Parenting is a job on its own, and if you’re a stay-at-home parent, some forms of business might seem impractical when you have your hands tied with household and parenting tasks. But some entrepreneurs manage to juggle it all.
If you’re passionate about entrepreneurship but spend the majority of your time with your children, we want to help you realise that you can start a business and strike that balance.
No business is child’s play, but some leave room for moms and dads to be parents while they run businesses. In this article, we’ll discuss business ideas that stay-at-home parents can embark on.
1. Virtual Assistance Agency
A virtual assistance (VA) agency is essentially a business where freelancers and independent contractors can find work and companies can source people to hire on a contractual, part-time, or full-time basis.
The market for virtual assistants is growing in South Africa. SMMEs often find themselves with a limited number of staff members, juggling multiple roles, and when a financial opportunity arises, they hire extra hands.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses have moved to remote models, exposing businesses to the VA world. In running a VA agency, you can target SMMEs, sole proprietors, international companies open to hiring in Africa, event organisers, agencies, and any business looking for extra help.
2. Create and Sell Digital Products
With the digitisation of most industries, digital products have grown in the post-pandemic era. People purchase e-books, customisable templates, printables, posters, etc. The best part about this business idea is that you can sell digital products without a website.
To start selling digital products, look at your digital skills and choose one that would help people. Perform keyword research on platforms like Ahrefs or SE Ranking to determine what users are searching for. That way, you’ll know which products will likely perform well.
Once you’re set on the product, you need to position yourself as an expert in that field. This allows search engines like Google to trust your content and push it on search pages. Additionally, it lets your audience buy into your brand and trust the product you’re selling.
3. Become a Freelancer
Freelancing allows individuals to generate an income without being tied down to one company. With freelancing, you can set your own rules. There are various in-demand skills in South Africa and internationally that can give you good business as a freelancer if you position yourself well. These skills include:
- Graphic Design
- Writing
- Editing
- Web Development
- Social Media Management
- SEO
- UX Design
The list of in-demand skills is endless, but the key is in having a good marketing strategy, which will allow you to find clients on a consistent basis. One of the platforms that you should not overlook as a freelancer is LinkedIn. Post relevant content consistently, network and build good relationships, and engage in content that relates to your services.
4. Dropshipping
Dropshipping has recently become a buzzword in the South African e-commerce industry, and for good reason. Dropshipping is a business model that lets you sell products without handling inventory physically.
This makes it a suitable business for stay-at-home parents, as you ensure people know about your products through the vast digitised marketing landscape. With this business, your customers can order products you’ve listed on your platform. You are probably wondering what it takes to run a successful dropshipping business in South Africa. The answer is in ensuring a thorough strategy and research.
Find niche products that customers wouldn’t hesitate to purchase. If you sell generic products, the likelihood of generating sales will be low, as you’d be selling a product amongst 100s of other businesses. So, ask yourself, how can this business stand out?
5. Remote Travel Agency
Think of the last time you saw a physical travel agency store or kiosk. Many of these businesses have digitised, making this a great idea for a stay-at-home parent. The key to running a successful remote travel agency is delivering proof that you can curate great experiences.
To start, you must be a people person with the ability to build good relationships with other tourism partners and to handle all that comes with working with tourists. Tourism partners are crucial as they help secure good travel deals. Additionally, you will also have one dedicated individual to work with throughout the tour, from start to finish.
Your customers should be able to opt for an all-inclusive experience without worrying about transport, accommodation, check-ins, or excursions.
