Knowledge is power

You don’t need big bucks to bankroll your startup. We have rounded up a few businesses that you can start for $100 or less. With a home-based launch you will save on overhead. We present these small business concepts as food for though. Conduct your own due diligence research to determine if the enterprise could work in your region. Charge what your market will bear. Start small and plan to grow slowly for the most success.

Errand Service: If you are organized and detail oriented, start an errand service helping small businesses, biz owners, harried single parents and just about anyone else get things done.

Sell Goods Online: Don’t think you can’t make a mint doing this. You just need to follow through. Be a good seller, develop great feedback and ship right away. Look around you. There are great things to sell. Visit eBay.com and start doing some research and don’t forget to checkout the local yard sales for merchandise.

Boat/Car Detailing: Car owners are fanatics about their vehicles and so are boat and plane owners. Investigate the products and start your own detailing biz. Checkout Bill Ranscic’s book, “You are Hired,” and read how he started his own boat-detailing business.

Inventory Service: How many times have you or a friend said, “Wow, I have to make a list of what is in my home/apartment for insurance purposes in case there is ever a fire or robbery.” Who has the time to do it? Start your inventory service and market it to residential and commercial customers. A laptop would be a big help and a digital camera, but start small and build your business.

Deliver Service: There are many stores ranging from supermarkets to nurseries that don’t offer delivery service. There are losing customers by not providing this. You come in and offer to do the job with your own delivery service.

Concierge Service: Contact local businesses, community groups and other organizations. Ask if they could benefit from hiring you as there “sometimes” concierge. You would help the senior citizens group get a bus and tickets to a play; you would book airline trips and vacations for busy executives; you would help the local literary club plan an outing to a historic site.