You can create your own startup without millions in your bank account. those who want to gain more money and popularity, influence the startup growth, develop an unbelievable self-improvement and innovative thinking. That’s the things that you will get while building a startup, and even more.
Coming up with brilliant startup ideas may feel tricky to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially when it may seem that everyone’s already swooped up every good idea for a business. Still, it’s entirely possible to become successful by improving on existing products or putting a unique spin on an old idea.
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- Top 10 Startups for Your Inspiration
- Top 10 Startup Ideas
- What Inspired You to Start a Business?
- How do You Encourage a Startup?
- What Are Startup Quotes?
- What Are Some Innovative Startup Ideas?
- What Are Some Good Business Ideas?
- Which is The Key to Business Success?
- Where Can I Promote my Startup?
- What to Say to Someone Who Has Started a New Business
- How Can I Promote my Business Locally?
- How do I Start my Own Business?
- What is The Best Business For Startup?
- Which Business is Good in Lockdown?
- Is Startup a Good Idea?
Top 10 Startups for Your Inspiration
Let’s learn from the most outstanding startups and get some inpsiration for the future.
#1. Hubspring
Being in the heart of US health care, ordinary physicians came up with an idea of the Hub — a cross-platform digital ecosystem for health care system. It is a solution for the hospital’s staff giving an opportunity to securely cooperate within a group via messenger, file sharing system and lots of other features.
Read Also: 10 Inspiring Designs to Jump Start your T-shirt Printing Business
The story of the hub started in 2015 and in 2017 it became one of the TOP 5 finalists of the startup showcase-2017 at eMerge Americas conference.
The Hub has already launched in 19 medical institutions. More than 5K doctors enjoy working with it every day and the number of subscribers is constantly growing.
Impressive, right? You see, they just were not satisfied with how some processes were arranged and knowing exactly what to improve, they just made it much more efficient with their app.
#2. Earny
Earny tracks the prices on everything you buy and gets you your money back when the price drops.
Israeli developers have come up with this idea after shopping and trying to get their money back via a price protection policy. They just figured out how to automate this process.
It’s easy to use, no need to track the process, just fill in the needed information and the app itself will file for credit after finding a better price.
This startup was founded in 2015 and has already gained 2,5 million US dollars of investment. It tracks purchases from 50 stores already and is planning to spread its possibilities.
So automation of a trivial process might be very useful and gain much popularity among others.
#3. Modsy
Modsy lets you try out furniture in your own virtual house before you buy it. The startup transforms photos you take of any room into the home of your dreams. You just take pictures of the room you want to redesign, upload them to Modsy, then you can change anything you like there.
There is also a virtual reality view of the room available. Modsy founder Shanna Tellerman has a long history with 3D platforms, like Autodesk. So she was experienced enough to create the process that is similar to a film pipeline with a preproduction, production and post production.
Modsy was founded in 2015 and has already gained more than $10 million.
It is already possible to buy things right after you’ve chosen the best design of your room, there are links to retailers. Although in future there will be a button, so every customer could buy the desired furniture much faster.
How many times you wondered would something suit your room? Brilliant app, right?
#4. Textio
Textio is a platform that analyzes text for how well words and phrases perform in certain scenarios. Its CEO Kieran Snyder with a co-founder Jensen Harris left Microsoft to start a new company in 2014 and since that the startup already raised over $20 million of investments.
The first focus of Textio was job postings — to determine how well they will perform among candidates. They found that certain words and layouts attract more candidates than others.
It recognizes more than 60,000 phrases. Textio is already in use of some big companies, like Microsoft, Twitter, etc. In future it might work for all kinds of documents, thus making texts more attractive and valuable.
Would you like to get what you inquire for from the first attempt?
#5. Turfassistant
Turfassistant is an app which helps a superintendent to cope with responsibilities effectively. Such daily grounds operations for a course as managing workers, equipment, routines, budgets, expenses, receipts, spreadsheets, maintaining records, and meeting members expectations can be done with a fingertip.
The release of the app was in December 2016 and from the very start gained positive feedbacks on the functions of the application from the golf club managers. In total up to 92% app users are completely satisfied with the quality of the app’s functionality and usability.
The founder of Turfassistant has experience in golf sphere for more than 10 years. He knew everything about daily challenges of golf superintendents and came to us with the idea of an app.
This app is used on around 6 golf courses, big American companies prefer using it every day.
Would you like such assistant that helps you manage all routine tasks?
#6. CiBO Technologies
CiBO Technologies offers a big-data analytics platform for sustainable agriculture that helps improve yields.
It helps farmers to maximize their crop yields while reducing impact on the environment, managing risk in crop insurance, predicting commodity price fluctuations, improving crop testing, and valuing farm land, etc.
It was founded in 2014 and has raised over $30 million of investments. They see the search for the best ways to catalyze a true sustainable revolution in agriculture as their mission.
Agriculture automation is very important now when the number of inhabitants on Earth is growing. So this startup will never loose its value!
#7. DeepMap
DeepMap is a startup that’s building maps for autonomous vehicles. It’s one of the most successful attempts to create a map for the cars of the future, so they could “see” the road.
This startup was founded in 2016 and has received over $32 million investments.
Both founders of DeepMap have previous experience working with mapping, so they are real hard workers in this sphere.
DeepMap’s co-founders hope to leverage previous experience with digital mapping, mostly outside the automotive realm. They are going to constantly create and update maps for autonomous vehicles.
To drive the car without people’s efforts is a popular wish. Will you choose a car with this digital navigation maps?
#8. Misty Robotics
Misty Robotics, a spinoff of Sphero, is a hardware company that builds personal robots for homes and offices.
Founded in 2017, it has already received about $11,5 million investments. The founders of Misty Robotics came from other company Sphero to create a special robot for home. It has to be affordable, capable and perform some tasks that people either can’t or simply don’t want to perform. The plan is to bring such robot to each and every home.
Will you like to have such assistant at home?
#9. OpCity
OpCity makes cloud software for real estate brokerages that helps match agents with prospective home buyers. There is no commision for using the service until the deal is closed.
