Traditional approach to investments for Startup is Friends, Family, VC’s and Angel’s. But, when you are pondering on idea’s to startup, before you pool in money to either start or make it big, you will need lot of other services/resources for which you need not have cash.
You have an idea and you have validated it. Now, it is the time you start investing to make your dream come true. The biggest investment you make is time and the rest follows.
First, make a list of things which you would require. Let us say you are starting a website to offer online Piano lessons. The first expense is the Domain name and the Web site. The second expense is building the website. Next comes marketing and signing up for the first client.
Domain name and Web hosting space cost very less (~Rs.2,500) and you can self fund it or alternatively request someone to invest and you pay back when you have signup’s. Designing the web site and getting it live is the biggest expense. Try reaching to your friends and networks if someone can help you part time to design the website. You may offer something in return – Probably, 50% of the money from the first month revenue etc. The intention here is to have the web site designed and taken live.
What happened here is that even though you did not have money, you have got your website done. Technically, you don’t need money, but you need what money can buy for you.
Today’s world, there are lot of people who want to do something, but unable to take the next step for some reason or the other. Reach out to people and am very confident someone will step up to help you. In return, you can also provide a helping hand to someone who needs something which you can offer.
When starting up, stop focusing on money, and start focusing on what money can buy.
As a first step, I can help with Market Evaluation for your startup. Reach out to me at hnpv at harinathpv dot com if you need help. I will give my best.