This time next year you are probably not going to be a millionaire if you decide to go for it and start one of the 11 easiest businesses to start under $1000, but you’ll definitely have a bigger wallet in years to come. That is, of course, if you are brave and bold enough to think outside the box. All needed is just a bit of entrepreneurial spirit, and as we said, a thousand bucks.
To get a general idea of how to start a business, and eventually make it sustainable, check out the Small Business Administration website. Here you will find not only how to write a business plan, but also how to take care of licenses, permits and all the paperwork that comes along with such a venture. Also, you are going to save some money because you’ll be avoiding paying high lawyer’s fees by doing your legal work.
Be careful not to be carried away by incredible entrepreneurial super success stories. Instead, let these be your inspiration, but have both feet on the ground. Use your creativity, be innovative, and take into consideration one of our low-cost business ideas. Almost every business on this list you can start online from home and with a rather small amount of money. However, you should forget about your free time, because starting a business is a 24/7 occupation. But, hard work pays off, right? Speaking of harvesting the fruits of (your) labor, check out these 7 Most Profitable Businesses you Could Start, in case you ever find a hidden stack of money. Meanwhile, see if there is some overlap with our list. Maybe you’ll be surprised how much money you can earn with a $1000 investment.
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Even if you don’t see yourself in five years running a small, stable business and you are more of a risk taker than someone who plays it safe, you should check out our list. Maybe some of the suggestions below are the missing link that will finally set in motion that startup idea you’ve been thinking about for so long. But make no mistake, creating a startup and starting a small business are two entirely different things. While the primary goal of a startup founder is his company’s growth, all businesspeople out there crave for increased customer satisfaction and, consequently, profit maximization. In plain English, startups are uncertain, unproven, risky and, above all, different ideas, but they can make you a fortune in no time. A good example of a successful startup that grew beyond what seemed imaginable is the Amazon, a company that as of May 2016 is worth more than $290 billion. Who knows, maybe Jeff Bezos would not have become one of the most successful retailer entrepreneurs in the world if he had started a bookstore business instead of just selling books online. Nowadays, you can buy pretty much everything on the Amazon – not just books. On the contrary, if your ingenuity isn’t recognized, the “idea” can cost you a fortune. Bottom line – no pain (risk), no gain. Moreover, the amount of money needed to start this type of business is almost always up in the air and varies from case to case, and that’s why startup ideas are not on our list. On the other hand, we could say that small business is a “sure” thing. After all, businesses such as barber shops, bakeries and hair salons, are proven to be profitable and sustainable. There is always someone who is hungry, and it’s not like hair is going to stop growing, right? Moreover, people did it before, so downsides and risks are well-known.
So, now you have a clue which kind of businesses we searched for and what we were aiming for while putting together this list of the 11 easiest businesses to start under $1000. However, starting any of the ventures mentioned above, unfortunately, costs a lot more than a thousand bucks. That’s why we searched the Internet for similar but cheaper businesses to start. Already existing lists regarding this subject, such as Forbes’, Entrepreneur’s and CNBC’s are taken into account among others. After we had piled up a dozen of businesses mentioned most on these lists, we have done a research and estimated the cost of starting each of them. Also, we have taken into consideration all the preconditions. With more than 95 percent of U.S. adults who already own a cell phone, 75 percent of them who have either a desktop computer or laptop, according to Pew Research Center, and 88% of them who use the Internet, basic technological preconditions are satisfied. Moreover, it is more than useful to promote yourself and your business online. If you don’t know how to build a responsive and professional website, just find someone on the Fiverr who is going to do it for a few hundred bucks. Furthermore, register your domain name and choose from various web hosting packages on these sites and spend no more than $100. As for the other prerequisites, like certifications and toolkits, they are listed and explained for each business separately. Finally, we lined them up, starting with the business that has the highest startup cost. Also, those businesses which require less prerequisites are higher on the list of easiest businesses to start under $1000.
Having said that, let’s learn how to become a successful businessperson in few cheap and easy steps!
11. Personal training business
Certification: $699
Online promotion: $300
Total investment: $999
We are going to start our list of easiest businesses to start under $1000 with a personal trainers that are of great use when it comes to recovery and rehabilitation of injured, as well as to professional athletes. It’s not just lazybones and people who are overweight who want to hire a personal trainer to make and keep them fit and healthy. Maybe you are one of them, and you want to kill two birds with one stone. What would be more inspirational and motivational for your future clients than to tell them your personal story about the transformation from couch potato to the personal trainer? Anyway, we did some research and found the easiest and cheapest way to start and build a business from simple fitness knowledge that will give you the ability not just to provide exercise instruction to your clients, but to change their lives for the better. American Council on Exercise (ACE) gives you a chance to obtain all the prerequisites needed, such as getting a certification. For less than $700, you can choose between three study programs that include everything from manuals to the certification exam. Once you pass the exam, put yourself out there with a well-designed website that will help you to build and keep a client base and research your competition to create a unique and remarkable program that will bring you clients.
