In this article, we will take a look at the 23 best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. We will also take a look at some entrepreneurial journeys of successful business owners.
Some Anecdotes from Successful Entrepreneurs
Starting a business as an introvert may be very daunting. Networking and establishing connections or even leaving the house is a lot of additional effort. Freelancing demands minimal interaction with other people which is why it is one of the best business ideas for introverts. On February 20, Business Insider covered the story of Hannah Logsdon. She is a freelance virtual assistant and made $100,000 in revenue in her first year of freelancing. She then targeted niche industries and employed upselling strategies to double her earnings to $200,000 in 2022. She was working a 9 to 5 job in the real estate industry, where she discovered freelancing. She quit her job in 2020 and set up accounts on Upwork and Fiverr. Within four months of freelancing, she was able to make enough to cover her expenses and bills.
House cleaning is another great business idea for introverts. While house cleaning demands interaction with clients it is rather direct and minimal in nature. On July 5, 2022, Business Insider shared the journey of Amber Sterling who was unable to find a suitable office job after relocating to a new town. The 29-year-old set up a cleaning company, Good Witch Cleaning, in 2017, and now makes $400,000 a year. It is noteworthy that she started her business with supplies worth $100 only.
Starting a jewelry business is another great business idea for introverts. Evangelina Petrakis, a designer and the founder of EP Jewels, shared her story with Business Insider on June 19, 2023. In 2020, she started an apparel business, EP, as a 16-year-old. However, she soon realized that the business was labor intensive and that she loved designing jewelry instead. She then switched her business to EP Jewels in 2021. From 2021 to the interview date, she recorded almost $1 million in sales. She leveraged social media to market and share her products by providing styling tips and showcasing her jewelry collections.
How to Become a Freelancer?
The prevalence of freelancing platforms has made making a living from home easier. Fiverr International Ltd. (NYSE:FVRR) is one of the best freelancing platforms in the world that connects freelancers with short and long-term project providers. The freelancing platform offers jobs in over 700 categories, has over 4.2 million users, and 380,000 active freelancers. In 2023, 2.5 million messages and 38 million files were exchanged between buyers and sellers on the platform.
Levi Newman, a top-rated seller, joined Fiverr in 2014 to pursue writing as a side hustle. By the first half of 2022, Newman had surpassed $1.2 million in lifetime revenue writing product descriptions for Amazon sellers. By the end of 2022, he had delivered 13,000 item descriptions and now takes home almost $150,000 per annum.
Like Levi Newman, job seekers can create an account for free on Fiverr, develop a gig, and then make offers to customers from across the globe. Freelancers can choose from a series of domains to sell their services such as editing and proofreading, content writing, academic writing, designing, and development. On average, a gig is bought every four seconds on the platform and is worth between $5 to $10,000.
Fiverr International Ltd. (NYSE:FVRR) is one of the companies to disrupt the generative AI space. In the first quarter of 2024, the company reported a 95% year-over-year increase in the purchase of services from AI categories. The company owns AI chatbots, AI artists, AI content editors, and AI applications to help sellers improve the quality of efficacy of work.
Analysts are bullish on FVRR and their 12-month median price target of $32 points to a 37% upside from current levels. Overall, FVRR was held by 28 hedge funds at the close of Q1 2024 with total stakes amounting to $133.7 million. As of June 30, ARK Investment Management was the largest shareholder with a position worth $2.6 million. FVRR is currently trading at 10 times this year’s earnings estimate, a discount of 49% from its sector’s forward P/E of 19. The stock is also cheaper than its direct competitor UPWK which is currently trading at a forward P/E of 12. Analysts expect Fiverr’s (NYSE:FVRR) earnings to grow 19.5% this year to $2.33.
Now that we have studied some successful business owners, let’s take a look at the 23 best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. You can also read our piece on the home businesses retirees can start for supplemental income.
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Our Methodology
To gather a list of the 23 best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs, we consulted threads on Reddit and over 10 rankings and reports on the internet. We picked the business ideas that appeared in 50% of our sources and then ranked them.
23 Best Business Ideas for Introverts with Low Startup Costs
23. Newsletter
Starting a newsletter is one of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. Budding entrepreneurs may consider starting a newsletter on Substack. Substack is a platform that allows people to create and publish newsletters for free or for a subscription.
22. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing requires individuals to promote goods and services for someone and earn a commission by doing so. According to data by Ahrefs, an affiliate marketer can make somewhere between $58,000 to $158,000 per annum.
21. Bakery and Cooking Business
Starting a bakery and cooking business is one of the best business ideas for introverts. Introverts can bake items and deliver them to their neighborhood. They can later scale their business once they have a strong clientele.
20. Ghost Blogger
Becoming a ghost blogger does not require writers to share their names, making it one of the best business ideas for introverts. According to Upwork, a ghostwriter typically makes between $20 to $45 per hour. Fiverr, on the other hand, claims that a ghostwriter can make between $5,000 to $40,000 per project depending on its complexity.
