Many people are tired of working for others and want to start a small business, but finances can be a huge obstacle for the average person. The time, money, and energy it takes to find a new location, hire staff, and work out rates for suppliers just isn’t feasible to a large group of entrepreneurs who don’t know how to get started. If you’re looking for realistic business ideas you can get started with in your own home, here are some suggestions for you to consider.
1. Virtual Assistant
Most industries can make use of virtual assistant. Even niches that require people to complete in-person responsibilities have tasks that can be completed from anywhere. Choose an area that you have experience in or that is interesting to you, and familiarize yourself with the duties those companies will need completed. Build up a portfolio and your resume with your experience and start looking for job openings. You can also reach out to companies to see if they can use your help. You might be surprised with how many respond. Just don’t forget your SIEM tools if you’re going to be dealing with important data.
2. Dog Walking
If you love animals and getting active outside, this could be a great small business option for you. There are some platforms that allow dog walkers and dog sitters to work as contractors through their service, but those aren’t ideal for everyone. They can be competitive and take a significant percentage of your earnings. If you want to work for yourself, you’ll be responsible for figuring out payment, communications, and scheduling policies. Insurance is also incredibly important here. Your safety and the dog’s safety are both important, so taking proper precautions is crucial. You might even want to limit which pets you’ll look after. For example, you can require that all animals have basic obedience training to minimize ruined articles of clothing and frustrating interactions.
3. Thrifting
Thrifting is an enjoyable hobby for some, but many others don’t live near populated areas and often miss out on exciting thrifting finds. This is a great option if you enjoy creating your own schedule, hunting for new items to sell, and don’t mind taking photos and updating listings regularly. You can also specialize in specific items if you want to fill a niche. For example, thrifting plus-sized clothing can be especially difficult, so you may find some success if you can curate exciting collections of those sizes of clothing.
4. Subscription Boxes
If you like creating the perfect gifts or could talk for hours about your favorite hobby, why not turn your talents into a business? Enthusiasts love getting new, surprise products regularly, especially when they come right to their door. There are subscription boxes for just about everything, and you can be sucessful so long as your put your unique spin on it. Keep in mind that you’ll need to have the space to store and pack these boxes, so a clean basement or garage will be useful.
5. Car Detailing
If you find cleaning peaceful but don’t enjoy going into people’s houses, car detailing could be the perfect gig for you. Just have people drop off their vehicles, pop on a podcast, and get to work. People are willing to pay well for a job well done, and with the right cleaning supplies on hand, this job is very easy to get started with. And once those referrals start rolling in, there’s a good chance your schedule will be full. Just keep in mind that this job will likely have seasonal lulls due to weather.
As with any small business, it is crucial to check local laws before starting. You need to make sure you have all the right forms, required insurance, tax information, and any licenses you may need to operate legally. Once you’ve done the boring work, you can quickly get started with a new small business all from the comfort of your own home.
