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To commemorate Mandela Day and honor Mandela's 67 years of fighting for social justice, we have created a list of 67 business ideas to help aspiring entrepreneurs start their businesses.
Whether you're looking for a side hustle, a low-cost business, or a freelance business, we've looked at them all. We've grouped these ideas by what you're actually looking for: time, savings, and existing skills. This allows you to select the category that matches your current location.
Low-cost business ideas you can start from home
Here we have listed businesses that do not require much capital to start. Most of these businesses can be started for less than a few thousand rands and all you need is a smartphone and a WhatsApp business account to run these businesses.
1. Home baking
2. Individual instruction for school learners
3. Homemade skin care or soap making
4. Babysitter
5. Pet sitter and dog walk
6. Run errands for busy professionals
7. Office meal preparation services
8. Handmade candle making
9. House cleaning and laundry services
10. Sewing and alteration services
These businesses require consistency. Make sure to treat shipping logistics and customer service seriously. That way, you can give them good reviews and refer other customers.
Freelance and service-based business ideas
Freelancing is about turning your existing skills into income without the need for a store, inventory, or staff. If you already have marketable skills, this is the category with the lowest barrier to entry.
11. Freelance Copywriting
12. Graphic design services
13. Bookkeeping for small businesses
14. Virtual assistant jobs
15. Social media management
16. Photographing events, products, etc.
17. Video editing
18. Translation and transcription services
19. How to write a resume and CV
2o. Life coaching or career coaching
When you freelance, you need to create a portfolio to showcase your work. Creating your own website will further enhance your portfolio. Your domain name can make a difference in how seriously potential customers take your quote.
online and digital business ideas
These businesses rely on the Internet as a storefront. The scale is different from a physical business because the audience is not limited to suburbs or cities.
21. Dropshipping store
22. Print-on-demand products
23. Blog using affiliate marketing
24. A niche YouTube channel
25. Create an online course
26. Writing and selling e-books
27. Podcast production and hosting
28. AI application development for small and medium-sized businesses
29. Digital marketing agency
30. Paid email magazine subscription
Local and community business ideas
Look at your neighborhood and identify areas where there are gaps that the big chains are ignoring. These businesses rely more on local trust than online marketing.
31. Spaza shop or convenience store
32. Car wash service
33. Laundry and ironing service
34. Mobile hair and beauty services
35. Handyman and Repair Services
36. Gardening and landscaping
37. Event planning for small events
38. Catering for local events
39. Second-hand clothing store
40. Recycling and waste collection services
Retail and e-commerce business ideas
If you enjoy sourcing products and building brands that people recognize, retail still works, although it's not the same as it was 10 years ago.
41. Online Clothing Boutique
42. Handmade jewelry business
43. Sale of specialty coffee or tea
44. Health food/supplement specialty store
45. Baby goods store
46. Stationery/Gift Shop
47. Resale of beauty products
48. Resale of sneakers
49. Vintage or Thrift Fashion Store
50. Local Artisan Market
Instagram and the TikTok Shop have made product discovery cheap, but one side hustle in retail that's mostly quietly disappearing is fulfillment. Anyone starting an e-commerce store should test packaging and carrier delivery times on five actual orders before running a single paid advertising campaign.
creative niche business ideas
These are business ideas built around specific talents or interests that are often overlooked because they don't scale as quickly, but can build loyal, high-income customers.
51. Custom Illustration or Portrait Commissions
52. Music lessons
53. Narration work
54. Wedding planning
55. Interior design consulting
56. Personal styling
57. Freelance Journalism
58. Ghostwriting for executives
59. Podcast guest appearances and speaker coaching
60. Custom stationery and invitation designs
Some more ideas worth considering
61. Airbnb Hosting or Property Management
62. Fitness training or online coaching
63. Language education
64. Office cleaning services
65. App-based ride-hailing services as a driver partner
66. Notary Public or Document Support Services
67. Financial Literacy Workshop for Small and Medium Enterprises
Businesses that survive beyond the first year are not necessarily the most original. These are things the founders chose to do even if there were no sales. Passion helps in business, but it's no substitute for the dedication, strategy, and hard work required to build a sustainable business. No matter what kind of business you choose, you will need to create a business plan, and you should take the time to create one.
Start with what you already know how to do, set your prices right from day one, and resist the urge to serve everyone. The narrower your initial offer, the sooner you'll know if people are actually willing to pay that amount.
How to choose one from these 67
It may seem difficult to choose one of these businesses and stick with it long enough to see results. However, it is very possible. There are a few things to consider before committing.
Tailor your ideas to your current bank balance, not your ambitions. If your investment is less than R5,000, freelancing or service work can help you get started faster than retail or e-commerce, as inventory and shipping costs can eat into your margins before a single sale is completed.
Test demand before building something. Start by posting about your service or product on your social media. If 10 people ask how much it costs within a week, that's a signal that it's worth taking action. Even if no one asks, that's still information. That's no reason to give up. That gives you a reason to reconsider who you're actually talking to.
Price for the market, not for your own ego. New entrepreneurs often undercharge for fear of losing customers. Instead, some people look at competitors' rates online and overcharge without knowing what is included in their rates. Look at three of your competitors and analyze what they include in their packages. Price within that range until you build a reputation that allows you to charge more. If you charge more, you must be able to justify it to your audience.
There's no need to wait until you have the perfect logo or website. Many entrepreneurs started their businesses with just a WhatsApp number and word of mouth. Branding is important, and luckily there are free tools like Canva to help entrepreneurs and creators build their businesses.
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