Tag: startup ideas

10 Best Startup Business Ideas to Earn Money in India

Anything between 60 percent and 90 percent of all startups in the world flounder and fail during the first two years. Start working with a small business idea that you can manage easily and possess the necessary skills to keep it running.

India has one of the most vibrant startup ecosystems in the world. The Indian government provides fast clearances to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through its online portals. As a matter of fact, you can register a startup in India in less than a week.

Additionally, there’re several ways to get funding to launch a startup in India. We have several crowdfunding platforms from where you can raise some seed money for the startup. Or approach venture capitalists to fund the business initially.

And then we also have the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) loans for startups available from various public and private sector banks. Furthermore, entrepreneurs from certain communities can also get business loans on soft terms to launch a startup.

However, the main hurdle in launching a startup in India is the business idea. We have almost all sorts of businesses that’re fairly well established and running well. In such a scenario, finding the right business idea can prove difficult for some. Therefore, in this article, I will be discussing the 10 best startup business ideas to earn money in India.

10 Best Startup Business Ideas in India 

Before I write about the 10 best startup business ideas in India, here’s something you should know about. Anything between 60 percent and 90 percent of all startups in the world flounder and fail during the first two years. That’s because entrepreneurs behind these startups don’t have adequate experience in that specific field of business.

Therefore, start working with a small business idea that you can manage easily and possess the necessary skills to keep it running.



Digital Marketing Agency 

The digital marketing industry in India is projected to cross the $160 billion mark by the year 2025, according to a report by Goldman Sachs. This clearly indicates that there’s an ample scope to start a digital marketing agency as a startup business. However, to launch a digital marketing agency, you’ll require the necessary qualifications. These qualifications are fairly simple to acquire since there’re several excellent digital marketing academies in India providing both online and offline courses.

Food Processing Plant 

About 35 percent of all food produced in India goes waste due to lack of food processing units and adequate cold chain logistics. Therefore, you could consider launching a startup business that processes food such as fruits and vegetables, meat, fish and poultry products as well as food grains among other items. This is a very profitable business too and you can easily get the necessary permits and licenses since the Indian government is actually encouraging entrepreneurs to enter the food processing business. You can also export processed food outside India since there’s a high demand for such products.

Dropshipping 

Dropshipping is a relatively new business in India. You can launch a dropshipping business with very little capital. If you’re new to dropshipping, here’s a brief description of what this business is all about. There’re several wholesalers and manufacturers you’ll find on websites such as Indiamart.com. They offer products at wholesale rates. You’ll have to sign-up with these companies and suppliers for sending products to your customers. As a dropshipper, you’ll need own website or marketplace to sell these items. Whenever anyone places and order, you have to pass it on with the money to the supplier, after retaining your portion of the profit. The supplier ships the goods to the customer.

Milk Parlor 

The demand for milk in India never goes down. As a result, there’s fierce competition between dairy cooperatives and companies to sell their products to the public and grab a larger slice of the market share. Therefore, you could consider a startup business of a milk parlor. In some states of India, dairy cooperatives are providing all the necessary infrastructure such as the freezers and refrigerators as well as signboards to those who’re willing to open their branded parlor. Nandini in Karnataka state is one example. All you need to show is a commercial premises located in a busy business or residential area from where the startup can attract customers for milk and milk products, including sweets.

Medical Sample Collection Centre 

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, most people that require their medical samples such as blood, urine, stool and sputum, among others to be tested, prefer a home service. This means, they’re willing to pay for someone to collect the samples from their homes instead of visiting a lab for the purpose. This directly implies that you can open a medical sample collection center as your startup business. This business earns money through labs, clinics and hospitals. They will pay you a monthly amount for collecting samples from patients on their behalf and handing over for testing. The one in highest demand is collection of oral and nasal swabs for Real Time- Polymeric Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests nowadays for people that wish to travel.

Blogging 

Blogging is no longer the hobby that it once was. Instead, blogging has graduated as a startup business because it’s very simple to open a blog and make money. All you require to launch a blog is excellent knowledge about anything related to your profession, studies or even passions and hobbies. And you’ll need superb writing skills to create amazing content that people would love to read and engage with. Starting a blog with your own paid website is possible with an investment as little as Rs.3,000 per year. You can buy a superb domain name and website hosting as well as other essentials and start blogging. A blog makes money through Google AdSense, sponsored posts, affiliate marketing and native ads, among others. This is a simple, home-based startup business idea that requires very little capital to launch.



Meal Services 

In some places, a meal service is also known as a “tiffin service.” Basically, it involves providing deliveries of meals for lunch and dinner to clients at offices and homes. This is an evergreen startup business idea since there’s no shortage of customers for meal services. All you require is a small team that will help you prepare food that people love, crew for packing and delivering these meals to customers. You can provide both veg and non-veg food or just veg or simply non-veg. The choice is yours. As a matter of fact, several entrepreneurs without much educational qualifications have become millionaires by opening a meal service business.

Health Drinks Stall 

Have you ever been to a jogger’s park in your area? If not, I would suggest you visit one at the earliest. Usually, there’re some stalls that sell health drinks such as juices of various herbs, fruits and roots to joggers and health-conscious people that go for a morning walk or job. And these stalls prepare fresh juices and sell to their customers. You too can enter this simple business which involves working just during the morning and evening hours when people go for jogs and walks at parks.

Food Truck 

While we’re still on the subject of food and drinks, here’s one more superb startup idea that you can try. And that’s opening a food truck. According to industry sources, starting a food truck doesn’t cost more than Rs.750,000 which includes the vehicle, commis equipment and permits. Dining out or having a snack at food trucks is trendy nowadays. As a result, you can see several food trucks parked outside malls and other busy places. You can offer superb meals through a food truck and make a lot of money.

Online Tutoring 

Also, as an aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, there’s a huge surge in the demand for online tutoring. Students from standard VIII to standard X and standards XI and XII require online tutors to help them crack the tough exams conducted by various educational boards. Since lots of brick-and-mortar coaching classes are now shut due to fear of spreading the Covid-19 contagion, you can offer coaching classes online. All you require is a website to advertise your courses and enroll students and software such as Zoom to conduct online classes. The e-learning industry is witnessing a boom and is expected to grow exponentially over the next few years.

In Conclusion 

You can try any of these top 10 startup business ideas to become an entrepreneur. I’ve included only those business ideas that have a high rate of success and a superb demand from customers. As you can see, some of these startup business ideas also require low or zero investments. Therefore, you can select from any of these to launch own startup.



 

How to launch a business from scratch

Do you have a solid idea for a startup business? If you want to succeed with your new business idea, follow these steps.

Do you have a solid idea for a startup business? If you do, you’re likely wondering if it’s possible to launch a business from scratch.

The good news is that you can start your own business even without a ton of experience. The first steps should be all about research and planning.

If you want to succeed with your new business idea, follow our steps below.

It Begins With Your Business Idea

Before doing anything else, you must come up with a good business idea. Doing so includes researching consumer needs and trends in the market. Keep an eye on local events.

Would your product or service be able to address these customer needs? How much competition would you face?

You also need to figure out what you’re capable of doing on your own. Start with your skill set and determine what you can handle and when you might need someone else to perform certain tasks. For instance, you may need to hire a marketer or a web design company to make a professional business website.

Follow a Business Plan

Creating a business plan is vital for startups as it outlines your objectives and how you plan on meeting those goals. In short, a business plan will help to keep you on track.

You’ll need a solid business plan if you’re going to seek investment. Not only does having one make you look more professional, but it helps solidify your goals and tells investors you have a plan and a strategy for success.



Finance Your Business

There are multiple ways you could finance your new business. Each option has its pros and cons, and you may want to consider combining different financing methods for the best outcome.

Here are a few to consider and research:

  • Bank loans
  • Crowdfunding
  • Friends and family
  • Angel investors
  • SBA loans
  • Personal savings

If you’re strapped for finances, you might want to consider bootstrapping. This method involves using only your personal savings and working hard to make your first sales. Once you have some money coming in from sales, you can put that back into your business.

During this step, you also want to make a budget. When you launch a business, you may need to cut back on other expenses, so be prepared.

