Yes, businesses to start with 10k are possible and can make money!
This article shows you up to 25 such businesses you can start with just $10,000!
Table of Contents
Can You Really Start a Business with Just $10,000?
Of course you can!
Having $10,000 in your possession can make you feel awfully good.
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First of all, that $10,000 represents a lot of sacrifices and hard work as you put in extra hours of work, did some side jobs, invested your money wisely, etc.
Now the question arises as to what to do with that $10,000? Some of those options could include investing, taking that dream vacation, purchasing a luxury item, paying off debt, just letting it be where it is right now and enjoying the moment, etc.
Another option for that $10,000 is to purchase your dream.
Those dreams that require money could be that dream vacation, the pursuit of continuing education, etc.
Another possible dream that you may have had that required some capital was the starting of your own business.
Now maybe the opportunity to invest in that dream and move forward on starting that business that you know will be of great service to others and is a significant passion of yours.
Let us, therefore, look at some of the best businesses to start with $10,000 which may include your dream company.
25 Best Businesses to Start With 10k
1. Resume Service
For people to have food on the table, a roof over their head, and to pay their bills they need employment.
As part of the employment process, generally, the first step is an introduction of their experience and education as reflected in a resume.
If you have quality writing skills, and an extensive and engaging vocabulary then perhaps, a good start-up business that you can successfully begin for under $10,000 is a resume writing company.
You can advertise your services through your social media platforms, and an engaging website that includes testimonials, volunteering your service through not-for-profits (word of mouth), etc.
Overhead would be minimal as this can be done from your home and a going rate of $15 or above can be the fee for a quality written resume.
2. Personal Shopper
A personal shopper is an individual that, on the behalf of a busy individual or company, will do the needed shopping for that customer or client.
The shopping opportunities could include picking up personal gifts, doing grocery shopping, being hired by interior decorators to seek out specific items, etc.
Often, this service is taken advantage of not only by individuals but by corporations who will purchase items for their customers, potential customers as well as business partners.
This job would be ideal for an individual who loves to shop and has a good eye for unique items that they know their customer will appreciate.
3. Children’s Party
This particular entrepreneurial opportunity for under 10,000 involves entertaining children at a children’s party.
It is estimated that the average cost for hosting a moderate size children’s party event ranges around $370.
As a children’s party service provider, you could transport the needed items to the party’s location and keep the children engaged for the set amount of time agreed upon.
Party items that you would possibly provide would include decoration, entertainment, food, drinks, any games, contests, etc.
A going rate could roughly be $20 per guest and if the party is very personal or thematic, a range could extend as high as $100 per guest.
4. Bakery
From the comfortable surroundings of your home and specifically your kitchen you could start a baking business.
Examples could include cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, etc.
The bakery items could be provided to companies to present to customers or potential customers offered as a break room delight for the employees, sold from a mobile food truck, or are at places where individuals frequently take their coffee break.
Also, specialized cakes could be baked as it relates to providing for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
Your created website would show a variety of pictures that depict your baking prowess and an opportunity to take online orders, have testimonials provided, etc.
With your pricing, you could build in a rate of $15-$20 for yourself which would also include the incorporation of all of your expenses as it relates to the baking.
Also See: Best Money Making Businesses to Start With 50k.
5. Music Lessons
If you have an artistic talent such as singing, playing a musical instrument, dancing, etc. you could hire out to families to teach family members these various talents.
The classes can be done on a one-to-one basis or can be also in a group setting.
A potential fee for a student could range anywhere from $10-$20 an hour and if done on a one-to-one basis this would be of greater value and the rate could escalate up to $40 per hour.
The overhead would be minimal, and the materials needed to conduct these classes would include rentals of instruments, various materials needed to instruct, sheet music, etc.
6. Business Plan
An important aspect of the start of any business is the formulation and writing of a business plan.
Many individuals know what they want to do and how they want to get there but are unable, for a variety of reasons, to transfer those ideas to a structured business plan.
As a quality writer and familiar with the business, you could create your own enterprise and write business plans for startups.
Your time of involvement would include interacting with the business partners to determine their vision, goals, and objectives for the company and how they plan on marketing their business to meet the need of their customer base.
You then could take all of that information and formulate together a business plan which is a powerful and dynamic, not static tool, that the business can use to create a successful business.
This particular business not only needs a combination of writing skills but a solid understanding of business and how it proceeds from an idea into a reality.