It was founded in 2015 and now has an investment of $27 million. More than 4,000 agents and 350 brokerages in 7 US states have signed on to the platform. First investments were raised from friends and family.
Using data and applied analytics, Opcity’s unique technology and matching algorithm converts online inquiries into transactions, increasing the conversion rate by three to five times the industry average. The plan for the future is to simply expand the geography and amount of this platform users.
Have you ever tried to sell or buy some real estate object? Then you might know how exhausting it is and you would really appreciate OpCity.
#10. Climate Drops Platform
Climate Drops is a Ukrainian startup that put the whole process of money compensation for environment care under control.
There are institutions in Ukraine that have to compensate people money for environment care. These payments are lost because of corruption. Climate Drops solve the problem of losing money among the others. With this app people can earn a certain amount of coins for choosing a bicycle instead of a gasoline car, using solar panels, and warming houses.
For these coins they can drink a cup of coffee for free at a coffee shop, or get discounts and bonuses in stores. Businesses, in their turn, can receive these coins and then sell a part of them to the funds.
Climate Drops Platform was launched in Ukraine in September 2017. The launch started from Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, and Kyiv. The founders of this startup has previous experience with environment care, so they know a lot about this sphere and can create the best possible tool for the causes described. In the nearest future the app will be used in other Ukrainian regions.
Top 10 Startup Ideas
Even startup ideas that seemingly come out of left field can yield incredible success. Read through this list of startup ideas for instant inspiration and get your creative gears turning. The ideas range from travel-oriented, to writing, and food-based ideas.
1. Organize specialty travel tours
Make a specialized travel tour company to cater to individual lifestyle preferences. A tour startup made for solo travelers, a food-based tour geared towards certain diet preferences, or even an age-based tour company could gain traction across various demographics.
2. Create an airport-centric app
Creating an all-in-one app that allows travelers to navigate unfamiliar airports with real-time information is a relatively untapped startup idea. Though various travel applications exist, an app that shows amenities, TSA line wait times, ground transportation options, and airport maps could be useful to passengers.
3. Become a destination wedding planner
Take the stress out of wedding planning for couples and travel to exciting places around the globe. If you love exploring, are great under pressure, and don’t mind working long hours, this could be the startup idea for you.
4. Make local guides
Whether or not you consider yourself a local expert, creating local guides can get you familiar with your surroundings and help tourists enjoy off-the-beaten-path experiences in your area. Make themed guides, highlight attractions, and partner with local businesses for advertising opportunities.
5. Create a local grocery delivery service
A grocery delivery startup can come with minimal setup costs, as all you need is a vehicle and a cell phone to really get started. Help senior citizens or people that are too busy to shop by offering this community-friendly service. You can even approach grocery stores in your area to see if they’re willing to partner with you to get the service off the ground.
6. Start an event planning company
Get in touch with your local community by creating an event planning service in your area. Careful research and networking will be key to success, but you can also start an event planning business remotely for ultimate flexibility.
7. Open a coworking space
Capitalize on the rising popularity of remote work by creating a modern coworking space that addresses pain points of entrepreneurs. Pick a convenient location, build it out with highly sought after amenities, and consider local impact.
8. Start a meal prep business
As proof that we’re busier now than ever before, a whopping 1.9 billion Americans order restaurant takeout for meals. Capitalize on these numbers and start a meal prep service to make people’s lives easier and cater to specialized diets (keto, vegan, Whole30) to appease distinct lifestyles.
9. Create a food waste solution
Creating a startup focused on reducing food waste could not only earn you some serious funding, but also positively change the food system and help save grocery stores and restaurants money.
10. Capitalize on plant-based foods
The plant-based market is exploding, with the sale of plant-based foods growing to over $3.7 billion in 2018. Creating a vegan supermarket or making meat-free versions of traditional foods could be the ticket to success for aspiring entrepreneurs.
What Inspired You to Start a Business?
People are inspired to start businesses for a vast array of personal, conceptual, humanitarian, financial, and/or other reasons. Behind every business is the story of why it was started. Maybe it was to solve a problem the founder was experiencing.
Perhaps it was to capitalize on a gap in the marketplace, or even address an important social issue. Whatever the reason, most entrepreneurs are very passionate about their “why” and love sharing it with fellow business owners.
Creating the solution they wish they had
Alexa von Tobel founded LearnVest, a financial education resource, in response to her own struggles with managing personal finances. She didn’t know how to deal with her credit cards, how to think about her rent or what to do with her money in general.
“I simply said, ‘I wish there was a really great digital platform out there that could help me,’ and LearnVest was born,” said von Tobel.
Being their own boss
Like many business owners, Chelsea Cunningham always had dreams of working for herself. After spending several years working for companies in the automotive industry, she noticed an opportunity to provide specialty title services to dealerships. Cunningham founded The Title Girl to fill that gap and make her entrepreneurial dreams come true.
“I ended up seeing a niche in the business and I decided to take advantage of it,” she said.
Helping fellow small business owners
Ripl’s social media marketing tool makes it easy for small business owners to create engaging, shareable visual content – without spending a huge amount of time or money.
COO Clay McDaniel explained that the company was founded “to put the power of beautiful visual video storytelling in the hands of entrepreneurs.”
Advancing a social cause
Jasmine Crowe spent five years volunteering to feed members of the local homeless population in Atlanta. She founded Goodr, a food surplus management company, as a way to empower others to join in that effort.
“I started thinking, ‘Why aren’t business donating food?’ and I thought we could do better,” Crowe said.
Revitalizing their own community
Jeff Sommers and his wife Lara Hammel enjoyed visiting Grand Ole Creamery in St. Paul, Minnesota, but the handmade ice cream shop was quite far away. The entrepreneurial couple decided to adopt the concept and open up a small-batch ice cream shop just a few blocks away from their house.
The idea behind Izzy’s Ice Cream was to bring that same type of specialty product and experience they loved, just a little closer to home.
“We really thought we could do something for our neighborhood [and] … revive the experience for the community where we were living,” said Sommers.
