Starting and owning your own small business is a dream many people have. After all who hasn’t fantasized of being their own boss? Today, I’d like to talk about what I feel are the Best home based businesses to start with no money.
Creating a business that is as unique as you are is one of the biggest thrills you will ever experience. Imagine building wealth with the freedom to work when you want and how you’d like.
Maybe you are a parent looking to get back to work but, hoping for a fresh start with the freedom of setting your own schedule? Perhaps you are retired & looking to build your wealth while doing something fun & meaningful?
Or, are you are a recent graduate looking to make your mark in the world? Perhaps, you struggle to make ends meet despite working long hard hours only to create real wealth for your employer. Whatever your personal reasons are for wanting to start your own business I’d like to help.
Back when I was starting my pet sitting business I was thrilled to do all the “New Business” set up. There is something exciting about naming your business, creating your own logo & vibe. Just don’t procrastinate! GET UP & GET GOING YOUR FUTURE AWAITS!
How will your business be special & bring value to the world around you while helping you provide for your family & become financially secure?
Create a life you love with the financial freedom to do the things you truly enjoy!
The business ideas I will be covering today are “Hands On” ideas that do require some physical effort to be successful. As a positive they require very little cash up front & you are likely to succeed with some work & determination. Plus, what you do will build a business that is a tangible asset that will provide security for you and your family in the coming years. I will be posting ideas on how you can make money online in a later article.
“I knew that if I failed I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.” –Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO
BAKE & SELL HOME MADE DESSERTS
If you enjoy baking and are the go to dessert maker in your family you may be interested in opening your own bake from home bakery. Most likely you already have the supplies to get your small business up and running. Start with a few of your “Go to” goodies & build up from there.
Word of mouth will be your friend as you spread the news of your new venture. Look to advertise on your social accounts, plan to give out samples with your business cards attached at community events. Host bake sales at your church. Call on cafes, coffee houses & other local businesses who may be willing to carry your goodies. People will pay for quality & the ease of purchasing something yummy that looks homemade
A great perk of this business is that you can start it in your free time & work around your current schedule. As you scaleup your business you can begin to cut back on your 9-5. You may want to consider joining The home baking association who has a mission of “growing the practice of home baking”
Whatever you do once you decide that a bake from home business is for you make a plan & get going! Focus on actions that move you towards your goal of financial freedom. Set goals, get baking & start spreading the word about the fabulous goods you have to offer.
Offer Handywoman or handyman services
There is a growing demand for handy people who can help older adults & busy working people with odd jobs around their homes.
Busy people need help with many relatively easy tasks to keep their homes running smoothly. Things such as furniture assembly, changing lightbulbs, changing filters in AC units, dryer vent cleaning, mounting a TV-And, the list goes on & on. If it is a small household task many people are happy to pay to get it done so they can enjoy their time at home without having to do small jobs. This is where you come in! Define what your niche is and what jobs you can easily complete.
Then, check with your state & local government for guidelines as to required licenses or permits where you will be working. Some states do not require licensing or permits and some do. Sometimes you can work without a license as long as the job doesn’t exceed a certain amount of money.
You can advertise through word of mouth, make flyers or advertise on social media. Start with free ads on Nextdoor, Craigslist & by creating your own Facebook account. Don’t spend any extra money until you are earning money.
start a home sewing & alterations business
If you have good sewing skills & enjoy helping others a sewing and alterations business may be perfect for you. People always need mending and proper fitting of their clothes so, this would be an EVERGREEN Business. You would be able to set yourself up to work year round at your own pace. All you need is a dependable sewing machine & the ability to sew-sew-sew! Start small with a price list of jobs you can do & get working.
You can develop your price list based on the amount of time & effort a particular job takes. You may also want to join a professional association to gain more credibility. “The Association of Sewing and Design Professionals” offers Master Sewing and Design Professional and Master Alteration Specialist certifications .Another group to consider is “ASG” “or American Sewing Guild. They offer access to classes to help you stay sharp & hone your craft.
Start small with a price list of jobs you can do & get working. You can develop your price list based on the amount of time & effort a particular job takes.
Decide on your niche & get up & get going! With your mad sewing skills & shiny personality you are sure to succeed!
Give music Lessons
If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.
If you are a “starving artist”, a music teacher or just a skilled musician then put your skills to work earning good money while teaching others what you know. Children and adults alike seek out teachers to help them learn how to play a new instrument. This is where you come in! You can use an instrument you own and work from your home or, meet at their home and help them learn on their own instrument.
As you get started you may want to create a portfolio of your references and any glowing reviews of your abilities. You may want to consider joining an association such as Music Teachers National Association which is an American nonprofit professional organization for the support, growth, and development of music-teaching professionals, with some 22,000 members in 50 states, and over 500 local affiliates.
Consider reaching out to schools, local libraries & child care centers with your offerings. You may score a “free” gig where they allow you to give a demonstration & distribute flyers for their & maybe your new students.
start a coaching business
“All coaching is, is taking a player where he can’t take himself.”
– Bill McCartney, American Football
There are many types of coaches needed in our big beautiful world. Choose your niche, decide who you’d like to help. Your expertise & skill set may be in life and business coaching which is awesome due to the high demand of qualified coaches.
Coaches do not need to be certified but in order to instill trust & confidence you should consider becoming certified. Clients will be more likely to invest in you if you have invested in yourself. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the world’s best-known and respected coaching program certifier. It provides accreditation for programs that are considered the industry gold standard. It accredits both life coaching and business coaching programs.
