Updated October 2026

Short answer: yes, but with limits. I asked 10 entrepreneurs whether you can start a business with no money.

Eight said yes, two said no, and almost all of them agreed on one thing: you may not need cash at the start, but you will need skills, time and persistence, and usually some money later to grow.

Below are their real stories, plus 10 home-based business ideas you can start with little or no investment.

Key takeaways

• 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs said you can start with zero or almost zero capital.
• Your skills, time and network can work as “capital” in the beginning.
• Most people who started for free said they needed money later to grow.
• The most common low-cost starting points were blogging, reselling, service businesses, brokering sales, consulting and virtual assistance.

Are you tired of the 9-5 commute? Do you need extra income at the end of the month, or want more control over your finances and a better life for your family?

Lack of money is one of the biggest reasons people never launch the business idea they have. So I decided to ask the people who have actually done it.

How I gathered these answers

I asked startup founders and experienced business owners one question: Is it possible to start a business with zero capital? If yes, how? If no, what other options does someone have? Below I’ve summarised what each person told me. A few asked to stay anonymous.

8 entrepreneurs who say yes, you can start with zero capital

Claire Roach: Start a blog for under £100

Claire, owner of the money-saving blog Daily Deals UK, started in November 2016 while laid up in bed with a twin pregnancy. She had no money to spare, so she spent less than £100 on hosting, a website template and a little help from freelancers on Fiverr.

She taught herself website design, affiliate marketing and how to earn from a blog. She is honest that it cost very little to start but took hours every day for about three years to get right. Her advice: don’t let lack of money or experience stop you if you are determined.

Victoria Sully: Use the skills you already have

Victoria, who blogs about money and lifestyle at lyliarose.com, says you can start with zero by using the skills you have and growing as you go. She funded her first batch of wholesale jewellery by selling her old clothes on eBay, then bought more stock with every sale.

Her husband started a handyman business by listing it on Google and using the tools he already owned. The more he earns, the more he invests in tools and advertising.

Chinedu: Skills and referrals

Chinedu says that if you have a skill, you can build a business around it. The main job is getting the word out to people who need it. He knows an event planner who began as an MC at events.

For services like weddings, referrals are everything: people planning an event need a DJ, MC, caterer and venue, and they ask for recommendations from people who have worked with those vendors before.

He also shared his own story. In 2018 he was broke and needed a new line of business, so he researched the market and found a product he believed would sell. His ad account let him run ads first and pay later.

After the orders came in, he borrowed a small amount from a friend to buy the products and deliver them. He repaid the friend that same week, paid for the ads and kept a profit. (If you want to learn more about getting customers online, see my post on strategies for effective digital advertising.)

Solomon: Help people sell their cars

Solomon says you can start a car dealer business without owning a single car. You help people sell theirs. When a friend, neighbour or church member wants to sell a car, you photograph the interior, exterior and engine, list it on an online marketplace, and add your margin to the asking price. That margin is your profit. The same method works for houses and land.

Collins: Combine your interests

Collins built his business around three things he loved: health, writing and the internet. His mom gave him a small amount of money, which he used to pay a computer student to build his blog.

He also described a consignment-style way to start selling: you collect goods from the owner, sell them, hand over the owner’s money and keep the profit, until you can afford to buy stock yourself.

Flink: Build a marketplace

The founder of Flink started a business that markets fashion designers and vendors to customers. They began with zero capital while at school, where it was easy to reach people. They built the platforms and did most of the work themselves.

Their advice: if you start without money, learn the basics (building a website, customer service, bookkeeping and management) so you can do them yourself until you can afford to hire. They are also honest that the further you go, the more money you need to grow the brand.

successbeing: Be committed

The blogger behind success being started a free blog after a friend told him how someone made real money blogging. Years later he sold that blog and started a new one for a bigger challenge. His message: it’s not easy, but it’s possible with determination, consistency, patience and faith.

Anonymous: Buy goods on credit

One contributor described someone who built a successful business without borrowing. She found a supplier, convinced them to trust her and give her goods on credit, found buyers, added a small amount to the price and sold the goods. Then she paid the supplier the agreed amount and saved the profit. She repeated this until she had enough money to buy directly from the manufacturer.

