In 2023, Jackson Greathouse Fall asked ChatGPT-4 to turn $100 into “as much money as possible” ASAP, “without doing anything illegal.”
Following AI’s advice, he launched an eco-friendly brand, Green Gadget Guru, in just a week. Yet, despite all the buzz and frenzy around it, the business failed.
So, does that mean you don’t have the slightest chance to bootstrap a business with little money and keep it afloat (ideally, thriving)?
Absolutely not! As I’ve already slipped the spoiler in the title, you can start a business under $100. And you can successfully do this without entrepreneurial mistakes (and without fatal collapses).
But let’s not rely on ChatGPT this time, okay?
Here are expert tips and real-life lessons from those who succeeded. From low-cost business ideas to case studies, keep scrolling and you will find much to explore in this article.
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How to Start a Business for Less Than $100
Follow this guide to become your own boss, wallet-light but dream-heavy.
Pick a business that doesn’t suck up cash
Skip expensive solutions that look like a financial Everest and require investment with a capital “I” (and five or more zeros).
Instead, consider budget-friendly businesses you can start with only $100 or no money at all:
- Freelancing (copyrighting, graphic design, SEO, etc.)
- Event planning
- Dropshipping
- Handmade crafts selling
- Pet sitting
- Social media management
- Repair service
- Blogging/vlogging
Alternatively, consider more revolutionary business ideas like AI automation consulting or podcast-editing services.
But if you have an obsessive idea to do something you love or have a special knack for, don’t discard it just yet. See how to transform an idea into a profitable business with only $100 in your wallet.
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Set up your brand’s profile or website
If you prefer to tap into one of the freelance businesses or side hustles, you may not even need a website at first. Take a seat at the best work marketplaces for freelancers (Fiverr or UpWork), portfolio platforms (Behance or Clippings.me), or multi-link pages (Solo.to or Linktree).
However, it would be better to develop a website for your side hustle or small business for a more professional appeal and promotion.
Here’s the cost breakdown with paid and free options when launching a startup with $100 or less:
Paid: $5–$20/year at Namecheap, Google Domains, or GoDaddy
Free: Subdomains like yourname.wixsite.com or yourname.wordpress.com at Wix or WordPress
-
Website Hosting
Paid: $3–$25/month at Bluehost, SiteGround, or WPEngine (or Shopify for e-shops)
Free: Carrd.co, WordPress, Jimdo
-
Web Design
Paid: $20–$80 (one-time) for premium themes with customization features
Free: Ready-made templates from free website builders.
10 Best Website Builders for Service Businesses
Prioritize social media for marketing
Let’s face it—after setting up a paid domain and website, you won’t have that much money left on business promotion (~$50). But you won’t actually need much.
Choose cheaper ways to market your business and organically reach your target audience via social channels:
- TikTok: Engaging videos and hashtag challenges
- Instagram: Image carousels, Stories, and Reels (Note: Instagram’s algorithms favor Reels most)
- Facebook: Facebook Marketplace for selling products + Facebook Groups for growing a community
- LinkedIn (best for B2B marketing): Professional tips, success stories, polls
- Pinterest: Boards and pins to drive traffic to your website or eCommerce store
Pro tip: Since influencer marketing is rising in popularity across all platforms, collaborate with smaller content creators or niche influencers (their price tag typically starts at $10/post).
8 Ways to Make Money on Social Media
Arm yourself with a toolset (free!)
Gear up with the best free tools to jumpstart a business:
- Business planning tools → Google Sheets or Bplans
- Branding and design solutions → Canva or Looka
- Free project management tools → Wrike or Jira
- Accounting and invoicing software → Akaunting or ZipBooks
- Social media marketing platforms → Hootsuite or Friends+Me
- Team communication and collaboration tools → Slack or Zoom Free Plan
Pro tip: If you have some money left, you’d better turn to AI tools for small businesses. They offer the highest return on investment (ROI). In fact, AI boosts ROI by $3.7 for every dollar spent.
The Most Common Legal Issues Small Businesses Will Face
Stay on the legal side of business
Finally, make sure you’re sticking to the “white” side of the law to avoid legal trouble in business. No “dark” practices! Note: Fines can definitely cost you more than your startup budget of $100.
