Listicle Article (20 Small Business Ideas)
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20 At Home Business Ideas You Can Start with Little to No Starting Costs & Skills
Are you looking to start your own business, but don't have a lot of money to invest or extensive skills to offer? Starting an at home business might be the perfect solution for you! Whether you're looking to supplement your income, work from home, or be your own boss, there are plenty of at home business ideas that require little to no starting costs and skills.
In this article, we've compiled a list of 20 at home business ideas that you can start today.
There’s no need to spend weeks building content, learning a new skill, or sending out countless resumes.
From service-based businesses to home-based services and specialized services, there's something for everyone. So, let's get started!
Service-Based At Home Business Ideas
Virtual Assistant Services
One of the best at home business ideas that can incorporate your amazing organizational and communication skills is the virtual assistant industry. Virtual assistants are in high demand due to their ability to provide administrative support remotely, such as managing emails, scheduling appointments, and social media management.
Here are three key traits that can help you become a successful virtual assistant:
Organizational skills: As a virtual assistant, you'll be juggling multiple tasks for multiple clients. Being able to prioritize and stay on top of deadlines is key.
An eye for detail: Accuracy is critical in administrative work, so it's important to have a strong attention to detail.
Communication skills: You'll be communicating with clients and their customers on a regular basis, so strong communication skills are a must.
As a virtual assistant, you have the potential to work with a variety of businesses and individuals with little start-up cost. You can get started in as little as a week if you have a strong grasp of social media, email, and organizational platforms such as Trello and Monday.
If you possess the skills and traits necessary for success as a virtual assistant, this fast-growing field can be an excellent opportunity for an at home business idea!
Social Media Management
Having a strong social media presence is essential for any business looking to reach their audience, but not all companies have the expertise or resources to manage their profiles effectively.
If you’re well-versed in a particular platform like Pinterest, Facebook, or TikTok, your scrolling obsession can provide a steady part-time paycheck within a few weeks!
As a social media manager, your responsibilities may include creating and scheduling content, analyzing performance metrics, and engaging with followers on behalf of your clients.
Your job would be to help companies of all sizes attract new customers and build brand loyalty. Figuring out how to do this creatively can skyrocket your success, and ensure you transition easily into becoming a social media rockstar.
A successful social media manager stays up-to-date on the latest social media trends and best practices.
You'll need to be a creative thinker, able to develop engaging content that resonates with your client's target audience. If you have an eye for design or know how to craft attention-grabbing captions, you can channel your talents into a thriving small at home business.
If you have the skills and knowledge to succeed in this fast-paced and constantly evolving field, offering social media management services could be a smart and lucrative business opportunity.
Freelance Writing & Editing
If you have a natural talent for writing or editing, freelance writing may be a fulfilling and profitable business for you!
The demand for skilled content creators is high, and you can work with clients from all over the world to create engaging and effective copy. From blog posts to white papers, there’s no end to the amount of content that businesses need written, with the best businesses requiring a touch that only a human copywriter can provide.
Here are three of the best places to get started with freelance writing:
Online job boards: These are the easiest way to get started without needing to do everything yourself. Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr are popular platforms for freelancers to find work. These sites allow you to create a profile and bid on writing projects ranging from one-time deals to long standing business relationships.
Content mills: Content mills such as Textbroker and iWriter pay freelancers to write articles, blog posts, and other types of content for their clients. While content mills often pay lower rates, they can be a good place to get your feet wet and build your writing portfolio.
Personal network: Reach out to your network to see if anyone needs help with writing or editing. Get creative and think outside the box; what local businesses need a better online presence and how can your writing skills help them accomplish that?
By starting your freelance writing business with a platform or low-profile gig, you can gain experience, build your portfolio, and establish a reputation in the industry. As you gain more clients and experience, you may be able to expand your services and increase your rates, making freelance writing a lucrative and fulfilling career option.
Online Tutoring
If you're an expert in a particular subject, you may be able to share your knowledge and help others achieve their academic goals by becoming an online tutor!
For many tutoring platforms, you won’t even need a college degree to get started building this at home career.
Thanks to tutoring platforms, you can connect with students from all over the world and provide personalized, one-on-one instruction. Here are some of the best tutoring platforms to get started with online tutoring:
Chegg: This is the most well-known online tutoring platform, offering a wide range of subjects for students from elementary school to college. Tutors can set their own rates and work with students on a flexible schedule.
