What is the best business to start with $10K?

You’re finally ready to start your own company. You have the guts, the drive, and the commitment—oh yeah, and $10,000. But wait, is that enough? Can you start a business with 10K? And if so, what businesses can you start with that amount of money?

On this page, we’ll answer those questions by covering the following sections:

Table of Contents

• Can you start a business with $10K?
• What kind of business can you start with $10K?
• 12 examples of the best businesses you can start with $10K
• How to start a business with $10K
• Challenges of starting a business with $10K

Keep reading to find out more about each of those topics!

Can you start a business with $10K?

Yes.

That doesn’t mean that every type of business only requires $10K. It also doesn’t mean that starting a business with $10K will always be an easy and carefree process. But you can do it. Ultimately, the key is to choose the right type of business.

What kind of profitable business can you start with $10K?

There are many types of companies that you can start with $10K—too many to list, in fact, though we’ll look at some examples in the next section. Most of these types of businesses are on the smaller side, of course, but $10K is a great starting point for a small local business. 

Of course, you shouldn’t choose your industry based purely on your budget. You should also factor in your own skillset and interests.

12 examples of the best businesses you can start with $10K

All right, now let’s get down to it. What types of businesses, specifically, can you start with $10,000?

As mentioned earlier, listing every type of business that meets that requirement would be nearly impossible. Having said that, in this section, we’ll look at 12 of the best businesses to start with $10K.

Here’s a summary of profitable businesses to start with 10k:

Business type	Difficulty level
Lawn care business	Low
Pressure washing company	Low
Moving company	Low
Tutoring or coaching	Low
Bakery	Moderate
Food truck	Moderate
Ecommerce business	Moderate
Photography company	Moderate
Pet grooming business	Moderate
Consulting firm	Moderate
Franchising (Limited)	Moderate-High
Tax preparation firm	High

Read on to learn more about each of those examples.

1. Lawn care business

Difficulty level: Low

Of all the businesses you can start with $10K, lawn care is one of the easiest. This type of business can treat lawns in different ways, but often, it’s as simple as mowing the grass. For that reason, there’s no specialized knowledge needed to start this business. As long as you know how to operate a lawn mower, you’re good to go.

The only thing you need to start this business is a lawn mower and maybe some additional equipment like a weedwhacker.

2. Pressure washing company

Difficulty level: Low

Another relatively simple business you can start with $10K is a pressure washing company. This isn’t quite as easy as lawn care, but it’s still not too hard—once again, all you really need is the right equipment and some basic knowledge of how to use it. Thankfully, learning how to pressure wash is pretty simple!

3. Moving company

Difficulty level: Low

To start a moving company, you only need two things: Trucks and employees. Both of those things are pretty easy to acquire. Buying trucks can be pricey, but look for secondhand options, and you’ll make up the money after a few moving jobs. Other than that, running a moving company is (more or less) as simple as lifting heavy boxes!

4. Tutoring or coaching

Difficulty level: Low

Do you consider yourself somewhat of an expert in a subject matter or field? Perhaps you speak a second or third language? Are you often the go-to person when it comes to specific topics? 

If you know enough about a subject matter, starting a tutoring business could be an option for you. All you need is a computer with a decent camera and microphone ( you could buy these separately as well), and a reliable internet connection.

Many adults and parents of school-aged children are looking for extra help during exam season or to upgrade their language skills. Check if you need any relevant certifications, and start advertising your services online.

5. Bakery

Difficulty level: Moderate

Now, we move on to a more challenging type of business. Running a bakery requires several elements, including:

• Baking proficiency
• Ingredients and equipment
• Adherence to food safety regulations

You may also want to be proficient in things like cake decorating, an art form unto itself. We don’t recommend pursuing this type of business unless you’re already an experienced baker.

6. Food truck

Difficulty level: Moderate

If food is your passion, consider starting a food truck or food cart. You’ll need a truck or cart and a vehicle to transport it, ingredients, and equipment.

You’ll also need the skills to plan your menu, prepare your food, and keep your operation running efficiently. And it’s essential to look into applicable laws and regulations, particularly regarding food safety.

One good thing about this type of business is that you can start with a relatively simple menu and expand and refine it over time. It’s a great way to get involved in the food and restaurant industry at a lower startup cost. And down the road, you can even consider expanding into a more traditional physical location.

7. Ecommerce business

Difficulty level: Moderate

Maybe you’re not looking to provide services but products. If that’s the case, you don’t necessarily need a physical store—you can sell your products online via an ecommerce business. As for what those products are, that’s entirely up to you.

