Business Ideas for Women and Work-from-Home Mothers.

“A woman’s best protection is a little money of her own” Claire Boothe Luce

In this post are 14 business ideas for women, stay-at-home moms and work-from-home moms. These ideas are great for any woman looking to make some money as a stay-at-home mum, or who is looking for a side-business. You can get to work immediately on any of them to create your own financial empire. So, here they are:

1. FCMG distribution

FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) distribution is among the best business ideas for women – and it is very lucrative too. New FMCG manufacturing companies emerge every day. As a woman, you can connect with any of them and register as a distributor.

One advantage of this is that it gives you steady income. Because FMCG (like soap, tissue, detergents, snacks, noodles, etc.) sells very fast, the business is consistent and steady. It could be stressful to start at first but think of the money you will be making in the near future.

2. Catering

If you love cooking, catering is good business because of the simple fact that good food is always good business. The good thing about catering business is you can start with any amount of money – small, medium or big scale. Plus, you can choose to start either outdoor catering services, indoor or both.

3. School runs

School runs business is another potentially profitable business idea for women. The reason is some parents might not have the time to pick their kids from school. I see people contract keke (tricycle) operators to handle school runs for them. So, if you are going to pick your own kids from school anyway – and you have time on your hands – you can arrange with other parents in your neighborhood and start your school runs business.

4. Fashion design

Fashion design does not have to be stressful to start. Though most women would prefer to go for training and make clothes by themselves, there is an easier way.

There are cloth makers to whom you can outsource the tailoring. They will make the clothes using whichever design you choose. They will even let you choose your own label and attach the labels to the clothes. Your part will be to market the clothes in boutiques and corporate offices around you.

5. Online retail business

The internet has become a booming marketplace and online retail has become very profitable over the past few years. Why stick to conventional brick-and-mortar business when you can sell online, reach more people and make more profits?

6. Day care

If you are going to be taking care of your own kids anyway, and you have the space and start-up cash, why not make it a business? You get to spend so much time with your kids, and other kids, plus you make cool cash in the process.

7. Freelancing

Freelancing is the easiest business for beginners to start on the internet. You don’t need anything much, only your skills and your internet enabled computer.

To make money as a freelancer, you need to know skills like writing, copywriting, graphics design, web design, etc.

Common sites you can get freelancing jobs include: freelancing.com, upwork.com, Fiverr.com etc. You choose your own working hours and accept only jobs you can deliver, making cool cash all the while.

8. Drop shipping

Drop shipping is another business you can start and run from your home. This is how it works: you set up an online platform where you advertise products. These products are sold by a third-party. When someone places an order for any of the products, you purchase the item from a third-party and have it shipped directly to the customer.

This is different from standard online retail in the sense that you, as the merchant, don’t see the product or handle its inventory. Instead you have it shipped directly to the buyer and collect your profit.

9. Agriculture

Agriculture is the new oil right now. The list includes businesses like bean flour production, snail farming, cassava processing, etc. You can turn any of these into a lucrative business for yourself.

10. Event Planning

If you are gifted with organizing events, you could make a fortune as an event planner. You don’t need a special office to be an event planner. All that is required is a skill to organize and plan large parties, weddings, and other occasions.

Many people would not want to bear the burden of coordinating their event, instead they would want to employ the services of an event planner and this is where you come in.

11. Affiliate marketing

After freelancing, affiliate marketing is the next easiest and best way to make money online. An affiliate marketer is an online salesperson who promotes products in exchange for a commission.

For example, if you sign up as an affiliate for Konga.com, Konga will give you a unique affiliate link. Whenever someone buys anything on Konga through your link, Konga pays you a commission. It works like magic. Most internet marketers make money by promoting other people’s products.

12. Information marketing

When you sell information online, it is called information marketing. You can make money online by creating and selling eBooks or video tutorials. Information is the costliest commodity in the world today.

Say you know how to make beautiful beads; you can create an information product showing interested people how to make beads for sale. Assuming you sell your video/e-book at N1,000 and 100 people choose to buy, you make 1,000 x 100 = N100, 000. All you did was just prepare the e-book/video and market it. Cool, right?

13. Social media Consulting/Management

If you are one of those women who have a large social media follower base, you are missing out on a lot of money without knowing it. Not only can you consult for companies and show them how to establish a social media presence for their brand, you can also manage social media accounts for people who can afford it. You work in your own house and get paid doing what you love. You were spending much time on social media anyway. Make it a business.

14. Importation

If you have a relative or friend living abroad you could contact them to send goods to you. Shoes are just one item in this category. You could sell designer clothes, jewelleries, computer hardware, bags, cosmetics, the list of items is simply endless

Source: Next Naija Entrepreneur