Get a Business Coach

There’s no doubt that launching a startup company is tough work, and it’s always easier to make your business succeed with help. If you don’t have a lot of experience running a business, you should consider investing in a business coach.

Take a look at this Business Made Simple Coach to get started. With help from a certified coach, you’ll get the clarity and guidance you need to take your business from an idea to a successful company.

A business coach can walk you through planning, marketing, creating mission statements, and more.

Learning More on How to Launch a Business From Scratch

While these tips are only the beginning, they should help you on your journey so you can launch a business successfully.

You’ve taken the first steps, but that doesn’t mean you should stop learning! Now is the time to keep researching and refining your skills. To learn more tips on how to build a business, check out some of our other resources on the site.



5 Startup ideas for Atlanta businesses

If you want to start your business now, here are some startup ideas for Atlanta businesses. Read on to learn what businesses work best in Atlanta.

Why should you start a business specifically in Atlanta?

Atlanta is a great place for entrepreneurs due to convenient transportation and low living costs. Atlanta is also slowly rising to a world-class business powerhouse. This makes it a good and worthwhile investment for business success.

If you want to start your business now, here are some startup ideas for Atlanta businesses. Read on to learn what businesses work best in Atlanta.

Fitness Centers

People who live in Atlanta are very conscious of their physical and mental health. They understand the effects of being overweight, reducing the risk factors. This is a great startup for Atlanta businesses to get attention for the business launch.

If you have a background in fitness training or physical education, this may be the option for you. Health-related businesses are the second-fastest business to grow in Atlanta. Consider speaking with business consultants to give you a perspective on the strengths and weaknesses.

Car Rental Services

One of the best thriving business startup ideas is a Car rental service. Cars are a part of our daily lives, making it a great startup for visitors and tourists. You don’t need huge startup capital for this type of business.

With a website, few cars, and a telephone number, you can set up shop anywhere. You can also go for event car rental services, focusing on cars for weddings or funerals. It’s a business that is currently in high consumer demand.

Agriculture

Using this Atlanta business startup is profitable with the available fertile lands. The agriculture sector holds over half of Georgia’s labour force standing. A good start is by running a poultry farming business.

Go for various foods and crops, such as pecan, blueberries, corn, and vegetables. If you want this type of business, it’s better to secure a relationship with other industries to be their local supplier. Get along with large-scale and long-term customers, such as restaurants and hotels.



Cafe Shops 

Atlanta is one of Georgia’s most visited places due to its views and tourist places. You can attract many visitors by making a cafe for customers to sit back and socialize. As stated earlier, people in Atlanta like health-related businesses, so go for a tea cafe.

A cafe does not need large capital and it’s easy to register this type of business. Tea comes in many blends and flavours, offering many health benefits. This type of business will get plenty of attention from local customers.

Nursing Homes 

A significant fraction of Atlanta’s population is about to cross the 60-year line this year. Senior nursing demand is now increasing with either health or non-health services. You can have services such as cooking, body massage, driving, or running errands.

If you have experience in people care, consider this type of business. You can also use the opportunity to make a retirement real estate business. It involves selling real estate to people who plan to retire.

Five Startup Ideas for Atlanta Businesses

Be sure to talk to business consultants about your permits and licenses. Consider choosing something from this list of Atlanta businesses that fit your speciality and experience.

Take the risk and start your Atlanta business! We have more info about Atlanta business with our other guides. Feel free to take a look at our other posts for more information, too.



Small business ideas that’ll make you money in 2020

This is an exhaustive list of small business ideas, and you can look for more avenues to inspire yourself.

Foraying into a small business is an excellent option to start your path towards financial freedom. Some business ideas don’t need you to abandon your day job. While some businesses after growing need hiring for some roles and you may have to give full attention to it.

The beginning can be perplexing, especially if you haven’t yet fixated on what sort of small business idea to pursue. In this article, we discuss some lucrative small business ideas for you to consider. Perform due diligence and consult with your professional advisor if you’re not sure about executing these ideas.

Whatever business you choose, an online presence is irreplaceable. And, these days you don’t need coding/programming skills to set up a website. Services like Wix let you go online with your site within minutes. Or, you can use WordPress for better customization via a managed WordPress service. For website security, do not forget to install an SSL certificate so that it builds trust with the site visitors. Many types of SSL certificates are available in the market. Just go with the one that fits your bills and satisfies requirements.

In the following discussed business ideas, if you don’t find a relevant idea to you, don’t be discouraged. This is an exhaustive list, and you can look for more avenues to inspire yourself.  

Blogging 

Well, you have heard many times about blogging. It’s okay if you have a faint heart about it. Like any other business niche, blogging requires constant efforts: learning from failures and refining through what is working and not working. Just putting average efforts will not make you a success with blogging.

Your blog should be niche specific, at least in the beginning, so that it becomes manageable to attract a sizable audience. Blogging is all about generating traffic and building a loyal audience. Once you have done this groundwork, you can monetize your blog via various means: affiliate links, custom advertising, selling via email lists, launching a book, and so on.

The opportunities are endless. But first, you need to generate good traffic to plan for monetization. You can test the waters by blogging in your free time. If it picks up traction, you can go all in. Some of the well-known bloggers make a six-figure income. So, the blogging opportunity is wide-open — it’s up to you to execute and succeed.

Marketing Agency

Marketing is a vital business aspect. Digital-first businesses need to do effective marketing to grow their revenue and establish a brand reputation. But not every business can maintain or afford a full-fledged, in-house marketing team. Whenever required, they hire marketing agencies on a project basis or for long-term engagement.

Executing effective marketing campaigns that bring sustainable results is an art in and of itself. If you have in-demand marketing skills, you should consider starting your agency. Or, you can learn and start your own agency one day.

However, marketing agencies should have a multitude of skills. Marketing is a big niche, and client demands can be exhausting on you if you aren’t skilled and resourceful enough, so plan on what you can execute and what you can’t.

Social Media Management 

Yesterday, it was Facebook, and today it’s Instagram. For B2B businesses, it’s LinkedIn. People are spending more and more time on social media. And, brands want to be familiar with their audience by engaging them constantly. According to Statista, internet users, on average, spend 144 minutes daily on social media.

Social media presents this immense opportunity for brands to stay in touch with their customers and target audience. Like any other marketing skill, social media management requires persistent efforts and good work. If you have social media skills and can bring in results that matter businesses, you can demand top-dollar for your services.

Content Creation

Creating relevant, well-researched, and high-quality content is the backbone of content marketing — a marketing technique used for building a highly loyal audience and repeat customers, in general. According to a report by Technavio, the global content marketing market will grow to USD 269.24 billion by 2024.

Content creation includes anything from writing simple articles, eBooks, whitepapers, to create infographics and charts. If you are already a writer or someone with editorial experience, you can start creating content that can gain attraction for brands and businesses.

Web Development

Software is eating the world, said Marc Andreessen — a renowned venture capitalist. What he said still holds even today with the evolution of cloud computing. Software is moving to the Cloud and integrating cloud computing, and the model is called Software as a Service (SaaS).

Most SaaS products deliver their services via a web browser, and its development requires web programmers. According to Research and Markets, the global SaaS market will be worth USD 220.21 billion by 2022, up from USD 134.44 billion in 2018. This presents an excellent opportunity for top quality web developers and agencies.

In Conclusion

You can start the business ideas mentioned above and manage your venture online completely, from setting up, finding your first client, and delivering value to your customers. Of course, without having or building niche skills, you can’t be successful. But if you can establish in the market that you can deliver value consistently, you will be in demand. And, at the point, growing your business will be much more opportunistic.

Remember to set up your business website so that you can start building awareness and winning more clients. Also, make sure to secure it with an SSL certificate. Doing so makes your website traffic safe, and you make site visitors feel confident about your services and build an excellent first-hand reputation.

Story of Hari Mishra, Ankit Rajput, founders of Rs. 20 cr company who ate one meal a day, slept on floors

No matter how many times you fail, if you never stop chasing your dream, you will achieve what you always wanted. I hope this inspirational startup story of Hari Mishra and Ankit Rajput will definitely help you to achieve your startup dream.

