Sample Independent Contractor Agreement Short Form: Fill & Download for Free

As a $367B-funded federal loan program, the Paycheck Protection Program provides short-term financial assistance to SMEs with the primary goal to address the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. With its low-interest rate and forgiveness potential, PPP will help the SMEs to cover its payroll costs, rent, interest, and other expenses until June 30, 2020. In simple words, PPP will act as a bridge, facilitating continuous payment to personnel, creditors, and essential operations.For qualifying the PPP loans, you need to present the following documents:I. Articles of incorporation and operating agreement for each borrowing entityII. Documents related to Payroll expense verificationIII. A certificate that the current employees are resident of the United StatesIV. A detailed list of non-resident employees with their corresponding salariesV. Annual profit and loss statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.VI. Proof of expenses such as rent or mortgage payments, interest payments on debts, and utility payments.Theoretically, the program shall remain open until June 30, 2020, on a first-come-first-serve basis. However, the application will not be accepted in case the funds are exhausted. For application, you can visit any SBA-approved lender, federally-insured banks, federally-insured credit union, or Farm Credit System institution. You can either download the sample application from https://SBA.gov.in or collect in-person forms through banks.Since the PPP Loan program has a limited amount of funds, it’s important to timely comply with the guidelines. So, to make your work hassle-free, here are the important dates to remember:April 3, 2020: The first date on which small business owners and non-profits can apply for this loanApril 10, 2020: The first date on which sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals are eligible to apply.June 1, 2020: The first date to apply for loan forgiveness.June 30, 2020: The final date to apply for this loan if the loan package is not exhausted.For More Details, you can check my article on PPP loan forgiveness and how to apply

1. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR EMPANELMENT OF COLLECTION/ RECOVERY AGENTS (CRA)• Management Consulting Firms, Accounting Firms, Firms offering Asset Collection Management Services and NBFCs having expertise in Asset Collection Management services would be eligible. The firms working as Collection Agency with Public Sector Banks would be given preference.• CRA employees shall be graduates from any reputed university in India / Abroad.Preference will be given to the firms having Accounting / Engineering / Law Professionals. Besides, Collection Agency shall have “DIRECT RECOVERY AGENT CERTIFICATE” issued by the concerned agency (IIBF --INDIAN INSTITUTE OF BANKING & FINANCE) as per the guidelines of RBI (IIBF).• CRA should be registered with State’s Shops and establishment Act 1948 or other mandatory registrations which are statutory in nature as per law.• The registration of the CRA shall be at least three years old.• CRA shall have experience of at least three years of experience in handling the Collection/ resolution of NPA accounts with Public Sector Bank(s).• CRA shall have completed at least five assignments successfully with Public Sector Bank(s) earlier.• The firm of CRA shall have PAN number.• CRA shall have a thorough knowledge of the extant RBI guidelines and also instructions/ circulars issued by RBI/ IIBF/ IBA time to time on Collection Agency.• CRA having complaints before Police and also involved in court cases especially in the matters, which are in deviation to the extant RBI guidelines on “Collection Agency” and scope of work indicated by the Bank need not apply.• CRA blacklisted by any Bank need not apply for empanelment.• The Statutory and regulatory guidelines and changes in them issued by agencies concerned on Collection/ Recovery Agency from time to time should be adhered.__________________________________2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR EMPANELMENT OF PRIVATE DETECTIVE AGENCY (PDA) AND SKIP TRACING AGENCY (STA)• Management Consulting Firms, Firms offering Private Detective Agency (PDA), Skip Tracing Agency Services and NBFCs having expertise in PDA and STA services would be eligible. The firms working as PDA and STA with Public Sector Banks would be given preference.• PDA and STA would be required to ascertain details of net worth, occupation, source of income, details of properties of the customers in their name/ guarantors and other assets as on date along with their current value, which may inter alia include- Immovable property in their names, residential house/ other buildings, if any, in their names, details of bank balances, deposits, investments etc. in their names and any other assets held in their name.• PDA and STA should be registered with Maharashtra Shops and establishment Act 1948 or other mandatory registrations which are statutory in nature as per law.• PDA and STA having complaints before Police and also involved in court cases especially in the matters, which are in deviation to the extant RBI guidelines on and scope of work indicated by the Bank need not apply.• PDA and STA blacklisted by any Bank need not apply for empanelment.• The registration of the PDA and STA shall be at least three years old.• PDA and STA shall have experience of at least three years of experience in handling the assignments with Public Sector Bank(s).• PDA and STA shall have completed at least five assignments successfully with Public Sector Bank(s) earlier.• The firms of PDA and STA shall have a PAN number.• Employees of PDA and STA shall be graduates from any reputed university in India/ Abroad.• PDA and STA shall have a thorough knowledge of the extant RBI guidelines and also instructions/ circulars issued by RBI/ IIBF/ IBA.• The Statutory and regulatory guidelines issued by agencies concerned on PDA and STA from time to time should be adhered.__________________________________3. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR EMPANELMENT OF RCU/ FI/ DVA (Vendors)• Partnership Firm or a Limited Company, Management Consulting Firms, Firms offering RCU/ FI/ DVA and NBFCs having expertise in RCU/ FI/ DVA, owned by predominantly persons who are Indian Residents, would be eligible.• Vendors should be registered with Maharashtra Shops and establishment Act 1948 or other mandatory registrations with statutory authority as per law.• Vendors working as RCU/ FI/ DVA with Public Sector Banks/ Other Banks.• The Vendors should not been found guilty of misconduct in a professional capacity. The Vendors blacklisted by any Bank need not apply for empanelment.• The vendors having complaints before Police and also involved in court cases especially in the matters, which are in deviation to the extant RBI guidelines on “RCU/ FI/ DVA” and scope of work indicated by the Bank need not apply.• The employees working with Vendors should be HSC or Graduate in any discipline, experience of two years with reasonable analytical ability.• The Vendors should have at least two years of experience in handling RCU/ FI/ DVA. The registration of the Vendors shall be at least two years old.