Hole In One Profit from: minidoughnuts and music kiosks.

Doughnut-loving Homer Simpson would say "whoohoo!" tothis business opportunity. Lil' Orbits Inc. has designed aself-contained kiosk for in-store locations to sellminidoughnuts.

Measuring 9 feet by 9 feet, the Lil' Orbits kiosk assemblesconveniently in food courts, malls, convention centers, retailshops, arenas and flea markets. The equipment package includes adoughnut machine that produces 100 dozen minidoughnuts per hour, ahand sink, a cash register, a utility counter, down-draftventilation and automatic fire-extinguishing systems, plusaccessories and start-up supplies. The kiosk can also be equippedwith a high-volume doughnut machine, included with the franchisefee, that produces 200 minidoughnuts per hour.

The kiosk package is sold factory-direct for $20,000. For moreinformation, call (800) 228-8305.

Musical Machines

By Jessica Hale

Vending machines are a low-maintenance, high-profit method ofselling just about anything. But when was the last time you got totaste a candy bar before you bought it? Intune Inc. has introduceda new, interactive vending machine that sells CDs instead of chipsand chocolate bars. Each machine holds up to 24 CD titles andfeatures sturdy, built-in headphones so customers can listen beforethey buy. Customers simply select the disc and song they'd liketo listen to, adjust the volume using the machine's controlpanel, and the music does the selling.

Once the customer is ready to buy, the machine accepts cash,credit cards or debit cards. Intune Inc. provides a catalog of thelatest music titles, but there's no obligation to buy fromIntune. You're free to stock the machine with any musicyou'd like, whether it's local talent or top-40 hits.Intune machines range in price from $7,800 to $9,000, depending onwhich features you choose.

For more information, call (800) 6-INTUNE.

Seasonal Work

By Jessica Hale

What's the most traditional and romantic Valentine'sDay, Christmas or Easter gift? A box of chocolates, of course.

Fannie May Candies offers you the opportunity to take advantageof seasonal sales upswings by owning your own part-time business.While year-round stores are stuck waiting for the next holiday rushto provide the sales they need to survive, you could be turningseasonal sales variations into a business opportunity by sellingFannie May chocolates. Fannie May offers entrepreneurs theopportunity to open temporary seasonal kiosks in malls across thecountry.

The kiosks are licensed units rather than company-owned outletsor franchises, so there are no franchise fees or royalties, butlicensees must buy all candy directly from Fannie May. Becausesales of chocolates and other candies peak at three clearly definedtimes each year--Valentine's Day, Christmas andEaster--offering mall shoppers a convenient way to purchasehigh-quality chocolates during these times makes good businesssense.

Start-up costs average $30,000 and include the kiosk, initialcandy inventory, cash register, fax machine, computer and software.For more information, call (312) 432-3471

Comfort Zone

By G. David Doran

Mall shoppers suffering from aching backs and necks will be gladto see you if you're manning a Comfort Zone sales cart. ComfortZone operators demonstrate and sell a line of high-tech health andfitness products, ranging from chemical heat and cold packs toelectronic neck massagers, from sales carts at malls and consumershows.

Comfort Zone supplies everything you'll need to start aprofitable business, from a start-up inventory of patented productsto a computerized management system that handles payroll and salesmanagement. Company representatives will help you find a location,negotiate the rent or lease of the sales cart, and train you tooperate both the cart and the software. Cart operators don'thave to worry about competition because there isn't any--salesterritories are protected. There are no franchise fees, and rentingthe cart on a monthly or seasonal basis keeps overhead low. Averageprofits vary according to the duration of the lease and the time ofthe year, from $1,000 for a three-day consumer show to $10,000 fora 60-day lease during the Christmas season.

Investment costs also vary, with the average for a full year ofoperation between $12,000 and $17,000.

From Prism Technologies Inc. in San Antonio, Texas. For moreinformation, call (800) 432-8722.

A Winning Hand

By G. David Doran

Help customers merge onto to the Information Highway by becominga technical consultant for Hand Technologies Inc., a discountcomputer company that sells hardware and software and offershands-on training sessions through in-home "technologyparties."

Technical Consultants (TCs) who receive certification of theircomputer know-how from Hand Technologies demonstrate the computers(which range in price from a $1,000 Net PC to a $3,000 IBM Aptivamultimedia system) from home and take sales orders from customers,which are then posted to Hand Technologies' Web site. TCs canalso certify as trainers or technical specialists in order to offercustomers technical support or upgrades.

TCs operate from home on a full- or part-time basis--withoutquotas or overhead--and can earn anywhere from $150 to $250 foreach computer system they sell. Getting started requires a $95registration fee. Hands-on training videos and certification areextra.

For more information, call (800) 390-4263