Exactly 19 months to date, I started a new business with less than $50.00 out of my pocket.
That business earned me $20,000 in 2008, working part-time. It is fun, and I get to make a lot of people happy, including myself.
I just read a blog post by Chris Guillebeau, which was based on the answers he received to his tweet: “article research: what if you had only $100 to start a small business? what could you do?” Must read, if you haven’t read it yet.
That inspired me to brag about my little business that I have made money with over the years.
In January of 1990, my wife and I took all the wedding gifts that had been stored on a shelf in our closet for the previous three years and sold them at a flea market. We made more than $100.00, a LOT of money in those days. We decided to reinvest it into things we could sell at the flea market, and two years later, sold the little business which had grown into a “Dollar Store”, for several thousand dollars.
A few years later, we started selling Avon together. Five Alby’s (Annual recognition for top salespeople) later we retired out of that one. I am seriously thinking about getting back into selling Avon. That used to be fun.
Currently my wife teaches driving to a very small niche market. Immigrants from Indian sub-continent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc). She started that biz with $0 investment.
And now, there is my Balloon Art Business, which I just love. I have added teaching “Twisting Balloons for Profit and Fun” at Leisure Learning Unlimited and have some other related projects in the works.
So, what have you done that has enabled you to be Joyfully Jobless? What profitable little business have you started with very little money? Share it with us in the comments below.
What a fantastic post! I love that you started your businesses with your wife. that is exactly what Dave and I strive to do! We are still working on it, but we have started our travel writing, blogging and photography with very little investment. Hoping to have it take off one day soon:)
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That is fantastic.
I know the way you guys are working at it diligently, it is just a matter time before you see the profits.
Thanks for all the support you have always given me.
I like the Art of Nonconformity website. I bought a newspaper route as a kid for $100 an delivered papers after school. I mowed lawns and did yardwork for awhile when I was in my 20s. I already owned my lawnmower and othr tools. My cost was advertising. I bought some paper took it to work and typed up an ad and copied the ad on the copy machne at work using the paper i bought.
The article made me think i should just take action I’ve been thinking about a consulting business and it would only take creating a website, printing some fliers, and maybe creating an LLC. Not sure what the total will be on that but $100 could just as easily be $500 or $1000. It’s a matter of just doing it.
Thanks for the thought provoking article.
Kevin,
You hit the nail on the head. It all boils down to taking action. Money is Never an issue.
Two years ago when I decided I wanted to start a seminar company, I had someone approached me within two days of taking the first step with an offer to invest $20,000. We had differences, so I turned down the money. two months later, someone else invested $25,000. We had differences, but I ignored them for the sake of money. That business was a massive failure.
Most world changing businesses started out as an idea in someone’s garage.
Thanks for being a loyal reader and contributor.
Rasheed