Here are online-based business startup ideas for less than $100:

Freelancing. From content writer to web design to social media manager, online freelancing is one lucrative business idea that continually pulls in more investors and successes. Arm with your talent, a computer, and a solid Wi-Fi connection, you can virtually start offering freelance services to clients looking for reliable third-party operatives.

Virtual Assistant. Simply called VA by many, this is the Internet’s version of personal assistant. Here you get to manage websites, social media posts, emails, phone calls, website content, accounting books, and other requirements a client wishes to pursue. Basically, it is akin to being someone’s personal secretary operating at a remote location.

Social Media Consultant. Maintaining multiple social media accounts can be tough to businesses. Timing and content aptitude require skills and efforts. When done right, you can get more clients and increase your business portfolio.

Vlogger or Blogger. You can either be a product or service blogger delivering fresh new contents like reviews, PRs, articles, and other written prose to market such. Or you may make good use of tech-savvy gadgets that easily captures or creates videos. Post such on YouTube, Vimeo, and other platforms to start gaining clickthroughs leading to profiting from ads.

Affiliate Marketing. For prolific and popular bloggers or vloggers, engaging in affiliate marketing can mean good business. Simply learn the secret on persuading people to click through those links or to make a purchase to earn incentives.

Web Design and Development. Arm with your skills in designing artistically powerful concept, you can build up a third party web design firm. All you need to do is to learn basic and advanced web design development and begin managing online interests for businesses. For a more in-depth and comprehensive web services, learning how to code or program websites will also help diversify your business portfolio.

Dropshipping. Basically, an online shop that bridges clients and suppliers, drop shipping gives consumers better pricing and access to wide array of products in the market. You will not maintain any physical store aside from one that will house your personal computer or laptop and online modem to begin this venture.

P2P Online Marketplace Host. Rent out one of your rooms, a detached part of your duplex, or any available space to people looking for budget-friendly accommodations. If you live in an area where vacationers flock to, this one will definitely deliver the passive income you need.

Product Reviewer. Be the first to test and deliver reviews for new products in the market. Like affiliate marketing, starting a business that delivers no-nonsense review will help give consumers more informed decision on what to buy.

Other online-based business startup ideas are resume writing services, instructional video creator, domain name buying, “flipping” websites, logo design, translator business, eBay seller, app developer, online content producer, sourcing services, and so on. The Internet is a thriving business market where consumerism thrives. Get a solid grip on your skills and talents and put them to good use. When done accordingly, you can guarantee to create a solid market base leading to success.

The marketing concept— emotional branding—refers to the practice of brand-building which directly appeals to consumer’s emotions, ego, needs, and/or aspirations. Marketers and advertisers create an unseen bond between consumers and a certain product by provoking a particular emotion. The very foundation of this concept lies in the emotion-based ego-gratification centered at consumer needs. It is a fulfillment of one’s needs by way of delivering answers or solutions to problems while appealing to the emotion subconsciously.

Many brand bigwigs have mastered emotional branding resulting to cult following. It is important to note that such practice borders on the profound. Methods being used are often meant to trigger a powerful reaction from consumers. It is not a one-time deal though. Emotional branding requires consistency and constancy to build a lasting connection with consumers.

When it comes to leveraging consumer emotions, building a loyal and lasting following requires careful identification of your brand’s promise and personality. Of course, it must also highlight the perks and distinctive features of the products or services your brand carries—and how such features and benefits connect to the emotions of consumers.

Like telling heart-rending tales, emotional branding uses archetypal and universal feelings of guilt, fear, trust, security, competitiveness, love, sense of belonging, control, desires and passion, instant gratification, freedom, sense of relaxation, being stylish or trendy, and so on. Some brands, for instance, make use of consumers’ fear of being left behind or of not being able to spend time with a loved one as a central theme of a Christmas ad featuring their product. Other brands inject the “happy” appeal to their brands to celebrate the yuletide season. Whether appealing to negative or positive emotions, both concepts drive at getting an emotional response from their end-users in an effort to make a sale and to capture their loyalty in the long run.

Emotional branding is definitely putting consumers on a pedestal. To be able to show your consumers that such is the case, it is essential to decide carefully which emotion to target. In all emotional branding strategies, it is crucial to carefully identify and define your target market’s core emotional needs. Communicate this cohesively and make sure that you add a sense of encouragement on their part.

With the Internet and social media, consistent and timely communications must also be done accordingly to reinforce the said move. A cognitive element must also be added to the mix to boost appeal on emotional intelligence. Be reminded that you can easily lose consumers to strong emotional appeal without a cognitive element. This will allow a pinch of practicality which many consumers are so keen of these days.