No matter how many times you fail, if you never stop chasing your dream, you will achieve what you always wanted. Hari Mishra, an IIM Ahmedabad graduate and Ankit Rajput, a computer science engineer from Amity University, Noida, failed many times but never gave up on their dreams.

Failure comes for a good change

Hari and Ankit started a business of bootstrapped custom clothing brand and design studio ‘Poptailor’ in Mumbai in 2016. However, these entrepreneurs ran out of money and stepped down with all their funds i.e. Rs 25 lakhs within a year. They worked hard in converting customers over to their clothing design studio but could not make it because of the long purchase process.

Because of this loss, they faced challenges and started living with their friends, sleeping on floors, and having a one-time meal a day. In fact, two out of four partners quit the business, wherein Hari and Ankit had to deal with everything on their own. So, they decided to leave the dream city and move towards Delhi with a beacon of hope.

A new city, a beginning, and a new hope

Delhi brought delightful days for these entrepreneurs. Before that, they, faced challenges in Delhi – from staying with some friends to cutting their expenses. Fortunately, this struggle did not last for long.

Nona Lifestyle is their company in Gurugram which is based on the B2C model. During their struggle phase, these entrepreneurs noticed the challenges faced by startups, hotels and even large corporatesto source uniform and other items of clothing for their employees. So, they decided to tap on the B2B business from their old B2C business.

In an interview, Hari told, “Besides local traders and manufacturers, there was no organised entity serving this need for business. This provided an opportunity for us to become an organised player.” Then, they started working upon their new plans. Right from visiting textile markets to loading and unloading and transportation, everything was done by them to save expenses.

Ankit said, “To start something like this, we realised we needed to have strong cash flows, as B2B required huge investments for purchasing raw materials. So, we borrowed funds in a personal capacity to buy raw materials.”

The first step towards success

The duo came up with a new brand name ‘theStyleWorx’ under their parent company Nona Lifestyle. ‘theStyleWorx’ started offering basic quality workwear at a minimum cost of Rs 150 per t-shirt. They also distributed free design support to customers to bump up their brand reach through employees’ uniform.

Then, their first breakthrough came. OYO, largest & fastest-growing hospitality, placed an order of 70 t-shirts. Now, ‘theStyleWorx’ has many renowned clients like Coca Cola, Zomato, TikTok, Delhivery, Bayer CropScience, Urban Company, Chaayos and Denso.

Hard work and patience of duo paid off. Today, they have a company of 40 full-time employees and 50 factory workers. On this note, Ankit informed, “Once our business started growing, we realised we needed a team to support our operations. Creating a good quality team was a challenge as we could pay only small salaries. Despite this, we put a team together and started working out of a co-working space at Janakpuri.”

Expansion of the brand’s portfolio

Nona Lifestyle, now, has three brands under it. They are now planning to launch customised t-shirt delivery in 24 hours in Delhi-NCR market under this brand. One of them is StyleWorx, the other two brands are Limone Fresco and Harold Meagan.

Limone Fresco is based on a B2B model which deals with soft furnishing products such as bedsheets, towels and comforters for co-living spaces, hotels, hostels, hospitals, and restaurants. Meanwhile, Harold Meagon is a B2C brand of luxury clothing range that targets customers who follow the latest fashion trends.

Today, they have over hundred customers in countries i.e. India, UAE, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the US.

Becoming an establishing brand

Nona Lifestyle including their brands – theStyleWorx, Limone Fresco and Harold Meagon – has a turnover of Rs 20 crore in 2019-20 with a growth rate of 160%.

As per Hari’s believes, Nona Lifestyle is honestly priced, more flexible, and adaptive to market dynamics as they work on customer needs with a skilled team to carry out operations. It has two manufacturing units – one is in Gurugram and the other one is in Ahmedabad. This follows an inventory-light model and sources of raw materials based on orders.

Nona Lifestyle is competing with established brands like Raymonds and Mafatlal along with local traders.

New plans for a new pandemic situation

In the coronavirus pandemic situation, Nona Lifestyle focussing on anti-bacterial, fire-resistant, and hygienic products. In fact, it ensures its products are completely safe as they follow the sanitation process strictly in its manufacturing units.

The duo is also planning to come up with rental business for small organisations under their Limone Fresco brand which will provide sanitised beds and bath linen.

Flipkart and Amazon prepare for sales in May, Soon After Lockdown

Flipkart and Amazon have asked their partnered brands and sellers to stock up for the post lockdown sales. They are expecting that many people are waiting to buy non-essential goods post lockdown. The demand for these non-essential goods is immensely high at the moment.

To cope up with the economic loss during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, Flipkart and Amazon have decided to put up mega online sales in May.

Flipkart and Amazon have asked their partnered brands and sellers to stock up for the post lockdown sales. They are expecting that many people are waiting to buy non-essential goods post lockdown. The demand for these non-essential goods is immensely high at the moment.

To avail the maximum benefit and recover from the loss of lockdown, they are planning to reduce the discounts.

Brands now know that, after the quarantine, customers will be looking for the availability of products rather than discounts. The new sales will not be based on cuts rather than they will be based on high demand.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, people are shifting to online platforms for buying groceries and other things. Therefore, a significant boost in E-commerce growth is expected.

Avneet Singh, chief executive of SPPL, which makes Kodak and Thomson smart televisions, said that e-commerce marketplaces have witnessed new consumers in the age group of mid-thirties are ordering products online for the first time. Singh believes that these new consumers will help boost online sales after the restrictions are lifted.

So far, Odisha is the state to allow all e-commerce platforms, such as Flipkart, Amazon, BigBasket, Grofers, Swiggy and Zomato, along with their third-party logistics partners, to resume operations during the second phase of the lockdown. Learning from Odisha, other states and central authorities are expected to take similar actions.

21 Best business or startup ideas for Indians in 2020

Read through this list of startup ideas for instant inspiration for applicable business lessons from some of the most unconventional (yet successful) startup ideas.

Coming up with brilliant startup ideas may feel tricky to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially when it may seem that everyone’s already swooped up every good idea for a business. Once you’re reaping the lifestyle benefits of being your own boss and hustling your way into making significantly more money with your business ideas than you ever could at your day job, the hard work will have all been worth it.

The cost of setting up a new business has never been so low. Especially for online-based businesses. Technology has made starting your own business easy, affordable and possible. Obviously, some of these small startup ideas have more earning potential than others, but what they all share in common are relatively low barriers to entry and the flexibility to work at them for a limited amount of time per week.

Read through this list of startup ideas for instant inspiration for applicable business lessons from some of the most unconventional (yet successful) startup ideas. Some of these business ideas you can start right now, while you’re still working full-time.

Here is a list of the 21 best business ideas for Indians to start in 2020:

1. Start a Blog

Think blogging is no longer a viable source of income? Think again. Recent blogging statistics show that tens of thousands of bloggers are creating profitable content on topics as diverse as scrapbooking, home cooking, travel, film, lifestyle, business, personal finance and more.

You can grow your blog into a successful business, thanks email subscribers, affiliate marketing, blog sponsorships, and other revenue streams.

2. Organize Specialty Travel Tours

Make a specialized travel tour company to cater to individual lifestyle preferences. A tour startup made for solo travelers, a food-based tour geared towards certain diet preferences, or even an age-based tour company could gain traction across various demographics.

3. Make Local Guides

Whether or not you consider yourself a local expert, creating local guides can get you familiar with your surroundings and help tourists enjoy off-the-beaten path experiences in your area. Make themed guides, highlight attractions, and partner with local businesses for advertising opportunities.

4. Create a Food Waste Solution

Creating a startup focused on reducing food waste could not only earn you some serious funding but also positively change the food system and help save grocery stores and restaurants money.

5. Start Ghostwriting

Create content for busy professionals that don’t have the time or the skill to write themselves. If you don’t mind not attaching your name to your writing, ghostwriting is a great way to earn money with little to no startup costs attached.

6. Create Online Courses

Obscure hobbies can lead to lucrative business ideas if you make them easy for others to learn. If you’d like to teach others but aren’t interested in the coaching route, creating an online course could lead to reliable passive income.

