Businesses You Can Start While Working Full Time
Ever since you’ve been a child you’ve dreamed about owning your own business. Maybe during elementary school you sold Twinkies at recess, traded-up your fruit cups to pudding cups or offered your expert chalk art abilities for a price. When we grow up however we’re told to get a full time job, not to risk our money and to build a foundation for your conventional family with 2.5 kids. But what if you could have both a secure job and your own business?
Nowadays full time workers are fulfilling their dreams of owning a business by starting their own side hustles- a business that is only part-time allowing you to keep the security of a full-time salaried position while also exploring if you have what it takes to be a successful businessperson. Maybe you work on your business on the weekends, after work in bed, or, if you have an incredibly oblivious boss, possibly even during your day job. And once your business takes off you can quit your full time job and become the full time entrepreneur that would make six year-old you proud. Here are five of the easiest side businesses to start from home that won’t make your boss suspicious:
1. Car Sharing
When you type in “requirements to…” into the Google search engine (in the United states) what do you expect to see? “Requirements to become President”? “Requirements to join the army”? Those are both there, but the next entry?: “Requirements for Uber.”
Whether it be because of debt-drowning millennials or eco-friendly hipsters, ride sharing apps have exploded in popularity with Uber and Lyft offering ways for people to make money with just their car, gas, and 5 star rating. If you live in Europe and are driving cross country why not put your trip on BlaBlaCar where drivers offer longer rides for cash and companionship? Nowadays even hitchhiking has become monetized. One driver for Uber even made $250,000 in one year. Is that enough to convince you to quit your day job?
2. Call Center Representative
Even if the idea of providing customer service makes you shutter don’t count out on working for a call center just yet. What other job pays you for talking on the phone at home in your pajamas? Websites like liveops will connect you with companies and individuals that are in need of phone service. And the opportunities aren’t limited to providing tech support to the elderly or having angry soccer moms yell at you for a rejected coupon. Liveops can connect you with opportunities for traditional phone support including sales and insurance claims or unconventional positions like roadside assistance, providing resources for healthcare and even taking food orders for people who can’t order for themselves. If you have a phone number, time to relax at home and a little bit of patience you can start taking calls and taking in cash today.
3. Online Flipper
We’ve all seen those shows of people buying abandoned storage lockers on the cheap, finding a treasure amongst the dust and garbage and making twice or triple the profit by selling an old radio that looked suspiciously like the one in your grandpa’s garage on the internet. There’s a new trend (and business) in flipping unwanted items- buying or possibly even finding something for free and then selling it for a substantial amount of money. Maybe that clown painting hanging in your great aunt’s living room is actually an abstract masterpiece worth thousands of dollars. That set of dresser drawers on the side of the road? Someone could be getting rid of antique furniture made from high-quality wood without knowing it. One couple even made close to $4,000 selling just four items in one month on eBay proving that one man’s trash is another (business) man’s treasure.
4. House Cleaning
During my summers off from college, I worked for my mother’s best friend cleaning the houses of rich families who were either on vacation or used their houses in photoshoots. I remember one house designed by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright paid over $700 a week to be cleaned because of its historical value. More exciting to me however was that the owner gifted me last season’s designer bags and shoes after dedicated closet clean outs. Providing a service like house cleaning not only means repeat business (how often do you need to clean your own house?) but opens up a large customer base of the super rich, super lazy and even bachelors who always relied on their mothers to do the cleaning for them.
5. Any Gig You’re Good At
Do you have any special talents like singing, dancing or even just the ability to read and write? With websites like Fiverr, you can get paid for providing virtually any service ranging from writing Tinder profiles to personalized travel itineraries to even dressing up like Jesus to deliver a video message. Simply make a profile on the site describing your “special” skill and name your price (starting at $5 of course). For even more business inspiration, check out this list of 1001 profitable business ideas. Pretty soon you’ll be raking in checks for more than $5 and one day you may even be able to brag about being able to make a living by selling dog portraits on the internet.
If you want to bring in some extra cash and give entrepreneurship a try then a side hustle is the perfect way to test the waters without taking a nosedive. Though it may be a scary thought to leave behind your 9-5, Invoice Home will always have your back. Our free plan is perfect for when you are new to the business game while we offer unlimited invoicing for when your side hustle evolves into a full-time business. Don’t listen to those who say “don’t quit your day job” and start your new business today!
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