How to start a one-person business with little or no money (UK)

Start with what you can sell this month

The cheapest business to start is one that sells something you can already do: a service, a skill or your time. Products that need stock, manufacturing or software development cost money before you earn any. Services cost almost nothing to test.

List three things people already ask you for help with, or that you were paid to do in a job. For each, write who would pay for it and roughly what they would pay. Pick the one where you can name real people who might say yes.

Sell before you spend

• Describe the offer in one paragraph: who it is for, the problem, what they get, the price and how they pay.
• Offer it to a handful of people directly before you build a website or buy software.
• Ask for a deposit or full payment up front for small jobs. It funds the work and proves the demand is real.
• Only spend money on a tool once you have a paying customer who needs it.

A near-zero-cost starter kit

• Email: a free email account to start; a domain-based address later (a domain costs a few pounds a year).
• Payments: a payment link from a mainstream provider, or bank transfer with a simple invoice. Fees are taken per payment, so there is no monthly cost.
• Records: a spreadsheet for every sale and expense from day one.
• Web presence: a single page on a free or low-cost site builder is enough at first. A clear offer matters more than design.
• Bookings and calls: free tiers of video calling and scheduling tools.

Keep the legal basics right (they are mostly free)

• Most people start as a sole trader. If your income goes over the trading allowance, you will usually need to register for Self Assessment with HMRC. Check the current allowance and deadlines on GOV.UK.
• If you are employed, check your contract for rules on outside work.
• Write short terms covering what you provide, price, payment and cancellations.
• If you handle customer personal data, check whether you need to pay the ICO data protection fee (the ICO has a short self-assessment).
• Set aside a share of every payment for tax in a separate account.

Where it is worth spending a little

Spend money where it removes risk or saves real time, not where it only looks professional. Common sensible early costs are professional indemnity or public liability insurance if your work could cause a loss, a domain name, and an hour with an accountant once income becomes regular.

Mistakes that burn cash

• Building a website, logo and brand before anyone has paid.
• Paying for courses or software subscriptions "for later".
• Forming a limited company before you know you need one.
• Running paid ads before you know your offer converts in direct conversation.
• Under-pricing so much that you need far more customers than you can serve.

A 30-day low-cost plan

• Week 1: choose one skill-based offer and write the one-paragraph description.
• Week 2: message 20 people you know or can reach directly; ask for feedback and introductions.
• Week 3: take your first paid job, even if small. Use a simple invoice or payment link.
• Week 4: deliver well, ask for a testimonial and a referral, and record what you earned and spent.

Check your offer is clear first

Solopreneur Protocol scores how clearly you have described the problem, customer, offer and price, channel and first steps to a sale, free for your first idea and with no card needed. It measures clarity, not whether the business will succeed.