Of course, to sell products online, you need a website. That means you need to be capable of creating one. Alternatively, you can hire a web design agency to build your site for you. But once the website is up and running, an ecommerce store can be one of the most profitable businesses to start with $10K.

Ecommerce business ideas

Within the world of ecommerce, there are many business models to choose from. Here are a few low-cost ideas to get you started.

• Subscription boxes: Inventory management is a common issue for ecommerce businesses. When you sell subscription boxes – a predetermined set of products sent to customers on a regular basis – you’ll always know when to restock items. Plus, the subscription model means that you’ll get regular, reliable revenue from your sales. You can offer subscription boxes in almost every ecommerce industry.
• Handmade products: It’s easy enough to learn how to make soaps, gummies, cat toys, etc. Making the products yourself means you’ll spend less money on replenishing stock (in exchange for spending a bit more time on production). Make sure that if you’re selling food items or skincare, that you get any certifications that prove compliance to necessary health and food regulations.
• Dropshipping: Dropshipping means that you handle the front end of the ecommerce sales process (marketing, promotion, and checkout) – usually through your own website – while production, warehousing, and shipping is taken care of by another company. If you can build a great website and have decent digital marketing skills, then this could be a good ecommerce model for you to try.

8. Photography company

Difficulty level: Moderate

Photography companies can take many different forms. It could be as simple as you and your camera, where you take photos of people at their chosen locations. Alternatively, you could set up a whole photography studio with multiple photographers and plenty of advanced equipment.

The former is pretty easy as long as you have a knack for photography, though the latter is obviously much more expensive and complicated. The exact setup of your business depends on your needs, skills, and budget.

9. Pet grooming business

Difficulty level: Moderate

Do you love dogs so much that you want to spend every day around them? If so, dog grooming might be for you, especially since starting a grooming business costs less than $10K.

In terms of financial investment, all you need are some grooming tools. You may also choose to buy a salon location for your business, though you could do it from your home if you wanted. However, it’s important to have grooming expertise before starting a business.

10. Consulting firm

Difficulty level: Moderate

Another one of the most profitable businesses to start with $10K is a consulting firm. Financially speaking, starting a consulting firm isn’t too difficult. After all, you don’t need tons of advanced equipment to get the job done—at most, you may need a few tools to help with conducting audits, depending on which industry you choose.

The real challenge, though, is in being qualified. If you want to start a consulting business, you need to have highly advanced knowledge of the industry you specialize in. That’s kind of the whole point of your services! If you hire additional consultants, you’ll also need to verify their expertise.

11. Franchising (Limited)

Difficulty level: Moderate-High

If you want to franchise a popular chain store or restaurant, your initial investment will likely be well over $10K. 

But there are plenty of established businesses in lucrative, but relatively unknown industries that cost under $10,000 to franchise. For example, some janitorial services chains are affordable to start franchising, and can prove to be highly profitable if you choose the right location.

The benefits of franchising are numerous. You get plenty of startup support from headquarters and a guide for day-to-day operations and advertising. For aspiring business owners who’d prefer a bit more stability, a small franchise can be a great business to start for under $10K.

12. Tax preparation firm

Difficulty level: High

Finally, you can spend $10K or less to start a tax preparation firm. To start this type of business, you’ll first need a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) from the IRS, although that doesn’t cost anything. Just like with consulting, though, the tricky part is having the expertise to do the job.

If you want to build a career doing people’s taxes, you’ll need to have extremely in-depth knowledge of tax code and how tax forms work. Frankly, that requires years of training and experience, so don’t pick this one based purely on your budget—pick it only if you have the right skill set.

How to start a business with $10K

Now that we’ve seen some examples of businesses you can start with a budget of $10K, let’s talk about how you can ensure it generates a profit. Obviously, the exact process for starting a business will vary widely between industries. However, there are a few basic steps you’ll almost always have to take:

1. Determine your overhead investment
2. Obtain any needed skills and certifications
3. Acquire your inventory or supplies
4. Market your business

Keep reading for an overview of each of those steps!

1. Determine your overhead investment

When you run a business, you’ll naturally have to navigate different operational expenses to produce your products or services. But you may also have overhead expenses like lease payments, power bills, and insurance. You’ll need to take all of these expenses into account if you plan on starting a business with $10K.

2. Obtain any needed skills and certifications

As we’ve already mentioned several times on this page, you can’t just jump headfirst into a new industry without any knowledge of it. When you start a business with $10K—or with any budget, for that matter—you have to know what you’re doing.

