A brick and mortar business is subject to fluctuations in a local economy. Nothing demonstrates this better then the recent Hurricane Katrina Disaster. All of those store owners, Bar Owners, Restaurant owners and all the rest will be put out of business for a long time. Some may never recover.

Perhaps we can all learn a lesson from Cafe Du Monde. They are a landmark in the New Orleans and have been doing business their since 1862. While the store front establishment does a thriving business Cafe Du Monde also operartes a Mail order business as well as an Internet Store front. I have even seen their coffee for sale in local specialty markets as well as other online merchants. Clearly when New Orleans does emerge from this tragedy Cafe Du Monde will once again run a thriving coffee shopgo to the website.

If you currently run a brick and mortar business you need to think about diversifying with an online store front. If your Brick and Mortar Business does not translate well to an online store front you may want to consider starting an online Business as a hedge against future unknowns.

Even if you don’t own a business and go to a Job every day take a lesson from all those people in New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast Disaster area who no longer have a JOB to go to. You too may want to think about an online Business as well.

One of the best and easiest online business for anyone to start is an E_Bay business. eBay even has online courses you can take that will have you up and running today.