Do you feel the need to look for additional sources of income? You need not look far. If you have a space or backyard that you can utilize, start from there. Many successful businesses started from a small good backyard business. Do not like be the Persian farmer in the fable ‘Acres of Diamonds’ who abandoned his farm to look for his diamonds somewhere else when diamonds just sit in his property waiting to be discovered.

What is the moral of the fable? If you know where to look, there are diamonds and gems in your own farm or backyard. You need not go far to look for opportunities. You can discover wealth in your own property; you only need to look for it in the right places.

How do you uncover your backyard business gems?

There are many ways to spot a good backyard business for you. Here are some ways that you can use to guide you in your search:

• What’s your passion? Many people have become successful in their endeavors when they pursued their interests and passion. Despite challenges, one is prodded to continue because they are doing something that they love to do. If you like cooking, you can make jams and jellies from the fruits you have in your backyard. If you like dancing, what about building a small studio and accept students to teach? If you like kids or miss having kids around your home, you can do babysitting. For sure, many moms in the neighborhood are eager to go back to a career or find a job. Ask yourself; what is your passion?

• What can you do most proficiently? There are successful backyard businesses that started from pursuing an endeavor in which they are experts. If you have spent a good number of years studying and mastering a certain profession, it would be a waste not to use what you have trained for. For instance, teachers who want to earn something extra can accept tutorials for kids whose parents are too busy to help them out do their homework and projects. Stay at home moms or those with physical handicaps who want to be productive can do an online job or offer other moms and disabled a training to do be able to get online jobs.

• What does the neighborhood need? The neighborhood where you live must be in need of something – a product or service. As a resident, you must be aware of it. This is a simple ‘Supply and Demand’ thing. Not everyone likes or has the time to clean the roof, mow the lawn, trim the hedges, maintain a garden, or walk the dogs. If you can feel any need, you can feel that void and have a captured market. The neighbors would rather deal with someone they know whom they can trust.

• What’s in the house? Consider the gadgets in the house. What do you have that you can offer the neighborhood? Do you have a projector that you can use for outdoor movie theaters? Alternatively, do you have mobile sound systems that you can use for partying people? Since you do not use these regularly, you can have these rented. You can also set-up an outdoor movie theatre in your backyard for your neighbors. It can be like a ‘socials’ where neighbors meet up. Perhaps you have a big pool that you can let the neighbors use for a fee. You need to build some extra amenities though to make the guests feel more comfortable. You also need to build some fences to give your home some privacy and security.

If you need to generate some extra income to meet growing family needs or simply to put your free time to productive use, you need not set your sights anywhere other than right at home! A good backyard business is always right there waiting for you in your own backyard or home. Find your gem there.