“Small business ideas with low investment”? – Sounds too good to be true, right? But it’s quite true!
Having your own business is not just a dream anymore, anyone can make it a reality with a bit of knowledge, experience, and of course, a profitable business idea. The internet has allowed us to access many opportunities, regardless of our financial resources.
Even with a low-cost investment you can start your own business and generate profits in no time. All you need is some creativity, a few resources, and the right attitude.
So if you are looking for a business idea with a small initial investment, here are the top 12 ideas you can start with. These low-cost business ideas are useful for any type of entrepreneur, from new starters to experienced business owners.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best small business ideas.
6 unique business ideas
Here are the top 6 unique profitable business ideas to start with low investment:
1. Become a personal chef
If you are passionate about cooking and want to give your lifelong passion a shot, then becoming a personal chef is the way to go. You can offer your services as a cook, caterer, or even as an online cooking instructor.
All you need is some kitchen tools, quality ingredients, and marketing materials for your business. It’s a low-cost business idea that will only cost you from $100 to $2,000 depending on the equipment and marketing materials you need.
So if you have the passion and skills to cook delicious meals, then this could become a very profitable business idea that can make you a ton of money.
Initial investment: $100 – $2000
Competition: Low – Medium
How much can you make: $20 – $50 per hour
2. Start your landscaping business
Landscaping businesses are businesses that make sure your home looks its best. They make your backyard, garden, pool and even your front yard look spectacular.
It’s important to note that landscaping is not only a service but it also includes the creation of outdoor spaces and building structures that would give your property an aesthetic appeal.
It’s a great small business idea for someone who is experienced in landscaping, and construction. And the best part about this business is that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get started. All you need are some basic tools and supplies, and you are good to go!
Initial investment: $200 – $500
Competition: Medium – High
How much can you make: $15 – $30 per hour
3. Start your dog-walking business
If you are looking for a simple business model that only requires you to play with a furry guy and get paid for it, then a dog-walking business is perfect for you.
This is a very good business idea with almost no overhead costs. All you need to do is invest in a few supplies and some marketing materials, and you are good to go!
You can charge good rates for your services as dog owners are always willing to pay someone to take their beloved pet out for a walk or take care of them while they are away.
You can set your own time and rates and also build a steady customer base. But you do have to market yourself very well and make the owners believe that you are a reliable and trustworthy dog walker.
Build a professional website and make very good use of social media to attract customers. You can also tell your friends and family members about your business so they can help you spread the word.
Initial investment: $100 – $250
Competition: Low – Medium
How much can you make: $10 – $20 per hour.
4. Career coaching business
As the global economy taking a downturn this might be a really good time to start a career coaching business. With the right guidance and advice, people can find their dream job and career path in no time.
As a career coach, you will be responsible for helping your clients to pick the right career path, assess their skills and qualifications, and give them work advice along with job opportunities.
Yes, the completion is indeed high and convincing people that you are a reliable career coach could be difficult at first. But with the right confidence and dedication, you can become a successful career coach in no time.
Build a good-looking portfolio and make sure to list your services on professional websites. Start by offering a few free sessions so people get to know you and trust you. With a positive attitude and an eagerness to help, you can easily get loyal customers in no time.
Initial investment: $100 – $300
Competition: Medium – High
How much can you make: $20 – $60 per hour.
5. Local grocery delivery business
Looking for creative business ideas? – How about starting a grocery delivery business? A simple business model that only requires you to shop for groceries, and deliver them to customers.
This is a great way to make some extra money in your spare time as grocery delivery businesses are very popular right now. You can surely find many people in your neighborhood who are always busy and don’t have time to shop for groceries.
By offering your delivery services, you will not only be helping them out but also make some extra money in the process. All you need to do is market yourself properly and ensure that your customers are happy with your services.
You can start spreading the word about your business through social media, a website, or even by talking to people in your neighborhood.
Initial investment: $50 – $150
Competition: Low – Medium
How much can you make: $20 – $50 per trip
6. Start your cleaning business
If you are looking for some successful business ideas that can surely bring in good money, then starting a cleaning business is what you need.
People these days only get time to focus on important things, and the cleaning part is often neglected.
You can offer your services to residential or commercial spaces like homes, offices, apartments, etc. Once you build your reputation, you can expand your business by hiring more people or purchasing new supplies.
Yes, the completion could indeed be a bit high in this business, but you can always market yourself properly and offer something extra like affordable prices or discounts.
You will need some basic tools for starters such as a vacuum cleaner, brooms, mops, and cleaning liquids. Once you make some progress, you can get more tools and expand your business.
