How would you use your $100?

One of my goals for this year is to create extra income streams. I aim to make these streams location-independent as much as possible. That way, I don’t need to fix myself to one location and can earn enough financial resources from wherever I am. I do work from home as a translator, but extra income streams would ensure my income to be stable. Achieving this goal will be a good step towards my long term goal of having a nomad lifestyle.

To those who know me: No, I haven’t given up philosophy yet. (And to those who don’t know me or got to know me only recently: I submitted my master’s thesis on metaethics/philosophy of language last year) In the long run, I want to design my life in such a way that I can spend time on what I like: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, philosophy, other creative activities and the like. I think it is highly advantageous for one to have skills for launching a small business and running it successfully. No one hires you? How about you hiring yourself? Or you can’t find a job that you like? Perhaps you can make one?

Do these sound too unconventional for you? Whether you take a shot or not is totally up to you; I’ll take it.

Chris Guillebeau has been inspiring me regarding this entrepreneur path. He is a writer, entrepreneur, and world traveler. Chris shares his knowledge, thoughts and ideas with us through his website The Art of Non-Comformity. If you fancy an unconventional way of living, you should check out Chris’s articles. There are a number of intriguing articles on his website. The one I would like to introduce to you for this occasion is the following: The Case for the $100 Business.

In this article, Chris remarks that it’s possible for one to launch a small business for $100. Then he talks about the fundamental principle behind running such a business. He also lists some $100 business ideas suggested by his followers on twitter.

Chris recently launched a 28 day online course on running a $100 business, in collaboration with Pamela Slim, the author of Escape from Cubicle Nation. I was quite surprised when Chris announced that the price for this course is $100. Considering what a student will get out of this course, I say that’s a bargain. The first round of the course will start from 1 February 2010, but it has been filled up already. I was one of those people who waited in front of a computer for the registration for this course to open. How could I resist such an offer after all! I am looking forward to the course and getting to know other 149 participants as well as Chris and Pamela.

I will write about how I go with the course and my not-yet-in-existence small business once the course has started. Posts on these matters may be useful if you want to consider whether it’s worth taking the course. You can certainly wait for my posts, but note that the second round of the course may also be filled up soon and that the third round seems to take place later in the year rather than soon after the second one. If you are interested in running a small business and want to take action now, I suggest you read Chris’s articles and measure for yourself what Chris can possibly offer through this course. If you are not in rush, wait and see how I go with it.