Stuck at home during lockdown? Completed your office tasks, done with the house chores, and now wondering what to do? How about using the leisure time to spark some new hobbies, and start a new business? Here are some amazing, easy-to-start businesses, you can put into motion right now, from the comfort of your home.
1) Your own cooking blog or show
As people across the world have been forced into lockdown, family meals are resurgent, allowing members to experience the joy of eating together. This has created an urge to explore new recipes and cuisines, as means of providing pleasure amid the sorrow prevalent due to the pandemic. No doubt, viewership for YouTube cooking channels has dramatically increased in the past two months. This is an opportunity for you to market your cooking skills, let it be through blogs where you regularly share recipes, or more excitingly your own cooking show.
2) An Online Consultancy Business
Are you a musician, or a fitness expert, or a nutritionist? Use the lockdown to your advantage, and start your own online consultancy business. Fear to go out for extra activities is bound to last beyond lockdown. Moreover, during this lockdown phase, people are willing to learn new skills. All you need is an online platform, a home-based office set-up, and any special instruments you would need, such as musical instruments.
3) Online Tutoring Classes
According to experts 99.4% of the world’s student population is suffering because of the widespread closures of educational institutes. The figures are enough to indicate how badly online tutoring classes are required at this hour of crisis. If you have a knack for teaching, or are already from the education sector, use this opportunity to create your online tutoring services. You need to make online study material and subject notes that could attain the attention of the students.
4) Your own Freelancer Marketplace
You can also get started by owning a freelancer marketplace where you can connect employers to employees. As many companies are seeking cost-cutting tactics, and laying off employees, deploying project-based freelancers seems an attractive choice. This can, in parallel, create opportunities for laid-off employees, to earn money.
5) Your Home bakery
A great business idea, where you probably have all the equipment you need, if you love to bake. You just need to set up a social media page, and you are good to go. Bake those delicious cookies, donuts, and cakes, and see cash rolling in, as customers start placing orders!
6) Web and Graphic Design
As more and more businesses move from traditional brick-and-mortar setting to E-Commerce platforms, there is high demand for web and graphic designers. You need to clearly define your target market, and define your unique selling point-keep in mind that packaged software you have expertise over, are part of your value proposition, and will make you stand out from other players in the market.
.7) Research and Fact Checking
Companies are continuously looking for resources to find statistics and other data for presentations and reports. Many media organizations hire fact checkers to make sure that items in stories are accurate and that sources quoted really exist. If you enjoy conducting research and preparing reports, this is the opportunity to utilize free time, and take a deep dive into some potential research projects for companies, startups and individuals.
8) Coaching on Communication and Presentation Skills
Has communication always been your strength? Are you a pro at preparing and delivering presentations? If yes, then its time to market your skills to the public. Use digital platforms to advertise your brand to relevant audiences including college and university students, as well as fresh grads. Some of the areas to explore include helping your customers prepare for job interview questions, help with presentation delivery, verbal and nonverbal business communication and more.
No doubt we’re all going through difficult times, and are unsure of what the future would look like. But we need to find constructive ways to divert ourselves from stress, and focus on the positives the pandemic has to offer. Indeed, this is a time to dig into the hobbies or aspirations we have had for years, yet were never touched upon. Let’s think beyond tradition, let’s not just wait for life to return to normal- with the right ideas, attitudes, and preparation, you can build your own business from the comfort of your home. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s do it!