You may choose to become a fitness or sports coach which is another in demand career. Both young and old athletes are looking for someone to help them get to the next level. Decide what you are interested in coaching & again it will most likely benefit you to become certified. American Sports and Fitness Association (ASFA) can help you with getting certification.
become a personal chef
If you have a love of cooking & preparing healthy, gourmet meals grab your pots & pans and create your own personal chef business.
The upside of starting this type of unique service are apparent: low overhead, low startup costs and part-time operating hours. This is the type of business that can easily be built by word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business once established, leading to a full-time, profitable business venture.
There are many ways to profit from your culinary skills. You can prepare meals for busy professionals, people hosting house parties, small special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries and for corporate luncheons; basically, anywhere there is a kitchen you can set up shop.
You may choose to join a professional trade association like the U.S. Personal Chef Association or the American Personal & Private Chef Association if you want to earn a private chef certification. Also, you should look into local rules governing food prep and sales. As you grow your business you will surely find many related streams of income. You could host cooking classes, start a foodie blog and maybe even write your own cookbook someday,,, But, first you need to get up and get going-the sooner you start the sooner you will succeed!
start a house cleaning business
Ahhh yes, an oldie but, a goodie! Cleaning for others, or doing anything others would rather not do is a surefire way to find your fortune!
Housecleaning is as evergreen as they come! I started a housecleaning business as a way to make money while I grew my pet sitting business. I printed & hung signs with tear off tabs at all my local stores. Quickly I had more business than I could handle and, actually removed my signs as my goal was only to have 1 or 2 customers to have some income until my dream business was earning me a full time income. You can start small & use supplies the homeowner has on hand.
As you grow you may want to invest in a commercial vacuum & cleaning supplies that you prefer to use. Also, you would be wise to purchase insurance and look into local laws governing your new business. I really do hope you “clean up” in your new venture!
As you grow you may want to invest in a commercial vacuum & cleaning supplies that you prefer to use. Also, you would be wise to purchase insurance and look into local laws governing your new business. I really do hope you “clean up” in your new venture!
offer pet waste removal services
As much as we all love our furry four legged family members not all of us are thrilled to clean up after them. That is why starting a “Pooper Scooper” business is such a great idea and can be so profitable. The only equipment you need are a poop scoop & some bags. This is one of my favorite business ideas because it is easy to start & always in demand.
I offered scooping in conjunction with my dog walking business. I called my business “Doggie Bags” which became super busy & profitable for me. Then I hung flyers in the local grocery and convenience stores & soon had several customers! I bought a sturdy rake & a restaurant long handled lobby dustpan as my equipment.
Local laws prohibited me from transporting the waste since it was considered “Hazardous waste” I simply double bagged it and threw it away in my clients outdoor trash can. As always check with local laws regarding licensing & the handling of fecal matter.
Local laws prohibited me from transporting the waste since it was considered “Hazardous waste” I simply double bagged it and threw it away in my clients outdoor trash can. As always check with local laws regarding licensing & the handling of fecal matter.
Believe it or not “Professional Pooper Scoopers” do have Organizations you may want to consider joining for support tips & training. One such organization is: National Organization Of Professional Pooper Scoopers Another is: Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists Get out there & take pride in every stride-I wish you piles of success!
become a professional pet sitter
If you are an animal lover like me starting a pet sitting business is a great idea! I found the thought of spending my days outside taking my clients beloved 4 legged friends for a walk thrilling. There are so many services & niche businesses you can offer that revolve around caring for pets whose owners are either working long days, have an illness or disability that prevents them from being able to fully care for their pet or are simply out of town. For example you could focus on new puppy care coming often until the pup is old enough to be left alone for longer periods of time.
You could offer exclusively cat care, bird care, reptile care or fish care. You can add other services such as yard scooping, overnight visits & vacation pet sitting packages. There are so many much needed pet care services that owners are grateful to hire and pay a person they can trust to provide excellent care for their babies.
Do A Little research!
Before I opened my business I read “Pet Sitting for Profit” By Patti Moran & joined Pet Sitters International Through PSI I was able to find affordable bonding and insurance for my growing pet sitting business. I advertised through flyers at grocery stores & veterinary offices. I networked with groomers & other pet related businesses. Pet sitters are not required to have any formal education or training, but they should be familiar with all aspects of animal care and behavior.
There are many choices of software to keep track of your business: For example Time To Pet is pet sitting software for pet sitting and dog walking companies. Another, Leash Time is a straightforward pet care scheduling software. There are many choices so, find what works best for your needs & get walking! I wish you happy tails!
In conclusion:
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
Friends, My hope is that I have inspired you to take the steps needed to start & run your own business! I hope I have given you ideas for what is possible. No matter what type of business you decide to start for yourself the important thing is that you take the first steps in deciding what your business will be and run with it!
Once you get going doors will open & who knows you may end up being the biggest star of your chosen business. But, whatever you do it will be yours for you to guide as you see fit. The profits & praise will be yours alone. You will work hard but, all of your work will benefit you and your family. Believe that you can & you will succeed. I have faith in you & know you will be great!
If you found this useful you may also enjoy my post How To Make Money Online which covers online ways to make extra cash. Many of these are more passive than the ideas found in this post:-)
Please leave a comment to let me know if you have tried any of these ideas . I’d love to hear about your experience!