Indeed, the concept of emotional branding has always proven to be an effective strategy. While old practices are still alive and kicking, new rules are being injected to the concept these days by virtue of online platforms and social media. Continue relearning the ropes of the trade by updating your branding strategy. Best of all, be consistent and constant to develop a deep sense of touch with your target market and convert them into avid followers in the long run.

In 2017, technological innovations will pave for a faster and more reliable Internet connectivity allowing a more robust way of conducting business, gain knowledge and information, share such to friends and colleagues, and live more conveniently. This will bring a new wave of spending revolution leading consumers to rely greatly on online shopping as a way to acquire products or services. When thinking of starting on your own in 2017, consider the following online business ideas to shape-up your profit-savvy success goals.

Apparel Collection. Remember Jack Ma of Alibaba fame? Peg your e-commerce future with such grand dream. Start small by selling apparels online. From clothes to shoes, belts, berets, stockings and hosiery, and accessories, the fashion industry simply never goes out of style. It’s a vibrant industry, one that attracts money like sweet flies to pancakes. Look for reliable suppliers to ensure building good reputation.

Jewelry Shop. Today, people see pieces of jewelry as investments rather than as enhancers to physical aesthetics. Both men and women have become keen on wearing a necklace or a bracelet, multiple earrings, rings, and so on. Start by selling to your circle of family, friends and work colleagues via social media. Let online “word of mouth” give credence to your trustworthiness and make sure to be transparent in all transactions.

Social Media Solutions. Social media will continue to reign supreme in the year 2017. Businesses will become more focused on their social efforts opening a lucrative avenue for you to pursue. Monetize your social media skills and offer effective solutions. You can offer consultancy or third-party services as a business.

eBook Writing/Publishing. Lift your writing skills to a whole new level by writing and publishing e-books. Instructional and insightful books are quite the rage nowadays and this will continue to be so in the years to come. Do make sure that your ebooks are scalable in both online and mobile platforms as the thrust tend to point to smart gadgets in 2017.

Skills/Service-Oriented Businesses. There are many ways to sell services online. Consider promoting events by selling tickets and making reservations, rental services by offering access to real estate properties in various vacation points across the globe, grocery deliveries, professional online shoppers, virtual stylists and personal assistance, and so on. Online tutorial spanning the usual school subjects, second language, and the likes are also thriving. Make good use of your skills and showcase it by delivering topnotch performance all the time.

Indeed, the increasing necessity of the Internet will become even more prominent in 2017. This increased penetration and dependency on online resources will create high demands and lucrative returns for startups like you. With these online business ideas, you can finally start shaping your entrepreneurial aspirations and reach your success goals in no time.

While it is easy to simply create a professional website and link it to a social media page like LinkedIn, marketing your skills require utmost care. You need to “brand” your own capabilities in such a way that you will “sell” to the right employers and eventually enjoy the best career opportunities in the industry you wish to belong. So, how to do just that? Here are some tips to get you on the right path:

1. Be yourself and make sure you know that “self”. As a professional, it is imperative to be aware of both your strengths and weaknesses—and make them work to your advantage. Take a good look at your experiences and correlate these with your skills and talents while considering the path you wish to carve for your professional life.

2. List down your career goals. A professional journey requires some form of direction. This will give you a sense of purpose and focus on how to brand and promote your skills set and your capabilities. Your goals will deliver clarity and direction on when, where and how to invest your time and efforts.

3. Carefully map out an introduction or summary about yourself. The key is to be concise, complete and credible on all the things you write. See to it that you clearly present who you are, your mission and vision, your expectations, and in what way you will be an asset to the company. Focus on your strengths when doing this.

4. Create an online presence tailored to the industry you wish to pursue. A personal website with your curriculum vitae (CV) duly connected to your social media profiles can also come handy. Keep information up-to-date and accurate. Be precise in your educational background, skills, past experiences, certifications and qualifications, and other notable aspects related to your professional goals. Doing so will help increase your job search success rate.

5. If you are careless on using social media before, today is the time to revamp your online presence. Accounts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are a heavily utilized tool by headhunting agencies and employers. What could be a fun post can easily damage your reputation.

6. Network extensively. Use platforms like LinkedIn, online networking events and referrals, professional organizations and groups, discussion forums, and so on. Make connections with alumni friends and former work colleagues. This will allow you vast access to information in the industry as well as more hits from prospective employers via referrals and recommendations.

7. Be on the point in your chosen field. Make good use of short and long keywords that will attract online crawlers to find you. Litter your professional website and social media profiles with such keywords to make you more visible. This is the digital world after all. So, try to convert your passion into catch words and phrases that attract Internet searches.

There are many ways to market your own professional self to employers. The key is to show what you got, pique a prospective employer’s interest, and to instill trust. Selling yourself is but a small part of the job search game. Make sure you don’t short-sell your own and downplay your potential to succeed.