7. Social Impact Investment Funds

Social impact is becoming a priority in India as consumers are intelligent and know what they consume influences them and the earth. This business idea involves fundraising money from various groups of investors to create a fund that will invest socially responsible and positive earth-impacting ventures.

There is a lot of demand in India for social impact, instead of just creating a business that makes money, due to the sophistication of people being quite high.

8. Cheap Home Solar Energy Setup Company

There is a large opportunity for residents in India to generate their own power and save money. For this idea, you would buy and setup solar equipment for people to install on their roofs or balconies, since apartment living is popular.

The solar could feed into the main battery for the individual or building to provide additional power. To execute, you could start by finding 10 people interested in this service that will pay you before the work is done, and then you have the money to buy to solar panels, creating a low initial investment for this business idea.

9. India Culture E-Commerce Niche Store

E-Commerce is growing at a substantial pace. This is mainly due to the access to cheap labor and goods, as well as the ability to ship internationally at a fraction of the cost it used to years ago. This business idea specifically relates to selling cultural items from India.

Given that many people around the world appreciate the culture in India, many would like to have authentic pieces of art in their homes. By setting up an e-commerce store to fulfill this, you can solve that problem. The company would be low-cost to start, and you could begin by partnering with your favourite street vendors.

10. Last-Mile Delivery Solution Company

In India, many shipping companies are facing the problem of having extreme difficulties providing delivery services to some rural areas. This is because the road infrastructure is not developed enough, or it is just very far from everything else. With this idea, you can provide the last mile delivery solutions by setting up a warehouse on the edge of the city limits.

Then, once the other shipping company gets there, you handle the final miles of the trip. This may involve buying a fleet of scooters or shipping trucks to deliver the shipments for the last couple miles. Places where regular shipping companies are not willing to do.

This company would need some investment to fund the warehouse at the outside city limits, as well as vehicles or drones for the last-mile delivery service.

11. Disaster Relief Location Finder Mobile App

The rise in mobile phone use also creates a lot of opportunities to help people in times of need. The Disaster Relief Location Finder would use sensors all over the highest buildings, along with ones along tectonic plates, and areas prone to hurricanes. This way, when signs of a disaster start to appear, the sensors would detect it and send messages to the users to take appropriate action.

Secondly, it would send out a location signal to everyone in your family so they know where you are in case disaster strikes. The app itself would not need that much investment to create, however, the setup of the sensors would be the costly part. To make money, you could charge a subscription service, as it provides piece of mind for people in disasters.

12. Graphic Designing

Companies are always on a lookout for graphic designers for branding purposes.

From designing marketing collaterals, including banners, posters, and logos to creating stunning designs of landing pages, the opportunities here are immense.

You can pitch your design skills to small business owners or individuals to start your gig. Graphic designers can also join freelance websites to find relevant work.

If you have prior knowledge of this field, then getting clients would be helpful. However, learning the basics of graphic design from scratch is pretty easy, with a vast number of online courses.

You can leverage graphic design software like Adobe InDesign to learn the foundation of graphic design. Alternatively, you can use other user-friendly tools like Visme and Stencil to hone your graphic design skills further.

13. Affiliate Marketing

It’s been a buzzword in the marketing arena for quite some time.

When someone asks how to make passive money online, a lot of people automatically envision affiliate marketing.
According to one blog income report study, bloggers making between $7500 — $25k per month make 38% of their income from affiliate marketing.

In simple terms, Affiliate marketing is a business model where bloggers and influencers recommend services or products they like or find useful, something that will be genuinely helpful for their followers, and earn a percentage of profit for each sale that follows.

14. Virtual Assistant

You can use your excellent organizational skills to create an extra stream of income. Virtual assistants are in high demand by corporations, freelancers, and every kind of business.

It is also an excellent opportunity to know successful and influential people from different fields of work to build a vast professional network. At the same time, it also provides you the opportunity to work from anywhere in the world while developing your professional skills.

People are always looking for efficient Virtual Assistants on freelance job websites.

15. Social Media Manager

Billions of people are on social media, and businesses are spending millions to reach their target audience through various social media platforms. If you are glued to social channels and understand how the eco-systems work, then you can put your knowledge to good use and start your own social media marketing business.

Small businesses, start-ups, and influencers with massive social media presence are always looking for capable social media managers to help them grow their social media presence. You can pitch for social media account management and help businesses run paid ad campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, and other channels.

Create pages on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp to promote your business and connect with people who want to leverage great deals. When you develop a solid follower base, you can also collaborate with travel agencies to cut exclusive deals for your customers.

16. Wedding photography

Wedding photography has become grander and fetches handsome pay per project. Professional wedding photographers can charge anything between $2500 – $10,000 and even more for each photoshoot.

At the start, you can build your clientele by searching online and registering on aggregators to find the business. You can also reach out to potential clients through Facebook and Instagram.

To hone your skills, you can either take online wedding photography classes or learn by reading this detailed guide. Here is the list of wedding photography gear you would need to start your wedding photography business.

17. Child Care

Singe parents and nuclear families are always short of time to take care of their children. Hence, there is always a demand for compassionate childcare professionals. It is a lucrative career option if you love being around kids.

But before taking the plunge, be sure about the age-group of the kids you are willing to look after. As you gain experience, you can also open your own day-care center to look after the kids and expand your business.

To increase your chances of finding success in this arena, you might want to earn formal certification in childcare.

18. Handmade Jewelry

Hand-made jewelry is the new fad. Teenage entrepreneurs have raked in vast amounts by selling handmade jewelry.

There are huge opportunities in the industry, with its growth projected at 5 to 6 percent per annum. With no big players in the field, the entry to this segment is also easy.

You can start selling online to earn a name, and if you end up becoming a household name, you can even open up a brick and mortar storefront.

Take a diploma or opt for online courses to understand the nuances of jewelry design and its making.

19. Wedding Planner

Weddings have become more opulent, organized, and resource-intensive. To manage all aspects of the wedding efficiently, couples these days look for credible wedding planners.

You can jump into the wedding planning business right away if you have contacts with professionals like good caterers, florists, performers, travel agents, photographer DJs, and more.

The process is time-intensive and capital intensive but can bring abundant rewards. An average wedding planner earns a good amount per hour for their services. You can also do a diploma in wedding planning to take your skills to the next level and prove your credibility in the industry.

20. Contract Customer Service (CSR)

Many organizations cut down their costs by outsourcing customer service to freelancers. If you are good at communicating and have sufficient management skills, then you can easily take customer service jobs.

Freelancing websites, including UpWork and Fiverr, offer a lot of contract-based customer service. If you already have the relevant experience, then you can also build a virtual team and start your own customer service agency.

21. Business Incubator

The job of a business incubator is to help new companies and startups plan and launch successfully. A typical business incubator will provide clients with management training, office space, high-speed internet connectivity, gym, food catering, and other necessities.

You don’t have to think too big – a small, local incubator can the perfect place where to start.

What are the best startup ideas in India to work on and start a company?

What are the best startups in India to join currently, and why?

Ever since our Honourable Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, talked about Skill India, the echoes of startup became more vivid and far spread, but what is a startup and how will it affect an individual? Before getting straight into the theory of startup, let’s understand entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship is the process of designing, launching and running a new business, which is often initially a small business. The people who create these businesses are called entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs invent startups. Startups are high-risk businesses featuring a product or service that’s aimed at fulfilling a specific need in the marketplace. Most of them are technology-oriented and focused on growth potential. Some pretty recognizable businesses began as startups, including Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, and Snapchat.

Startups are highly important in an economy as it promotes employment and also uplifts the living standards of the people.

So let’s check out the best ideas for startups in India:

1. Logistics Business

Logistics business (especially in tier 2 and tier 3 cities ) with the growth of smartphones and the internet, demand for e-commerce is growing faster and companies like Snapdeal and Flipkart, etc. are having a hard time in delivering in those areas. Many players are coming up like Roadrunnr, Ekart, but still not good in those cities.

