15 Businesses A Woman Can Start from Home

15 businesses a woman can start from home

Before we get to the actual list of 15 business ideas, let’s go over how to proceed once you find a business that appeals to you.

Write out what your goals are:

  • What level of income are you looking for?
  • Part-time or full-time?
  • How much time can you invest each week?
  • What skills do you need to learn?
  • How will you learn them? And how long will it take you?
  • Is a financial investment required? If so how much and how will you generate that start-up fund?
  • Make out time Don’t worry if you aren’t sure, just try your best and put something on paper. You can always adjust along the way.

Your progress will be very different when you know exactly where you are going and how you plan to get there, rather than just starting “somewhere” and hoping it will “somehow” happen.

Keep reviewing that plan each week and make adjustments.

Set reasonable expectations in the beginning and work out a clear action plan on how you can meet those expectations.

For example: if you are aiming for an extra N100,000 ($200) per month, calculate how many hours you will have to work per month, or how many products you would have to sell each month to reach that number.

Then, break it down per day and you will have a much clearer path to reaching your goal.

A successful business starts with:

  • Thorough research to find a profitable market and understanding who your audience
  • Next, a detailed action plan – and finally:
  • Taking action!

Learn from the Best

If you want to greatly speed up the process, learn from an entrepreneur in your field who has been very successful.

Rather than trying things that won’t work and spending months and years finding a way that does work, simply follow the lead of someone who has already figured it all out.

In other words, invest in good training!

You can ask questions and usually join a community (Facebook group, Whatsapp group) of fellow female entrepreneurs for mutual support and networking.

Branding

The planning and research phase also includes finding a  profitable market and narrowing down your specific audience.

You will have much greater success in a very specialized market that you master.

People love to hire specialists and buy specialty products, so spend time researching that part thoroughly.

It will be one of the most important decisions in your business and will have a great influence on your success.

Research online and find out what areas are already over-saturated vs. areas that pose a great need.

Pick those markets and specialize there. Just make sure there is enough interest (i.e potential customers and clients).

This research might take a few days or even a week – but it will make a tremendous difference in your long term success, so really spend time on this and remain flexible along the way.

Your Ideal Customer

Once you find your market, define your ideal customer.

You should have a pretty good idea of who your audience is.

Once you have defined your ideal customer, tailor your marketing to that person.

Define your UVP (= “Unique Value Proposition”)

This is another important piece in your business plan. What is it that makes your service or product unique?

Why should people come to you, instead of the millions of others with similar businesses?

Put yourself in the shoes of your customer.

What’s in it for them?

The more specific and convincing you can answer that question, the more successful you will be.

Your clients are not interested in a list of features of your product/service, but only in what it does for them. How it improves their lives and solves their problems and frustrations.

How will their lives be different if they buy your products or use your service?

Focus on them – and what benefits you can provide to them – and then over-deliver!

Separate yourself from the Crowd

Here are 3 strategies that can jump-start your business and greatly increase your reach and audience. Pick at least one of them and build a following. It will make a huge difference in your business.

Most successful entrepreneurs combine several of  these  platforms,  but start with one to help your business grow a lot more quickly:

#1 – Write a Bestselling Kindle Book on your Topic

kindle

A great way to build a reputation as an expert in your market and create a passive income stream on the side is Kindle Publishing.

Being a published author – and possibly a  bestselling author  –  will give you instant credibility and prestige and separate you from the crowd.

If you use Amazon’s Kindle Publishing option, you can also generate a constant stream of potential clients and customers – pretty much automatically. Amazon basically pay you to build a customer list!

You do not need a traditional publisher, a  large following or be experienced in writing books. If you wish to publish on Amazon and need guidance and advice, send an email to info@creative.com.ng 

#2 – Set Up A Youtube Channel

youtube channel

Youtube is a search engine – in fact, the 2nd most popular search engine after Google – and Youtube videos show up in Google searches when people try to find products or professional services.

If you know how to rank and build a solid following on Youtube, you can enjoy the following 3 massive benefits:

A)- Have potential customers and clients find you through Google searches. No need to pay for ads, just learn how to rank and get new customers automatically

B)- Establish yourself as an expert in your field

C)- Create additional passive income through the many monetizing options Youtube presents.

