At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.
How Do I Choose the Best Business Ideas for Beginners?
When choosing the best business ideas for beginners, consider the start-up costs and legal matters as well as your passions. A home-based or Internet business can be a good choice for beginning entrepreneurs because a low overhead and/or staff responsibilities can usually make these ventures fairly easy to operate. Selecting the ideal beginner business ideas should also mean fitting your new work in with the rest of your life.
Time management should be an important consideration when choosing a business idea, especially since entrepreneurs typically need to work many hours in establishing a company. If you'll only have part-time hours to spend on your business, be sure to pick an idea that will work with your particular time commitment. For example, a dog walking service may be fine to manage part time, while running a food service business is likely going to require much more of your time. Good business ideas for beginners often allow room for a growth in commitment, such as from offering dog walking to eventually adding more services such as a pet taxi, kennel care or grooming facilities.
Having an Internet or home-based business is often a good choice for many beginners. The start-up costs are typically low and the legal aspects are often quite straightforward with these types of business ideas for beginners. Doing an online search may help you find the best business ideas for you, but be wary of scam companies that want to charge you large sums of money with promises of helping you start a profitable company at home. Most companies like this make money selling information that you can, and should, research on your own. Whereas they typically focus on generalized ideas and information, you should do your own research to find out if a business idea is affordable for you.
Examining your passions and hobbies to see if it's possible to turn one of them into a business idea works for many people. Give yourself free rein to brainstorm while thinking about a need or demand that you may be able to fill in the marketplace. When considering passion-based business ideas for beginners, remember to still be practical. You may be an expert at a cloth dying craft, for example, but if there are a very limited number of potential customers, it's going to be a bad choice for a company. Identifying and asking your potential customer base about their market needs and wants may help you choose the best business idea.
AS FEATURED ON:
AS FEATURED ON:
-
![Dog walking is a service that can be performed part time.]()
By: Mat HaywardDog walking is a service that can be performed part time. -
![A small business can grow from a hobby such as jewelry making.]()
By: jameslyonsA small business can grow from a hobby such as jewelry making.
Discussion Comments
No matter what you do it is always a good idea to get advice from someone who has come before you. Seeking out the counsel of an established professional can be a great way to get answers and ideas to the tricky questions you are likely to encounter.
I think one of the best rules for business is to do what you love and do what you know. What I mean is that if you know a lot about cars, start a business related to cars rather than opening a pet store or setting up a software company. The familiarity you already have with the industry will be a huge help when you actually start a business of your own.
I suspect that a lot of people will tell you to be prudent, responsible, practical and to think small when you are considering setting up a business for the first time. And while all of that is good advice, no one got rich with a small dream. Sometimes you just have to go for it, throw caution to the wind and go out there and do what you really want to do no matter how outlandish the idea is.
Think about it, Steve Jobs could have started a plumbing business or been a dog groomer. Instead he decided to revolutionize technology as we know it.
Post your comments