Scrapheap Challenge

Its been revealed to us at work that we have lost 3 Large distribution Contracts, leaving between now and March next year, due to the fact that our Company doesn't have an adequate European Distribution option available, which apparently is now an essential requirement for the Global Names that we distribute on behalf of.
We have another couple of Contracts up for renewal over the next 6 months - so these could prove a difficult few months for me on a professional level. It's a little frustrating to find that your putting in 100% while the people watching the profits roll in, and are getting paid handsomely for that role, haven't had the foresight to 'future proof' our business, by investing the profits where it, appears, it was sadly lacking.
The company is still extremely viable, and produces good profit year on year - but obviously if there's not as much work to go around then that dreaded word 'Redundancies' becomes whispered more audibly. Which as a 40 something and not far away from the employment 'Scrapheap' leaves me in a possible difficult predicament.

I work in a middle management position, and I'm not naive enough to think that management are immune from redundancy (my missus works for the same company but at a Warehouse Operative level), so I'm already looking for avenues to explore that would provide an equivalent income and wilful employment.
Having been self employed (with mixed results) for 10 years(ish) of my younger life I always vowed that I'd never go back to working for myself again - but the more I think about this, the more I think I should give it a go. My best friend makes a living from Betting, and he's already explained to me that knowledge of form etc isn't a compulsory requirement to make profit in this genre. Although at age 40+ it's not the sort of profession that can provide a 'steady income' for a family man to pay his mortgage, but its something to bear in mind if the Jobseekers allowance is the only other alternative.
I'm pretty knowledgeable with Microsoft Office Applications, and a few Commercial Database application's, so was also thinking about going down the line of teaching , but having no teaching qualification's, and not having the luxury of taking out a couple of years at University, then how far can that go ?
The area of E-Commerce also intrigues me, with (at first view) a myriad of ways to make a decent income - although my expertise in that field is currently badly lacking, I hope to rectify this over the interim months - then I think I've met another brick wall when I realise I could probably provide a good product, but how do I go about selling it ?

(Plus both these options would give me more potential Poker Profit Time)

-- Hopefully things turn around at work and we bring some new contracts on board to replace those that we've lost - (Although losing our Head of Business Development to our main rival hasn't helped with this avenue of escape !) ..... failing that the new series of 'Dragons Den' begins this week, so if you see an overweight 40 something, with a face like a 'Badgers Ballbag', puffing profusely as he climbs the stairs, then please Theo,Mr Banatyne et al be kind to him, as it may be me !!