The Internet has opened the world up to countless numbers of people. It also has provided a place for new businesses to start and to thrive. All one needs is an idea, some dedication, and a bit of creativity to enjoy a fruitful and fulfilling business.
Below we discuss five businesses you can start for under $10,000 and provide some tips and insights on how to get these businesses off the ground and rolling.
Photography
In days long past, the work of photographers could only be seen in print publications or in art galleries. Thanks to the Internet, however, artists and storytellers armed with a camera can publish and share their work to millions of people all across the world. Additionally, web pages and blogs numbering in the millions need stunning images to accompany their pages.
All of the above avenues give skilled photographers an opportunity to share their work and, of course, make a good living from them. If you already have high-end cameras and even basic Photoshopping skills, you are ready to open yourself up to a wide range of opportunities. Businesses, web developers, marketers, government agencies, news outlets, and even personal bloggers are always on the prowl for the perfect image to go with their content.
The best way to get started is to invest in a beautiful website that is easy to navigate and can best display your portfolio. This gives potential clients an idea of the kind of work you do. Behind the scenes, you can prepare a pricing model for the different kinds of photoshoots and other requirements. For example, you can charge clients per hour if they hire you to shoot their event, or you can sell individual photos online. Do not forget, too, that you can upload your photos to websites like Shutterstock for easy passive income.
Personal training
If you are a fitness guru and love helping people, a career as a personal trainer is a no brainer.
There are plenty of ways for you to break into the personal training market. Everyone needs exercise, and this gives you plenty of clientele to work with. From young athletes to business professionals to young-at-heart senior citizens, there are fitness needs for everyone. Plus, thanks to services like Zoom and Google Hangout, you can even run a virtual fitness session from the comfort of your home or personal gym.
Personal training is not something you can just start doing on a whim, unfortunately, even if you yourself are fit and knowledgeable about fitness. Personal training certifications are often a must to have if you want to attract clients. Clients will want to know that the person training them is an expert in their field. Plus, courses that result in personal training certifications often include training in first aid and things to know about health and safety.
Once you have that certification, you are ready to train anyone just about anywhere. You can open up your own fitness studio and fit it out with the fitness equipment you need. If you or a friend have video recording and editing skills, you can create your own workout videos and publish them online. With these videos, you can earn money passively through ads or let people access them for a set fee. In addition to or in lieu of running your own fitness studio, you can get contracted work providing fitness and nutrition courses for businesses, clubs, community centres, retirement homes, hospitals, cruise ships, hotels, resorts, and, yes, other fitness studios.
Copywriting
For those adept with the pen (or keyboard), a career as a copywriter can be a great money-making venture for you.
A career as a copywriter means you will be writing text for websites, advertising, print material, press releases, catalogs, brochures, TV and radio commercials — anything that needs words to convince readers to take action.
While anyone can write copy, it takes skill and great grasp of the target language to be a great copywriter. Most business owners, managers, and marketers have neither the time nor the skills to write effective copy. So if you can market yourself well through a well-designed online portfolio, you can attract these kinds of clients. Depending on the task at hand, you can charge them for every word you write or per hour of your time (the average of which is $50 per hour). Overtime, you will build up a network of clients who will refer you to other potential clients.
Event organisation
Love putting on a good event or party? Get into event and party organising!
Event and party planners plan and host special events such as wedding anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, and award ceremonies for their clients. Everything for and about the special day will need to be thought out and executed by you. This includes creating and sending out invitations, selecting event locations, decorations, arranging for entertainers and speakers, and selecting caterers and menus. Services following the event need to be taken care of as well.
Breaking into this industry requires you to be detail oriented, well organized, a good communicator, and very creative. Networking is your main marketing tool for attracting and keeping new business. As with any other career, a good website showcasing your work is very helpful, as are traditional brochures and fliers.
It helps to get to know catering companies, event venue managers, and party entertainers. Build a reliable team of businesses and individuals who you can rely on to supply products and services for your events promptly and on budget.
App development
If you have a brilliant idea or two for a new mobile application, you can get in this ever booming app development market relatively easily. One of the lesser known secrets about this industry is that you can make a good career out of it regardless of whether you can code. All you need is a background in web or software development, and you can quickly learn all you need to know about an app for Android or Apple iOS devices.
App developers make money either by selling the app for a basic price, as “freemium”, or for free but supported by advertising. While developing your apps, it is important to have a strong marketing plan and marketing budget in place. The app market is a very crowded one, so you want yours to stand out. One way to do this is to find a niche and optimise your apps for Apple and Android devices. Generate some buzz around the app through social media.
You can also read BUSINESS PLANS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
