With the COVID pandemic taking over the world and spreading like wildfire, we realise it’s been a difficult couple of years. Not only has the situation put us in perspective about good health, family, and work, it has also made us realise how short life really is. Even when the world was dealing with the calamity, offices never stopped. We were still stuck to the laptop screens and asking ourselves, “Is this really what I want to do?”
If you’re one of those people who have had this thought, you understand that life is too short to be doing something you don’t absolutely love! Not everyone has the skill or passion to start up something of their own. If you are done working for others and believe that entrepreneurship is your true calling, then here are seven small business ideas for you.
Or, just watch our video on what small businesses you can explore from home in 2023, and take all the inspiration you need.
Small Business Ideas for 2023
1. Customised gifting service
Thanks to social media and aesthetics, personalised gifts are all the rage now. People love the idea of custom gifts since they are more personal than just regular gifts. It is an emerging niche, where you have multiple small players. You can distinguish your business by offering speciality items and customisable packaging.
The best part? You do not need to invest a lot. Start by creating a catalogue of small gifting items like key rings, customised paintings, coasters, mugs, and you can purchase supplies as and when the orders come in. Harness the power of social media– you can start by creating an Instagram account, and let the Reels do their magic.
2. Tutoring
If you have an affinity for teaching, try out online tutoring. Not only can you tutor multiple students, you can dabble in different subject matter, like English or Maths or History. And you can do this from the comfort of your home. Since the online mode of teaching has introduced people to the concept of remote learning, online tutors are in great demand.
You can work on individual students or give group lessons if you find that comfortable. You can start off with no capital investment at all; all you need is a working knowledge of your subject and the zeal for imparting knowledge. If you don’t want an independent setup, you can check out Edureka, Whitehat Jr and SuperProf to register yourself.
3. Professional organiser
From pictures to pants, we humans like to hoard everything. But these days many people are desperate to downsize and take control over their possessions, especially in cities where space is a big issue. But most of us find it hard to part with things we’ve owned for a long time. This is where a professional organiser can help.
Part of being a professional organiser is helping clients develop a system for organising, rearranging, and downsizing. You can charge by the hour, the day, or the assignment. Start with your own contacts, and then take to social media to look for clients. If you have an eye for organising, you can start this business with no investment at all.
4. Pet-sitting
If you love animals, this will barely feel like a job. Most pet parents are just looking for sitters who genuinely care about animals without being afraid of them. The job does require patience and attentiveness. But again if you love animals wouldn’t you do that anyway? You can take care of the pets when the owners are away, or offer to walk them regularly. Depending on your experience and the tasks you’re required to do, you can charge by the hour or day.
You can register yourself on petbacker.com so you can be put into touch with pet owners, and make sure you have a good social media presence because that can help generate leads too. Once you’ve gathered a good client base, you can open your own pet-sitting agency and connect pet families with pet-sitters. This can also be expanded into a pet boarding or pet grooming business.
5. Cloud kitchen
Do you just love feeding people around you? In that case, this is one of the best low-cost business ideas for you. You can start this business from your own home, in your own kitchen. You can offer takeaway and delivery services. You can decide on a menu for your cloud kitchen/ bakery, or maybe have a new daily menu, if you want to keep the capital investment even lower.
Set up an online store for your kitchen, or you can operate through dedicated apps for small food businesses if you’re not ready to go big yet. With a cloud kitchen, you get the flexibility of determining how much time you want to invest and how many orders you want to deal with in a day. The best part? Making people’s bellies happy!
6. Candle making
If you’ve ever fantasised about drawing up a bubbly bath to relax yourself after a long day at work, there is an aromatic candle somewhere in that dream. Candles are a huge craze these days. From decor and self-care, to gifting and aesthetics, candles fit in almost everywhere. Thanks to the internet, candle making is a skill you can learn within days.
Once you’ve mastered the craft, you can start by selling online on Instagram. If you think you can handle the pressure, you can switch to online retail websites like Amazon or Flipkart to turn in bigger profits. You can also collaborate with gifting stores or create customised baskets for parties or festivals. Try out distinct shapes or experiment with new scents to really stand out in the market.
7. Social media marketing
If you’re still unaware of the power of social media, you’re probably living under a rock. When creating a brand, you cannot miss out on having a measurable online presence. A lot of up and coming businesses suffer because they fail to market their product and meet the right audience. If you think you can catch the pulse of the internet, social media marketing is the job for you.
You can start by creating your own media presence on Instagram, LinkedIn and Telegram, and then offer your services to smaller brands in the beginning. A well-structured portfolio is imperative to showcase your work as a social marketer. The key to working in social media is to always be caught up with recent trends. You can upskill with online courses, or just practise online tools and apps to really ace your work.
People take on small businesses for a variety of reasons– some might be tired of being bossed around, others might be bored of their job, and some of us might want to turn our passion into our career. If you’re either one of these people, you have to hop on the business journey now. Create a plan, flesh out your ideas, understand the revenue dynamics, and let the magic happen– all from the comfort of your home.
You’re invited! Join the Kool Kanya women-only career Kommunity where you can network, ask questions, share your opinions, collaborate on projects, and discover new opportunities. Join now.