Truth be told, this strategy has no place in today’s business arena.  This flawed leadership style does not only put employees in a state of anxiety and malcontent, it also hinders creativity, respect, and productivity. If you happen to be getting a lot of bad rap from employee feedback sheets, it is high time to have that paradigm shift via these tips.

1. Practice humility by fostering mutual respect with your employees. While you may still have full authority, it is imperative that you treat employees with respect. You need to understand that bosses do not have the monopoly to excellent ideas. Good leaders easily relate to their employees by being approachable.

2. Be constructive and compassionate. Yes, be ready to criticize but offer proactive solutions. It is easy to put the blame on employees but to humiliate or make them suffer is definitely out of the lead frame. When an employee makes an error, correct in private, encourage to do better, and to offer a solution to prevent recurrence. Brainstorm with everyone when mistakes happen and focus on key learnings as well as solutions.

3. Be appreciative. One of the biggest management problems today is the lack of appreciation to employees. Why is it so hard to say “thank you” or “good job”? Shout it out in your company’s social media pages if you may. Recognize them during weekly or monthly meet-ups. Incentivize such by offering free lunch or anything that will make them feel appreciated. This will help raise their spirits and encourage more productivity.

4. Be a role model by walking the talk. Character and value formation is often mirrored by employees. If you want them to be productive, work alongside them practicing what you preach. The values you pursue will eventually trickle down to your employees. Engagement as always starts with you on top.

5. Learn to have fun every now and then. All work and no play stunts creativity which, in turns, negatively impacts productivity. Infusing merriment like going on a fun team-building or group training will allow employees to develop camaraderie with their co-workers, loyalty to the company they work for, and more push to deliver excellent results.

6. Engage employees in the virtue of volunteerism. Crafting a culture of “giving back” to society will help open their eyes that there is more to the company than mere profit-making. Such sensitivity to other people or another marginalized sector will open employee consciousness to become better individuals and, in return, as better workers.

7. Learn how to practice the virtues of compassion, trust, respect, humility, and cooperation. Leadership is all about “giving” (or channeling) pieces of such virtues to others. Be reminded that you can only give what you have.

Fostering a healthy work environment, indeed, is no rocket science. To generate high performing employees, you need to strike them where it matters the most: their inner needs. Look after their happiness and tap on their inner strengths. In doing so, they will care more about their work and perhaps, even about you as their boss.

Studies have revealed that recycling has proven time and again to be an excellent practice that needs to be embraced by small-scale enterprises. Apart from the cost saved from recycling, these efforts also help improve public image thereby, attracting a huge following from equally environmentally conscious consumers and advocates. Additionally, such efforts also help to boost employee morale creating a positive domino effect within and outside the organization.

1. Create a checklist to identify the recyclable materials in your office or store. All businesses, big or small, have an enormous basket for recyclable waste like paper, computer ink cartridges, electronics, packaging stuffs, plastic, Styrofoam materials, and many more. This checklist will be your guide in preparing appropriate collection units for storage prior to selling or delivering them to recycling plants.

2. Carefully craft an initial collection strategy. Here, you will need to set-up waste bins and storage in a manner that’s easy and convenient for employees to utilize. Depending on your organizational setup or size, areas of disposal must be carefully designated with waste bins or storage carefully labeled.

3. A disposal method must also be established. You can have it collected or picked by a waste management company or perhaps, sell them to a recycle plant. There are many ways of doing so however, costs must considered when choosing the right one for your own recycling initiatives. You may want to consult a local waste management service or get in touch with a nearby recycling plant, whichever case may apply for your business.

4. Consider collaborating with other local businesses in the area. Your bakery’s margarine or butter container can be another business’ storage solution. Those shredded paper materials can be made paper mache masks or building insulation. The list could go on. What could be your trash is some other business’ treasure.

5. To ensure sustainable success of your recycling initiative, it is also important to raise awareness and educate your employees. You cannot enjoy the fruits of your company’s recycling initiatives without the cooperation of everyone. Train them on the salient points of garbage disposal. Let them commit to the initiative.

Does your company have any unique recycling efforts you wish to share to the rest? Drop us a line HERE. It is high time to do our share in ensuring that environmentally conscious capitalism thrives.

Out of blue, you will be left with nothing but years of memories carving out a career. But instead of wallowing in self-pity and senseless meanderings, the right question should be– what should you do next?

To cope with a job loss, it is essential to first assess what you need. It is also important to include others’ needs if you have a family to support. How soon do you need a new one? Can you find opportunities in the same field of expertise or should you need to expand your horizons? Are you ready for a new job? When you have a family to support, finding a job may be immediate that you will easily jump to anything on the fly—only to regret after a few months. Hence, it is important to reflect soulfully on these important aspects.

