Let’s be honest: no one wants to stay broke. But luckily, it’s a lot easier to fix than you think, especially when you stop trying to go it alone.
Many people starting out in business make the same mistake. They look in all the wrong places and assume that the only thing standing between them and business success is a giant stack of cash. They think, “If only I had a £50,000 bank loan or an investor, then I could finally start.”
This is not true. And this is incredibly risky. Here’s why…
If someone handed you £100,000 today and you blew it all on expensive premises, stock, and flashy marketing without a proven model, if things didn’t work out, then you’d just end up £100,000 in debt. On the other hand, if you create the exact same business with a lean, zero-capital approach, the only thing you risk is your sweat equity, and in this case, if all went horribly wromg, then in return, you gain a wealth of real-world experience and knowledge that no educational course could ever teach you.
Don’t get me wrong, we are not planning to fail, and there is nothing wrong with borrowing money to start a business. I just wanted to point out that it does carry risk, and whilst you can protect against some of this risk, it is very difficult to secure business finance in a brand new business venture without some form of personal guarantee.
So, let’s assume we want to strat a business with no money, and we don’t know where to start. The best way to get the answers you actually need in business is by asking the right questions. So, I suggest starting with this simple visual exercise right here. Let’s play.
Let’s Play a Little Game
Just imagine in your mind that you literally have every single resource you need. You are starting your dream business. You wake up, excited to begin! What does your first day look like?…
Really immerse yourself in this imagined first day.
Maybe you sign a lease on that perfect high-street shop. Maybe you hire a developer to build your app. Maybe you buy a warehouse full of premium inventory.
Okay, done. You’ve bought the stuff.
Then, I want you to run the exact same exercise through in your mind again. But this time, strip the fantasy away. Imagine that first day using only the resources you have currently available to you right now.
Look at your actual bank balance, the skills you already possess, and the network of people you currently have. Now hit play on that first day.
Where, exactly, do you get stuck?
The Magic of the “Sticking Point”
That exact point where your brain freezes and the fantasy stops? That is the friction. This is where your actual business is born.
-
When I first decided to become a window cleaner, I didn’t even have money for a ladder, so I specialised in bungalows!
-
When I started my graphic design and print shop, I wasted a £5,000 grant on a hot foil printing machine and spent months frustratingly trying to get the print straight and making a mess. It wasn’t until I found a competitor who could produce plastic cards for half my cost that I realized I didn’t need to turn my machine on at all. I outsourced the production, doubled their price, and freed up my time to be out selling.
You don’t need a mountain of funding to start. You just need a creative solution to your exact sticking point. And you don’t have to figure it out alone.
The Flow: Let’s Get You Unstuck
Usually, “free advice” is worth exactly what you paid for it. Absolutely nothing. But we’ve flipped that model on its head.
We’ve built a free community called Start a Business with No Money. It isn’t a sterile corporate classroom, and it sure as hell isn’t a pitch-fest sales funnel. It’s designed to feel more like a local pub where a bunch of driven, like-minded builders sit around a big round table, helping each other solve real problems.
To make it even better, we have a small inner circle of 20 hand-picked Resident Experts. These are leaders at the top of their game in specific niches, like Instagram growth, client acquisition, and copy, who have made a pact to help you for free, with no sales pitches and no hidden expectations.
Here is The Flow to get you from stuck to building
-
Run the Exercise: Find your exact sticking point or obstacle using the steps above.
-
Join the Community: Head into our free Skool community.
-
Ask Your Question: Write a new post explaining exactly where you got stuck.
-
Tag an Expert: Go to the community Classroom, identify the Resident Expert who is best qualified to help you with that specific topic, and tag them in your post!
We look forward to helping you build and grow your desired business. 😁
About the Author
I’m Adam McCollough, founder of Start a Business with No Money. I started my entrepreneurial journey as a young guy on a council estate, trying to clean upper-story windows without a ladder. Since then, I’ve built everything from graphic design shops to toy store chains, learning the hard way that throwing money at a problem is usually the worst thing you can do.
My ultimate business asset? Using my brain, finding creative leverage, and intentionally outsourcing my weaknesses.
You Don’t Need Another Course!
You need a creative solution to your exact sticking point. Inside our free Start a Business with No Money Skool Community, you get direct access to me and a powerhouse team of Resident Experts. Whether you need help with visibility, tech, or client acquisition, or just need some accountability we are here to help you bypass your roadblocks without a bank loan, and by using the resources you already have.
Never Miss an Article If you liked the article above, get more delivered straight to your inbox.
