[Consultation] I have ideas for a side business/startup. But I can’t do it with zero capital.

I returned to Japan.

This time, it was a trip to North America, visiting Seattle, Vancouver, and Whitehorse.
Next, from the end of August, four months from now, I'll be traveling to Vancouver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York.
The travel itinerary changes flexibly, so I'm not sure what will happen yet, but I'll be going at the end of August.

At that time, again,OPENSEEDI'll be updating, so stay tuned!
This trip was fun too.

Now, let's get to the main topic.
Thank you for all your questions!
The question I will be answering this time is,

I have ideas for a side business or starting a business. But I can't do it with zero capital.

It is.

I often receive this question as well.
In reality, many people probably think that even if they have ideas, they can't act on them with zero capital.

In my opinion, you don't need capital to 'start' a side business or a new business.
At most, it's just internet fees and living expenses.
If you're starting a side business, your living expenses are already covered by your regular job anyway.
It's perfectly fine to start a side business or a new business with zero capital.

However, I think there are also people who think, 'If I have zero capital, I can't create products or services, can I?'
That's a complete misunderstanding; you can create products and services even with zero funds.
Does anyone have an idea of how to start a side business or a startup with zero funds?

It's a simple matter.
The scale you're thinking of is too large, which is why you can't take the plunge into a side business or startup with zero funds.

The principle when starting something is to first 'start small'.
You start small with what you can do around you and then monetize it.

What products or services can I offer right now?
If I'm starting a side business or a startup with zero funds, what can I offer right now?

You just need to think about what you can start immediately.

Since it's something you already have, you should be able to start a side business or a startup with zero funds.
All you have to do is find customers and offer it.

Basically, people overthink side businesses and startups.

When people think about starting a side business, a startup, or opening a new venture, they immediately think big.
Like developing tangible products and setting up a production system, or renting a store and opening a shop.
If it's online, like developing an app and hiring engineers.
What often comes to mind are things that are impossible to do with zero funds.

But it's easier to start small with what's around you and then grow it.

It's good to imagine selling rice balls to someone who is hungry.
Suppose there's someone in front of you who is starving to death.
Suppose that person has 500 yen.
Let's say I have rice and was able to make onigiri.

This relationship is supply and demand.

All that's left is to make rice balls for them in exchange for 500 yen.
If the cost of your labor to make onigiri and the rice is 100 yen, that's a 400 yen profit.
A side business or starting a business, in other words, that's all there is to it.
So, all I have to do is find a lot of hungry people and sell onigiri, right?
If you use what you have as capital, you can start a side business or a new venture with zero funds.

What do you think? The concept is simple, isn't it?

Actually, if someone was starving to death, I might give it to them for free. lol
Basically, you just need to provide what you have around you to those who want it.

Having said that, I want to realize the idea I'm currently thinking of.

Of course, the vision you want to achieve yourself is important.
It's precisely because you have a vision that side jobs and entrepreneurship become possible.
That is something I myself have talked about many times through my blog.

Even with just visions and ideas, you can start a side business or company with zero funds.

How to do it is to break down the idea to the extent that you can do it yourself.
This is also about starting with what's within reach, as I mentioned earlier.

For example, let's say you want to open a 'restaurant specializing in honey'.
However, opening a restaurant requires a large amount of capital.
Starting a business with zero capital is completely impossible.

Let's change our thinking a bit and bring it down to a more achievable level.

The key point of this opening is that it 'features honey'.
For some reason, you must be able to obtain or produce delicious honey.
Perhaps your family home is a honey shop.

Serving it at a restaurant is a method, a means of providing honey.
Do the methods and means of provision necessarily have to be a restaurant?
What's important is that recipes featuring honey become known as 'delicious!'
If that happens, won't the topic of a restaurant naturally come up?

First, how about focusing on providing 'food products' that feature honey?

You could create homemade recipes using honey and sell them online.
Of course, there must be necessary qualifications, so that needs to be resolved.
However, compared to opening a restaurant, this should be much more achievable.
If you're selling online, there are countless methods.

So, you can let your products become talked about, gain a reputation, and save up funds.
If you do that, the day you open a restaurant will surely draw closer.

If you absolutely must consider loans or investments starting from zero funds.

For various reasons, there are times when you really want to secure funding, starting with loans.
Ideally, it would be great if you could start a side business or venture from zero funds.
In such cases, let's first consider two patterns of fundraising.

The first is crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding allows you to publish your project, and people who are interested will provide funding.
Investors (patrons) can provide funding under conditions specified by the project initiator.
Once the product is ready, you can send it to them or offer special opportunities.
Nowadays, it's becoming an era where it's easier to raise funds through the internet.

There are two famous companies that provide crowdfunding.
CAMPFIREandReadyforIt is.
Since it's not just Japanese services, those who can speak English might want to try challenging overseas projects as well.
For now, I've listed two Japanese services this time.
Since the fees and conditions differ for each, please take a look at their websites.
Large sums, in the millions of yen, have also been successfully raised.

The second is to get investments from friends, parents, and relatives.

This method isn't often heard of in Japan.
When talking to people overseas, it seems common to ask those close to you.
If it's someone you have a close relationship with, the psychological hurdle is slightly lower.
Normally, you'd go to a bank for a loan (debt) or ask investors.
Of course, even then, it naturally comes with great responsibility.
If you can get funding from someone close to you, it's trustworthy and easier to manage.

Basically, these are the two fundraising methods to consider first.
Other fundraising methods should only be pursued after you've made up your mind to commit your entire life to it.
Since it involves significant risks and responsibilities, it is only recommended for those who are serious about starting a business.

By the way, other fundraising methods are written in "The Textbook for Creating Work"
If you want to know more, please read it.

If the core of the product/service you want to offer doesn't waver, you can start a side business or a business with zero capital by making the offering method smaller.

The most important thing in a side business or starting a business is to satisfy your customers.
If customers are satisfied with your product/service and it gains a good reputation, funds will naturally gather.
You'll likely get loans, and investors might even appear.
Once you've built a track record, funds will start to gather even if you have zero capital.

That's why, at first, don't get hung up on the method of offering; instead, think about what you most want to provide.
Then, start your product/service on a small scale, within reach, and satisfy your customers.
As the circle of satisfaction expands, it will gradually lead to a track record and reputation.
Try to offer the quality of the product/service itself in the most easily deliverable form.
What's important in the initial stage is not the means of offering.

If you proceed with the above mindset, you should find a way to start a side business or a business with zero capital.

First, let's think about what you truly want to offer.
With the product/service you want to offer, start small from what you can do now.
Even with zero capital, it's important to think about what you can do within your current capabilities.
The biggest waste is not being able to take the plunge into a side business or entrepreneurship just because you have zero capital.

Even if it's small, even with zero capital, start from what you can do to get moving and monetize it.
Start with what you can do within your reach, in your immediate surroundings, and improve the quality of your service.
Enhance your reputation, generate word-of-mouth, and create a system where your products/services sell themselves.

Start small, within your reach, and take the plunge.
With this, you can take the first step towards a side business or entrepreneurship, even with zero capital.

■ Click here for details on 'The Textbook for Creating Work'!
http://quon.ink/workmakebook/

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