13 Zero to Low Investment Business Ideas: How to Net BIG Gains With Negligible Investment

March 14th, 2012 |

Author: Mariam

Running a business is not easy but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Low investment in business might sound like a distant dream but take it from me it’s not. It is in fact quite achievable and with some thought and a little planning you could set up your business for little or nothing. Sounds too good to be true? Well here are 13 zero to low cost business ideas to help you net BIG GAINS with negligible investment…

Consultancy

Anyone with some experience, expertise and skills in a niche area can turn consultant. What’s more? You need little more than your cellphone, laptop and an internet connection to get on the road of setting up a consultancy. You can even set up a free blog with tools like Blogger, a free Facebook page and Linkedin profile and you have started your own consultancy.

Spread the word around by encouraging people to like your page or profile!

Teaching

Teaching from home, taking personal lessons, training or delivering modules online via Skype or YouTube are just some possibilities you can explore. Oodles of patience, a genuine interest in people and networking and the willingness to adapt to needs of learners are some essential qualities you need to teach and tutor people.

Hiring

It’s the new business…renting clothes, accessories, books and toys are just some ideas worth exploring. In a bid to promote frugal living and helping people overcome their temporary needs for products while steering away from accumulation, hiring is a great business opportunity.

Look around you…rope in friends, family and gather stuff that can be used and hired out to other people. Either that or procure new things to create an inventory that you can use to hire out.

Catering With a Twist

Each and every one of us who cooks has his or her special treats, dishes that he or she can rustle up in signature style. Running a catering business around your specialty as a cook might just be the thing to do. Else opting for simple things like just cupcakes, desserts, cookies and doughtnuts with a hole in the wall shop might be the best thing to do.

Personal Shopping

Time is a scarce resource and most people today lead very busy lives. They don’t have time to shop for their personal needs yet it’s important that they are well turned out. This is where your business opportunity lies. Turn personal shopper if you have an eye for fashion, information about the best places to shop, an ability to work with varying budgets, a sense of style and a willingness to meet your client’s needs. Shop and get paid to do it!

Home Care Business

Another business opportunity that spawns out of busy lives we lead today. People don’t have time to cook, wash, clean and buy groceries but it’s a job that must be done, right? Set up a service to help people procure groceries and essentials or simply clean their homes. A good opportunity to explore particularly in developing countries where unskilled labor is available in plenty but always in search of jobs and good remuneration.

Urban Gardening

With lifestyles in all cities veering towards clean and green living, raising flood inflation and a growing tribe of people favoring organic foods the concept of urban gardening is being embraced with enthusiasm. Use your garden patch, terrace or windowsill to grow exotic vegetables and rare herbs to begin your foray in to urban gardening. The other option is supplying aspiring urban gardeners with supplies like seeds, information and training.

Writing

If you have a way with words then writing is one lucrative business opportunity. Turn resume writer, letter writer, editor, copywriter or go all the way and publish a book. If looking for publishers is not something you want to do then set up a free blog or self publish on platforms like Kindle and test the waters first.

Translation

This is a lucrative opportunity especially when you know people who look for translation facilities. Tap in to an expat network or set up a business that provides foreign students with translation facilities or connect with companies who look for interpreters and translators.

Crowd sourcing

Bank on people power to help companies garner resources and ideas from a number of people. WittyShit is one company that encourages people to submit one liners and sells them to companies looking for slogans and one liners. The idea is to reward people who come up with these ideas and help companies find resources at a fraction of the cost they would have otherwise incurred.

Project Work

All over the world students are constantly looking for help with their project work. So if you have access to the required resources like books and journals, a flair for writing and drawing then assisting them with their projects might be an opportunity worth exploring. Even a niche area like preparation of PowerPoint presentations and handouts here is a good idea.

Vending Platforms

Organise a flea market or set up an e-commerce site for crafters. Take a leaf out of the etsy, afday or shopo experience to help connect buyers and sellers looking for a platform to sell. Never liked it anyway is an online venture that helps people get rid of stuff their “exes” gave them. A great way to meet financial needs while you get rid of the “ex” files literally!

In compiling this list of zero to low cost investment ideas I have tried to set you thinking about what you can do. I want to open your minds to opportunities and wrench you free from obstacles. If I can help you develop and build on any ideas that you may have, I’d be happy.

Image:

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=2265

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