For many people, the chance to be your own boss is an attractive prospect – being able to keep all of the profits from your hard work and to fit your working hours around other commitments, such as childcare, are just two common reasons people look to set up their own business.
Today, it doesn’t matter if you have money to invest into a new business or not: there are many businesses that can be established with little or no capital up front, and this article presents seven of the more profitable and popular ideas:
• Tutoring
• Website design
• Online trader
• Social media management
• Cleaning
• Handyman service
• Bookkeeping
Businesses you can start in Dubai without investment
Dubai is well known as being business friendly. Setting up a business here is relatively easy to do, and with its favourable tax regime, entrepreneurs get to keep more of what they earn.
Here are seven popular options with large-scale demand.
Tutoring
If you are a teacher – or even just have a skill that others might like to learn, such as playing the guitar – then tutoring could make you some money. Tutors can teach children or adults and at a time that suits you, so it can make a great part-time business to fit around other jobs or life commitments such as childcare.
Tutoring can be done face-to-face or online via videoconferencing apps, and sessions are usually charged by the hour or half-hour.
You don’t need any qualifications to set yourself up as a tutor, but it can help to give you credibility among potential customers if you do have them.
Tutoring businesses are advantageous as you can build up regular customers and a steady income as a result. They also require minimal investment up front – mostly the software to provide a good online experience.
Website design
Today, most businesses need an online presence if they are to succeed, even just for marketing purposes if they are not selling products or services through it. A bad website can switch potential customers off a business in seconds, which is why business owners will pay handsomely for a good website designer.
Also, with the number of new businesses setting up every year, there is no shortage of potential new business to be had.
Jobs don’t have to be one-off commissions; some customers will require their websites to be regularly updated and will come back to designers they trust.
While there may be some initial costs in terms of buying a laptop and the necessary software, these can quickly be recouped with a couple of customers.
Online trader
Online trading has grown massively in the years since the pandemic as people have become more confident ordering online and like the convenience of shopping from the comfort of their sofa.
Setting up an online shop therefore can be a profitable proposition, and there are several ways you can go about it. For instance, if you are crafty and make things, then you can sell them online.
There is a huge market for artisan crafts made as gifts – such as personalised wearable items, seasonal gifts and jewellery – and these can be sold via your own website or a trading portal.
You can also set up as a more conventional online trader selling all manner of goods.
This doesn’t necessarily require an initial outlay in stock because you can use dropship services. This is where you can buy inventory to add to your online retail site from a third party – usually a wholesaler – and set your price. When an item sells, the wholesaler will handle the shipping to your customer. This means you don’t need somewhere to hold stock and keep your overheads low.
Social media management
For many businesses today, social media is an integral part of their marketing strategy. When social media is done well, it can help to engage with customers in new ways and improve its reputation and even its bottom line through effective promotions of products, offers and the like.
Likewise, in the event of problems, it can be used to manage the messages given to the media and help to limit any damage to the company. For new businesses, it can be an effective way to increase awareness of their products and services.
This is why today many businesses will pay well for social media specialists who can manage their brand online through sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and engage with customers through posts, images and, increasingly, short videos.
Again, this is a job that can be done from home, and the hours can be worked around other responsibilities. Although in times of great activity the days can be long.
Cleaning
Setting up a cleaning business is another profitable option for entrepreneurs in Dubai, and one for which there is increasing demand.
With many people living in Dubai of working age and living busy lives, and having disposable income, some are looking to bring in cleaners to help keep their house tidy. This means that there are plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurs.
But it isn’t just domestic cleaning for which there is increasing demand. With the number of businesses growing in Dubai all the time, so is demand for people to clean offices and workspaces on a daily basis.
There is also a growing need for industrial cleaning services, where buildings are given a deep clean ahead of a sale or new tenants moving in.
Again, this is a business where if regular clients can be built up, then a good and steady income can be built up. While there is some outlay required for cleaning products and the implements to do it with, this can quickly be recouped.
Handyman services
Dubai has a largely working-age population who lead busy lives, whether that is with work or outside interests. This means that if appliances malfunction or break, or minor household improvements are needed, they don’t always have the time – or inclination – to do them themselves.
This is where a handyman comes in. If you have DIY skills, then it could be the business idea for you – there are even people who will pay for others to assemble flat-pack furniture for them.
This job requires minimal outlay – mostly just for tools of the trade. Although if you are offering specialist services such as plumbing, then it will help to have some qualifications to present to customers.
Bookkeeping
If you have accountancy skills, then offering your services as a bookkeeper can provide a steady income. Many startup businesses and some small businesses don’t have the skills in-house to oversee their accounts or might not be able to afford to appoint someone in the role on a full-time basis, so employing a freelance bookkeeper on a part-time basis is a great solution.
This is a job that can be done from home with just a laptop and good internet connection – although it is recommended that you invest in good security software to give customers confidence that none of their financial data is at risk of being hacked.
How Creative Zone can help
If you want to establish your own business – be it in one of the industries above or any other – then contact Creative Zone and you can benefit from the advice of our team, wo are experts in business setup in Dubai.
Our specialists can advise on every aspect of the business setup process and ensure it is completed as quickly as possible, meaning clients can get on with making money. Wherever you are from in the world, our team can help – they speak some 20 languages – and we provide ongoing advice after the business is up and running.
Find out more about what Creative Zone can do for you, and get a bespoke quote today: www.creativezone.ae/contact/
