Top 10 Start-Up Business Ideas for 2011

For 2011, there are quite a few start-up business ideas that won't cost you a lot of money to get started. In most cases, you will simply need to invest some time and effort on marketing your start-up business to potential clients. Here is a list of the top 10 start-up businesses that may lead to success in 2011:

1. Virtual assistants. Many online and brick-and-mortar businesses need virtual assistants, or VAs, to help with accounting, research, programming, writing, etc. If you have a particular skill, you can market it via your web site or through word-of-mouth.

2. Tutoring. Children are often in need of tutoring, not only for school subjects but also for state administered exams such as the SATs and ACTs. When advertising your tutoring services, first do some sessions for free and record the improvement in your clients' grades or test scores. Then, start advertising this improvement; for example, you might advertise that your services improves the students' ACT scores by at least three points on average. Back this claim up with a history of satisfied clients.

3. Wedding services. When wedding season is approaching, most brides and grooms are grimacing at the high costs of hiring a wedding photographer, videographer, caterer, etc. If you have certain equipment and skills, you may wish to start hiring yourself out to photograph, film or cater weddings.

4.Home help. With the baby boomer generation getting older, there will be a huge demand for individuals who can assist the elderly with house chores, errands, meal preparation and other services. You do not need to acquire any specific skills, just pay attention to details and have a caring heart.

5.Green consultant. Solar panels, compost bins and rain collectors are becoming quite popular. However, many homeowners do not know how to install or use them. If you know something about green technology and appliances, you may wish to try your hand at becoming a green consultant.

6. Residential cleaning. Many landlords do not have the time to clean up after their tenants when they move out of an apartment. You can fill this gap by hiring yourself out to perform residential cleaning services.

7. Pet sitting/walking. Pet owners may be willing to leave their pets with you while they go on vacation or business trips if you can gain their trust and beat the prices of the local pet care centers.

8. Home renovation. Many people are buying distressed properties and looking to turn them around quickly for a profit. However, what they lack is the time to actually renovate the purchased properties. If you are handy and don't mind a little manual labor, you can offer to renovate recently purchased properties for additional income.

9. Document translation. Do you know several languages? You could offer to translate documents for clients for a given fee.

10.Financial counselor. Many individuals who are in debt could benefit from the services of a financial counselor. If you are a responsible individual who knows how to get out of debt and invest wisely, you may wish to become a financial counselor.