Service Business Ideas for Women Who Already Have the Skills
I have spoken to women looking for service business ideas, wanting to bring in some extra money but they are just not sure of what they could offer. Starting a business can bring up thoughts of having to have a product and employing someone. This is not true.
The simplest way to start is to have a look at what you already know. Don’t worry about finding a product to sell. Sell your own skills and you do have them. You just may not recognize them yet.
Often we believe that what comes easy to us, comes easy to everyone else as well.
This is not the case. I tell my kids, we all have different brains and skills. Therefore what you can do, can very likely be just what someone else is needing.
Why a Service Business?
A service business is different from a product business. My business Lioness was a product business. We sold breastfeeding tops that I had designed and made. With a product, we had a good amount of money held up in stock and also had the physical product to store, package, send off etc. There is none of that in a service business. In a service business, you are the product – and that changes everything.
When my youngest was 3, I was ready for a new business – and with four kids and absolutely no room for boxes, a product was off the table!
So I decided on Landscape Design. I wanted a service with minimal outlay. I did need to retrain but the potential income far outweighed the cost of doing so. And the way I structure my payments – a deposit upfront, and full payment before final documents are printed – means my costs only happen after I’ve been paid. That’s a very comfortable place to be.
Service businesses are great if you don’t have a lot of money to invest. My approach has always been to start with money you could afford to lose. No investors, no debt, no financial pressure hanging over you before you’ve even begun.
As you are the product, all you need initially is money for marketing and with social media being what it is, you can likely advertise for free on community pages, or depending on your service at schools etc.
The Skills You Already Have
Here are some service business ideas to consider :
Tutoring
I tutored my neighbours child maths while my baby daughter slept. She was being home schooled for health reasons so a couple times a week, we would have a maths class.
This could also be done online if you don’t want to be restricted to your area. That would reduce travel time. You could charge more for in person tutoring. Or keep it all online if you’d rather not go to people’s houses. All subjects can be tutored. Art, history, maths, science, english, cooking. If you know a language, you could offer conversation classes. The options are endless.
You would need a laptop with zoom, latest curriculum for that subject perhaps. Overall, the outlay for this one is minimal.
You could market in homeschooling communities, at your local school during term time, as well as extra support before exams, even the adult education market.
Landscape Consultations
I am a Landscape Designer. I have a diploma, but I was with a friend recently and have often thought she could do Landscape Consults. All her gardens are interesting, well designed, and especially not boring.
Consults are wonderful in that they are just your time and thoughts with the goal of providing people inspiration and ideas they could implement. People are paying for your ideas. I spend the time writing and drawing ideas with plant suggestions and then leave the notes with them.
If you are creative and can think outside the box when it comes to design, this may be for you. If you have some gardens of your own to start marketing with, then go for it. You could offer free consults for friends in order to get some reviews, and some before and after photos. Often people just need fresh eyes on their property, someone who isn’t stuck in the way things have always been done.
Organization/decluttering
You don’t need a qualification for this, just the right disposition. I love decluttering. It is not hard for me at all. There are of course people that struggle with this, and would love someone to come alongside them and talk them through their stuff.
A sensitive personality may be needed here as people might need some gentle persuasion to aid their letting go.
In terms of supplies, some large plastic bags or boxes are about all you need. You could offer to take things to thrift shops yourself, which is a lovely added touch. And if you want to take it further, you could move into storage solutions and closet design.
All of these services can be advertised locally and for free – community Facebook pages, a flyer at the supermarket or school, word of mouth. You don’t need a big budget to get started.
Finding Your Own Service Business Idea
When you are looking for a business to start, look at what you want and what you can do. Start a list. Do you want to leave the house or work entirely online? Are you happy going into other people’s homes? Do you want to work with kids or adults? Are you open to retraining or do you want to start immediately with what you already know?
Your answers will point you in the right direction.
If any of these service business ideas resonate, you might enjoy my blog on 7 low cost business ideas here. Either way, my free class is a great next step. In just 30 minutes it will help you get clear on what you actually want from a business of your own. And it’s free. Sign up here.
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