Initial investment: $200 – $2000
Competition: Low – High
How much can you make: $15 – $30 per hour.
6 unique small business ideas at home
Here are some of the top small business ideas at home you can try:
7. Start your virtual personal training business
If you are looking for an online business that lets you be your boss and make some good money, then virtual personal training is your go-to.
As a virtual personal trainer, you will be responsible for giving personalized advice to clients on healthy lifestyles and fitness goals. You can easily connect with people from all across the world through video conferencing tools and help them achieve their goals.
You will need some basic equipment such as a laptop, camera, and microphone to get started.
The main problem with this business is that the competition is fierce and getting loyal clients is not that easy. However, if you properly plan your business and find a niche with low completion, you are sure to succeed.
You can use digital marketing tricks such as SEO, email marketing, social media marketing, etc. to reach more people and promote your services.
Initial investment: $100 – $300
Competition: High
How much can you make: $20 – $60 per hour.
8. Freelance writing
Becoming a freelance writer is a great business idea that lets you make money while sitting at home.
You can use your skills and knowledge to provide writing services such as website content, articles, copywriting, etc. You don’t need any special equipment or tools to start this business. All you need is a laptop and an internet connection and you are good to go.
The best part about freelance writing is that you can get lots of work from global clients and make a decent amount of money from it. The demand for freelance writers is very high as they are responsible for bringing traffic and engagement to the website.
For starters, you can join freelance websites like Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, etc., and bid for projects. Once you have some experience and good looking portfolio, you can create your website and promote your services through digital marketing.
Initial investment: Zero
Competition: High
How much can you make: $10 – $60 per hour.
9. Sell online courses
If you are looking for good home business ideas that can make you some good money, then selling online courses is a great option.
If you are skilled at something, then you can create an online course and share your knowledge with the world. You can use online platforms such as Teachable or Skillshare to get started. Or you can simply upload it to YouTube and Udemy.
You can create courses on almost anything such as photography, blogging, web development, cooking tutorials, and many more. You don’t need any special tools or equipment to start this business. However, you do need a good-quality camera, mic, and editing software.
You can also hire an editor to make sure that your course looks professional. The great thing about online courses is that people are always eager to learn new skills, so selling online courses is a great way to make a steady income while sitting at home.
The best part about selling online courses is that there are no limits to how much you can earn. You can easily make $1000+ per month if you promote your courses properly and have a good following.
Initial investment: $300 – $1000
Competition: High
How much can you make: $1000+ per month
10. Become a social media influencer
If you are looking for one of the best business ideas from home, then becoming a social media influencer is the one for you.
Social media influencers are people who have a large following on social media and post creative content to engage their followers. They are highly sought after by brands that want to promote their products or services to a larger audience.
You can become an influencer in any niche such as fashion, makeup, travel, food, etc. To become an influencer you need to create creative content consistently and find ways to engage with your audience.
You also need to be active on all the social media platforms, post regularly, and build relationships with brands in your niche. As an influencer, you can get paid for sponsored posts or you can even get a percentage of the sales if you promote products.
Believe it or not, some influencers who have a large following make millions of dollars each month. Even if you have a decent following like 5k – 10k followers you can still make $1000+ per month through sponsorships and product promotions.
Initial investment: Zero
Competition: High
How much can you make: $1000+ per month.
11. Start your online t-shirt company
People are crazy about t-shirts, and if you are creative and have some cool designs in your mind starting your t-shirt company could become a lucrative business idea!
You can start your own t-shirt company from the comfort of your home and design printed t-shirts for different occasions such as birthdays, holidays, special events, etc. All you need is a computer with graphics software. You can either buy a printing machine or find a printing service to do the job for you.
Once you have your t-shirts ready, you can start selling them online on platforms such as Etsy or Shopify. You can also promote your t-shirts through social media and influencers.
The best part about this business is that there is no limit to how much you can earn. You can easily make $2,000+ per month if you are creative and your designs are good.
However, the completion could be high and you have to be very unique and creative to stand out from the crowd.
Initial investment: $500 – $2000
Competition: High
How much can you make: $2000+ per month.
12. Become a virtual assistant
If you are looking for online business ideas that can earn you cash in no time, then becoming a virtual assistant is the one for you.
A virtual assistant helps business owners with their daily tasks such as customer support, appointment scheduling, data entry, and other administrative work.
You don’t need any special qualifications to become a virtual assistant – just basic computer skills such as Microsoft Office Suite or Google Docs.
Virtual assistants are high in demand and they get paid very well. Again, the completion is high as there are lots of virtual assistants out there, so you need to be unique and stand out from the crowd.
