Home-Based Business Ideas:

7 Careers That Pay You to Give Advice

by Tag and Catherine Goulet

Home-based business ideas for the person who loves to give advice. Do friends frequently turn to you for advice? Do you enjoy offering suggestions or solutions to problems? Do you ever post your opinions online?

If your answer to any of these questions is "yes," why not consider a career that lets you earn a living giving advice?

Here are seven home-based business ideas that give you the opportunity to get paid to do what you love. Each career description starts with an inspirational quotation from some of the best advice-givers in the world -- moms.

Business Consultant

As a business consultant you can get paid to give advice to business owners and executives. Business consultants meet with clients in companies and other organizations to identify business problems, then gather information and recommend solutions.

Some business consultants focus on a particular industry such as health care, while others specialize in areas such as marketing, human resources, technology, or small business.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 28% of consultants do not have a degree, but you do need business-savvy and experience in the area you are consulting in.

For advice on how to get started in a career in business consulting check out the FabJob Guide to Become a Business Consultant

Etiquette Consultant

Etiquette consultants give advice in one or more areas such as business etiquette, children’s etiquette, dining etiquette, international protocol, social etiquette, or wedding etiquette.

As an etiquette consultant you can offer individual consultations or group training programs on topics such as telephone skills for customer service staff. You can actually get paid to say “mind your manners” and “don’t talk with your mouth full.”

For advice on how to get started in a career in etiquette consulting check out the FabJob Guide to Become an Etiquette Consultant

Financial Planners

After meeting with clients, financial planners select appropriate investments compatible with the client’s goals, attitude toward risk, and expectation or need for a return on the investment.

While most planners offer advice on a range of financial topics, some specialize in areas such as retirement and estate planning.

Image Consultant

You might get paid to give people feedback about their overall image (also known as makeover consulting) or you might advise them on how to improve specific aspects of their image such as wardrobe, makeup, or vocal and non-verbal communications.

For advice on how to get started in a career in image consulting check out the FabJob Guide to Become an Image Consultant

Life Coach

People use life coaches for the same reason that they use sports coaches: they want someone to work with them, to encourage them, to push them.

As a life coach, your job is to listen, to ask questions, and to give honest feedback. (It sounds a lot like the job done by many moms!)

For advice on how to get started in a career in life coaching check out the FabJob Guide to Become a Life Coach

Motivational Speaker

You can also give advice to adults and inspire them to follow their dreams and achieve their goals.

You could help people to succeed in business, improve their relationships, develop a positive attitude, become healthy, achieve financial prosperity, and have more fun in life.

For advice on how to get started in a career in motivational speaking check out the FabJob Guide to Become a Motivational Speaker

Professional Writer

For example, advertising copywriters try to influence people to buy their clients' products, while critics tell people what they should (and should not) spend their entertainment dollars on. Technical writers write the manuals that advise people, step-by-step, how to use anything from computer software to cars to kitchen appliances.

Even fiction writers can give advice, weaving moral lessons into their stories, and showing readers it is much wiser to act like the hero than the villain.

For advice on how to get started in a career in professional writing check out the FabJob Guide to Become a Publisher Writer

So if you have a talent for giving advice, consider one of these home-based business ideas where you'll get paid to tell people what to do. Mom would be proud.