At a business social function recently, when I connected with and introduced myself and my business to attendees whether I had just met them or had known them for a while and was asked by both, in an almost desperate tone of voice, how I was making money. I got the distinct feeling that no one was doing as well as they had been and certainly not as well as they wanted to.

They all were intrigued and a bit surprised when I said that when my business was not doing as well as I hoped, which has happened in the past year for sure, I took jobs – for which I am paid only a fraction of my going rate by and large – that I found online on places like Odesk.  When I said that, pens and pads came out of purses and pockets and I was asked where else, if anywhere, they might go online.

There are many online sites like Odesk to sell your talents – though they may  be the one that has it most together – and in my opinion they are great places to:

Find work and make money

Hone skills you already have

Find out what people are using in the way of technology.

Make money to allocate to getting your main business back on it’s feet.

Not only have I worked with some good people through platforms like Odesk, but I’ve learned technical things I did not know, learned specific CRM platforms from patient clients who were willing to help me learn. Knowing these platforms has helped me appeal to new clients but also make a few friends along the way – people that I trust and who trust me and that I can look to for references and they can call me if they need something done – and maybe a good deal.

And don’t think that if you go to a place like Odesk or Tjobs.com you need to stick to your business plan; it may be a great opportunity if you are say, a life coach, to try your hand at something with less customer interaction like transcription.  Maybe a change to something a little quieter is just what you need for now.  If you are a writer, maybe you’d like to try your hand at something a little more interactive and want to take a look at companies like Liveops that contract with people to do customer service from home.

So if your main business, your baby, your passion project is experiencing a lull, use the time to find something that will not only bring in some money but in which you may learn a new and valuable skill and something about yourself.