51吃瓜

I launched my freelance content writing business in 2013 with just a laptop that took five minutes to boot up. While everyone around me seemed to have startup capital, fancy equipment, or family connections, I had none of that — just desperation, willingness to learn, and the stubborn belief that my skills had value.

Starting with nothing forces you to get creative. I found free alternatives to expensive software, reached out to strangers on LinkedIn instead of waiting for referrals, and delivered perfect work because I couldn't afford to lose a single client.

If you're sitting there feeling stuck because you lack funds but know you have something valuable to offer, this guide will show you exactly how to get started.

Table of Contents

• Entrepreneurship Statistics You Should Know About Before Starting a Business
• How to Find Grants and Funding For New Business Owners
• 6 Businesses You Can Start With Little to No Capital

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Entrepreneurship Statistics You Should Know About Before Starting a Business

Before we dive into the practical steps of starting a business on a shoestring budget, let’s talk numbers for a moment.

The Report shows data that might either comfort or terrify you: most entrepreneurs start exactly where you are right now.

22% of entrepreneurs are still in the startup phase. This means almost one in four business owners is still figuring things out as they go. If you feel like you don‘t know what you’re doing, welcome to the club.

While everyone loves to talk about venture capital and big checks, the reality is less glamorous: 74% of entrepreneurs rely on their personal savings to get started. On top of that, finding funding is the biggest challenge for 36% of entrepreneurs at every stage.

What this means for you: Don't wait for someone else to fund your idea. Most successful entrepreneurs started with whatever money they had in their bank account.

Nearly half of entrepreneurs also don‘t see profit until their second year. If you’re worried about not making money immediately, relax. 64% of entrepreneurs take over a year to turn a profit. Some take even longer.

The report also found that 46% of entrepreneurs are Millennials or Gen Z. I love how young people aren‘t waiting for permission or the "perfect" time. They’re starting businesses despite having less capital and experience than previous generations.

And it’s not all bleak. More than half find their first customers through word-of-mouth — that means relationships still matter more than flashy ad campaigns. And 37% of founders make their first hires on social media, proving that building strong networks can be more effective than expensive recruitment strategies.

Focus on doing great work for a few people rather than trying to reach everyone at once.

Entrepreneurship isn't reserved for MBAs with trust funds. Regular people got fed up with the status quo and decided to build something different. You already have everything you need to start: the willingness to try.

Now, I’ll show you how to find grants and funding options, programs worth applying to, and ways to position yourself to secure the support you need.

How to Find Grants and Funding For New Business Owners

Once you’ve answered the tough questions — What problem am I solving? Who exactly will pay for this? — and built a that maps out your offer, pricing, and launch steps, you’ll hit the next big roadblock: cash.

If the thought of raising money makes you want to shut your laptop and binge another episode, you’re in good company. Many new founders believe grants and funding are locked away behind closed doors, reserved for big-name startups. But they’re more accessible than you think — just not always obvious.

Yes, securing funding can feel overwhelming. But there are more options out there than you might think, and you don’t need to be a Silicon Valley darling to access them.

Instead, you need a mix of research, patience, and smart networking.

Here are practical ways to track down funding sources that match your business goals and stage:

1. Find industry-specific grants and funding.

When I first started freelancing, I assumed funding was reserved for big-name startups pitching to rooms full of investors with glossy slide decks. I didn’t realize there were so many targeted options designed for people at different stages, including solo founders and service providers like me.

What I learned early on? Precision beats volume.

I remember applying to a grant program aimed at established companies ready to open new offices. At the time, I was working from my bedroom desk, barely able to imagine renting coworking space, let alone hiring a team.

Here’s what helped me focus:

• Match your stage. Whether you‘re just validating your idea or already bringing in steady revenue, choose grants that fit where you are today. If you’re pre-revenue, avoid programs focused on scaling or expansion.
• Define your next move. Are you building a product prototype? Upgrading your tech stack? When I started working with tech startups, many were laser-focused on getting early product validation or expanding their engineering resources. Their success came from chasing grants that specifically funded R&D, product development, or technical hiring.
• Connect funding to your mission. Many grants support specific goals, like increasing accessibility in tech or advancing education. One startup I worked with received funding because their app made it easier for small businesses to handle complex workflows without big budgets. Their clear mission aligned perfectly with the grant criteria.
• Stay in your lane. Industry-specific grants save you time and set you up for a better shot at success. For example, tech founders shouldn’t waste time on grants for agriculture or hospitality. When I was writing content for SaaS founders, they focused on programs supporting digital innovation — not broad “small business” grants with vague criteria.

