75 Business Ideas You Can Start for Under $1,000

Starting your own business is one of the best decisions you could make. Owning a business does not have to cost you a fortune. Thanks to the Internet today, and more so to the power of Social Media, the cost of starting a business is much lower.

Below, I share some business ideas you can start in 2019 and beyond for under 1,000 US dollars.

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#1. Amazon FBA

The steps to successful Amazon FBA is easy: set up your reseller account on Amazon.com, pick a target market and identify the products you want to sell, build your product source and market your brand/products.

All these steps can be done for less than $1,000.

#2. App Development Services

It takes 3 to 7 months to learn to write code and build in-demand apps. Coding is one of the most profitable skills you can possess today. However, not everyone can master it. This is why it’s so profitable.

#3. Accounting/CPA services

Thousands of small businesses around the world today are in need of professional-grade accounting services. With the right set of tools: basically a decent worksheet and bookkeeping tool, and the ability to market yourself, you’ll be set up as an online CPA.

#4. Audio Podcast Business

Podcasting is now a big deal today. Start your own podcast on a topic that interests you (with emphasis on the topic that interests you), and gradually build your own audience.

You can earn money from podcasting through affiliate marketing, partnerships, and sponsorship. You can also sell your own products in your podcasts such as courses, merchandise, and services.

#5. Virtual Bookkeeper

If you’re skilled in bookkeeping, you can offer bookkeeping services to businesses that are big enough to need a bookkeeper but cannot afford one in-house.

Since you’re not technically a staff of your clients, you’re not subjected to the pain and rigor of getting to work and leaving at a fixed time. However, same ethics and discipline would still apply.

#6. Affiliate Marketing

Do you know how to blog and build an audience? If so, affiliate marketing is one of the most sensible ways to generate income from your traffic.

The most difficult part of succeeding with affiliate marketing is building an audience to sell third-party products to. Click To Tweet With the right content strategy in place, you’ll be set for less than $1,000.

#7. Blogging

Blogging has gone from just being profitable to being mainstream. Click To Tweet Businesses, both big and small, now build on the power of blogging.

As an individual, blogging can help you earn a decent income from the internet. Most successful bloggers earn money by selling ads on their blogs. Setting up a blog does not cost up to a thousand dollars.

Your first step to blogging is to register a domain name and sign up with a hosting provider. Namecheap is one of the popular ones available.

#8. Book Reviewer

If you enjoy reading books and giving your thoughtful opinion about them, then there’s an opportunity to build a career out of this.

For less than a thousand dollars, you can set up a website that hosts unbiased reviews of popular books.

#9. Book Arts Illustrator

All you need is a creative side and the ability to bring your clients’ imagination to life. Website like 99design and Fiver can help you learn tips on how to secure your first clients.

To set yourself apart from your competitors, you should host your own website and show off your creative skills.

The tools you’ll need to start, including a professional website, would not cost more than a thousand dollars.

#10. Copy Writing

Copywriting is in high demand as businesses are constantly looking for expert writers to help with sales copies and marketing materials.

Ideally, a couple of courses will help you improve your writing skills and equip you with the necessary education that’ll give you a headstart as a copywriter.

Together with the cost of the courses you’ll take and setting up your website to showcase your service, you’ll be spending less than $1,000.

#11. Copy-editing

Distinct from what a copywriter does, a copy-editor edits the content of ads, sales page or product information materials. A copy-editor would typically command less than a copywriter does, but would also do less work than a copywriter.

#12. E-book Writer

Internet entrepreneurs & business owners release eBooks that are created as a part of their sales funnels to attract leads. The content of these eBooks is seldom written by the business owners themselves. This is where an eBook writer comes in.

All you need to start attracting clients that will hire you to demonstrate your writing skill by getting featured on popular websites that allow you to promote your services.

#13. E-commerce

READ ALSO! How to Scale Your E-commerce Business With Amazon Tools

While running an e-commerce business might require more than a regular services business, with the right products and a well-positioned brand, one can build an e-commerce business with just $1,000, or even less.

By sourcing products from cheap markets and reselling them for a little profit margin, you can take inventory of a handful of items and increase your stock items as you make more sales.

#14. Domain Flipper

If you’re the type that easily comes up with catchy domain names, then there is a business opportunity for you in this.