#3 – Become an Influential Blogger

blog

Whatever business you run, you should have a website and that includes a blog, also for Google ranking purposes.

And speaking of ranking – you should have at least a basic understanding of SEO (search engine optimization).

Creative Fountain can help you build a website and optimize it for ranking high on Google. For more information, send an email to info@creative.com.ng .

Marketing

marketing

No matter what business you choose to run, whether selling a product or service, online or offline, you will need to actively and effectively market your business. Otherwise, you might as well not start at all.

This is where most female-owned businesses fail.  Marketing is an area that many people are uncomfortable with and even scared of.

It’s easier than you think. You just have to learn how, and then apply consistently.

Knowing these techniques will put you way ahead of the game and allow you to make your goals a reality.

We already mentioned the importance of having a  website and the marketing strategy called SEO.

We also mentioned Youtube and Kindle Publishing as quick and highly effective ways to attract customers and clients.

Social Media Marketing is another important area. Facebook and Instagram are well suited to marketing products.

Knowledge is Power

This eternal truth very much applies to entrepreneurship and starting a business. It’s about working smart, not working endless hours fighting competitors and getting nowhere.

This post will give you ideas and resources.

Then it’s up to you to get proper training and take it to the next level. Are you ready?

Let’s begin.

Arts & Crafts

arts and crafts

While selling your arts and crafts in local shops is a great way to start, you greatly increase your chances (and audience) by selling online.

#1 Florist: Florists make and sell artistic arrangements of flowers and plants, such as bouquets and wreaths. They are sometimes called floral designers.

#2 Knitting: Knitting is a method by which yarn is manipulated to create a textile or fabric. It may be done by hand or machine and is used to produce scarves, caps, hats, baby slippers, pillow covers, blankets, bags, gloves, toys, ties, sweaters and many other items.

#3 Jewelry Designer: Jewelry designers work with precious metals, diamonds, beads and gemstones to create wearable pieces of art. A jewelry designer may create one-of-a-kind pieces for high-end jewelers or an entire line for a mass-market fashion designer.

#4 – Cake Decorator: Cake decorators make cakes that are visually appealing as well as delicious. These could be wedding cakes, birthday cakes, cupcakes or commercially available cakes sold to stores.

#5 Organic Cosmetics: You can produce and sell your own line of moisturizers, face scrubs and creams using herbs and oils.

#6 – Gift Baskets: A gift basket may contain fruit, tea, wine, crackers, jam and other canned foods. It is usually delivered to the recipient at their home or workplace as a thank-you or congratulatory gift, or for special occasions, such as Christmas and Easter holidays.

Beauty

make up

#7 – Mobile Make-up Artist: Mobile makeup artists are like other traditional makeup artists. The only difference is that the mobile makeup artist goes to the client’s home, office, hotel or event venue, to perform the needed makeup services.

#8 – Mobile Nail Salon: As a mobile nail technician, your job is to move around a given area and deliver services such as manicure or pedicure treatments, hand and foot massages, and nail care.

#9 – Massage Therapist: Massage therapists treat clients by using touch to manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues of the body. With their

touch, therapists relieve pain, help heal injuries, improve circulation, relieve stress, increase relaxation, and aid in the general wellness of clients.

#10 Mobile Hair Stylist: A mobile hairstylist or hairdresser goes to clients to cut or style their hair, using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques.

#11 Personal Fitness Coach: A personal fitness coach works with clients, either in a small group or one-on-one, to improve their muscular endurance, strengthen their cardiovascular capabilities, and increase their physical flexibility.

#12 – Interior Decorator: Interior decorators help to determine the look and feel of a client’s home by selecting and placing decorative elements such as paint, textiles, and furniture.

Services

event planner

#13 – Event Planner: An event planner is responsible for organizing corporate or private events for companies or individuals. Her duties include meeting with clients to discuss their needs, maintaining partnerships with vendors and caterers and overseeing the set-up, execution and cleanup of events.