2. Database Marketing

With companies struggling to convert bulk emails into customers, it is high time that they adopt a system where they are able to target and segment customers and then send a personalized email. For example, I have to sell insurance, I would ideally want to write a first mail different to a retired person and different to a young working man. This is only possible via database marketing. A lot of startups have flourished in this domain in the USA but not a lot in India.

3. Recycling

People make billions from recycling. I still fail to understand why our nation has not been able to do much. The waste is gold and we waste it. All metals, newspapers can be easily recycled. All biodegradable substances can be used to produce rich manure or even biogas. Someone needs to stand here. It would be a great profit-making social entrepreneurship.

4. Exercise Notebooks

Exercise books are widely known & vastly used as day-to-day products. Notebooks are available in the market in various sizes, shapes & pages and having various types of covers paperbound, board and Rexene bound, etc.

5. Blood Bags

The blood bag is a disposable bio-medical device used for collection, storage, transportation and transfusion of human blood and blood components. The system consists of a single or multiple bags connecting with tubing, needle, needle cover, clamp This idea can hit into hospitals and other health organizations.

6. Readymade Garments (T-Shirt)

Readymade garments are a part of our daily life. Clothes are an epitome of culture. People in different parts of the world have their own styles of dressing which symbolize their culture and status. The Readymade garments industry is increasing day by day due to changes in fashion in day to day life.

7. Integrated unit RMC with Stone Crusher

Concrete is the most vital material in modern construction. It has versatile properties like easy mouldability, high compressive strength, and long-lasting durability. These properties of concrete have made it the most popular construction material for all types of civil engineering works.

8. Production of liquid soaps and detergent

Laundry detergent, or washing powder, is a type of detergent (cleaning agent) that is added for cleaning laundry. In common usage, “detergent” refers to mixtures of chemical compounds including Alkylbenzene sulfonates, which are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water and we all know that every household needs it.

9. Romantic Places

With a huge number of young people, dating is widespread in metropolitan cities. Now have a look around, and tell me how many romantic places you have been to with your GF/spouse? Rarely would you come up with a good answer? I hardly see Candlelight Restaurants in cities, no romantics gateways. Not a lot is being done for the “couples” market. Men usually have a tendency to splurge in front of their dates. Play outsmart here.

10. Namkeen (Bhujia, Chana Chur, Khatta Meetha)

Dal Moth, Chanachur, Bhujia and Khattameetha are the important names signifying flavor and taste as processed foods. These are food products having no historical background but have established popularity in the market over many years.

11. Tuition Centre

This is possibly one of the most cost-effective businesses to launch, due to its near-zero starting cost requirement. Most tuition-teachers take classes in their own homes, thus eliminating any expenditure on rent and supplies. The only effort you need to put in as a tuition teacher is to take to advertise yourself on social media or go the old school way with flyers and ‘word-of-mouth’ recommendations.

12. Breakfast Joint

You must have noticed how those little breakfast and tea stores across your city are almost always filled with customers. This is because food as a commodity will always do well in a competitive market. To open up your own breakfast joint, you need to invest money in renting a space for it, after having received a permit for it from the respective authorities. If your rent is within Rs 5000 a month, you can dedicate the rest of your budget on buying groceries and other raw materials as well as second-hand tables and chairs.

13. Fruit Juice Kiosk

Who doesn’t appreciate fresh fruit-juice on a sweltering day? To tap into this lucrative business, you have to start by requesting a permit to open a kiosk in a chosen locality, preferably one that is hard to miss. Following this, you will need to pay rent for shop-space. Other than this, the only other investment you need to put your money up for is for the purchase of the raw materials, supplies like machines for making the juice, and the salaries of the employee(s) making the juice.

15. Garment Tailor

In cities like Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi, the demand for good tailors has increased tenfold due to the increasing popularity of self-made designs. Other than a small rented space, you only need to invest in powerful sewing and stitching machines, and of course electricity.

16. E-Waste Recycling Plant

E-waste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their useful life. Computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines are common electronic products. While there is no generally accepted definition of e-waste, in most cases, e-waste comprises of relatively expensive and essentially durable products used for data processing, telecommunications or entertainment in private households and businesses.

17. Kraft paper from waste cartons

Paper is a major product of the forestry industry and is used widely in our society. Paper products are used not only in their obvious applications in the publishing industry and for writing on, but also in a variety of specialty papers, cardboards, brown papers, etc.

18. Papad Plant (Automatic)

These days the demand for papad is growing immensely. At present papads are in short supply in the market. It is estimated that demand for papads will keep on multiplying. Exports of papads from India to various countries over the world have been quite substantial.

19. Mobile recharge shop

Even with online recharge, in India, most mobile-users prefer visiting a recharge shop to fill their balance. So those looking to practice this business can start by renting a space in a small local shop. This rent will be the primary (monthly) expenditure. You also need to form ties with the network providers of the area, such as Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, etc, and pen down their commission rates, where they will receive a cut of your profits from the sale of the commodities taken from them. Assuming that you aren’t looking to rent out a shop-space in any expensive real-estate property, your overall costs will definitely feature below the Rs. 10,000 scale.

20. Cafe business

This is no mystery that Indians love some newly blended espresso and this enthusiasm for espresso has lead to an expansion in the cafe business in India. There has been a consistent increment in the interest for refreshments and the café or bistro design is quick turning into a mainstream decision for opening an eatery business in India. As indicated by TechSci Research report, the Coffee Shop business is required to see development at a CAGR of over 11% by 2021. This makes opening a café business very gainful whenever done right!

So these are the basic but the most profitable business ideas which can push India to the greatest heights. So take a little risk for a hugely positive outcome!

Top 10 business startup ideas for 2019

Regardless of how well you run a startup, businesses that provide a product or service that nobody wishes to purchase will be unsuccessful.

The business world is booming, and an increasing number of people are going into business for themselves. While we often hear about startups that become massive successes seemingly overnight, the average startup business remains owned and operated by very few people. Beginning a startup is incredibly difficult but can be a rewarding experience over time. The ultimate success of a startup business almost always relies on the product or service being sold, and the business model behind it. Regardless of how well you run a startup, businesses that provide a product or service that nobody wishes to purchase will be unsuccessful. So, what are the top ten business startup ideas for 2019?

Dog Walking

More people than ever are working either long hours or multiple jobs which means their pets are often home alone for long stretches of time. To make sure their pets get the proper exercise throughout the day, pet owners are seeking the services of a professional dog walking business. These businesses are in charge of taking the animals out on a walk, cleaning up after them and feeding them if necessary. Dog walking businesses often grow through word of mouth between fellow pet owners so if you get the opportunity to walk someone’s pets, ensure that you do everything in your power to do a great job with the hopes of this client spreading the word.

Also read: 5 Important questions to ask yourself before pursuing any business idea

Energy Efficiency Auditor

An energy efficiency auditor is someone who will come into someone’s home and make suggestions about potential upgrades that could be done to improve the energy efficiency of the home in order to save a client money. The auditor will sometimes also quote the homeowner on the cost to have all of these upgrades completed if the homeowner does not feel they can undertake these upgrades themselves. With a growing interest in sustainability, this type of startup is currently flourishing.

Web Designer

Brick and mortar businesses are increasingly moving a portion of their business online. Consumers have a growing demand to order something from an online business and have it delivered to their doorstep just a few short days later. In order to attract consumers to online businesses, web design must be at the forefront of every online storefront. Web designers seek to make these websites as appealing as possible and business owners will pay a premium for their services. Web designers can include things like animations from animatedvideo.com which will add a unique animation to make the website truly stand out from the competition.

Also read: Top 10 best online business ideas with a low start-up cost

Search Engine Optimization Specialist

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of organically driving more internet traffic to a particular website by properly including more frequently searched terms in the content. This is a very time-consuming process that requires the constant care of a full-time employee or service. This is large because the algorithms that search engines use to rank web pages are constantly changing. This means that although your page may be one of the top ranked websites today, it may not be a top-ranked website tomorrow. These web page rankings can largely influence the amount of traffic to a website which in turn can support sales growth. There are thousands of online businesses who could stand to benefit from an SEO specialist making it the perfect online startup company.