How do You Encourage a Startup?
Listen to your staff and customers
In order to gather more ideas on how to innovate, you must be open to the recommendations and suggestions of others, especially of your members and your customers.
Create a healthy relationship among your workers and encourage an open discussion if they have brilliant ideas that can help build your startup, boost your marketing and sales, as well as strengthen your brand recognition. Encourage them to share their ideas freely by supporting some of it, and discussing it on your weekly or monthly meetings.
Customers will also be able to help you in finding ways to motivate innovation in your business. There are various approaches to gather such information from your target market, such as taking phone or online surveys to previous and potential clients.
It might not only assist you in finding ways on how you can improve your startup, but also gather insights or solutions to current or impending problems in your company.
Consider all helpful technologies
Mobile devices, or the smartphones and tablets, we have today are highly popular in the business setting for its ability to offer a convenient means to work, even when you are away from the office.
In fact, ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) plans have been implemented and supported by many small to large enterprises in the United States and the United Kingdom. Asian enterprises are also rapidly adopting the trend, as studies have shown that they are the top productivity and office-related app users in the world.
Aside from the smart devices we know today, another form of consumer technology will soon find its spot on the business sector. Based on Alyson Edmunds’ O2 News article, wearables have the potential to assist the workplace, especially in providing and sending data and information hands-free.
However, Edmunds’ said there will be issues in security and privacy once this new device gets implemented in businesses, leaving human resource managers and IT departments in need of updating and implementing stricter policies in using these gadgets for work.
Wearables have also paved the way for a mobile working station for many enterprises through ‘bring your own wearable’ (BYOW) schemes. But, startups will have to consider the supply-side complexity by understanding the right operating system and devices to support.
Currently, there are more than five top wearables on the market today, as listed by O2, there are Android Wear such as the Moto 360, Pebble Original and Steel, and Sony SmartWatch and SmartBand. There are also various systems to consider either the Android Wear, Tizen by Samsung, or the Watch OS of the Apple Watch.
Learn to upgrade and downgrade
As mentioned previously, change is inevitable aspect that every institution must accept in order to succeed in their business plans. Therefore, one phase that you must include in your planning will be learning which ones to upgrade and which ones to downgrade.
Previously, Becky Wilcox wrote that businesses must be able to upgrade their team by providing trainings to management and other staff, updating office technology by adding more IT solutions that are necessary for your business (i.e sufficient voice solutions for call centers), and enhancing your market reach by maximizing on content marketing strategies.
If there’s one item that will require downgrading in your company, then that will be your failures. However, this does not mean that you have to forget all about your mistakes in the past. Rather, apply what you have learned from these failures towards your new attempts today and in the future. It will be beneficial for everyone. This will foster innovation, which leads to rapid success.
Challenge yourself
Nothing will happen if the core foundation of the enterprise, which is you, don’t believe in the capability of your company, staff, and brand to excel. You must be able to challenge yourself by initially facing your fear of change.
Jonathan Fields wrote in his book, Uncertainty, that you must turn your fear and hesitation into energies for brilliant ideas. In order to be successful in any endeavor, you must be able to adapt to change by celebrating it and integrating it in your core values.
It will also be beneficial in your firm if you are able to detect the unaddressed customer needs of your competitors, as it can be your way to revolutionize the market you’re dealing with. By finding your unique market value and tapping into the needs of your target market that your competitors haven’t addressed, you are already one step ahead.
What Are Startup Quotes?
Whether you need motivation to transform that idea of yours into a functioning business or just need a little boost when you’re down in the dumps, it’s never a bad idea to seek wisdom from bright and successful minds who’ve experienced it all before.
Fortunately, from Steve Jobs to Thomas Edison to Richard Branson, there’s no shortage of sources to turn to when you need it most.
So if you’re looking for serious inspiration to combat the daily struggles of startup life, here are 10 uplifting quotes to get you through.
1. “Diligence is the mother of good luck.”–Benjamin Franklin
2. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” –Steve Jobs, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Apple
3. “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t–you’re right.”–Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company
4. “Chase the vision, not the money; the money will end up following you.”–Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos
5. “Starting your own business is like riding a roller coaster. There are highs and lows and every turn you take is another twist. The lows are really low, but the highs can be really high. You have to be strong, keep your stomach tight, and ride along with the roller coaster that you started.”–Lindsay Manseau, photographer and entrepreneur
6. “As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.” –Donald Trump, president of the Trump Organization
7. “The value of an idea lies in the using of it.”–Thomas Edison, co-founder of General Electric
8. “Bad shit is coming. It always is in a startup. The odds of getting from launch to liquidity without some kind of disaster happening are one in a thousand. So don’t get demoralized.”–Paul Graham, co-founder of Y Combinator
9. “Make every detail perfect and limit the number of details to perfect.”–Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter
10. “What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone, know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed.”–Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s
What Are Some Innovative Startup Ideas?
1. Information technologies
You probably already know how much the online business is worth. If you’re there, stay put this year. Focus on your business strength to be profitable, especially in the long run.
If you’re new to IT, it might help to note projections by research consultancy IDC. They hint to global infotech scaling to a $5.2 trillion industry this year. Impressive, right?
And if you’re looking into US business ideas for 2022 in particular, those numbers will work even better. The same source details 30% of this market as being based in the US.
2. Leave airlines behind
UBS has projected that traveling to outer space will be a part of a $20 billion-per-year industry by the end of this decade. That means that the current valuation of a $400 billion market will double in two decades for space tourism. Did that catch your attention, yet?
Wait until you look into rockets that are doing testing. We’re seriously aiming at populating Mars now. So this field promises to be a vision changer for many investors. Take a serious look at it!
3. Dig into robotics
Tech is surrounding us with automation. It’s hard to ignore that. Yet, there’s also lots of room for growth before machines get close to taking over.
So, after a big breath, consider how there’s plenty of space in robotics for innovative startup ideas for 2022, such as SpaceX has done. The plus side to this business is that it’s also bound to last many more years.
4. Go green with plastic
Caring about the planet can be a great business — especially if we consider the state of our glaciers and oceans.
