During the pandemic, more and more people found ways to use their skill sets and turn their passions into businesses. As a result, there is a significant increase in self- employment.
So, if you’ve contemplated self-employment but didn’t think you’d be successful because of the initial cost and overhead, there’s good news. You can do it!
Here are 14 self-employment ideas you can start from home, most of which require minimal to no investment to get started.
Event Planner
If you have excellent organizational and time management skills along with business acumen, this might be the perfect fit. Event planners coordinate every aspect of a meeting or convention, and sometimes social events as well. Planners arrange the logistics of an event including location, catering, speakers, printed materials and more.
Home Staging Consultant
According to the real estate industry, well-staged homes sell faster and for more money. If you like home decorating and rearranging furniture, this might be up your alley. You can either offer consulting services or do the staging yourself.
Pet Sitting
For animal lovers, this has become a particularly popular form of self-employment. Between the rising cost of pet boarding and pet owners’ desire to reduce the stress their pets experience during owners’ absences, many hire sitters and are willing to pay good money for the service.
Tour Company
Do you live in a big city, historical town, or scenic area with state parks and national monuments? If so, there’s likely a need or demand for tour guides. You can provide walking or driving tours to visitors and residents while sharing your knowledge of the area with them. Just be sure set up good safety measures before you meet alone with strangers.
Social Media Management
If you’re savvy with social media, companies large and small require your service. Social media management includes setting up social media accounts and writing engaging and shareable posts. You’ll also respond to social media messages and comments to build and maintain the company’s relationship with its followers.
Blogging
If you love writing and have the skill to write ongoing, engaging posts, you’ll discover every type of business imaginable either has or needs a blog. Just look for companies related to your area of expertise. If you’re an expert researcher, that’s all the better, and the sky’s the limit.
Content Writing
This is another high demand writing job. Businesses of all kinds need well-written website content that will describe their products and services and increase targeted traffic. For most companies, search engine optimized (SEO) content is a must. So, if you have this skill, you already have the edge over many writers.
Travel Agency
Despite the ease and cost-effectiveness of buying and scheduling travel online, there’s still a good demand for travel agents. Many people prefer using an agent because of the advice they can offer. Travel agents are also capable of simplifying complicated travel plans. So, if you love to travel and help people, this might be just the right business for you.
Website Design
Have you built a website for yourself or someone in the past? If so and you have a knack for design along with excellent computer skills, this might be just the home-based career you’ve been waiting for. Especially with platforms like WordPress, website design is relatively simple yet offers designers unlimited options.
Bookkeeping
Small businesses often have only a few hours of accounting per week or month. So it isn’t feasible or necessary for them to hire an employee for the task. This is where you can step in and offer your services. Landing just a few business accounts could quickly provide you a full-time income working from home.
Personal Trainer
If you’re a fitness buff and enjoy motivating others, this self-employment option is for you. Personal trainer certification programs run between $400 to $1,000. Upon completion, you can either work as a personal trainer for a fitness corporation or work independently.
Recruiting Agency
Because of the challenges and time involved in finding qualified applicants to fill high-level positions, many companies now use recruiters to help fill the roles. With the current low unemployment rate, businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to find qualified candidates on their own. So why not step in and help them?
Catering
Do you live for making delicious and eye-appealing food? If you’ve got excellent culinary skills, then offer your catering services. Think wedding receptions, corporate events, graduation parties, bar mitzvahs, luncheons, anniversary parties, and a host of other occasions.
Life Coach
If you enjoy helping people better themselves, here’s the perfect opportunity to make the most of your skill. Depending on where you live, there may be educational requirements for this career. So do your research. But if you’re good at setting goals and developing personal plans, solving problems, understanding people and what motivates them, and offering sound advice, this career is worth considering.