To that end, take the time to acquire any necessary skills or certifications. If you try to start a consulting firm without knowing anything about your chosen industry, you’re in deep trouble.

3. Acquire your inventory or supplies

The next step is to get all the materials you’ll need. This might include tools, equipment, or machinery you need to do the job. It could also include parts for creating products. For example, you can’t serve food at a restaurant without having the ingredients to make that food.

4. Market your business

Finally, as you start your business, be sure to market it. This is a crucial step that many companies miss. Don’t buy into the idea that “if you build it, they will come”—you won’t attract customers unless you market yourself. If you don’t have the resources to do that yourself, you should partner with a professional marketing agency.

The challenges of starting a business on a small budget (and how to overcome them)

If you’re looking to start a business on a small budget, such as $10K, expect to encounter various challenges on your journey to profit. 

Below are a few of the most common challenges you may face and ways to overcome them.

Financial management

When you start a business under $10K, expect to do most of the financial management yourself. For the initial months and years, you’ll probably be doing the checks and balances solo. 

If you have minimal to no background in finance, this could be a challenge. Here are a few things you can do to make it easier:

• Keep a budget: Keep track of money coming in and money coming out of your business. After a few months of observation, you can make calculated budgets for where to spend your money and optimize income generation.
• Use budgeting apps: Budgeting apps are a godsend for people who struggle with managing their personal finances. And they can work just as well for new business owners. 
• Keep a separate business account: Create a separate savings account for your business and keep it strictly for professional use.
• Ask for help: Money management can get overwhelming for many business owners. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and support – even accountability – from your family and friends. Be wary of taking direct financial advice, though.
• Set aside time each month to assess your business finances: Schedule an hour or so on your calendar to look at your financial health, update budgets, set aside taxes, etc.

Skill gaps

While the business examples we’ve listed above range in expertise needed, for each business, you’ll need at least some knowledge about the field you’re working in. 

Here are some suggestions for closing the skill gaps while maintaining your business:

• Add education to your business budget: Spend it on books, courses, and workshops related to your needed skills.
• Take advantage of free and online training resources: Thanks to the Internet, you can get a world-class education on a budget, all from your home. Take advantage of free courses and low-priced online training.
• Schedule time each week for learning: If you don’t schedule it, it’ll be difficult to prioritize. Budget time in your week, as little as half-an-hour, to upskill.

Lack of time

If you’re like many first-time business owners, you’re probably still working a full-time job to put food on the table. That leaves limited time to balance your free time between your business and other non-work obligations.

Another thing to note is that you’re often doing the work of a full team, including answering the phone, filing paperwork, and dealing with vendors. It can feel like you just don’t have enough hours in the day. Here are a few ideas to optimize your time management:

• Set clear boundaries around your day: When at your job, focus only on your job. When you set aside time to spend with family and friends, put your full attention to it. Likewise when working on your business.
• Learn to say “No”: In other words, guard your “Yes”’s wisely. When you aim to please too many others around you, it gets increasingly difficult to spend time growing your business.
• Use time blocking: Use Google Calendar or any other calendar app to visualize how you’re spending your time and get a realistic view of your time budget.

Ineffective marketing

Lack of, or ineffective marketing causes the downfall of many budding businesses. Digital marketing can get expensive, time-consuming, and often don’t yield results fast enough for businesses on a small budget. 

Plus, small business owners don’t have time to track important marketing metrics, such as SEO and website traffic. Here are a few ways you can overcome marketing overwhelm:

• Narrow your focus: If looking for quicker gains on marketing, then it’s best to choose just one channel, and focus all your efforts on it. For example, if you want to market on social media, choose one platform and stick to posting and advertising exclusively on that channel.
• Schedule marketing time in your day or week: If you decide to go all-in on Facebook marketing, for example, set aside dedicated time for posting, replying to enquiries, and sending outreach messages. You can schedule this on a daily or weekly basis – consistency is key.
• Get an audit: Reliable marketing agencies, such as WebFX, can provide a free marketing proposal for your business, and help clients at various budgets.

Get help marketing your business with WebFX and Nutshell

Marketing your business isn’t easy, but it’s critical for earning revenue. Without marketing, your company will be dead in the water. That’s why you should consider partnering with a digital marketing agency like WebFX, which can handle everything from your web design to social media marketing.

You can also take advantage of our customer relationship management (CRM) platform to help you track all of your customer data and learn how to improve your online marketing efforts. If you want to see what Nutshell can do for you, just check out our 14-day free trial today!

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