Since registering a domain name costs less than $12, you can buy as many as you want and can even hire a graphics designer on Fiver to help you brand it. There are several services that can help you sell your domain names easily, such as BrandBucket.

#15. Virtual Assistant

Since there are more entrepreneurs and small businesses on a shoestring budget than you can count, there is a huge market for anyone who is ready to offer VA services.

All you need are, stable Internet access, your laptop and a connected phone. All these should not cost you up to a thousand buck.

#16. Website Developer

Today, it's an expectation that every business must own a website. Thus, the web development industry has seen increasing growth. Click To Tweet This means that web developers are in high-demand. A report suggests that by 2020, the demand for web developers would be unmet.

Now, you need to equip yourself with some web design and code writing skills to become efficient and competitive in the industry. But that should not alarm you, as there are thousands of degree-level courses on web development, graphic design, and coding that do not cost more than $200.

#17. Resell Collectible Cards

Baseball cards are worth a fortune if the right indices are checked: age, in the right condition, rarity and current demand for collectible cards. Many households are in possession of collectible cards, that their owners do not even know the worth of the pieces in their hands. Click To Tweet

Browse through eBay and you are certain to score a couple of gems at ridiculously low rates. With a budget of $1,000, you’ll surely acquire a handful of cards to resell for way higher.

#18. Video Blogging (Vlog)

The world enjoys content in various forms today. This has given rise to the number of YouTubers and Instagram influencers earning thousands and even millions of dollars by sharing what they’re passionate about.

See a YouTube Video on How to Vlog

To start vlogging, all you need is a decent camera (if you have an iPhone, then it’s a solid camera), a mic, to make it more professional and your media channels. Ideally, you want to be active on major social media channels, especially YouTube and Instagram.

#19. Digital Marketing

Digital marketing involves all the possible activities that can lead up to earning a customer for a business and individual or any entity on the Internet.

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Starting a career in digital marketing might sound overwhelming because it involves a lot of activities. But once you’re able to overcome the earliest learning stages of digital marketing, there are lots of opportunities in this field.

From e-commerce business to B2B companies to even celebrities, anybody that wants to make sales on the Internet needs digital marketing.

You can take a dive into courses on digital marketing, several of which are free and some which are paid. But you’ll not spend $1,000 before you even start earning your first income.

#20. Google/Bing or Search Ads Manager

Are you already advanced in digital marketing and are already a pro in digital ads management? If so, then you’re looking at a new business on your hand.

Google ads, also known as Adwords is the platform where the advertiser pays for and manages their ads. To manage ads successfully requires certain skill sets which includes copy-editing, keywords research, targeting, and optimization. Because of this, a multi-billion dollar industry has been built on managing ads for clients.

To start your ads agency business, you need to demonstrate your skills and market your services. Shouldn’t cost more than $1,000 to get started.

#21. Facebook Marketing

READ ALSO! How to Use Facebook Marketing to Generate More Leads

Businesses generate millions of $$ selling things on Facebook. Some of the most successful drop-shipping and small e-commerce businesses are built on the back of Facebook marketing. Click To Tweet

Learning to market effectively on Facebook is a skill that can help you generate consistent cash flow. There are several courses and webinars that can train you to become a successful Facebook marketer, some for less than $200 and most for free.

#22. Social Media Consultant

Have you managed to grow your social media following to a huge number? Is this a skill you’ve been able to replicate over and over again? If so, then you can build a consulting business on it.

Start marketing yourself to small businesses and you can see consistent monthly income from consulting or these businesses and helping them grow and engage their audience on social media.

#23. Social Media Marketer

Do you know the right Instagram hashtags can easily convert to sales? What about the perfect DMs to get people to share your products to their followers? These are underrated skills that you can build a business upon in today’s age.

Best part, you don’t need to spend $1,000 to get started.

#24. Digital Photographer

If you’ve been caught waiting behind to take pictures of nature or abandoned cars on the street more than twice, then you have a skill that can be monetized.

With services like Getty Images, Shutterstock etc, your pictures can be worth several bucks.

#25. Pro Image Editor

Are you good with CorrelDRAW or Adobe PSD?

Image editing on a professional level is a profitable skill that publishing businesses like top media outlets would be eager to drop top dollar on. You can build a business right on this and start building your own roster of clients.

