Are you frantically scouring the Internet looking for a way to ditch the 9–5 and live the life you choose?

Well, you’ve made a good start!

But before you can really decide what kind of business you want to run, you need to be clear on the lifestyle you want to lead.

At least you do if you want to work to live, not live to work.

Struggling to find that ‘big idea’? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Rest assured, the perfect business is out there for you. You just need to know where to look.

I hope that by the time you’ve put the techniques I suggest here into practice you’ll have a much clear idea of what type of business is right for you.

1. An existing business idea that does not exist in your area.
2. An existing idea that you can do better.
3. An idea based on something you’re interested in, know or love.
4. A brand new concept.

The first, and most important place to search for your business idea is within you. Your business is going to become an enormous part of your identity. It will represent your values and who you are. It will also take a huge amount of your time and energy.

With that in mind, it’s absolutely essential that you choose a business that you’ll enjoy, or better still, that you’ll feel passionate about.

If you don’t, the chances of success are pretty slim.

Here are six steps to finding the perfect business for you:

At the top of a piece of paper write:

Take out another piece of paper and title it ‘About Me’. Divide it into four boxes.

Label the boxes as below:

• What I enjoy doing
• What I don’t enjoy doing
• What I’m good at
• What I’m not good at

Take your time, and write as many statements as you can think of under each category, relating them to work. When you’ve finished you’ll have explored your likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and be one step closer to finding your business idea.

Take a break and come back refreshed for step 3……

Now let’s break it down even further and make a list of key business attributes that suit you.

Right, you’ve got your list of business attributes based on your likes, interests, knowledge, skills and talents.

And you know which are most important to you.

Now it’s time to turn these attributes into a business idea.

Here’s how you do it. Ask yourself:

• Are there any businesses that other people are running that you could do better?

• Have you met someone whose job interests you?

• Could any of your hobbies be turned into a business idea?

• Is there a new product or service that you could bring to the market?

Research businesses that use your favourite business attributes. For example, if the attributes ‘I enjoy working with people’ and ‘I have good communication skills’ are at the top of your list, you could consider becoming a Life Coach, Counsellor or Party Organiser. If ‘I like being creative’ and ‘I enjoy using the Internet’ are your favourites, maybe you could become a Web Designer or Internet Marketer.

When you’ve done your research and come up with a few possible business ideas, do more research and find out what’s really involved with each one.

Use your intuition.

• Which ideas appeal?

• Which don’t feel right?

• Which can you imagine yourself doing for the next few years?

If you’re lucky enough to have many suitable ideas, refine your research until you have just one.

• Which business idea are you most drawn to?

• Which business idea fills you with enthusiasm?

This is the one to take to the next step…..

Time to go full circle and dig out your first list - ‘The Lifestyle I want to lead’.

Look at your final business idea and check that it fits the lifestyle you want to achieve.

• Can you choose your own hours?

• Can you spend time with the kids?

• Can you be creative?

• Can you work from home?

• Can you work with people?

In most cases the answer will be ‘yes’; yay! You’ve found your business idea! Well done!

But if it’s not, keep revisiting the business ideas you came up with until you do find a business you’ll enjoy that fits the lifestyle you want to lead.

When you’ve completed steps 1 to 5 and come up with a business idea that suits you, it’s time to get planning.

If your business will operate locally, you need to know if there are other businesses offering the same product or service in your area.

Competition is not a bad thing. In fact, if there is competition it’s a good sign that a market exists. In this case, you just need to make sure that your product or service stands out from the crowd.

• Will people buy the product or service?
• How big is the market?
• How will I find customers?
• Will it be profitable?
• How much competition is there and is there room for another in the market?
• How will I make my business stand out?

Once you’ve satisfied yourself that your business idea can work, it’s time to write a business plan.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, as long as it provides you with a route map to your final destination – business success!