Ahsan Gardezi
If you’re like millions of Pakistanis, you dream of starting your own business. But of course, there are dozens of obstacles that may keep you from actually doing that. You might not have enough motivation, for example, or time to actually see the work through; or you might not even have a solid idea to begin with — yet. Here’s how to start a business in Pakistan with almost zero investment.
Related: Advertise Your Business With Little To No Money
A place where most people get stopped cold, is their realization that it takes money to start a business — money they don’t have.
Still, consider: There are quite a few fundraising options for you to go through:
- Crowdfunding
- Loans
- Grants
Etc.
These options are available to get you what you need; so, money is not a good excuse not to start a business. And, beyond that, there are certain types of businesses you can start with almost no cash.
What It Takes To Start A Business? | How To Start A Business In Pakistan With Almost Zero Investment
Your first step is to explore what it takes to formally “start” a business, and which of those items cost money.
- Planning.
You’ll need to come up with a business plan and financial model. But, you can do this on your own, for free.
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Business License.
If you’re planning on creating a partnership, LLC or corporation, you’ll need to file some paperwork — but it probably won’t cost you more than a few thousand Rupees, depending on what licensing you need.
- A Domain Name.
You’ll need to invest in your online brand early on; while we suggest going as professional as possible, you could also use a bare-bones approach to launch, if yours is a minimum viable product. Often, a catchy domain name is all you need to define your brand at the start. One can be bought for as little a price as $10.
We recommend GoDaddy to buy domains.
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A Website.
Website builders these days are free and intuitive to use. You won’t be spending anything but time to build your first site. We recommend starting simple, with a widely-used website platform, like WordPress or Wix.
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Marketing.
While marketing has a reputation for being very expensive, there are actually a ton of really effective tactics that can be performed with only an investment of your time. Social media marketing, SEO and content marketing all fit within this category — and, honestly, those are really all you need.
Please Note: The Entrepreneur has a great selection of how-to books and online courses that cover this subject. Check them out!
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Equipment.
Equipment, offices and other tangible assets are cash killers, but not all businesses need them. Some businesses don’t require any of these things, as I’ll explain shortly.
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Products.
Finally, all businesses need to sell something, which usually means some up-front investing. However, many services can be performed with an investment of time rather than money.
Types Of Businesses To Start | A Small List Of What You Can DO
So, which types of businesses can be started without a heavy financial burden in any of the above areas?
- Art And Craft
Become part of a wedding decorating team, make and sell props online, or paint and lead detection in homes. You can do this with any suitable approach!
- Photo And Video Editing
If you are efficient in Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Pro CC or any other video and photo editing software, great. You can work as an editor alongside a photo and videographer or have an individual setup online.
- Teaching
Home-tutoring/academy is one of the sole educational modes in Pakistan. Teach in your area of expertise and earn big!
- Data Analyst
Target a market place, gather product information, and supply the collected data to product companies, to get paid hefty fees.
With blockchain technology sneaking into Pakistan, data analysts will inevitably get A LOT of attention.
Well, there you have it guys! This was all about how to start a business in Pakistan with almost zero investment. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment in the section provided below.
Good luck!
