How Everyone Can Own a Global Business

One of the single most important changes that the internet has made to the world is that it is opened up the possibility of becoming a global business owner to everyone who has a computer, a little business and technical knowledge, and a reliable internet connection.

There was a time when your only option, if you wanted to own your own business, was to open a brick and mortar company, and serve your local community. Most of those business owners never progressed to becoming national or international companies, however, and small businesses usually stayed small businesses, even if they were successful.

These days, however, with the internet, and the many possibilities it offers the entrepreneur, it is entirely possible for everyone to own a global business. Let us look at some of your options.

The most obvious, and the one that everyone thinks of when they think about online business, is the traditional web store, or e-retailer. In most cases, these are based on products or services that the company in question already creates or offers, but there is a lot more scope than that. Perhaps you can find a supplier of unique local products, or perhaps you can create a store that resells items – whether it is hardware and building materials, clothing, or computers.

Companies that want to have a global business have an even better way of sourcing products these days though. There are plenty of manufacturers and wholesalers who offer drop shipping, which is a system whereby you are allowed to sell their products to your clients, without having first purchased them yourself. When your clients buy from you, you place an order with your wholesaler, pay them the money you have already been paid for the product, and give them your client’s shipping details. They then ship their products directly to your client, and you make a profit out of being the middleman. This is particularly attractive to people who want to start a global online retail business, but who lack the capital to buy stock, and who need to work from home for cost reasons.

Another great choice is to become an affiliate marketer. There are literally millions of products and services out there that you can be paid a commission to sell on behalf of the companies and individuals who created them. From airline tickets to e-books, it is possible to earn revenues from the sale of other people’s products on your site or blog, and again, there is virtually no start up cost.

Many online business owners who run successful global businesses from their homes also integrate advertising revenues in their earnings. Whether it is Google Adsense that they run on their site or blog, or specific merchant ads sourced through a third party platform like Commission Junction, a high traffic site, or blog can make a significant amount of money simply from hosting other people’s advertisements on their pages.

You can even use your existing skills to create a global business online. Whether you have legal skills, are a graphic designer or a writer, there are plenty of people out there looking for services, and you can easily create a business on selling your skills to that market.

Many people also create successful global businesses by developing digital products, such as e-books or software, and they sell these over and over, either on their site, via affiliates or on a third party platform like Amazon.com or Apple’s App Store.

The benefits of starting this kind of global business are quite simple really.

Entrepreneurs who lack the capital needed to create a real world business (which requires premises, stock, staff, and other expensive commodities) can create a business that they can run from home. It is also entirely possible to launch this type of online global business while you are still employed, so it is particularly attractive to those people who would like to own their own business, but cannot afford to take the leap of faith that starting one often requires.

Global businesses like these also do not limit your marketing and sales potential to a particular geographical area, and it’s entirely possible that your online business can service clients from everywhere on the globe. In fact, theoretically, every one of the more than 2 billion internet users around the world is your potential client when you opt for this type of business.

So, if you’re someone who’s always dreamt of owning your own business, but you never thought it was possible, perhaps it’s time to look into the global business opportunities that the internet presents in a little more detail. You would be surprised at what you can achieve with little more than a good idea and a few hundred dollars, and it is entirely possible that within in a few months or years, your global online business will be self-sustaining, and you can say good-bye to your day job!