TutorMe: This platform specializes in on-demand tutoring services 24/7, with sessions starting as soon as 30 seconds after a student requests help. Tutors can earn up to $20 per hour and work with students on a variety of subjects.
Wyzant: More like marketplace than a platform, Wyzant connects students with tutors based on the subjects and skill levels needed. Tutors can set their own rates and work with students online or in-person.
By starting your online tutoring business with these platforms, you can truly get a feel for what your day to day will look like as an online tutor. It takes all the stress out of maintaining your own client base and keeping track of invoices!
As you gain more experience and build a strong portfolio of satisfied students, you may be able to increase your rates and expand your services to include more subjects or specialized areas. This includes being able to branch out and start finding clients for your own, off-platform business where you get to keep all the profit.
Bookkeeping and Accounting Services
If you have a background in finance or accounting, you can use your expertise to help small businesses and entrepreneurs manage their finances! Even if you don’t have a degree, being good with numbers can make you a natural fit for this in-demand at home business idea.
By offering bookkeeping or accounting services, you can provide valuable support and assistance to clients who may not have the skills or resources to manage their finances on their own. Many clients who use small bookkeepers are themselves small business owners or self-employed as well!
As a bookkeeper your responsibilities may include managing accounts payable and receivable, creating financial statements, and preparing tax returns. By keeping track of your client's financial information and providing regular reports, you can help them make informed decisions and stay on top of their finances.
To be successful in this field, it's essential to have a strong understanding of financial concepts and the ability to work with financial software programs such as QuickBooks or Xero. There are a variety of video tutorials you can rely on to quickly learn these programs.
Additionally, strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential, as you'll be working closely with clients to understand their financial needs and goals. If you have the skills and are willing to work hard to gain experience, offering bookkeeping and/or accounting services can be a lucrative homebound business opportunity.
Graphic Design Services
If you're a creative person with an eye for design, graphic design can be a rewarding and profitable business opportunity. As a graphic designer, you can create logos, marketing materials, and website details for clients from all walks of life, helping them to establish their brand identity and attract new customers.
Here are some of the most popular tools for the modern graphic artist that you should start learning today if you’re serious about making a splash as a self-employed graphic designer:
Canva
Adobe Photoshop
GIMP
Procreate
By starting your graphic design business with an online freelancing platform, you can gain experience, build your portfolio, and establish a reputation in the industry. As you gain more clients and experience, you may be able to expand your services and increase your rates, making graphic design a lucrative and fulfilling career option.
Here are some of the best places to offer graphic design services without having to chase down new clients in an endless online sea:
Your personal network: Reach out to your friends, family, and business contacts to see if anyone is in need of graphic design services. This can be a good way to get started and build your portfolio.
Social media: Use social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to showcase your work and connect with potential clients.
Graphic design agencies: Consider applying for positions at graphic design agencies, which may provide steady work and the opportunity to work with a variety of clients.
Freelancing platforms: If you’d like to work with a variety of clients, Upwork and Guru are good places to start building a solid profile. If you’re more interested in offering set services, consider Fiverr.
Translation Services
If you're proficient in more than one language, one of the most lucrative at home business ideas to entertain is becoming a translator. As a translator, you can help companies communicate with clients and customers from around the world.
While not all of your work will be riveting, there’s plenty of variety to be found working in online translation. If you offer your services as a translator, you’ll often find yourself translating documents, websites, email newsletters, technical handbooks, and other materials to ensure accuracy and cultural sensitivity.
To get started with little to no investment on your end, you’ll likely want to work with translation agencies such as Lionbridge and LanguageLine Solutions, which offer more steady work and the opportunity to work with a variety of clients. These agencies often require translators to pass a language proficiency test, but this should be more than achievable with self-study if you’re already proficient in your two languages.
Again, don’t forget to tap into your offline resources as well. Make sure you advertise your services locally, with friends and family, and by word of mouth. This will help you build a clientele that isn’t bound to a platform!
By exploring these options and building skills along the way, you can establish a successful and fulfilling career as a translator, working for yourself, at home.
Online Data Entry
If you're someone who enjoys research and has a keen eye for detail, you may be able to offer your services as an online researcher, data entry specialist, or fact-checker. These roles offer valuable support ensuring that data is well-verified, organized efficiently, and available in today’s always-online business landscape.
As a data entry specialist, your role may involve entering data into databases, spreadsheets, or other software programs. Online researching and fact-checking are more niche roles that are still developing, but they are a fantastic fit for those who “have their finger on the pulse” of common misconceptions, ranging from the political to the scientific and even historic!
