Create a solid business plan
Above all, it is imperative that you start by creating a solid business plan for your company, because it is the best tool at your disposal to ensure the profitability and sustainability of your project. Without it, you will sail by sight and run the risk of setting yourself up for failure.
Download our free business plan template to customize according to the project you want to launch.
Take online training
Becoming an entrepreneur is not an innate talent, and if you have never had the experience of entrepreneurship before, it may be interesting for you to prepare for this new adventure by going through online training . Whether it’s general training to help you create your own business from A to Z or more targeted training to enable you to acquire new skills useful for your project, training is always a good idea.
Create legal status
The creation of your company and the choice of your legal status are essential steps. To start, the self-entrepreneur statusis ideal, first of all because it is very simple to create and does not require social capital. Then, creating a micro-enterprise is totally free, you have absolutely nothing to pay to obtain your SIRET number. Finally, this status allows you to be exempt from VAT up to a certain turnover ceiling. So it’s a great way to get you into the groove while saving you from having to spend too much money. If you are not the only one to create the company, in this case you will have to turn instead to an SAS (Simplified Joint Stock Company) or a SARL (Limited Liability Company). In this case, you will need to count around €500 to set up your business , but the advantage is that you can then split the costs with your partner.
Go in search of funding
Although it is quite possible to start a business without having a substantial budget, it must however be admitted that to move faster and make your business take off, the sinews of war remains money. This is why it can very quickly become interesting for you to start finding financing . Here are some ways to raise funds for your business:
You can start with your bank, but if it does not wish or cannot follow you in your project, do not give up and go knock on other doors.
Many entrepreneurs go through crowdfunding campaigns (also called crowdfunding ) to bring their project to life. It’s a very effective way to raise money while building a loyal and engaged community around your brand. To launch a crowdfunding campaign, there are many platforms such as Kiss Kiss Bank Bank, Ulule or Kickstarter .
You can also try your luck with investors. If your business project requires substantial funds and you have a solid business model and business plan, then the right solution for you is most certainly to go through what are called “business angels”.
There are many regions and communities that offer business start-up assistance , so do not hesitate to inquire about this. Similarly, if you are registered with the Pôle Emploi, know that you can benefit from ACRE (Aid for business creation), ARCE (Aid for recovery or business creation) or even NACRE ( New support for the creation or takeover of a business) which is an aid to setting up the project to create or take over a business, to the financial structuring and to the start of the activity.
This is called “love money”, literally “the money of love” and it is not uncommon for entrepreneurs who do not have the necessary finances to launch their project to
Choose the products and/or services you will sell
Creating a business without money, even online, remains a rather complicated maneuver. If you want to sell products that you buy from a third party, you will necessarily have to advance a certain amount. If you do not have the possibility of taking out a loan and you have not found financing, the best option to create your business without money is to offer not products, but services. Do you have a particular talent? Expertise in a specific area? So why not start a service business? Without the financial constraint represented by the purchase of products and raw materials, you can easily get started in entrepreneurship, even without having the slightest budget!
Create an online store
This is the last step before launching your business for good: the creation of your online store. To create your online store, several options will be available to you and we have selected the three most relevant in our opinion:
Creating your own site is the ideal solution since you will hardly need to spend any money. However, to do this, you need to be expert enough in code and site development. It is also probably the most time-consuming option, but the most suitable according to your profile.
Opt for a marketplace
When you want to start a business without money, turning to a marketplace (like Etsy for example) is a very interesting option. Indeed, it allows you to create a store and sell your products even with a very small budget. On the other hand, you will not be able to personalize your store, which can cause you problems in building your brand image.
A SaaS platform (Software as a Service, or Software as a Service in French) is a slightly more expensive solution than those previously discussed, however it will offer you the possibility of creating and managing your online store in a very simple way, even without having the slightest knowledge of coding. In addition, and unlike a marketplace, you can easily customize it and you will have all the tools available to grow your business.