Landscaping Services

Many homeowners dread the idea of using some of their free time in the evenings or on weekends to do yard work. This has led these same homeowners to hire small landscaping companies to cover the upkeep of their yards. Landscaping may require an initial investment in acquiring all of the necessary equipment like a lawn mower or electric garden blower, but as long as you take the time to maintain the equipment, they can continue to be useful tools for years to come.

Online Tutor

In the age of the internet and high-speed connections that support the use of webcams, online tutoring has become one of the most popular startup business models. Thousands of people all over the world will pay to receive English lessons online. This could turn into a full-time startup business if enough regular tutoring clients are brought on board. A demand could be out there for tutoring in a variety of subjects, someone just needs to find them.

Also read: 5 reasons why taking an online course is a good idea

Monthly Subscription Services

The idea of a monthly subscription service is very interesting for potential startups. This is because monthly subscription services can include a variety of products. The key to this type of startup is to find something that a large audience will enjoy, and then make sure there are enough variations of that product to send out a new one every month. This can include things like coffee, fashion accessories or shoes. This way, your clients can excitedly await their new package every single month.

Cleaning Services

An improving trend with today’s workforce is valuing time over possessions. This means that consumers are more willing to spend their money on services that save them time which can better be spent with friends and families. Cleaning services are a great way to save time and ensure that your home is always in tip top shape. Beginning a cleaning service involves developing a client base of customers who wish to pay for this service. When a startup cleaning business does an incredible job on a home, the client is more likely to both hire the service again as well as tell their friends and family to hire the startup company as well.

Also read: 9 ways to validate your startup ideas

Personal Trainer

The fitness industry is growing each and every year. To ensure that gym-goers are performing the proper exercises to meet their fitness goals and doing them safely, the services of personal trainers are in high demand. Personal trainers can even start their own business that includes everything from workout plans to diet plans to improve the health of clients.

Food Prep Services

Continuing with the theme of valuing time over money, more and more consumers are willing to hire a food preparation service. This opens the door for a perfect startup opportunity. New businesses are popping up left and right to provide food preparation services. Food preparation involves things like acquiring ingredients, chopping vegetables, and assembling casseroles which will save clients hours of time throughout the week in the kitchen. A startup like this is best served by someone with experience in the culinary field.

No matter what startup business you decide to begin in 2019, it should be noted that there is tons of hard work ahead of you. No startup, regardless of how great an idea or business model may be, will be successful without hard work and determination.

Also read: Some super-successful ideas which were deemed to be stupid at first

Killer small business ideas to hit it big in 2018

A birth of a business idea is a pivotal moment in the life of an aspiring entrepreneur.

A birth of a business idea is a pivotal moment in the life of an aspiring entrepreneur. It illuminates the twisted path ahead, towards building a profitable, stable organization. Finding the right one is not easy, though. Most people look only inwards, but sometimes, it is necessary to push emotions aside and examine the ideas critically.

Namely, to maximize chances of success, one has to factor in various elements such as projected industry growth, barriers to entry, level of competition, and consumer needs. Regardless of how smart your idea is, you do not want to face stiff regulation, big corporations, and plummeting demand. So, we have listed some of the ideas that stand out and hold promise in 2018.

Virtual reality

Being on the cutting-edge of the tech innovation can lead to great business accomplishments. Virtual reality (VR) is poised to transform the entertainment industry and gaming headsets are a prime example of this. Sales are already measured in millions and that is just the beginning. What’s more, this new tech it is making big waves in sectors like real estate, where companies offer virtual tours to customers. We have also seen businesses targeting niche audiences such as couples looking to marry and catering to industries like education, team-building, and training.

Related Post: New-age business ideas which you need to know of

Home renovation company

The sector of home renovation shows no signs of slowing down. There are a myriad of people out there looking for a trustworthy professional to make their dream home a reality. They do not feel confident purchasing a new property, which leaves them with the second-best thing. Good remodeling contractors who deliver true value are few and far in between in some areas, so do your research. See if you can fill the void in demand and become a go-to source of remodeling know-how and expertise.



Green/off-grid solutions

Renewable sources are the future of energy consumption. The seismic shift started with building materials designed to reduce pollution, energy-efficient products that save both money and the planet, and solar panels for harness green, clean energy from the sun. Then, we saw groundbreaking concepts like shipping container homes, passive design, and zero-energy houses. This brings us to the point: some people want to go all the way and build off-grid, self-sustainable lifestyle. Rising consumer interest in this department has propelled many companies forward and the upward trajectory is only going to continue.

Related Post: 8 Start-up ideas for Indian entrepreneurs

Food business

People got to eat and they have less and less time to cook at home. To capitalize on this trend, you need to figure out the type of food business, menu, hiring policy, the location of the establishment, etc. Skimping on appliances and kitchen equipment is one of the common mistakes storefronts make. To avoid it, opt for high-grade stainless steel products like the industrial agitator and meet extensive food processing requirements. Another approach would be to start small, operating from your home instead of restaurants and delivering around with a food truck.

Drone rental service

Drones are huge in the recreational sector, where they are used for everything from capturing stunning aerial photos to showing off. However, recent years have brought a variety of business applications. Drones can be utilized for surveillance, research, delivery and much more. Once these flying robots are allowed to freely enter national airspace, the industry will reach dizzying new heights. Just take the example of companies like Blue Skies who rent drones online.

Related Post: 9 ways to validate your startup ideas



SEO agency

In this day and age, having a business website is usually a must. Customers expect brands to be present on the internet and also responsive and helpful. Not only that, internet users employ search engines to find information, products, and services. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes into play. It is used to boost the visibility in search engines, the lifeblood of the internet. This strategy can drive an immense amount of traffic and leads towards corporate websites/blogs, where monetization and retention tactics do the rest. Local SEO in particular is growing rapidly, outpacing all other areas.

Related Post: Marketing techniques which will help your enterprise start-up in its initial days

A bright idea

Staying on top of trends is a great way to do well in a shabby economic climate. Some ideas are as old as the trade, while others have emerged as spawns of the digital era. What they all have in common is the market potential. As a vehicle for success, they allow you to move ahead of the pack and secure your share of the pie.

A little innovation and niche targeting can go a long way, especially if you follow it up with concrete steps and research. So, find your killer idea, one you are passionate about, but also the one that holds water in practice. Just bear in mind that others may have a similar plan as you, so do not let them beat you to it.

Related Post: 10 Great ways to generate business ideas





9 ways to validate your startup ideas

Check out the infographic below for some other tips in validating startup ideas that you could also use.

The most effective ways to validate your startup ideas include conducting surveys and following up the feedback. You want to test the waters at this stage. Interacting with your target audience is a must. The good thing about surveying them is that they won’t hold back with their thoughts.

If they like something, they will say it right away. Otherwise, they could be blunt about their dislike. This will let you know exactly the common reactions of your sample group. From there, you can easily determine if your ideas are worth pushing through or not.

However, if they have better reactions this time, your idea could be worth giving a shot. When it comes to business ideas, you must not just trust yourself or your associates. Always listen to what people have to say. They are your target consumers. If they don’t like what you offer, there is nothing you can do to change their minds.

You must be open to suggestions. Don’t start anything unless you are totally certain that it will work. Once you have started the business and the reception is cold, it would be too late for you to do something about it. This could also mean losing a lot of money especially if you want to start over again.

It takes time polishing your ideas and making them better. Check out the infographic below for some other tips in validating startup ideas that you could also use. The goal is to see how people feel before spending your money.



This article was originally published in Growly.io





Some super-successful ideas which were deemed to be stupid at first

Not every revolutionary idea always meets with all praises; some have to face the wrath and be persistent in order to succeed.

Not every revolutionary idea always meets with all praises; some have to face the wrath and be persistent in order to succeed. A lot of entrepreneurs were told that their ideas were stupid and incapable of succeeding in the real world. However, because the entrepreneurs chose to hang on, they could make it big.

Here are a few successful ideas which were called stupid:

1. Thomas Edison’s teachers deemed that he was “too stupid to learn anything” and was fired from jobs for being unproductive. His initial attempts at making the light bulb were also criticized and called an impossible one. However, even after failing 1000 times, he chose to not give up and made his idea work and how!