Overall, it can be a difficult but rewarding at home business idea to become a digital keeper of truths and records. You’ll need a keen eye for detail, the ability to work quickly and efficiently, and the ability to communicate as clearly as possible.
If you’re willing to develop these skills, you should start building your website or portfolio on a freelancing platform today.
Website Design and Development
If you have skills in web development, you may be able to offer your services as a website designer and developer. By creating and maintaining websites for your clients, you can use your technical expertise and creativity to make a tangible impact on their online presence.
Web design is a good field to get into because of the increasing importance of having a strong online presence for businesses of all sizes. And no, even in 2023, it’s not too late!
By providing professional and well-designed websites, you can help your clients attract more visitors, increase engagement, and ultimately, drive sales. This is a great at home business idea for the lady who has always loved learning. With the constant evolution of web technologies, there is always something new to learn and explore in the field of web design.
However, not everyone has gone to school for a coding degree! While it will take a few months to start learning the basics of web design, overall self-study for this at home business will pay for itself in just a few months.
What’s even better is that you can learn how to design websites (damn good looking websites, in fact) for free using the plethora of resources out there!
To get started with web design, here are some free places to start:
W3Schools: This website offers a wide range of tutorials and references for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other web technologies.
Codecademy: Codecademy offers interactive coding lessons on a variety of programming languages, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Google Web Fundamentals: This resource offers a comprehensive guide to web development best practices, including responsive design and performance optimization.
By using these resources and building your skills and experience, you can establish a successful career as a website designer. Once you’ve built yourself a portfolio of test sites, it’ll be much easier to reel in that first paying client and build from there!
Online Marketplace Seller (e.g. Etsy, eBay)
The world of selling handmade, refurbished thrifted goods, and custom products is full of endless at home business ideas. If you’re got a creative skill for handmaking or an eye for finding unique items you could resell, you need to look into selling on an online marketplace.
There are so many options for online marketplaces, but two of the most well-known are etsy and eBay. These platforms provide a great opportunity to reach a large customer base and connect with buyers who are interested in handmade or one-of-a-kind items.
Another fantastic at home business idea that involves no start up costs is selling digital products. One of the keys to success in selling digital products is to focus on products that are in high demand! The more saturated the market is for your products, the harder it will be to make a name for yourself and stand out.
Popular digital products include eBooks, online courses, lifestyle templates, and adult coloring books. By creating high-quality, valuable products that solve a problem or meet a need, you can establish yourself as an authority in your niche and attract a loyal following of customers.
Home-Based Services Business Ideas
Pet-Sitting & Dog-Walking Services
Offering pet-sitting or dog walking services can be a rewarding and flexible business opportunity. How viable it is as an at home business idea will depend on how well you work with animals, the market in your area, and how well you market yourself.
For many, dog walking is a reliable side hustle that helps them take care of their clients furry friends while making extra cash.
To get started with pet-sitting or dog walking, there are two ways to get started: local advertising with flyers and word-of-mouth or choosing an online app and setting up a profile. One popular app is Rover, which allows you to create a profile and connect with pet owners in your area who are in need of pet-sitting or dog walking services. Another option is Wag!, which offers on-demand dog walking services in many major cities across the United States.
By using these platforms, you can gain exposure, build your reputation, and start building a client base for your services.
House Cleaning
House cleaning is an industry with a sustainable market - everyone’s home gets dirty from daily life! Many people from all walks of life eagerly look forward to the day when their house cleaner comes by, and this means that if you have a knack for cleaning spaces efficiently, you can tap into this market.
As an at home business idea, starting your own one woman business can be a bit of a stretch. You’ll need a fair bit of extra cash to buy tools and supplies, as well as needing to keep a close eye on your schedule to make sure you don’t overbook yourself.
However, that’s where this at home business shines: it’s scalable, meaning you can turn this into a fully-fledged business if you play your cards right! By working with clients in your local area, you can help them maintain a clean and organized home, freeing up their time and energy to focus on other priorities.
Having a sterling reputation as a cleaner means you can spend more time making money and less time advertising, looking on task apps for potential clients, and working on your social media.
Gardening & Landscaping Services
This at home business idea appeals to the green thumb, or even those who just want to start spending more time outside. This seasonal side hustle can be a great fit for teachers and support staff who are looking for a summer gig to keep them active during school breaks.
