It's a common scenario today: laid off from a position, finding alternative ways to gain income, deciding to work for myself. Okay, great, decision made. Now what? What do I do? Well, a good place to start is to list all the things you're good at: fixing cars, comforting the elderly, working with animals, gardening, tailoring, whatever. List everything you can think of, no matter how silly it seems! When done, go back over your list and realize that this list is your resume for your new career!

I did it, and I know others who did as well. I realized that I have a valuable skill that others need and will pay for. Think about it - if you have a great affinity for the elderly, look online for opportunities to use that skill. Get any training you may need, donate or barter your services to get in the door, and opportunities for being paid will arise. Love to garden? Market your skills to neighbors who hate working outdoors. Be creative and you'll be amazed at the ideas that will come to you.

So, you've come up with your list and have a great idea you want to pursue. Ask friends and family for advice on how to market your skill set. Use all the free marketing available through social networking, through groups and associations, clubs and social events. As your excitement grows the momentum will create a client base for you. And then you'll realize that you need to organize the business aspects of this new career! You'll need a website, brochures, business cards. Client databases. Facebook/MySpace/LinkedIn pages. Computer files and organization. Plus many other details to get up and running. Don't worry, you're not on your own - consider looking into a virtual assistant to provide help.

One of the fastest growing home businesses today is that of virtual assistance. A "VA" can provide a startup company with all sorts of resources: marketing and websites, scheduling and organizing, record keeping and writing. There are dozens of resources online. You may find someone in your neighborhood who could work with you live, or you may find a specialist to help you online. With the internet ("in the cloud") and various networking tools like shared calendars and file sharing sites, you do not need to be physically together to get the work done. And the joy of using a VA is that you only pay for the time spent on your work. If you can afford an hour a week, that's fine! If you want to start the business quickly, get someone for 40 hours for two weeks. Whatever it takes, a VA can do.