While spending a maximum amount of time working from home these days, the idea of owning a business we can operate from the comfort of our homes has struck most of us.
No matter how much we try to avoid it, this great opportunity to finally fulfill our dream of owning a successful business doesn’t let us rest!
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we adjusted and changed our activities to fit in with the new normalcy. But this pandemic has shifted our perspective from the superficial needs to the essential needs of life.
Hence, starting a business to help people fulfill these essential needs of their lives will ensure that the business snowballs while sustaining in the long run.
Table of Contents
1. Tiffin service of home-cooked meals
Putting your passion for cooking to make those extra bucks is a great idea, especially in the current circumstances.
With a series of curfews and lockdowns imposed over the last year, many bachelors, students, working professionals away from home, etc., have been bearing the brunt of a lack of services providing home-cooked meals. By putting together a simple menu of delicious and nutritious food, you can kickstart your business almost immediately!
2. Online classes for individuals & groups
This is perhaps one of the best ways to utilize the technology available to you to help those who need to either improve a skill, learn an academic subject, ace an exam, or focus on fitness.
For a generation that learns online, such a business idea is a must to tap into. With the right academic background, qualification, flair, and experience, you can educate people in various fields. You can take classes for individuals or even for groups, depending on the number of people sharing a subject.
3. YouTube channel
If you are a queen/king of the DIY (do it yourself) universe, then starting a YouTube channel to show off those skills and, of course, help people is perhaps the best option for you.
With most of us not having an option to go out to take professional help for some household-related fixes, DIY and How-To videos come in handy. Whether it’s how to sew a button, how to iron a shirt, how to give oneself a haircut, how to grow vegetables at home, how to cook a certain dish, or how to start your own YouTube channel, there is an ocean of content that you can look out for! This also helps people develop new hobbies or just try new things at home to balance the monotony of working from home.
4. Handcrafted goods
If you’re someone who prefers making things at home rather than buying mass-produced products, this one’s for you! You can use your expertise to sell a variety of handcrafted products.
Whether it is soap, skin and hair care products, candles, sauces, home decor items, or pottery, you can monetize your unique talents to deliver quality products to customers! You are likely to have a loyal customer base over time as the demand for trusted, clean, and safe handcrafted products is high, whereas the supply is low. Your business can also attract more customers through word-of-mouth.
5. Online book store
If you have a mountain of books that you can sell or lend to other people, you can start your online bookstore. This can also be an excellent opportunity to build an online community of book-lovers to come together and hold online discussions or reviews.
Not only will this business attract a loyal customer base, but it will also see many opportunities to expand and grow. If you do end up establishing an online community of book-lovers, people can join this community from all over the country or even the world! This will be great marketing for your bookstore.
6. Life coaching and advice
During the uncertainty of this exceptional time, many people out there, especially students, struggling professionals, etc., are left feeling aimless and without direction.
There are plenty of people out there with a vast skill set, motivation, and ambitions who need the right kind of guidance to utilize their skills well. If you are well-qualified and have a good amount of experience in being a life coach, you can help people fulfill their dreams by providing them guidance through online sessions. Whether it is career guidance, health, and happiness, or academic guidance, you can pick your niche and get started!
With minimum investment and production cost, you can use these business ideas to support yourself financially while helping others at the same time, especially during this difficult time.
The most important aspect to take into consideration would be the shipping and maintenance of inventory. In the initial stage, you can also deliver products based on pre-orders. This will help you manage the volume of orders as per your capacity and help maintain your service quality.
It is also advised to be mindful of any restrictions or regulations in your product category, especially if it is consumed or can cause any sort of allergies if misused.
When it comes to pricing, you must aim to find a sweet spot where the price is neither too low (the product can be perceived to be of low quality) or too high (it can scare customers away). After all, pricing is not just about profit.
Marketing plays a significant role in aiding the growth of your business, whether it is through word-of-mouth or online ads. You can also utilize the packaging of your product for branding, product promotion, and marketing.
Good luck, folks!
