hierarchies are outdated and stifling to creativity and autonomy. What we can do to combat this is provide education and awareness to leaders and managers. This can include topics such as: values, characteristics, and preferences of Millennials and Gen Z. While management can argue that they are not here to cater to employees, at the end of the day, the employees are carrying out the work to achieve their departmental goals and it would make for a more pleasant workplace for all if older generations showed some interest in the wellbeing of the people who go to work for them every day.
2. Resistance to Change: Resistance to change is a common phenomenon in any organization. Senior leaders and managers who have been accustomed to traditional practices may be hesitant to adopt new leadership approaches. Fear of the unknown, uncertainty about the effectiveness of new methods, and a preference for maintaining the status quo can hinder the evolution of leadership styles. Instead of resisting, we should encourage collaboration and participation in some decision making. It’s easy as a seasoned manager to assume that younger employees don’t have the knowledge to succeed, but we quickly forget that sometimes new eyes see missed opportunities within daily operations. Additionally, younger employees are usually our frontline, they know our customers better than anyone else and receive feedback daily that can be valuable for management to improve on. And by allowing our younger employees to be involved, they are preparing to take over as older generations began to prepare to exiting the workforce.
3. Generation Gap: There can be a disconnect between older leaders and younger employees due to differing values, communication styles, and work expectations. This gap can make it challenging for established leaders to understand and adapt to the needs and preferences of millennials and Gen Z, impeding the evolution of leadership practices. For example, a preference of Millennials and Gen Z is to have a good worklife balance. They would rather have time off or flexibility over their schedules than a “title” in the workplace. By shifting the business focus to being result-oriented over strict hours, we see a higher retention rate of Millennials and Gen Z.
4. Perception of Entitlement: Some older generations perceive millennials and Gen Z as entitled or unwilling to put in the same level of effort or commitment as previous generations. This perception may lead to resistance in providing younger employees with more autonomy, flexibility, and participatory decision-making roles. But, there is a great, not easy, but definitely great fix: mentorship & reverse mentoring. This is when an an experienced leader mentors younger employees and where younger employees mentor leaders. It facilitates knowledge transfers such as company processes for younger employees to learn, or skills to navigate and leverage technology for older employees. Either way, there is always some thing that we can learn from each other.
5. Lack of Understanding: There may be a lack of understanding or awareness among leaders about the characteristics, strengths, and aspirations of Millennials and Gen Z. Without this understanding, it becomes difficult to implement leadership and management practices that align with the expectations of these younger generations. To ease these pains, leadership must prioritize purpose and social impact in the workplace. Younger generations have held businesses accountable in Corporate Social Responsibility and by aligning expectations, we can see greater success.

By addressing these factors and adapting leadership and management practices to better suit the preferences and expectations of millennials and Gen Z, organizations can overcome resistance and create an environment that fosters the growth and development of the younger workforce. Afterall, it’s proven that employee retention brings higher performance and greater customer satisfaction.