Starting a Business with Little Money: 33 Viable Ideas for 2025

Starting a business with little money is increasingly a reality in Brazil. With digital transformation and changing consumer habits, accessible opportunities have emerged that allow you to start from home, with minimal investments, and scale as revenue grows. This guide presents 33 practical alternatives for those who want to start a business with little money but think big.

100% Digital Businesses: Start with Almost Zero Investment

The digital economy offers the lowest barriers to entry. With a computer and internet, you can already generate income.

Social Media Management
Small businesses desperately need professional management of Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. As a social media manager, you handle editorial calendars, engagement, metrics, and campaigns. Tools like Canva and Buffer drastically reduce costs. Charging: monthly fee per package of posts.

Video Editing for Social Media
With CapCut, anyone can create professional content for Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. Demand: very high among influencers and small businesses. Average earnings: R$ 800 to R$ 3,000 per client.

Freelance Design
Visual identities, logos, banners, and social media graphics are among the most sought-after skills. Start with Canva, evolve to Photoshop. Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork connect you with clients.

Web Writing
Blogs, e-commerce, and social media need optimized content. If you write well, produce articles, posts, product descriptions, and scripts. Specialized platforms (Rock Content, Contentools) facilitate client acquisition.

WordPress Website Development
Many Brazilian businesses still lack an online presence. Learn WordPress — it’s free, versatile, and present on 40% of websites worldwide. Target audience: shop owners, freelancers, local businesses.

Virtual Assistance
Growing companies need administrative support, organization, email management, and social media. If you master Google Workspace, Trello, and Notion, start immediately, with no investment. Platforms: Workana, Upwork, Fiverr.

Affiliate Marketing
Promote third-party products and earn commissions per sale. No stock, no initial investment. Use blogs, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or WhatsApp groups. Main platforms: Hotmart, Amazon Associates, Eduzz, Monetizze.

Stock Market Investment
Building an investment portfolio is also a business. Start small: stocks, REITs, ETFs, fixed income, BDRs. Essential: financial education and focus on the long term.

Food: Businesses with Accelerated Return

The food sector withstands crises. Low initial cost, high margins, and constant demand.

Personalized Meal Prep
The search for healthy eating boosted the fitness meal market. Start in your kitchen, promote via Instagram and WhatsApp. Buy ingredients from small producers to keep costs low.

Artisanal Confectionery
Cakes, gourmet sweets, fitness desserts — demand year-round. Work by order, use your kitchen. Strategy: tastings and professional photos increase conversion.

Event Barbecue Chef
If you master preparation techniques and cuts, earn well with birthdays, weddings, and corporate events. Create a menu with three levels: basic, premium, gourmet.

Meal Planner (Meal Planner)
Help clients who want to lose weight, gain muscle, save money, or eat better. Serve online, sell weekly or monthly packages. Educational content on Instagram attracts clients.

Food Truck or Food Cart
The mobile food segment is growing in Brazil. Artisanal burgers, crepes, healthy snacks, churros — test menus without the fixed costs of a restaurant. Success depends on: good location, events, and visual presentation.

Beauty and Wellness: Services with Continuous Demand

Post-pandemic, the trend was consolidated: consumers want convenience. Manicure, makeup, beard grooming, and waxing via delivery exploded.

Home Manicure and Pedicure
Stable, highly profitable sector with constant demand. Initial investment: materials and organization. Techniques like gel, fiber, and nail art increase profit margins.

Professional Makeup
Parties, brides, graduations, photoshoots — quick return. Build a portfolio, gradually increase prices. Strategy: reels with makeup techniques boost demand.

Cosmetics and Perfume Resale
Beauty is one of the strongest sectors in Brazil. Start with a catalog, direct distributors, or consignment (pay only what you sell). Promote via Instagram and WhatsApp.

Professional Massage Therapy
Relaxing, therapeutic, draining, sports massage — demand grew after the pandemic. With a course and basic materials, offer home sessions. Monthly packages ensure recurring revenue.

Mini Beauty Salon
If you already work in beauty, set up a mini studio at home. Offer: haircuts, blowouts, coloring, eyebrow design, extensions. Small, well-organized, and welcoming space already works.

Pets: Rapidly Growing Market

Brazil has the 3rd largest pet population in the world. Demand: accessories, food, toys, hygiene.

Online Pet Shop
An even more accessible model — sell non-perishable items, reducing stock costs. E-commerce with direct suppliers works well for those starting with little spending.

Pet Sitter (Pet Caretaker)
Hourly visits, boarding, walks, special care (medication, feeding). Service valued by pet owners who travel or work outside.

Residential Services: Practical and Affordable Solutions

Furniture Assembler
E-commerce growth drives demand for assembly. Simple service, high demand, little investment. Attract clients via marketplaces, local ads, and social media. Offer warranty.

Basic Gardening and Landscaping
Pruning, cutting, maintenance, fertilization — serve homes, condominiums, businesses. “Before and after” photos have excellent engagement.

Small Construction Material Stock
Construction remains strong. Sell a lean version: paints, basic tools, electrical materials. WhatsApp and quick delivery set you apart.

Education and Knowledge: Knowledge as a Product

Private Lessons
School reinforcement, languages, programming, cryptocurrencies — constant demand. Serve online or in person. Promote on social media and neighborhood groups.

Digital Info Products
E-books, video lessons, spreadsheets, tutorials — scalable model, no stock or shipping. Sell via Hotmart, Eduzz, Monetizze. High profit potential.

Travel Consulting
Tourists lack time for research. Create personalized itineraries, compare prices, suggest accommodations. Work 100% online offering: quick consulting, complete itineraries, themed packages.

Crafts, Personalization, and Physical Products

Print on Demand Virtual Store
Personalization became a competitive edge. Mugs, t-shirts, decor — customers pay more for unique items. POD model: supplier produces and ships, no stock needed.

Online Thrift Shop
Expanding secondhand market driven by circular economy. Start with items from your wardrobe or donations. Sell via Instagram, Shopee, Enjoei, WhatsApp. Unique pieces and good photos boost growth.

Cell Phone Accessories
Cases, screen protectors, headphones, cables, stands — strong market, affordable ticket, constant demand. Buy wholesale, focus on popular models. Sell via Shopee, Mercado Livre, Instagram.

Handmade Candles and Soaps
Aromatherapy candles, gift sets, natural soaps have high demand in wellness, decor, corporate gifts. Unique scents and premium packaging increase value.

Cleaning Products
Disinfectants, detergents, liquid soap, kits — essentials, high turnover. Handmade versions have very low costs and high margins. Sell via Instagram and WhatsApp.

Customized Baskets and Kits
Coffee baskets, chocolates, wines, artisanal products — great gifts for birthdays, corporate events, internal marketing actions. Visual presentation is a differentiator; low initial investment.

Conclusion: Starting a Business with Little Money Is Strategy, Not Luck

Starting a business with little money doesn’t depend on large investments — it depends on strategy, discipline, and choosing the right model. The 33 ideas presented here cover different skills, experiences, and financial realities in Brazil. With consistent planning, anyone can turn it into a solid and scalable business.