#26. SEO Specialist

If you understand how search engines work and know how to tweak a website to rank well in Google and other search engines, you can build a business off of this skill.

According to reports, the SEO industry would be worth $80 billion by 2020 – in the US. And no, you don’t need more than $1,000 to establish an SEO company.

#27. Email Marketer

Do you know how to create the perfect drip sequence? Sorry if you do not know what that means.

You can help businesses manage their email marketing campaigns, and even offer this service to marketing agencies.

#28. Online Dating Consultant

Are you a relationship expert or do you always have the perfect advice for couple having issues in their dating relationship? If so, you can become an online dating consultant and help people through their dating worries.

#29. Digital PR Consultant

Digital PR is a totally different game from traditional PR as we’ve come to know it. Social media and trending topics control the narrative here, which means there is an opportunity to build a business advising people on how to do PR in the digital age.

#30. Product Tester (Review products and give critical feedback)

Brands are always in need of people — connoisseurs to help give an unbiased review of their products so that they can satisfy their customers’ expectations.

If you find that you always give trusted judgment on tastes and quality of things, then this is a business opportunity. Jobs boards are littered with gigs from companies seeking testers to give feedback on their products.

#31. Software Developer

Make Github your best friend and participate on open source projects by contributing to existing projects and creating new projects of your own. The tools you need are already available.

Build your reputation and watch as businesses would scramble to hire you to build software for them.

#32. Graphics Designer

As the media and advertising industry continues to see growths, graphics designers will continue to be in high-demand. To set yourself apart and become in-demand, create watermarked projects and join design communities where you’ll display your works.

#33. Academic Consultant

Is there are brilliant side to you that would triumph in the academic field? Begin to put this side to use by becoming an academic consultant.

You can offer your services online to students with tight schedule that must meet certain goals.

#34. Career Consultant

While this may require a license in some jurisdictions, it’s still a skill that is in-demand and can command decent rates online. Start by identifying the niche you want to focus on and brand yourself as an expert.

To make your business more professional, build a website that tells customers about you and your business. The whole charade would not cost $1,000.

#35. Financial Consultant

This is why financial consultants get to make so much money. And you don’t even need to start with so much to become a recognized financial consultant. With under $1,000 you can easily build a recognizable financial consulting business.

#36. Business Consultant

As a business consultant, you’ll work with clients to develop their business strategy the planning and how to solve business problems.

As a business consultant, you’ll give your clients professional feedback that will help them achieve their business objectives. The Internet is a tool that you can use to establish your expertise and reach new clients.

A great way to start is through short videos sharing business tips on social media.

#37. Marriage Counseling

The marriage counseling industry will continue to grow. A Bureau of Labour Statistics report put the growth rate at 23 percent between now and 2026.

To practice, a permit and a license may be required. A Masters degree is required to run a marriage counseling business.

#38. Fashion Expert

Know much about fashion? If you’re always up to date on the latest Kyle Jenner venture and know what style stars are wearing to the Grammy’s, you do have a profitable side-hustle on your hand.

#39. Sales Representative

If you’re good at closing sales and explaining the benefits of stuff to people in the way that makes them want to pay for it, then this is a business opportunity you can monetize.

Identify what niche you want your business to serve and pitch your services to manufacturers in this area. You can negotiate a percentage of the commission you’ll earn from sales. Prepare a legal copy and your website.

#40. Text Translator

If you can translate efficiently from English to another language, you can create a business serviing clients in this area. Human text translators are trusted better than AI translations, mainly because humans can read in context and understand variables better.

Several best-selling books are translated into different languages. Blogs, corporate websites, and instruction manuals are materials that businesses need text translators for. This means the demand for translators is high.

#41. Online Language Tutor

With rates going at $30 to $40 per hour, starting a business online foreign language tutor is a great source of revenue. Build the business by employing freelance tutors that will work with you, and employ the principle of scaling to increase your profit.

The tools you’ll need are Zoom, Skype and a laptop with Internet access. You can set up a website to make it more professional.

#42. Freelance Writing

Writing as a service can be turned into a business if you’re ready to reposition yourself by learning a little bit of marketing and branding.

#43. Freelance Journalist

Journalists earn between $36K to $59k annually. As a freelance journalist, you can earn better if you’re ready to put in the work and build a great portfolio for yourself.

A website that will showcase your latest gigs and your most successful works is how to turn this into a real business.

