Finding zero investment business ideas used to be hard and almost impossible but with the improvements in technology, now anyone can start their own ventures even with no capital.
Zero investment businesses are ventures that entrepreneurs can launch with no upfront cost and operate completely using the money earned from their profits.
Traditionally, before the age of the internet and the online world, business owners often always invested a significant amount in things like office space, inventory, and human resources.
In the modern world, the term solopreneur was invented because individuals can now launch and manage a whole company by themselves, with no office, no inventory, and little to no employees.
So, here are 37 zero investment business ideas that can help you launch your own venture according to your skills, passion, and interests.
Key Characteristics of Zero Investment Business Ideas: Criteria Table
This is a table that showcases our criteria for selecting the best 0 investment business ideas on this list.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Zero to Low Startup Cost | The business idea must not need any investment cost to start or should be low enough that anyone can manage it. |
| 2. Market Demand | Any business idea should either solve a problem or fulfill a need of the market to get sufficient demand from customers. |
| 3. Aligns with Your Skills or Passion | Our ideal zero-investment business idea is one that aligns with your own interests. |
| 4. Scalability | A business must possess the potential to grow and scale, otherwise it is deemed to fail. |
| 5. Flexibility on Time and Capital | Finding zero investment business ideas most likely means that you have limited time and capital, and so we chose the ventures that will be suited to this situation. |
0 Investment Business Ideas
1. Blogging
Blogging is one of the most popular ways to start a business with zero investments. It is about publishing written content and articles on a website, earning through multiple different ways.
Your business goals and plan will depend on how you are planning to monetize your blog. If it is through displaying ads and sponsorships, then the higher the number of readers the better. However, if it is through affiliate marketing, the quality and buyer’s intent is more important.
Your potential income will vary greatly. From no earnings up to about $200k+ a month. But the best thing about this business idea is that you can write about any topic and interest you want, and improve it into a personal brand.
2. Affiliate Marketing
Often combined with the blogging idea above, affiliate marketing is another 0 investment business idea that anyone can start. It is done by promoting the products and services of another brand through your own platform. Then they will pay you a commission of the sale for every customer who has purchased their products and services.
Nowadays, with more online platforms available for you to promote an affiliate product, it is easier at the same time more competitive than ever. You have to find a way to differentiate and stand out from the crowd.
3. Tutoring Services
Tutoring is a business idea that you can do without spending any overhead costs. All you need is your own skills and expertise in a particular subject area that customers are willing to pay to learn. This business can be more fulfilling than the others on this list because you get to help someone grow and improve as an individual.
4. Personal Assistant
Since most daily tasks of companies and entrepreneurs can now be done online, a personal assistant business can be managed remotely. This removes the need for investing in human resources, and instead do all the job independently and only hire contractors if the need arises. Additionally, it is easily scalable by transforming the business into an agency when the opportunity comes.
5. Dropshipping Business
Dropshipping is one of the most popular zero investment business ideas where you sell products to customers without an inventory. Those orders go directly to the supplier and then they will ship it to the customer. The key is to identify an attractive product or find a great strategy for a successful marketing campaign.
6. Sell Baked Goods
Selling baked goods is another way to start a business without investing too much capital. The ingredients will not be as expensive and most of the equipment can be found in your home’s kitchen. Leverage social media such as Pinterest and Facebook to find interested customers and you have successfully started your venture.
7. Consulting Services
Consulting services is a business that relies on your expertise and skills. It does not need any initial investments and is relatively easy to start. First, choose the industry in which you want to consult, it must align with your experiences. This can include finance, business, marketing, and more. Then find clients online who are interested in learning what your experiences have taught you.
8. Life Coaching
Life coaching refers to a personal service where you help other people achieve their goals in life, or even in their businesses and relationships. A certification and rich life experiences would be required, however, it will not need any upfront investment making it a perfect part of this list.
9. Dog Walking Services
This business will not require cash investments, your love for dogs and time to walk them is all you need. You can start with your family’s and friends’ pets, and then expand your services to the local community. Advertising on social media is also a great strategy, once you are ready to take on more clients.
10. Photography Services
Professional photographers often will need a professional camera. Those can be quite expensive, however, if you already have one, then it can be a profitable venture to start a photography business. Also, a camera is not as expensive as other businesses where you need commercial spaces and inventory, so it is still an ideal item on this list.