You can start with freelance platforms like Fiverr and Upwork to get clients or you can even create your website and start promoting yourself.
For starters, it’s always a good idea to start with freelance platforms, as there are thousands of clients looking for their ideal virtual assistant.
Initial investment: Zero
Competition: Medium – High
How much can you make: $15 – $30 per hour
Top tips for running a successful small business
So now that we’ve talked about some of the best small business ideas with low investment, let’s find out how can you stand out and make your business successful.
1. Create your USP (Unique Selling Point)
Since there is a lot of competition around, you need to create a USP (unique selling point) that will make your business stand out from the rest.
This could be anything like offering better customer service, using high-quality materials, or offering unique products and services.
The goal is to make sure your business stands out from the competition and can be easily remembered by customers.
2. Competitor analysis is more important than you think
Doing a complete competitor analysis is essential to understand how your competitors are doing and what strategies they are using. This will give you a better idea of how to position yourself in the market and how to create an effective marketing strategy.
In addition, you can make your services even better and more competitive by providing features and benefits that your competitors don’t offer.
3. Have a business plan in place
Every new business be it small, medium, or large should have a business plan. A business plan outlines your goals and objectives, strategies to achieve them, and how you will measure success.
It also serves as an important tool to keep you on track and make sure that you are taking the right steps toward achieving your long-term goals.
Having a solid business plan in place will help you stay focused and motivated, which are two important factors for a successful small business.
4. Your business name matters
Your business name is an important part of your brand identity and it should reflect the values and principles of your company. The name should be catchy, memorable, and easy to pronounce and spell.
Also, make sure that you check if the domain name is available before finalizing your business name so that you don’t have any legal issues later on.
5. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is your best friend
Search engine optimization is one of the most important marketing tactics for small businesses.
It helps your website to be seen by people who are searching for your services or products online. This will increase the visibility of your business and help you get more leads and customers.
If you are new to SEO and don’t know too much about it, there are plenty of online resources and tutorials that can help you get started. Or you can simply hire a professional to do the job for you.
6. Take advantage of social media platforms
For both marketing and customer service, having a presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are extremely important.
It allows you to directly interact with your customers and have conversations that can help build trust and loyalty. It also helps you stay connected with the latest trends in your industry so that you can implement them in your business.
7. Patience is the key
Last but not least, a successful business requires patience. Building a customer base and achieving success in your industry is a long-term process that needs continuous effort and commitment.
So don’t expect overnight success and be patient while you slowly build your way up.
Following these tips will help you create an effective strategy to get your business off the ground and make it a success. With determination and hard work, you will be able to create a successful small business that can withstand the competition in the market.
FAQs for running a successful business
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to running a successful business:
1. Which is the best low-cost business idea with high profit?
Tons of business ideas require zero to low investment and have high-profit potential. Some of the most popular ones include
- Dropshipping
- Affiliate marketing
- Freelance services such as copywriting and web development
- Online tutoring, etc…
2. I want to start a business but have no ideas, what should I do?
Thanks to the internet, you will be able to find plenty of business ideas and opportunities. Start by researching the market and understanding what people need or want, then come up with an innovative product or service to meet their needs.
It might take some time but if you stay focused and passionate, you will be able to find a great business idea.
3. What are some of the most successful small business ideas?
There are hundreds of successful small business ideas that you can start. Some of the most popular ones are included in this article. You can either start with them or you can do your research and come up with something unique and innovative.
4. What do I need to start a business?
To start a business, you need to have an idea or product that can be sold, capital or resources to get it off the ground, and some knowledge about the industry and the target market. Additionally, you should also have a good understanding of marketing, sales, and customer service.
Finally, you must stay patient and have the determination to work hard and see your business succeed. With enough hard work and dedication, you will be able to create a successful small business.
5. How much will it cost me to start a small business?
There is no short answer to this question! Every business is unique and the cost will depend on the type of business you are starting, the resources and capital you have available, and many other factors.
However, countless low-cost businesses can be started with minimal investment. So don’t let a lack of money stop you from pursuing your dreams!
6. What are some of the top small business ideas at home?
If you want to start a business from home, there are plenty of opportunities available.
Some of the top ideas include online tutoring, virtual assistant services, freelance writing, and web development, SEO consulting and digital marketing services, dropshipping, affiliate marketing, e-commerce stores, etc…
Conclusion
So there you have it! Running a successful business is no easy task but it is achievable with enough time and dedication. By following the tips given in this article, you can be well on your way to creating a successful small business of your own. Focus on staying up-to-date with trends in the industry, create innovative products or services that meet customer needs, and have patience while you slowly build your way up. Good luck!
