Top 09 Highly Trending Home-Based Small Business Ideas for Women

India's rapidly growing economy plus its increasing population makes it an ideal market for new businesses. The climate is particularly suitable for women entrepreneurs, and there is plenty of scope for starting a business for house wifes without investment. In addition to provide demanding services, running a home business offers flexibility and it is helpful for Indian women to work around personal, family and job commitments. Managing their own home business will instill Indian women with improved social skills, business skills, and will help them become more psychologically secure and financially independent. A rise in the numbers of women entrepreneurs will also aid in India’s overall economic well-being.

Getting Started In Home Business

Starting a home based business for women does not necessarily require a significant investment. It is possible to begin on a shoestring budget as long as the home based business ideas for women are sound and feasible in terms of demand, setup, available skills, and legal requirements. Obtain Private Limited Company registration to enjoy benefits of your business.

To get started with a home business in India, here are some possible steps to follow -

• Come up with a business idea, taking into consideration personal passions and skills.
• Research if there is a local, national, and international market for the business.
• Find out about the skills needed for the business and if any extra skills training is necessary.
• Find out about registering the business, getting administrative permissions, and any other required documentation.
• Find out how the business is to be set up and what equipment is needed for it.
• Assess the amount of time commitment required to run the business.
• Assess the amount of financial investment required for the business.
• Write a business plan detailing which services are going to be provided, how to market the services and procure customers, how to manage the business operations, and how to handle the business finances.

Home Based Business Ideas for Women

Tiffin Service

An increasing number of Indian professionals and workers have little time to prepare their food and eating out can prove to be both expensive and unhealthy over time. Subscribing to a tiffin service can provide them with an affordable, healthier option, and this can prove to be a viable business for Indian women entrepreneurs as satisfied clients will usually transfer to long-term customers.

How to do it:

• Learn or improve cooking skills.
• Find out which types of food are most in demand for tiffins.
• Create a menu of foods that the business will offer.
• Decide if the tiffin service is going to be limited to a particular locality or is going to be available citywide.
• Research both the locality-based and citywide demand for the tiffin service.
• Decide if potential clients are to pick up their tiffins at your business place or if you can provide home delivery. Offer both options, if possible.
• Offer monthly, weekly, or daily payment options, and decide if there will be an additional charge for home delivery.
• Be realistic about the number of tiffins you can provide per day. Can you do the required amount of work yourself or will you need to hire help?
• Create and hand out leaflets advertising the tiffin service with your contact information.
• Ask satisfied clients to recommend your tiffin service to their acquaintances.
• Setting up a website and advertising on social media can also help to get the word out.

Investment required for -

• Cooking equipment.
• Food ingredients.
• Tiffins.
• Food packaging.
• Food storage unit like a refrigerator.
• Delivery service.
• Advertising and marketing charges.

Baking

Ordering customized cakes, biscuits, bread, and other bakery products is a growing trend amongst the upper economic segment in India. Women entrepreneurs can tap into this trend and build up a steady clientele.

How to do it:

• Learn to bake or polish up existing baking skills.
• Research which bakery products are most in demand daily and annually both in your locality and citywide.
• Create a list of bakery products that your business will offer.
• Offer on-site purchases as well as local and citywide home deliveries.
• Offer special baking services for birthdays, parties, and other celebrations.
• Ask clients to recommend your baking business.
• Distribute advertising leaflets, set up a website with excellent photographs of your products, and market them on social media.

Investment required for -

• Baking equipment.
• Baking ingredients.
• Storage for baking products.
• Packaging for baking products.
• Delivery service.
• Advertising and marketing charges.

Chocolate Making

Very few people dislike chocolate, and it is one of the most popular food items to be purchased throughout the year, yet a few well-known brands mostly dominate the market for chocolates in India. There is room for unique, well-crafted chocolates and if you can tap into that demand your business will flourish.

How to do it:

• Learn to make chocolate.
• Research different kinds of chocolates and list the ones that are likely to sell well in your area.
• Contact shopping centers and food stores in your area and ask them if they will sell your chocolates.
• Contact online food outlets and sell your chocolates to those.
• Create a website with photographs of your chocolates and sell directly to customers.

Investment required for-

• Chocolate making equipment.
• Chocolate ingredients.
• Refrigerator, if you don’t already have one.
• Chocolate packaging.
• Advertising and marketing materials.

[For in-depth knowledge about Online selling, check out our article on How to sell on Flipkart?] 

Soap Making

Cleanliness is not going out of fashion any time soon, but an increasing number of people are becoming more particular about the personal care products they use. Indian women entrepreneurs can tap into this niche and produce beautiful soaps made with organic ingredients.

How to do it:

• Learn to make soap
• Learn about the different ingredients that can be used to make soap.
• Make different varieties of soap.
• Contact shopping centers and specialty stores and ask if they will sell your soaps.
• Contact online health and personal care stores and ask if they will sell your soaps.
• Create a website featuring your soaps and sell directly from it.

Investment required for-

• Soap making equipment.
• Soap ingredients.
• Soap packaging.
• Advertising and marketing materials.