Related Post: New-age business ideas which you need to know of

2. When Pinterest raised money for their idea, it had to face immense amount of backlash from people who claimed that the idea was lame and it was just a system of bookmarking. Some people on Quora also expressed surprise as to how such a stupid concept could raise so much money.

Related Post: 5 things to engage in to convert your startup idea to reality



3. Alexander Graham Bell had to face a fair share of struggles to make his unique and difficult idea work. A company on hearing his idea commented “What use could this company make of an electrical toy?” With grit and belief in his idea, he chose to not give up until he made the telephone on which our lives almost depend today.

Related Post: 10 Great places to find a new business idea

4. Kevin Systrom, the founder of Instagram, was an ex-Google employee whose idea was heavily criticized by an article in TechCrunch in 2010. From the article, it can be inferred that this app was called useless as it didn’t have a real business model and nobody would pay for an app with mindless filters. Currently, Instagram is the most popular photo sharing app.

Related Post: 8 Start-up ideas for Indian entrepreneurs

5. The idea of Uber was criticized to such an extent by TechCrunch that the idea was called a fraud and complete crap and also explained how their Monopoly wasn’t going to work. Uber is currently the leading taxi aggregator globally and a true success story as just seven months after this headline bashing the idea was released, TechCrunch released another article which spoke about how Uber raised money from investors for their idea.





10 Great places to find a new business idea

Do some research to make sure the idea is legal and feasible, and then visit our step-by-step guide to starting a business.

All successful entrepreneurial ventures have one thing in common: They solve a specific problem. Whether they fill a gap in the market or improve upon what’s already out there, good business ideas demonstrate what the issue is and why they have the unique ability to address it.

If you’ve been racking your brain for a way to start your own business but keep coming up short, you might just need a change of scenery. You never know where inspiration will strike, so get up and explore these 10 places to find solvable problems — and, therefore, great business ideas.

Think you’ve found your perfect startup? Do some research to make sure the idea is legal and feasible, and then visit our step-by-step guide to starting a business.

Your smartphone

In the “there’s an app for that” era, it may seem like every mobile application under the sun has already been thought up and built. But that’s not necessarily the case, as many people discover when they scour their smartphone’s app store searching for something that doesn’t exist. Perhaps an app you recently downloaded doesn’t function the way you’d hoped it would, or doesn’t offer a certain feature you wanted. To find out if there’s interest in the newer, better app you want to create, ask friends, family and others in your network. Once you’ve done your due diligence, you can use a DIY app maker or, if you have very little tech experience, hire freelancers to build it for you.

Related Post: 7 part-time business ideas to generate extra income

Search engines

If you’ve ever done an exhaustive Internet search for a specific item that returned no results, you have three options: settle for something close enough, give up entirely or do it yourself. If you’re the kind of person who chooses the DIY method (and can do it well), you have the opportunity to turn a frustration into a lucrative business. Check forums to see if others are searching for the same product(s), and then open up an online shop to sell them. This can also work well for specialized service-based businesses.

Social media

If there’s one thing people like to do on social media, it’s air their grievances about everyday life. Most of the time, these types of updates are mundane (and probably a little annoying), but if you pay close enough attention to those hashtags and status updates, you might start to see some patterns emerging. Look for phrases like, “Why isn’t there a … ” or, “I wish there was a …” — you may be able to offer a solution.

Related Post: 8 Start-up ideas for Indian entrepreneurs

Online reviews

As with social media, people love to talk about the products they’ve purchased and places they’ve visited on sites like Amazon, Google and Yelp. Most consumers will read and use negative reviews to determine if they should avoid the product or establishment, and that company’s loss could be your gain. See what people are complaining about, and try to come up with a business idea that would fix the problem.



Your home

Look around your house or apartment. What are some of the frustrations you encounter there? Dusty air vents? A messy bathroom? Unraked leaves on your lawn? If you’re noticing these things in your own home, there’s a good chance other people are experiencing the same problems. By launching an in-home service business, you can help others take care of these time-consuming household tasks.

Related Post: 3 Questions to ask before turning your good idea into a successful company

Your neighborhood

The people who live near you can be a great inspiration for business ideas. Think about the demographics of your neighborhood or local community. If your town has a lot of working parents, a service that offers to run errands or provides child care might be in high demand. A neighborhood with a lot of senior citizens could use independent home health aides. Are there a lot of dog owners nearby? Try a pet-care business like pet sitting or dog walking.

Your office

If you want to start a part-time business outside your current job, ask your co-workers what kinds of products or services they’re missing in their lives. Maybe someone else with a side business is looking for a bookkeeper or financial adviser. Others might be looking to enroll their children in affordable art or music classes. Small talk in the break room is bound to lead to at least a few viable ideas.

Related Post: Idea-stage startups: How to value enterprises that are yet to take shape

The grocery store

Are you a food lover? Seeing what’s missing from the shelves at the grocery store or farmers market could help you come up with a made-to-order culinary business idea. Jams, baked goods and specialty diet items (gluten free, vegan, etc.) are especially good choices for an artisanal food startup. Alternatively, you could test your gastronomic skills with ingredients from the supermarket and open up a restaurant or food truck.

The mall

While you might not actually open up a brick-and-mortar retail location, perusing your local mall might give you some ideas for a business of your own. You could launch a line of homemade natural cosmetics to rival the pushy salespeople from that kiosk, a clothing line to produce something different from the same old items in every apparel store window or an online craft shop to offer personalized alternatives to generic card-store knickknacks.

Related Post: 10 Rules for a great startup idea

Your child’s school or day care

If you’re a parent, you know that any product or service that will help your child is worth the money. Think about the gaps you see in the market, and next time you pick up the kids from school, ask other parents if they feel the same way. Not a parent? Ask family members or friends with children what kinds of things they want (or want improved) but can’t currently find for their kids.





8 Start-up ideas for Indian entrepreneurs

This list consists of some ideas which are bound to do well in the Indian market because of lack of market leaders or depending upon the needs of people with changing times.

To become successful, all an entrepreneur needs is a great idea and a set of skills which needs to employ to make the idea work. However, sometimes entrepreneurs need to find inspiration to start their own venture. This list consists of some ideas which are bound to do well in the Indian market because of lack of market leaders or depending upon the needs of people with changing times.

1. Home-based food services

The concept of dabbas and tiffins have existed for decades together. This idea has huge scope because the youth of India works longs hours and majority want “ghar ka khaana” when they come back home after a tiring day at work. You can choose your domain to work in- individuals, organisations or local businesses. The investment is pretty low because there is not much inventory required and the scope of this business doing well in metropolitan cities is very high.

2. Online courses

If you’re proficient with some software, coding language or foreign language, you can easily offer an online course to people who need it. The most effective solution would be to offer them with a well structured course they can avail at any time of the day depending upon convenience. In India, because people want to learn separate courses than the ones they are learning, this is bound to work.

For instance, VFX is in demand, so one can hire a VFX specialist and record his lectures and offer it to people who want to learn VFX.

Related Post: Startup ideas for Indian entrepreneurs

3. Cleaning services

With long hours of work, people hardly have the time to clean every nook and corner of their house. On one day of relaxation, they prefer to relax than haggle with the maid. An entrepreneur can turn these shortcomings into opportunities and provide people with trusted domestic assistance on an hourly basis. This is a new concept which is bound to garner attention in Tier-I and Tier-II cities.



4. Virtual assistant

The concept of having a virtual assistant to pay bills, organise tasks for the day, set reminders, reply to emails etc, is steadily catching up worldwide. This concept is relatively unexplored in India and has huge potential to click with the growing working population. All an entrepreneur needs for starters is a laptop and a good website with basic understanding of the virtual world of administration.

5. T-shirt printing

With organisations, corporate, schools and colleges constantly looking for vendors to print and design t-shirts, hoodies and other apparel in bulk, this could be your ticket to becoming a successful entrepreneur. This industry is slowly catching up and is bound to become big in the future. Some market players like Souled store and VX are already doing this. SO, if you can offer similar services at cheaper rates, you could mint money in no time.