#44. Security Analyst

In the age of serial data breach, security analysts are now gems among stones. Several tech giants have seen their users’ data hacked and exposed, weakening the trust between companies and users.

This is where you’ll pitch your business as a security analyst to companies and tech startups.

#45. Resume Writer

The job industry will continue to grow as more graduates enter the market and are ready to go on the job hunt. Fresh out of college, most graduates don’t know the first thing to put on their CV’s.

#46. Talent Organizer

Your role would be to help businesses identify and connect talents that might fit a role the business is looking to fill. Enroll talents in your organization and connect them with matching employers when opportunity appears to you.

#47. Video Editor

To get started, ensure you’re up to par with your craft, then secure the tools you need to turn clients’ videos into professional materials,

#48. Sales Specialist

Do you know the best practices and tips to improve sales? Businesses are always in need of expert advice on how to turn up their sales volume. This is where you get to create a business that services multiple businesses.

#49. Hotel Review Writer

Do you know you can make a living writing reviews about hotels?

First, start with a blog, and put together a list of hotels you’d love to review on your blog. You can ring up the owners of the hotels, informing them about your intent to cover their property on your website.

#50. Airline Review Writer

The air travel industry is a big but fierce one.

Customers would be grateful to any one that dedicates time to review some of the most popular airlines. You can earn revenue from ads or by selling merchandise on your website. Your services can also be offered to airlines to help write about them on their website.

#51. Freelance Newspaper Editor

Now, I hear you asking “is newspaper editor a business?”

Yes, and it can be a profitable business as well. Most media houses are cutting down on their budget as attention shifts to user curated news and social media content. This creates an opportunity for a business that offers on-the-fly editing news content for various outlets.

#52. Freelance Digital Marketer

A freelance digital marketer works with businesses to strategies can create marketing campaigns online with the aim of building a relationship with customers.

#53. Drop-shipping

Drop-shipping is a form of e-commerce business that does not involve handling products or keeping an inventory. Click To Tweet Here’s how drop-shipping works:

Identify the products you want to sell, find a product manufacturer and establish a relationship with them. Build your e-commerce website and start marketing it. The manufacturer handles shipping and delivery, while you handle price and payment.

#54. Fitness Trainer

Help people reach their fitness goals while you make money in the process.

This business may require a degree, but getting started and becoming successful is largely dependent on your hard work. You do not need more than a phone that records video, a YouTube channel and an Instagram account to start.

Surely, $1,000 is enough to get you started.

#55. Sex Ed Trainer

Sex education may not be sexy, but it still sells.

Being a sex ed teacher means you’ll have to be licensed to practice, making the competition less severe than in other areas. Of course, other than your degree and the practicing license.

#56. Magazine Analyst

Have a knack for identifying trends in the finance or business world? Many magazines rely on being able to predict future trends in their industry. This means a magazine analyst would be able to identify where the industry is misrepresented and iron this out on their own online platform.

The job of a magazine analyst is even more strategic today given the rise in the trend in 'fake news'. Click To Tweet

#57. Food Reviewer

Are you a lover of good food? Put your ability to understand the essence of the food’s taste and appearance to work and build a business around it.

Generally, a degree and a license may be required, but if you’re creating an online show from it, then you might as well start with your digital recording devices.

#58. Wine Connoisseur

It tastes good!

As the wine industry grows bigger, so does the confusion that comes along with deciding what to go for when faced with verities. As a wine consultant, you’ll educate consumers on the various type of beverage and what occasion they’re best suited for.

#59. Animal Training Expert

Very few people understand the complicated language patterns of animals. And the most that do, can only communicate with a very few species.

If you’re skilled in communicating with animals to the extent you can influence their behaviors, you can start a thriving business helping pet owners training their non-human babies.

#60. Dog Potty-trainer

There’s nothing as nasty and messy at the same time as a dog that’s not potty-trained. You can only imagine the embarrassment of the face of a person when their doggy decides to poo on the walkway.

While the job might sound humble, the pay isn’t. Animal Behavior College estimates that a dog trainer’s average income is $20 an hour, as of 2010. However, by developing your specialty and targeting exclusive areas, it could go as high as $150 an hour.

#61. Financial Advisor

With the potential to earn as high as $90,640 in employment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS), practicing as a private financial advisory means you’ll earn more.