In short: don’t spread yourself thin applying everywhere. Find funding that feels like it was designed just for what you’re building.

2. Look into your favorite brands and companies for incubator/accelerator programs or grant opportunities.

Sometimes, the best funding opportunities are quietly hidden under the “Community” or “Social Impact” tabs on your favorite brands’ websites.

I was surprised to learn just how many big companies offer real financial support, mentorship, and visibility, especially if your business aligns with their mission or market.

Here are a few standout programs (plus some underrated gems) worth exploring:

These programs offer mentorship, credibility, and access to new opportunities.

Next time you’re on a brand’s website, scroll to the footer or community pages. You might find the perfect opportunity to get featured or connect with their audience directly.

3. Use LinkedIn to find people who’ve done what you’re trying to do.

LinkedIn is a database of people who‘ve walked the exact path you’re considering.

When I was starting out in Pakistan, I spent hours scrolling through LinkedIn posts from other freelancers who'd landed their first clients. I was looking for proof that someone like me — a broke college student with no connections and half a world away from Silicon Valley — had built profitable businesses.

I specifically searched for people who‘d built successful businesses from countries that weren’t exactly startup hotspots. I wanted to see if geography was really the limitation I thought it was, or if the internet had made location irrelevant.

Here's exactly what I did:

• Search for posts about the specific programs you‘re considering. Type keywords like "SCORE mentorship" or "small business grant" into LinkedIn’s search bar. You'll find people sharing their actual experiences, not just promotional content.
• Find past recipients and alumni. Most funding programs showcase their winners. Take those names and search for them on LinkedIn. These people are usually happy to share what actually worked versus what sounded good on paper.

But surprisingly, these conversations often lead somewhere completely different than funding. The freelancer who told me about a grant program that didn‘t work out for me also referred me to my first paying client in the field. LinkedIn opens doors you didn’t even know existed, regardless of where you're physically located.

4. Join a members-only group for entrepreneurs/small business owners.

This is my biggest regret from my early freelancing days. I spent six to seven years building my business in complete isolation, thinking I had to figure everything out on my own.

Now, I’m a part of communities like and Peak Freelance — all communities for content marketing freelancers. Just weeks in, I saw how much time I’d spent reinventing systems that already existed and worked better.

The conversations in their Slack channel answered questions I‘d been struggling with for years. How do you handle scope creep? What should you charge for strategy calls? How do you fire a difficult client? These were real freelancers sharing exactly what worked and what didn’t.

One person shared their contract template that included a “kill fee” clause — if a client cancels a project after I‘ve started, they still owe me 50% of the total fee. I’d been eating those losses for years. Another freelancer broke down how they charge $200 per hour for strategy calls instead of including them for free like I was doing.

The $99 annual membership for these communities felt expensive when I first joined, but it would have been worth ten times that for the years of trial and error it could have saved me.

If you‘re just starting out, find your community early. Here are some broader options if you’re still exploring what type of business to start:

• National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE): Membership-based organization supporting small business owners with grants, health insurance access, and tax resources.
• Small Business Investor Alliance (SBIA): Connects businesses needing capital with potential investors while providing networking opportunities.
• National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB): Advocacy organization offering tools, resources, and a network of independent business owners.

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6 Businesses You Can Start With Little to No Capital

It can feel impossible even to begin brainstorming when every headline celebrates million-dollar funding rounds or glossy office launches in big cities. But plenty of businesses start from a spare bedroom, a kitchen table, or a single online storefront — and still turn into something big.

Airbnb, for example, began as an air mattress in a living room to help pay rent. Many now-famous companies started small and scrappy before scaling up.