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10. Dog walking business
Certification: $90 / Entrepreneur Kit: $330
Online promotion: $300
Dog Walking Accessories: $300
Total investment: $690/$930
We are continuing our list of easiest businesses to start under $1000 with an an ingenious idea for building an affordable business out of your favorite afternoon activity. It is not enough to be a dog lover and walk enthusiast to be a safe and reliable dog walker, because, for many out there, dog’s are like part of the family. Moreover, the dog walking isn’t just a stroll in the park, it implies dog sitting and training as well as the basics of animal psychology and behavior. Also, knowing doggy first aid can come in handy if your protégé get harmed in a canine fight. So, to build a rewarding career in this growing industry and earn some serious money, for starters, you want to get certified – there are a lot of courses available online, and the price varies, starting as low as $90, depending on the level of knowledge obtained. If you are more a DIY type of person, then we recommend a $330 Entrepreneur Kit. To let people know about you and your new business, you have to promote yourself, and you can do it in a few ways – with your dog walking website, through social network advertising, by connecting with people from pet industry in your area, or to simply join a dog walking service. When it comes to the tools needed for the job, for $500 you can purchase essentials such as leashes, collars, harnesses and GPS pet trackers. Now, what’s next on our list of easiest businesses to start under $1000?
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9. Bookkeeping business
Certification: $199+$399=$598
Online promotion: $300
Total investment: $898
If financial and tax records are not giving you a headache, then get ready for crunching some serious numbers, because nowadays everybody needs a bookkeeper from time to time. Maybe you already know how to read bank statements and understand what accounts payable and receivable are, but to manage invoices, debits, and profits like a professional you need a certification. On the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers website, you can find, among others, four bookkeeping courses. Bookkeeping for Small Businesses ($199) and How to Build a Bookkeeping Business ($399) are what you need to start a business of your own. You can use course discounts if you become a member for $100 annually. The rest is up to you. Build your name as an independent bookkeeper who is doing an accurate and thorough. Who wouldn’t want an honest bookkeeper with integrity and exquisite organizational abilities? Do you want some more ideas regarding easiest businesses to start under $1000? Click next!
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8. Consulting business
Certification: $550
Online promotion: $300
Total investment: $850
If you like giving advice, then the next business on our list of easiest businesses to start under $1000 is a dream come true, because you’re not just getting paid for your opinion and counseling, but making a career out of it. The market is diverse, and it’s up to you which type of consultant you want to be. Luckily, there are so many of them in the service industry. That’s the beauty of it – you can offer your already existing skills, knowledge and expertise that other people and businesses can use in their future development. Not to talk about choosing your hours, vacations wherever and whenever you need it, as well as clients. Basically, you are getting the full independence in your new home-based business. But what’s the price? After finding your niche – and there are so many of them, like management, education, human resources, marketing, finance, etc. – the next step is getting a diploma in consultancy. Some fields require certification, and some don’t. Let’s say, for example, that you want to be a certified management consultant. You can do it on the websites such as IMC USA for $550. The rest is about managing your goals, target markets, network and marketing in the purpose of your business growth.
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7. Private tutoring business
Certification : $265
Textbooks: $150
Online promotion: $0 – $300
Total investment: $415 – $715
It appears that shadow education isn’t just another fad, since private lessons, homeschooling, and teaching one-on-one are going in favor of, for example, East Asian Americans, considering their excellent results on last year’s SAT. So, there’s an opening for all those who want to take advantage of what they already know and turn that into a successful business. The number seven on our list of easiest businesses to start under $1000 is great for you if you have the ability to help others to understand the material since that is what you need the most in this field. And, it costs nothing – you either have it, or you don’t. However, a dollar here and there is a necessity if you want to do it right. The best way to get certified is via the National Tutoring Association. The membership fee is $35, and it’s intended for those who want to become certified professional tutors. Submission of required documentation and completion of the certification application forms is what coming after you become a member. Finally, for getting the special certifications, you need additional $230. For textbooks that you are going to use while tutoring you will spend around $150. To promote yourself, create a free tutor profile or go with you own website.
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6. Travel expert business
Online promotion: $300
Certification: $399
Total investment: $699
Whether you are a travel junkie or a ‘people person’ who takes pleasure in helping others who suffer from Wanderlust, your dream is about to come true, because one of these 11 easiest businesses to start under $1000 is exactly what you need. Yes, it’s the travel expert business and you can start it in two ways. If you like doing it on old-fashioned way, check out Desk Near Me, where you can rent an office when you need it. However, this is an extra cost to be aware of, because it’s not same to rent an office in NYC then it is in Kansas City. But, what’s even more important than having a fancy workspace, is a travel knowledge and first-hand experience so you can make tailor-made programs for your potential clients. So when a traveler gets the urge to hit the road, your job is to cover every aspect of his trip, from finding appropriate accommodation and organizing transportation to the recommendation of restaurants. Check out The Travel Institute website in case formalizing your travel skills is what you want to do primarily. If you are starting from scratch and a lack of travel experience is your main setback, your business strategy can be the promotion of the local tourism. After all, who knows better than the locals, where the secret passages are, and where to have the most fun. On the other hand, if you want to get paid to travel the World, starting a travel blog where you will be posting all information mentioned above about places you have visited, can earn you a daily bread, as well. The best part is that the world is your office!
