If you want to earn extra money after leaving work or are in between jobs, working for a delivery service, such as Uber, Lyft, Grubhub or DoorDash, can help. While it's not necessary to create an LLC for your side job, it can be worth it to protect your personal liability. In addition, there are many monthly costs (maintenance, insurance, fuel) that you could deduct from your taxes. Some of the easiest home-based businesses to start include a dog walking business, an Etsy store, and a tutoring business. These three companies have low initial costs and low ongoing costs.
Are you a talented writer? Do you have a knack for graphic design? Maybe you're an SEO wizard or a coding expert? From writing compelling texts to creating eye-catching graphics, there's no shortage of opportunities to demonstrate your skills. The beauty of freelancing lies in its versatility: you can offer your experience on a project-by-project basis, on a continuous or long-term basis, making it an ideal option for beginners who want to dive into the business. When you're just starting out, platforms like UpWork and Fiverr provide a launch pad for your business and connect you with eager customers of your services. Plus, you can even start freelancing as a lucrative side activity before committing to full time.
It's a low-risk, high-reward path that allows you to get started with minimal time and cost. Freelance work comes in many forms, each with its own rewards. For example, copywriting allows you to use the power of words to persuade and inform. Graphic design, where your images bring brands to life.
SEO services, where you push websites up the Google ladder Website development, where you make your digital dreams come true. Content creation is remarkably accessible and cost-effective, making it the perfect online business for beginners to start. For example, to start your blogging career, you only need a domain name and a web server. On the other hand, if you want to make a foothold as an influencer on social networks, you can launch your content for free or take advantage of existing accounts. The beauty of content creation is its adaptability; you can adapt your content to a specific niche related to your experience and interests.
Basically, you're taking advantage of the talents and knowledge you already have, making it an ideal starting point for budding entrepreneurs. There's a full list of content creation avenues to explore. In addition to influencing blogs and social networks, you can create compelling images for YouTube, contribute to the social conversation with a podcast, or any other way that allows you to capitalize on your creativity. Subscription boxes offer a wide range of deals, from beauty products to gourmet snacks, books, or even pet supplies.
For example, Birchbox is famous for its beauty displays, while BarkBox brings joy to your furry friends from all over the world. These examples show the versatility of the subscription box model, where the possibilities are as wide as your imagination. For example, as a virtual assistant, you could offer general administrative support to small businesses by managing emails, scheduling appointments, or managing data entry. Alternatively, you can specialize in social media management, content creation, and audience engagement to increase your online presence.
These services are adapted to diverse industries, from e-commerce to training and consulting. What makes this business idea especially appealing to beginners is that you only need a computer, word processing software, and a knack for creating persuasive content to get started. And if you want to get your business up and running faster, you can even offer your services on independent platforms. Since most companies continue to operate as if we were in 1975, professionals who are experts in digital technology have an almost unlimited number of potential customers they can help. Thanks to platforms like Shopify, independent e-commerce has been booming in recent years.
So if you have a knack for curating, creating an online store might be the perfect way to share it with others. Do you want to open an online store but don't want to have to deal with the hassle of inventory? There's another type of business where you can explore dropshipping. Basically, dropshipping means running an online store without owning any of the actual products you sell. You have an agreement with a vendor to ship incoming orders directly to customers.
As a result, dropshipping businesses are easy to start and don't require a lot of capital (for example, most dropshippers tap into their own social media followers or specialize in certain niches and focus on specific search keywords to grow their business). If you see that your services demand more, you can go deeper and learn to model in 3D or take an interior design course to dedicate yourself to this profession full time. If you're organized and love unraveling chaos, event planning may be right up your alley. Corporate events, weddings, music festivals, charity events: the list of potential planning opportunities can be endless (especially since more and more events are being restarted after COVID-19).
To teach yoga, you usually have to complete a 200-hour certificate issued by a Yoga Alliance certified school, which can take you about a month of full-time study. These 30 small business ideas are just a fraction of what you can think of, but hopefully they'll give you enough direction to inspire you. If you're having trouble choosing an idea, why don't you try a few and see what you like? Describe your company's operational needs, including personnel, location, equipment, technology, and software needs. The industry has become so competitive and flourishing that people have started to consider opening new business ventures in this niche.
Handmade crafts are a great online business option because of their low initial costs, flexibility, and potential for creativity. Usually, a home hair or barber shop business would be started by someone with a career in cosmetology who wanted to go out on their own. Nowadays, small businesses don't have the time or capacity to set up and manage their accounting systems. If you're good at teaching a particular service—whether it's academic, DIY, cooking, or any other industry—you can start your own online classes.
For more information on how to buy and launch a franchise, read Entrepreneur's basics of buying a franchise business. With a little specialized training, you can master the basics of creating a website from scratch, a service you can offer to many small businesses, whether they're looking for an e-commerce platform or just a landing page to describe their services. The digital age has created a lot of opportunities for entrepreneurs to run a business from a laptop, meaning that their company can go anywhere it wants. You might find that some of the best businesses to start with little money are easier to start than you think. To get started, you'll have to invest in a lot of expensive equipment, but you'll likely find used parts to lower the cost.
If you are a “coffee addict” yourself, you can turn your love and passion for coffee into a profitable business. Some companies require an initial investment, are looking for products to sell, or need advanced technical skills, which isn't ideal if you're just a beginner. Consultants, information technology (IT) technicians, and independent accountants are fairly profitable small businesses. Depending on the community you train in, you may need to have a license to run your business or a certification to use public services, such as tennis courts, for profit.