You could command a good hourly wage as it relates to utilizing your business knowledge as well as your writing skills.
Overhead would be significantly minimized, and your time would be involved in interviewing all of the key players and in writing the proposal.
7. Freelancer
A business that can be started well under $10,000 is the self-employment option of being a freelancer.
A freelancer is an individual who is not employed by a company but completes a number of jobs that match his or her proficiency and skill.
Examples of a freelancer’s work could include taking on writing jobs, graphic designer, virtual assistant, data entry individual, etc.
As a freelancer, you are not limited to one job within a particular segment of employment opportunities.
Overhead is extremely minimal and the going rate can vary from the employment position taken and what the average going rate is for an individual to complete that job opportunity.
There are a number of sites available to a freelancer in which they can indicate their willingness to take on freelancing opportunities.
Some of those websites include Upwork.com or Freelancer.com.
8. Search Engine Optimization Consultant
A critical component to driving customers and potential customers to the website of a business is search engine optimization.
This writing is also known as SEO and it entails the saturation of keywords in written documents so that when an individual is browsing the Internet for certain services or products, the words that they utilize will match the words in the written narrative on the website.
As a search engine optimization consultant, you can offer this writing service as well as provide analysis on how certain analytics are captured and developed so that particular websites are moved up in the order of their being revealed to the user who is searching on the web.
In addition to quality writing skills, a search engine optimization consultant should have a good understanding of the business and marketing of the services that are provided.
The possible going rate for an SEO consultant could be a starting hourly range of $25.
9. Floral Designer
A natural business to create for less than $10,000 would need to build on your ability and love for plant life and flowers.
With your eye for floral beauty and knowledge of flowers and plant life, you could provide this service to others in the creation of floral designs for special and commemorative events.
Some of those events that could utilize your floral creativity would include weddings, social events, various business functions, and funerals.
Your role would be to go to various floral shops and create the arrangements that are appropriate to the function.
Your investment would be minimal as well as your ongoing overhead and you could command an hourly rate of anywhere from $20 and above.
You could develop relationships with floral shops, and funeral homes, and advertise your business through social media websites.
10. Soap Maker
An opportunity that not only offers a product that is practical in nature but also can provide homeopathic properties as well.
This business would be the making of soap and providing essential oils that can be distributed to interested individuals.
The items can be manufactured at home and the overhead expenses would be the cost of the products and the initial expense of the equipment needed in preparing the soap.
You can advertise your product through your social media platforms and also attend craft fairs where your product can be displayed.
You could also, as a marketing opportunity, donate to not-for-profits to help out the agency and market your products.
11. Retailer – Used Clothing
As always, and perhaps more so today, individuals are looking for ways to stretch their hard-earned money.
One of those ways is to purchase gently used clothing.
As a retailer, you can find items to resell at a variety of venues.
Some of those venues could be garage sales, thrift stores, estate sales, auctions, etc.
You can sell some of these items on websites such as Poshmark.com, advertise through your social media platforms, or to other retailers who operate consignment stores or vintage stores.
12. Nonmedical Home Care
Many families who have aged members in the household are looking for professionals who will care for that member of the family and be able to do so within the family home setting.
The reasons for this course of action are varied and can range from the family wishing to have more individualized attention given to the family member, a personal choice in keeping the family member within their home, economic reasons, etc.
The operation of a nonmedical home care company is of extreme value due to the service that they render.
There may be licensing required and certainly to be a provider of this service would require that the individual have some sort of medical experience which could include nursing or a nurse’s aide, etc.
The startup costs would be minimal and likely, if there are permits or certifications or licensing required would be the cost.
The pay rate would be dependent upon where the care is provided, and in what community, and can range anywhere from $20-$30 per hour.
Also See: Tips for Earning Money With Givvy Videos & Earning Money With Vimeo.
13. Fitness Trainer
Many people are concerned about their physical fitness and often look to a personal fitness trainer to provide the inspiration, motivation, and discipline for the individual to adhere to their exercise and nutritional regimen.
To start a business as a fitness trainer would begin with your own physical fitness and as such, the care of your body will speak loudly to others as to what they can accomplish in their own life.
Also, it would be important to obtain and earn a certificate that recognizes you as a certified personal trainer.
This certification can be accomplished in as few as four weeks and requires a high school diploma or GED, current certification in CPR, and also training in the use of an AED or automated external defibrillator.
