Hot Stuff Want to know what's hot for 2004? We've got the businesses, markets and trends you shouldn't miss out on.

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.