10 Business Ideas Requiring No Financial Investment to Start With

The recession changes people attitude toward money and employment. More people are becoming frugal, more entrepreneurs are becoming bootstrappers, and more ex-employees are entering entrepreneurship.

All three of the above combined, you would want to start a business that requires minimal investment. Take heed, there are business opportunities that involve no financial investment to start with – Not even a dime.

10 business ideas to start requiring no financial investment

1. Online business / make money onlineBlogging, SEO/link building, online freelancing, selling goods online are some of the example of online business and make money online. Many online business requires nothing down – This is why the potential is extraordinary, despite harsh competition.
2. Virtual assistance (VA)Helping others to get their job done is well-sought after – You can start with zero investment by offering your services in forums, classified sites and other public domains. The best bet – Join a VA network.
3. Intermediary services
   Intermediary services were thought to become obsolete due to the Internet. Not exactly. Product sourcing, product distribution and contracting services, and many other intermediary services are here to stay. Due to their busyness and time constraints, business people do need other help no matter how easy to DIY their search for new products or business resources.
4. Organising services
   Event and wedding organising are two of the most common organising services. Personal assistance and personal shopping are the niche in organising services.
5. Tutoring
   Helping school children and students to ace their school subjects or tests can be lucrative. Teaching math, tutoring English and such are simple and free to start. Get the buzz from your neighbours and you’re off the ground.
6. Brokerage services
   Real estate brokerage, business brokerage, investment brokerage – The list of brokerage services is endless. In exchange for a certain amount of commission, brokers use their expertise in winning buyers on behalf of sellers.
7. Consignment products sales
   Looking for the right supplier to arrange for a consignment is rather trivial – Not many want to engage in such a risky product sales strategy. However, finding one would be a great way for you to sell products without any investment involved.
8. Consulting and training
   Experienced professionals and business owners can offer their expertise to help other individuals and organisations succeed.
9. Freelancing
   Graphic design, web design, and copywriting are some of the example of freelancing. The competition is stiff, but the ability to create a business out of it is rewarding.
10. Down-payment-enabled business
    I’m not sure whether to include this or not, but this is what many often overlook as one of the better business strategies. Either you offer products or services, ask for down payment (even full payment) up front. This way, you have the capital to produce the ordered products or perform the requested services – No financial investment involved on your side.

Most of the zero-financial-investment business ideas I present are service business – With that said, I recommend you to explore any other service business opportunities, as no business is thriving in today’s recession better than service business.