On the positive side, consumers seem more worried now about climate change and reusable materials than before. So, investing in reusable bags promises quite a profit! Filtered and reusable bottles, like the Ocean Bottle, have also become more famous as startup initiatives, too.
You could think about making the best of people’s awareness with more eco-friendly daily devices.
5. More people are co-working
The regular 9 to 5 job schedule is also getting old as a working model. Remote workers, on the other hand, are fleeing the office scenario. With digital nomad figures on the rise, as well, this new audience seems to have a constant need for more comfort than a coffee shop. Who can blame them?
It’s only natural that newer generations are seeking co-working spaces more and more. They need to fit their online business world into their travel plans. And these adjustments promise a lucrative alternative to WeWork.
6. Ensure privacy and security
Identity theft can break you in our current era. And that makes online security a very relevant business idea.
Also, as the tech world expands, so does the need for efficient cybersecurity. Take this into account for the innovation part of your startup.
7. Consider the ever-booming VR
One of the most innovative startup ideas for 2022 has to do with virtual reality (VR), a long-standing part of the tech industry.
As a whole, this kind of technology is achieving more realistic sensory experiences. And with that power, it has become profitable not only in enhanced gaming but also for improved services across diverse markets.
When translated right, VR can bring realistic experiences as improvements in wellness and real estate. It can also do that for mere on-screen entertainment and private online interaction.
Did that leave you thinking, already?
8. Focus on digital marketing
For this one, we need to consider how providing digital marketing services is a large playing field. And lead generation for small businesses is growing. What we want to say is that much innovation is possible in this market. Especially across various areas at once.
For example, digital marketing includes e-commerce as much as graph design. It means going from SEO writing to management of content. And it can also entail working on websites and social media.
To create your rising startup’s unique offer, consider how your services can improve the current offer at which ideal location.
9. More extensive use of smart earphones
Beat traditional earphone production with a few features. We can mention noise cancellation, fitness stats, and wifi tech, to the very minimum. With an estimated 7% market growth, GrandView Research has put wifi earphones at a $15.80 billion market expectation by 2025.
Product differentiation will be a big one for any starting business in this market.
With the booming number of portable devices, such as phones and tablets, it’s worth it to take a look at smart earphone opportunities for business options.
10. Power solar solutions
If it isn’t already, going solar will be a no brainer. Providing solar power solutions makes up for a grand innovative startup idea for 2022! You can also take advantage of federal tax breaks. And individual and business users save money. Better yet, you all make money off long-term utility services. It’s a win all around!
What Are Some Good Business Ideas?
If you are thinking of starting a business in 2021, it is critical to take the new normal into account. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so much about how people consume products and services.
While starting a retail business or restaurant might have been good ideas previously, you might be best served to reconsider those thoughts until you see how the next year plays out. Instead of some more traditional businesses, think about those that can support how people are now living their lives.
No matter what type of business you pursue you’ll want to create a sound business plan, but many of the ideas on this list only require a credit card processing partner to accept payments to get started.
If you’re ready to run your own business, consider any of these great business ideas.
1. Consultant
If you are knowledgeable and passionate about a specific topic (business, social media, marketing, human resources, leadership, communication, etc.), starting a consultant business can be a lucrative option. You can start your consulting business on your own, then grow your business and hire other consultants over time.
2. Online reseller
Those passionate about clothing and/or sales may want to consider starting an online reseller business. Although it takes a lot of time and dedication – and an eye for fashion – this is a great idea that you can start as a side hustle and turn into a full-time resale business.
You can start by using online store websites like Poshmark and Mercari to sell your unwanted clothing, eventually expanding to your own resale website.
3. Online teaching
The demand for online education has opened up a wide possibility for entrepreneurs to start their own ventures. Since this is an online business idea, you can choose any subject you are knowledgeable about and teach a course regardless of your location. If you don’t have advanced knowledge in any particular subject, you can always consider teaching English as a foreign language online to students overseas.
4. Online bookkeeping
As with education, technology allows many bookkeeping services to be performed online. If you are an accountant or bookkeeper who wants the freedom and autonomy of running your own business, you can take advantage of modern technology to start your own online bookkeeping service, taking on other companies as clients.
5. Medical courier service
If you have a reliable vehicle and good time management skills, you may want to consider creating your own courier service – more specifically, a medical courier service. As a driver, you would be responsible for transporting medical items like lab specimens, prescription drugs and equipment.
The healthcare industry is expanding, which is great for medical courier service job stability. You could start your courier business on your own or hire other drivers to work for you.
6. App developer
If you are knowledgeable and experienced in technology, you may want to consider a career in app development. Smartphones have become an everyday accessory for many Americans, which has increased demand for mobile apps. Similarly, virtual reality software has become popular in recent years, so there is also a demand for VR app development.
7. Transcription service
If you have a good ear and can type quickly, a transcription service is a great business idea that allows you to work from home with a flexible schedule. Medical transcription services are especially needed as voice recognition technology proliferates for healthcare provider dictation.
If you’re not looking to start all at once, or if you have a day job you would like to keep for the time being, you can accept as few or many transcription jobs as you’d like. To boost your business prospects and justify charging more, consider becoming a certified transcriptionist and delving into a few specialties.
Medical transcriptionists typically charge 6 to 14 cents per line of transcription, which can quickly add up. The typical turnaround time for transcription work is 24 hours, so it’s important to stay on top of the jobs you accept.
However, the flexibility to accept only a few requests to get started means you can scale up as you are ready, making transcription an easy service to start up slowly. Best of all, there is very little startup cost and overhead. You simply need a computer, the appropriate software and a secure messaging service.
8. Professional organizer
Looking for a business idea that can really “spark joy”? Professional organizers, like Marie Kondo, help people declutter and minimize for a living. In an age of materialism, many people are desperate to downsize and take control over their possessions, rather than letting their things possess them.
Minimalism is becoming extremely popular, but people often find it hard to part with things they’ve owned for a long time. Part of being a professional organizer is helping clients develop a system for downsizing and keeping things that way.
