Hot Stuff Want to know what's hot for 2004? We've got the businesses, markets and trends you shouldn't miss out on.
By Entrepreneur Staff •
While much about the future will always be uncertain, one thing is crystal clear: There's still plenty of money to be made by smart entrepreneurs with a knack for predicting what's next. And even if you don't have a nose for what's new, our annual predictions for the hottest business ideas can help. We've done the research to help give you a clearer picture of what's in store for 2004...and beyond. Check out our predictions, and you're sure to find a niche that can pay off for you.
Hot Biz:Online Learning
Take online learning, mix in some video, audio and other offline methods, and you have the latest wave in the booming Web-based instruction trend: blended learning. "Blended learning is better, faster and cheaper than traditional methods," says Tom Graunke, the 37-year-old co-founder of KnowledgeNet, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based provider of e-learning solutions.
He should know. Graunke and co-founder Mark Rukavina, 38, started KnowledgeNet in 1998 with the $2.5 million they earned from selling their previous company, Mastering Computers, a corporate training company they'd run for 10 years. Today, Graunke's company boasts more than 7,200 clients, including Cisco Systems Inc. and McDonald's.