If you were me, who would you be?

May 21, 2007 8:45 PM

Add up all these career skills. What small business do you get?

Just wondering what small business I might start with the following skills:

1) More than 10 years as a journalist...both print reporter and copy editor at several large metropolitan dailies.

2) A law degree (but no license) which lead me to the following jobs: state legislative aide where I drafted legislation, wrote speeches and talking points, met with constituents and handled media relations. I also spoke often to constituent groups about relevant issues in the state.

3) I taught business law to community college students.

4) I did PR and government relations for a community-based foster care agency.

5) I pretended to work in county government as an economic development specialst (It involved, as far as I could tell, no actual work.)

Please find a business I might start.

Thanks.

posted by notjustfoxybrown to work & money (11 comments total)

Lobbyist?
posted by lekvar at 8:52 PM on May 21, 2007

What is your passion?

This might help.
posted by The Deej at 8:52 PM on May 21, 2007

Real estate, no seriously.
posted by 517 at 9:25 PM on May 21, 2007

517: You mean as in selling real estate ... along with the 50 katrillion others who do it? Maybe you had something else in mind and I'm losing it in the translation?
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 9:30 PM on May 21, 2007

Yes, and then opening your own office, although now is a pretty rough time to start.
posted by 517 at 9:50 PM on May 21, 2007

Law marketing, research, legal research, marketing, PR, freelance writer, grant writer, lobbyist.

I run a website on becoming a consultant and I get asked questions like this a lot. My biggest recommendation is for you to do a full personal skills inventory. By sorting through your past experiences (including life experiences) and special skills, you'll probably uncover your passions. But I wouldn't say you should just pick your passion. You want to pick something that will support other passions. For example, I am passionate about poetry, but I'm also passionate about having a home, clothed & fed children, furniture, a retirement plan and so on. So you want to pick something you like, not necessarily love. Sometimes the other things you love are aided by a consulting business you like that generates money for the things you love!
posted by acoutu at 10:09 PM on May 21, 2007

consultant, coach....
posted by Izzmeister at 10:15 PM on May 21, 2007

What about some type of consulting gig for small businesses? You could help with their business plan and point them in the right direction for things like incorporation and various legal loopholes/things to be aware of. Many would-be entrepreneurs screw up their business plans and/or don't know where to start.

If you get set up that way I would think you'd have a foot in the door to work with nonprofits that offer loans/grants to people interested in starting their own business. You could then work with both the agency and their clients. SCORE and the SBA might be good allies, but I'm sure there are also a number of smaller agencies under the radar that also do that kind of work. When we opened our business the smaller agencies were infinitely more helpful.

Lastly, you could also offer marketing/PR consulting for the same businesses once they get up and running.
posted by Atom12 at 6:20 AM on May 22, 2007

What about the other side of economic development? That is, helping businesses get economic incentives. This would combine the legislative, law and economic development skills. The PR/media skills could also come in handy depending on the size of the project.
posted by probablysteve at 7:36 AM on May 22, 2007

Pick an industry you believe in (non-profit theater companies, environmental organizations, hunger relief, economic development). Learn as much as you can about the industry -- this will help you discover whether you really support what they're doing and if you can support the predominant strategies (or lack of strategies) organizations are using. Perhaps you could volunteer, mabe serve on a board or two. You'll establish contacts, but more importantly some unfilled need will probably leap out at you, a way you can really help them.

A lot of organizations are run by smart, passionate people who are just missing one or two key skills or talents, and those frequently fall under communication/marketing.
posted by amtho at 7:42 AM on May 22, 2007

Thank you all. Everyone offered a little something that I can take some time digesting/researching.
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 9:52 AM on May 22, 2007