How to start a business with no money or experience
Many aspiring entrepreneurs think, "It takes money to make money." But that's not entirely true.
Sure, starting a business means you need something to sell and usually some cash to get started. But unlike traditional businesses, you don’t need a lot of money or experience to start an online business. In fact, there are several types of internet businesses you can start in a day, with no money at all.
If you're looking to become your own boss but feel stuck between security and adventure, your best bet is to use free online tools that require no technical skills or prior marketing experience.
Running your own online business can give you the freedom to work from anywhere in the world. Whether you want to be a full-time entrepreneur or just earn some extra income on the side, there are countless online business ideas to explore.
Five Tips for Starting Your First Online Business:
1.Leverage Free Marketing: Use free, organic marketing by regularly posting on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This is not only free promotion but also helps your brand connect with your target audience.
2.Avoid Unnecessary Expenses: Don’t spend money on internet tools before seeing results. Use free marketing tools and design templates at the start. When you finally find the right tools, it can make everything easier.
3.Invest Your Time: Instead of money, invest your time and effort into your business. This might mean less Netflix and social media, but it's worth it. Hard work is necessary, especially if you can't afford to hire a team.
4.Spread the Word: Tell everyone about your new business. Use your social media bio to post links or share content that your network can spread.
5.Be Resourceful: If you face difficulties, remember the internet is full of free resources. Change your mindset from "I don't know how" to "I can learn how."
Start a Business with No Money or Experience
Two great options are Affiliate Marketing and Dropshipping.
I myself chose to start by building a webshop, as I thought it was the easiest. When I finished building the webshop, I started to study how I could drive traffic to my shop. I am not done with this learning by a long shot, but I find it very exciting to learn this and I realize that this is not done in the blink of an eye. I realize that thinking long-term is an important piece of the puzzle in everything I do.
Nowadays, I am learning, in parallel, to read and understand affiliate, which I find even more exciting and look forward to earning my first dollars in this field as well.
1. Affiliate Marketing
No customers? No products? No money? No problem! As an affiliate marketer, you can earn money by promoting and selling someone else’s product. You don’t need to keep inventory, ship products, or handle customer service. You make money from commissions on sales that come from your promotions. Popular affiliate programs include ClickBank, Amazon, and JVZoo.
To start, choose a niche and target your content marketing efforts toward that group. Some programs might require you to buy the product first or fill out an application. However, with the Groove JV Affiliate Program, you don’t have to sell anything. Just give away free accounts, and you get paid when people upgrade.
2. Dropshipping Ecommerce Store
You can also start a dropshipping store where you sell products without holding any inventory. When someone buys a product from your store, a third-party supplier ships it directly to the customer. This means you don’t need a lot of money to get started, and you can run your business from anywhere.
Pros and Cons of Affiliate Marketing
Pros:
- Low risk: No financial investment required (with Groove Partner Program)
- Quick to start
- Easily scalable
- High income potential
- Ability to promote complementary products
Cons:
- No traffic = no money
- Working as a third party
- No control over competition
Pros and Cons of a Dropshipping Ecommerce Store
Pros:
Low Risk: No need to invest in inventory upfront, which means lower initial costs.
Easy to Start: You can quickly set up an online store and begin selling products without handling them directly.
Scalable: As your business grows, you can easily add more products without worrying about storage or logistics.
Flexibility: Operate your store from anywhere in the world, giving you the freedom to work remotely.
Variety: You can offer a wide range of products without being limited by physical inventory.
Cons:
No Traffic = No Sales: Just like affiliate marketing, if you don't drive traffic to your store, you won't make any sales.
Third-Party Dependence: You're reliant on suppliers for product quality, shipping times, and stock levels.
Lower Margins: Since you're buying products at wholesale prices and selling at retail, the profit margins can be lower.
Customer Service Challenges: Handling customer inquiries, returns, and complaints can be more complex when you don't control the inventory.
Competition: The dropshipping market is highly competitive, with many stores often selling the same products.
Why Groove.cm?
One of the most important steps in starting a profitable online business is finding the right platform. With a Groove.cm account, you can easily create a website, build an email list, or start an e-commerce store—all in one place. It's simple, hassle-free, and includes everything you need to get started quickly.
By following these tips and using resources like Groove.cm, you can begin your journey to making money online without needing a large upfront investment. Good luck!
I bought Groove for life two years ago and haven't regretted it for a second.
Being a complete beginner, I needed a platform that had both training and all the technical stuff.
The fact that I never had to pay anything more for software was an important part for me as I understood that learning all this would take time.