NEW BUSNESS IDEA
Business ideas that can make money
Start a mobile snack bar.
Various types of food trailers are available, suitable for selling all kinds of edible goodies. Whether it`s hamburgers, beefburgers, chips, sandwhiches or ice-cream, there`s plenty to choose from. A medium-size investment is required, particularly when buying new. But if you can purchase a used trailer in good condition, then you could probably save a fair bit of money. Check out the Exchange & Mart as one source of new and used trailers.. You will need to learn all the regulations related to hygiene, safety and the selling of food in public. But if you find a good location, this type of catering can be very profitable indeed.
Design and make a puppet theatre.
Hire out your services as a childrens` entertainer for birthday and xmas parties etc. Put on a show that children love to watch. Advertise your services in the Yellow Papers, but recommendations are the best way to gain more business.
Organise antique fairs.
An interest in antiques is desirable, but not essential. Hire a suitable hall and rent out stalls to sellers of antiques. Arrange to advertise the fair through local newspapers and posters. Place a large noticeboard outside the hall to catch peoples` attention and charge a small admission fee.
Open a bed and breakfast house.
This is an ideal opportunity for people living in a poular tourist area. If you have two or three spare rooms or more then you`re halfway there. Visitors will require an efficient breakfast service, along with easy access to the bathroom, and a comfortable and clean bedroom. Preferably with extra facilities such as a tv, telephone and wash basin. Also provide tourist information literature for good measure. Advertise in various B&B guides, as well as placing a suitable sign outside, or in your front window.
Read article: Bed & Breakfast - The Easiest Home Business
Design and bake unusual party cakes based upon the interests of the person whose party it is.
For example, cakes made up in the form of sports equipment, musical instruments, or modes of transport. Cakes of unusual design can also be used for special functions and events where food and drink is being served.
Sell a selection of plants at regular car boot sales.
Alternatively, sell them from a roadside stall. Place signs 100 metres from the stall in either direction to inform approaching motorists,
Invent a cartoon character which appeals to people of all ages.
Produce a regular short comic strip in a format designed to suit newspapers and general publications. Successful cartoons can sometimes make a lot of money for the inventor. Suggested reading: How to Draw and Sell Cartoons
Buy a large van and offer your services as a roadie for new bands and dee-jays.
There are always plenty of young people who are in the process of forming a band and just starting out on the road to hopeful success. Some of these bands are getting bookings and need reliable transport and help to carry their equipment to gigs. There are disk jockeys who would also find this service useful. If you`re interested in the entertainment business, this idea could be right up your street. Contact bands direct, or contact agents who deal with bands to inform them of your service. You might also consider advertising in selected music magazines.
Start a business that specialises in organising trips abroad for sports fans.
These excursions could, for instance, be to football matches, motor-racing events, tennis tournaments etc. Advertise your service through local newpapers.
Buy and sell old telephones.
People still have fond memories of the old style phones. They also make a nice change from the modern bland phones in use today. But if a sense of nostalgia isn`t your cup of tea, you could always deal in novelty phones. i.e. Mickey Mouse etc.
Start a mailing service for direct mail advertisers.
This would involve combining a selection of leaflets or cards advertising various products and services that might appeal to the general public, or names from a specified mailing list. After placing the advertising material together in one professionally designed envelope, the mailing is sent to prospective customers. The fee for this service would be approximately half the cost incurred to advertisers preparing and sending out their own mailshot.
Start a business that removes graffiti.
Find out your nearest supplier of industrial cleaning materials and equipment. Advertise your service to local businesses, government bodies and community organisations.
Start your own picture framing business.
With practice and the right tools, professional results can be achieved quickly. To get started you`ll need a mitre cutter, a pin hammer, pliers, clamps, a mount cutter, a glass cutter, staple gun and a supply of mounting boards, picture mouldings, glass and hardboard for backing the pictures. Eventually you would need to invest in professional picture framing equipment for fast and accurate mitring and mount cutting. You can advertise your services in the local newspaper.Suggested reading: Home Book of Picture Framing
Open up a collectors museum.
The museum would be dedicated to a collection of old items that are fondly remembered and popular with visitors. Themes such as toy trains, vintage toy cars, dolls houses, photographic equipment, film memorablia etc., could be easily displayed in a large house or rented premises. Choose a suitable location within easy reach of a popular tourist spot or large populated area. Charge a small admission fee or apply for government funding.