• The Vendors need to submit at least two reference letters and the Bank needs to verify the quality of services provided by the vendor with the referees before empanelling them. The referees shall be from Branch managers of banks/ NBFCs where previously the Vendor had done Verifications. The reference letter shall be on the letterhead of the bank or NBFC which providing the reference.• The Vendors should have infrastructure such as fax, computers, mail connection, scanner, etc.• The Office should be well connected to Railway Station, Bus Station and City Centre.• The firm of RCU/ FI/ DVA shall have PAN number.• The Statutory and regulatory guidelines issued by agencies concerned on RCU/FI/DVA from time to time should be adhered.FIELD INVESTIGATION AGENCIES (FI), RISK CONTAINMENT UNIT (RCU), DOCUMENT VERIFICATION AGENCY (DVA), COLLECTION/ RECOVERY AGENCY (RCA), PRIVATE DETECTIVE AGENCY (PDA), SKIP TRACING AGENCY (STA) who fulfill the above eligibility criteria only shall submit the application)_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________SKIP TRACING JOBS AND TRAININGSkip tracing is an industry term used to describe the process of locating a fugitive or a missing person that can’t be found at their place of residence or usual hangouts. “Skip” refers to the person being searched for (derived from the term “to skip town”) and “tracing” meaning the act of locating the skip.The act of skip tracing is most often used by bail bondsmen, bounty hunters, repossession agents, private investigators, debt collectors, and even journalists. Skip tracing, however, may be performed by a professional — called a skip tracer — who is an expert in this process.HOW IS SKIP TRACING PERFORMED?Skip tracing is performed by collecting information on the individual in question. All information recovered by the skip tracer is analyzed, verified, and used to determine the location of the individual. Skip tracing may involve gathering and analyzing a great deal of information or very little information, both of which have their own set of advantages and disadvantages.Although most skip tracers now head to the Internet to gather information on the whereabouts of individuals, many also employ social engineering, the art of calling on individuals who may have information about the subject.It is the job of the skip tracer to use any number of resources and databases to collect the required information. As such, skip tracing often involves accessing the following:o Phone number databaseso Credit reportso Credit card applicationso Job applicationso Criminal background checkso Loan applicationso Utility billso Public tax informationo Public records databaseso Courthouse recordso Department store loyalty cardso Air travel recordso Driver’s license/vehicle registration departmentsSKIP TRACING AND BOUNTY HUNTINGThe term skip tracing is most often used in the field of bail bonds and bounty hunting, and many bounty hunters and bail bondsmen use the services of skip tracers to help locate individuals who have failed to meet the conditions of their bond. Because of this, skip tracing and bounty hunting are often mistakenly used synonymously.Skip tracing is a unique process, however, and, although it is often a function of bounty hunting, the two actions are distinctly different. In short, bounty hunters can act as skip tracers but skip tracers cannot serve as bounty hunters.Both bail bondsmen and bounty hunters use skip tracing to locate an individual who has skipped bail. Because the defendant who skips bail does not want to be found for fear of being sent to prison (referred to as an intentional skip, versus an unintentional skip, which involves a person who isn’t trying to avoid detection), the job of skip tracing in the bail bonds field can be quite challenging.Skip tracing in bounty hunting involves assessing information on the subject and uncovering facts to help in the apprehension of the fugitive. Using both traditional records and online tools and databases, all the while abiding by federal, state and local laws, such as trespass laws and privacy laws, skip tracers collect evidence and compose reports that are then used by bounty hunters when attempting an apprehension of the fugitive.Skip tracing is not unlike detective work, as it involves scouring databases, understanding where and how to search for information, and following up on leads. Skip tracing professionals conduct interviews, engage in surveillance activities, and assess information about their subject.HOW TO BECOME A SKIP TRACER: JOBS AND TRAININGAlthough there are no formal training requirements for performing skip tracing, professionals who want to learn how to become a skip tracer should make it a priority to learn about state and federal laws regarding everything from surveillance laws to privacy laws. Individuals interested in jobs in skip tracing may also achieve more career opportunities by specializing in a specific area of skip tracing, such as bounty hunting or debt collecting.Many skip tracers receive their training on the job, working for bail bond agencies, private investigation firms, debt collection agencies, etc. A good working knowledge of computer systems and databases is required to achieve success in this profession, as is the ability to communicate well with people.Formal training for skip tracer jobs can be attained through seminars and workshops, which are often offered through professional associations, such as the National Association of Fugitive Recovery Agents and the American Recovery Association Inc. Online seminars in skip tracing are also a popular option for skip tracers and other professionals, such as bounty hunters, debt collectors, and private investigators, who want to learn about the latest online search tools and databases.OPPORTUNITIES FOR SKIP TRACERSA number of industries hire skip tracers as employees, including debt collection agencies, investigative firms, and even law enforcement agencies. However, perhaps just as many skip tracers work as independent contractors, with bounty hunters, bail bondsmen and private investigators using their services as needed.__________________FRAUD PREVENTION AND CONTROLo PROCESS OF FRAUD SAMPLING: ----APPLICATION FRAUD: - An Application for a credit card or loan using details intended to mislead the issuer, or a card or loan obtained by using false information, fake identity over application form can be said to be an application fraud.o To check the credibility of a person, contact point verification, income document verifications & KYC document verifications are the basic methods used.o An applicant may use an altered data in his income documents so as to improve the chances of approval of his application. Consequently, after the approval, the member generally fails to make payments.o The documents that are presented by the applicant at the time of applying for the card or loan may be any of the following: -INCOME DOCS.1. Income Tax Return (ITR) and Financial2. Form 163. Salary Slip / Salary Certificate / Appointment letter4. Credit card Statement of any other Bank he is a card member of Other than these documents.5. LIC policy documentBANK STATEMENTo KYC Docso ID Proof (Passport, DL, Voter ID, PAN, Ration Card etc.)o Address Proof (Passport, DL, Voter ID, PAN, Ration Card, Electricity Bill, Telephone Bill, Water Bill, Rent Agreement, Lease Deed, GPA, Partnership Deed etc.o It is an easily understood fact that alterations into the data of any of these documents or production of fake documents hence improving the profile of