No matter how good you are at your full-time job, it is never as satisfactory or rewarding as having your own business. While we are not asking to quit your job (not just yet), here are nine part time business ideas that will not only help you kick off your dream but would also help you feed your entrepreneurial soul.
1. Start a Blog
This is by far one of the quickest and cheapest part time business ideas that will help you start your dream business and in the future have an online presence.
While many think blogging is no longer a viable source of income and few even think it is actually dead, many would like to differ and say that that concept of blogging has changed and there are still tens of thousands of bloggers who are writing profitable content on diverse topics and earning good amount of money out of it.
What’s more, all you need to start writing a blog is a computer and internet connection. Once your popularity grows as a blogger, you can use the blog site to earn money with the help of blog sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and product promotion.
2. Freelancing services
Be it as a graphic designer, content writer, business consultant, photographer or presentation design consultant (yes they do exist) you can outsource your skills and make money out of it. A lot of working professionals zero in on this as one of their favourite part time business ideas.
Whether you are currently employed and can only devote set numbers of hours each day, or you are a free soul who doesn’t want to be bowed down by 9 to 5 jobs, you can freelance and earn per project.
You also don’t need to be restricted to working just out of your home. Work out of myHQ spaces which are affordable, flexible to your needs and offers you a place when an office is not a viable option.
3. Social Media Manager
According to SocialMediaToday, people on an average are spending nearly two hours (116 minutes) on social media every day. That is astonishing 41, 760 minutes every year and 5 years 4 months over a lifetime.
When we look at these figures we realize how much people have given into their guilty of being on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and don’t even realize it.
Why not use this fact to your advantage and actually get paid for your time and social media expertise.
Many companies these days have heavy social media presences and are in dire need of people who can constantly help them build their brand online.
Be it startups, retail or travellers, all need social media managers or people who can take care of their online platforms.
Though many companies hire people full time for this job, upcoming companies and influencers outsource these jobs to others and just need the person a certain number of hours each day to promote their platforms.
By just devoting a few hours each day on social media platforms you can earn money and also learn trends as to what works and where and when.
While this can start out as one of many part time business ideas, you can later also use this experience to build your own social media following and over the years create a brand for yourself and turn it into a full-time business by hiring more people as your popularity grows.
4. Essay and Project Editor
Were you good writing assignments and projects in schools and aced your college submissions? You can now use your editing skills and write compelling speeches, essays, and projects for others while you earn money.
Not everyone is good with words and needs a person who can put their thoughts into words and write their speech, help them in their project or an essay.
This not only helps people portray their thoughts better but also help you sharpen your editorial skills.
Just be careful not to blur the ethical line by writing essays or projects that are marked and thus considered plagiarised or cheating. You are just serving as an editor to help them convey their message and not actually doing their projects.
5. Photographer
If you own a good camera and know how to use it, it’s not a bad idea to start as a business as a freelance portrait photographer and turn your skills and passions into one of the most profitable part time business ideas and over time into a full-time business venture.
You can initially start with doing simple free shoots for your friends and family and build a strong online portfolio. Based on those photos you can later take on paid jobs and start by doing professional headshots, family portraits, and shoots. With time and experience use your skills to do wedding photography which will help you earn more money that too in a few shorts days.
Besides this, you can also earn a little extra side income by renting it out your camera or lenses and earn even when you are not using them.
6. App or website developer
In this age of smartphones and laptops being an app or website developer is one of the most lucrative part time business ideas. It gives you the flexibility to show your creativity and also work project by project when you want.
You can also build an app or website on your own accord, get traction on it and later on sell it for a profit.
7. Start a Popup Shop
You don’t need huge storage house or even a shop to sell products these days, You can just set up weekend pop shops or promote your business on WhatsApp and Facebook groups or even sell your products online as and when demands or orders come in.
Be it selling homemade cupcakes, selling printed T-shirts in bulk or selling handmade sweaters. Technology has cut costs down for many and provide part time entrepreneurs with a huge opportunity to promote their business on free platforms.
These also help keep operating expenses such as rent or utilities down and help you earn money even when you have a daily job.
8. Freelance Proofreading and Editing
Just like content writers, many companies also look for freelancers editors and proofreaders. Smaller publishing companies prefer to outsource these jobs and pay per article, book or page and sometimes even give you an opportunity to read on topics you otherwise might not have found or read. This allows you a life as a digital nomad who can take up work even when he/she has a job or is travelling. You can find lots of job postings for editors and proofreaders on services like Upwork.
9. Airbnb Host
With more and more people looking to find a cheap and sometimes authentic experience of a city, you can use this platform to your advantage and make money by renting out the spare bedroom or living room couch in your house or apartment,
With this, you get to make money and also get to meet new people or future friends.
But don’t think this would be an active source of income as you need to keep the place always clean and not all guests would be of your liking. Also, the concept is fairly new in India so you might not get guest as and when you like or to your liking or preference.
Please note that choosing the path of part-time business is without a doubt riskier than holding a 9-5 job. Further, it requires way more sacrifice and commitment than just holding a job as you have to build a reputation to get the next job and cannot be sloppy in what you do.
While in the long run, you will be able to live on your own term and be your own boss, it will require a significant amount of hustling to make significant money and would be a long time before you can quit your day job and build on your business.
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