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What are some businesses you can start successfully as an entrepreneur with a capital of no more than US$100?

Please share with us as many ideas as you can that cost no more than US$ to start. 

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Question added by Nuridin Islam Diab , Training Manager , Bbusinesss LLE
Date Posted: 2016/04/09
Mohammed Azmathullah
by Mohammed Azmathullah , customer support specialist , Rippling

Note: All the below mentioned ideas require less than 100 US Dollars and can be made into a business easily. Freelance: Instead of having one job, hire your skill out by the hour. This can be at a much higher rate than what a person earns at a salaried job. Websites like ELance and oDesk make it easy to connect with people that hire everything from writers and web development to being a virtual assistant. How much can be made: $25 to $125 per hour. EBay: Anyone can start selling in this huge marketing place. Family and friends typically have many things they would like to get rid of and many entrepreneurs have set up a business selling and shipping their items for a commission. Items can also be bought in bulk from sites like Liquidation.com and then sold individually. How much can be made: Many eBay entrepreneurs charge a 20% commission on items they sell for others. Affiliate Marketer: Create a simple website and have links to the sales of other companies products (like the popular Amazon Affiliates program) and get paid for each customer referral. Other affiliate marketing includes Google Adsense links that can be placed on any website. How much can be made: Unlimited, however it is linked to the traffic on your site. Direct Marketing: Got lots of friends? There are many direct marketing companies like Tupperware, Avon, and Pampered Chef that can be run from any home. These typically involve setting up buying parties with friends or recruiting others to sell these products. How much can be made: $100 or more per day. Farmer’s market: Like to cook? Many people are able to sell small batch foods by getting a place at a daily or weekly farmer’s markets. How much can be made: $200 or more per day. Tutoring services. This is a business that is exploding as wealthy parents are spending more money on ensuring their children have competitive grades. Entrepreneurs can pick their best subject and get familiar with the curriculum in their city. Some tutors are even doing this nationally via video chat. How much can be made: $35 to $125 per hour. iPhone or Android app developer. Got an idea for an online app? Tools make it easy to create apps and the iTunes and Android marketplaces make them simple to sell. How much can be made: Popular apps bring in $2,000 to $20,000 on average per year.

Shaikha Ali AlSowaidi
by Shaikha Ali AlSowaidi , Owner / Marketing Consultant , Marketing Consulting (Company Confidential)

There are so many things you can start with $100 or less. I started a bakery business with only $25. It's all about what discounts you can find and who you can get to support you or trade goods with you. I also started an event management company back in 2008 with $50 and some social networking that I did for free. It's all about how motivated you are to get started, who do you know that can help you, and how driven are you to find the help you need to get the exposure you need to succeed. 

Business that require $0 capital are:

>> Consulting

>> Life Coaching

>> Motivational Speaker

>> Career Coach

>> Discounted product sales (companies like Zappos started without any capital and simply bartered and asked other companies to donate what was out of season)

 

Those are just businesses that I could think of right now, off the top of my head. I'm sure that if you researched it in depth that you could find a plethora of options.

Ahmed Mohamed Ayesh Sarkhi
by Ahmed Mohamed Ayesh Sarkhi , Shared Services Supervisor , Saudi Musheera Co. Ltd.

small trade in food

make online website for sales and Adv.

 

ghazi Almahadeen
by ghazi Almahadeen , Project Facilitator , Jordan River Foundation

Thank you for inviting answer ............. Support Mr. Mohammed Helal

Mohamed Helal
by Mohamed Helal , Project Manager , GROUP CONSULT INTERNATIONAL

Actually No idea...let's waiting for some  useful ideas

Loraine Domingo
by Loraine Domingo , Career Break , N/A

I actually had no idea yet since I haven't tried doing my own business. But I do support Ms. Shaikha Ali Al-Sowaidi's answer which is truly inspiring and amazing. 

Muhammad Ali
by Muhammad Ali , Manager Finance , Arcpoint Solutions (Private) Limited

$100 is only enough to start a services based business in the beginning until you build capital. There is no way around it but the need to put in a lot of hours. Below is simply 1 example of many that I can think of…

Rami Assaf
by Rami Assaf , loading and Storage Operations Supervisor , Arab Potash Company

Thanks for invitation

I am apologies to answer this question

ACHMAD SURJANI
by ACHMAD SURJANI , General Manager Operations , Sinar Jaya Group Ltd

Follow these simple guidelines to start a business when you have little to no money. Learn how to make money today.

