Small Businesses you can Launch for $1,000
Every employee is not cut out to become an employer. Some of us are content to eke out a living anyway we can and complain that our employers don’t appreciate our worth.
It takes vision, a business plan, sacrifice, and a willingness to enact on feasible goals to launch a business.
Astonishingly, many Americans desire to leave their jobs, even if they don’t have the will.
Over 60% of American workers claim that they would leave a job they hate to work a job they love for half of their previous pay (However, claiming and doing are two different things).
Also, it takes more than willpower to launch a business. At the very minimum, it can cost at least $30,000 to launch a business.
However, if you have a dream of leaving your job and launching your own business, you can start a small-scale sole proprietary business for $1,000 or less.
Technical Support Specialist
In the digital era, more businesses find themselves having to compete more efficiently in a shrinking and ever-changing world that progressively depends on the internet.
Almost every place of business is in the transitioning process of updating infrastructure for cloud computing and digital commerce initiatives.
Every place of business, no matter how small or large, requires fast internet connections, reliable email systems, and cybersecurity measures.
Also, every place of business with a digital operational infrastructure will have software, hardware, and technical issues requiring solutions sooner or later.
You can be a telecommuting technical support specialist operating by phone or Skype communications.
Or, you can charge additionally for in-person visits related to technical diagnostics, repairs, and servicing.
What does a Technical Support Specialist do?
It’ll be your responsibility to solve numerous tech support problems. For example, a company may have data accessibility problems.
Or, a company may have issues with its email systems. For another example, there could be a glitch with a company’s online work interface platform.
You’ll also have to brainstorm solutions for any customer service and/or support issues your client may be dealing with.
The long and the short of it is that you’ll be responsible for a company’s computer systems, telecommunications, and the maintenance of their hardware and software systems.
Many businesses outsource such work as needed instead of paying to keep an IT person on standby.
What are the Prerequisites?
Unless you are self-taught, you’ll require an educational background and training in computer science, software programming, electrical engineering, and IT support.
It might help to have some training in customer support services.
You may need a car for on-site visits. Be prepared to work irregular hours as well.
You’ll need a good laptop and tech support related equipment, tools, and software which should cost much more than $1,000.
The average technical support specialist makes $50,000. You can make a lot more depending on skill level and number of clients.
Freelance Writer
There are innumerable companies that require competent writers to write content on a variety of topics: These can include:
- Blogs
- Press releases
- Articles
- Travel articles
- Product reviews
- Case studies
- Ebooks
- Website content
- Ghostwriting
- Finance news
- Whitepapers
- Online education modules and lessons
There is no limit to the kinds of things you can be paid to write about. However, you are limited in your ability to secure such work by your skill level, competition, and work submission standards of potential employers.
What does a Freelance Writer do?
You’ll need impeccable research skills to research topics, brainstorm ideas, and write. Also, you’ll need a quiet area to work and lots of uninterrupted, free time to write.
Writing is 80% research and about 20% of crystallizing that research coherently into the written word.
You’ll need to follow submission guidelines for your employer to the letter. These guidelines differ from employer to employer.
You must be reliable, meet deadlines, and complete assignments according to predetermined word counts.
For example, there is a world of difference required for the preparation needed between writing a 500-word blog post and a 10,000-word ebook.
You can look for work on Craigslist, Freelancer, Upwork, and similar freelance economy work classified sites.
What are the Prerequisites?
You should have a degree in English, literature, or journalism. At the very least you have a firm grasp of proper written grammar.
You’ll need a laptop computer, pens and paper, and a reliable internet connection. You may need a good writing program like MS Word.
Although, you could also use free writing programs like Google Docs (which requires internet connectivity) or OpenOffice.
You’ll also need to be good at invoicing and record keeping to get paid.
As a freelancer, you’ll find that each client has their own payment guidelines. You could be paid week, biweekly, monthly, or on a schedule of the employer’s choosing.
The average freelance writer makes about $22 an hour.
Personal Trainer
Over 40% of Americans are obese or morbidly obese. Many people have bad dietary lifestyles.
Or, they work completely sedentary lifestyles and never exercise.
Unfortunately, life is unfair. We are judged on our personal appearances in life, professional life, and in public.
What’s more, obesity causes severe health problems like diabetes, heart disease, some kinds of cancers, high blood pressure, and many more ailments.
If you’re a personal trainer, you are never going to be out of work in a society with a lot to learn about healthier living.
What does a Personal Trainer do?
You’ll design exercise and diet regimens for clients. Additionally, you’ll have to visit clients in their homes or places of work to oversee efficient exercise activity.
An enterprising personal trainer would network with local celebrities, politicians, business people, musicians, and individuals who consistently need to maintain a certain physical aesthetic to conduct their business.
What are the Prerequisites?
All you need is a high school diploma to be a personal trainer. However, it doesn’t hurt to have an education in kinesiology, physical education, sports medicine, personal training, and general physiology.
It also doesn’t hurt to obtain official certification as a personal trainer, as it will help you to stand out from competitors.
You’ll need exercise equipment for client use as you travel, which won’t be expensive at all.
The average personal trainer makes about $60,000.
Start with a Business plan
Willpower, a hatred of your current job, and a desire for change is not enough to be successful in business.
Make sure you have a solid business plan. Consult a financial adviser if possible.
Also, there are many sole proprietor business models you can launch. You could become a lawn care management specialist, baker, dance instructor, educational tutor, accountant, and so on.
Plot and plan out the logistics of how you would launch a business long before you actually launch it.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including saving and investing in your own small business.