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Studying to earn the certificate requires enrollment in an authorized provider of training and can generally be accomplished through telecommunication.
The course itself is less than $1000 which would be the most significant aspect of any startup cost.
Of course, every so many years year, recertification would need to be accomplished as it relates to both the certification process and CPR and AED training.
It is important to investigate your state of residency to determine what certifications are needed to practice as a physical fitness trainer.
14. Life Coach
A life coach is a professional who helps others by coaching them to be the best that they can be as it relates to all aspects of their life.
A life coach will help an individual with relationships, personal disciplines, thinking positively, having a quality outlook on life, etc.
Life coaches are cheerleaders but bring the added dimension of being there with the individual and providing tools and techniques to help them move successfully forward in their lives.
There are different types of life coaches and some of those areas could include:
- Business
- Relationships
- Dieting
- Financial
- Etc.
There are no regulatory boards that oversee this business but there are certifications that can be attained.
This business can be advertised through the company’s website, social media platforms, testimonials, and referrals.
15. Handyman
The cost of maintaining a home can be an expensive venture.
It can be done in one of two ways.
One is that you can call a professional who will charge you considerably more for the various types of work to be done.
Or, you can call a handyman who is also a professional and will not charge the same amount of money for the particular job.
Some of those jobs that require a little extra work around the house include leaky faucets, patching drywall, paint touch-ups, etc.
With this in mind, a good business venture that you can start for well under $10,000 is a handyman business.
Most likely you already have the tools and further investments would not be necessary.
You can advertise your handyman business through social media platforms, bypassing circulars throughout your community and registering on a handyman site such as Angie’s List.
16. Cleaning Business
A good business to provide to busy individuals who don’t have the extra time to keep their houses as clean as they wish would be the start a cleaning business.
This also would be a great business to help out seniors in the community.
As a cleaning business operator, you would go into a home and provide a variety of cleaning functions and specify what you will and will not do.
The cost of the cleaning items can be incorporated into the overall charge.
17. Trash Removal
If you own a truck or other service vehicle you can provide the service to your community of removing trash.
This company or service would pick up items from a home that would need to be disposed of at the local landfill.
Your charge for a job or per hour should include your time, use of gasoline, any fees associated with the landfill, etc
18. Bicycle Repair
As more and more people are rediscovering the value of owning and utilizing a bicycle, this would provide a good opportunity to start a business in repairing bicycles.
The popularity of bicycles for recreational and commuting to and from work is gaining popularity due to the rising costs of gasoline as well as people devoted to their health.
As part of your inventory, you could have on hand a few basic items such as tires, inner tubes, brake pads, etc., and order from a supplier other needed bike-specific parts.
To promote your business, you can use your social media platforms and be involved in the bicycle groups.
19. Event Planner
The occupational role of an event planner is an individual who enjoys planning special events and gives attention to the minutest of detail.
An event planner would be involved with wedding preparations, anniversary celebrations, birthdays, etc.
Your role would be to work with your client in discussing the theme of the event, providing entertainment, securing a venue, working with a caterer, etc.
This is a critical occupation because many individuals simply want to enjoy the event and not have to worry about all the details involved in its success.
Customers can be obtained through your social media platform, website, referrals from satisfied, customers, etc.
20. Tutoring
Parents want their children to excel and there are those individuals who also have this commitment as it relates to their studies and other activities.
Sometimes, a student may have difficulty or be especially challenged by learning a new concept.
By operating a tutoring business, you can provide personal and individual attention to a student to help them understand the concept and ultimately improve their grades to advance their career goals.
Your tutoring may also include teaching others to learn how to play a musical instrument, perfect their dance moves, learn a new language, etc.
The individual who chooses this line of business can venture out on their own or combine their business earnings by being involved in tutoring websites.
One such tutoring website can be found at Wyzant.com.
21. Business Consultant
A business consultant is an individual that is invited into a business to help leadership with a variety of the components of the business’s operation.
Some of those components could include the development of teamwork, addressing any morale issues within the staffing, training leadership, analyzing processes, and more.
A business consultant generally has the necessary business acumen and will most likely have a bachelor of arts degree in business and possibly a master’s.
Overhead is low and visibility for potential clients can be obtained through such websites as LinkedIn, use of SEO techniques, website, social media platforms, etc.
22. Grant Writer
A highly specialized writing profession is an individual that is acquainted with grant writing.
