There are many new businesses started each year by people hoping to become their own boss. These businesses are often founded with no knowledge of what it takes to run a business, and many fail. However, there are some businesses that have carved a niche for themselves in the market, and wish to share their work with a smaller partner, or with groups of people. Many such small business opportunities are available on the web, and there are many genres of business, such as fitness and computer training.

One of the most up-and-coming small business opportunities are in the field of hypnosis tapes.

What is hypnosis actually? According to Crystal Reference Encyclopedia it is "A temporary trance-like state induced by suggestion, in which a variety of phenomena (eg increased suggestibility and alterations in memory) can be induced in response to verbal or other stimuli. A hypnotic trance is not in any way related to sleep, but there is a constriction of responses by the hypnotized subject. As a treatment technique it is unreliable; spectacular achievements can be obtained in some patients, while for many total failure of benefit is recorded. It has been used as a technique for limiting addictive behaviour (eg cigarette smoking) and for relieving anxiety (eg wedding nerves). The technique was first used by Mesmer in France, and the term hypnosis was coined by the British surgeon James Braid (1795-1860)."

Hypnotic tapes let the conscious mind drift off and relax, while playing a repeated combination of words. Obviously, these tapes are best used while relaxing, as you should be able to fall asleep. The hypnosis tapes send a message to the unconscious mind which is then used by the brain after the tape is no longer playing. People use these tapes to give up smoking, and loose weight, or to generally improve themselves.

As people's interest in using hypnosis and hypnosis tapes has grown, there has been a corresponding growth in small business opportunities. There are a number of places now on the internet that sell such tapes, and they do not seem to be struggling. The market is still open for people to start up a small business selling hypnosis tapes using the internet Because of the large number of tapes, and the great interest in these products, there may be small business opportunities with larger firms, or you may choose to go it alone with a wholesale supplier.

Either way, there is a lot of money to be made in selling hypnosis tapes via the internet, or through mail order.