If you’re a stay-at-home mom or you are tired of being micro-managed at your job, starting your own business is a fun and exciting prospect. While many start-up businesses are cost prohibitive, there are plenty of exciting business opportunities available for those who don’t have or don’t want to spend a fortune starting their own business.
Business Consulting
Image via Flickr by Port of San Diego
If you have a keen sense of how successful businesses should be run, business consulting is an excellent way to earn money without having to invest all your savings to get your own business started. When you’re a consultant, you essentially sell yourself and your knowledge to other businesses to earn income.
Although a consulting business is based on your knowledge and personality, marketing materials can help you get your business off the ground. Use an online service to design your own website, create your own social media, and print business cards, and you’re basically ready to go. You might also ask businesses you know to recommend you to other businesses.
Event Planning
You don’t need a lot of start-up money to create your own event planning company. If you are creative and love planning and organizing, consider going into business by planning events for others. As with a consulting business, all you need is your creativity and marketing materials to sell your services.
Consider signing up with online businesses that promote this niche market. Many times you only pay a fee once you’ve been hired, which is small in comparison to the money you will make. If you live in a big city, consider targeting a particular market such as weddings to hone your skills and keep your focus. If you concentrate on a particular market, you will be able to build networks with vendors and others with whom you work often and become an expert in that market.
Online Freelance Services
If you’re a writer, a graphic designer, or you know how to build websites, consider launching a freelance company or working as a freelancer for another company. There are plenty of outlets where you can find a job as a freelancer, and plenty of businesses who want to hire affordable, professional freelancers. The best part about online freelance services is that they can give you an easy portfolio to help sell your services to the next customer or business.
Sales Consultant
Many businesses are looking for sales consultants to help sell their products. Host parties for your friends, or sell through your social media channels to make extra income. Some people become so successful that they can turn sales consulting into their full-time career. Companies such as Amway can help people start their own business with low startup costs and offer ways to encourage every sales consultant to be successful. With a broad range of products, you aren’t putting yourself into a small niche market, so you have a higher chance of success and profits.
Virtual Assistant
If you’re organized and enjoy helping people, consider launching your own virtual assistant business. Many managers and business owners are looking for affordable assistants, and hiring a virtual assistant is an ideal way for them to keep costs down and productivity up. There are very few start-up costs for virtual assistants besides having access to a computer and internet connection. You will need to market yourself to small business owners, but online marketing is very cost-effective. As long as you already have the skills to be an assistant, this business is quick and easy to launch, and could prove to be very profitable.
Babysitting
There are plenty of families who are looking for reliable babysitters. If you like children and have experience working with them, consider becoming a professional babysitter. If you are babysitting in others’ homes, all you need is reliable transportation. If you are babysitting in your own home, you must invest in safety measures and entertainment for the children. As long as you aren’t starting a daycare service in your home, you don’t require any special permits; however, you may want to consider getting trained in first-aid and CPR.
Whether you’re looking for a new job or you haven’t worked for a while, starting your own business is a great way to earn money, especially if you choose one with low start-up costs.