We’ll know Sunday night whether it is “Avatar” or “The Hurt Locker” or a dark horse that takes home the Oscar for Best Picture. Starting a small business can feel like starring in an Oscar winning movie. By pouring your heart into your own business, you can build your own skills while influencing your supporting cast and convincing critics of your performance. But to be a winner, you’ll have to overcome the challenges presented by the market, by offering the best possible product or service to the right customers. Of course, you won’t have the luxury of dissolving away to a montage during the toughest parts of your journey.

Entrepreneurs predict five strong oscar worthy nominations for the best small business idea in 2010, along with their inspiration from the silver screen:

1. Athletic Trainer

The demand for freelance athletic trainers has grown in many cities where former gym members need help with home workouts. Retired athletes perform well in this field, where professionals often earn over $42,000 annually. With help from a web site design firm, you can create a content rich website with workout videos, exercise tips and techniques, client testmonials and even allow for your clients to login and monitor the progress of their own workouts.

Inspiration from 1976 Oscar For Best Picture: Rocky

If a parade of sequels has dulled the impact of the original Rocky, revisit 1976’s Best Picture. Of course, you might not have to work your training clients as hard as Mickey pushes Rocky. You’ll just have to help them choose to be “climbers” instead of “tomatoes.”

2. Concierge Service

Overbooked executives often need help running errands and making reservations. Stressed-out parents crave assistance with child day care scheduling and social planning. Concierge services charge between $30-$50 per hour to help both of these market segments manage their time more effectively. Credit card processing services allows concierges to charge fees to clients automatically upon the completion of each task.

Inspiration from 1956 Oscar For Best Picture:  Around the World in Eighty Days

One of the splashiest films ever to win Best Picture, this 1956 adventure features literature’s most celebrated valet: Passepartout. You may never have to fight a bull or climb the ropes of a hot air balloon for your clients. But, like Passepartout does for Phineas Fogg, you’ll frequently save the day.

3. Freelance Writer

Despite pleas from peddlers of get-rich-quick formulas, few paying markets exist for travel reviews or daily musings. However, freelance copywriters can earn $48,000 or more per year by generating quality content for clients. Office Equipment leasing can help outfit growing writing services with computers, scanners, fax machines, and other tools of the trade.

Inspiration from 1998 Oscar For Best Picture: Shakespeare in Love

Life as a writer has always had its challenges, especially if you follow the fanciful story of 1998’s Best Picture. The film projects modern writers’ biggest frustrations–from writers’ block to quarrels with clients–onto Elizabethan England’s creative community.

4. Career Counsellor

Career counsellors help clients navigate challenging professional decisions. E-commerce solutions allow clients to purchase career planning services ranging from access to executive jobs, automated tip sheets to live coaching sessions. This way, career counsellers can earn $40,000 or more per year matching job candidates with productive new careers.

Inspiration from 1970 Oscar For Best Picture: Patton

In today’s economy, it takes a commanding presence and visionary insight to get the most from people. It’s no surprise that the first few moments of 1970’s Best Picture, Patton, have become a visual cue for powerful leadership in business. Just don’t slap any of your customers–the film will show you why this could be a career-limiting move.

5. Nursing Home

More Americans than ever require at least occasional on-site assistance from trained medical professionals. Nurses, EMTs, and other graduates of medical training courses can earn $15-$20 per hour by helping patients recuperate from home. Online marketing campaigns including search engine optimization and pay per click can help you grow your small business quickly as users search for home based halthcare professionals for their ageing parents on Google, Yahoo and Bing.

Inspiration from 1975 Oscar For Best Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Don’t take this particular suggestion as inspiration, exactly. Instead, review Louise Fletcher’s Oscar-winning portrayal of the vindictive Nurse Ratched as an example of how not to offer patient care. 1975’s Best Picture remains at the top of critics’ lists of all-time top films for its darkly humorous view of patient-practitioner relationships.

Finding The Best Supporting Actors and Actresses

Starting a business during a recession might sound crazy. However, many of America’s most successful companies actually launched as small businesses during economic downturns. As larger companies lay off experienced workers, you can use the current economic climate to attract skilled talent who can help you make an even bigger impact on your customers. By filling a high-demand niche in your community and by running a frugal organization, you can set up your new business to win its own oscar worthy awards.