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Not having a buttload of cash doesn’t mean you don’t get to start your own business and be your own boss. In fact there are plenty of jobs you can start with no money, if you have the drive to succeed…
Yup, if you have the hunger and entrepreneurial vigour, you can ditch that 9-5 job and get started today (kinda). All you need is a good idea and the skills to execute said idea.
Before we start, let’s talk about the importance of having an online presence for your business.
Why have an online presence?
Do you need a website? Or can you make do with social media?
Well, if you’re starting a business with no money, you’re probably gonna be thinking social media. After all, it is free. But is it the best way?
A website, for example, tells people what you bring to the table and is a hunting ground for customers and future clients. Invest time in proper SEO and keep the website clean and readable, use high-quality images of your products and write down their descriptions and benefits. Having an online presence can make a world of difference in revenue generation, make your business seem credible, showcase your brand value, provide customer service and help increase your customer base.
Creating a social media account for your business and posting regularly can increase website traffic and help you connect with your followers every time you post or put up a story. Collaborating with influencers and participating in social media trends can draw the attention of thousands of people to your brand and increase your popularity. Active customer engagement and crisis communication can monitor your brand value and maintain your credibility.
Now let’s move on to a list of 10 businesses you can start with almost no capital.
1. Event Planning services
Event management skills and a well-rounded personality are the only tools you need to get this career off the ground. With people forever trying to glamourise their lives for the likes, event management has been in high demand especially in recent years. This might include planning weddings, birthday parties or corporate events. It helps if you have a background
Pay range: £25,000 – 100,000+
2. Etsy shop
If you’re really into DIY and want to monetise on this skill, get an Etsy account and start taking commissions. Etsy is a popular online marketplace for small shop owners and bigger productions. Building a website or social media account dedicated to your shop can help increase your audience and potential buyers. Product development and shipping are in your hands so start small.
Pay range: depends on many things such as what you sell and marketing activity.
3. Online courses
Are you a maestro in the art of origami? Or did you excel at education? Whatever the case may be, online tutoring can be the job for you. Online forums like Udemy and Coursera can help you build an audience and a passive income. Once you upload tutorials and videos, you can also schedule real-time online classes for your students.
Pay range: depends on the course and the marketing – but can potentially be 1000s per month
4. Digital Content Creation
It is one of the most lucrative jobs in the market and is in high demand. Digital content such as videos, podcasts, animations or webinars are the type of content you need to be making.
If you want to create video content, which is in high demand, you can even start with your smartphone. No need for expensive high-end cameras or lighting rigs. Yes, you will need editing software but you can get that for free (Lightworks, DaVinci Resolve). Be careful when choosing your actors though!
Pay range: £25,000 – 100,000+
5. Daycare services
If you’re good with children, turning your home into a childcare facility is a good option. With more people in the workforce, daycare services are in high demand. Similarly, animal care services are also a good fit for you if you have ample space and are good with animals. The costs of setting up care facilities are negligible and the returns are high.
Pay range: £20,000-35,000
6. Virtual Assistant
A VA or Virtual Assistant manages administrative tasks like bookkeeping, making flight arrangements, social media management and other clerical work without being on-site. VAs can build their clientele on sites like Upwork, TaskRabbit, PeoplePerHour and Linkedin. As the scope of work is broad it’s better to specify what you specialise in.
Pay range: £22,500 – 50,000
7. Social media manager (SMM)
Companies and brands always need people with a knack for understanding what an audience likes. Social media managers handle the social media accounts for companies and create content and devise strategies to increase viewership, collaborate with other online brands and increase follower counts. There is hardly any monetary investment required for this task, however, a deep understanding of social media and good writing, editing and design skills are very important.
Pay range: £22,000 – 60,000
8. SEO Specialist
Why do certain websites rank higher than others when you search on a particular topic? Cue, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Specialists who analyse and make changes to a website using correct keywords, build a strategy to attract organic search content and create a positive user experience. SEO Specialist is a complicated role and can be learnt through experience, or by taking online courses. However it can be a very lucrative role quite quickly…
Pay range: £28,000 – 100,000+
9. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is literally selling without holding an inventory, which makes the sale of physical items a low investment business. You simply buy the product from the manufacturer and ship it to the interested customer, all without having to invest a penny. The goods are paid for in advance so you don’t lose any money. Big giants like Amazon have been using the dropshipping model for quite some time.
Pay range: depends on the product and various other marketing factors – possibly 1000s per month
10. Baker/Personal Chef
For all my chefs and bakers, starting a bakery or a business as a personal chef is a fantastic entrepreneurial decision. With baked goods always in demand, you could start taking orders for customised baked goods. Personal chefs create specialised meals according to their client’s dietary restrictions and preferences. The icing on the cake is the fact that you work at your own pace and decide how many orders you want to deal with.
Pay range: £30,000 – 70,000
11. Written content/blogger
One of the most popular businesses to start with no money, blogging and content writing be very rewarding. The challenge might be finding high paying clients, for most. But if you have a way with words, you can quickly progress and become a professional writer – with pretty much no startup costs.
Pay range: £20,000 – 75,000
Hopefully reading this article has assured you that you don’t need a fat wallet to make it big and that having a great idea and a plan is all you need. In fact there there are lots of great businesses you can start for under £500.
As Napoleon Hill once said, “All achievements, all earned riches, have their beginning in an idea”.
Got any other ideas for business you can start with no money? Let us know in the comments below…
