We hear so much about creative home businesses. There are some awesome ladies out there creating beautiful handmade items to sell on Etsy and unique upcycled products they are shipping around the world. I don’t know about you, but my craftiness scale stops at 0. My DIY projects are certainly not suitable for Pinterest, or anywhere else for that matter.
Today we are looking at some great small business ideas for non-creatives. If you feel more comfortable on the analytical side of things, this list is for you.
Virtual Assistant
In this role, you are helping other small business owners succeed. You may be performing marketing tasks, setting appointments or uploading blog posts and weekly newsletters. More advanced or specialized virtual assistants, Online Business Managers, may also oversee projects and teams and have a dedicated role as a problem-solver and bring new ideas to the table.
Freelance Writer
While there are some freelance writing jobs that require a lot of creative thinking, there is plenty of technical writing to go around. In this role, you will need great research skills and good grammar. You will need to be able to take a look at what’s already available on the web and find any “holes” you can fill through your writing to provide the best possible resource for your clients’ audience. Some writers even specialize in sales copy using their love of stats and analytics to optimize content for conversions through split-testing and seductive calls-to-action.
Sell Other People’s Stuff
So what if you can’t create. You can always make a good living selling other people’s stuff. There are so many making big money reselling used goods on eBay or Amazon FBA. There is also a sector specializing in dropshipping which involves purchasing items wholesale and reselling for a profit.
Housecleaning
This is a straightforward small business idea. A clean house is a happy house. But, very few people enjoy – or have the time for – housecleaning. This gig pays well, usually $20 to $40 per hour depending on the location. And your marketing costs are exceptionally low these days with the availability of Craigslist and Facebook Buy-Sell Groups.
Bookkeeping
If you have a background in accounting, it may not be too difficult to pick up a few bookkeeping clients from home. You can advertise your services to local small businesses or seek out companies that hire for at-home accounting jobs.
Direct Sales Consultant
Social selling is one of the easiest business models for new work-at-homers to start. The replicated business model and training make success inevitable for those motivated and ready to work hard. And, the investment involved is usually under $200. Stella & Dot and Avon are two we recommend though you will find a full directory on The Best Direct Sales Companies.
Genealogy Professional
Maybe you are a nerdy girl like me with a love of history and genealogy. You can get paid for helping others find their family lineage and heritage. There are free and paid learning opportunities in this field and you can also get tested to receive a certification. You can learn more at the National Genealogical Society.
Tutor
If you have an education in a particular field of study, you can offer your services as a tutor. With today’s technology, many tutors connect with their students online through services like Skype. You can also work on a local level going to students’ homes to teach. Even if you don’t have a teaching certificate you may be able to pick up work as an English as a Second Language tutor.
Transcription
There are many companies and entrepreneurs hiring remote workers to transcribe audio files, podcasts and webinars into text. Your pay is based on production so the better your typing and grammar skills the more money you will earn. Here are some companies that hire beginners. If you would like to get involved in the more specialized and higher-paying field of medical transcription, you will need to get certified. Career Step is accredited and offers tuition assistance and payment plans.
Dog Walker
Pet pampering is huge right now. If you aren’t able to sew those cute pet clothes or take memorable pet photographs, you can still make money in this industry as a pet sitter or dog walker. And we aren’t talking working for peanuts here. Many dog walkers charge $20 per walk. If you can handle two or three dogs at once, that’s some pretty good pocket change. If you live in a larger city and don’t want to go out on your own, check out a service like Rover for openings.
Have you found success working from home despite your lack of artistic skills? I’d love to hear your story in the comments.
Josanne Joyjoy Salvaleon says
When I gave birth to my first-born, tutoring was really my best bet. I got a job as an English tutor for kids via Skype at Preply.com ( http://preply.com/en/skype/english-tutoring-jobs ). It was very convenient for me since I didn’t have the luxury of time to go out and look for a job, and work.
Angie Nelson says
Thanks for sharing that, Josanne.
Corina Ramos says
Hi Angie,
As always, you’ve shared some great small business ideas. Of all these I would try Virtual Assistant, freelance and a drop shipping company. 🙂
Thanks for sharing. Have a great week!
Cori
Angie Nelson says
Dropshipping is so interesting, but a little too much risk for me.
Kayla says
thanks for sharing 🙂 I am always interested in work from home opportunities 🙂
Angie Nelson says
You are welcome, Kayla.
Thenie says
You could also try making YouTube videos. Learn a bit about editing and promoting a YouTube channel. Think of videos that you could make that would fill a gap in content that’s already there. Do it everyday for at least 9 months and there is a very high chance that you could end up making a lot of money.
You can speak another language besides English? Even better. There’s many YouTube channels in English and sometimes it is difficult to find something that’s not already there. But, in other languages, this is easier. I’m not a native English speaker and have several channels in my native language and I’ve found that is much easier to gain audience because of the scarcity that exists in the non-English YouTube world.
Nonetheless, great article with invaluable ideas!
Angie Nelson says
Thanks for sharing your experience, Thenie. It’s always a little risky having your income rely on a platform you don’t ultimately own, but there are a lot of people finding success through YouTube for the time being.