Technology is constantly evolving, and people are starting to get more innovative about the way they make money. Starting a business used to be something many people wanted, but never thought they could do. Now, it’s a goal that’s attainable for anyone.
You could run a business while sitting on your sofa, if you wanted to!
In this article, we’re exploring 10 small business ideas you can launch from home. All you need to start these businesses is a willingness to utilise your skills and the ability to be resourceful. So, if you’ve decided it’s time to give up the 9-5, or you’d just like a way to earn some spare cash on the side, it’s time to start planning your business. We’ve come up with a few ideas to get you started.
eBay store
Gone are the days where selling products meant you needed a brick and mortar store or even products of your own. Now, if you want to start an ecommerce business, you can do so in minutes – all you need is an eBay account. If you’ve got some old collectables gathering dust in the garage, or a knack for finding bargains at thrift stores, you could turn them into cash by selling it on eBay.
eBay works as the middle man between you and your customers – while the sourcing and delivery of your products is up to you, you don’t have to worry about building a website to sell them from.
There are fees involved – you’ll pay a price for the products you list and the sales you make. But if you’re looking for quick set-up and ease of use, selling on eBay is your best bet.
Ecommerce business
Online marketplaces are not the only option you have to break into ecommerce. If you want to get really serious about selling products and services online, you could set up your own online store. This guarantees you have more control over the look and feel of your store – allowing you to build a brand. You’ll also have more control over how much money you make, as you won’t have to pay per listing or sale.
Setting up your own online store might sound like a daunting prospect, but it’s actually a breeze with the right software. With GoDaddy Online Store you can create an ecommerce website in minutes and all the tricky aspects like design and payment processing are taken care of for you.
The process really is as simple as choosing from a range of professionally designed templates, uploading your products and setting up the way you’d like to take payments. It’s an easy, convenient way to sell your products in a way that fits into your lifestyle.
Freelancing
If you’re a talented writer or designer, there will be a huge audience for your skills and expertise – and that audience will be more than happy to pay well for good work. The only investment you’d need to make in starting up a freelancing business is the investment of your time, making it a low-risk, easy job you can do on the side until you build up a big enough client base to take it full time.
Building up clients is the trickiest part. A huge portion of your marketing will be word-of-mouth and reviews, so you’ll need to actually find a few people who are willing to invest in you before things start taking off. However, freelancing is such a lucrative career option for so many that you don’t actually have to figure this all out by yourself anymore. You can join an online agency like Upwork, where people can approach you for high-paying freelance tasks.
With the right strategy, you could end up earning a very decent income from your freelance business. Find out about one freelancer who made $10,000 in one month.
Website maintenance
Anyone can start a website, but not everyone is aware of the maintenance that comes with that site once it’s up and running. Those people could be potential customers for you if you know your way around a WordPress dashboard.
Mundane tasks like updating plugins, core software and content are all part of running a fully-functioning website, and you could be making good money from performing these tasks for other people. Market yourself as an expert service provider who can help your customers save time and you could be on to a winner.
Here’s our useful guide to setting up your own website maintenance business.
Subscription-box service
Subscriptions mean recurring income which is a good thing for any business, especially a home-based business.
You’ve probably noticed the rise in subscription-based businesses or businesses that incorporate subscriptions into their strategies. It’s convenient for people – we get exactly what we need delivered straight to our door on a regular basis and that’s why it works so well and has become so popular.
You can subscribe to a box of just about anything these days – from men’s grooming tools to fashion items, herbal teas and even stationary.
If you have a passion that you know others will appreciate, why not set up a subscription box business so you can share it with them? There are even agencies like CrateJoy that work like eBay as the middle man to give you the platform to sell your subscription boxes on.
Beauty business
If you have a spare room or a spacious garage and a passion for beauty – you have all it takes to start your own beauty business. Of course, you will need to get the relevant qualifications for your chosen treatment – but that’s where the passion comes in!
Most courses can be completed in anywhere from a couple of days to a few months depending on the treatment you’re wanting to carry out, and some courses can be completed part-time.
If you can’t carry out the treatments in your home, or just don’t want to, there’s also the option of going mobile if you have your own car or good transport links.
From nail treatments to hair dressing, massages, spray tans and make-up – there are many ways to get started in beauty. What’s more, it’s a scalable business, so you can learn new treatments on the side and add to your product list as you gain more qualifications, building your client base as well as your repertoire.
Home bakery
If you love to bake, you should turn that passion into a fully-fledged business and put those homemade cookies and cakes up for sale. People are willing to pay for custom-made baked goods and you can start this business straight from your very own kitchen.
You will have to make an initial investment in baking equipment, ingredients and possibly learning materials or a course if you’re starting from scratch. But you’ll be able to earn that back in sales if you really knuckle down and figure out a good marketing strategy. Word of mouth marketing and social media are probably where the bulk of your customers will come from. The proof is in the pudding – if your baked goods are up to scratch, people will be happy to return to you and recommend your services to others.
Visual social media platforms like Instagram can be very helpful in promoting businesses like this as you can take pictures of your creations and display them to the world.
Blogging
A blog used to be something like an online diary, but now it’s a certified way to make money online! From affiliate linking, to ads, to creating brands and selling your own products and services, if you make it really big – the money-making opportunities are endless with blogging. It only takes a quick Google to bring up hundreds of blogger success stories – and it’s even more lucrative now as larger brands are increasingly turning to bloggers and social media influencers rather than traditional advertising.
It’s surprisingly easy to get started blogging for business. GoDaddy WordPress Hosting will give you everything you need to start your own WordPress blog and will take care of the website maintenance for you.
Web Hosting Reseller
What if you could start a business from your home – with all the products given to you, all the payments processed for you and the only money coming out of your pocket is a fixed monthly fee for your business?
Sounds like a dream, but it’s actually possible if you become a web hosting reseller. Here’s how it works: you sign up as a reseller with a web host like GoDaddy. You then sell GoDaddy products to your customers, under your own brand. It’s up to you how much you charge. Another big plus? You get a discount of up to 40% on GoDaddy products.
Tutoring
Want to reap the rewards of teaching without setting foot in a classroom?
If you’re an expert in a subject, you could be making a nice side income by setting up your own tutoring business.
A home tutoring business could be just what you need. Don’t be fooled – it sounds simple, but this business would be run like any other. You’d have to set up a website to market your services and you’ll need a booking system and some sort of payment processing. You’ll also want to think about scalability as your student-base grows.
It’s best to start small with a business like this – pick a subject you’d like to teach, market yourself to potential customers and watch your business grow. Start-up costs are minimal and of course, the best part is that it can easily be done from home.
Summing up
So, there you have it. 10 home-based business ideas that prove you really can run a business from your sofa. Hopefully you’ve been inspired to start thinking about a rewarding side-hustle! And once you've found an idea you like, you can follow this guide on how to make your own website on a budget.
