We’ve officially said a big, fat “GOOD RIDDANCE” to 2020—known in the future as “the year we do not speak of,” and “the year so insane, it had to be said twice.”
Surely, after all that, we want “more.” More normalcy. More peace. More for our families. More for ourselves.
This was a year of change and transition.
Life smacked you in the face with a million lemons. Sure, you may have originally asked for apples, but do you know how much more versatile lemons are? You can literally use those suckers in anything!
So guess what that means for 2021? Drumroll please…
It’s the year of growing into (and thriving in) that new space.
What will you choose to do with YOUR new space?
So—this year you wanna become a “mompreneur.” Great choice!
Mompreneur (noun): a female who creates, builds, and runs her own business while actively balancing the role and duties of motherhood.
I know the biggest concern in starting this venture is the cost.
Well, sugar, I’ve got great news: there’s lots of mompreneur business ideas that don’t require any upfront investment to get started.
You heard that right, folks; as long as you’ve got time, that’s the only thing you’ll need to get started and create a profitable business. I’d call it the secret ingredient, but it’s pretty much the only ingredient!
There’s a couple of things we need to iron out first…
What are your skills and strengths?
Pro tip: set up a business using current talents and knowledge so you won’t need to invest in learning something new! Build a business around what you’ve got under your tool belt.
Online? Offline?
There’s no wrong answer here; it just depends on how you want things to be carried out or how in-depth you want to go.
Need any equipment or online programs?
Look for what you need—for free!
Sell things on sites that don’t charge to list like Facebook Marketplace and eBay. Create a site or blog with free website builders like Wix or Weebly. Communicate with clients using Skype or Zoom, and try Canva to create your own graphics/images.
Can you cut expenses?
If you do need some cash, cut back on a couple of expenses for a while, or eliminate them altogether.
Now, the fun part: investment-free mompreneur business ideas!
(And hey—if none of these pique your interest, check out this list of side hustles.)
Sell online courses
Consider this one if you have extensive knowledge on a certain topic! The top platforms to use include Thinkific, Teachable, and Udemy.
Take note—online courses have become highly popular now that many students aren’t in traditional in-person classes, so this could be highly profitable!
Online writing
There’s a ton of websites and blogs in need of written content—whether you research and write it yourself, or spruce up what they already have.
The good thing is there’s no experience required, and you don’t need a journalism degree to become a freelancer!
Here’s some of the top sites to find clients:
- Upwork
- Freelancer
- PeoplePerHour
- Fiverr
- ProBlogger Jobs
- Online Writing Jobs
- Textbroker
- iWriter
- HireWriters
- Zerys
These are sites for freelancing, article writing, independent content, and more.
As a freelance writer, you can charge based on word count or per hour.
If you’re just starting out, you could earn $20-$100 or more per article, and potentially make hundreds of dollars more if you’re able to demonstrate your expertise in a certain niche.
Affiliate marketing
This is a relationship between you (the affiliate marketer), and an individual/company (the merchant/advertiser).
You’ll be provided with a unique affiliate link to promote services and products. When someone buys using your link, you’ll earn a commission (a flat fee or a percentage of the sale).
You can run this business on your own website or social media platforms.
Join a particular company’s program, or try using an affiliate network to sign up for multiple companies within it.
Some of the best are:
- Amazon Associates
- CJ Affiliate
- ShareASale
- ClickBank
- Awin
Become a social media manager
Are you social media savvy and know how to create engaging content and manage posts?
Your tasks would include writing content, interacting with followers, answering inquiries, creating graphics, and more.
Social media managers help increase follower count and build brand awareness. Focus on a particular platform, or manage multiple channels!
Some companies and sites to find clients include:
- 99 Dollar Social
- BELAY
- ModSquad
- Upwork
- PeoplePerHour
- Freelancer
- Fiverr
- Time etc
- Indeed
- ZipRecruiter
You could make $15-$45 per hour, depending on your skills, and earn more if you’re able to run advertising campaigns or other specialized services.
Create and sell eBooks
Psst—you don’t have to be a professional writer or have a degree in writing or journalism to
create and sell eBooks!
It doesn’t have to be a fiction book or novel; it can be a mini or short eBook (20-30 pages), as long as it’s valuable to your target audience.
Type up your book using Microsoft Word and create cover images with Canva.
Then, self-publish it online—yes, for free!—with Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Sell it through Amazon, Payhip, or your own website (after adding an ecommerce feature).
Become an online or private tutor
If you’re skilled at a certain subject and teaching others, tutor online, at your house, or theirs.
If you tutor online, you’ll likely deliver your lessons and interact with students over Zoom or some other online communication tool.
Here are some of the best online tutoring companies/sites:
- Tutors.com
- Tutor.com
- TutorMe
- Chegg Tutors
- Skooli
- Brainfuse
Online tutoring rates can run from $10-50 an hour depending on skills, experience, and who you work for.
If you’re a native English speaker, you might also consider teaching English online to students from around the world and earn $10-30 per hour.
Check out these companies to find clients:
- Cambly
- italki
- VIPKID
- Samespeak
- TeachPartTime.com
- Open English
Start a YouTube channel
Record and post YouTube videos about anything you want, as long as there’s an audience for it (and believe me, there ALWAYS is).
DIY crafts, makeup tutorials, cooking, exercising, painting, etc.—there’s tons of things to choose from!
YouTube is long-term, so it won’t provide instant results. But if you stick with it, you can potentially make money every month as your channel grows.
Once traffic picks up, utilize a YouTube monetization method. For example, join the YouTube Partner Program to make money when people view ads on your videos.
Also, check into sponsorships. You’ll get paid to create videos that promote a company or business.
Become a virtual assistant
As a VA, you’ll provide administrative services to help people manage their business (and their lives) better. You might offer to complete tasks like:
- Scheduling meetings
- Answering emails
- Data entry
- Customer support
- Bookkeeping
- Transcription
Make more money as a specialized VA with a specific skill. For example, if your talent is creating beautiful images using Photoshop or Canva, you can start a VA business on Pinterest!
Find clients with VA sites like Boldly, Zirtual, and Time; freelancing sites like Upwork, PeoplePerHour, Freelancer, and Fiverr; or employment sites like Indeed and Monster.
You may be able to charge $10-100 or more per hour, depending on your skills and who you work for. If you find clients yourself, you can set your own rates!
Start an online coaching business
Want to help people achieve their goals by sharing your knowledge and experience with them?
Topics can include health, career, finances, relationships, and more. Choose your area of expertise and build around that.
Create a website for free using site builders like WordPress or Wix; communicate using a software like Zoom and Skype; and set up payment methods using something like PayPal.
Once you’ve created your website and coaching packages, focus on marketing your business to find clients.
With that being said…
…it’s TOTALLY possible to become a kick-butt, mom boss, mompreneur and start your own business with no money! All it takes is time, effort, and a little digging to determine your existing skills, passions, and experience.
Good luck mama; can’t wait to work together in the near future with that wonderful business you’ll soon create!
