Is it Possible To Start a Home Based Business for Under $100?

Nothing is impossible. In fact, I recently found myself quoting dozens of Pinterest-based boards that read, “The word itself says I’m Possible,” when my 4-year-old informed me that putting on a shirt from the head down is not something within her talent range, and that sticking her feet in the neck and pulling her shirts on from the ground up is more her style. Needles to say, we have a closet filled with stretched out, disgusting shirts as a result (we are working on this, for anyone interested). But really, nothing is impossible. Sure, you’re not going to walk to the moon and back before dinner time and still be home in time to catch a quick shower before it’s time to sit down and eat tonight, but you know what I mean. When people discuss the concept of beginning a home-based business, they often believe that they need significant start-up costs to do so, but it’s just not the case. In fact, many people are perfectly capable of starting their own home-based businesses for very little investment; some with none at all. Spending $100 on a home-based start-up seems a bit sketchy in the eyes of many, and it’s understandable.

When you think of a start-up that costs so little, you think of a direct sales or pyramid scheme, right? Something like becoming a party hostess or consultant for those bags that are made of what looks like nylon that people are so obsessed with because of the monogramming (you can monogram anything, darlin’, trust this southern girl) or Tupperware or something to that effect. And while many home-based businesses such as that, or Beach Body or whatever direct sales or pyramid-building business do work quite well for many, they’re certainly not for everyone, but it is something that requires very minimal cost to begin for anyone that is interested in the program. But those are not the home-based businesses you want to know about (after all, you can look at your Facebook and Instagram newsfeeds to find an abundance of information on any of that should you choose). What you want to know is whether or not you can make your dreams come true, at home, for little to nothing up front; and I’m here to tell you that you can do just that.

An Idea

The first concept to consider when starting your own home-based business is an idea. You cannot start a business without an idea. Sitting around saying you want to begin your own business without an actual business in mind is pointless and does not make it possible for you to actually accomplish anything, so there’s that. Your idea can be anything you can dream of. From a lawn service to a cleaning service to a grocery shopping and delivery service, you can do anything you want from home if you only have an idea.

But before you have an idea and then roll with it, be specific. Ask yourself whether or not there is a market in your area for your particular expertise. Ask yourself who will benefit from what you have to offer. Who will be the most likely to come back to you for repeat business? Chances are good that you can narrow down the field and get into the specifics of your business plan by first asking yourself these questions and then rolling with your theory.

Experience

Another great concept to consider when beginning a home-based business is experience. It’s not always as simple as you might think to start any business without experience, so you’ll want some. Whether this involves reading books, taking classes or working another job in the past that correlates with what you are doing know, some sort of knowledge of what you are attempting to do is going to go a long way to providing you with the kind of experience you need to make your business take off.

The Cost

There are many different business concepts that require very little start-up. For example, you could take into consideration beginning a consulting firm for social media for local businesses. This might include the cost of starting a website and purchasing a domain name, it might mean business cards and it might mean a few other little things that will put your name out there. From that point forward, there is no cost to your business. It’s calls to local companies that have very behind-the times social media presence and the offer to improve their business via social media. It could mean emails and letters sent to local businesses promoting a cleaning business or your writing services for the pamphlets and brochures.

Be Proactive

Give yourself a very short timeline for making your business come to life. Take your $100, spend it and make your business go live within 2 weeks or 30 days. The faster you get going on this, the faster you can make a profit and see success. You can learn as you go – as all businesses do – and make it your goal to make improvements to your business on a daily basis. From client or customer feedback to your own observations on how things are working, you have the power to make your business come to life and your dreams come true.

Persistence

The real key to starting any home-based business for any amount of money is persistence. If you are not willing to get out there and sell yourself to potential clients, you’re not going to see any success come your way. You’re not going to see your business grow, your client list become more impressive or your business take off. You have to be willing to be persistent, to be active and to be present to make things happen. When your business is successful and you have a couple of employees, outsourced HR small business services are very much worth it. Your $100 start-up fee is something that you will not miss too much, like you would a start-up that costs thousands, but that does not mean you should treat it as nothing and a fee worth losing if things do not work out.

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