Start a business organising `Adventure Days Out`.
These could include exciting activities such as ballooning, rally driving, off-road driving, abseiling etc. Target business executive types with a direct mail brochure. Activities like these attract a fairly high fee due to their nature. Hire experts with suitable expertise and training ability where required. See www.daystoamaze.co.uk
Buy and sell used garden furniture thats in good condition.
Items might include tables and chairs, picnic benches, garden seats, hammocks etc. Further items could be added later such as overlap fencing panels, garden sheds and if you`re handy at carpentry you could also stock self-made, wooden plant containers and window boxes.
Set up a cleaning service for businesses.
Companies with shops, offices, warehouses are all potential customers. The usual simple cleaning materials can be used along with industrial vacuum cleaners and floor polishers. Start small, but think big. Expand your business by employing others as more work comes in. It`s a competitive business, but there`s always room for another reliable and professional service who can deliver the
Frame and sell collections for display.
These might include specialised items that appeal to particular groups of people. For example, sets of coins for coin collectors, stamps for stamp collectors, autographed photographs of celebrities, medals, maps, replica guns, stuffed fish, butterflies, insects and numerous other things. Advertise in suitable magazines.
Supply and fit replacement plastic guttering.
Here`s another business that can be started by a handyman who doesn`t mind climbing and working up ladders. No special skills are involved, just a basic knowledge of how to remove old guttering and replace it with new parts. Many older houses still have the old style guttering which often needs replacing, but the newer plastic guttering is also prone to cracking sometimes, and the sections affected will need renewing. To find work, canvass homes and advertise your service in the local press.
Supply and fit carpet tiles or laminated wood flooring.
These are ideal materials for places like the kitchen, utility rooms, porches, playrooms and spare rooms. or any other room where the customer would rather not have a carpet fitted. They are usually very hard wearing and easy to keep clean. Materials are easy to obtain, with good discounts if you find the right source. Fitting is fairly straightforward in most cases, but can be difficult in awkward shaped rooms. Which is one of the reasons why someone with enough practice and experience should find plenty of work to keep them happy.
Start a mobile nappy delivery service.
Babies go through an amazing amount of nappies each day. For mothers in urgent need of a fresh supply, but can`t get to the shops for some reason, or the shops are too far away, a mobile nappy delivery service can be a godsend. The bigger the discount you can obtain when buying your stock in bulk, the more successful you`re likely to be, as mothers who normally buy from the shops might use your service too. But only if your prices are much more favourable. This is an ideal business for a mobile lady with a van or large estate car. Advertising can be done through local newspapers and some well placed posters and leaflets in suitable places.
Breed and sell pedigree pups.
If you love dogs and have suitable kennels, breeding certain types of dogs with good pedigrees can be a profitable, as well as very enjoyable, way to make an occasional spare-time income. Certain breeds sell for hundreds of pounds. If you doubt my word, check the pet section of the Exchange & Mart. However, there are costs to consider, including feeding and vet fees, and the well being of the dogs is of paramount importance. So it`s not a business to be taken lightly, with little or no notion of what is involved.
Start a flowers and chocolates delivery service.
Everyone loves a nice surprise, and they don`t come much nicer than this. For people romantically attached, or celebrating an anniversary, birthday or engagement, this is an ideal service that gives people a chance to show how much they care. Supplies can be obtained from stock, or through a special arrangement with chosen suppliers. Advertise your service in the local press.
Start a business that organises a regular `almost new` clothing sales event.
Similar to a car boot sale, this would involve hiring a hall, renting stalls to people with clothes to sell, charging a small admission fee and running a small food and drink facility. Advertise each event in the local press.
Buy and sell secondhand cookers and fridge freezers.
Refurbish where necessary using new parts if needed. Use cleaning materials to spruce them up, and a spray gun and compressor for re-spraying scratched goods with new enamel paint. You could also sell microwaves, chest freezers and dishwashers. A small shop or factory unit will be needed once business takes off. Until then, you could test your business aptitude by buying and selling from home. Advertise in the local papers` classified sections.
Start a keycutting service using a key duplicating machine.
