Key Takeaways
- First decide online or offline — online is cheaper and faster to start; offline suits local, in-person services and storefronts.
- Then pick a model: online (an e-commerce store, dropshipping, print-on-demand, or selling designs) or offline (a local service, market stall, food, or trade).
- Choose what to sell by market research or by your own skills and resources — then validate demand cheaply before you spend.
- Prepare properly: register the business, get licenses, sort equipment and workspace (buy vs. rent), and set up a way to get paid.
- Making your own products keeps the highest margins — and you can even earn from your designs via Atomm Crowdfunding.
Starting a business has never been more accessible — many of today's run from a laptop and a spare room, with no storefront, warehouse, or big loan. But the options can be paralyzing. The trick is to decide in order: online or offline, then which model, then what to sell — and finally how to prepare, equip, and get paid. This guide walks through each decision, with a special look at the most rewarding route of all: making and selling your own products.
None of this needs to be perfect on day one. Start small, validate demand cheaply, and reinvest your first profits — that's how nearly every successful business begins.
Why start a business now?
If you're on the fence, the backdrop has rarely been more encouraging — small business is both huge and booming:
- Small business is the economy's backbone. There are over 34 million small businesses in the U.S., making up 43.5% of GDP and 45.9% of private-sector jobs (SBA Office of Advocacy).
- Startup energy is near record highs. Americans filed a record ~5.5 million new business applications in 2023 and about 5.2 million in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau).
- The tools are cheap. You can start many businesses for a few hundred dollars — or less — and grow from there.
How do you start a business?
To start a business, decide whether you'll operate online or offline, pick a model that fits your budget and skills, choose what to sell (by researching demand or building on your strengths), register and prepare the business, set up equipment and a way to get paid, and launch to a small audience. Then improve from real sales and reinvest early profits to grow.
Step 1: Choose your business model
First, decide: online or offline?
Almost every business is one of two broad types, and the choice shapes your costs, your customers, and your day-to-day. Start here. An online business sells over the internet — a store, marketplace, service, or digital product — and can run from anywhere. An offline business serves people in person or from a physical location: a shop, a market stall, a local service, or a workshop.
| Online business | Offline business | |
|---|---|---|
| Startup cost | Low — often under a few hundred dollars | Higher — rent, fit-out, stock |
| Reach | Global, open 24/7 | Local footfall and regulars |
| Competition | Fierce — you must drive your own traffic | Lighter locally; trust and location matter |
| Overheads | Minimal | Rent, utilities, staff |
| Best for | Products, digital goods, remote services | In-person services, food, retail, trades |
Not sure? Most first-timers start online because it's cheaper and lower-risk. But if your strength is a hands-on local service, or you want a physical presence, offline can earn more per customer — and you can always blend the two, selling locally and online.
Once you know whether you're online or offline, pick the model that matches your budget and skills.
Online business models
- E-commerce store — sell physical products from your own site or a marketplace; the most flexible online model. See starting an online store.
- Dropshipping — sell without holding stock; a supplier ships each order. Cheapest to start, though margins are thin — here's how dropshipping works.
- Print-on-demand — sell your designs on shirts, mugs, and more, printed per order. See print-on-demand.
- Sell designs & digital products — templates, SVGs, ebooks, and files you create once and sell repeatedly at near-100% margin.
- Freelance a skill — writing, design, or coding you can start today with zero inventory. For a fully online plan, see a fully online business plan.
Offline business models
- Local services — cleaning, lawn care, pet care, tutoring, or repairs; near-zero startup and paid from the first job.
- Market stall or pop-up — sell handmade goods at fairs and markets before committing to a shop.
- Food & hospitality — a cart, stand, or home-kitchen brand (check local food rules first).
- Trades & handywork — carpentry, detailing, beauty, or repair services built on a skill.
- Studio, classes, or retail — a workshop, a class you teach, or a small storefront once demand is proven.
Plenty of makers do both — selling handmade goods at local markets and listing them online to reach a wider audience.
Step 2: Choose what to sell
Whatever model you pick, you need a category and a specific product or service. There are two reliable ways to land on one:
Option A: Follow the market (research-first)
Look for proven demand and pick a category you can win. Check what's already selling on marketplaces and best-seller lists, use search-volume tools and Google Trends, scan reviews for unmet needs, and favor a specific, underserved niche over a broad, crowded one. You're entering a space people already pay for, which lowers your risk.
Option B: Play to your strengths (skills-first)
Start from what you already have — a skill, experience, tools, contacts, or access to cheap materials. Building on an existing advantage means faster results, lower costs, and marketing that comes naturally. The best ideas usually sit where your strengths meet real demand.
Either way, validate before you invest: pre-sell, take a few test orders, or run a small ad to confirm people will actually pay before you spend on stock or gear.
Need product ideas to get started? Browse Atomm's free laser project ideas for ready-made designs you can make and sell.
Step 3: Prepare and register your business
Before your first sale, get the basics in place. The details differ for online and offline, but the essentials are the same.
Register and stay legal
- Pick a structure. Many start as a sole proprietor for simplicity; forming an LLC adds liability protection as you grow.
- Name and register the business, and confirm the name isn't already taken.
- Licenses & permits. Offline businesses often need local permits (food, signage, zoning); online sellers may need a sales-tax permit.
- Open a business bank account and keep business money separate from personal.
Set up where you'll sell
Online: buy a domain, build a store (Shopify, WooCommerce) or open a marketplace shop, add your products, and connect payments. Offline: secure a location or market pitch, sort insurance and suppliers, and stock your initial inventory.
Step 4: Equipment, tools, and workspace — buy or rent?
Most businesses need some kit and a place to work. The rule of thumb: rent or borrow while you're testing, and buy once demand is proven and the numbers make sense.
