7 Easy Online Tools To Help Your Idea Become a Business

Have you ever wished you could turn your great idea into a business? Or, have you ever seen a product for sale that you swore you "invented" years ago? What a frustrating feeling! But starting a business can be difficult.  Worrying about funding issues, shipping difficulties, or even just getting the word out can all prevent someone from turning their idea into a business. Thankfully, there are so many great tools to make the process of starting a business much easier. These tools are sure to have you up and running in no time! 

1. KICKSTARTER-  Kickstarter is a crowd-funding website which allows anybody to create a campaign to fund their idea. Friends, family or even strangers can pledge money to your campaign if they think your idea is worth pursuing! So far, over $3.2 billion has been pledged to Kickstarter campaigns. Kickstarter is "all or nothing" style funding, meaning that you only earn the money if your fundraising goal is met. Otherwise, those who pledged money are not charged. Any project is welcomed on Kickstarter, so don't be afraid to try it out! 

2. CUSTOM INK  Custom Ink is a perfect tool for those who have a T shirt design or would like to create clothes for a sports team, school, event.  In high school, my swim team created custom shirts for our big championship game to raise money for the team! Once you choose a piece of clothing to design for ( shirt, jacket, sweatpants, etc.) you can use Custom Ink's design lab to create a professional looking design. After that, you can order your clothes in 3 different ways. There are different options depending on whether you would like to buy in bulk or for a specific group of people. 

3. ETSY  Etsy is an online marketplace for unique and handmade goods. If you need a platform to sell your hand embroidered shirts or friendship bracelets, Etsy is the place for you! There are close to 30 million registered buyers on Etsy, bringing massive exposure to your small business. As a matter of fact, you can even purchase materials for your business from other Etsy sellers, such as wedding invitations or clothing brand labels. Shoppers can easily use their credit card to purchase from your Etsy store at any time. 

4. FIVERR  The concept of Fiverr is simple: What would you do for $5? Filling in the blank is the first step to listing your service online. Some people offer translation services, a small jingle for your product, or even a testimonial for just the price of a cup of coffee. Similar to Etsy, this is a great tool for selling or for purchasing something for your business (such as a logo, website, or even a business plan). When I was in high school, I used to advertise for companies using Fiverr. I would send them content for their advertising, such as a pumpkin with their logo carved into it for a Halloween flyer. The 5$ gigs add up quickly, and can be transferred directly into a PayPal account! 

5. QUIRKY Quirky is for aspiring inventors. If your idea isn't 100% foolproof yet, Quirky can help you get there by crowd sourcing advice. Sketch artists, designers, and lawyers all can contribute to your idea for a small cut of future earnings. Quirky's team selects the best ideas and gets them into real stores. This is ideal for people who would like to be less involved in the nitty gritty of business and would rather simply collect a check for their contribution. 

6.  POSHMARK  Picture Poshmark as the internet's second-hand store. If you always dreamed of having a vintage shop (or of clearing out your closet), then Poshmark can help. Just take pictures of your clothes, describe it, and name your price. Just like that, your product has been listed to "your closet".  Shoppers can purchase at full price or make an offer on your clothes. The best part about Poshmark is that they will email you a prepaid 2-day shipping label to send out your item. They do take a small percentage of each sale, but in my experience, it is worth it for the convenience!  

7. SQUARE READER  On the topic of clearing out your extra items, Square is a great tool for any business from garage sales to small coffee shops. Square Reader is a free credit card reading device that attaches to your iPhone, iPad or Android phone. Just open the secure mobile payment app Square on your phone, and you are ready to accept all major credit cards at your business. Shoppers can even add a tip and get an email receipt from the app.  If you live in NYC, you may notice that many boutiques and shops like ChaCha Matcha use Square to accept payments. 

Have you used any of these tools before in business? If not, I would love to hear which of them you would like to try!