11. House Cleaning Services
House cleaning services do not require any capital and are very flexible. You can decide which clients to take on, from individuals who are busy with their day jobs to elderly people who are having a hard time doing the cleaning, or even businesses that operate at home.
12. Child Care Services
Childcare services are a good business idea if you are comfortable with spending time with children. All it needs is your time and attention, and a few certifications based on the location you are planning to work with. The most important part of this idea is to build a reputation for being trustworthy and responsible.
13. Freelance Writing
Often associated with blogging, freelance writing is a great way to earn from your writing skills if you are not interested in starting your own blog and brand. All you need is your computer or laptop, and then register your services on platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork.
14. Data Entry Services
Data entry despite the age of AI is still as popular as ever. Companies rely on data and inputting and managing them are important which is why a data entry service is still in-demand. It will also only require your computer, attention to detail, and the ability to follow your client’s needs and demands.
15. Sell Digital Products
Selling digital products such as eBooks, online courses, stock photography, or digital art is a low-cost business to start. It is because once you have finished developing the product, you can now sell it to as many customers as you can find. The real challenge will be on the marketing side and how valuable the contents of the digital product are.
16. Event Planning
If you like arranging events such as birthday parties, business conferences, weddings, and other forms of gatherings, then an event planning business is a great low-cost venture to start. However, it will be a good idea to practice on a smaller scale event to learn that not everything always goes as planned and you will have to be creative on making any event work.
17. Print-on-Demand
Similar to how dropshipping works, print-on-demand does not need any inventory and you can work with suppliers and clothing factories. The main work is to design graphics for t-shirts, hoodies, cups, or posters and then only produce them when an order comes.
18. Content Creation
Content creation whether it is through publishing articles for a Website, videos for YouTube and TikTok, or posts on social media, is a relatively low-investment business idea. Monetization includes displaying ads, selling your own products, sponsored posts or videos, and brand partnerships.
19. Translator Services
With zero investment needed, a translation service business is a great business idea for those who can speak multiple languages and want to start a business around this skill. The only difficult part is finding clients and demonstrating your expertise in translating documents, files, and conversations from one language into another.
20. Web Design
Websites are the foundation of the businesses in the online world. It is where their products and services can be found, the contact information, and it provides a way to attract customers too through search engine traffic. A good web design is crucial for these businesses’ success and so its demand will not tank despite the rise of software that can develop a website by themselves.
21. Social Media Management
Social media management business only requires your knowledge and skills in growing your client’s accounts and boosting their brand awareness. It is a 0 investment business idea that can be done by anyone who has experience with social media platforms and is familiar with their algorithms.
Additionally, understanding the current trends and patterns is important to develop a successful marketing strategy. After gaining several loyal clients, you can expand the business into a marketing agency and hire other social media managers.
22. Digital Marketing Services
Digital marketing is a broad term that can include several industries such as SEO or search engine optimization, PPC or pay-per-click advertising, content marketing, email marketing, and a lot more.
When choosing a digital marketing service as a business to start with, it is important to focus on one or a few marketing channels rather than learning all of them. The best part is most if not all will not require any significant investments to start with.
23. Handmade Crafts
If you like to create artistic and beautiful crafts then you can try and turn it into a profitable venture. The key is to promote your products on various social media channels and even create your own Website to funnel the traffic to. Platforms like Pinterest, eBay, and Etsy will allow you to reach a broader market and higher chance for success.
24. Online Surveys
Online surveys on platforms such as SurveyMonkey and Swagbucks are a simple way to earn money without investments. However, it is not a great business idea as it will be harder to scale. If you are looking to make some money in your free time though, it is a good choice as everything is done online and with only a few qualifications.
25. Podcast Hosting
Podcasting has quickly become one of the most popular business strategies. It is a great and fulfilling business as it involves sharing insights, stories, and experiences of various successful individuals with your audience. Not only your listeners will learn, but you too as a person can share your passion and earn based on how many people you have connected and resonated with.
26. Ebook Publishing
An ebook is one of the digital products that we have talked about earlier. However, we thought it deserves its own section in this list because it is one of the zero investment business ideas that you can build your business around. Many entrepreneurs have begun their journey as writers and ended up creating a book that millions of people have bought.
