The phrase "start a business from scratch" does not inspire much confidence. For some reason, it seems that it hides proposals such as gambling on the stock market or participation in network marketing. How do you start a business from scratch, with no money, no products and no resources? Is it possible?
You can, you just need to take a new look at the resources you have. How do you start a business from scratch? With an assessment of the resources available - education, skills, work experience, connections and acquaintances, the time you are willing to spend. And also add to this computer, phone, car. That's a lot. And what about the money, the start-up capital? The fact is that the start-up capital itself does not provide success in business. If the measure of entrepreneurial success were only the money invested, it would be much easier to achieve. So, in addition to money you need something else.
What kind of business to go into
Business is built on meeting the needs of customers and clients, and profits go to those who know how to offer the best combination of price-quality and good service. So to start a business from the ground up, you have to figure out for yourself what value you can offer the consumer. And if you're a salaried employee, you provide that value, only between you and the consumer is the employer. It's the businessman who has chosen a sought-after niche, hired the right people, and organized the sales or service cycle. But he may have been faced with the same question, "How do I start a business from scratch with no money?" only he's already answered it, and you haven't yet.
Thinking about how to start a business from scratch, decide for yourself, what direction you are closer: services, trade or manufacturing? In each of these areas there are hundreds and thousands of ideas. No matter how clichéd it may sound, but everyone's recipe for commercial success will be different. There is no 100% guaranteed idea that, without exceptions, will work "on a storm. And vice versa - there are ideas that are considered by many to be failures, but have more than one example of a successful implementation.
If you want to start a small business from scratch, then answer the questions:
What and where did you study, what skills do you have well developed or have you longed to learn it?
What activities do you enjoy doing? If your full-time job requires you to do something you don't enjoy, don't build a business around it.
What needs do you have as a consumer? Perhaps you know how to provide that service at its best?
Is there an established demand in your community in your chosen niche?
Can you sell your chosen product or service multiple times to the same consumer, or is it a one-time sale?
What will it take to make a profit from one transaction - how much time and effort?
Will you be able to start your own business while still being employed?
Do you know people who are willing to start with you without initially paying for their labor?
Provision of services
It is commonly believed that providing services requires the least cost, but this is not always the case. Indeed, if the service requires only certain education, qualifications, skills from the performer, such activity is a good answer to the question: "How to create a business from scratch". And there are services for the provision of which the mere skills and knowledge will not be enough, you will also need equipment, supplies, space. It also matters the scale of the organization of services. For example, to deal with nail service or hairstyles, enough to buy professional tools and a small stock of cosmetics. Serve the first customers can be at home. If you dream of opening your own beauty salon or barbershop, then there are already needed serious investment, from one million rubles.
Here is a list of services that can be started without investment or with the use of personal property.
In the business sector - legal, accounting, consulting;
IT-services - creating websites, configuration and repair of computers, programming;
Handicrafts - tailoring and knitting to order;
Information and educational - text writing, translations, tutoring, organization of courses and trainings;
Repair - household appliances, housing, shoes, clothing, furniture assembly;
Housekeeping: cleaning, cooking, child care and elderly care;
Drawing paintings and portraits to order;
Advertising - contextual advertising setup, creating sales texts, designing business cards and brochures;
Leisure activities - organization and management of holidays and events;
Courier delivery;
Design and decoration of premises and open space;
Mediation in selling and renting of apartments;
Cooking - making cakes and prepared lunches.
Trading
How to start a business from scratch without money in trade? What to sell if you have no money to buy goods and open a store? The first step in such a situation is to mediate as a sales agent. Find buyers and sellers, connect with each other and get paid.
How do you find out what customers are looking for? You can analyze queries using the tool Wordstat.yandex.ru. Select queries with the word "buy in bulk", select 30-50 products that are searched for, and search the Internet for manufacturers. Study the product price list, make a commercial offer, post it on the message boards or forward it to wholesale buyers if you have found their contacts. Interested buyer? Then contact the manufacturer and say that you can sell a batch of goods on the terms of a certain percentage. Of course, you may answer that the manufacturers have their own sales departments and that there's no point in even trying to offer your services as an agent. But thinking this way is the same as not daring to go out to sea for a catch in a rubber boat because there are already plenty of big fishing trawlers out there.
Manufacturers' sales departments are limited by the number of managers, and besides, you can be more persuasive in your negotiations with the buyer. Try again and again. Imagine that it is your own product, and you need to return the investment as soon as possible.
Another option is to take the goods for sale and offer them for sale in the existing retail outlet on commission. Yes, such options are not easy to find, but they are available. Think about what connections and acquaintances with manufacturers you could attract? An outsider would not be given products to sell, but you will, because you are a matchmaker, brother, brother-in-law, or just a good friend.
The third model of trade without the money - dropshipping. Here you bring together a manufacturer or a large supplier, not with a wholesale buyer, but with the end consumer. The disadvantage of this model is that the buyer is required to pay in advance, but there are sellers who agree to payment terms on cash on delivery.
Production
How to make your own business with minimal investments, if your choice is manufacturing? It is unlikely to work from scratch, since production already requires raw materials, tools, and equipment. First of all, these are home production ideas:
souvenirs, accessories, jewelry;
soap and bath balls;
farm tools,
soft toys;
wooden and wicker products;
household items and decor;
knitwear;
bags and other leather goods;
screens and curtains to order;
handmade cards and boxes;
advertising constructions;
bouquets of candy and toys;
photo printing on clothing;
cultivation of mushrooms, flowers, vegetables, fruits, berries.
If you have no idea how to build your business from scratch, because in your chosen niche you can't do without premises and equipment, then explore the possibility of getting what you need in leasing with the condition of payment in manufactured products.
Do you have a working idea for the production of a sought-after product or even a patent for an invention? Ask business angels or venture capitalists. Draw up a commercial proposal with cost and payback calculations and post it on message boards and specialized forums. If the idea is really worthwhile, and only money is needed to implement it, you will definitely find it.
To summarize: where to start your business from scratch, if there is no free money for it yet, but you are willing to invest time, effort, use personal assets and acquaintances?
Decide which area appeals to you most and choose a few suitable ideas.
Become a member of thematic groups in social networks, they are full of examples of failures and inspiring stories. When someone has already walked your chosen path, from the outside it is easier to see the mistakes in the implementation of the idea and its hidden potential.
Advertise your services and products in free channels, such as local newspapers and bulletin boards. Call customer or buyer ads yourself.
Without a financial reserve, you shouldn't quit your job for at least six months, so choose an activity that will require you to work no more than 20 hours a week. You won't last long on a 24-hour basis, plus the quality of your job duties will suffer.
Involve family members, friends, acquaintances, like-minded people in your business with the condition of their labor payment in case of success.
Do not stay long in the position of a freelancer alone, invest the money in the development, hire workers, enter into partnerships.
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