Small Business Lists – Start-Up on a Shoestring

This is the first in a weekly series of lists with the aim of inspiring people to start their own business.  

The first list is a selection of business ideas that can be started with almost zero capital. 

20 Small Budget Start-Ups 

1. Assembly Service – If you are good with tools, provide a service that offers to assemble flat-pack furniture. Ask local furniture stores to hand out your business cards.
2. Pet Walker – If you love animals, taking other people’s pets for a walk or looking after them for some time would be a fun way to earn extra money. Distribute a flyer advertising your service.
3. Start a Website – If you have a subject that you are passionate about then start a website dedicated to it. Once you have a readership you can make money through advertising or merchandise.
4. Mail Order – Find a product to sell and offer it via mail order. Advertise your services online.
5. Parking Lot Pickup – Offer to clean the car parks of local businesses at the weekend or overnight. Charge an hourly fee or per lot.
6. Move-In Service – Partner with moving companies to offer a cleaning service that goes into a house that is about to be moved into and leaves it looking spotless.
7. Errand Service – Offer a general service that runs errands for anyone - from over-stretched small businesses to busy single parents.
8. Junk Disposal – Offer a service that removes unwanted items from people’s homes or gardens and disposes of them at the local recycling centre. This will be useful for anyone who does not have a car and needs to get rid of large items.
9. House Cleaning – There is always demand for cleaning services. Once you have generated good word-of-mouth about the work you do your customer base will soon expand.
10. Delivery Service – Work with small businesses to handle the logistics of a delivery service. They will likely not have one of their own and will be very happy to outsource it because it helps them compete with larger stores.
11. Sell Something – Find a product you want to sell at a wholesaler and concentrate on marketing it. There are numerous ways to sell products ranging from street trading to door-to-door sales.
12. Sell Something Online - Find a product you want to sell at a wholesaler and use online marketing techniques to shift large quantities of it.
13. Garage Cleaning – Many people have very untidy garages and lack the time to properly clear it out. You could offer a service that would do this for them.
14. Garden Services – If you are green-fingered offer a gardening service to clients which will cut lawns and remove weeds. You could even offer a landscaping service.
15. Concierge Service – Local businesses and community groups may need the help of a temporary concierge for special events. You could be responsible for organising a day out for a retirement home or arranging the travel plans of a busy small business owner.
16. Inventory Service – It can be important to make a full inventory of possessions for insurance reasons but many people do not have the time to do it. You can provide this service to people for a fee.
17. Boat / Car Detailing – If you have a love of automobiles or boats then you could start your own detailing business.
18. Holiday Decorating – If you have a passion for decorating you could offer a seasonal decoration service to small businesses
19. Meal Delivery – Many people would pay to have their food collected from local restaurants. Make sure that you are able to keep the food insulated somehow.
20. Vacation Filling – Some SME owners feel they can never take vacations because there is no-one to run the business while they are away. You could cover for the owner so that they can take a holiday and be available to answer the telephone and deal with emergencies.

2 Responses to “Small Business Lists – Start-Up on a Shoestring”

1. Robert Moore
   
   Said on May 14th, 2008 at 4:49 pm

   The sort of business that can have very little capital cost is one where you offer your services. The third world depends heavily on this type of business and it is called the informal sector of the economy. It can be anything from cleaning kettles, to pressing the button on a lift, for a little money. Think of a skill you might have and start from there.

2. Chile Travel
   
   Said on January 16th, 2009 at 7:55 pm

   I think services business has hardly any investment. The manufacturing side always causes a mayhem when you dont get things right enough.

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