the applicant is not a very difficult task to be performed by intentional frauds.o A Fraud can make one or multiple applications to one or several card-issuing banks using false data and variations between applications in order to make some of them pass the bank’s screening process.o Almost all Card or Loan issuing Companies / Banks have contracts with vendors for sourcing their card applications. Since this is an outsourced activity, the types of frauds that we stated earlier / above are often committed by the employees of the vendors as well in order to improve their total number of applications sourced and consequently to meet their targets and get good commissions. Hence Issuers (Banks) often come across cases of application pumping, applications of non-existing persons or addresses.o We hence make attempts in several ways to help strengthen the banks improve the detection of fraudulent applications. Our first and foremost step towards this is to detect fraudulent/ suspicious applications and minimize fraud application losses to the Card Issuer banks / Companies. We use our personal skills/ experience and broad-based approaches to achieve effectiveness in fraud Checks. We pick samples from several applications of the same type of information/ documents and through our discreet /Non-discreet methods of verifications and investigations called fraud samplings to try to detect the fraud applications/ individuals / Sourcing agentso This Process is known as Fraud Sampling.SAMPLE PICK UP: -Executives of RCU or FCU on a daily basis check 100% of the applications received for any products from the banks and select some percentage of the lot, depending over the type of document received for sampling. All the applications that are checked are stamped “F C U Checked” and the ones that are selected for sampling are stamped as “Fraud Sample Picked”. No application without a “fraud sample checked” stamp over it can be sent for further processing in the mailroom of the bank. Besides the executives who review the applications put a chit over the application mentioning the reason sample picked.This chit helps the case to be verified and an action plan to be prepared over it once it is sent to Agency. The premise(s) from where the applications are selected/checked is defined by the bank.__________________Mystery Shopping is a process in which a person visits a retail store, restaurant, bank branch or any such location with the objective of measuring the quality of customer experience.Many companies define detailed processes and parameters to ensure that customers will have a good experience in their sales locations. Some examples are:How customers will be greetedo What is the maximum acceptable waiting timeo What should be the temperature of the facilityo How many products should be on display etc.To ensure that these processes are followed, these companies hire Mystery Shopping Companies to conduct regular audits on their locations.The mystery shopping companies (also called Mystery Shopping Agencies) find people who match the target customer profile, provide them a questionnaire for recording their experience, and provide some training on how to measure various parameters. This person is called a Mystery Shopper. These mystery shoppers then visit the location pretending to be a customer and make careful note of things they have been asked to measure. The data is reported to the mystery shopping company, who compiles and analyzes data gathered from different locations to help their clients measure and improve their customer experience.Mystery shoppers are usually freelancers or people who do this on the side and are paid a fee to conduct each mystery audit. If the audit involves purchasing or consuming anything - the mystery shoppers are usually provided a full or partial reimbursement of the money they spend as well._______________________- Initiating Seeding and Mystery Shopping activities.- Conducting various Agency audits including Collection Agency, FI Agency, RCU Agency, etc.- Monitoring the operations of the staff and recommending corrections for improvement.- Valuation of the fraud and assisting in the recovery.- The audit process includes Merchant Visits.- Receipt verification and data analysis from the MIS received.- Report preparation and retail client visits.___________________VERIFICATION OF APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED FOR CONSUMER BANK –ASSETS FOR IDENTIFYING AND MITIGATING FRAUDS PRIOR TO DISBURSEMENT.o Coordination and Monitoring of Verification agency for sampling activities done by the Agencyo Co-ordination with Credit Managers of various products for running daily operations smoothly.o Audit of the collection agencyo Any other activity assigned pertaining to RCU of Consumer Bank - Assetso MIS preparation and co-ordination with Head Officeo Supervising Ahmedabad and Rajkot RCU-RA activitiesTHE MEASURABLE WILL BE –o Control application Frauds by ensuring sampling efficiency at defined sampling percentageso Ensure optimum fraud hit rates with a sharp focus on document and profile related frauds.o Frauds prevented by sampling/screening processo Recovery cross-checks and agency controlso Quality of investigation and root cause analysiso Maintenance of TAT__________________________THE ROLE OF RISK CONTAINMENT UNIT (RCU) –CONSUMER BANKING AS A DEPARTMENT IS BROADLY CATEGORIZED INTO THE FOLLOWING:o Data Intelligence Team also known as Control team send alerts/ reports related to breach of bank defined limits/ suspicious trxn/ regulatory violations etco Pre A/C Opening Check / Verification on a sample basiso Onsite Process Support Visits for ensuring adherence to process.o Analytics for monitoring suspect transactionso Offsite monitoring via Compliance Certificate to confirm compliance to Regulatory items/ Processes/ Systems/ Controls by RL Branches.o Loss Data Management – Unusual Evento Case Management for Incidentso Investigation & Root Cause Analysis of fraud/dispute caseso Third-Party Product Analytics to ensure that the process of sale and product sold are right and suit the customer’s profile.o Analysis of Direct Banking Fraud Trends & Investigation/Action to be taken for limiting the risks.o Collection Receipt / Settlement Cases Calling on a random sampling basis to customers in order to confirm the genuineness of the receipts provided in records.o Agency Audit is conducted to check process adherence._____________________o Develop and sustain a system for Fraud identification, monitoring, investigating, reporting in order to minimize fraud losses and ensure timely recovery of fraud-related claims.o 100% screening & Sampling of Mortgage application based on scientific triggers.o Conducting end to end fraud document & profile investigation to reach out to fraud perpetratoro Weeding out negative elements (application /DSEs/companies) from the systemo Handling a team samplers for various risk control activitieso Cross-checking of FI reports & sharingo Cross-checking the authenticity & quality of RCU agency reports and vendor managemento DMA & DME pre empanelment market checks.o Continuous feedback to the policy team for updating the policy.o Audit & training of all the associated agencies viz., Direct Marketing Associates, Connectors, Collection agencies, Courier agencies, etc and report sharing with Business teams to align the process & system at our outsourced channels_____________________________BANK