#14 – Meal Delivery Service: A meal delivery service is a service that sends fresh or frozen, prepared meals and snacks to customers’ homes and offices.

#15 Online Cooking School: An online cooking school is a virtual class on the Internet where you can teach various cooking techniques or cooking styles from the comfort of your own kitchen.

An Open Letter to An Aspiring Businesswoman

Dear aspiring businesswoman, who has a big, scary, compelling, idea in your heart… but you’re not sure how to start or what it looks like to reach your end goal:

Fear feels like a person, right?

Sometimes it’s in the driver’s seat of our car, in total control.

Sometimes it’s giving us outdated directions, or changing the radio station and the voices we hear.

I’ve given a lot of power in my life to fear, and it’s shown up with many different faces and voices over the years.

It’s been that quiet fear that knocks on my chest, whispering things like “but… what if THIS happens? Remember… last time?”

I’ve also experienced it more than enough times as an overwhelming fear that paralyzes me in my place.

But here’s the deal: fear isn’t necessarily bad.

Fear of falling off a cliff keeps me safe and away from the edge, right?

Fear can be a quick poke from the hand of wisdom that says, “Hey, just lookin’ out for you.”

But I have to admit that an overcorrection from fear, worry turning into anxiety, or letting how the past played out influence how I see the present— turn what could be a great thing for me into what feels like sticking my hand in front of a snake.

It has held me back from taking steps I KNOW I want or need to take. Making me stay still.

I’m sure I’ll feel that familiar fear in my chest for different areas of my life. That’s just the reality and gift of being a human being.

And the truth is, I’m getting comfortable with fear, but only since I’ve learned how to control it.

Fear can sit right next to me, but it will not grab hold of the wheel again. Fear doesn’t have to be in control. It shouldn’t be your main guiding light. It’s not your compass. It doesn’t need to be a massive burden that keeps us from doing what we want to do. Life’s way too short for that.

Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of not knowing the next steps, fear of messing up along the way, fear of being seen while we’re messing up.

What would a businesswoman do if she went for her biggest dreams and then…failed?

It didn’t work!

Whether it’s by our own hand or not, wanting something BIG and MEANINGFUL to us, and potentially not getting to have it or losing it once we do… might make us be afraid to want it at all.

On the other hand, what if we went for our big hopes and dreams… and they came true?

I’ve actually polled hundreds of businesswomen and found that we tend to be just as afraid of success as we are of failure.

Fear is that fork in the road that stops so many of us from following our dreams because we’re afraid to choose a path.

Fear is that step over the line that so many of us are scared to cross because the other side is uncertain, unknown, and uncharted.

If you’re an aspiring businesswoman, in the middle of waiting and hoping for a sign before jumping into your dream business, this is what I hope you know:

You crashed into this world from a cozy spot somewhere within your mother.

The first action we all took on this earth was leaving a comfortable, protected nest to face the world head-on.

How wild, beautiful, weird, unbelievable, and totally normal is that?

It’s brave, whether you remember those first moments or not.

Then you grew up. Little by little.

You faced really wonderful moments, and some hard ones too.

Some days were fantastic and you felt on top of the world.

Other days were terrible and you wondered how you were going to make it.

You’ve been brave every step of the way.

That’s why you’re still here.

You’re brave when you stick to your values and follow your heart, even if it doesn’t always feel like the popular thing to do.

Pursuing your passions and exploring your curiosities is actually the one thing you can do to live a fulfilling life.

A businesswoman doesn’t need all the answers and she’ll never have all the answers.

You need to start testing, trying, experimenting, playing with, and finding new ways to pursue those ideas in your heart.

Life is about being a student and a practitioner at the same time.

We aren’t meant to stand still and let life just happen to us.

We’re meant to learn from it as we live it.

As humans, we’re always learning, stretching, pushing, and evolving.

Being human isn’t hard because you’re doing it wrong. It’s hard because you’re doing it right.

Life wasn’t meant to be easy.

Express yourself and find joy and lessons each day.

Start your dream business or project and learn lessons from it.

 

 

Women Entrepreneurs Get N1Billion From Folorunso Alakija

The fortunes of African women entrepreneurs are about to change.

