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Not everyone’s a brilliant tech founder.

But even for us – non-technical folks with very little capital, there are extremely profitable business opportunities.

The community needs small businesses to serve us every day and I am here for it.

So if you are intrigued by starting small and starting local, let me tell you what really gets me snoring.

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But FIRST

If you are new, welcome to OCE’s weekly newsletter curated for the ambitious youth…here are some articles you missed from previous weeks:

📈 WTF this rock sold for $1M? Top jobs in the 21st century ​Read More →​

🎨 The future is not in America – and here’s why ​Read More​ →​

📘 U.S. Universities With The Best Pay For New Graduates ​Read More​ →​

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Starting with things to consider when looking into a feasible business model:

• Minimal starting capital – I look for dirt cheap set up cost to start – Ex. purchasing a website domain (~$20)
• Little labor – I look for models that aligns with my own strength which means I don’t have to hire other people to help run the biz — at least not at first. DIY AF.
• Little to No Inventory. – I used to work in e-commerce and let me tell you, inventory is capital intensive and managing it is super complex. I’d rather not go through the trouble.
• Scalable – The best small business ideas are based online and can be automated.
• Cashflow on Day 1 – No R&D and wait 2 years before becoming profitable.

Now it doesn’t mean that every business that follows this rubric is great but it means that any business in this category could be great.

Ok Y’all ready? Oh - and if you want to read until the end, you’ll like what I have there for you. What I’m actively investing in right now as we speak.

1.Sell downloadable digital products

Did you know you can make $2000+/month by selling downloadable sticker designs on Etsy? Wild.

Other digital goods include: downloadable journals, templates, art prints, designs… Some people prefer to print these at home instead of paying the full price of the paper and design.

Downloadable digital products can be a profitable small business idea for those who are already design-savvy or willing to learn an online design tool.

2. Education Consultant

Crimson Education is the world’s leading college admissions counseling company charges upward to $60,000 for their service.

Leverage your college admission essay, scholarship, and extracurricular sources to build a consultancy of your own.

3. Interior Designing

Sure, there are many people who have the ability to buy the furniture and home decor to fill their rooms, but few who knows how to style under a tight budget.

You can charge ~$2500/room by designing layout and sourcing furniture/décor for clients.

4. Event Planning

We talked about the emergence of AI and redundancy of various occupations. Well, event planning is not a gig that can be easily replaced, so this small business idea is set to thrive regardless of the digital landscape.

To start, you’ll want to look for a platform that will easily allow you to advertise your availability, such as event planner directories like Eventective and WeddingWire.

If you’re highly organized, are detail-oriented, and have experience planning large events, it might be time for others to benefit from your skills.

5. Packing Services

I recently moved and paid $400+ to have someone help me pack since I wasn’t onsite. Unlike moving biz, you don’t need a permit or insurance to start a packing biz.

You can even partner with moving companies and offer to do their packing, or have them refer clients to you

You might want to bookmark this one, we’re going to add to it. Keep searching, keep adding links and resources as we go.

The beautiful part to me is the breadth of possibilities here. Doesn’t it give you that little tingle too?

Money aside, the skills you build while running a biz will be a huge asset on your resume.

My current investment allocation:

• Property Management
• Newsletter and Online Education

Think globally, act locally.

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PS. Wanna learn to build from those who have achieved success? We run a summer cohort for ambitious youth (high school and undergrads) to work directly with world-class founders while learning from Silicon Valley leaders. ​ OCE Summer Cohort ​ You can also explore purposeful opportunities through our Impact Internship Opportunities Database. ​ Get Curious.

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Lena

​https://www.openclassroomexperience.com/​