There are as many reasons to start a new business as there are people with the entrepreneurial motivation to follow through on their dream.
Some individuals are driven to be their own boss and be able to make their own schedule, others want to have the ability and responsibility to make business decisions as they see fit.
And yet others simply want to work alone and remain uninterrupted by coworkers. Whatever your reason is, there is one hurdle that many budding new business owners face that stops their progress and deflates their dream, lack of funds.
Not having a large savings or access to the cash to start your own business is very frustrating. But there are a number of options for starting a business with no money. Selecting one of these businesses might offer you the opportunity for unlimited success and financial independence.
Start Ups for the Tech Savvy
If you are skilled on a computer, there are many different types businesses that you can start just by using your home as a work space and your existing computer to get you started.
If you also find that you are a very organized person and thrive on order and completion of tasks, you would be a great candidate for a virtual assistant. You would work remotely for a single business or multiple clients, if time permits, to complete basic tasks such as answering email, data entry, managing blogs or even scheduling.
If your passion is words and the English language then you might want to become a freelance editor. You will be able to set your own hours, select the topics that you are working with and pick the clients who have projects that interest you.
As an off shoot of this business, if you are fluent in more than one language, then working as a translator would be a perfect business to launch. Your business would be marketable worldwide and you could work from any location which has an Internet connection.
And if the technology itself is your passion, there are many technical jobs that can be done with nothing more than knowledge and an internet connection.
Writing code, creating apps and IT consulting are all opportunities that you could pursue with little or no upfront investment other than your time and hard work.
Jobs for a People Person
If the idea of working from home each day in solitude doesn’t sound appealing or even sounds lonely or depressing, then you should consider a job that will have you out interacting with the public on a regular basis.
Becoming a driver for a ride share company such as Lyft or Uber requires nothing but your car and some gas money. You will be out of the house and meeting new people each day. An addition bonus is that you will select the hours that you want to work and will control how much you are earning.
If you have a flair for numbers, then doing bookkeeping work for other small businesses would be a great way to work with many other people but in an environment where you control your hours, your client base and the fees that you are charging.
With a background in construction and the building industry, you would be a natural as a home inspector.
An inspection is a key phase in most home sales and it is a job that is perfect for a single person to complete in just a few hours. Developing a network of realtors to work with will ensure that your business continues to grow and you have plenty of work to expand your business.
Make Money from a Hobby or Skill
Not everyone has an artistic flair or is talented at building or creating. If you have any of these skills or talents, then you also have the ability to market them to less talented individuals. Craftsmen who build custom cabinetry and furniture are always in demand.
And in addition to making money, you will be enjoying your work which is something that not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to say. If you have always enjoyed painting, sculpting or making craft items, then why not make it a career and not just a hobby?
Being able to do something that you enjoy and find rewarding is an added bonus to the pay and to the enjoyment that your creations will bring to others.
This business also offers the opportunity to continue with your current job while you get your art business up and running. You can work on projects, create an inventory and a website to market you work and even sell at craft or art shows on weekends.
Once the business takes off, you can then move to working as a full time artist without ever having to suffer through the starving artist phase.
All it Really Takes is Desire
The fact is that there are hundreds, if not thousands of businesses out there that you can start with little or no money to invest. The key is to start small and keep the work manageable.
When you are worried about paying employees, paying overhead on an office and finding hundreds of new customers you will have much less time and energy to focus on making your business a success. So plan carefully before you leave your current job.
Understand the industry that you want to enter, know who your competition will be and understand exactly how long it will be before you will be generating revenue or getting a title loan without a job.
With those questions answered, it is a good idea to try to run your new business as a side gig for a short time just to keep a steady income rolling in as you launch the business.
Financial stress is the fastest way to turn an exciting new venture into an emotionally draining task that is far worse than any other job that you have ever had.
Understand that you might not get rich quick but that you can work for yourself and enjoy the fruits of your labor if you are willing to work hard. Starting a business with no money is very possible if you have enough dedication and drive to make it work.
You just simply must refuse to fail.