College campuses are hotbeds for entrepreneurial activity.
The best time to start a business is during college for many reasons. Firstly, most students are bootstrapped, putting them in spending positions where only necessary dollars are spent. Necessity is the best way to innovate, and a low budget can be a blessing in disguise.
Furthermore, on a college campus, students are surrounded by beneficial resources that can help new ventures succeed. Friends, professors and university departments are just a few of the places to turn to for support. Here is a list of business ventures that any student can start from his or her dorm room.
Grocery Delivery To Dorms / Apartment
Difficulty: Easy
Startup Cost: $0 to $100
This concept is rather simple. Being a student is time-consuming, and it's sometimes tough to run to the local grocery store to fill up the mini-fridge. Help fellow students by creating a service that delivers groceries to campus dormitory complexes, on-campus residences and off-campus apartments.
Go to the local grocery store to start compiling a menu of items to be offered. Make sure the menu includes essential items that students want. Snack packs, fruits, beverages and desserts are all things that should be included. Put the menu online or even distribute it in the form of a take-out menu.
Make money by marking up the prices at a conservative rate to cover basic expenses and turn a profit. A small delivery fee can also be charged to offset costs. Orders will rush in if this service is publicized around campus and on Facebook.
Dorm Room Cleaning Business
Difficulty: Medium
Startup Cost: $100 to $500
An apartment or dorm room needs a good cleaning. after a night of partying or several weeks of neglect. Offer an affordable cleaning service around campus. The service should include vacuuming, cleaning private bathrooms and kitchens, window washing, and garbage cleaning. Basic cleaning supplies can be purchased nearby at Target or Wal-Mart, which are both located close to campus. Create different cleaning packages – a basic level, a premium level, and a pro level – and charge accordingly.
The service can be advertised to college students through flyers and on Facebook. Get student testimonials to encourage more business, and give the first few customers a discount to get some easy word-of-mouth advertising.
Once established, increase revenue by offering additional services, such as closet organizing and setting up study spaces. For optimal success, be sure to price the service affordably, advertising it as a necessity instead of a luxury. The need is already present, but a demand for the service can be quickly developed.
Laundry Service
Difficulty: Medium
Startup Cost: $0 to $100
Everyone on a college campus has to get laundry done somehow, except, of course, the smelly kid in the back of the class. For that reason, a college campus is the perfect place for a new laundry service to thrive. Laundry can be picked up from a meeting point on campus or directly from a student residence. Laundry can then be washed, folded and returned.
Price the service per pound and provide students with a standard laundry bag to pack their clothes into. This service will not only save students time, but it will also relieve them of a huge inconvenience. Look to price such a service at $1 per pound, if not higher. This should leave ample room to cover any costs involved. If done correctly, happy customers will quickly spread the word to friends. A happy customer is the best possible form of advertising.