[You can sell your products on Paytm, refer our article How to sell on Paytm to know more about it]

Jewelry Designing

Jewelry has traditionally been worn all across India and the demand for beautiful and unique adornments is still going strong. A creative eye and a good sense of design are a must for starting this business. Indian women entrepreneurs can learn the skills on their own or take online or offline classes in jewelry making. 

How to do it :

• Learn about Jewelry designing.
• Learn about the historical and current trends in Jewelry design.
• Learn about different gems and metals that are used to make Jewelry.
• Decide if you are going to design Jewelry for men, women, children or create pieces for everyone.
• Create a series of Jewelry.
• Research prices for Jewelry design similar to yours and decide how you are going to price your designs.
• Set up a website to showcase and sell your Jewelry.
• Let people know about your Jewelry through social media postings.
• Register on online sites that sell Jewelry and put up your Jewelry creations for sale.
• Contact Jewelry stores and inquire if they accept Jewelry designs and ready Jewelry pieces from freelance jewelry designers.

Investment required for -

• Jewelry making equipment.
• Jewelry materials.
• Jewelry boxes and packaging.
• Advertising and marketing materials.

[To sale your unique and creative ethnic products on craftvilla, you can prefer our article How to sell on Craftvilla.com]

Sewing or Tailoring

Women entrepreneurs can start their own tailoring business or take outsourced orders from garment companies.

How to do it:

• Learn to sew or improve on existing sewing skills.
• Create sewing samples.
• Inform family, friends, neighbours, and others in your locality that you are taking sewing work.
• Advertise your sewing services with a signboard, leaflets, newspaper advertisements, and online advertisements.
• Create a website with your clothing samples.
• Join online sewing groups and keep in touch with what is going on in the sewing industry.
• Put up clothes for sale on online shopping outlets.
• Contact garment manufacturers and ask if they can outsource your sewing work.
• Decide on the amount of sewing you can get done and find out the current market price for the same.

Investment required for-

• Sewing machine.
• Sewing implements.
• Sewing materials.

Graphic Designing

A decent design sense and knowledge of design software are both essential for getting started in graphic design. Graphic designers are needed to create invitations of various kinds, to design advertising materials, to design packaging materials, and for much else.

How to do it:

• Research different types of graphic designs and decide if you want to specialize in any one area or be a generalist.
• Create a portfolio showing the kind of graphic design you want to do professionally.
• Create a website showcasing your graphic design portfolio.
• Apply for graphic design freelance jobs on online job boards.
• Ask your clients to recommend your graphic design services.
• Market your business offline as well as online.

Investment required for-

• Computer with internet access.
• Subscription to design software, if necessary. You can always use free, open source art software.
• Design training, if needed.
• Advertising and marketing materials.

Web Designing

A web designer must have a solid grasp of design, colour, and compositional elements, a fair knowledge of different programming languages, and a good understanding of user psychologies and product marketing.

How to do it:

• Learn as much as you can about web design and programming.
• Research current web design trends.
• Create and work on your own web design projects.
• Build your own website and display your web design projects on it.
• Research fees charged by web designers in your region.
• Apply for web design freelance jobs on online job boards.

Investment required for-

• Computer with internet access.
• Design software, unless you use open source software.
• Advertising and marketing costs.

Tutoring

Tutoring is a booming business in India, as parents, dissatisfied with the formal educational system and concerned about their children’s future prospects in an increasingly competitive landscape, seek additional assistance with their children’s school and college studies.

How to do it:

• School curriculum keeps changing, so find out what is being currently taught.
• Decide the subjects you are going to teach.
• Read the current textbooks on these subjects.
• Read everything you can on teaching as well as learning methods.
• Inform parents in your locality and citywide about your tutoring business.
• Set up a website detailing your experience, knowledge, and the classes you will be conducting.
• Decide if you are going to tutor students in a physical setting, if you will be teaching online, or if you can manage both.
• Decide how many hours per day, week, and month you are going to tutor and at what time.
• Decide how many students you can manage per tutoring session.
• Decide on how much you are going to charge for your tutoring.

Investment required for-

• Current textbooks.
• Chalkboard, chalks, and duster.
• Benches and tables for students.
• Computer with video software and internet access.
• Printer for creating educational handouts.
• Advertising and marketing charges.
• Most Indian tutors run their business from their homes, conducting actual classes or online classes, so that saves on rent and electricity.

Success Stories

Indian women entrepreneurs have been doing very well for themselves in recent years, offering high-quality services in a range of business areas. According to a research report by the World Bank Group, around three million Indian women wholly or partially own a variety of micro, small, and medium businesses.  The Indian government has set up financial assistance plans with public sector banks to encourage small business for women at home to get their businesses off the ground.

Conclusion

Once a sufficient amount of research and thought has been put into a potential business idea, Indian women entrepreneurs should gird themselves and take the plunge into actually starting their small-scale business idea for house wife's enterprise. Ideas must be translated into actual action. Yes, there are risks involved and despite exhaustive planning, the business could fail, but that shouldn’t deter upcoming women entrepreneurs. The home-based business idea for women whether the business succeeds or fails, it will be a learning experience that will open up newer possibilities.

Indian women entrepreneurs can avail of the many detailed and informative articles about the various aspects of running a business on Afleo.com. If any assistance is required with business registration or any other business matter, please feel free to get in touch with us.