Nigerian businesswoman, philanthropist and founder of Flourish Africa, Folorunso Alakija, has announced the launch of a N1 billion fund to promote female-owned businesses in Africa.

Flourish Africa is a female empowerment platform designed to help women achieve their full potential. It is a place for both female millennials and adults to access information and the right networks that will enable them to grow in their chosen careers and businesses while prioritizing health and wellness.

According to the statement announcing the fund, Mrs Alakija disclosed that the initiative would focus on supporting the entrepreneurial activities of at least 2500 female-owned businesses through funding and structured training over a period of 5 years.

In her announcement, she said “I’m happy to launch the Flourish Africa 1 billion Naira fund on my 70th birthday as a gift to hardworking and enterprising women. This initiative will focus on empowering women economically and socially for the benefit of their immediate families and the society.”

She further explained that a minimum of 500 female micro-entrepreneurs would be trained annually. After the training, 100 audacious entrepreneurs from the pool will be able to access grants to the tune of N2 million each for their businesses from an annual fund of 200 million Naira.

While expressing her enthusiasm about the initiative, she explained that she looks forward to empowering one woman at a time as she strongly believes that women are a crucial part of Africa’s development. She restated her commitment to empowering as many women as possible in Africa as one of the things she would want to be remembered for. She added that the main objective of Flourish Africa is to create an enabling platform that provides skill development, mentoring, access to the marketplace for female entrepreneurs.

This concept of empowerment stems from Mrs Alakija’s assertion that women have the potential to flourish if a community of like-minded individuals who share a common goal and purpose pool together and make an impact in every community they find themselves in.

# Flourish Africa concept stems from Apostle Alakija’s assertion that “many women have the potential to be great. If we form a community of like-minded individuals who share a common goal and purpose, we can pool together and make an impact in every community we find ourselves in and ultimately flourish.

How to Open an Ecommerce Store in Nigeria

ecommerce store graphic

 

Ecommerce stores—businesses that transmit goods, services, and funds over the internet—vary in size and scope.

Ecommerce sales in Nigeria will reach $5 billion in 2020.

Ecommerce businesses offer greater flexibility, affordability, and opportunity for many entrepreneurs. So, how do you start one?

How to Start an Ecommerce Store in Nigeria

Although there are notable differences in starting an ecommerce store compared to starting a physical store—many of the steps you need to take will follow the same process.

Step 1: Research the ecommerce market and find your niche

The first step in starting an ecommerce store is performing the necessary research.

Just like when you’re starting a restaurant and look into different locations and menus, you have to investigate the ecommerce area you’re interested in and make some decisions with regard to your specific business.

You should consider what exactly your ecommerce store will offer.

Will you be selling products or services?

If you’re selling products, are they physical or digital?

Where will you source your products?

You also have to think about the type of business model you want to use—will you offer single products, packages, subscriptions, or something else?

How will you get your products or services to your customers?

What is your budget?

Are there laws and regulations about your product or service?

You also need to perform competitor research and find a sector where you think you can establish your brand and find success in selling your products and services.

Step 2: Select your business name and choose a legal structure

Once you’ve solidified the plan for your e-commerce business, the next step is to choose a name.

Like any other business, you should choose a name that’s unique, but also indicates what your business does.

Check if the name is available at Corporate Affairs Commission.

Visit the CAC search portal, type your chosen name in the field and click Search.

If no company name comes up in the search, it means that your chosen name is available to be registered.

You can register the company on your own through the CAC website or ask us to assist you.

You should also check if your chosen company name can be used as a website address.

Your website address, or domain name, helps customers locate your website online.

You can check if your domain is available at GoDaddy.

Add .com at the end of your company name and see if the domain name is available.

If the domain name isn’t available, you may consider a different business name, or a different structure, such as “yourbusinessname.com.ng” instead of “yourbusinessname.com.”

Check if yourbusinessname.com.ng is available at  DomainKing.

After you’ve selected a company name and domain for your business, you have to choose your business’s legal structure.

There are benefits and drawbacks to each company structure, so you may have to consult a lawyer for advice on the best option for your business.

