Starting a business is easier than you think you think. You may have to raise capital, but the good news is that there are many ways to do that if you put your mind to it a little.
After you’ve got the cash, there are still plenty of things to consider when getting started: How will customers find out about your product? How will they pay for it? What’s the best way to market it?
Don’t worry! These questions can be answered by hiring experts at every stage of development—and luckily for us, those experts exist in significant numbers online these days. For example, our team at HQ Accounting offers bookkeeping services in Niagara for small businesses like yours.
Starting a Small Business is easier than you think. You don’t need a lot of money to start. All you need is an idea that solves a problem for people or makes them happy. There are many ways to create your own business, but here are 23 ideas that can help you get started:
1 – Start a Blog
Blogging is an excellent way to create your own content, make money and share your passion with the world.
Start a blog if you want to earn money from home while also beginning something that has the potential to be huge. A blog can help you build authority in your industry by providing valuable information that helps people solve problems or gives them ideas for growth.
2 – Become a Digital Marketer
If you’re the type who enjoys organization and planning, then marketing might be a good role for you. Marketing is a great small business idea because it’s fast-paced and allows you to work when you want.
As an online marketer, your main job will be to promote products or services through digital channels like Google Ads or Facebook ads. Because there are no hard deadlines for marketing, this is a great opportunity if you want to work from home while still having some structure in your day-to-day life.
3 – Become a Virtual Assistant
If you’re looking for a way to transition into self-employment and want to work from home, becoming a virtual assistant is a great option. Virtual assistants work in a variety of industries, such as finance and design, but they also can assist with tasks like editing resumes or scheduling appointments.
As an independent contractor, you’d be your own boss and get paid by the hour—which means that you can set your own schedule and take on as much or as little work as you want. You’ll also learn new skills by working with clients on their projects over time.
4 – Offer a Niche Repair Service
What is a niche repair service? A niche repair service specializes in fixing only one type of product. For example, if you have a knack for fixing clocks, you could start a clock repair business. Or if you’re the best at fixing cars, you should create a car repair service.
The critical thing to remember when starting a niche repair business is that it can be very lucrative because many people out there need your services. You should always hire accounting services in Niagara to manage your influx in funds to avoid high tax payouts.
5 – Sell Products on Etsy
Etsy is a marketplace where people can sell their handmade goods, such as jewelry or home decor items. Amazon and eBay are similar marketplaces but focus more on selling tangible goods like clothing and electronics than crafts.
You can be as creative as you would like, and many buyers out there appreciate the long-term value of a homemade item compared to something mass marketed.
6 – Build an eCommerce Website
Ecommerce is a business model wherein goods are sold via the internet. The goods can be physical products shipped or delivered to customers or digital products such as software or videos.
The main advantage of selling online instead of brick-and-mortar shops is convenience for both buyers and sellers. It’s also possible for small businesses with limited capital (or none at all) to compete with established brands by leveraging online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. Again, seek a tax accountant in Niagara to help with sales tax in a growing ecommerce shop.
7 – Start Writing and Selling eBooks on Amazon
If you have a writing talent, this is a great way to make money from home. Many readers in the world want to hear unique voices just like yours.
An eBook is like a book but in digital form. You can write it yourself or hire someone else if you prefer. This doesn’t have to be romance, science fiction, or mystery. Many eBooks solve everyday problems by offering experienced advice.
8 – Become a YouTuber or Podcaster
A YouTuber is an online video creator who posts videos on YouTube. A Podcaster is a podcast creator who posts episodes of their shows on the internet. If you love creating content, either as a hobby or to build a business around it, this is the perfect opportunity for you.
The goal is to build an audience who likes your content and then sell digital products or serve up ads to that audience.
9 – Offer SEO Services to Clients
SEO, or search engine optimization, is increasing the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines. To help your client get more web traffic and improve their rankings, you will need to develop strategies that will make them stand out.
For example, if your client has been using keywords, but they haven’t seen any results yet, you can offer them other ways to get their site ranking higher on Google.
10 – Become a Social Media Coordinator or Manager
Social media managers and coordinators are responsible for the social media content of their company, which includes developing and executing a plan to increase followers, likes, and shares.
To become a social media coordinator or manager, you’ll need to be skilled in writing and editing, have excellent communication skills, understand marketing strategies and work quickly under pressure.
Of course, it helps if you have a decent following on a platform like Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.
11 – Develop a Consulting Business
There are many things that you may know about your industry, but not everyone else does—and sometimes, the value of that knowledge isn’t fully appreciated by those who do understand it. So if you’ve got business savvy and can explain things in an understandable way, consider starting up a consulting business.