If you’re a highly organized person who enjoys making spaces functional and comfortable, you might be good at coaching others to do the same. People will pay you to help them devise a method of minimizing their possessions and then maintaining an organized space.
To promote your business, ask if your clients will let you take before and after photos of the areas of their homes you’ve organized, and use those to create a portfolio that you can put on social media to attract more clients.
9. Cleaning service
If you like to clean, you can easily turn it into a business. With a few staff members, a host of cleaning supplies and transportation, you can offer cleaning services to homeowners, apartment complexes and commercial properties.
Most cleaning services charge between $25 and $50 per hour. Cleaning services are straightforward businesses that require relatively little overhead; you simply need planning, dedication and marketing to get your business noticed.
If you’re looking to differentiate yourself from other cleaning services, consider adding premium options like floor waxing or exterior power washing for an additional fee. These services could be the deciding factor between your new cleaning service and seasoned companies that maintain too large a client list to provide that level of cleaning.
10. Freelance copywriter
If you’re a natural wordsmith with a bit of marketing knowledge, you can establish yourself as a freelance copywriter. Whether you write blogs, web content or press releases, plenty of companies will pay for your services.
You can increase your value by bringing SEO knowledge to the table to help your clients craft a strategy to attack specific keywords that their target audience is already using in their online searches. Most freelance copywriters charge $40 to $50 per hour, but those with expertise in a given vertical could charge even more.
Freelance copywriting is a great business to run, because as long as you have an internet connection, you can work. It’s a business that you can operate from the comfort of your own home, or even from the road if you travel. If you establish a large enough network and gain referrals from satisfied clients, you could even make freelance writing your full-time job.
Which is The Key to Business Success?
There are ten critical areas where your ability to think largely determines the success or failure of your business. The greater clarity you have in each of these areas, the better decisions you will make and better results you will achieve.
Key Purpose
What is the purpose of a business? Many people think that the purpose of a business is to earn a profit, but they are wrong. The true purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer. Fully 50 percent of your time, efforts, and expenses should be focused on creating and keeping customers in some way.
Key Measure
The key measure of business success is customer satisfaction. Your ability to satisfy your customers to such a degree that they buy from you rather than from someone else, that they buy again, and that they bring their friends is the key determinant of growth and profitability.
Key Requirement
The key requirement for wealth building and business success is for you to add value in some way. All wealth comes from adding value. All business growth and profitability come from adding value. Every day, you must be looking for ways to add more and more value to the customer experience.
Key Focus
The most important person in the business is the customer. You must focus on the customer at all times. Customers are fickle, disloyal, changeable, impatient, and demanding-just like you. Nonetheless, the customer must be the central focus of everything you do in business.
Key Word
In life, work, and business, you will always be rewarded in direct proportion to the value of your contribution to others, as they see it. The focus on outward contribution, to your company, your customers, and your community, is the central requirement for you to become an ever more valuable person, in every area.
Key Question
The most important question you ask, to solve any problem, overcome any obstacle, or achieve any business goal is “How?” Top people always ask the question “How?” and then act on the answers that come to them.
Key Strategy
In a world of rapid change and continuing aggressive competition, you must practice continuous improvement in every area of your business and personal life. As Pat Riley, the basketball coach, said, “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.” I have found that business coaching is an easy way to continuously improve yourself, your business, and your life.
Key Activity
The heartbeat of your business is sales. Dun & Bradstreet analyzed thousands of companies that had gone broke over the years and concluded that the number-one reason for business failure was “low sales.” When they researched further, they found that the number-one reason for business success was “high sales.” And all else was commentary.
Key Number
The most important number in business is cash flow. Cash flow is to the business as blood and oxygen are to the brain. You can have every activity working efficiently in your business, but if your cash flow is cut off for any reason, the business can die, sometimes overnight.
Key Goal
Every business must have a growth plan. Growth must be the goal of all your business activities. You should have a goal to grow 10 percent, 20 percent, or even 30 percent each year. Some companies grow 50 percent and 100 percent per year, and not by accident. The only real growth is profit growth.
Profit growth is always measurable in what is called “free cash flow.” This is the actual amount of money that the business throws off each month, each quarter, and each year, above and beyond the total cost and expense of running a business.
Where Can I Promote my Startup?
When you have launched a startup or prototype, one of the most important strategies to prove is your business concept and gaining early user traction. If you’re like most startup founders, you don’t have much money, nor do you have enough money to hire a PR agency.
However, to become a great entrepreneur means you have the inquisitiveness to look elsewhere to get your startup liftoff. To gain further product validation and reach product/market fit quickly, so you can scale, there are many platforms available to help you engage with your target users.
1. Hacker News
Hacker News is a great platform if you have a startup serving a technical audience. It’s a great service and if want to target the tech people, then it can be a great community to promote your offering to a community of hackers and entrepreneurs.
It currently has 150k plus subscribers and guess what, the subscription is free! You can see how one entrepreneur used hacker news to help him nearly receive over 70,000 hits in just one day.
2. Product Hunt
Product Hunt is now the forefront when it comes to showcasing your product to the startup world. It is a great platform to promote services on Technology, games or books, and well, pretty much everything. It has voting system which enables your product to rise in the list of new products.
The benefits of Product Hunt if something goes viral, similar to Hacker news, can significantly grow your startup very quickly. If you are looking to attract customers who are always in search of newer products, then Product Hunt, which has more than 90k subscribers. Subscription is free.
3. Betalist
Betalist has been around for a few years now. It has been home to featuring some of the world’s biggest startups today as we know them, before they launched. These include the likes of Pinterest, About.me, IFITT, Nuji, Skillshare and many more.
This platform will help you feature in 48 hours if you pay $129 as a subscription fee to promote new products to people looking for new staff. Free subscription may take pretty long time to get featured in a platform of 25k users.
4. Index.co
Index.co was unveiled recently by one of the co-founders of The Next Web, Patrick de Laive. Index’s purpose is to be a business intelligence tool that tracks thousands of tech companies around the world.