STATEMENT VALIDATION AND VERIFICATION WITH CONCERNED BANKo Criminal Records Checko Financial Competency Checko Financial Documents Checko Stability Checko Background Verification Checko Passport Checko All other Documents Authentication_________________________JOB ROLEo Verification of applications submitted for Home Loan / LAP Loan for identifying and mitigating frauds prior to disbursemento Coordination and Monitoring of Verification agency for sampling activities done by the Agencyo Co-ordination with Credit Managers of various products for running daily operations smoothlyo Audit of the collection agencyo Any other activity assigned pertaining to RCUo MIS preparation and co-ordination with Head Officeo Supervising RCU-RA activitiesTHE MEASURABLE WILL BEo Control application Frauds by ensuring sampling efficiency at defined sampling percentageso Ensure optimum fraud hit rates with a sharp focus on document and profile related fraudso Frauds prevented by sampling/screening processo Recovery cross-checks and agency controlso Quality of investigation and root cause analysiso Maintenance of TA__________________________BUSINESS VERTICALS: FRAUD & RISK CONTROLFRAUD & RISK CONTROL UNIT (FRC)ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED UNDER PFRC UNIT ARE AS BELOWEMPLOYEE BACKGROUND CHECKI. ADDRESS CHECKWe visit the stated address and verify whether the candidate is staying there. Details are confirmed through the neighbors and contacted person of the stated addressII. EDUCATION CHECKWe verify the same through direct contact with the authorized person/s in the student records department of the relevant educational institutionsIII. EMPLOYMENT CHECKWe check the duration of work, Designation, Salary, Reason of Exit, and any breach of contract been done by the candidate. We verify this information form HR unit/ reporting authority of the particular Company where candidate was employed previouslyIV. REFERENCE CHECKWe contact with the references provided and check the genuinely/ Integrity/ social background of the candidateV. CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKWe verify the presence or absence of any criminal records through the police station whose jurisdiction the stated address of the candidate comes underVI. GLOBAL DATABASE CHECKWe identify any sanctions, debarments, disciplinary records and compliance violations (India / Global) through Data-BaseVII. DRUG TESTWe visit client premises to collect the required samples and check for the presence of the specified drugs. The findings are corroborated with a report from the laboratory________________________________RCU (RISK CONTAINMENT UNIT - RCU) ServicesI. SCREENING & SAMPLING PROCESSThis is Pre – Sanction activity done for Various Retail loan products and in this we do screening of 100% files logged in, and look for any subspecies documents/ profile. We collect the samples of those documents up to the prescribed percentage of logged-in files for Verification and detailed report with findings is submitted in agreed Turnaround timeII. DOCUMENT VERIFICATIONWe verify the authenticity of KYC/ Income and other documents with the issuing authorities which could be the registrar, the hospital, Passport office, and other concerned authorities and highlight any mismatch or discrepancy detected (during verification) between the details mentioned on the document and that found in the authority_________________________SEEDING & MYSTERY SHOPPINGSEEDING & MYSTERY SHOPPING IS AN ACTIVITY CONDUCTED TO CHECKo Customer identification process followed by respective Units / Associateso Apparatus, equipment, and infrastructure employed for conducting Activitieso Sacrosanctity of services and approach, the process being conducted by Units / AssociatesDEALER STOCKYARD AUDITDEALER STOCKYARD AUDIT IS AN ACTIVITY CONDUCTED TO CHECKo To identify or Analyze the Utilization of Funding done by Bank’s / Financial Institute to Dealer’s for their working Capitalo Analysis & Tracking of physical stock available at the stockyard, stock in transit and sold Stocko Re-finance for new additional stockINVESTIGATIONINVESTIGATION IS A DESK CHECK & FIELD CHECK CONDUCTED TO FIND OUTo The correctness of Documents or Information Provided by any Applicanto Checking of his background & Involvement in political/ illegal activityo Cross-checking his criminal backgroundo Checking of relationship with business associates of Customero Checking of his Lifestyle with connection to his monthly earningo Previous Employer Feedback checking on his integrity

The list is not exhaustive but I believed you can pick an interest in one or two of the businesses listedCONSULTANCY SERVICES: - This is the foremost of the small businesses one could ever think of; one can basically consult on almost anything and everything. Just think of any special skill in your possession and pronto, you can make a reasonable income from it. E.g. marriage counseling, business consult, legal consult, property consultancy, educational consulting, media consultant, etc. One do not have to possess any capital to start consulting, just some contacts on your phone, email addresses and referrals from family and friends, you are good to go.RESTAURANT: - No matter how poor people may be, food still remains the number one basic necessities of life before clothing and shelter. If you can do it right, it’s one of the surest way to crossing the poverty line. If you are still in doubt, please visit Equal Right in Somolu, Amala Sonola in ogba Aguda, Ewa-Agonyin(Beans) palace in Unilag etc. With a capital between N10K – N50k, you should be making a residual income from it.FASHION AND TAILORING SERVICES: - From time immemorial fashion business has been dynamic and ever present. From Paris to New-York, Milan to Lagos, Beijing to Joburg, fashion statements defies national/ethnic boundaries. Different occasions demand special outfits, one can easily take advantage of the trend in fashion consciousness of the people to earn a decent living. You can start with as little as N30K-N100K.REAL ESTATE AGENCY: - By finding properties for prospective clients, you perform a valuable service to both owner of properties and prospective tenants. Advertise that you have listings available for houses, apartments, flats, rooms, offices, etc. You can either charge a one-time fee for finding accommodations or work on a commission. In this line of business, capital or professional qualification is not really required as a start-up, you can belong to groups in the real estate NICHE or get briefs from family and friends, just have the right information and you will always smile to the bank. In addition, you can also be a property manager to your clients and earn steady income from management fees.RENTAL BUSINESS: This has mushroomed into an attractive new business opportunity. People like to borrow, do-it-yourself rent professional equipment. Many people are doing well these days by acting as rental agents for all manner of things - power tools, trucks, cars, electric generators, etc. Just look around your environment and conduct a research on items that could be of rental value to your community. For example, if you live in an area where property development is just springing up, you can decide to venture into giving out building tools such as, wheel-barrow, head-pan, shovel, trowels, drums, ladders, scaffolding, sledge hammers, pick-up trucks, etc.LAUNDRY/IRONING