Home Start HereBusiness ideas 6 Low Investment Small Business Ideas You Can Start Right Now

6 Low Investment Small Business Ideas You Can Start Right Now

a team of entrepreneurs generating low investment small business ideas

Now you can start your business with these low investment small business ideas

vector representations of different low investment small business ideas you can start right away

You want to start a business but don’t have much money to throw at it. Is that right?

I’m guessing you’re researching new business ideas with little or no up-front investment.

A business you can start right now with no capital. And one you hope would potentially help you quit your 9-5, live your dreams, marry your dream woman, and travel the world.

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In this post, you’ll learn about real businesses you can start without initial capital.

Also, you’ll get to read about real business owners running these businesses.

Side note: All the businesses listed here can be started with little or no capital; however, two things you must have is – skill and an undying ability to hustle.

That said, here are low-investment small business ideas you can start right now:

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Online Bakery

If you’re a foodie, love baking, and can actually wipe up delicious yummies with pasta – baking might be for you.

However, instead of going the traditional set-up-a-store kind-of-bakery route, you will rely on the internet – social media precisely to build up your bakery business.

First, we’d assume you already know how to bake. Let’s say you can make cakes.

Secondly, since you’re opting for an online bakery you don’t have to worry about getting that expensive baking equipment yet.

Set up shop on social media platforms – Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook in that order for Nigerians. For non-Nigerians, plus Pinterest, maybe.

Then, create a business account for a messaging app – Download Whatsapp for Business app so you can easily chat with your customers.

Finally, start posting on your new account – follow relevant accounts, engage with your audience, and market the hell out of your business.

This online baker, Ibadan Baker (@TheCakeChancery), leverages Twitter and Instagram’s power to grow her baking business.

start online bakery - low investment small business ideas

What’s interesting in her story is that she was scared of the future at the beginning of this year. She wasn’t sure how the business would turn out. And she wanted to quit.

A scroll through her Twitter feed shows that she is doing great now. She shares her latest work with her audience and is always on hand to respond to comments from her followers.

Home-made Office Food Delivery

Still on the food niche, here’s another great low-investment small business you can start immediately.

It’s a common sight in Nigerian cities to see roadside food vendors. These food vendors often stay near office complexes or construction sites, hoping the workers would need some food.

Now, imagine setting up a home-based, freshly cooked food delivery service where you offer to provide these office workers with freshly prepared hot meals delivered right in their workplace.

Ada Anyagwa (@adyvafoods) does good work leveraging Twitter to grow her business.

She and her team currently offers corporate lunch and catering to businesses in Lagos.

Food and home and office delivery - another low investment small business ideas

Over the years, her client list has grown to include Andela, Affordable Cars, among others.

You see, people want to eat good food and often, especially career people, they don’t have the time to prepare those meals for themselves.

So, if you’re able to position yourself as a good cook who knows what she’s doing – you’re in for a killing.

And the best part is you don’t need any upfront capital to start.

Photography

People want to capture special moments forever. Weddings, birthday parties, pre-wedding shots, graduation ceremonies…

… there are tons and tons of events where photographers are needed.

Sure, with the prevalence of smartphones, photography is on a decline.

However, for the smart photographer who leveraged the internet to position themselves; there’s no shortage of clients to work with.

If you’re in doubt about the viability of this business idea, check out this photoprenenur – Eze Ezindu CEO of Eje Studios, a premium photography and creative agency in Umuahia.

become a photography entrepreneur - low investment business ideas - smart entrepreneur blog

With your camera, knowledge of photoshop, and picture editing you can start this business.

Use social media like Instagram to build up a following. If you’re comfortable facing the camera – you can even record photography tutorials.

Start Online English Class

Wondering what to do with your English language degree?

Are you interested in teaching English online?

Let me shock you: over 1.7 billion people are currently speaking or learning the English language globally.

And this number is expected to double to 2 billion by 2020; this is good news as it shows strong demand for the language.

Now, here’s where you come in – you can offer to teach English remotely to students across the globe.

All that’s required is your passion to teach the language; a secure strong internet connection; and laptop.

Meet Iniobong Etuk, a freelance English as a second language tutor who works with a Japanese company to offer English tutorials to their clients from around the globe.

English as second language online tutor - no capital small business ideas

Resume Writing

You can earn a decent amount of money writing, rewriting, or polishing job applicants’ resumes.

Sure, you must stay abreast in the recruitment industry. Be adept at using persuasive words to sell your candidates. And know how to format CVs to stand out from the crowd.

Dr. Dipo Awojide does a pretty good job with his (@BTDTHub) resume writing, a career resource hub that helps individuals polish their CVs, master key interviewing tips, and handle recruitment processes for businesses.

resume writing and career development another low investment small business ideas you can start

However, the good thing is, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to begin.

Your social media handles are probably enough to get the word out. And all you’d need is a computer with an internet connection, a bit of branding, and you’re in business.

Or you can work for a resume writing company as a freelancer. Jobberman in Nigeria, Upwork, RiseStart, and Flexjobs are some platforms where you can offer your services as a freelance resume writer.

6 Low Investment Small Business Ideas You Can Start Right Now 1

Social Media Services

Businesses, regardless of size – whether big, small, or medium – are online and on social media.

And often, they search for versatile, experienced social media managers to handle their accounts.

So, you can start a boutique social media management agency to help these organizations.

Keep in mind, though, you may need to make an upfront investment in training and certification to understand how social media management and marketing work.

Of course, there are free courses to start off with. Check out online learning platforms like Udemy, Allison, Teachable, among others, for free courses.

Or you can go the MOOC – Massive OPen Online Courses – route. These are free premium courses offered by the world’s top universities.

Offering social media management is a lucrative business idea you can start right from your home and If you know what you’re doing, and is able to get results for your clients, you can make a decent living offering the service.

Here’s one entrepreneur that has leveraged social media to build a thriving online business. Mazi Ibe popularly called @I_Pissvodka on Twitter started out just like you.

Low investment small business ideas - social media management - smart entrepreneur blog

He joined the platform as a student in 2010 and with consistency, was able to build a large responsive following on Twitter.

Today, he leverages his large following to offer PR, influencer marketing, and brand promotions, and social media marketing for corporate and individual brands.

Final thoughts on low-investment small business ideas you can start right now:

Most of us want to start a business; but the thought of raising the initial fund often becomes a stumbling block.

Now, with this list that wouldn’t be the case anymore.

If you notice, the business ideas listed here can be started right from your home – so the cost of renting an office or workshop is eliminated.

Also, with just your laptop or smartphone plus a bit of hustle, you can get started on any of the low-investment small business ideas above.

Now, there’s really nothing stopping you from starting a business.

What do you think? Do you have any low-investment business ideas you’d like us to include in the list? Let us know in the comment section.

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  • Sam Steve

    Sam Steve is a strategic content marketer and founder of Emira Digital Publishing. He helps clients grow their online presence by writing primarily about digital marketing, SME growth hacking strategies, and productivity. Connect with Sam on social media:

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