Index’s aim is to make tools for gathering information on tech companies “previously only available for Wall Street and the Fortune 500 companies – for the ‘Main Street’. Index.co will help you create your own customisable stream of companies, locations and markets to track. You can sign up for your company profile get updated easily for no fee for a platform which has now more than around 7k users.
5. Reddit-Side Projects
Reddit is fantastic when it comes to getting very quick feedback and have discussions on any topic around the Web. Reddit-Side projects is a great subreddit for new startups to get feedback on ideas for businesses and small side projects. Being engaged with the community of 9k subscribers will help you sell your idea more for no fee at all.
6. Reddit-Entrepreneur
Reddit-Entrepreneur is not a place to submit your startup, but you can tell stories for free about your product to of 100k+ subscribers.
There is a likely chance with more discussion around your startup story or entrepreneurial concept, that you may get featured on the front page. The only limitation is that you need over 10 karma points, but if you’re an avid Reddit user, this is perfect to launch your startup.
7. Angellist
If you need funds to raise funding for your startup, Angellist is a great platform to build a community that will help you get seed funding. Within the startup world, it’s one of the best directories for exhibiting startups globally. It’s now also starting to become a social network, meaning you can connect with investors and high-net worth professionals to help receive funding for your startup.
8. Designer News
Have startup product or service that can help designers? Designer News can be a great place to promote your product then as you will be able to target designers in a platform of 17k subscribers who get to sign up free of charge.
9. Erli Bird
Despite this title stating that you can launch your startup for virtually nothing, I couldn’t leave out the platform Erli Bird which can provide incredible value. Erli Bird is a fantastic platform for rigorous and highly-detailed feedback in relation to technical issues, business modelling, pricing, and many more topic areas. There is a three step process and you have to be accepted into the program to see the benefits.
They recruit over 50,000+ real world users to form a focus group for your startup. The subscription fee is around $149 if you intend to target early adopters to beta test your product for platforms like IOS, Android etc. However, the customer reviews seem very well worth the financial investment.
10. SignUpFirst
SignUpFirst is a unique platform unlike other out there, and taps into the growth hacking practice of referral marketing. The concept is for both founders submitting their product, and an opportunity for users and customers, to get their hands on great discounts and deals.
It can be best described as a crowdfunding site but for signups startups in beta. It is an ideal platform to provide incentive to potential customers to get your product if it is still in its development phase. You can state the number of sign ups you want in your site and state the reward you are offering. All for free.
What to Say to Someone Who Has Started a New Business
Starting a business isn’t an easy task at all. It often requires a lot of time, courage, determination, perseverance and a lot of money. As a result of how challenging being an entrepreneur can be, your entrepreneur family members and friends, who have ventured into entrepreneurship, need all the support they can get from you.
And one of the best ways to show love and support to new businesses or startups, besides patronizing their products and services, is by sending them best wishes and inspirational messages to motivate and inspire them.
Here, we have some of the best good luck messages and wishes that you can send to your entrepreneur family member, or friend, or acquaintance to wish them well on the bold adventure they are undertaking and let them know that you are supporting them all the way.
1. My best wishes to you for starting your business. I hope for nothing but the growth of the business. Good luck.
2. I want to congratulate you on your new business venture. May your business grow and bring you prosperity. Best wishes.
3. I want to congratulate you for finally becoming your own boss. There’s nothing more rewarding than being you own boss. I’m happy for you and wish you all the best with your business. I know you’re going to achieve remarkable things with it.
4. Best wishes to you, my friend on your new business venture. May your business live to see the light of the day. I’m so happy for you. Congratulations.
5. I want to congratulate you on your news business. You have finally become your own boss and can now call all the shots. I wish you success. Good luck, my friend.
6. Your creativity and courage have eventually led you to open your own business, and I’m so proud of you. I have every reason to believe that your hard work and perseverance will lead to the success of this business. Congratulations and good luck for your startup.
7. I always knew that you were destined for great things in life. May this new business of yours bring you prosperity and happiness. Big congratulations to you on starting you new business.
8. May good luck always accompany you as you run your new business. I know you are going to succeed big time because I believe in your abilities. Congratulations.
9. As you venture on your new business, I pray that success keeps finding its way to your doorstep. I strongly believe that this is the start of something BIG. Congratulations!
10. I was super excited when I heard that you were starting your own business. And now that you have finally set it in motion, I’m so proud of you. I am confident that you’ll be successful. Best wishes on this awesome venture.
How Can I Promote my Business Locally?
90% of consumers used the internet to find a local business in the last year. That’s why businesses have to show up when people are searching for local companies online.
Below, let’s review the top strategies to promote your business locally.
1. Plan out your process with a marketing strategy template.
Before you spend any money or develop any creatives, take some time to document your steps, budget, and expectations with a custom marketing plan. Starting here will help you think through any possible roadblocks and organize your plans more concretely.
2. Advertise with local audience targeting.
Online advertising is one of the main ways to show up in local searches. In fact, you should use both social media and search engine advertising to promote your business locally.
With local advertising, you’ll have to set up location targeting and write copy that uses specific language targeted to your local audience.
And with marketing tools like HubSpot, you can use local audience targeting directly in your software.
With local audience targeting, you can choose a specific location to show your ad. This means using zip codes or geographic regions.
However, local audience targeting isn’t just about selecting a certain location. It’s also about using the right keywords and the right language to appeal to that audience.
For instance, you can use locations in your page titles and meta descriptions. Just adding the words “Orange County” in your description could mean the difference between a click and a scroll by.
Additionally, you should use tools like Google Trends to see which keywords are more popular in a given location. If you serve several locations, you might choose one keyword over the other.
In my example, perhaps the term “fitness instructor” is more popular than “personal trainer” in Southern California. If that’s the case, then personal trainers should adjust the language in their ads.
Alongside advertising, you might be investing in public relations as well. If so, don’t forget to have a local PR strategy.
3. Create a blog strategy catering to a local audience.
You can use your blog to attract the right audience and convert visitors who are interested in your product. This is especially true for local businesses.