SERVICE /CLOTHES CLEANING: Everyone has dirty clothes for laundry and ironing, but many working class and career individuals do not have the time to tend to their laundry themselves because of the busy schedule of work or business, this is where you would come in and make money by doing a professional laundry service, especially in areas where power supply is erratic. If your backyard/compound is spacious enough to accommodate washer-men and pressers who will do justice to the clothes, hire them and start making money, This business could just be for you if you have a knack for cleanliness and corporate cleaning services. With a capital between N20K – N100K this business could turn you to a millionaire over a period of time.HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE: Many home-owners and apartment dwellers will welcome help at "house cleaning'. Charge a flat fee for the amount of work that must be done. Make arrangements with firms that provide labour for tidying up office environment , cleaning carpets, dusting the furnitures, polishing, etc. and collect a commission from them. Tell your friends and family who are moving to a new house or changing offices, with the help of fliers or handbills you could reach out to a large audience.MAKE AND SELL CUSTOMIZED JEWELLERIES AND BEADS: Homemade costume jewellery sells, sell directly to jewellery outlets, gift shops, hairdressers shops, clothes boutiques, and by selling on e-commerce shops such as Jumia, Konga, Payporte, OLX, Facebook Shopify, Gtbank smemarkethub, etc. It is possible to start with limited capital of N5K- N20k.GAME CENTERS: The game center concept is good, both for those who have jobs and those who want full time involvement. A game center is a place where people mostly young come to play computer basic games like play station, Nintendo, Atari, etc. You can also provide space for refreshments like ice cream, snacks, soft drinks etc. Gaming centers charge customers who come to their outlet between N100.00 – N500.00 depending on the area, and the type of customers you are dealing with. If you start small, you can make between N5k – N20k per day. There is a classical game center at Mende by Maryland, it is built with a portal cabin and looks beautiful as well. You can as well provide a MOBILE GAME cabin for birthdays and get-together parties, this arrangement can fetch you good money if you get high-end clients in areas such Ikoyi,V.I, Lekki, Ikeja G.R.A, etc.FISH FARMING: If you have been contemplating on a small business and haven’t heard about fish farming, then you are missing something. Over the years, quite a few people have made fortunes from fish farming; as the population is swelling and protein needs are far outstripping the available supply, fish meal is always a winner if done well. Fish farming is a sure bet business if you put the right structures in place. More and more people like fish due to its low cholesterol protein, All you need do is to get a space, buy or construct tanks, buy finger lings for between N10 to N20 and feed them for 4 to 6 months, then sell from between N1500 to N2000 depending on weight and size. But you need to have a basic knowledge of fish farming to start this.WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT: Experience, training or licensing may be needed. Many courses exist (many of which, logically, are offered online) where you can learn the language of website creation and can learn about the details, like how to set up shopping cart systems, security concerns, etc. But lately we have seen ready tools on some hosting site like Godaddy, Bluehost, Wordpress, ipage, simplesite and so on; many of these hosting sites have ready tools for even the newbie in web design. You will, of course, need to learn about each company you want to design for. What is the atmosphere of the company that you need to reflect in the website design--is it wild and contemporary, meaning brilliant colors and fun graphics? Or will more classic colors like black, navy blue and maroon be more appropriate? Many small businesses in Nigeria does not have a web presence, even the bigger corporations only possess a web banner or billboard, you can propose an interactive website to small businesses at a cheaper rate of say N10k or more and start building your client lists from there. This business requires little or no capital to start.DAY CARE: If you are the type that naturally loves kids around, this is an opportunity for you to tap into. Perhaps you have children of your own and the idea of taking care of a few more for part of the day appeals to you. Child-care needs continue to soar in this part of the world as the task of professional career seems to be more demanding. Many people prefer the option of their child being cared for in a home environment while they are at work, opposed to a more institutional-like setting. These things mean that a home based childcare business can get off and running immediately. If you are living in at least a 3bedroom apartment and there is an extra room unoccupied, please don’t let rat and cockroach take advantage of the extra rooms in your house, talk to friends in the neighborhood who might need such services, with a simple handbills and short message advert it will surely pay to have kids around.GIFT BASKET/PACKAGING SERVICE: Finding a niche is the best way to start out in the gift basket business. If you had flare for gifts and souvenirs why don’t you look for clients who you could put together baskets that hold the things that people with this interest would like too! You can create a product that a gift basket could be built around, I saw a fruit basket designed by First Bank Plc presented to a customer at Alausa secretariat Ikeja Lagos, it was a piece of creativity as everybody was taking snapshot of it. With a capital of N50k-N100k, you can start this business. Marketing your gift basket service is not an arduous task, just talk to friends, families, congregational friends and colleagues, and if you have a little budget for advert and proposal it’s all well and good for publicity.BEAUTY SALON/HAIRSTYLIST: Hairstyling is a popular business that can be quite lucrative. Generally, with the trend in fashion statements nowadays, hairstylists are usually busy. If you already have your apprenticeship training and experience, and loads of friends especially ladies under your belt, you probably have prospects that will follow you right home without any hesitation. You can have a unisex salon under one roof, get some boys and girls from cotonou, they are very good in weaving and braids, place them on salary or commission and your life will not remain the same!MUSIC LESSONS: Some people are naturally gifted in music and sound instruments, either as a result of being in the choir, or family background or personal interest in music and sound could be an inspiration. You want to stick to the instrument(s) you know, but you may be skilled enough a musician to offer lessons on different instruments, or those in a particular class, e.g., stringed or woodwind. You can decide to take on individuals or classes, depending on space and availability of instruments. Public/private schools are continually reducing their commitment to art and music classes for students, so you can try to work with the public school system to supplement their efforts in those areas. I have a friend, Adeshina, he has been