Editor’s note: This article was first published in March 2018. Several references reflect the years after the 2008 crisis, such as even in times of crisis. The anecdote about adding a Facebook Like button and the prices of 5 to 20 euros are also of their time.
This time we’re not going to reinvent the wheel with the business ideas we present, but we hope this serves as a reminder that one of the businesses small entrepreneurs are betting on most today involves starting a small business without renting commercial premises, sometimes to earn some extra income from home. So if you’re asking yourself what you can start from home, we hope this goes some way towards answering that.
That said, let me remind you that you need to be very clear about whether the laws of your country allow you to carry out certain activities in your own home, or whether your neighbours’ association will object to some of them.
See also: Tips for starting a business from home
For example, in many countries it’s feasible to run a small nursery in your own home, but in Spain at least, it’s not something they’ll make very easy for you. In the same way, the classic idea of making sweets or home-cooked food in your own kitchen might be fine at some point as a way to earn extra money, but the moment it turns into a more prosperous business, you could run into problems. Exactly: if the company Big Dipper had been based in Spain, instead of becoming a millionaire its founder would have been reported three times over.
See also: 22 creative and profitable business ideas
Business ideas you can start at home without commercial premises
1. Yoga instructor
The number of people interested in this Eastern discipline is growing. Even in times of crisis, many people don’t skimp on treating themselves to a few days a week of this kind of therapy, which helps maintain physical and mental balance. You can run this business from your own home by fitting out a space or a room, and some people even use their garden to practise outdoors.
You can also offer home visits for more personalised sessions, or set up groups to practise in some quiet spot away from the city.
2. Express clothing alterations
Since the big clothing stores stopped offering a personalised alterations service (most of them, at least), there’s a business opportunity for people who know how to sew. Where I’m from, if I buy a suit on a Saturday afternoon, I know where to go to have it ready in two hours or first thing on Sunday morning.
What’s more, I can even drop it off on a Sunday. When I’m away from home, I don’t know where to find this service, because when you search online you rarely see an ad from someone offering a quick weekend service. You won’t get rich with this business, but it will give you some extra income to weather the crisis.
3. Personal trainer
Some time ago we talked about the personal trainer business, perhaps aimed more at a luxury market, although with growing supply and demand the hourly rate of a personal trainer is starting to come down. If the trainer also has some knowledge of sports nutrition, that can add extra value.
It used to be said that in Spain, personal training wasn’t a profitable business because there was no demand. Believe me when I tell you that today more and more personal trainers make a living from it.
4. Computer repair for businesses and individuals
Clearly, if you’re good with computers, electronics or fixing household appliances, you can set aside a space in your home to earn extra money with this service, and if it works, who knows, it could even become a profitable company. Advertising this kind of service is easy these days, because you have classified ads, social networks and so on.
5. Tutoring and private lessons
There’s not much to say about this way of making money, which has been around for a long time. If your experience allows you to give support classes to university students and prepare them for exams in those subjects they tend to get stuck on, go ahead. However, there’s no reason to focus only on students.
Why not give some classes on how to write a good CV to find a job, or classes on any other subject you’re good at?
See also: 40 innovative business ideas
6. Removing personal data or false information online
There are already companies that do this. With the freedom of the internet, anyone can deliberately and maliciously discredit another person. Likewise, some people want to remove personal data indexed by search engines, and that’s where a professional in this area would come in. That said, most companies now have a section where anyone can request that information be removed.
In a previous article we explained what happens to our digital property and identity once we die, and we saw that there are certain things we need to do while we’re alive. Some people lack the experience and others lack the time, but there’s clearly business to be had in this sector.
7. Personal and/or business coaching
Coaching is spreading to more and more areas of everyday life. You can find sports coaches, personal coaches, management coaches and so on. Many people need to steer their lives properly and to be taught how to handle certain situations.
The real effectiveness of coaches has often been questioned, although the truth is that many people say they have discovered the secret to setting their lives on the right course.
Likewise, executives who lost their jobs because of the crisis can always offer their experience and training to guide a company’s staff and add some value for its leaders.
8. Personal finance coach
One thing I’ve learned from all this time writing about money is that some people don’t have even the most basic knowledge of finance and investing. We’re not talking about acting as an investment intermediary, but about helping people understand how money works, the types of investment vehicles, the types of financial markets, how to make a first investment in equities, and so on.
