Is it your dream to start a business? Even though times are hard and thousands of new businesses fail, many people are looking to start a business either to escape the daily grind, because they can’t get a job, or want the flexibility of working from home. Many are put off because there’s an assumption that to start your own business it is a daunting process, it requires major capital and the effort is not commensurate with the reward. Actually though, many small and successful businesses begin with very little money – just a good idea and a will to succeed. And if you think about it, plowing a load of money into something speculative is not a good idea if you’re cash-strapped anyway. If you want to start a business but need some ideas, here are 7 suggestions for which cash is not a pre-requisite.
Do you love fashion – do you have a good eye for styling? Do you love to shop? To start a business as a personal stylist is very easy – all you have to do is advertise that you are willing to help people with their style choices (and maybe self-esteem issues) and hope that you get some clients. There is literally no start-up cost for the business, aside from what you spend on advertising, so if you have a natural eye for what looks good, this could be the perfect job for you.
If you want to start a business with little or no money, there is no better business than private tutoring. What makes private tutoring so useful to people is that, for a small advertising fee in a local newspaper – or even advertising for free online – you can build up a client base with minimal expenditure. If you tutor in the person’s home, then you will literally have nothing to pay other than your travel expenses.
If you want a start your own business working from home and are an avid tweeter, Facebook follower and an all round media socialite, then you should consider becoming a Social Media Manager. Running social media accounts for small businesses can be quite lucrative and your costs are minimal. You’ll need a computer, the Internet, and confidence in your marketing skills to win clients. Your own website will help and hosting services are really cheap for basic sites.
Writing doesn’t have to be hard; all you need is a decent command of the English language and some creative flair. You may have heard of the struggles which famous authors like JK Rowling had getting published, and fear that you will never break through into the industry. Well times have changed, and with the e-book revolution it is easier than ever to be published by Amazon. Give it a go – you don’t need an awful lot of money, just time to write.
While it may not be the most glamorous job in the world, starting a cleaning business can be a good way to make a reasonable sum of money. You don’t even have to do the cleaning yourself: if you deal with the finances and obtaining clients, you can employ cleaners who will do the practical work. In the United States, the private cleaning industry is worth around $6.5 billion; you could get a piece of that pie very easily if you start a home business.
If you find the prospect of writing articles or a novel a bit daunting, perhaps you could start your own business in blogging. With a free blog service, such as WordPress or Blogger, you will not need any money at all – indeed all you need is a computer and Internet connection! Successful bloggers will make their money through advertisements on their blogs, as well as being booked to do public appearances and also being paid to advertise products themselves. The time of the blogger has come – hop on the train and you might surprise yourself with how easy it is to gain a regular audience and therefore gain a regular income. To make it really successful you have to put some work in for it to generate a reasonable amount of income, so don’t expect overnight success and the dollars to roll in.
Parents always want the best for their children, and that desire to help their children strive in the world often manifests itself through music lessons. If you have a talent playing a musical instrument, make some money from it – offer well-priced lessons when you first start off, and you will soon build a reliable client base. Starting a business as a music tutor doesn’t have to be hard, but can be very rewarding both financially and emotionally!
From small acorns, great oaks grow. All new enterprises start with an idea and someone’s motivation to make a go of something. If you want to start a business even if you have no money, there’s really nothing or no-one to say you can’t – the only obstacle is you. We’d love to hear of some self-starter business success stories, so please do share.