Maintain a solid roster of clients to consult for would help stabilize your practice while you gain your ground.

#62. Art Consultant

Arts come in different sizes, patterns, and shades. Not every artwork is readily worth millions. A consultant would help the buyer to ensure they are not investing so much on a cheap piece of painting without a story to uphold its value.

#63. International Travel Consultant

The travel and tourism industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, accounting for $8.8 trillion dollars in 2018, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

As a travel consultant, you’ll assist your clients in making arrangements for their trips. This includes any form of advice on safety and best ways to optimize their trip abroad.

#64. Visa & Immigration Consultant

With immigrants seeking better living conditions abroad going through any means to leave their home countries, and governments tightening their immigration laws to curb in-flow of “aliens”, their’s another industry seeing growths. The Visa Consultancy business.

To become one, you’re not required to have any special degree, unlike an immigration lawyer. Most countries are fine with a 3-year diploma in public policy. You’re not required to invest so much to start. Your main investment should go towards marketing your business.

#65. YouTube Cooking Tutor

If your culinary skills have amazed both guests and friends, then now is time to make a living (or a side income) out of it. Of the many content hosted on YouTube, none whets my appetite like the cooking shows.

Your cooking skills, a smartphone or a pro camera are all you need to start your YouTube cooking tutorial.

#66. YouTube Marketer

YouTube is the Internet's second largest search engine and the biggest video platform. Click To Tweet If there’s any action on the web, YouTube is where it is.

To start a YouTube marketing business, you can equip yourself with requisite knowledge by taking courses and practicing with your own YouTube channel. There’s a comprehensive guide to YouTube marketing on Hubspot.

#67. Social Media Influencer

Becoming a social media influencer is a fad today, as pretty much every millennial call themselves an influencer. That, however, does not mean you cannot become one.

#68. Skin and Beauty Expert

The skincare and beauty industry is growing bigger every year, and this creates room for new small businesses to spring up in the industry.

Why many people get nervous entering into the skincare business is the fear of high cost. A quick Google search shows you’ll need $10,000 to $15,000 to start a skincare business. But, if you identify a small market and keep exactly the products your customers want, nothing says $1,000 is too small.

#69. Makeup and Beauty Artist

#MUA is one of the most popular hashtags on Instagram. What this shows is that there is a lot of interest in the makeup artist business.

With $200, you can learn to become a professional make-up artist. Upload pictures and videos of your works (paid or unpaid) to Instagram, and try to trend for relevant hashtags.

#70. Motivational Speaker

Are you the one your friends run to when they start doubting themselves? And you just have those words that feels like tonic to their beaten soul.

Being a motivational speaker will not only will you uplift the spirit of others and inspire them to do better in life, but you’ll also earn money and probably fame.

Start from small group of friends, and then your local charity functions/community gatherings till you become very good.

#71. Product Information Writer

Start a business equipping buyers with the information on the products they’re about to buy. This one may require you to reach out to manufacturers of products till you’re able to build a team and form your own business out of it.

You may pick an area to specialize in, say drugs or consumer electronics.

#72. Wedding Planner

Weddings are special events that should only happen once in a couple’s lifetime. This means it always require a lot of planning. One person (or a couple of persons) is usually in charge of planning a wedding.

Wedding planners get paid well.

And to get started as a wedding planner, you do not need a degree or a specialized qualification. Simply attend training programs and build your skills.

#73. Wellness Coach

A wellness coach will have a wealth of knowledge of the physical and health area and would need a degree to be at the top of the career.

A bachelor’s degree in nutrition, counseling or fitness would be ideal. Training for becoming a wellness coach starts from $450.

#74. Online Dating Coach

If you consider yourself an expert in relationship matters and know how to give the best advice on how to navigate the complex dating terrain, then this is also a business opportunity that can be monetized.

#75. Perfumer Expert

A degree in cosmetic science and or chemistry may be needed to start a business as a perfumer. This may be the most intensive — in terms of training and educational qualifications needed.

As a perfumer, your job is to create perfume compositions. This means you’ll have an excellent sense of smell and olfactory compositions.

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Ayodeji Onibalusi

This post is written by Ayodeji Onibalusi founder of Effective Inbound Marketing. Effective Inbound Marketing is a content-driven marketing agency. You can read about the services we offer.
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