To start, blogging is an important SEO strategy to consider. By creating educational content, you can rank for local keywords and raise brand awareness.
The more content you have that ranks, the better.
Plus, with HubSpot’s marketing tool, you can get instant SEO suggestions for your blogs as you write them.
To further promote your local business, you can cater your blogging strategy to your local audience. This means that you can create blogs like “best places to eat in OC” if you have a restaurant.
Local guides and tips and tricks posts are popular among local audiences. When users are searching for a local business online, you want your blogs to appear on search results.
4. Post locally appealing content to social media.
So, in case I haven’t said it enough, posting local content is a great way to attract a local audience.
I’m repeating this idea because it’s that important, whether we’re discussing blog posts, search strategies, or social media.
I’ll say it again: The content you post should appeal to your local audiences.
In regards to social media, this means that you’re using the right hashtags for your area and tagging the locations in your posts.
Additionally, being active on social media can help you rank higher in search engines. The more active you are online, the easier it is for local audiences to find you.
Again, using a marketing tool like HubSpot can help you do this in one place.
5. Get set up with online directories.
Don’t forget to get set up with online directories. It’s perhaps one of the most important components of promoting your business locally.
This includes directories such as Google My Business, Yelp, Facebook, or Bing. Tools like Moz Local can help you get this done in one place.
With data aggregator tools, your local information will be sent out to several directories. Plus, they can help keep your data consistent.
Having a different address or phone number on your Facebook and Google will confuse your audience. When audiences are confused, they stop considering your company in their purchasing decision.
That’s why it’s so important that your name, address, and phone number (NAP) is consistent online.
Additionally, your online directory listings should include reviews. Reviews are one of the main factors of a user’s purchasing decision when looking at local businesses. Just think back to my search for a personal trainer. I only considered the highly rated trainers.
Plus, all of this helps with your local SEO. Being visible on directories and in reviews can help improve your search rankings, making it easier to find you online.
6. Be involved in the community.
While promoting your business locally can seem like a hard task, just being involved in your community can make a big difference.
Community events are a great way to get in front of your local audience.
For example, if there’s a local fundraiser, maybe you want to become a sponsor. Or perhaps you want to get involved with local charities. Or maybe you want to become involved with the local chamber of commerce.
These tactics can help you raise brand awareness locally and promote your business to your local audience.
How do I Start my Own Business?
Starting a business involves planning, making key financial decisions, and completing a series of legal activities. Check below to learn about each step.
1. Conduct market research
Market research will tell you if there’s an opportunity to turn your idea into a successful business. It’s a way to gather information about potential customers and businesses already operating in your area. Use that information to find a competitive advantage for your business.
2. Write your business plan
Your business plan is the foundation of your business. It’s a roadmap for how to structure, run, and grow your new business. You’ll use it to convince people that working with you — or investing in your company — is a smart choice.
3. Fund your business
Your business plan will help you figure out how much money you’ll need to start your business. If you don’t have that amount on hand, you’ll need to either raise or borrow the capital. Fortunately, there are more ways than ever to find the capital you need.
4. Pick your business location
Your business location is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Whether you’re setting up a brick-and-mortar business or launching an online store, the choices you make could affect your taxes, legal requirements, and revenue.
5. Choose a business structure
The legal structure you choose for your business will impact your business registration requirements, how much you pay in taxes, and your personal liability.
6. Choose your business name
It’s not easy to pick the perfect name. You’ll want one that reflects your brand and captures your spirit. You’ll also want to make sure your business name isn’t already being used by someone else.
7. Register your business
Once you’ve picked the perfect business name, it’s time to make it legal and protect your brand. If you’re doing business under a name different than your own, you’ll need to register with the federal government, and maybe your state government, too.
8. Get federal and state tax IDs
You’ll use your employer identification number (EIN) for important steps to start and grow your business, like opening a bank account and paying taxes. It’s like a social security number for your business. Some — but not all — states require you to get a tax ID as well.
9. Apply for licenses and permits
Keep your business running smoothly by staying legally compliant. The licenses and permits you need for your business will vary by industry, state, location, and other factors.
10. Open a business bank account
A small business checking account can help you handle legal, tax, and day-to-day issues. The good news is it’s easy to set one up if you have the right registrations and paperwork ready.
What is The Best Business For Startup?
The first step to becoming a successful entrepreneur is finding a business idea that works for you. Below you’ll walk away with some small business ideas you can start from home and scale up as your clientele grows.
1. Handyman
Are you always fixing things around the house? Often on-call when friends need small projects completed? Create a website, conduct a competitive analysis to determine what your time and expertise are worth, and turn to the friends you’ve helped before for referrals.
2. Woodworker
Similarly, if you have a passion for crafting beautiful furniture or other home goods out of wood, that could be a small business niche for you. Get started by listing a few of your pieces on sites like Etsy. Once you build a following, consider starting a website, accepting custom orders, or expanding to refinishing work and upholstery.
3. Online Dating Consultant
Dating consultants usually charge for their time. They help people create successful online dating profiles, source possible matches from outside the typical online channels, and offer a level of personalization that a site like Tinder can’t. Think you’ve got a knack for the match? This might be the business for you.
4. Sewing and Alteration Specialist
People will always need clothing hemmed and buttons mended — and you could be the person to do it. If you love sewing, start by offering simple services like those mentioned above and expand your repertoire to dressmaking and design as you build a customer base and demand.
5. Freelance Developer
From building websites for other small businesses to providing technical support for certain projects, quality web development is in high demand right now. As a web developer, you’ll naturally have a technical skill set. Distill your knowledge and expertise so customers who don’t have your experience are able to understand what it is you’ll be helping them achieve.
To help with this, test your messaging on friends and family who don’t have a firm understanding of the work you do. If they’re able to summarize what you do, your messaging is likely effective among people outside of your industry.
6. Personal Trainer
Offer in-home consultations, personalized nutrition and exercise regimens, and community boot camps to get the word out. Don’t forget to populate an Instagram feed with inspirational quotes, free exercise videos, and yummy snack ideas as well — it’s a common way for fitness gurus to build their brands in our digital world.