- Workspace. Start at home to keep costs near zero. Move to a coworking desk, shared studio, or leased unit only when volume demands it.
- Equipment & machines. Rent, lease, or use a maker-space to test; buy your own once you're running steady orders, because owning production means better margins and control.
- Software. Store, design, and accounting tools are mostly cheap subscriptions with free tiers — start free and upgrade as you grow.
Buying too much too early is a classic cash-flow killer. Keep fixed costs low until sales justify them.
Step 5: Set up how you get paid
You need a simple, trusted way to accept money — pick based on whether you sell online, in person, or both.
| Method | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe / PayPal | Online stores & invoices | Easy setup; roughly 2.9% + 30¢ per sale |
| Shopify Payments | Shopify stores | Built in; avoids extra third-party fees |
| Square | In-person + online | Free card reader; great for markets and shops |
| Card reader / POS | Retail & services | Tap-to-pay via phone or terminal |
| Mobile wallets | Fast in-person checkout | Apple/Google Pay, usually via Square or Stripe |
| Cash / bank transfer | Local, low-fee sales | No processing fee, but manual to track |
Weigh the trade-offs: card processors charge about 2–3% but are fast and trusted; cash and transfers avoid fees but are harder to track. Most businesses offer a couple of options and keep clean records from day one.
Make and sell your own products (DIY & crafts)
One of the most rewarding ways to start a business is to make things people want and sell them — and today's affordable desktop machines put that within reach of anyone.
This is where a lot of the most durable small businesses begin. Instead of reselling someone else's goods on thin margins, you make custom, personalized products people actually want — engraved gifts, signs, jewelry, home decor, kits, and apparel — and sell them on Etsy, your own store, or at local markets. Because you own the production, you keep far more of every sale.
Make products with an affordable craft machine
The maker's most versatile tool is a desktop laser cutter and engraver, which cuts and engraves wood, acrylic, leather, slate, and more — perfect for personalized gifts and decor. If you want to sell apparel, an in-house DTF or DTG printer lets you make custom shirts to order (see our guide to starting a clothing brand).
A compact all-in-one like the xTool O1 Omni is a flexible starting point, because one machine can decorate several product types — from apparel to mugs and phone cases:
xTool O1 Omni
Most versatile starter
With UV, DTG, and DTF in one compact machine, the O1 Omni lets you offer a whole catalog — custom shirts, printed mugs and phone cases, engraved-look signs, and more — without buying separate equipment.
That flexibility makes it a smart first machine: you can test which products actually sell before you specialize, then reinvest profits into scaling the winners.
xTool O1 Omni: the most flexible single machine for testing a product line.
Get design ideas and files — you don't start from scratch
You don't need to be a designer. Atomm offers a large library of ready-to-make project ideas, templates, and free creative tools — so you can start from a proven design and personalize it. For inspiration on what sells, browse maker guides like our coaster ideas to sell on Etsy. The faster you can turn an idea into a finished product, the faster you can test and sell.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Building before validating. Confirm people will pay before you spend on stock or equipment.
- Going too broad. A narrow, specific niche is far easier and cheaper to reach than “everyone.”
- Overspending on fixed costs. Rent, gear, and subscriptions before revenue drain your runway — stay lean.
- Underpricing. Cover materials, fees, your time, and a margin; don't compete on price alone.
- Skipping the legal basics. Register, get permits, and separate business finances early.
- Not reinvesting. Put early profits back in — that's how a small start compounds into a real business.
How much does it cost to start a business?
It ranges from almost nothing to several thousand dollars, depending on online vs. offline and whether you make your own products. Rough starting budgets:
| Path | Typical startup cost | Main expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Freelance / local service | $0–$100 | Tools you likely own; basic marketing |
| Dropshipping / print-on-demand | ~$100–$500 | Store subscription + ads |
| E-commerce with stock | ~$500–$3,000 | Inventory, store, marketing |
| Make your own products | ~$500–$3,000 | A craft machine + materials (higher margins after) |
| Offline shop / studio | $3,000+ | Lease, fit-out, stock, permits |
You don't need the top of this range to begin — most founders start at the low end, prove demand, and reinvest profits to grow.
The bottom line
There's no single right way to start a business. Decide online or offline, pick a model that fits your budget and skills, choose what to sell by research or by your strengths, then prepare properly and get paid cleanly. Start small, validate cheaply, and reinvest — and if you want the best margins of all, make and sell your own products.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest business to start?
A service business or freelancing based on a skill you already have is usually easiest, because startup costs are low and you can earn almost immediately. If you want to sell products, dropshipping and print-on-demand are the lowest-risk starting points since they require no upfront inventory.
How can I start a business with no experience?
Start with something close to skills you already have, and keep the first version small so you can learn as you go. Validate demand before investing, use free tools and guides, and lean on ready-made resources — for example, design templates and tutorials — so you don't have to master everything at once.
Is making and selling products a good business?
Yes — it offers some of the best margins because you control production, and modern desktop machines make it affordable to produce custom goods at home. You can sell finished products, the design files, and even crowdfund new ideas, turning one creative skill into several income streams.
How do I earn from my designs without holding inventory?
Sell the design files and licenses instead of physical products. Platforms like Atomm Crowdfunding let you pre-sell a product idea and sell its design files and commercial licenses — earning up to a 90% revenue share — so you get paid without producing or shipping inventory yourself.
How much money do I need to start a business?
You can start many businesses for under a few hundred dollars — sometimes nothing, if you're selling a skill or using no-inventory models. Product-based businesses cost more upfront for equipment, but that investment unlocks higher margins, and crowdfunding can cover production costs before you commit.