taking advantage of his deep knowledge of the musical instruments to make extra income way back school days, even as a comfortable person today, he still plays organ for his church AVM in GRA and private personalities when occasion demands. Here, your hidden talent could be your buried treasure.PHOTOGRAPHER: Previous experience and formal training may not be needed to venture into this line of business as there are ready tools available in the market to perform different operations such as editing, printing, framing, styling, Photoshop software, etc. Making money as a photographer can be done in a number of different ways. You can specialize in one area, the most common being weddings and social functions. All you require is a professional camera, a mobile printing device and your call cards, visit any social function dressed as corporate as possible so as not to be bounced by the security guys, take one or two snapshot of guests most especially ladies, quickly find a safe place to plug your printer and extra batteries for charging, before the show wound up, look for people you have snapped and give to them at N100 or more, you can make as much as N20K-N50K at a particular event. There are other niches you can explore for photography: portraits of people and their pets, families and homes; photographs of holiday events, birthday parties or model photo shoots, film makers, students, religious gatherings, etc. The possibilities are endless and the capital to invest is not a cut-throat.WEDDING PLANNER: Before I got married I visited a wedding planner shop on Aromire street Ikeja and I was impressed at how much people pay for the services of a wedding planner, anyway I didn’t make use of their service but I learn one or two thing from them which helped in making my wedding event a success. However, the rich and busy type of people in the society doesn’t really have all the time going to the market to shop for this and that, they prefer to give the service to a wedding planner. You will need to be up-to-date on wedding trends and fads, dress styles, color trends--almost everything under the sun! Offer your customers an ala carte menu of services, from helping pick flowers, the wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses to picking the venue and hiring the caterer. Before you open your business, shop at all the wedding shops, and even pretend you are a bride-to-be to see what kind of service the wedding gown shop provides and how they treat potential customers. You need to know every detail of the business to give the accurate impression that you are the go-to person for anyone planning a wedding. For you to succeed in this line of business, I advise you to just do one perfect wedding job and others will keep coming like a virus.COMPUTER TRAINING: If you have a basic knowledge in computer training and applications you are on your way to becoming a teacher to many people. It will amaze you to know that only about 20% of Nigerian population is actually computer literate. My brother once offered to train people for free on Sundays after lecture at NASFAT in Ipaja Lagos; he confessed that there was a large turnout, even the working class people attended. You can offer training in desktop computers and mini computers such as laptops, palmtops, I-pad and tablets. You could probably make a living helping seniors learn how to use the internet and e-mail to keep in touch with their loved ones, send applications, online exams/TEST, etc. Make the training as much fun as possible; people do not want to know all the details about what makes a computer work. If you overload them with information from the beginning by explaining bits, bytes, and megapixels, they will stick to their paper and pencil forever. You can start this venture with fairly used computers which you will find scattered all over Computer village in Ikeja Lagos. Talk to people in your neighborhood by printing an advert for a free computer lesson, get their database and give those basic trainings afterward and introduce more complex ones.ELECTRIC FENCE WIRE INSTALLATIONS: Fences are everywhere and they also add beauty to the structures and buildings in the society. The quest to protect from external invasion, burglary, theft and encroachment has necessitated the need for a more technical way of protection. The electric fence wire is really the vogue now, and the training is not hard to comprehend. Just undergo the training first and the materials for executing your job abound everywhere with installation guide and manuals. The start-up cost is basically the training fee and tools like cutting tools, hand gloves, measuring tapes, plum, etc.GRAPHIC DESIGN: One major landmark about the computer is, you could probably become a professional in any field by accident. Graphic design is one of the “Experts by Accident” job am talking about. At least with the little time I have spent on the computer in the last 2 years, I can create a simple design for anything I want to do. Despite the proliferation of the internet, print media is still relevant to the foreseeable future! Fliers, newsletters, magazines, information sheets, letters and advertisements are just a few of the type of print media that business outfit hires Graphic Artist to create for them. Websites and online advertising need graphic design services as well. Even if your expertise is only in design, offer the works for potential clients, friends, and small businesses. So many softwares abound in the market to help you through. I know of a guy who designed my wedding invitation cards, his business name is KUKUGRAFIX, as a student, he does good graphic jobs using just his laptop and pay-as-you-go internet connection.INTERIOR DECORATION: Market your talents to building contractors. People purchasing new homes can often be overwhelmed with the choices and possibilities in home decoration. Design some questionnaires for each major element and each major room in the house. Find out how the homeowner will use the home--are there children? Pets? How will each room be used? Suggest color separations for the painting of the rooms, try and explore the use of wallpapers in room areas where traffic is high. Get hold of catalogs showing architectural masterpiece, develop an interior model that suits your clients' budget, give them options and freedom to express their views on what you intend to do. Referral will definitely come your way if you get it right. This business does not really requires much capital, with a good marketing skill and creativity you will succeed.RECHARGE CARD PRINTING: If you have not heard of recharge card business before, perhaps you are still living in the cave of KUVUKI land. A recent study shows that the average monthly money spent on voice and data in Nigeria amounts to N445Billion. Even the GSM companies attest to the fact that Nigeria is a Goldmine when it comes to Telecoms business. You can actually start with capital as low as N10k and make a profit of N2k if you do your networking well. There are 3 categories of recharge card business anyway, you could either be a Retailer, wholesaler or Dealer. Whichever category you chose, it’s a good venture because as long as people still keeps subscribing and making phone calls you will never be out of business, also it is not a seasonal business.BUSINESS PLAN SERVICES: Just this month alone I have received an Offer to develop a business plan