9 Business Ideas That Are Relevant For A Student Start-Up

student-start-up

Most students have to work for a living while earning a degree, statistics indicate. While exact figures vary, most studies indicate that student employment rates are above 50% in many countries including the US and Canada. It can be even more challenging to be an entrepreneurial student start-up.

On the one hand, it is a good thing because working in college or university is not just about the money. Having even a part-time job helps students get the necessary hands-on experience and enhance their resumes to ensure career growth. 

But on the other hand, juggling work and studies can be exhausting, especially for students with full-time jobs. Luckily, technological progress has changed our lives for the better. Today, one can buy essay on EssayHub or work flexible hours from home. Yet, there are always people who prefer working for themselves rather than for someone else. 

If you are one of these daring people with an entrepreneurial streak, you might want to try launching as a start-up student.

Why Start a Business as a Student? 

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If you have always dreamed of starting your own company but fear that student years might not be the best time to try, we can reassure you.  

Here are the most compelling reasons to consider launching your startup while in college. 

  • youth and an open mind
  • few responsibilities
  • free time at your disposal
  • free mentoring and resources available
  • networking opportunities
  • access to possible customers and endorsers. 

Surely, you might argue that some business plans are too hard for a student to realize. But luckily, there are still a lot of small business ideas that will always be relevant for student start-ups. Read on to see the list. 

9 Evergreen Business Ideas for a Student Start-Up

Whether you’re planning to make the most of your creative abilities or just need a reliable source of income, you’ll find something for you in the following list of business ideas:

Writing, Editing & Proofreading Services  

Writing services have always been a staple among student business endeavors because of their utter simplicity. To launch a writing (editing and proofreading) service, you just need your writing skills, a computer, an internet connection, and some time to spare.

But surely, you’ll have to sweat if you want to earn excellent reviews just as any Essayhub review – a service highly praised by customers. Additionally, you’ll need marketing skills to gain recognition and attract new customers.  

Tutoring & Homework Help Services

Another popular business idea many students favor is a tutoring and homework help service. Decades ago, such services were delivered offline, so there were no possibilities to scale up. Today, with the aid of new technology, you can either work as a private freelance tutor or build a remote team and start an online company. 

Furthermore, you can teach groups or develop online courses and market them on social media. You can even evolve from a private tutor into an online (or even an offline) school owner. In fact, that’s exactly what many tutors do nowadays! 

Education Consulting Agency 

If you are studying abroad, you should know a lot about such things as applying for scholarships, sitting exams, arranging paperwork, settling up in a new country, etc. Therefore, you can share this knowledge with those who are just preparing for this long and difficult journey. 

Despite the growing popularity of online degrees, in-person education abroad will always be in demand, so you needn’t worry about running out of clients. Moreover, you’ll be able to add new services like helping new students on-site as your company grows.  

Design & Illustration Studio 

Design students can easily monetize their talent and skills by becoming freelance designers (illustrators) or launching a small design and illustration studio. Nowadays, all design work can be done remotely, so you won’t even need an office – a task management app like Trello will be quite enough. 

If you already have a high-end computer to produce quality content on, you can start without any investments at all. Yet, be prepared to shell out for a marketing campaign later on if you want to scale up. 

Web Design & Development Studio 

For those who are more talented on the technical side, web design and development studios can be a great choice. Despite the popularity of social media, most companies still need websites, so the demand for such services is not likely to die out anytime soon. 

As in the previous example, you can launch without any serious investments. Perhaps, you won’t even have to hunt for customers as you’ll easily find them among your fellow students who are also planning to launch their business. 

Digital Marketing Agency 

Another business that will never run out of clients is a digital marketing agency – if it is a good one, that is. If you’re a marketing major, consider starting your own company instead of looking for a job in someone else’s, and the strategy may pay off in a big way. 

Even if you fail, you won’t lose anything as this business is practically risk-free. Moreover, you will gain experience that will help you improve in case you decide to go for a regular job after all. 

Sound or Video Recording & Editing Studio 

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If you are an expert in video and/or audio content creation, starting your studio might seem a natural choice. However, this business is harder to launch than, say, a writing service as you’ll likely need plenty of expensive equipment. 

So, make sure you prepare a roadmap prior to investing in your gear if you plan to build something larger than a one-person home studio. Even in the latter case, you’ll still need to upgrade your equipment to move on from student productions to delivering professional services. 

Mobile App Development Agency 

For those possessing such in-demand hard skills as coding, launching a mobile app development agency is a great option. While it is true that the competition is fierce, the mobile app market size is huge today, and it is projected to grow further. So, there will always be room for new offers in this segment.  

Of course, some may argue that one can as well work as a freelance mobile app developer. While this is true, scaling up is usually beneficial if you do it the right way, so you may as well start recruiting your fellow students.