Below, I’ve pulled together ideas that don’t require heavy upfront investment or fancy equipment. Think of these as jump-start options: practical ways to test your skills, validate an idea with real customers, and build early traction without draining your savings or taking on debt.

Whether you’re trying out a creative side project (like custom jewelry or content writing) or launching a service-based hustle (like virtual assistance or digital marketing audits), these suggestions can help you move from “someday” to taking that first step.

Businesses You Can Start With No Money

1. Start a business selling second-hand items.

Some of my best early business decisions happened when I was desperate for cash.

A few years ago, I hit a rough patch where several clients delayed payments at the same time. I was staring at my closet full of luxury handbags I'd bought during better months, wondering how I was going to make rent.

That‘s when I discovered platforms like Vestiaire Collective and The RealReal. Within two weeks, I’d sold three designer bags and made enough to cover my expenses while waiting for those delayed payments to come through.

What started as an emergency cash grab taught me there's money in selling things you already own, especially if you know where to find the right buyers.

Here‘s where to start, depending on what you’re selling:

• eBay: Great for tech, collectibles, and anything with a specific model number. People will bid on almost anything.
• Depop: Ideal for trendy clothes and accessories, especially if you can style them well in photos.
• Facebook Marketplace: Best for larger items like furniture or appliances. Local buyers mean no shipping hassles.
• Vinted: Simple platform for everyday clothing and accessories. Low fees and easy to use.

It all comes down to selling each item on the platform that suits it most. Designer goods go to luxury resale sites. Everything else can go to the general marketplaces.

2. Start a business selling digital products.

Think templates, calendars, AI prompts, Notion dashboards, Lightroom presets — the list is endless. Digital products are one of the most accessible ways to start a business because they require minimal upfront investment and can keep generating income long after you create them.

I’m working on my own digital products too, like AI prompt packs and Notion templates designed to help other writers and business owners streamline their workflows. Once they’re ready, I’ll be able to sell them over and over again without constantly trading time for money.

Validate your idea before you spend weeks creating something nobody wants. When my LinkedIn posts about AI tips consistently get hundreds of comments and shares and people are constantly asking me to turn these insights into a comprehensive guide or template pack, I know there’s demand there.

Look at the stationery store , for example. They sell a freelance writer who sells resources for freelancers, like client onboarding templates and pricing guides.

These Notion templates cover everything from organizing your library to managing a small business.

To streamline your creation process, use tools like Canva for design templates, Notion for digital planners, and Zapier to automate delivery once someone purchases. Set up your workflow once, and it runs on autopilot. When someone buys your template on Gumroad, Zapier can automatically send them a welcome email with bonus resources and add them to your email list for future product launches.

If you’re considering this route, here are a few solid platforms to get started:

• : You might know Etsy for handmade goods, but it’s also a go-to for digital products. Printable planners, art prints, or social media templates all sell well on Etsy.
• : Great for eBooks, video tutorials, design assets, or anything else digital. You can offer subscriptions or even “pay-what-you-want” pricing for flexibility.
• : Perfect for selling smaller, one-off items like mini-guides, templates, or stock photos while connecting directly with supporters.
• : If you want to build a more branded, scalable store, Shopify is the way to go. You can fully customize your shop, track analytics, and integrate marketing tools as you grow.

Whether you’re designing a Notion planner to help busy professionals or writing AI prompt guides for content creators, your digital products can help others while creating a new revenue stream for you without needing to ship a single package.

3. Start a business managing social media platforms.

When you use a social platform regularly for years, you develop an intuitive understanding of what works that most business owners simply don't have.

I‘ve been posting on LinkedIn consistently for three years now. I know which post formats get the most engagement, what time of day performs best, and how to write hooks that make people stop scrolling. I understand the platform’s quirks in a way that only comes from daily use.

That knowledge turned into an unexpected income stream when executives started asking me to ghostwrite LinkedIn content for them. They knew they needed to be active on the platform, but didn't have time to figure out what worked. They were willing to pay $200-500 per post for content that sounded like them but performed like someone who understood LinkedIn.