How emotionally ready are you for a new job? Some people, particularly millennials, have the “strike while the iron is hot” deeply ingrained into their career DNA that they easily jump from one work to another. It is important to remember that carving a career path requires time. You cannot just change gear and maintain the same energy and sense of engagement right away. You need traction in building your passion. If possible, consider giving yourself a few weeks to decompress. Seek out short-term or part-time position if money is a need. This allows you freedom to find what you want while still having a financial source to tide it over.

Keep your passion and ingenuity with you wherever, whenever. When on the verge of getting fired or when trying to find a new one, your attitude ultimately matters. Optimists will always see goodness in every failure and challenge. Pessimists see nothing but the opposite. Pragmatists, on the other hand, tend to find ways that will deliver the most advantages. Combine optimism and pragmatism when doing so and you will surely land in a far better condition than you were previously in.

Accept that losing a job is beyond your control. So, do not dwell on too much nostalgia or regrets. Grieve but do not stay long in a rut. It is nothing but a hindrance to growth and it leads you to nowhere. Do not rush to a new one though. Fine a coach. Train for a new skill. Take your time. Often, the best opportunities get lost or concealed when you are in a rush.

Here’s a list of must-have travel gadgets to bring with you this 2017 as you do more business trips:

If there’s one thing that can raise one’s ire above the roof, it’s to find out you’re your laptop is drained prior to flying out—while you are due to present in a boardroom meeting when you touch down. Luckily, ChargeTech came up with an award-winning 27000mAh Portable AC Outlet Battery Pack that’s small enough it can fit along your laptop in its bag.

Lost luggage anyone? Both LugLoc and Smart Unit has a solution for you—the Luggage Locator and the Waldo GPS Luggage Tracker. Simply place this device inside your bag, download an app on your smartphone and track your belongings wherever you may be. Both come with an anti-theft system as these send out alert when someone tries to open your suitcase. It has also Bluetooth integration capabilities allowing you to find your bag easily. Of course, both are flight compliant, too.

While most airports and hotels offer free Wi-Fi, you may easily get frustrated with slow or intermittent connection. In some cases, data privacy may be breached when using public servers. So why not tag along SkyRoam, a mobile hotspot device. This fit-in-your-palm device allows you unlimited data in 90 countries and even has a 5-day global prepaid pass to boot.

If you are through cloud software security scare, the idea of going the usual hard-disk route or portable drive may solve this dilemma. There are quite a number of portable drives nowadays that can store as much as 4TB. From Samsung T3 to the Transcend ESD400K 500GB portable SSD drives, you can easily backup files and protect confidential information.

5. Smartphone Signal Booster

Another constant headache when on a business trip is dropped calls. This is even more so in areas where coverage is weak or when weather conditions turn from bad to worst in a blink of an eye. You can prepare yourself from such a situation by bringing with you a portable phone signal booster like the zBoost ZB545 SOHO cellphone signal booster. When choosing, always go for one that is compatible to all carriers and networks as well as both iOS and Android devices.

Let your weary heart rest by listening to music. Make sure to wake up on time by setting up an alarm clock. Listen to news updates, weather reports, news scores, the stock market, and so on. The Alexa-enabled hands-free wireless 2nd-Gen Echo Dot from Amazon is definitely a great travel companion. Connect to your smartphone and make Alexa your personal slave as you rest your weary body and mind after a long flight.

There will be more portable gadgets coming into the tech market this 2017. Business trips or not, these portable thingamajigs are meant to make your entrepreneurial life more manageable and, yes, more fun.

Every “boss” has the power to be able to gain the trust and respect of his or her team. When thinking of running a company populated mostly by millennials, the following points must be carefully observed.

Indeed, there lies a huge challenge to a boss handling a millennial workforce. Finding a middle ground, however, must be incessantly sought. This will not only encourage mutual respect and trust, it will also help employees become more creative, engaged, and results-driven.

Like vegetations that sprout as the sun’s magical rays finally seep through melting snow in its path, this is a time to start from a clean slate and to look for signs of opportunities and growth. Business spring cleaning is going to challenging. No doubt about that. But womenpreneurs may have the advantage.

So, how will you harness the invigorating energy that spring brings to your business? Are you ready to begin a new business cycle on a high note? Here are tips on how to start the new business cycle right.

1. First stop: de-clutter. Nothing is more distracting than a table filled with papers, files, folders, and such. It is high time to segregate the necessities from the undesirables. Clean up your table as fast as you can. Beneath those mounds of paperwork, you may stumble upon an agreement or a business plan that may sound ridiculous last year but useful now. Dust. Scrub. Repaint if you must. Basically, do not leave any flat surface remain untouched.

2. Give your computer a breath of fresh air. Open an account on DropBox and lodged past files and documents in there. Consider also having a backup hard drive to hold those files. