How to Start a Mobile Business & Ideas You Can Use

Do you want to start a business – but you’re on a budget? You don’t have to worry about the expense of an office or storefront with a mobile business, and you get a nice change of scenery that a home-based business doesn’t usually offer.

After I started researching small business trends, I noticed that there was a growing need for mobile services. Individuals and businesses are both searching for services that offer the added convenience and time savings that mobile businesses provide.

Some mobile ventures are operated only part time. Others are home-based. In addition, many established companies choose to provide mobile services in addition to what they already offer – in order to increase their revenue stream.

There are lots of benefits to owning a mobile business, you just need to decide which one is right for you.

Mobile Catering Business

With a catering business, you have a large resource of potential customers. The hard part may actually be narrowing down your “target market” to focus on a particular niche – will you be catering large corporate events? weddings? small private parties? family dinners?

Start by deciding what you like best – and when you like to work (weekends, evenings, holidays, Monday-Friday…). Make your business one that you’ll truly enjoy. Then you can focus on meeting the needs of your particular clientele.

Where to Start:

Learn how to start your own mobile catering service, including setting up your business, acquiring staff, food prep, creating menus, setting prices, finding customers and more. Helpful advice on solving potential catering business issues. Be well-prepared before you ever take on your first client.

Mobile Detailing Business

There are a variety of different types of auto detailing businesses that you can start, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money. You can start small, work part-time if you want, and you get the added benefit of a flexible work schedule.

There are three types of detailing opportunities: mobile, express and site-based. Mobile businesses are quicker and easier to launch, and also the most cost effective way to enter the business. You also have the option of working as an Express Detailer at a car wash or auto dealer. This can give you a consistent flow of customer traffic without having to spend a lot of effort advertising.

Car Detailing Professional Bob Keppel has a complete training system with 4 ebooks, 21 training videos and 2 website templates. See how to detail cars quickly with his professional step-by-step process.

If you already know car detailing – Bob shows you how to find customers – quickly, and without spending a lot of money. You can tell, he’s been frustrated with time-wasting tactics that have affected his own business. He shows you how to avoid that.

Where to Start:

This book is ideal for people who need to start a business on a budget. Not only are there lots of money saving strategies, but there are tips on how to work at maximum efficiency. Getting more done in less time means that you can take on more jobs and earn more income – or you can simply call it a day and work fewer hours…

Hot Dog Cart Business

Hot dog carts have been around a long time, and they are still popular. It’s a fairly low-cost business to start, and no special skills are required to start a hot dog selling business.

That said, many people want to start their own hot dog cart businesses. There is lots of competition, and new business owners want to avoid falling into the trap of being like all the other hot dog carts out there, or they will get lost in the sea of vendors and likely fail.

Yes, there is money to be made selling hot dogs, but unless you’re better than your competition, you’ll basically be splitting your profits with all of the other vendors in your area.

Perry, “The Hot Dog Guy” has years of experience with his own hot dog cart business and knows first-hand what it takes to dominate the hot dog market and actually get customers to pay you more money. He demonstrates exactly how, step-by-step, how to actually earn $576 a day.

Where to Start:

You can open a food truck selling virtually any type of food. Any time you drive your truck around or park it in a public place – you’re automatically getting free advertising. There are also lots of other low-cost strategies you can use to advertise your food truck, including social media. David Weber explains it in his new book.

Ice Cream Truck Business

Businesses that have a tradition of thriving in any economy are ones that offer a low-priced product or service that is seen as a “mini-indulgence”. Something like a cappucino, a manicure or ice cream/frozen yogurt fall into this category. Ice cream trucks have been around a long time and still offer the added convenience of “delivery” to customers.

As a mobile business, ice cream trucks offer business owners the benefit of low-overhead. An entrepreneur can start an ice cream truck business with one vehicle and grow his or her operation to several vehicles over time and literally double or triple business profits.

If you want to know where to buy an ice cream truck, which licenses you need and how to make more sales, check this out: How to Start an Ice Cream Truck Business

Mobile Coffee Business

I don’t know if there is anywhere that people won’t buy coffee. When I used to work in real estate, we would hire mobile coffee vendors to make cappuccinos and lattes for our open house guests. We paid them a flat fee up front, so the coffee was free to guests. Of course, coffee vendors can charge by the cup, but they can alternatively charge an hourly rate.

Sell coffee from a mobile kiosk, a truck or a cart – and you don’t have to wait for your customers to find you because you can go to them. Find coffee drinkers at shopping malls, farmer’s markets, city music events, busy street corners, etc..

Interested in a mobile coffee franchise? You can request a business information packet from a mobile coffee franchise company called Cafe2U.

“The Coffee Guy” is a company that provides equipment, supplies, mobile coffee trucks and business training for those interested in starting a mobile coffee business. It is not a franchise. You can visit “The Coffee Guy” website for more information.

Mobile Bookkeeping Business

Get all of your questions answered about starting a bookkeeping business from home. Find out how to set the right prices, work with clients, how to avoid common business mistakes and the best ways to find new clients. Also included is a CD with time-saving forms and spreadsheets that you can use to start your business.

Mobile Personal Trainer Business

Personal trainers don’t have to work in gyms. They can visit clients in their homes or even work outdoors in parks. Find out how to start your own personal training business quickly with the instructions in this book. Get sample forms, checklists and contracts, with insider advice from the field. Avoid common mistakes and start generating business faster.

Mobile Spa

If you are interested in opening your own beauty salon, but don’t have the money to invest in a storefront, furniture and monthly utility bills, why not go mobile? There are plenty of customers who would be interested in saving travel time and get the convenience of staying home with their kids.

With a mobile spa, you also don’t have to keep regular hours or hire additional employees. You can easily work part time if you want to – or exclusively on weekends or in the evenings if you have a day job. There are also some great deals on portable styling stations on eBay for nail supplies or cosmetics.

A mobile spa can offer several types of services, including hair, nail, massage and even spa services for kids and pets.

Mobile Tutoring Business

Work with students in their homes, and you don’t need an office to work out of. Get helpful insight on different teaching methods and learning approaches. Experts in the field share valuable examples that can benefit your business.

For more new business ideas for small and home-based companies, visit The New Business Idea. You can also get over 200 business start-up guides and download the Home Business Start-Up Checklist free from www.HomeBusinessCenter.com.