I got PIPed last year after 24 years at ExxonMobil. My wife started a beauty salon 6 years that unfortunately did not make it. I was running a software business on the side selling to universities and for training. Now I am out of ExxonMobil but growing this software business nicely, decent income. Can we brainstorm here and list business ideas to help current and past ExxonMobil colleagues? A lot can be done remotely/from home. There are explosive opportunities really in many segments. New entrepreneurs are forming continuously. Brainstorming here could create nice opportunities for many unhappy ExxonMobil employees. After getting PIPed and leaving immediately, I enjoyed 3 months pay and I am much happier. My business idea was selling training software for colleges and universities- it is doing well and growing and it is more fun than I could have imagined. Like to see other ideas posted here, what you may have been thinking, doing already or not doing because of various reasons.
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Gigolo is my backup plan.
I do think the individual service industries will continue to grow.
Individual people providing services to other individuals.
No faddish mass gropes for ambiguous group-feelings of mass mediums.
Individuals together.
I'm 62 - and a fairly fit gentleman with the capability to make decent conversation.
I charge less than a social worker per hour for counseling of any kind.
I agree that there's plenty of opportunities to start your own business. Novel ideas are great but there's a big market for existing small businesses as well. A business doesn't have to be a unicorn to take good care of your family.
You can start a franchise (1,000s of options) or buy an existing business with owners looking to retire. A good resource is the Houston Small Business Administration (https://houston.score.org/). They are all volunteers with successful business backgrounds and can get you in touch with good business brokers. I highly recommend them! Great people. They helped me start an LLC for my wife's side business.
In the Sunday paper, there is this Parade magazine.
Usually towards the end, an advertisement with a crude drawing and 'Can you draw this?' blurb.
Cartooning is a growing career and this could be the place to start.