No other time in history has it been easier to start a business than today. Not long ago, starting a business was a significant undertaking, requiring one to obtain a small business loan and max out credit cards. Today, thanks to the Internet, open-source software, and third-party solutions, you can start your entrepreneurial journey for free or very close to free.
Consider someone who wants to start a clothing business. They’d have to purchase inventory, rent a store-front and hire employees. It’ll be at least a year before they break even if they’re lucky. Instead of following this traditional path of starting a clothing business, for example, you can leverage companies such as Printify, that provide on-demand print and embroidery fulfillment and warehousing services.
Open-source software is software developed by thousands of developers across the globe and that you’re free to use however you please. Open-source software empowers you to leverage the efforts of talented software developers without the cost of hiring one. One such software is WordPress. WordPress now powers an estimated 30% of the world’s websites, and it has been successful because it is free to use and is being continuously improved.
Open-source software is not limited to websites only. There are open-source software packages in just about every industry you can think of, including design, accounting, and other business applications. All you have to do is look for them in your specific industry.
One of the fastest-growing sectors online is eCommerce, and for a good reason. As a buyer, shopping online gives you the benefit of being in control of your buying decisions without the pressure of a salesperson. As an entrepreneur, there are several ways of getting into eCommerce for no money, and that is by setting up an online shop where you can drop-ship items to customers.
Online stores are a fantastic way of getting your business started because they require no inventory or storefront, saving you a lot of money. When it comes to online stores, you have a few great options.
If you have a WordPress website, you can install an online store there and start selling. The second option is to look at platforms that are specifically designed for online stores such as Shopify and Presta Shop. These platforms allow you to get up and running within minutes and provide all the backend support for your shop.
To effectively run a business today, you need to integrate with third-party solutions that handle some or all of your business processes. An excellent example of this is Printful. Printful allows you to design and print apparel on-demand and have it drop-shipped to your customers. One way you can use Printful is to connect it to your online store (they support several stores) such that when a customer purchases an item from your store, it is processed in the background by Printful.
Third-party solutions come in various forms and sizes. Depending on your business, you can set up third-party integration that automates specific processes for you, which could include automated email delivery, order fulfillment, relationship management, and even accounting services. The end goal for you should be to automate as much of your processes as possible so you can focus your energies on growing your business.
Thank you for reading this far. In this article, I’ve shared the perfect startup strategy, which includes the use of open-source software, building online stores, and leveraging third-party solutions to streamline your business.
Many people are held back from starting their businesses because they feel they need to invest a considerable amount of capital. My hope in writing this article is to dispel that myth by showing you that you can start with no money.
If you are interested in even more business-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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