So, take care of these:
- Business registration (sole proprietorship or LLC)
- IP considerations (copyrights, trademarks, and patents)
- Licenses and permits
- Tax forms
- Employment (apply for an EIN)
- Contracts
Let us cut to the part where you might object: nope, a handshake doesn’t make a deal legal. A contract does.
Pro tip: Invest in contract management software to sign and manage legal contracts with clients, suppliers, contractors, etc.
Free Skills Training: From Raising Capital to Joyful Budgeting
Examples of Businesses That Kickstarted with $100 or Less
When you start googling, “I started a business with just…,” you get anything—$500, $1000, 100K—but not as little as $100 or $50.
Yet, I’ve dug up the most illustrative cases of starting a business for less than $100 (okay, one case is a bit above this limit).
Event Tickets Center → $100
Founded: 2005
Industry: Media and Entertainment
Number of employees: 30+
For me, as the CEO and Founder of Event Tickets Center (ETC), the ticket-selling platform is more than just a business launched with $100. It’s my passion. My entrepreneurial journey began with a love for live entertainment. I must confess: I’m addicted to attending live events, especially in sports, even today.
In 2016, our ETC team weighed all the options and decided to go mobile with AMP (accelerated mobile pages) to see a rapid jump in sales (and we saw it!). In 2024, it generated $6.7 million in revenues with stable year-to-year growth.
Lessons Learned:
Lesson #1. Follow your inner calling and convert your cravings into creations.
Lesson #2. Go mobile-first and user-friendly with your website.
How to Raise Money You Don’t Have to Pay Back
HerFirst$100K → $40
Founded: 2016
Industry: Blogging and Coaching
Number of employees: 15+
Tori Dunlap started her financial blog as a side hustle with only $40: $20 for the domain + $20 for the website. It took her six years to turn content into a seven-figure business ($4 million as of 2022). From the first draft, she outsources articles to freelancers and always relies on her audience’s interests, not trends.
Today, Tori Dunlap is a successful female entrepreneur leading the financial feminist movement. By this time, she has also released a podcast and a book.
Lessons Learned:
Lesson #1. Success isn’t a microwave dish; it’s a slow-cooked one. So, don’t expect to wake up a millionaire overnight.
Lesson #2. People are the most significant investment, whereas spending money on trends can be an express lane to bankruptcy.
SucceedWithMichael → $100
Founded: 2018
Industry: Affiliate Marketing and Coaching
Number of employees: 5+
After years of living paycheck-to-paycheck and never having time for his loved ones, Michael De La Cruz decided he had enough of it and started an online business with only $100.
The scheme was simple:
- Choose a niche.
- Find affiliate programs that align with the preferred niche.
- Create content to promote specific products from it (share affiliate links on social media or via blog posts) and earn commissions!
Today, he continues making money while sleeping and training others on how to build highly profitable businesses through affiliates.
Lessons Learned:
Lesson #1. Develop an entrepreneurial mindset.
Lesson #2. Be resourceful, creative, and ready to take risks.
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Tulpalav → ~$115 (Rs 10,000)
Founded: 2015
Industry: Fashion and Clothing
Employees: 50+
A tad pricier, yet—
It’s another inspirational case of female entrepreneurship.
Iqra Ahmad founded her eCommerce business as a “dream to revive the forgotten threads of Kashmiri tradition and culture.”
Back then, in 2015, women entrepreneurs were a rarity in Kashmir. Yet, obsessed with fashion woven in the fabric of her soul, she decided to go online with a clothing e-store and grew it into a booming company. Of course, it wouldn’t have grown so rapidly without the power of Instagram marketing.
Lessons Learned:
Lesson #1. Don’t be afraid to become a trailblazer.
Lesson #2. Promote your brand and engage with customers on social media (pick the most popular platform among your audience).
Time to Act—Launch Your Startup with $100 or Less
No more waiting!
Most people (entrepreneurs at heart) wait for the perfect moment. The truth? It doesn’t exist. So, grab $100 and turn your “someday” into today—start building your dream business now.
If you still hesitate, read more tips on how to start your business at StartupNation and get inspired for your own success.
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