What Is a Good Business to Start Up With Virtually No Money Down?

by Matthew Schieltz, Demand Media

You don't necessarily need a lot of capital or cash to start a business. In fact, many entrepreneurs begin with little money and simply use personal and professional connections as leverage when building a business. Starting any business, however, requires good planning and organizational skills. You can start your business on a small-scale level, growing it gradually over time as you build a clientele and have more money to put back into the business.

Service Businesses

Although you may need to purchase a few supplies to get started, all you must actually do to start up a service businesses is find customers. You're bringing your skills and services to the people who need them. Service businesses can be as simple as offering dog-walking or pet-sitting services, lawn-mowing or housecleaning services. Depending on your education and qualifications, you can also start professional service businesses. For example, becoming a consultant simply requires knowledge and passion in a particular subject. Other service businesses include graphic design, tax preparation, bookkeeping and accountancy.

Teaching and Tutoring

Teaching and tutoring businesses simply require your time and the skills and talents you've already acquired. For example, tutoring elementary, high school or college students requires good communication skills and a knack for the subject in which you're tutoring. You can also teach your skills to others, such as with cooking or baking, computer classes, and teaching English or a foreign language. Other options include teaching people to play musical instruments, to operate certain software programs or any other skill you have that another person wants to learn.

Hobby Businesses

Hobby businesses essentially turn your passions and pastimes into a money-making operation. With this type of business, you generally need the supplies and materials to make a certain product or item. However, you can always procure orders and deposits before you make the item so you're not beginning at a loss. Any one of your hobbies can be turned into this type of a side business. For example, woodworking businesses, cake-baking and decorating, gift basket and candle-making businesses can all be started with little money down.

Direct Sales

With direct sales, you receive commissions from the company for which you're selling. In some cases, you must spend a small amount of money on a start-up kit that includes sample and demo products, catalogs and other supplies. Direct sales businesses extend beyond the traditional beauty and cosmetics or cookware opportunities in which you often hold home parties. Indeed, you can find direct sales companies for which you can sell everything from pet products, clothing and cleaning products to power tools, jewelry and food. In some direct sales' compensation plans, you can even recruit others and make money off what they sell.

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