This is basically what I’ve been doing for some time in my articles on investing and financial education, although many people would pay for the chance to have someone come to their home who can adapt to a beginner’s level in finance and investing, and answer every question that comes up.
9. Virtual bookkeeper
Over the course of the week, many people, entrepreneurs and small business owners have small accounting questions that go unanswered because they aren’t important enough to justify a visit to an accountant’s office. How much does a bit of accounting advice or a quick explanation online cost? You set the price, and if it’s cheap, many people won’t be left with those small doubts.
10. Virtual assistant
We’ve talked about this role before. A virtual assistant can offer anything from basic services to companies to genuine professional collaborations. A company may hire a virtual assistant to take its calls from their own home in a particular situation.
It may hire one for a one-off spike in workload, such as a backlog of invoices, payroll, project presentations and so on. In a previous article we covered an unusual virtual assistance company, in case it gives you any ideas.
11. Wedding planning
This business idea is very popular in the United States, while in Spain it may be aimed more at the luxury market. Perhaps the approach could be changed in our country to offer a little help to two people who want to get married.
Because of work, some people don’t have much time to prepare every detail of the wedding, so it never hurts to have a little help from someone who can pick up the dress, choose the church, the decorations and so on. Or they can plan a dream wedding.
That would be the basic service; if you think you can turn this way of making money into a large business specialising in wedding planning, go ahead. Like other professions, the role of wedding planner is becoming more and more important in our country.
See also: 33 businesses with a future
12. Photography is one of the businesses you can start from home
We can agree that photography is a very saturated profession, but I have to tell you that good taste is in very short supply. If you’re a good photographer, creative and with good taste, you shouldn’t have trouble making money from this profession, which you can start without commercial premises at first.
While a photography enthusiast can advertise to shoot weddings, first communions and christenings, they can also approach the people who advertise in the “contacts” section of the classifieds, because the truth is that even sex workers are facing growing competition, so having professional photos will help them stand out.
They also tend to have their own individual websites, so you can put together a professional portfolio for them.
13. Services for bloggers and YouTubers
The number of people starting out in the business of blogs and YouTube channels is growing.
Some need a custom website and don’t know how to build one. Others want a particular kind of blog or want to customise their space. Anything can be learned, but the truth is that sometimes, for a modest amount of money, it’s better to pay than to rack your brains.
Honestly, the first time I went to add the Facebook “Like” button under a post title, it took me more than an hour. I wouldn’t have minded paying 5, 10 or 20 euros for some of the more complex installations on the site, or a bit more for other kinds of add-ons. It’s not that I can’t work out how to do it myself, but an hour of my time is worth more than 5 euros these days. So there’s business there, because I don’t think I’m the only one who would pay for something like that.
14. SEO consulting
SEO is basically what helps a website, a blog or even a YouTube channel rank, so if you have the necessary know-how, even though this sector is already quite saturated with big companies and excellent professionals, you can always give it a go if you’re really good at it.
You can also use your SEO knowledge to do niche SEO, although if SEO is your thing, I imagine you already know what I’m talking about. For those who don’t, that’s a topic for another article.
15. Handmade products
The other day I ran into someone I hadn’t seen for a while. They told me that after an accident they started painting pictures and making ceramic objects on the ground floor of their house. They don’t have an online shop, but they sell everything they make to their Facebook contacts, and several shops in the province are even interested in buying a large part of their output.
16. Childcare and/or pet-sitting services
Both sectors can have demand. The classic babysitting job, which is really more a way of earning some extra money, can now be pitched at couples’ sex lives. Did you know that some sexologists recommend setting aside a moment of intimacy every week to do whatever they have to do? There you go, I’ve just given you the slogan for your next babysitting ad 🙂
When children arrive, especially when they’re very young, that moment of intimacy is lost and the couple has no time for it. That’s why, these days, instead of the babysitter going to the family’s home to look after the child, it’s the child who goes to the babysitter’s home so the parents have the field clear 🙂
Something similar happens with pet sitting. We know there are kennels where a family can leave their animal if they have to be away or go on holiday. That costs money, and some families also don’t want their animal to spend several days without human warmth, so many would prefer to leave it in the home of someone they trust who likes animals.
With all these ideas, I want to show that whatever your skills and/or knowledge, you can make the most of them and turn them into a business or a way of making money. We all have a gift, or something we can contribute. Find yours.
Featured image: Bulle de Zythum, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