Everyone needs extra keys cut at some time or other. Whether it`s extra house keys or a spare set of keys for the car, in case your main keys get lost, a keycutting service will always find customers. Particularly if your prices are competitive. Ideally, you should provide your service in a busy central location. Perhaps from a small booth in a department store or shopping centre. Even a fast turnaround mail order service is a possibility, in which case you could work from home, but success would depend on the amount of business you receive in relation to advertising costs. Check the internet and trade directories for suppliers of equipment.
Become a promotions and competition organiser.
Here`s something that people with very good organisational skills might consider. It`s a business with very big potential and big profits when run successfully. If it sounds like something you would like to try out click here
Breed and sell tropical fish.
If you`re an expert in tropical fish you`ve probably already tried this idea, but for a newcomer who may be interested, there`s lots of information available on how to look after, and breed various types of fish for profit. Before considering this as a way to make extra money however, there`s plenty to learn and you would be well advised to gain as much experience as you can to make it a worthwhile proposition. It`s not as easy as it sounds, certain types are harder to breed than others. Equipment can be a little expensive to begin with, but not prohibitive. Some types of tropical fish can bring good profits and are worth perservering with. You can sell them through various pet stores or directly to the public through classified advertising.
Start your own dog grooming service.
If you`re good with dogs, this could be just the job for you. Though, you will need to be fairly proficient at using a pair of scissors and hair clippers. Some dogs, such as poodles, need expert handling. It takes practice to be very good at this game. Learn as much as you can before setting up on your own. As an additional service you could also offer to do nail clipping. In either case, you can run it as a mobile service, or run the business from home.
Set up a photocopying service for small businesses.
Good quality new and reconditioned photocopying machines can be purchased or rented at very reasonable prices from specialist firms who deal in photocopying machines. It`s just a case of phoning around to see who can give you the best deal. A service contract can be taken out at the same time to keep your machine in good working order. After that, it`s just a case of making suitable contacts and offering a pick-up and delivery service to meet your customers needs.
Supply and fit roller blinds.
There`s a number of firms who offer this kind of business as a franchise, which may be worth considering unless you prefer to go it alone. If so, you`ll either need to learn to make the blinds yourself, which is not too difficult when using the right materials, or find a supplier who can make the blinds up to your own specifications. All you need to do then is get the orders through advertising and home visits to show what you can offer, and take your customer`s measurements to have them made and fitted.
Start a rotovating and lawn turfing service.
People with gardens and allotments often need to turnover their soil before re-planting fresh seed to grow new plants or new grass. With a rotovator, an expensive tool which not many people buy or use frequently, you could offer a service which helps them complete this task, by doing the work for them. To begin with, to save money, you could purchase your own rotovator secondhand from an auction or through the classifieds. New homebuyers are a good source of potential customers, because the gardens which come with their new home are not always grassed over. With a suitable contact and source of supply, you could offer a turf laying service as well. Neither of these tasks needs a great amount of skill, just the right equipment and plenty of energy. To advertise, place leaflets through the letterboxes of suitable prospects and advert
Grow and sell your own houseplants.
If you have a keen interest in houseplants, and you like growing them in multiple quantities from cuttings taken from mature plants, here is a way you can make extra cash. Start by selling them at car boot sales and outdoor markets. Have a good selection to choose from and sell them at prices that are at least 30% below shop prices. Once a regular site is established, increase sales by finding other sites and build up your stock.
Make your own jewellery and sell by mail order.
Alternatively, you could sell your work from a market stall. If you`re really ambitious and have an impressive collection worth putting into a catalogue, consider selling your products on the internet. An online shop and catalogue could be created using suitable e-commerce software and a merchant account. For more information about making your own jewellery visit Wire-Sculpture.com and learn how to start your own home-based business jewellery business.
Start your own used car parts business.
Secondhand car parts can be taken from old and late model cars bought from salvage auctions. Thousands of `write-offs` are sold weekly throughout the country, and can be grabbed for amazingly low prices. Good parts can be stripped and sold on to local and mail order customers. When starting out, specialise in one particular make of vehicles, such as Ford or one of the other major manufacturers. You will need a place to store one or two cars at a time and storage for spare parts. You will also need a car transporter trailer, or have contact with someone who can lend or hire you one for transporting cars from auction. Advertise your spare parts business in the Yellow pages.
Sell a range of catalogue goods for firms such as Kleeneeze, Amway or Betterware.
