• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

10 Online Careers You Can Start Today With Basically No Money

By
Jonathan Long
Jonathan Long
and
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Long
Jonathan Long
and
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 11, 2017, 12:07 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

This article originally appeared on Entrepreneur.

Does working from home or any remote location of your choice, while dictating your schedule and having complete control over your career sound good?

If so, you should consider starting an online career. It’s a lot easier than you might think—thanks to the internet, it’s actually quite simple, requiring much less startup capital than you might imagine.

With a combination of drive, determination and skill, your online career can start almost immediately. Here are ten that you could literally start today.

1. Virtual assistant

With so many companies operating these days without a physical office location, it has opened up multiple remote opportunities for virtual assistants to handle a wide range of tasks. These include customer service duties, answering phones, setting appointments and screening emails.

You can start small with a single client and then once you identify your specialty or an area you want to focus on—social media customer service, for example—you can then begin to take on more clients, thus increasing your earning potential.

2. Business coach

If you are an expert in a particular field, leverage your knowledge and become a coach, teaching students form all over the world. The internet allows you to reach anyone that is interested, regardless of their geographical location.

Take fellow Entrepreneur contributor Timothy Sykes for example. He is a very successful penny stock trader that used his knowledge and expertise to create a program that teaches his strategies to students that sign up for his challenge program.

3. Freelance content creator

Virtually every business is doing some form of content marketing these days—it’s been the buzzword for the past several years, but for good reason—it works. With everyone trying to capture attention, demand for excellent writers is at an all time high.

Anyone can publish content, but very few businesses are creating compelling content that commands attention and converts their audience into revenue. If you are a skilled writer there is plenty of lucrative opportunities waiting for you.

4. eBay store owner

Gary Vaynerchuk is a huge fan of garage sales, saying, “The garage sale eBay conversion has some of the biggest margins in the world.” The concept is very simple: buy low and sell high.

This is also a very viable option if you’re looking to raise startup funds. It’s a great bridge for those looking to start an online career but don’t want to abandon the security and paycheck of a 9 to 5 job, because you can hit garage sales on the weekend and handle your auction listings in the evening.

5. T-shirt ecommerce store

With several print on demand solutions available, it makes starting a t-shirt company much more affordable than it was years ago. In the past, you would have to order large quantities of shirts, in multiple colors and sizes, forcing you to guess what was going to sell.

Now, creative designs and the power of social media can get a t-shirt brand up and running—and generating revenue—almost overnight. Chummy Tees is a great example of how you can turn catchy tag-lines and creative designs into a profitable online business.

6. Consultant

Consulting can prove to be a very lucrative business, granted the person offering their service knows what he or she is talking about. Everyone seems to be a consultant these days, and not only do you have to be able to actually provide value and deliver results, but you need a way to stand out and separate yourself from all of the mediocrity out there.

Over the past year I have transitioned my company from a service provider to a consulting firm. It took over five years of brand building to get to the point we are at now, where companies want to hire us to guide and advise their in-house marketing teams.

7. Affiliate marketer

There is a wide range of affiliate offers to promote, each paying you for every lead or sale you are responsible for generating. You can promote these offers to an email list that you build, via a blog that you operate or across social media.

This will require more startup capital than the other suggestions on this list, because to really be successful you will need to do a lot of split-testing across multiple paid channels. The really successful affiliates aren’t afraid to spend money on testing and optimization.

8. Social-media influencer

Yes, this is a real career in 2016. If you have a large and loyal following on social media, you could be earning money promoting products. A lot of money, in fact. Some social media influencers with high engagement are earning thousands of dollars per post, but for good reason: it works. Brands wouldn’t be shelling out that kind of money if they weren’t seeing a return.

9. Vlogger

YouTube creators who crush it can make millions of dollars a year in advertising revenue. Now, these are few and far between, but there is also a healthy population of creators that are making a comfortable living vlogging.

You have to have an interesting concept or story—people subscribe to channels that they can relate to. Just like a company needs a unique selling point to push a product, you need a have unique angle if you want to gain traction and attract a vlog following.

More from Entrepreneur:
• 5 Steps to Creating a Killer Marketing Strategy
• Getting Fired Was Step 1 to Increasing My Pay 1,000% in 3 Months
• Need a Business Idea? Here are 55

10. Graphic designer/web developer

If you are a graphic designer or know how to write code, then there is a massive audience just waiting to hire you. As a freelancer, you control your hours and you get to pick and choose who you work for. You set your price, pick your projects and end up doing what you love while earning a comfortable living.

Just like in every industry, there are good freelancers and there are bad ones. Take a look at these tips on hiring a freelancer to see what people are looking for when seeking to hire.

About the Authors
By Jonathan Long
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Entrepreneur
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Nikesh Arora, chief executive officer at Palo Alto Networks
SuccessJobs
CEO of $248 billion cybersecurity company says workers are about to face a ‘Darwinian moment’ thanks to AI: Evolve or get cut
By Emma BurleighJuly 1, 2026
2 hours ago
Current price of Bitcoin for July 1, 2026
Personal FinanceCryptocurrency
Current price of Bitcoin for July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
3 hours ago
Current price of Ethereum for July 1, 2026
Personal FinanceEthereum
Current price of Ethereum for July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
3 hours ago
Top CD rates from major banks July 1, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on July 1, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
4 hours ago
DHL plane being refuelled at airport by man in high-vis jacket
EuropeAviation
The Iran conflict saw jet fuel prices soar—when you use 1.88 million tonnes a year, how you respond really matters (just ask DHL)
By Sam ForsdickJuly 1, 2026
4 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Personal FinanceOil
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
6 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
4 days ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
2 days ago
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
10 hours ago
The U.S. Army is opening military bases to private billions — here's why that changes everything for the next 250 years
Commentary
The U.S. Army is opening military bases to private billions — here's why that changes everything for the next 250 years
By Marc AndersenJune 30, 2026
1 day ago
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
Newsletters
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
By Diane BradyJuly 1, 2026
8 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.