Introduction to Identify Skills to Make Money Online

Starting an online business is an excellent way to generate additional income and could potentially evolve into a full-time career. The key to a successful and enjoyable online business is aligning it with your existing interests and skills. In the activity ahead, you’ll brainstorm ideas to transform your strengths into a profitable online job. There are two primary types of offerings you can sell online: products and services. For example, you can sell tangible items like furniture, records, candles, wallets, and purses, or offer services such as tutoring, consulting, selling insurance, or teaching a class. While the example given here is an online business selling wooden tablet and smartphone stands, you’re encouraged to create any type of business—product or service—that resonates with what you love to do and what you excel at.

To identify the skills and interests you can leverage for your online business, start by brainstorming a list. During brainstorming, it’s important to generate ideas freely without judgment or criticism, embracing creativity even if some ideas may seem silly or unconventional. Remember, as you brainstorm, your updates are saved automatically in Google Docs, and only people with permission can view them. When you’re ready to share your ideas for input, you can easily do so. To begin, open a new tab in your browser, log in to your Google account, or create one if you don’t have it. Once logged in, navigate to the Google homepage and select Google Docs from the Google Apps menu to create a blank document. Name this document “Online Business Brainstorming” for easy future reference. After this, you’re all set to move forward and start brainstorming your business ideas.