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5. Direct sales businesses
Starter kit: $100
Shoppin-party expenses: $200-$400
Total investment: $300-$500
Have you heard about Avon or Tupperware? Maybe you have some distant memory of your mom selling some stuff to her friends over morning coffee? Well, direct selling nowadays is one of the easiest businesses to start under $1000. It has come the long way from a door-to-door local sales rep to the $114 billion industry with more than 60 million people involved. The industry relies on well organized, multilevel marketing companies where the reps can earn money not just from their sales, but from sales of their recruits and their recruits’ recruits. It just sounds complicated – direct selling is marketing and selling products away from a retail store location, and it can be done through in-home shopping parties, in the form of a presentation and as catalog sales. All you need for this business to kick off is a starter kit from the company whom product you will sell and a client base – a good audience. The above mentioned Avon is a well-known and an excellent example of such company, where you can buy the $25, $50 or $100 starter kit, depending on how serious a sales rep are you. As for the in-home shopping parties, it will cost you a couple of hundred dollars to provide pastries and drinks for guests – potential buyers. To get the whole picture, check out the website of the Direct Selling Association as well as Direct Selling News so you can stay tuned, once you decide to try yourself in this field.
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4. Freelancing business
Courses: $80 – each
Online promotion: $300
Total investment: $380
For the business number 4 on our list of easiest businesses to start under $1000, the first step is to decide what is your area of expertise – the list is long – from writing, design, IT and networking to the web, mobile and software development. You can put into practice knowledge that you already have. But, not everyone is so lucky. However, there is a solution for such a problem – there is a variety of websites such as Coursera, where you can obtain a broad knowledge of every field listed above for just $80 per course. Check out these freelance platforms, register for free, and let the search for jobs begin. After a potentially rocky start and first few clients, you will be on the right track to building a successful freelance business. Not to mention that you are free as a bird, and you can do it from wherever you like.
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3. Virtual assistant business
Certification: $70
Online promotion: $300
Total investment: $370
Whether you want to be a part of a virtual assistant company or to do it on your own, the organizational skills, punctuality, professionalism, and experience in customer service is what you should have if thinking about engaging this field. Prerequisites for the job, that is one of the easiest businesses to start under $1000, are a computer, phone, and internet connection so you can easily help your clients with administrative, marketing, IT, and all other assignees. The time has come when physical presence is no longer a precondition for being someone’s assistant. As for the costs of the certification – for less than $70 you can enroll the Virtual Assistant course that will improve your skills regarding accounting, word processing, digital literacy and data management. In case you find yourself in above written, give it a try and promote your new skill online.
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2. Buy a franchise
Total investment: $50 – $1000
Starting a business nowadays – even if it’s one of the easiest businesses to start under $1000 – can be a roller-coaster ride. Risk and uncertainty are at every step of that rocky road to a successful business. That’s why it might be a great idea to buy a franchise, as the business strategy sounds tempting. After all, who would say a no to a certain level of security that comes with using an already recognized brand, a money making business scheme, and all the benefits of established marketing and distribution techniques to set business in motion? Before buying the desired license, do your homework – investigate the field in which you want to operate, take care of paperwork and legal permits, check out these cheap franchises and chose one that is worth of investing in. For a more thorough explanation when it comes to such ventures, check out this guide for franchise buyers. And, now, let’s se the number one on our list of easiest businesses to start under $1000.
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1. eBay arbitrage business
Total investment: $0 – $1000
Do you want to get your business in sales started in a split second? Set up an eBay and PayPal account in few easy steps, from the comfort of your living room. After eBay registration, you’ll get a user ID, the name that will make you recognizable on the market. When choosing an ID name, make sure to make it unique and catchy, so other eBay users can quickly identify you. For those of you who are not familiar with the term, eBay is one of the largest and the World’s most popular auction websites with more than 167 million active users at the end of 2016. What you are going to do as an arbitrage (eBay) trader, is basically buying items and then reselling it on eBay website. What’s the catch, or, in other words, where’s the profit? You have to buy low and sell high. Choose a profitable niche that covers your field of expertise or check out eBay recommendation when it comes to best-selling products on the market. Present the product that you’re selling in the best possible way, using a well-written description, appropriate keywords for the product to be easily found online, and, of course, high-quality images. The best part is that you can invest as much as you want, and you don’t need any prerequisite besides a computer and internet connection. That’s why this business deserved to be first among 11 easiest businesses to start under $1000.
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