2 entrepreneurs who say you need capital

Anonymous: Small, but it must be present

This contributor said it isn’t really possible. You need capital. It can be small, but it must be there.

Vigowork: Every business needs some kind of capital

The team at Vigowork argues that capital comes in different forms, including money and labour. Someone who molds clay pots to sell still has to put in work and, as the business grows, pay for more hands. Even dropshipping needs a website, and platforms like Shopify charge fees. In their view, profit is the selling price minus the cost price, so there is always a cost somewhere.

What these 10 answers have in common

• Skills come first. Most people who started with no money used something they already knew how to do.
• Time and effort count as capital. Several said they did the work themselves until they could afford help.
• Start small and reinvest. Victoria bought more stock with every sale, and her husband buys more tools as he earns.
• Relationships matter. Referrals, suppliers who gave goods on credit and a friend’s short-term loan all appeared in these stories.
• Growth usually costs money. Even the people who started free said they needed funds later.

10 home-based business ideas you can start with little or no money

These ideas come from the stories above and from readers of this post.

1. Blogging and affiliate marketing. Claire and successbeing both started this way. Costs can be near zero with a free blog or under £100 with hosting.
2. Reselling. Sell your own unused items, then use the profit to buy stock, like Victoria did with jewellery.
3. A skill-based service. Event MCs, writers, designers, tutors and photographers can start with the skills they already have, and referrals bring in the next customer.
4. Brokering car or property sales. Help others sell and earn a margin, as Solomon described.
5. Selling goods on credit or consignment. Agree with a supplier to pay after you sell, then keep the margin.
6. Testing a product with ads. Research the market, run a small ad campaign and only buy stock once you have orders, like Chinedu did.
7. Marketing for local vendors. Promote small designers, makers or shops to customers online, like Flink.
8. A local trade or handyman business. List it on Google and use the tools you already have, as Victoria’s husband did.
9. Virtual assistance. A reader of this post said starting a virtual assistant business was one of the easiest things she did.
10. Consulting. Another reader pointed out that consulting is one of the easiest online businesses to start. You need experience, results and a website.

How to start with little or no money: 5 simple steps

1. Pick one skill you already have. Choose something people already pay for.
2. Define one simple offer. For example: “I write product descriptions for small shops,” not “I do marketing.”
3. Use free tools first. A free Google Business listing, social media and online marketplaces cost nothing to try.
4. Get your first paying customer, then ask for referrals. Keep a simple record of your customers (this guide to CRM for small business can help).
5. Reinvest your first profits. Put your earnings into better tools, ads or stock, and learn when to say no to bad-fit customers (read cutting ties with toxic clients).

A resource if you want a step-by-step guide

If you’d like a detailed starter plan, Gerri Spiers wrote an eBook with 10 home-based business plans that have minimal start-up costs, including facts about each business, key requirements and a step-by-step guide. I liked how detailed it is, and it came with two free bonuses. It was listed at £27.99 on her website when I wrote this, so check the current price.

Frequently asked questions

Can you really start a business with no money?

Yes, in many cases. Eight of the 10 entrepreneurs I asked said yes, usually by starting with a skill, a service or goods sold on credit. Most also said you will need some money later to grow.

What is the easiest home-based business to start with no money?

Service businesses that use a skill you already have tend to cost the least. Examples are virtual assistance, consulting, freelance writing, event hosting and local trades.

Do I need a website to start?

Not at first. Several people started with social media, online marketplaces or a free Google listing. A website helps as you grow, and it can cost under £100 to set up.

How do I get customers with no marketing budget?

Start with referrals. Do great work for your first customers and ask them to recommend you. Chinedu and the event-planner example both show how much word of mouth matters.

What is the biggest mistake people make?

Waiting for the perfect time. As one contributor put it, if you keep waiting for the right time in business, you may never get it.

Final thoughts

So, can you start a business with zero capital? Most of the people I asked say yes, as long as you bring skills, effort and patience, and expect to reinvest as you grow. A few honestly said that every business needs some form of capital, whether money, time or labour. Both views point to the same advice: start small, start with what you have, and keep going.

Which of these 10 ideas would you try first? Tell me in the comments, and share your own story if you started a business with little or no money.