If you're someone who enjoys working outdoors and has a passion for gardening and landscaping, this is a business opportunity that with a little patience and luck can flourish into a respectable business.
Not only does gardening and landscaping offer a chance to connect with nature and your neighbors, but there will always be a market of people looking to have their land beautified and maintained by professionals.
Because this field requires a fair bit of cash to get started (buying tools, equipment, and the vehicles you’ll need to tow it around) it helps to be conscious about your advertising costs. To get started, there are several low-cost options available. Here are some ideas to consider:
Advertise your services on local classified ads or social media platforms. Focus on local people who are already looking for landscaping services. Don’t spread yourself too thin at the start!
Offer your services to friends and family members for a discounted rate or as a favor. This can help you build your skills and experience while also gaining exposure for your business.
Partner with local nurseries or hardware stores to offer your services to their customers. By partnering with established businesses, you can tap into their customer base and gain credibility for your own business.
Create a website and Facebook page to showcase your services and portfolio. This can be a great way to attract new clients and build your reputation as a professional. Remember that pictures are worth a thousand words, especially with a field as creative as working the land.
By using these low-cost strategies and building your skills and experience over time, you can establish a successful business as a gardener or landscaper and enjoy a fulfilling and profitable career.
Personal Shopping & Styling Services
Do you have an eye for putting together a cohesive outfit? Can you spot the perfect piece from a mile away in a department store? Offering your services as a personal shopper and stylist can be a great way to make use of your talents.
While this at home business idea is very niche, you can also take advantage of the digital age by combing your love for styling into a variety of different forms. If you want to create a personal shopping business, having a well-tailored website and social media presence attracts clients and, in the long run, can bring in additional income.
As a personal shopper or stylist, your services may include a range of tasks such as wardrobe assessments, shopping trips, and outfit coordination. By getting to know your clients' preferences, body type, and lifestyle, you can help them select pieces that are both stylish and functional, creating a wardrobe that makes them feel confident and comfortable.
Personal Training & Fitness Coaching
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s hard for people to find the time to exercise. If you can motivate your work out buddies or if you just love fitness and living a healthy lifestyle, consider incorporating this into your at home business ideas.
Helping others reach their fitness goals is so rewarding - and it can be quite lucrative too!
Offering your services locally as a personal trainer is just the tip of the iceberg. While it’s fantastic to have a face-to-face connection with your clients, the digital age has opened up a world of possibilities for fitness coaching.
Becoming an online fitness coach is easier than ever! One way to sell your fitness courses, workouts, and videos is by creating a website or social media page to showcase your services and offer your products for sale.
Think about the places you already consume fitness content like Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and Facebook. You can create that content, too!
By creating engaging and informative content, such as blog posts, workout videos, and nutrition guides, you can attract new clients and establish yourself as a trusted authority in your field. You can also consider partnering with other fitness influencers or businesses to help promote your services and reach a wider audience.
Another option is to offer your services through online learning platforms, such as Udemy or Coursera. If you’re going to create content, make sure you’ve got a plan to get paid for it!
Ultimately, the key to success in selling your fitness courses, workouts, and videos is to focus on delivering high-quality, engaging content that provides real value to your clients. By building a strong reputation and delivering exceptional service, you can establish a loyal client base and grow your business over time. When combined with a manageable client base that you offer personalized coaching too, this at home business idea can bring in life-changing income.
Event Planning
Event planning has evolved as we’ve all gained the ability to create picture-perfect vision boards on Pinterest. If you’ve got a talent for hosting incredible parties, from the formal to informal, this is an at home business idea you must consider.
Organizing and planning events of all shapes and sizes can be an extremely well-paid field if you’re thoughtful as you build your business. You’ll work with your clients to incorporate their visions into a well planned, organized, and efficiently run event.
If you want to succeed as an event planner, there are some personality traits you should nurture in yourself:
Strong organizational skills: Event planning requires attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
Creativity: A good event planner is able to think outside the box and come up with unique and memorable ideas for events.
Excellent communication skills: Event planning requires the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with clients, vendors, and other stakeholders.
Attention to detail: While it’s not necessary, what makes events memorable are the small human touches that people remember long after the event has passed.
To get started with offering your services as an event planner, you can consider reaching out to potential clients through word of mouth, social media platforms, or local classified ads. Your social media presence especially will play a big part in landing clients, so make sure you’re very specific about the type of content you put out there!
