In the USA, we have lost the pioneering spirit of innovations. Many feel trapped by conventional rules of start up small business due to the constraints of the fallen economy, banking and business atmosphere. If you have lived a life in a career direction, for any amount of time - YOU HAVE LIFE EXPERIENCE combined with how you conduct and organize your non-career daily life. Your entire life story has provided a rich history of what you really can do, what you truly do know - and within that kind of soul searching ... you ARE able to turn a dollar or two if you are recently lost in the shuffle of downsizing. You CAN make something of nothing if you think about who you are in a big picture objective review. Even if your life has been very difficult personally, or professionally - if you have learned from those experiences, there is likely something you can do to contribute to people, as well as make a little money for yourself.
Start off with a thorough review of yourself, life story - we are not just what are education degree or career path has been. You are multifaceted. You know people, have friends, networking within the areas that have always been there. You can do things from home. And not by buying anyone's "Get Rich if you _____" - the only people seeing wealth is those that write those books and get paid for people like you and I not really following up on their methods. They keep your money, and you have something to dust. Much like buying home gym equipment. I find that an exercise machine makes a fine laundry room drying rack ...
Use what you have already paid for and own! Barter with people you know for the rest. If you are good at one thing, trade a reciprocal value back and forth for what that friend or colleague is good at. You can equip your talent easily enough. You can work from home to get rolling - or stay there if that is what you need to do. I am sidelined by an auto-immune illness. My Crohn's has been in remission with good medication for many years. However, there are ripple effect complications that have left me deficit of enough body organs and surgeries that come and go ... that I can no longer be a reliable employee. That doesn't mean your brain and life story to date lay dormant! You still know what you know - and other people need what you know and do.
In my case, technology via Internet growth to 'broadcasting' saves me the conventional hassle of trying to work as an announcer in terrestrial radio. I can do my own thing from home having been in the industry as an announcer since 1979. Add into that a life trail of beating the odds, learning to manage illness that is unmanageable - being a wife, mother and living a whole life for a few decades. It adds up to CAN DO. Aside from announcing, in my skill set, I can do book keeping, have started and run small businesses. I have made mistakes that I have learned from and come back from devastating circumstances. Since I am still alive, that means I know a little bit about a lot of things. YOU DO TOO!
If you try to do something of meaning to yourself, based upon all you know about life - at least it is in your own control. You are not losing much to try - and if you don't like it, at least there are some tax advantages from having worked from home.
No one is handing us a damned thing these days. No banks will loan, no equity in our homes - too many NEGATIVES. Decide for yourself that their negatives and old methods will not stop you from thinking of new ways to get by without anyone but your own talents.
Do I know for certain that I will succeed with my home NetCasting business of Internet broadcasting? I feel that I have what it takes. If I fail, at least I tried, and at least I did it without being told what I cannot do based upon The Rules. Those rules are gone. America is based upon personal responsibility and creativity. Take what you know and run with it. At least you tried.