for five clients in the areas of NYLON BUSINESS, ICE BLOCK MAKING, CAR WASH BUSINESS; EVENT CENTER and TRAVELS AND TOUR PACKAGES. At least, I receive an incentive of N100K alone on the NYLON BUSINESS PLAN. Choose an area of business you have expertise on, include a market research on it, and write the business plan narrative and the financial statements. Plan your fee around the main one which the client will want, and offer the others as add-on services. You can give clients an electronic file and allow them to take it from there, or you can keep the business plan on file and offer the service of fine-tuning it whenever necessary. Have business plan samples to show clients--and make sure to include your own!.You can also start with little or no capital as Google is always your friend on research.A CYBER CAFE/BUSINESS CENTER: Prior to the era of deregulating the telecommunication sector, the cybercafé cafe or business centers used to be the only place ordinary people could visit to carry out some task such as checking/sending emails, Fax, Internet calls(VOIP),Typing of documents, scanning, binding, graphic works, etc. But now, most of these tasks could be done in the comfort of your house, however, due to the economic growth and the competitive nature of modern day business the Cybercafé/business center had refused to go into oblivion. The fact remains that in a business center outfit, you could basically perform all I.T related functions at a glance and with precision. Therefore, it is not going to be a wild goose chase venturing into this line of business as it can be undertaken by anyone. I have a complete business plan for anyone who wishes to go into this line of business. You can start with as little as N200K-N500K.FOOTBALL VIEWING CENTER: In the contemporary African setting, having a satellite dish system at home used to be a luxury but with the emergence of DSTV, GOTV, STARTIMES, MYTV and other free-to air satellite stations, watching foreign Television programs has never eluded the Nigerian viewers again. Soccer being a unifying sport has created an avenue for prospect in viewing centers, people love to watch football where they could shout, argue and make fun or jests of other club supporters. Although it is not an everyday business but the weekly income from viewing center could take care of the basic necessities required in the family, all you need is space that can accommodate up to 50 viewers, get a DSTV Dish and decoder, set of TVs and speaker unit for public attention. You can add refreshments such as biscuits, gala, soft drinks to balance the equation. You can start with as low as N200K-N500K capital.SECOND HAND MATERIALS : Second-hand materials either from abroad or locally sourced can often be bought cheaply at private sale, from markets and side-street secondhand market like GATA NKOWA in Abule-Egba Lagos, Lawanson, Computer Village, Vespa market, Alaba Market, ASPAMDA, etc. and through classified advertisements in E-commerce website such as OLX, TRADESTABLE, NAIRALAND, etc. The goods/items can be displayed on free advert platforms, it could also be displayed in a Vehicle whether stationary or moving-across-town, the goods usually comes with lower price value compared to brand new ones. You can start this business with a little capital such as N10,000 or less.PROOFREADING: A lot of publishing houses, independent writers seek the service of proof readers; some of them will prefer the service of part-time proofreaders since they cannot afford to pay the monthly salary of full-time proof readers. Make sure you have lists of script-writers, Article writers, story-book writers for children in your database, and get in touch with publishing houses; it is important that you advertise your service in a local newspaper, on social media, in an electronic medium, etc. All you need to get started is your skill in proofreading scripts.A SMALL POULTRY: Poultry is a business you can start from your backyard with 50 to 500 bird, which cost between N10, 000, to N100,000 depending on cash at hand, these amounts include cost of bird, the pen, feed and medication, Get somebody who is experienced to help you set up the pen. You can source woods directly from sawmill to lower the cost. Waste management in poultry is very vital, if not properly handled it will affect the growth, production, and bird performance whatever aspect of poultry you intend to go into is profitable. A single bird can give you an average of 730 eggs within 2years before you sell it off for say N500 or N600. Target your harvest towards the festive periods such as Easter, EID-il-Kabir, Eid-il-Fitri, and Christmas and New Year celebrations.CANDLE STICKS PRODUCTION: With erratic power supply in the country, there is no doubt that production of candlestick is a money-spinner. A sizable group of Nigerians still relies solely on candle sticks to battle the erratic power supply. With N10, 000 you can have a candle mold, which produces 16 candle sticks at a time and go about 50 times a day translating into 800 per day. This is a situation when you are starting with N20, 000-25,000, to produce the 16 pieces does not take you more than 10 minutes; throw in another wax, which you must have melted. While the previous one congeals and go on and on. So instead of starting with N100,000 - N200, 000, you can actually start with N25, 000.The startup requirements are mold, which cost N10,000, wax N1,000, Thread N1,000, heart source N600, Packaging Nylons N1,500, Ceiling Machine N2,000 and logistics.SNAIL FARMING: Snail meat has been generally affirmed as a very safe and nutritious delicacy. In these days of increased coronary implications and other health issues, snail –producers are certain to hit it big because many people are shunning away from beef or red meat. It is also pleasing to note that snail production venture could be kick-started with a little initial capital of N15,000K. The best period to commence snail rearing is the raining season however if you have access to borehole or nearness to swampy environment, snail can be reared anytime of the year. You can get these snails from the market throughout the country, or from snail farmers. Snails prices depends on the sizes, the bigger ones are sold for between N1, 500-N3, 500 per bunch. It is better to buy the big ones because they can hatch after about 35- 45 days. About N15, 000 should get a new entrant started in the businesses. Visit Hotels, eateries, bukkateria, corporate offices, schools, catering schools, Government offices, etc and advertise your produce through pamphlets,handbills,fliers,etc.ESATE MANAGER: Owners of apartments and houses are most often willing to pay 5% of the rent as commission to agent who will collect monthly rents, place income in the bank, superintend maintenance and show people over vacant flats. Some people make good income from this arrangement, managing several blocks of serviced apartments/flats in private and commercial areas such as Ikoyi, Lekki, Victoria-Island, Ikeja GRA, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Lagos-Island,etc. You can leverage on referrals, family and friends who have properties but doesn't have the time managing the estate themselves. You also do not need to have any capital to start this venture.PLANTAIN CHIPS: Plantain chips are probably the fastest moving consumer goods in Nigeria after Bottle water and Sachet pure-water. After removing