Emergiq

From validating your idea to making your first dollar, here’s the blueprint to starting a business with no money.

1. Find an accessible business idea
The first stage of starting a business is to develop an idea. If you’re unsure of what that could be, here are six creative business ideas you can start with no money.

Sell your services
The easiest way to start a business with no money is to sell your services. Even if you haven’t mastered a specific area, being better than the average person at something means you can start a business that helps them. So, start by looking at the things you know how to do better than most people. The package that skill set into service, such as:

Freelance writing
Virtual Assistant
Social media marketing
Handyman services
Since you don’t have the capital yet, start with the things that you have, like your experience, knowledge, skills, and resources you own. These are the best investments you’ll have when you’ve only got $0.

Kei Nishida, owner of Japanese Green Tea Co.
Don’t rule out a service business if you don’t have a powerful set of skills. Your time is valuable; busy people often pay an hourly fee for someone else to do tasks they don’t want (or don’t have time) to do. That includes jobs like:

Cleaning
Personal shopping
Car washing

Many entrepreneurs write off these small business ideas because they fear they’ll earn minimum wage. But service-based businesses can be lucrative. Some freelance writers make six figures annually within two years of running their business. One window cleaner even hit the $250,000 mark within 12 months.

Dropshipping
Dropshipping is a popular business model for entrepreneurs looking to start a small business with no money. Create an online store and choose a dropshipping supplier like DSers or AliExpress. When an order is made, your e-commerce platform will forward the order information to your supplier. It’s their job to pick, pack, and ship the order to your customer.