1. Make something.

Yes, making something does take an initial cost in supplies, but oftentimes, these products can be sold for many times over their actual cost. What you decide to make is up to you, but there are several places you can sell your handmade options online:

  • Abe’s Market deals in natural and organic goods, such as lotions, candles, granola, and more.
  • Etsy is one of the largest online markets for almost anything homemade, from jewelry to wooden toys for kids.
  • Bonanza is another growing handmade marketplace, similar to Etsy. According to PC World, it boasts over 10 million visits per month.
  • eBay is one of the biggest online ecommerce marketplaces in the world, and its streamlined store options, easy checkout through Paypal, and customizable listing options make it a great choice for selling items.

Many business owners sell their products on multiple platforms to get the most exposure possible. It is important, however, to make sure your inventory stays updated on all sites you have a storefront on. If you want to learn about more resources for selling homemade items, check out this Lifehacker post.

2. Resell something.

If you don’t want to make anything (or you don’t consider yourself a creative person), many business owners have grown large businesses just be reselling products that have already been made. This can be done through a variety of ways or channels:

  • Drop shipping: Set up an online store and partner with drop-shipping companies that will do all the order fulfillment for you. Online ecommerce platform Shopify has a great drop shipping guide, and Tim Ferriss does a good job of explaining drop shipping in his well-known book, The Four Hour Work Week.
  • Thrift stores and garage sales: If you know where to look, you can find items at thrift stores, antique shops, flea markets and garage sales and resell them online or in your local community for more than you purchased them for. One extremely successful example of this is Sophia Amoruso, the founder of Nasty Gal. Amoruso started buying and reselling vintage and unique fashion pieces on eBay, and her company has grown to a net income of $24 million in 2011 with over 200 employees. Her book, #GIRLBOSS, is in inspiring look into how she got started.
3. Sell your services.

One way to start a business with little to no startup capital is to sell your services, instead of a physical product. There’s a huge variety of services you can offer, depending on your background and interests.

Related: Starting a Business? When to Scrimp vs. Splurge.

Some will require advanced degrees, such as accounting, while others require little more than a working knowledge of how it’s done (such as babysitting, lawn mowing or personal assistance).

Because you are selling your services, you will need a branding plan to make sure your name and company gets in front of the people who may need the service. Some places that are free for promoting your services include Fiverr, Craigslist, Elance, Taskrabbit and Skillshare.

It’s also useful to have a website to show examples of your work, list your experience, and blog about your industry to draw visitors. If you want to learn more about branding and online marketing, check out Buffer’s social-media blog, Hubspot’s blog, Content Marketing Institute and CopyPress.

4. Barter to get what you need.

Unfortunately, it’s extremely hard to start a business without any type of funds at all. Even creating a freelance-writing business utilizing Elance and a free Wordpress or Wix website will still require a computer to work on as well as Internet. However, there are ways to get supplies you need for starting your business without money.

For instance, if you find yourself in need of a used laptop, try to barter for it. Build a new website for a used electronics supplier, or offer babysitting services to your neighbor for their old Macbook.

5. Utilize low-cost services.

As mentioned previously, you can use sites such as Fiverr or Elance to advertise your products and services on, but you can also use these platforms to build up your own company. For instance, many designers offer $5 to $25 logo designs (that come with free revisions). Sort by reviews and look at past examples to find a designer or service provider that matches your style.

This is a great way to get branding materials, printed items (Vistaprint and Zazzle are great places to buy personalized items), or other needed items without much cost. And for additional savings, be sure to look for coupon codes on sites such as RetailMeNot before checking out at any online retailer!

Starting a business requires ingenuity and a passion for what you are doing. Once you find yourself doing something you enjoy, you will be more likely to find ways to make it all come together.

Thanks for the invite I agree with the experts answers

مها شرف
by مها شرف , معلمة لغة عربية , وزارة التربية السورية

Thank you for the invitation, I agree with Mr Mohamad answers.