Related Post: Idea-stage startups: How to value enterprises that are yet to take shape

6. Laundry services

Stressing on the fact that people do not have enough time to take out from their jobs to actually do laundry, they will be glad to give their dirty clothes to a laundry service and shell out some bucks to have it washed properly and ironed. For better sales, you could also introduce a pick-up and drop service. This is bound to be a hit with students and working youth alike.

7. Professional essay and SOP writer

If you have the writing skills and want to make money out of it, the best way to do that is by becoming a professional essay and SOP writer for people applying for college or jobs. Parents will be willing to pay tons to get their kids help from professionals for college and you could easily turn a forte into a money making business.

8. Pet clothing and accessories

With the pet industry booming and second after the infant care industry, a creative designer could explore this field and yield maximum benefits. One could design and customise dog-collars, beds, clothes, dog tags, grooming kits; the list is endless. The customisation offered will make the pet owner feel exclusive and this start-up is bound to do well in a country where pets are being celebrated. One has various sales channels for this venture- online, pet shops or sell at wholesale rates to pet owners and then expand the market from there.

Related Post: 10 Great ways to generate business ideas





3 Questions to ask before turning your good idea into a successful company

What makes a great idea actually great?

One of the most difficult concepts that I have to discuss when advising aspiring startups is that a great idea can still be a lousy business. A wannabe founder will describe to me a product or service that all of their friends swear is going to be a game-changer, only to be confused (and occasionally indignant) when challenged with a series of questions that they hadn’t considered before. Often, they have spent months planning, building and scheming only to find out later that they have wasted their time on a product that no one wants, no one understands or no one will ever hear of because of 50 other competitors.

I can relate. I’ve come up with plenty of ideas that I thought would be great businesses, only to discover that they wouldn’t work because I didn’t properly assess the tremendous difficulty of building that idea into a profitable company. Building a successful company is hard enough without facing challenges that you might not be able to overcome through sheer will and creativity.

So what makes a great idea actually great? Here are the top three things that I look at when evaluating a potential new product or service:

Does it solve a problem that enough people will pay for?

Just because you found a problem and put the time and effort into solving it doesn’t mean that you will find people willing to actually pay money for a solution. For example, I ran into a business that created an awesome piece of software that significantly reduced the time and labor needed to complete huge data migrations. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, their target customers were people who work on projects that bill per hour. They made a product that reduced the billable hours that their customers could charge their clients. And they were confused as to why no one would ever return their calls. Awkward.

You need to understand your customer, their motivations and their business model before you potentially waste a lot of time and money. I have wasted more time on this mistake than I would like to admit — don’t make the same one.

Can you dominate with meaningful differentiation?

We need to recognize how easy it is to fall in love with our own ideas and create a product with meaningless differentiation. This question is for those of you who love to “build.” Often, the differences we highlight between ourselves and our competitors aren’t that important to the customer.

This can be a fatal flaw when trying to stand out in a crowded marketplace. You can’t dominate an industry if you can’t differentiate in ways that resonate with your customers without a lot of explanation. If the difference between you and your nearest competitor is hard to explain, then you will struggle with marketing, sales and fundraising. By the way, “struggle” is my code word for “likely to fail.”



Hockey stick growth, or just a neat business?

Just because you can find potential customers doesn’t mean that you can find enough customers quickly and easily enough. And here is the worst part: You can initially sell the idea to a few companies, thinking that you are onto something, only to realize later that you were addressing niche issues that aren’t as common as you assumed.

This is why you need to understand the market that you are selling into early and connect with people who have been in the industry for a long time. That way, you can correctly assess whether or not your solution applies to enough other customers to really matter. There is nothing wrong with starting a company that just pays your bills and doesn’t scale to the moon, but learn to recognize the difference so that you don’t waste you time trying to build a huge company around a limited idea.

Sufficiently answering these three questions is not a guarantee that you have a successful business on your hands, but it’s a start. And these three issues aren’t necessarily the most obvious, especially to first-time entrepreneurs. The long and short of it is that I wish that someone had asked me these tough questions about 10 years ago when I started my first company. It would have saved me a lot of wasted time — and I find that the older I get, the less I care about losing money as much I do my time.

For those of you who’ve been in my shoes, what questions would you add to this list?

Author: Seth Talbott

Seth Talbott started his career in IT and software development 15+ years ago. Since then, he has run a global data center for a major software company, been CEO of the award-winning Longevity Medical Clinics, and founded numerous companies, including Promedev and AtomOrbit which VentureBeat named one of the most innovative early-stage startups in the 2013 Innovation Showdown in Cloud Software.

Image credit: blogs.csc.com



How to use a sample business plan to write your own plan

If you’ve never created a business plan before. In fact, you may have never even seen a formal business plan document then here are some sample business plans for you to inspire from.

If you’re like most small business owners, you’ve never had to create a business plan before. In fact, you may have never even seen a formal business plan document let alone had to put one together.

This is why we gathered this collection of sample plans for you here on Bplans. Our business plans can give you a great sense of what a finished plan looks like, what should be included, and how a plan should be structured – whether you’re building a plan for investment or just to develop a better strategy for your business.

But, building your own plan isn’t as simple as just cutting and pasting from someone else’s plan. In fact, if you do that, you will be doing yourself (and your business!) a huge disservice. Here are a few tips to get the most out of our sample business plans and build the plan your business needs to succeed.

1. Find a plan from a similar industry to your business, but don’t worry about finding an exact match. In fact, you won’t find an exact match for your business. That’s because every business is as unique as its owners and managers. Every business has a different location, different team, and different marketing tactics that will work for them. Instead of looking for an exact match, look for a business plan that’s for a business that operates similarly to how your business will work. For example, a business plan for a steak restaurant will actually be useful for someone starting a vegetarian restaurant because the general concepts for planning and starting a restaurant are the same regardless of what type of food you serve.

2. Use the sample plans for inspiration and ideas. Staring at a blank page can be the worst part of writing a business plan. In fact, that’s probably the reason that’s preventing you from getting started right now. Instead, take advantage of our sample plans to avoid writer’s block. Feel free to copy words, phrasing, and the general structure of a plan to start your own. Also, as you read through several plans, you might find ideas for your business that you hadn’t considered. Use our plans for inspiration and ideas, borrow phrasing when it makes sense, and just get going!

3. Write a business plan that’s right for your business. As tempting as it is, don’t just cut and paste from a sample plan. Any banker or investor will be able to tell from miles away that you copied someone else’s plan. Not only will you be less likely to get funding if you copy a business plan, you’ll be greatly reducing your chances of success because you didn’t write a plan that’s right for your specific business, its specific location, target market, and your unique product or service. Thinking through how you are going to launch your business is a critical step in starting a business that you shouldn’t let go.



4. The value of business planning is in the process, not the final document. By creating your own business plan, you are going to have to think about how you are going to build your own business. What marketing tactics are you going to use? What kind of management team do you need to be successful? How is your business going to set itself apart from the competition?

The process of writing a business plan guides you through answering these questions so that you end up with a strategy that works for your business. You will also end up with a plan that you can share with business partners, investors, and friends and family. Sharing your vision and your strategy is the best way to get everyone on the same page and pushing forward to build a successful business.

5. Use your plan as a management tool and build a better business. When you’re done with your plan and your business is up and running, your plan shouldn’t just end up in a drawer. That would be a huge waste of all the time and effort you put into your strategy, budgets, and forecast. Instead, using your plan as a tool to grow your business can be one of the most powerful things you can do to grow your business. In fact, businesses that use their plan as a management tool to help run their business grow 30% faster than those businesses that don’t.

To use your business plan to grow 30% faster than the competition, you need to track your actual results – the sales that you get and the expenses that you incur – against the goals that you set out for yourself in your plan. If things aren’t going according to plan, perhaps you need to adjust your budgets or your sales forecast. If things are going well, your plan will help you think about how you can re-invest in your business. Either way, tracking your progress compared to your plan is one of the most powerful things you can do to grow your business.

This article was originally published in bplans.com

Image Credit: www.ndoi.com