Examples include James Clear who published one of the best-selling books, “Atomic Habits” and Mark Manson who wrote one of my favorite books, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck”.
27. Cooking or Baking Classes
Cooking and baking classes are another business idea that you can start if you have good skills in the kitchen. You can manage it along with the selling baked goods idea earlier. This will involve teaching your expertise to beginners. It can be your special recipe or general knowledge. The key is to demonstrate your cooking or baking skills online and attract clients that way.
28. Home-based Catering
Home-based catering is a combination of selling your cooked meals or baked goods with event planning. Catering is often involved in large gatherings so you will have to learn how to cook for a large number of people, factoring in allergies, and several preferences from multiple individuals.
29. Online Fitness Coaching
With an increased focus on fitness and health, a lot of individuals are looking to start a workout routine that fits their schedule. However, most of the problem is that by the time they are finished with their day jobs or businesses, they will often have no energy to go to the gym.
This is where online fitness coaching is very helpful. With no investment needed to start, anyone who has mastered how to deal with different body types and how to coach them can launch their own online fitness ventures.
30. Freelance Illustration or Design
Graphic designs are needed by companies and individuals for various purposes which include advertising materials, marketing strategies, website design, and more. It is a great way to maximize your talent and monetize in a fulfilling way. All it needs is a drawing table or a computer and maybe a subscription to the software you usually use to design and illustrate.
31. Online Reselling
Online reselling will need some investment but it will most likely be not as significant as renting a commercial space or having an inventory of products. It refers to the process of buying underpriced items and then selling them on its right or slightly higher price. It can also mean just selling your own stuff that you are not using anymore.
More 0 Investment Business Ideas Inspired by Iconic Entrepreneurs
There are a lot of brands we know today that also began as a simple business idea by their founders. Aside from the iconic companies mentioned in the video above, here are some more zero-investment business ideas that you can replicate:
32. Fashion and Apparel Startup (Inspired by Sara Blakely)
Fashion and apparel is a business that has been proven to be feasible even without a significant investment as seen from Sarah Blakely’s Spanx brand. The key is to start small, focus on developing an MVP or minimum viable product, and then try to gain some potential customers through social media platforms.
33. Sports Apparel Company (Inspired by Kevin Plank)
Similar to Kevin Plank’s Underarmor journey, you can start a brand at home and choose other business models that require no upfront investment to launch your business. This can include dropshipping or print-on-demand. The goal is to create a brand and then scale from there.
34. Social Network Development (Inspired by Mark Zuckerberg)
Mark’s story is already widely known. He invented Facebook in his dorm room with zero investment needed. Just like Mark, you can try to develop your own app or software by yourself if you have the skills to do so and launch it. Just keep in mind, that millions of people are trying to do the same, so the competition is as hard as ever.
35. Communication App Startup (Inspired by Jan Koum)
Similar to Jan Koum’s WhatsApp, you can develop a communication app that is tailored to a specific group of people and their needs. The key to its success is how will you differentiate your communication app from the other established ones. If you can answer this question then the business will have a good chance of taking off.
36. Computer Assembly and Sales (Inspired by Michael Dell)
Michael Dell started a business idea in his garage and turned it into a multi-billion dollar company named Dell. This strategy involves leveraging the skill that you are already good at and focusing on being the best at it. Then find a good way to market and advertise your product or service, which in today’s world will surely include social media platforms.
37. E-commerce Platform (Inspired by Pierre Omidyar)
Pierre Omidyar’s eBay has been around for some time now and though they lost a lot of customers to Amazon, it is still a very profitable business model today, especially at their peak. When deciding to start your own eCommerce platform, choose a very niche industry and not a general category that will be competitive. Differentiate your business and craft a unique value proposition, those are the keys to staying relevant for as long as they did.
Final Thoughts
Starting a business with zero investment is totally possible in today’s age. You just have to be creative and adapt to the current changes in technology. There are prominent social media apps, but one could pop up anytime and instantly become a business opportunity for many. Be sure to prepare for that opportunity, so when the time comes you can take advantage of it and be a successful entrepreneur.
As a professional web and software developer, the author possesses a strong foundational background in Computer Science. This equips him with both academic rigor and practical insights into the world of web-based entrepreneurship. As the founder of this platform, webpreneurships.com, he stands at the intersection of technology and business.