19. Data Entry
Starting an online data entry business is one of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. Becoming a freelance data entry specialist requires minimal interaction with other people. On average, a data entry specialist can earn somewhere between $10 to $300 for a single project depending on its complexity.
18. Graphic Designer
Becoming a graphic designer is one of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. A graphic designer can earn up to $1,000 for a project on Upwork. According to data from Glassdoor, a graphic designer in the United States can make $25 per hour on average.
17. Web & App Developer
Becoming a web and application developer requires minimal contact with other people, contributing to its ranking on our list of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. Depending on its complexity, a web developer on Upwork may earn $100 to $1,200 for a project. On the other hand, application developers can make somewhere between $25 to $95 per hour for a project on Upwork.
16. Freelance Writing
Becoming a freelance writer is one of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. Freelance writers can start offering their services on Upwork or Fiverr. Writers on Upwork typically charge $500 for medium-length projects and $5,000 for long-term and complex projects.
15. Gardening
Gardening is another great business idea for introverts with low startup costs. To start a gardening business, entrepreneurs may have to purchase equipment. According to data by Indeed, a gardener makes $30,000 per annum on average in the United States.
14. Homemade Products
Making and selling homemade products is another great business idea for introverts with low startup costs. Budding entrepreneurs can consider selling homemade food, jewelry, or decor items.
13. House Cleaning
House cleaning is another great business idea for introverts with low startup costs. Introverts may consider purchasing a house cleaning franchise. Chem-Dry is one of the leading cleaning services franchises in the US that provides cleaning services to more than 10,000 houses every day. The franchise fee is $23,500 and the minimum cash required to purchase the franchise is $50,000.
12. Jewelry Making
Introverts may also consider making jewelry pieces and selling them online on designated sites such as Etsy or mass customer sites such as Amazon. A gold bracelet on Etsy is available for $355.5 and is reviewed by more than 35,000 customers.
11. Landscape Photography
Landscape photography is another great business idea that requires minimal interaction with people, contributing to its ranking on our list. Landscape photographers can sell their photographs on Adobe or Shutterstock, to name a few.
10. Online Classes and Tutoring
Becoming a virtual tutor is one of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. Entrepreneurs can either start their own virtual teaching business or purchase an online tutoring franchise such as Club Z! The franchise has more than 400 locations and has an enrollment of 46 students per class. The franchise fee is almost $35,000 and franchisees must own $40,000 in liquid cash to purchase the franchise.
9. Pet Sitting
Pet sitting is one of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. According to Indeed, the average salary for a pet sitter in the United States is $15.99 per hour. To become a pet sitter, introverts may start offering their services in their neighborhood.
8. Proofreading and Editing
Proofreading and editing is a great opportunity for introverts looking to start a business with low startup costs. Proofreaders and editors may earn somewhere between $10 and $500 for a one-time project on Upwork.
7. Renting Business
Renting a business is another great business idea for introverts with low startup costs. Starting a property renting business may be expensive, instead, entrepreneurs can consider renting storage spaces or clothing items.
6. Reselling
Reselling is one of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. To set up a reselling business, entrepreneurs can source products in bulk from sites like Alibaba and sell them online on any relevant e-commerce platform.
5. Sell art
Selling art is one of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. Budding entrepreneurs can sell their art on dedicated e-commerce platforms like Etsy. A painting on Etsy is available for $37 and has been reviewed by almost 850 customers.
4. Sell Online Courses
Selling online courses is another great business idea for introverts. Introverts can create courses using their expertise in a field and sell them on platforms like Udemy. A Python Bootcamp course on Udemy by Jose Portilla and Pierian Training is available for $74.99. The course has a star rating of 4.6 and an enrollment of 1.9 million students.
3. SEO Consultancy
An SEO consultant requires minimal contact with people, contributing to its ranking as one of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. Introverts may consider offering their services on Upwork or Fiverr. On average, SEO experts make somewhere between $15 to $35 per hour on Upwork.
2. Transcription Services
Another great business idea for introverts is providing transcription services to clients either privately or through freelance platforms such as Upwork or Fiverr. According to the Transcription Certification Institute, a transcriptionist can earn somewhere between $19 to $30 per hour working full-time and almost $1,200 per month working 2.5 hours every day.
1. Virtual Assistant
Becoming a virtual assistant is one of the best business ideas for introverts with low startup costs. Virtual assistants perform administrative tasks and responsibilities for their clients. Budding entrepreneurs may consider becoming freelance virtual assistants on Fiverr or Upwork, some of the most notable freelancing platforms in the world. On average, a virtual assistant may earn $15 to $300 for a project depending on its complexity. On the other hand, business owners may also consider becoming private virtual assistants. On July 7, 2023, Business Insider uncovered the story of Hannah Dixon who made 6 figures as a virtual assistant coach and recruiter. The 35-year-old founded a virtual assistant training resource, Digital Nomad Kit, for people wanting to become virtual assistants.
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