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- Some businesses need capital to get off the ground.
- But there are many ways to start your business without having to worry about expenses, as long as you have a great idea.
- Here are some suggestions, from service businesses to affiliate marketing to reaching customers, from real Quora users with business experience.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Quora users with plenty of business experience were asked the question: "Is it possible to start a business with little to no money? How?"
As these answers prove, it’s very possible to start a business with nothing but a great idea and more drive than the competition. There are several methods to implement your drive, like starting a dropshipping business, trying affiliate marketing, and reaching your customers in creative ways. And many of these answers come from people who started their own businesses in the exact same way.
Here are 11 Quora users’ answers on starting a business with next to nothing.
If you start out with little money, outperform other businesses.
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Quora user Wade Myers had several examples he had encountered over the years of entrepreneurs building lucrative businesses with next to no money. Here’s one:
"An entrepreneur that had lost everything in a previous failed venture, bounced back and with a spirit of humility and cheerful diligence moved to a new city with literally no money, and bought a few pool cleaning supplies. He went on to build a pool cleaning route and sold it for over $50,000 just ten weeks later. He told me he didn’t even have enough money for a direct mailing campaign, so he just went door-to-door to build his customer base. He then kept doing that over and over again, realizing that he was really good at building a route of customers and that there were plenty of existing pool cleaning companies that were not that good at growing that would happily buy a route from him. He could build and sell about four routes per year."
If your business works harder than its competitors, profit will find its way into your hands. In every story Myers described, the entrepreneurs had little money to start with, worked harder than their competitors, and didn’t wait for customers to come to them.
Start a service business.
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Quora user Simon Cave explains that service businesses are easy to start because they don’t require manufacturing a product. Chances are, you already have the skills that others need. He offers possible services:
- If you know how to write => create content for clients
- If you know how to code => create programs/software/websites for clients
- If you know another language => offer translation services
- If you have an accounting degree => offer accounting services
- If you are knowledgeable about social media => offer community management services
If you don’t have money, at least have time.
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Quora user Aljaž Fajmut learned the value of time when he founded his startup, Nightwatch. While building the app, he faced delays, bugs, and disagreements with people on his team. If he had saved a little more and taken his time, he would have had a safety net. He writes:
"Time really is key… you will face setbacks and delays just like all tech companies do. And you need to be prepared for them. If you don’t have a lot of cash, at least have enough time to save yourself when something goes wrong."
His startup was ultimately successful, but Fajmut would have appreciated having this lesson in his arsenal before launching his business.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
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- 7 things you should avoid saying to a fasting coworker during Ramadan
- Burnout is now officially recognized as a medical condition. Here are the symptoms you should know about.
SEE ALSO: 10 CEOs who didn’t find success until later in life
Source: Business Insider – ideluce@businessinsider.com (Ivan De Luce)