the skin/peels, the unripe or ripe plantain fruit can be sliced/diced (1 or 2 mm thick) and fried in oil to produce chips, packed in polythene and bagged for distribution. If the chips are made from sweeter fruits, they are cut vertically to create a variation know as plantain strips. Just make sure you put your label which will have your contact address, phone numbers, name of your venture. The more you produce the more money you make, because majority of Nigerians love plantain chips. This business can be kick-started with N10,000.START AN AQUARIUM BUSINESS: An aquarium business is a great backyard-based business idea. Two common directions taken by people here are fish breeding and aquarium maintenance services. An aquarium business is not just a skill-based business. It requires a decent investment in equipment because most people who want to buy an aquarium will want choices. You need to present to the client various options such as a small, round or rectangular aquarium that has a corner of a room or a small aquarium that can be fitted into the wall, and others. You can charge as much as N20, 000 to N100, 000. Pick an idea now, execute your plan, and earn money with a business you love. You can liaise with furniture showrooms, horticulturists, landscapers, Interior Decorators, Building contractors, etc about your service. With an initial set-up cost of N100,000K, you will never regret venturing into an Aquarium business.SPECIAL EVENTS/PARTY ORGANIZER: Pubs are more frequently offering entertainment these days, but the Owners don’t always have the time or inclination to organize it. So, your business idea is this. Find an attractive pub or event arena, and offer to organize a weekly party or live shows such as comedy, Talent hunt, Exhibitions, etc. The arrangement would be that you organize the show and charge admission/gate fee. The Owner of the outlet rents you the space/hall/ground/facilities for either a fee or for free, but he keeps all the profits from the extra food and drink sold. Once the agreement is made, the work is easy. Provide music, etc, perhaps by a good DJ. Promote the event as much as you have the capacity and have tickets sold. The facility owner would, no doubt, be happy with the extra takings. A friend of mine once packaged a VALENTINE GROOVE in Feb 2015 already, the facility owner agreed to give out his Hall out for free, my friend also arranged all upcoming artiste in the environ to come showcase their talents, different service provider like ASUN BERBEQUE,FISH BERBEQUE, SMALL CHOPS, SHAWARMA, POPCORN, ICE-CREAM Vendors volunteered to take part in the publicity for the show. It therefore means that my friend was able to organize this show with next to nothing in terms of capital. This event could be a regular show or seasonal, and it could also be a one-off at very little risk to see how it goes. It undoubtedly works because it is merely a way of sub-contracting something out to the mutual benefit of all stakeholders.CAMPUS/SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY: This is a good idea for anyone with an interest in photography, or someone who knows someone interested in photography. Quite simply, campus/school photographers are still very popular till date. As a part time business, you can offer to do it cheaper than the regular Professional photographers reason being that many students will want to keep memories of their campus activities. Contact schools, both private and Government owned in your area of proximity and put your proposition to the Directorate of Student Affairs. Once you registered with the School management with an intent to operate in the school, you will be required to pay some fees and complete an application form as an operator of such business in the school premises. Usually students enjoy as much as 50% discount as against what is obtainable outside campus. Through repeated sales and turnover, you can graduate to real professional photographer whereby you apply for bigger jobs outside. You can equally apply to private Crèche, Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools for an arrangement to be their school photographer once there is need for such. Luckily, if you have the knack for photography, this is a sure bet business, even without capital to invest in professional cameras you can rent or borrow.VIDEO COVERAGE SERVICE: Offering a video coverage for special occasions is a profitable venture. Many young brides lately want a living memento of their wedding-day. N100k-N250k can be realized for 1-6 hours work if you get packaging right. Get acquainted with the latest Video graphic programs and technologically-advanced ways of creating a 'movie like' video service. You can borrow a Camera for a fee of between N10K – N25K depending on how latest its technology is. Just start with family and friends at the initial stage of the business then gradually progress to the big market using your previous experience.TOY MAKING: The local toy industry is becoming keenly interested, gone were the days when 99% of toys are imported from overseas market, recent study has shown the strong initiative in developing local contents in toy productions, our local toys are also in high demand both locally and abroad, the humor in African folks and tricks favors this genre of technology, games, game boards, masks, educational toys, models, puppets and other types are fancifully created to serve as income earner. Visit the beach side, amusement parks, Stadium complex, Trade-Fairs, Swimming pool side, etc. and see many attractive toys produced locally. With little capital of about N20K you can venture into this business.GSM PHONE REPAIRS SERVICES: This is another highly profitable small business. Some I.T firms even offer to train people on GSM repairs for free. Also there are different software on how to repair, fix and troubleshoot any phone, your ability to handle simple working tools is all its needed to excel in this field of endeavor. As GSM is widely used in Nigeria with almost 100million GSM phone users across the country, so is the income potential is unlimited. Alternatively, GSM repairing course is offered by some professional engineers, why not enroll for the training and start making steady income daily.HOUSEHOLD ELECTRONIC REPAIRS SERVICE: Hardly would you come by a household in Nigeria which does not possess an electronic gadget. Electronic Items such as T.V, Radio, Electric cooker, Fan, blenders, microwave oven, mower, vacuum cleaner, etc abound everywhere. As a matter of fact, many of these items will develop a fault at one point or the other, if you are the type that always derive passion in repairing gadgets like these it is a good spare-time business as there are useful manuals on the subject or enroll for the training under a trained electrician.INSURANCE BROKERAGE AGENT/SELLING INSURANCE POLICIES: This is growing enormously and the future market is very great. Most insurance companies have training facilities for agents who are mostly paid on commissions. Men and Women act as sole proprietor, operating their own business in their own time, the opportunity to earn is limitless as long as the policy is still active and the premium is paid you will continually receive your commission as agent. Many Insurance firms are willing to put you through their working operations in order for you to succeed as the arrangement is a mutually benefiting one.