{"id":9278,"date":"2023-02-26T09:01:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-26T14:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/?p=9278"},"modified":"2023-02-23T09:25:33","modified_gmt":"2023-02-23T14:25:33","slug":"how-to-start-a-business-with-no-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/how-to-start-a-business-with-no-money\/","title":{"rendered":"How to start a business with no money"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to start a business with no money\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2023-02-26T09:01:00-05:00\">February 26, 2023<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"How to start a business with no money\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/how-to-start-a-business-with-no-money\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/author\/staceymcintosh\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/11\/Stacey-McIntosh-350-1.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" height=\"40\" width=\"40\" fetchpriority=\"high\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Stacey McIntosh<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">What do Hewlett-Packard, Subway and Mattel have in common? Besides being global brands, they\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanexpress.com\/en-us\/business\/trends-and-insights\/articles\/4-gigantic-companies-that-started-from-nothing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">all began<\/a>\u202fwith almost no startup capital.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Starting a business with no money might seem like a daunting prospect.\u202fBut, with a little planning, it\u2019s often perfectly feasible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">In fact, learning how to start a business with no money can be a positive thing. It means you won\u2019t dig into your savings and will have to be lean, creative, and entrepreneurial.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Read on for everything you need to know about how to start a business without money. Here\u2019s what\u2019s covered in the article:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"#can\">Can you start a business with no money?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"#choose\">Choose a low-cost business model<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"#calculating\">Calculating your business costs<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"#minimize\">Minimize your outgoings<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"#plan\">Plan for cash-flow<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"#find\">Find investment if it&#8217;s needed<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"can\">Can you start a business with no money?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Yes, it\u2019s possible to launch a business without any money at all.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Assuming you have marketable skills and already own some equipment, you should be able to start generating an income.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This might include things like:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cleaning&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dog walking&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Delivery services&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Repairs&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">That said, most startups require at least some money\u2014but you don\u2019t need vast amounts. Almost <a href=\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/startup-stats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">60% of startups<\/a> have less than $2,500 during the start up phase.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If you have a job or are receiving financial aid, you might want to set money aside and launch once you have a suitable buffer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"choose\">Choose a low-cost business model<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If you don\u2019t have ready access to cash, you\u2019ll want to choose business model that doesn\u2019t require much money to get started.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">It usually costs far less to start a service business than a company that sells products since your income is generated by your skills and time, rather than from physical items that you need to make, buy, or store.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Low-cost service businesses include things like:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tutoring and training&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consulting&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Photography&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Writing and editing&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Translation&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Graphic design&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Digital marketing&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"calculating\">Calculating your business costs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If you\u2019re thinking about\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/ready-to-start-a-small-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how to start a business<\/a>\u202fwith no money, it\u2019s a good idea to calculate your expected costs. This will give you a savings target, so you have enough money to launch comfortably.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Typical startup costs include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Marketing and branding:\u202f<\/strong>Whether it\u2019s printing fliers, building a website, or using a designer to create a logo, you\u2019ll need to spend money promoting your business.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Registration fees:<\/strong>\u202fCosts vary for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/allbusiness\/2021\/12\/06\/the-cost-of-incorporating-a-startup-business\/?sh=63f9bb37769e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the US<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/services\/business\/start\/register-with-gov.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Canada<\/a>, and by state or province, so you will need to check your local government\u2019s website for fee costs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Assets:<\/strong>\u202fThis is all your equipment and inventory (if you hope to sell products). It\u2019s things like your computer, office supplies, raw materials, and more.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Costs:\u202f<\/strong>This includes fixed or regular costs involved in running your business such as office rental, staff salaries, subscriptions, and website hosting.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Professional services:\u202f<\/strong>This may involve services that you outsource, such as bookkeeping, patents, and business insurance.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Draw up a list of all the possible costs your business might incur for the launch itself, as well as outgoings for an average month.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Try to be as realistic as possible here\u2014it\u2019s always better to overestimate costs than be surprised later on.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"minimize\">Minimize your outgoings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If you\u2019re looking to start a business with no money in the US, it\u2019s essential to keep you costs as low as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Here are some simple steps you can take:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Work from home<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Starting a business from home with no money is much less expensive than renting an office, warehouse, or shop.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">It also minimizes your travel costs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Use free or cheap online services<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">There are plenty of free services online that can be used to cut costs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">You can build a basic website for free with services such as WordPress or Wix and effectively market your business through the likes of Facebook or Instagram.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">You can also find people to do many tasks for you at a low rate through websites such as Fiverr and People Per Hour.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Get free equipment<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Most businesses require at least a computer to get running. You may already have one, but it\u2019s often possible to find free equipment using websites such as FreeCycle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">You may also have a friend or relative who can loan you gear until you have enough money to buy your own.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Otherwise, try to cut back on your personal spending when starting out. It might mean less fun for now, but it should pay off in the long run.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"plan\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/better-business-with-cash-flow-clarity\/\">Plan for cash-flow<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Did you know that the\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbinsights.com\/research\/startup-failure-reasons-top\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">second-most common<\/a>\u202fcause of business failure is running out of money?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If customers don\u2019t pay their bills on time, you won\u2019t be able to pay yourself or your staff (if you have any) either.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">And this is even more critical if you\u2019re starting a business with no money.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">You might want to take on a part-time job to ensure you can still pay your rent and bills to begin with. Or, if you already have a job, try to run the business during your evenings and weekends.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"find\">Find investment if it&#8217;s needed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Some types of business are simply impossible to start without any money. That may include businesses in the manufacturing, technology, construction, retail, or hospitality industries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">In this case, you might want to consider getting a loan or seeking out investment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Bank loans<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">You might be able to get a business loan from a bank, although this may be hard if you have no collateral at all.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Government grants and loans<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Your government, state, or province will offer financial support incentives\u202ffor certain industries and regions so make sure you bookmark your local government\u2019s website.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Bank of Mom and Dad<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Family and friends may be willing to provide you a loan free of charge, or for a share of your company.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Crowdfunding<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">There are various crowdfunding websites\u2013such as GoFundMe and Kickstarter\u2013which allow people to either donate money or buy small shares in your idea if they like the sound of it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Angel investment<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This is often associated with technology startups. A wealthy backer\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/create-a-business-plan-wow-investors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">invests in your business<\/a>\u202fin return for shares.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Know how to start a business without money<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Learning how to start a business with no money is your first step on a journey to being your own boss.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">With planning and a bit of luck, being short of cash shouldn\u2019t be a barrier to business success.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/better-business-with-cash-flow-clarity\/\">Try our free cash-flow calculator to ensure you&#8217;re on the right track!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"cta-content__title\">Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-8949a954-88b2-43bb-8b8a-77c53eb34350\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Starting a business with no money might seem like a daunting prospect.\u202fBut, with a little planning, it\u2019s often perfectly feasible.\u00a0Read on for everything you need to know about how to start a business without money.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":346,"featured_media":9279,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[266],"business_type":[3],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[67],"coauthors":[317],"class_list":["post-9278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-business-finances","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ca","author_name":"Stacey McIntosh","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2023\/02\/GettyImages-1124688944.jpg","imagine_tags":{"67":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Canada English","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/346"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9278"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9278\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/9279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9278"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=9278"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=9278"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=9278"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=9278"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=9278"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=9278"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=9278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}