Ready to be a Mompreneur? Consider One of These Emerging Industries [INFOGRAPHIC]
The business landscape is changing, and with change comes new opportunities for women-owned small businesses to launch and thrive.
How can you know which industries are worth pursuing — and which are just a flash in the pan?
You can never be 100-percent sure. There’s always a mixture of research, educated guessing, and gut instinct that go into crafting a winning business plan for an emerging industry. Our infographic on rapidly growing industries shows endless possibility for new and returning entrepreneurs. Some of these emerging business areas are especially ripe for development by busy, working moms with valuable skills and a need for flexible work schedules. 
A few highlights from our research:
- Opportunities for home health aides are expected to grow by 48 percent by 2022. Mompreneurs who are both nurturing and hyper-organized are a natural fit to lead in this growing field.
- Corporate fitness, to include consulting, fitness programs and software to track wellness, is expected to grow 8.4 percent annually. The best part about consulting for corporations? Their employees might work late, but you won’t; offer your programs during the work day and preserve evenings for family.
- By 2017, more than half of Americans will have used their smartphones to make a purchase. If you’re tech savvy, get on the mobile-shopping train and make life easier for busy shoppers like you!
- Green construction is expected to generate more than $303 billion over the next three years. Project management, innovation, and accountability are key for success in this field.
- The global market for translation services and language technology will hit $49.8 billion in 2019. Do you speak a second (or third!) language? You could find a niche for your small business.
- Americans already spend nearly $20 billion per year on pet care, a trend Millennial pet owners are expected to maintain. If pets are more like your fur babies, find an angle (dog walking? grooming? specialty feed recipes?) and put it to work!
Looking at industry growth isn’t the sole way to choose the right area of business for you to enter. You’ll also want to consider the target market, not only for the industry you’re eyeing but for the specific area (location or niche audience) you plan to serve. A business idea can be fantastic, but unless there are people willing to invest in its products or services, the idea may fall upon deaf ears. You’ll also want to consider your competition. Is your hometown already flush with one of these emerging industries? You may have better odds of success if you stay out of that popular industry and instead serve one adjacent to it. Need a boost of encouragement before launching your own small business? Take our free, on-demand webinar: Raising the Next Generation of Women Entrepreneurs — Starting a Business at Any Life Stage.