A grant writer works with, usually a charitable organization, in trying to attain startup money or continual support from a foundation, or company, to obtain needed financial support.
The process includes the submission of a grant that follows the potential format of:
- The demonstrated need for the requested money
- History of the organization
- How the money will be utilized
- Accountability
- Leadership involvement
- Other individuals who have contributed
- Measuring success
- And more
Being a grant writer can be done from one’s own home and involves a significant amount of research in identifying particular granting organizations that have a historical track record of giving to similar projects.
Often, it is best to research these foundations and look at the 990 that they file with the government to see what foundational or grant gifts were given to various entities.
23. Photographer
A business that is in demand and can be started for well less than $10,000 is the business of being a photographer and providing photography.
With an investment in various types of lenses, filters, quality cameras, lighting, etc. a photographer can make a decent wage by attending a number of events where a photographer is needed.
Some of those events include:
- Weddings
- Anniversaries
- Birthdays
- Graduation
- Etc.
24. Financial Development
As a financial development professional who owns and operates a financial development company, you will contract with not for profits in your community.
Your role is to evaluate the fundraising activities of the not-for-profit and suggest ways that they can be improved or additional ways that money can be raised to support the charities and services.
Some of those ways to raise money for a not-for-profit include:
- Direct-mail
- Grants
- Special events
- Wills and estates
- And more
This business can be operated out of your home with minimal overhead.
There is no certification required, but being a member and attending various courses in fundraising can add to your value.
One such organization that you could look into joining would be Certified Fund Raising Executives.
25. Writer
Being a writer is a profession that has a good to excellent command of language.
There are different types or styles of writers.
For example:
- Creative writers
- Technical writers
- Proposals
- Essays
- And more
As a writer, you will be able to take an idea and weave a narrative around that idea and take on the appropriate tone as it relates to the job that needs to be done.
For example, an essay writer will do a significant amount of research and the essay will include the opening introduction, the point that is going to be made, use of various topics and arguments to make one’s point, utilize reference citations, and provide a conclusion and summation.
One such website that hires writers to create essays for students and professionals is www.bestessays.com.
Personal Story
My oldest son and I have a lot in common.
Our birthdays are the same, we have a similar belief system, the same number of children that we have fathered, and often get mistaken for each other because of the similarities of our voices.
However, when he told me that he wanted to start a business consulting company that is where a few differences were demonstrated in our thinking processes.
I guess I could be classified as old-school in that you went to work, gave your employer a full 40-hour workweek, expected payment, took a few weeks of vacation, and did this day in and day out.
To my son’s credit, rather than working for someone else, he pursued his dream and worked for himself.
Even after the first couple of years when things were not going well as far as clients, my counsel was to tell him that he did a great job, he pursued his dream but that perhaps it was time to move back to “normalcy”.
Fortunately for him and me, he did not heed my fatherly advice and pursued his business aspirations.
He certainly isn’t making millions of dollars but has done all right for himself as he stuck with his dream and didn’t listen to his father.
Money Making Businesses to Start with $10,000 FAQs
What Causes Businesses to Not Be Successful?
Some of the reasons why businesses fail are due to:
- No uniqueness
- No strategy
- Not understanding market needs
- Not business savvy
- No vision
Related: Tips to Help You Be a Successful Businessman.
What Should Be the Key Thinking Concepts for a Successful Business?
Some of the key thinking as it relates to being sharp and maintaining focus for the success of your business include:
- Thinking through the day’s activities
- Anticipate the needs of your customers (clients and staff)
- Don’t assume anything
- What is next
You Can Do It
The reality of life is that there are no guarantees.
We are not guaranteed to be free from challenges in our lives or live a life that is smooth sailing and storm-free.
However, it is the storms of life on the open sea that turn a novice sailor into a seasoned sailor.
Conclusion
Michael Jordan said “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.
I’ve lost almost 300 games.
26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed.
I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
Translating the Michael Jordan quote into the possibilities of starting a business with a $10,000 investment can be an unnerving step of faith.
However, if you have done your research, are confident that there is a need for the service that you wish to provide, have a plan of action, and are passionate about the direction that you wish to take, then the possibilities of you succeeding are strong.
Again, this company has paid $25+ million to members:
SurveyJunkie (only USA, Canada, Australia residents allowed). You can earn money sharing your thoughts. They have already paid $25+ million to their 20+ million members just for sharing their thoughts and opinions. Click here to join SurveyJunkie for FREE