Small business owners have the same problem. They know they need to be on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, but they don‘t have time to learn each platform’s unwritten rules. They post inconsistently, use the wrong hashtags, and wonder why they're not getting traction.

That‘s where your daily social media habit becomes valuable. You already know what makes content work because you’ve been consuming it for years.

Here's what you can offer:

• Content creation and posting schedules
• Community management (responding to comments and DMs)
• Basic analytics and reporting
• Strategy for growing followers and engagement

Start with one client, prove you can help them grow their following and engagement, then use that success story to land your next client.

Businesses You Can Start With Little Capital

1. Start a business doing freelance web design.

I built my first website from scratch in 2013 using basic HTML and CSS I learned from free YouTube tutorials. It was terrible — think bright green text on a black background with Comic Sans font — but it was mine, and it proved I could figure things out.

But you don‘t need to be a coding genius to help businesses get online. Most small business owners just want something clean, professional, and functional. They’re not looking for the next Apple.com.

Here are the platforms I recommend if you're thinking about web design as your entry point:

• : Gives you the flexibility of coding without writing code. Great for e-commerce and business websites. Has a learning curve, but the results look professional.
• : Perfect for portfolios and creative projects. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create sleek, modern designs.
• : You probably already use it for social media. Their website builder is surprisingly good for simple landing pages and personal sites.
• : Tools like Lovable make it possible to generate beautiful, on-brand websites in minutes using AI. You can literally describe what you want and watch it build the site for you.

If you’re willing to experiment and keep learning, freelance web design is a solid way to build both skills and capital while helping others bring their ideas to life online.

2. Start a business selling online courses.

You don‘t need to be a world-renowned expert to teach something valuable. I’ve given webinars on how to monetize your LinkedIn presence, and people consistently ask if I have a course version they can work through at their own pace. That‘s exactly the kind of signal that tells you there’s demand for your knowledge.

With online courses, you can create the content once and sell it repeatedly. Whether you're good at Excel spreadsheets, baking sourdough, or managing social media accounts, someone out there wants to learn what you already know.

For example, could repurpose my LinkedIn webinars into a step-by-step course covering profile optimization, content strategy, and networking tactics. The content already exists — it just needs to be repackaged into a format people can consume on their own time.

Here are the platforms I recommend for getting started:

• : One of the most user-friendly platforms for building and hosting courses. Great tools for organizing content, tracking student progress, and marketing your courses.
• : Similar to Teachable but with more customization options. Good for creating a branded learning experience.
• : All-in-one platform that includes course hosting, email marketing, and website building. More expensive but comprehensive.

Start with one platform and one course. Test the demand before you build an entire curriculum.

3. Start a business selling handmade items.

Maybe you’re into crochet. Maybe you make jewelry. Maybe you turn old furniture into something completely new and beautiful.

Whatever your craft, there’s a market out there that loves unique, handmade pieces — the kind of items that tell a story and feel personal in a way mass-produced products never can.

I’ll be honest: I’m not the most artistic or crafty person myself. But I’ve seen so many friends and fellow freelancers turn small, creative hobbies into thriving side hustles (and even full-time businesses). It just proves you don’t have to be a master artisan to start.

Timing matters in handmade goods. Holiday ornaments sell best from October through December, while summer jewelry and accessories peak in March through June. Plan your production calendar around these seasonal trends instead of making random items year-round.

Also, buy your materials wholesale instead of hitting up craft stores. Platforms like Alibaba let you purchase supplies in bulk at a fraction of retail prices. Yes, you'll need to buy larger quantities upfront, but your cost per item drops dramatically. That $3 craft store charm becomes 30 cents when you buy 100 of them.

To sell handmade items, use platforms like Etsy, Instagram, or to reach buyers and manage sales.

Heavy pockets or not, start your business anyway.

You won’t know what’s possible until you actually start. Many founders hold back, thinking they need a big budget or perfect timing. But you don’t always have to risk large sums or drain your savings to get going.

Test your idea on a small scale, use free or low-cost tools, and learn as you go. The experience itself will teach you far more than endless planning ever could. Whether your pockets are heavy or light, momentum is what matters most and you can only build that by taking the first step.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in February 2025 but has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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