These are well established companies with excellent products and a good commission rate for sales. Build up a round of regular customers by leaving a catalogue with people every few weeks. You then call back to collect any orders and deliver the goods as soon as you receive them. You can also build up your own business through introducing and helping new agents from which you will gain an extra small commission on orders taken through them. To begin with, contact the fims mentioned for all the literature which explains the business in full. A small investment is normally required to get started.
Start a greenhouse sales business.
Find a supplier or manufacturer of greenhouses who can supply you at trade prices on credit. Advertise your service through canvassing and professionally designed door-to-door leaflets. When established, if business is good, you could employ people on a part-time basis to do the canvassing work for you, while you concentrate on the running of the business, including installation and the satisfaction of your customers.
Buy secondhand student desks, refurbish and sell as computer desks.
More and more students and young people are getting there own computer these days, for help with their homework and studies. Many of whom don`t have a proper place to keep their equipment. Usually they get around to buying a computer desk, but new ones can be expensive. Student desks can be purchased cheaply and refurbished, if required, for re-selling. Advertise them as computer desks to get a better response. Local classified advertising in the free advertising publications are as good a place as any to place your ads.
Obtain screws and fixings in large quantities.
Package and card them and sell them through hardware shops under your own brand name. Alternatively, sell them by mail order, or at car boot sales along with other inexpensive tools which can be bought at wholesale prices.
Buy and hire out trailers for motor vehicles.
There are various types of trailers that people sometimes need to hire. These include box trailers for carrying commercial goods or moving house contents, open trailers for carrying rubbish and equipment or machinery, car transporters for carrying cars, horse boxes for horses and trailer tents for camping. Secondhand trailers can usually be picked up for a reasonable price, as opposed to new ones which are rather expensive. Ensure you have proper insurance cover and a place to store them when not in use. Advertise in the local press and Yellow Pages.
Buy mountain bikes from auctions which deal in unclaimed goods recovered by the police.
These bikes usually sell at very low prices. You can refurbish them, if necessary, and resell them. Alternativey, hire them out in busy tourist areas. Ensure all bikes are well maintained and proper insurance is arranged.
Supply and fit replacement kitchen unit doors.
This is an excellent way to save money on re-modelling peoples` kitchens, rather than the expensive alternative of purchasing a brand new one. There are a number of firms who can supply these doors at trade prices, allowing you to charge for your fitting service on top of the price of the doors you supply at retail cost. If you`re a dab hand at do-it-yourself, this is a business you could try out with minimum investment.
Start a business buying and selling used sports equipment.
All kinds of items could be sold, saving customers plenty of money on new expensive gear. These might include items such as trampolines, pool tables, archery equipment, table tennis tables, badminton nets and rackets, bodybuilding equipment etc. Smaller items are unlikely to be very profitable, so stick to the larger sports goods, for which you`ll need a fairly large van and storage space. Advertise to buy and sell through local and regional newspapers.
Buy and rent out holiday caravans.
If you have some money to invest, here is a way you could see good returns on your investment. Thousands of people each year book holidays in caravans. It makes a cheaper alternative for families who can`t afford to go abroad with their children, and for elderly couples who like a quieter holiday near the sea or countryside. There are always well furnished caravans for sale on established popular sites, which is ideal if you want to make them pay. A site fee will need to be paid, which is usually quite reasonable, considering the profit you should make on hiring the caravan out. Always check the costs involved however, and weigh up the likely profits you could make, through the busy and quiet seasons.
Buy and renovate old country cottages in need of repair.
On completion, rent them out during the holiday season. Obviously, a fairly large investment is involved in starting and running this kind of business. But property rarely drops in value, providing it`s maintained in a good state of repair. Property auctions are a good place to look for likely bargains, but bear in mind that the type of property you`re looking for needs to be in a suitable location and large enough to accommodate at least five or six people. This will allow you to get the best deal when hiring out.
Start your own mobile welding service.
If you have any experience using industrial welding equipment, you should find a reasonable demand for your services. Particularly where motorists are concerned. There are aleays a fair number of people who need welding repairs carried out on their car or van to get it through the m.o.t. With suitable portable equipment and a large enough van to contain it, this is a business which has no shortage of customers for those with the necessary skills.
Set up and run a contract painting company.
Commercial and industrial premises, more so than private households, need regular maintenance and cleaning. As a contract painter your goal would be to gain work through contracts for keeping business premises, including shops, industrial units and warehouses, regularly spruced up by painting them when required. This will likely involve interior as well as exterior painting, possibly using special paints in some cases, such as vandal-proof and slip-free paints for floors. Supplies are readily obtainable from trade outlets. All you need is suitable scaffolding platforms, the right type of brushes and spray equipment, plus a good head for heights.
Service and repair gardening equipment.
Mowers, rotovators and hedge trimmers occasionaly need replacement parts and their blades often need sharpening, as well as other handheld impliments such as garden shears and edging shears. If this sounds like a service you could provide, all you need to get started are a few basic tools plus a grinder for sharpening. Either work from home or a small business unit, using advertising to attract customers, or start a mobile service with a small van, canvassing homes with gardens.
Breed earthworms for profit.
Here is a business that involves very little in the way of expense or any special skills. The main thing required is some unused space in a garden shed or garage. Using propagation boxes, available from gardening centres, plus the right combination of manure, peat and topsoil, earthworms can be bred in copious quantities. There are certain types which are regular fast breeders, and thousands of them can be bred in a relatively short space of time. So who needs earthworms? Well, gardeners and fishermen actually. And they`re quite prepared to pay for them too. For more detailed advice check the internet or your local library for information.
Start a childrens` fancy dress party service.
This would involve you supplying a range of party games and costumes for childrens` birthday and christmas parties. The costumes could range from cavemen outfits to spacemen, and designed to fit a variety of different ages between 3 and 12 years. Have the costumes made up by someone reliable and professional. Advertise your service through the local newspapers and Yellow Pages.
Buy and sell pop and rock music memorablia.
Any type of music collectors` items, including records, signed autographs, concert posters etc., that might prove popular through mail order advertising. Specialise in the nostalgia periods of the 50`s, 60`s and 70`s for best results. Advertise in music magazines.
Buy and sell secondhand fantasy role-playing games.
There are thousands of these type of games available now. By placing an advert in suitable publications, you could find a number of sources from where you can obtain used games. Sellers will often have a collection of games that they may wish to sell. These can then either be resold or rented out through means of an organised club. Profits would be made through mail order sales, or an annual subscription to the club and it`s newsletter.
Learn to become a landscape gardener.
Anyone with a good knowlege of plants, lawncare and a flair for creating an attractively laid out garden might consider this as an ideal business to operate part-time, or even full-time, if so inclined. Once your knowledge is sufficient, start your business by advertising in the local and regional press. An assortment of tools will be required, plus transport, plus any artistic materials you need to promote your designs, or to get your clients ideas down on to paper. More detailed planning can be done carried out at home if necessary.
Run an accommodation address service.
If you live in a large city you could charge individuals and businesses for the use of your address as a mailing address. This is useful to small mail order businesses who require a more prestigeous address appearing in their advertising. Your involvement in this type of business simply involves you re-mailing letters back to the clients own address, For this you would charge a monthly fee and any postal costs incurred.
Start a signwriting service for business vehicles and shops
How Do I Make Money Selling My Photos?http://blog.fotolia.com/uk/images/fotolia-1283141-sell-my-photos-online1.html http://blog.fotolia.com/uk/faq/photographer/make_money-sell_photos.html
http://blog.fotolia.com/uk/images/fotolia-1283141-sell-my-photos-online1.htmlYou can work from home selling your photos. Fotolia provides a free website where you can upload your photos and sell them online 24/7 around the world easily. Join the other photographers now ....
This question has probably lead most photographers to join Fotolia as they want to sell royalty free stock images online and make money selling photos.
This article is intended to make you think about how you can make more money from selling your photos through Fotolia – and other ways to make money from photography at Fotolia.
Make More Money With Your Photos
Making money selling your photos online starts before you pick up the camera. Look at what sells well.
Fotolia helps you find out what photos sell well. If you are going to spend the day taking photos for money, then if you are shooting things that don’t sell you aren’t making the most of your time.
What are Buyers Searching For?
By clicking on the tags link at the bottom of the Fotolia screen, you will see the top search terms - what searchers are looking for; searchers are buyers, so you can see the importance of this! The larger the search tag appears, the more popular that search term.
Tags link: Fotolia Tags
The larger the word, the more times it has been searched for. Look at the largest dozen – click on them. What images does the buyer see? Can you do better?
