Small Business Edge Newsletter

1) 64 Small Business Startup Ideas

2) Is Holiday Spending On Track?

3) Podcast Wisdom

Hello Friends and Fellow Business Owners,

My word for this week is opportunity.

Peter Drucker famously said, “The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.”

What I know about opportunities is that they are not always obvious and rarely come at the perfect moment. For me, opportunities often arrive wrapped in challenges or uncertainty. After years of missed opportunities, I have learned that readiness (and luck) is the key to success when opportunity knocks. Being prepared allows me to recognize and capitalize on opportunities when they arise, turning what could be a fleeting moment into a pivotal one.

Here are a few suggestions on getting and staying prepared for when opportunity strikes:

1. Build Your Skills: Whether it’s learning about new technologies (Did someone say “AI”?), improving your sales techniques, or understanding market trends, being skilled equips you to respond more effectively when an opportunity arises.
2. Network Like It’s Your J.O.B: Opportunities often come through people—someone in your network might have a new business venture, partnership, or idea that could change everything. Build and maintain strong relationships; they are often the bridges to new opportunities.
3. Mind Your Mindset: Stay open to possibilities. A positive mindset will see potential in situations that others might overlook. Be proactive in finding the next steps on your path to success. Sometimes, it’s not where you initially thought it would be.
4. Guard Your Resources: Be mindful of your resources, including time, money, and energy. Watch for people and projects who try to steal your most valuable commodities (sometimes, the biggest villain is YOU!). If you manage your resources properly, you can take calculated risks and not feel overextended or unprepared.

Sometimes, opportunity doesn’t shout—it whispers. It could be an idea in a meeting or a fleeting thought you have at the end of the day. If you listen carefully and then act, even when the path isn't clear, you just might turn nothing into something.

Opportunity is all around us. The question is: Are you prepared to seize it?

Make it happen!

Peace,

Brian

1. 64 Small Business Startup Ideas

If you’re searching for a new small business opportunity to start this year (or next), this list from Shopify is an excellent place to start.

Before you decide on a specific business you want to start, there are many factors to consider. Of course, you need to be able to afford to start the business you’re considering, but you should also look at:

• Market demand: What are the trends in the industry? Is there consumer demand for the product/service?
• Competitive advantage: How do you plan to differentiate your business from competitors?
• Scalability: What’s the potential for growth, and does that meet your personal aspirations?
• Profits: What’s the profit potential?

Discover 64 business startup ideas and how to get started.

More on Opportunity

• Finding Opportunities and Providing Services to the Federal Government
• Businesses for Sale
• How to Identify Business and Market Opportunities

2. Is Holiday Spending On Track?

Are consumers going to put off their holiday shopping so they can wait for post-holiday sales? Maybe.

In a survey from Invoice Home, about 10% of consumers say they’re postponing holiday celebrations until 2025 because they believe they’ll get better deals if they wait for post-Christmas sales. Other consumer concerns include credit card interest rates or credit unavailability (40%) and the outcome of the presidential election (37%).

There’s still plenty of good news for retailers. Most consumers still plan to shop during the holiday season. Get ready for them. They plan to:

• Shop Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend sales (38%)
• Shop in-store to avoid shipping costs (33%)
• Watch for a second Amazon Prime Day (30%) coming this October.

Learn more about consumer plans for holiday shopping .

3. Podcast

Click?HERE ?to listen to the podcast