it's not just big companies that use java. We're a small company (15 ppl) and have built our backend in java and the frontend in PHP.
I'm not a developer but I think at least part of the reason for building in java is the abundance of libraries (i.e. Apache Commons). We also just do POJOs/Servlets so development can be rapid. I think most people think of J2EE when they think of big companies and java.
As a travel agent I'm guessing she liked interacting with people and she probably can contact those same people she serviced as a travel agent for her home-based Avon business.
My wife has been with Avon for years. It does take some time to build up a clientèle and team but you can make okay money at it. It depends how extensive of a network you have and how much time and effort you're willing to put into it.
We used to use Solve360 but we use Bantam Live now too. Solve360 is actually a very powerful CRM platform/toolkit but the non-technical people didn't really grok it. Bantam Live has some warts but it provides a lot of functionality without making many compromises. Second that it is worth checking out.
Ask a question like: How many people in Japan do you think are married?
There's no right or wrong answer really, you're just trying to get at how they come up with a number.
A hypothetical answer: Let's see, let's say Japan has 50 million people, of those 50 Million maybe 35 Million are consenting adults. Japan is a pretty traditional culture so probably a large percentage of...