If you choose to go this route, it’s OK to start small at first, then scale up. For instance, MOURfit is a personal training business in Indianapolis that started in a shared gym, then grew to a private gym that offers group fitness, personal training, and nutrition services.
7. Freelance Graphic Designer
Set your own hours, choose your projects, and build a portfolio and business you’re proud of. From website design to blog graphics and more, many companies seek out experienced graphic designers for support on a variety of projects.
8. Life/ Career Coach
If you have experience navigating career, personal, and social transitions successfully, put it to good use as a life or career coach. Many of us are looking for guidance in our careers — and finding someone with the time to mentor us can be tough.
Life/ career coaches don’t come cheap, but they are able to offer clients the intense and hands-on training and advice they need to make serious moves in their personal and professional lives. After all, everyone needs some uplifting advice from time to time.
9. Resume Writer
Creating a resume, cover letter, and — when necessary — portfolio for a new job can be tough and time consuming. That’s why many people hire help. Assist clients with tailored resumes, beautifully edited cover letters, and carefully-crafted portfolios that make it impossible for employers to ignore.
10. Freelance Writer
If you have writing skills, there’s someone out there willing to pay you for them. Write blog posts, magazine articles, and website copy galore — just make sure you have a body of work built up to share with potential clients. Even if you create a few sample pieces to have on hand, they’ll help exhibit your work and attract new business.
Which Business is Good in Lockdown?
1. Become a Business Consultant
Most of the businesses these days operate from remote and as a business consultant, you would need expert guidance for handling digital processes related to managing a business. Make use of these tools for providing expert assistance over how to conduct successful marketing campaigns, etc. and see your business thrive.
2. Take Up Digital Marketing Projects
Offline events and other traditional marketing practices have taken the back seat. You can help businesses reach out to their target customers through online channels and earn money. If you build a decent client base now, you can start with your own digital marketing setup post the lockdown.
3. Get into Online Teaching
Reach out to an increasing number of students who are struggling to continue with their studies during the lockdown. You can connect with them through online webinars and video sessions to explain different concepts effectively.
4. Start with Freelancing Projects
There is a huge demand for freelancing tasks related to translation, content writing, graphic designing, etc. Join websites like Upwork and Freelancer to get freelancing projects as per your expertise. Build a good reputation with clients today, and you can continue with this small business idea in the future also.
5. Become a YouTuber
There is a huge spike in the number of people watching videos online during the lockdown. The platform is set, so why not make the most of it! Whether you are into food, interior designing, gardening, dancing or art & crafts, create professional-quality videos to get followers on YouTube. This YouTube marketing small business idea can become your consistent revenue stream in the future.
6. Start Your Own Blog Page
If you love to express your ideas through words and know how SERP works, it’s time to start your own blog page. A blog page is a good revenue source, as you can earn through affiliated ads and sponsored posts.
7. Website Development
People are starting their own website, getting into new home-based businesses, making their own blog pages, and a lot more at the time of lockdown. If you are into website development, you can easily take up freelancing projects and help other businesses flourish.
8. Sell Healthcare Products
If you can create masks and gloves in bulk, it’s one of the best ways to generate some income at these difficult times. You can sell hand-made gloves and masks to chemist stores and online to earn money.
9. Get into Art & Craft Products
It’s time to explore your creativity and turn it into a profession. Use the unused items in your house to create different art and craft products, which you can sell to your contacts, your neighbours, those living in your society, etc. You can also start your own website and social media pages to increase the reach online.
10. Join a Referral Program
Many companies have their own referral programs, which you can join for free. Their business model is such that you earn some amount of commission on every lead you share or product you sell. This is a great earning source for those who have strong networking skills.
Is Startup a Good Idea?
Startups are mushrooming in large numbers all over the world. Apart from introducing everyone to new innovations and ideas, they are also employing numerous people from diverse domains, especially the youth.
Even experienced people, particularly from the consultancy sector, are opting to work in startups. Let us analyze why taking the plunge and entering the startup world can be an exciting proposition:
Responsibilities are more but you learn more too
Working in a startup means you are an important member of a small team. The unique way in which you approach and solve a problem will be definitely noticed. While you do that, the process of learning will be enhanced too. A startup has less people so everybody’s role is important.
This leads to being more responsible, reliable, versatile and willing to explore so as to improve. In a big organization, the importance of one team member in a big team might not be that prominent. The empowerment and the authority to take decisions when required in a startup make it easier to work efficiently.
Loads of opportunities
A startup may not pay as well as a comfy corporate job. However, there are other benefits. Some of these are incentives and attaining new skills while doing various tasks. Gaining that experience will compensate for the pay cut in the long term.
Read Also: Earn A Living As A Ticket Broker
In a corporate job, one is stuck in his own task and has fewer chances to branch out into other fields. It is structured but it is monotonous too. Doing different things is definitely exciting.
Pioneering mindset of innovative people around
It has been observed that people who take the risk to start their own business are high on ideas and welcome any kind of crazy perspective too. This leads to exploring more and ultimately being original. The novel approach of everyone around, especially the founders will help you to see the other side of the coin and approach things in an unusual way.
You will be challenged but work will be recognized
In a startup, it is hard to ignore a person who is doing a good job because it is very much visible. If the credit is due, it will certainly be yours. If it is team work, the small yet efficient team will be appreciated. However, be careful your mistakes will be noticed too but that will make you get rid of them which means striving for perfection…and that is never a bad thing!
Lively work environment
Anyone who is a part of a startup will tell you that he can easily chill out with his team or even bosses after work. A startup mostly employs young people who have the zeal and determination to give their best. The excitement of working with people you like will make solving issues easier because you can always walk up to the person and have a one-on-one discussion.
Teams in a new organization are close-knit groups and even the founders are actively participating in each task. Money is not flowing like river as founders will be concerned about managing budgets.
Nevertheless, the joy and pride of building something from scratch is sure to fill you up with a positive energy which will not only make you feel good about yourself but also will reward you in the long term when the organization is well-established and steadily growing.