You can also consider partnering with local vendors, such as caterers or event rental companies, to offer your services to their clients. By building a strong reputation and delivering exceptional service, you can establish a very loyal client base and grow your business over time.
Virtual Event Hosting
If you liked the sound of being an event planner but want a more direct role in the action, the switch to digital has created an at home business opportunity perfect for you! With the chaos of Zoom calls and virtual meetings fresh on everyone’s mind, it can be difficult to inject levity and fun into a virtual event.
That’s where you come in as a virtual event host! Your job will be to work with your clients to plan, create, and host virtual events to help promote their businesses, their If you have a charismatic personality and enjoy hosting events, you can offer your services as a virtual event host. You can work with clients to host virtual events, from webinars to virtual conferences.
This is another at home business idea that requires little start-up costs (a good microphone and a webcam are all you truly need) but a lot of leg-work. Marketing yourself on social media and freelancing platforms is essential.
Niche Digital Business Ideas
Resume Writing Services
If you're someone who has a talent for writing and a keen eye for what it takes to land a job, offering your services as a resume writer would be a fantastic way to starting building a business at home. It’s becoming extremely hard to stand out in the job market, and so more professionals than ever are turning to resume writers for help.
One option for offering your services is to provide personalized resume writing and job application support. This can involve working one-on-one with clients to create customized resumes, cover letters, and other job application materials. By tailoring your services to each client's specific needs and goals, you can provide exceptional value and help them achieve their career objectives.
Another option is to sell digital resume templates and other job application resources. This can be a great way to reach a wider audience and provide affordable, high-quality resources to job seekers.
By creating and selling templates that are visually appealing, easy to use, and optimized for applicant tracking systems, you can help job seekers improve their chances of getting noticed by hiring managers. What’s more is that you only need to create a template once, and you can keep selling it forever with minimal edits!
Overall, both offering personalized resume services and selling digital resume templates can be viable and profitable business models. By considering your skills, goals, and target audience, you can determine which option is the best fit for you and your career aspirations.
Podcast Editing
If you're someone who has a talent for audio editing and a passion for storytelling, offering your services as a podcast editor and producer can be a fulfilling and creative business opportunity.
By working with podcasters to help them create high-quality content, you can help them attract and retain listeners and build a loyal audience.
One option for offering your services is to provide personalized podcast editing and production services. This can involve working one-on-one with podcasters to edit and refine their audio content, including tasks such as noise reduction, sound effects, and music selection. By tailoring your services to each podcaster's specific needs and goals, you can provide exceptional value and help them achieve their vision for their podcast.
Another option is to sell digital resources, such as podcast editing software or sound effects libraries. This can be a great way to reach a wider audience and provide affordable, high-quality resources to podcasters. Not only does this allow you to help more podcasters, but you can also increase your revenue!
Online Coaching & Consulting
Put your extensive knowledge and expertise in a particular area to work by offering your services as an online coach or consultant! This is a fantastic at home business idea for the former working professional who wants to now stay home to raise a family.
By working with clients from all over the world, you can help them achieve their goals and solve their problems in your area of expertise. You can also set your own, flexible schedule and set up meetings on your time.
There are many different types of online consulting that you can specialize in, depending on your skills and experience. Some popular areas of online consulting include:
Business consulting: Helping entrepreneurs and small business owners with strategic planning, marketing, finance, and other aspects of running a successful business.
Career coaching: Helping individuals with career transitions, job search strategies, resume writing, interview skills, and other aspects of career development.
Health and wellness coaching: Helping individuals improve their physical and mental health through lifestyle changes, nutrition coaching, stress management, and other wellness strategies.
No matter what area of online consulting you choose to specialize in, it's important to develop a strong reputation and build a loyal client base. This can involve creating and sharing valuable content, networking with potential clients, and providing exceptional service to your existing clients. By focusing on delivering high-quality results and building a lasting relationship with your clients, you can establish a thriving online consulting business that brings you both personal fulfillment and financial success.
Conclusion
Starting an at home business doesn't have to be expensive or require extensive skills! Even just with a few ideas and a little bit of start-up cash, you can find an at home business idea that works for you and go for it!
With the ideas listed in this article, you can start your own business today and be your own boss. No multi-level marketing schemes here; just hard work and creative ideas!
Whether you choose to offer service-based businesses, home-based services, or specialized services, there's something for everyone. So, what are you waiting for? Start your own at home business today!