Think Ahead – Is Xmas Coming or Have You Missed It?
Think about who buys photos. A lot of stock images are used in advertising and promotions. Marketing departments and advertising agencies will already be looking forward to their Xmas offers. Larger companies will have already have finished their Xmas advertising campaign and will now be at the stage where they are arranging their materials distribution channels – and you can see this in the tags as the word “Christmas” starts to get large during August! It’s still there now. It is unlikely anybody will be wanting to buy Christmas images in December, so think ahead to “the next big thing” and get your images in early. When will Valentine’s images be wanted? What about Easter?
Missed the Slot?
Perhaps you think you’ve missed the opportunity with seasonal items, but upload them anyway. They will be there for the next rush, ensuring you don’t miss out next time.
At what price will my photographs be sold?
Fotolia provides photographers with the ability to choose the price for each image sold.
We offer photographers and buyers three license options depending on the resolution and license option chosen. A photographer may be required to define a price for each license:
· Standard Royalty Free License (available in four sizes: M, L, XL and XXL)
· Extended Royalty Free License
· Exclusive buyout License
The price range of a standard royalty free license is solely determined by the photographers rank and the exclusivity of the image. Commissions are from 33% to 80% depending on the chosen license, the rank of the photographer and the exclusivity of the image.
Becoming a Successful Commodity Broker
It is not easy to become a successful commodity broker. Many who become commodity brokers do not survive past the first two years. The brokers who work hard and understand what it takes to be successful tend to have long and prosperous careers as commodity brokers. Being a commodity broker is not just about trading commodities. You have to be a salesman, a market analyst and you have to provide customer service to multiple accounts on any given day. Some days will be absolutely exhilarating and other days you will just be feeding that soon-to-be ulcer.
Opening Commodity Accounts
Most brokers who like to trade the commodities markets really dread opening accounts. This is where the sales end of the business comes into play.
By sales, I mean selling the potential clients on yourself and the opportunity to make money in the markets. First, you need to find out what objective the prospect has in trading commodities. Some are just curious and will never open an account, while a few will already have their checkbook in hand when they contact you. However, most of the prospective clients you will have contact with are serious about trading commodities and it is up to you to give them a comfort level where they will open an account with you. I highly recommend that you do not hype any markets or fill your prospects with fantasies of getting rich through trading commodities. This will only lead to problems down the road – both legally and the fact that you will have a lot of explaining to do if / when things do not work out. Above all else - be honest. Answer their questions and equally explain the opportunities and risks. If the prospects like you and believe you are capable of making money for them, you should be okay in this department.
Making Money For Clients
This is where you need to give yourself a cold, hard reality check. If you cannot consistently make money for your clients, you probably should not be a commodity broker. Or, at least you should not be trading discretionary accounts or making all the recommendations for your clients. If your clients are dependant on you to manage their account and make them money, you should have the confidence that you are doing the job you are getting paid for. Aside from the ethical issues, you will have to keep replacing your clients if they are regularly losing their money and closing their accounts. That makes it difficult to grow a book of business. You should be researching the markets daily. People do not consistently make money in trading commodities without a lot of hard work. Read every book you can on trading commodities and design a thorough trading plan for yourself and your clients. Most importantly, you do not have to make your clients rich overnight. You should be shooting for a respectable annual return.
Generating Commissions
This is a fine line that a commodity broker has to walk. On the one hand, if you generate too many commissions in your clients’ accounts, they will stand little chance of making money and you could be charged with churning. On the other hand, if you don’t generate enough commissions in the accounts, you may be working for too little money. I have always felt that if you do what is best for the client and you consistently make money for them, the commission thing works itself out. A client that is making money is usually a happy client and they will most likely keep trading commodities with you. Therefore, in the long run you will generate more in commissions than trying risky strategies where your client is gone in 3 months.
Servicing Commodities Accounts
Keeping in touch with your clients is vitally important when you are a commodity broker. This is most critical during the bad times, which you will inevitably have. It is easy to contact a client when things are going well and very difficult when a client takes a major hit on his account equity. Use the golden rule and treat your clients the way you would want to be treated. One of the main complaints of commodity brokers is that they don’t keep in touch with their clients. Many clients feel they only get a call when the broker wants something – like placing a trade and generating commissions. Believe me, a phone call once a week to each client for an account update goes a long way toward your success as a commodity broker.