The freedom to be your own boss is alluring to many. You get to work on tasks that fulfill your sense of purpose while setting your own hours and hourly rate. The only thing stopping most people is the perceived cost to be your own boss. To get started as a business owner or a franchisee can cost tens of thousands of dollars in many industries. Fortunately, there are ways to be your own boss for $2,000 or less. Here are some of the self-employment opportunities you may be interested in.
Household Organizer
Being a household organizer is a wonderful opportunity to be your own boss. If you live in a large city, the work can be very lucrative as there are potentially thousands of people in your area that could use your services. Prepare in advance by creating a portfolio of different organizational scenarios for different rooms of the home, as well as checklists and questionnaires to understand how the family uses the home. Once your business takes off, you can hire others on contract to help you with the heavy lifting.
Jewelry Creator
If you are the artistic type, you could be your own boss by getting into jewelry creation. It costs little to get started and all of the materials you need as a beginner can be found at your local craft store. You can sell the items that you make through craft shows, at flea markets, and through online services like Etsy and eBay.
Cleaning Service
Many people that own homes and businesses have plenty of areas to clean and are willing to pay someone to do the cleaning for them. For most people, all they need to get started is a vacuum cleaner, a mop, a bucket, and various cleaning supplies. You can choose to focus on one time heavy duty clean-ups or schedule your clients for recurring services to maintain their properties.
Flea Market Retailer
Purchasing a booth at a flea market is not expensive and you could see considerable sales depending on what you are selling. Before making a decision on what to offer through your business, wander through the market on a busy day and see what the other booths are offering for sale. Find a niche that is not currently being offered and make that the focus of your booth for the greatest chance of success.
Personal Concierge
The world is full of busy professionals that need help doing all of the tasks that they do not have time for. If you are supremely efficient and have the ability to make things happen, you could be your own boss and make lots of money as a personal concierge. It is important to be aware that many of the tasks you may be asked to do may occur outside of normal business hours, so take that into consideration when creating your business plan.