You can choose a legal structure for your business and incorporate it through the CAC website or ask us to assist you.

Step 3: Choose your ecommerce store platform and create your website

At this point, you’ve completed the paperwork required to legally start your e-commerce business.

Most of our steps so far have mirrored the process of starting a physical store.

Now, however, instead of searching for a location and preparing to set up your physical store, you’ll be creating a website and online store.

Like a physical store, your website will be the face of your business—it’s what customers will see first and use to browse and purchase your products and services.

Creating your website is one of the most important parts of starting an e-commerce business.

You need to consider a few different points as you develop your online store.

First, you have to think about your domain name, as we mentioned above.

You want your domain name to match your business name.

Your most significant decision will be choosing an e-commerce platform.

Most e-commerce platforms allow you to create and launch your online store, customize your online store design, add your domain name or purchase one, manage inventory, take and ship orders, receive payment, and more.

Although there are hundreds of these platforms available on the market, consider any of the following popular solutions for starting your ecommerce store:

Shopify

shopify logo

 

 

 

 

Perhaps the most well-known and popular ecommerce software.

Shopify offers an all-inclusive, user-friendly solution with a variety of add-ons.

You can choose one of four Shopify subscription plans, starting with Shopify Lite at $9 per month (this plan doesn’t include a full online store).

WooCommerce

woocommerce logo

If you have a WordPress website, you can download WooCommerce to start selling on your site.

WooCommerce includes the full range of ecommerce features.

Compared to Shopify, however, WooCommerce is best-suited for business owners who have some technical knowledge.

Squarespace

squarespace logo

Squarespace is popular for its modern website templates.

You can choose from two e-commerce-specific plans from Squarespace—Basic at $26 per month or Advanced at $40 per month.

Like Shopify, Squarespace is very user-friendly and can accommodate business owners of all technical skill levels.

However, Squarespace does not offer as many features, tools, or add-ons as the other alternatives.

Magento

magento logo

Finally, if you want to be able to customize every aspect of your ecommerce store, you can choose Magento.

With this ecommerce platform, you can change and customize every element of your website, but you also need to have the technical skill or pay a web developer to do so.

This platform isn’t for e-commerce beginners.

However, if you have the technical skill or the budget to work with a web developer, Magento is the most customizable ecommerce platform.

Launching Your Store

There is a lot involved and a variety of important considerations to take when choosing the right platform for your ecommerce store.

You need to think about cost, features, usability, and more.

Once you’ve decided which platform is right for you, the next thing is to launch your website.

Think about how you want your online store organized and what you want the design to look like.

Depending on your platform and budget, you may decide to create and launch your e-commerce store yourself or ask us to assist you.

Step 4: Source or develop your products

After you’ve chosen your e-commerce platform and started your website, you’ve almost reached the end of the process.

At this point, you have to source the products you’re going to sell.

You can make your own products or source them from distributors.

If you’re selling your services as a consultant, you can list those services on your website.

If you’re selling products, you need to consider the inventory you want to start out with, as well as the cost.

You also want to make sure that you list your inventory on your online store and think about how the buying process works–from the time a customer purchases a product to when they actually receive the product.

Step 5: Market your ecommerce store

Now that you have your products or services prepared and listed on your online store and your website is up and running, you’re ready to start serving customers.

In order to do this, you need to market your ecommerce store properly.

There are a variety of marketing strategies you can use—social media ads, Google ads and word of mouth.

You have to optimize your business website for SEO and take advantage of any online marketing tools that are included within your e-commerce platform.

You also need to keep track of which marketing tactics are working and which aren’t.

With time, you’ll be able to adjust and change your marketing strategy to what works best for your business.

Conclusion

Starting an ecommerce store isn’t easy, but taking it one step at a time, you can make the process more manageable.

There are plenty of advantages to starting an ecommerce store instead of a physical store—the initial investment is much lower.

You can start big or small, and your online store can operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for customers all over Nigeria or the world, if you’re willing to ship overseas.

Creative Fountain can assist you with each step in setting up your ecommerce store.

We are experts in web design, social media marketing, content marketing, SMS marketing, SEO and e-commerce.