Our accounting services in Niagara team works with many small businesses that are essentially consultants at their core. This could bin business, technology, automotive, shipping/logistics, travel, and more.
12 – Get Started with Dropshipping
Dropshipping is an excellent way for small businesses to get started with selling on social media. You are promoting items manufactured, packaged, and shipped by another wholesaler. This saves you startup costs and helps you avoid maintaining an inventory.
The best part is that many dropshipping professionals are showing their skills on YouTube and TikTok. It doesn’t take much to learn with so much information readily available.
13 – Do Web Development for Small Businesses
Web development is one of the easiest ways to make money online. It doesn’t require product manufacturing or shipping, and it’s not as capital-intensive as some other small business opportunities.
In fact, if you have a computer with internet access and the skills needed to use WordPress—the most popular CMS platform—you can start building websites today.
14 – Launch an E-Course
An e-course is a collection of online lectures or training materials you can sell to students on sites like Udemy and LinkedIn Learning. It’s like an online class, but there’s no need to create physical classroom space or an entire syllabus with readings and assignments.
E-courses consist of videos, audio files, PDFs, and other types of content. You’ll want to ensure your course includes various media types so students can learn in different ways (some people prefer watching videos while others prefer reading).
The goal is for students to be able to go through all the material in the course at their own pace—they don’t have to do it all at once or go back repeatedly if they miss some steps along the way.
15 – Do Freelance Writing
You can make money on the side or even start a full-time freelance writing career. The internet is full of opportunities to write what you want and get paid for it, including blog posts and articles, books, emails, social media posts, white papers, and more.
16 – Food & Medical Courier
Food and medical courier services are on the rise. Customers can either order food from a restaurant or get it delivered from the store in person, which makes them more accessible than ever before.
The same goes for medical courier services—they’re available at all hours of the day and make it easier to get supplies when needed most.
17 – Build Custom Mobile Applications
Every business is trying to make a digital transformation to service mobile users more effectively. This usually means taking their website and creating a custom mobile application.
You can offer services to build these apps with no-code/low-code solutions that are essentially drag-and-drop programming tools that require little to no education upfront.
18 – Open a Cleaning & Organizing Business
Cleaning and organizing businesses are a great way to start a small business. Often, clients will bring you their cleaning supply needs and leave while you work. This makes it easy to do business without having an expensive storefront or inventory of supplies.
This is a great word-of-mouth styled business where you do a good job for one client, and they tell all their family, friends, and coworkers, who eventually become your future clientele.
19 – Become a Family & Event Photographer
If you love photography, then this is the business for you. You can charge by the hour and take photos at events such as weddings, birthdays, family reunions, and more.
If you have a passion for taking photos of pets or children, then getting into family & event photography is an excellent idea. Many families will hire photographers to capture precious moments with their loved ones.
20 – Open a Baking Side Business
Opening a baking side business can be a great way to make money. You need to have a passion for baking and some trade knowledge. You must also have the right equipment and space, as well as the proper ingredients and recipes. Your packaging must be attractive as well.
You can start by opening a small cupcake shop in your town or city, where you’ll be serving delicious treats to hungry customers looking for something sweet after dinner or lunch at one of the local restaurants in town.
21 – Offer Home Services & Companionship for the Elderly
This is one of the most emotionally rewarding businesses to start because you can judge how well you are doing by the feedback you receive from older clients and their families.
Even something as simple as offering transportation to appointments and events for someone in their later years goes a long way.
There are some unique accounting things to keep in mind with this business, so you should speak with our bookkeeping services in Niagara before getting started.
22 – After-School Tutoring
This is a great small business idea if you have a passion for education. The need for after-school tutoring is growing as more schools are cutting back on the number of school days and hours students spend learning in class.
Students who live in poverty do not get enough attention from their caregivers, which results in poor academic performance and low self-esteem. By engaging these students with one-on-one tutoring after school, you can help them improve the quality of their education.
23 – Build a Food Truck Business
Food truck businesses are an excellent option for entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses with little capital and no experience. Food trucks are mobile food businesses that travel around the city, park at designated locations, and serve whatever they’re selling.
If you can find a unique product line in your area (crepes, lobster rolls, sushi), you’ll gain a massive following quickly.
Whatever Business You Start, Get Accounting Services Immediately
Whatever business you start, get our accounting services in Niagara immediately. We will work with you to set up a good record-keeping system so that the costs and benefits of all your decisions are clear from the beginning.
It’s important to remember that no matter what type of business you start, you should always get accounting services. This will help you keep track of all your finances so that nothing falls through the cracks.
We at HQ Accounting hope your next business idea offers the financial freedom you have always dreamed of having. So reach out and book your 15-minute discovery call today!