Businesses you can start from home
Working from home or having a home business is becoming more and more attractive in this day and age. There are a whole host of different business ideas which are compatible with working from home, mainly thanks to the wonders of the internet. If you want to run a business that you start from home, but are not exactly what you want to set up and in what industry check out these 6 ideas.
To promote a business you start from home, you should seek to set up a website, seek exposure on social media and post your services on job boards. You will be able to take enquiries via the web and offer an email or phone response.
In this guide, we provide ideas for home businesses which can easily be set up by you – so easily, that you can set them up today.
Fresh juices
A growing trend, particularly around urban areas of the UK, is that of undertaking a juice cleanse and is possible to find local providers of bespoke juice cleanses. For example, searching online for ‘juice cleanse London’ alone, brings up a range of different providers of these services in the local, London area. Hence, for those who are well-informed with regards to nutrition, it is possible to start up a juice cleanse company from your home.
You simply need to take the orders from the customers you market to and then fulfil those orders within a short time frame, to ensure the juices stay fresh. There will however, likely be a range of health and safety compliance needed as you are selling a consumable product.
Another benefit of starting a business that uses local or semi-local ingredients, is that there is an appeal for consumers of being able to buy local produce and ingredients which feed a more localised economy, which is more relatable (source: Straw Spreader.)
Childcare businesses
With many 21st Century families being made up of a working father and a working mother, the demand for childcare is at an all-time high. Therefore, it is a great way to make a hefty bit of cash.
To be successful in this role, you will need have lots of energy, be experienced in childcare (even if it’s from personal experience) and meet the criteria of Ofsted. Any adult who looks after another person’s child for more than two hours a day in any location (so, your home would count) other than the child’s home, will need to register with Ofsted.
If you simply want something on the side, a babysitting business could also be a good idea. Or you could set up a babysitting agency which others sign on to and you set them up with clients.
Tutoring companies
If you are a student, a part-time teacher or have high enough qualifications in a certain subject(s), you could set up a home-tutoring business. The great thing about tutoring is that you can do it in person, at your home or the client’s home, or you can do it online via skype, for example.
It may take some time to build up your client base, but once you do, this could be a very profitable business to have. To help get yourself started, try advertising in your local area or by registering with an agency such as MyTutor or Personal Tutors.
Homemade baking
Home baking and confectionary making can be a promising business to start from home. If you find that you enjoy baking and have a somewhat artistic touch, making and decorating cakes and biscuits can flourish into a rewarding business.
People are often looking for bespoke birthday, wedding and occasion cakes. You can offer these made to order. If you set yourself up online, you will not only have to just make a name for yourself in the local area, but you can gain national and/or global exposure.
Make sure you present and package the products beautifully and perhaps offer to add personal notes to the gift boxes. This will set you above simply popping down to the local supermarket to pick up a cake.
Cleaning services
Depending on your local area, there is likely to be a demand for regular cleaning services. This can be from cleaning houses, cars, window cleaning or laundry services.
To set up a cleaning service the costs will be rather minimal, you just need your cleaning supplies and perhaps ink for a printer from which you can print off flyers to put up in local shop windows or through people’s letter boxes. You may also need to factor in the travel cost when you get clients, but this can be charged as part of the cleaning fee or can be claimed on your self-assessment tax form.
In you are wanting offer laundry services, consider who will be most interested in this service. Most likely, it will be elderly people and students – so target these demographics with your flyers and your online adverts. Everybody has windows and it is pretty hard to find people willing to clean their own, so this could be a profitable option.
Pet services
If you love animals, why not make a business out of it? You could start from home a pet grooming, pet sitting or dog walking company and make a profit doing what you enjoy.
Pet sitting is practically childminding but with less paperwork. You will get to walk, play with, feed and generally look after people’s pets whilst they are away. Just make sure the owners are properly covered with pet insurance like Bivvy, in case you end up with an emergency. This could be you offering to go around to the homes and check up on the animals, perfect for something like a cat. For pets like dogs, you can offer to take them in while the owners are unable to be there for them.
