• Embroidery by hand is slow, painstaking work.embroidery 2 image by Kostyantyn Ivanyshen from Fotolia.com
  
  Many people dream of running a creative, home-based business. If you possess embroidery equipment and know-how, a home embroidery business might be for you. Even if you plan to keep your embroidery business very small and local, with no internet storefront, still check to be sure that your desired business name is not already taken. (The Alabama Entrepreneurial Research Network notes, "There are a few horror stories about businesses who did not check their name's availability and later discovered the name legally belonged to someone else.") Find a niche market, focus on the basics of smart marketing and high customer satisfaction, and your business will surely thrive.
  
  

Custom Pet Shirts

• People shower their pets with love--and love to show them off.pet in hands image by aprilira from Fotolia.com
  
  Convert photos of peoples' beloved pets into embroidered figures on items of clothing, such as t-shirts. (One possible advertising slogan for your services: "Keep your pet close to your heart---literally.") Offer a selection of sweet, funny, and serious slogan suggestions, along with the option for a custom slogan. Standard slogans should include species-specific and breed-specific references, such as, "Owned by a Golden Retriever since 2005" and "Cockatiels are my life---the rest is just details." Memorial shirts featuring deceased pets should be promoted with particular sensitivity and care.
  
  

Merchandise Specialist

• Embroidered merchandise can mark company anniversaries and milestones.Company image by Yuriy Rozanov from Fotolia.com
  
  Provide custom embroidery services for local businesses and nonprofit organizations. Craft a variety of branded apparel items, such as shirts, baseball caps, knit caps, and handkerchiefs. Since many online providers offer embroidery services for a low price, differentiate yourself from discount retailers by stressing the advantages of being nearby (such as in-person meetings) and a strong stated commitment to customer satisfaction. (According to the US Small Business Administration, "A sound marketing plan is key to the success of your business.") Join local business groups, as well as a trade association such as the Embroidery Trade Association, to learn business skills and increase the number of ways a potential customer might find you.
  
  

Altered Fashion Jeans

• Embroidery jazzes up boring jeans.Dark blue jeans texture, jeans pocket image by Antalia from Fotolia.com
  
  Transform gently used jeans into one-of-a-kind works of fashion art with embroidery on the pockets, waistband, and cuffs. Resell the jeans online and through regional resellers, such as consignment stores and boutiques focusing on handmade goods. Establish a distinctive "look" to your adornments---distinctive and unusual---like reproducing bits of antique pen-and-ink botanical illustrations.