Online Marketplace 

If you know how to sell things and get inspired by Jeff Bezos, think about starting an online marketplace. However, weigh your options carefully because marketplaces are not the type of business you can launch without investments. 

Luckily, you won’t need much for a start, but you will still have to invest a lot of your time and effort to get this thing going. However, nothing is impossible! 

How to Make It Work as a Student Start-Up

So, you’ve got your mind settled on some of the ideas listed above. What do you do next? Here is the algorithm. 

Do Your Research

While it’s essential that you’re passionate about the idea and have the skills and resources to realize it, research is still vital. You need to understand how crowded the niche is, who your competitors are, how high the demand for their goods or services is, etc. 

Write a Business Plan

Every business, even a small one, should start with a business plan. Before investing your time, money and effort in an idea, you should lay out a company overview, count the costs, create a marketing and operations plan, etc. 

Plan Your Schedule

Being a student and running a business at the same time requires advanced time-management skills. The first step to developing them is having a schedule and planning ahead so that you won’t get absorbed by the chaos. 

Find the Resources 

As a student, you cannot risk losing large sums, especially if you have student debt. But most businesses require investments. Luckily, there are some you can launch with a bare minimum. If you can’t afford even that but have faith in your business acumen, you can ask relatives to become your sponsors or apply for a grant. 

In Conclusion on Being a Student Start-Up

Now that you have our list of business ideas and some tips on how to make them work, you are several steps closer to launching your student start-up. Yet, don’t rush: bear in mind that everything is easier in theory than in practice.

However, sitting around without any action will also get you nowhere. So, plan every step carefully, hedge the risks, and proceed to build the company of your dreams. 

 

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Top 6 Business-Related Degrees for 2023

business-related-degree

Having a business-related degree can prove to be a profitable endeavor. Obtaining a college degree has always been, and still is, the best way to broaden your horizons and gain a solid grounding for your future career. Yet, when it comes to choosing the right program, many future students are feeling stuck, not knowing where they want to be and what they want to do in, let’s say, five or ten years from now.

If you need advice on the right degree, we have the answer! Among all programs, business degrees are the most flexible ones. Such a degree is broadly applicable, meaning it can help you get into nearly any industry and choose among a wide variety of career paths. Not to mention that it will also give you a solid grounding for becoming an entrepreneur yourself.

Simply put, a business degree can open the door to huge opportunities. The only question is what to focus on? To help you find the answer, in this article, we’ve gathered the top six business-related degrees of 2023 that will offer the best opportunities for your future. Let’s see what those are!

1. Business Management

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If you are looking for a business-related degree, the most obvious option would be business management. The core goal of such programs is to help students learn business fundamentals and core values and get a solid understanding of the key management principles and how they are applied in the real-world business landscape.

By opting for business management specialization, you will also learn the most common business operations and get a sneak peek into marketing practices. And you will learn many other important things, such as:

  • Branding
  • Personnel selection
  • Principles of creating effective systems
  • Sales forecasting
  • Product and brand management
  • Pricing, etc.

It’s worth noting that obtaining a business management specialization can be a hell of a challenge. Such programs are typically very intensive and, thus, complicated. But, no matter how hard it gets, don’t forget that you always have a reliable cheap essay writing service by your side that can help you pull it through. So, don’t let potential challenges scare you off and go towards your goals!

2. Finance

It should be crystal clear that finance always lies at the core of every business. So, if you want to choose a business-related major and you feel pretty comfortable with numbers, the chances are that a finance degree will be your best bet in 2023.

Getting a specialization in finance has many perks in today’s world. First of all, it can help you pave the way into the business. But, that’s not all.

Apart from the obvious application in the business landscape, a finance degree can also open the door to many other exciting opportunities. By enrolling in such programs, you will learn about different areas of finance, including financial analysis, capital planning, investment, international finance, accounting, and much more. This knowledge can be applied in a wide range of fields and career paths. So, it is also a great choice.

3. Entrepreneurship

Another quite obvious route into business is an entrepreneurship degree, and it is rather popular these days due to a number of reasons. Firstly, such programs will introduce you to the basic ideas, concepts, and practices of entrepreneurship. By taking it, you will learn what it really is like to be an entrepreneur and will gain all the tools and knowledge you might need to be well-equipped for becoming one yourself.

Another big benefit is that entrepreneurship degrees are very all-encompassing. In this type of program, students learn the basics of everything related to business, including:

  • Budgeting
  • Management
  • Leadership
  • Employment law
  • Contracting and procurement
  • Legal compliance
  • And much more.

Not only will this degree prepare you for the possible business challenges. It will also turn you into a real leader.

4. Human Resource Management

If you are searching for business-related college programs, a Human Resource Management degree may not be the most obvious option. However, if you think about it from the perspective that there is always a good team behind every successful business, it becomes clear that studying the fundamentals of HR is no less important than learning business operations or management principles.

Taking a program in Human Resource management can actually teach you a lot of important things. Such degrees typically cover a wide range of topics, from managing human assets to conflict resolution in the workplace. It will also teach you how to develop an effective personnel selection process, how to set performance standards and quotas, how to build a wise compensation structure, etc.

All in all, it is worth noting that this degree can offer you a path to different careers. Thus, even if you are not going to start your own business, it can still make sense to specialize in Human Resource management.

5. Marketing

Being one of the most dynamic, in-demand, and growing fields, marketing is another worthy business-related degree option you can consider in 2023. Just like business management or entrepreneurship programs, a marketing degree is an obvious route for people interested in business. After all, it is marketing that drives business success.

By specializing in this field, you will learn the basics of different markets, sales forecasting, distribution channels, promotion, pricing, as well as product and brand management. Also, you will learn how to plan, implement, control, and measure marketing strategies and gain a competitive advantage in pretty much any niche.

A degree in marketing will give you the necessary base to start and promote your own business. At the same time, it can be applied in a number of other jobs in case you decide not to become an entrepreneur yourself.

6. Project Management

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Finally, the last business-related degree program that would be a good choice in 2023 is project management. The biggest benefit of this program is that it will teach you not how to lead a business in general but will equip you for managing diverse teams in the most efficient ways.

This degree also covers a wide range of topics. It can teach you how to plan and implement various projects on time. Also, it will help you grasp the basics of cost planning, scheduling, and risk assessment. So, all in all, it will be a good starting point for your business undertakings.

The Bottom Line of Business-Related Degrees

Each of these types of business-related degrees can help you pursue the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to build and run a successful business. And, even if you are not planning to engage in entrepreneurial activity in the future, each of them can also give a great start to a career in pretty much any field.

Which one is best? Eventually, it all gets down to your own needs and interests. The degree types we shared with you in this article are very different, though they are all built around the core business principles. Now all you need to do is carefully assess each option to find the right opportunity for you!

 

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Beginner’s Guide to Protecting Your Startup Idea

protecting your startup idea

Protecting Your Startup Idea: A Beginner’s Guide

Protecting your startup idea (your intellectual property) is crucial when creating a new brand. As you come up with a new name, logo or symbol, you want to make sure that no one else can use or copy your ideas. That’s where trademarking comes in.

Trademarks typically include things like words, phrases, designs and graphics that distinguish your business. These elements are often the first thing audiences notice about your brand, so it’s important to protect them from competitors. A trademark will grant you ownership of your company’s branding and provide legal protection.

Filing for a trademark for the first time can feel daunting, but the process is fairly straightforward. Read on or skip to the infographic below to learn how to trademark your startup.

Finalize your Name and Designs

Before you trademark any aspect of your brand, you should take time to fine-tune and finalize your designs. Making changes after you already have a trademark could be expensive and time-consuming, and it could cause your design elements to lack consistency. You should also ensure that you have submitted all of your LLC or corporation paperwork during this stage. If your paperwork is still incomplete, you won’t be able to register a trademark.

Consider Hiring an Attorney

Trademark attorneys are a great resource if you are filing for the first time. You can file your trademark yourself on The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website, but an attorney can make the process go much quicker and smoother. Because trademark attorneys have experience handling all aspects of trademarking, they can help you through every step of the process. Hiring an attorney can go a long way towards protecting your startup idea.

Search for Existing Trademarks

Once you have finalized your design, you’ll need to search for existing trademarks that are the same or similar to yours. This will ensure that your design isn’t too similar to one that is already being used and save you from future trademark disputes. The USPTO allows you to search for existing trademarks on their website, and a lawyer can assist you if you need help.

File and Monitor your Trademark

Once you have determined that your design won’t infringe on anyone else’s trademark, you can move forward with the registration process. You will start by filing an application with the USPTO. If you have an attorney, they can help you prepare your application and ensure that you fill it out correctly. Then, the USPTO will review your application and either approve or deny it for publication.

Once your application is approved and your trademark is officially registered, you should regularly monitor it for any infringement issues. To do this, check the USPTO filings to see if anyone has registered a trademark similar to yours. You can also hire someone to do this for you. If you catch a possible infringement issue, you should file an opposition to registration with the USPTO and hire a lawyer to represent you.

Registering your trademark can be a lengthy process, but it can protect your image and save you from having to rebrand in the future. The process of protecting your startup idea when creating a brand will set your business up for success.

Author Bio: Mike is a writer and creator who helps LegalZoom craft detailed content that explains complex litigation topics as simply as possible. His 10 years of experience in marketing and sales influence his love for storytelling.small business coach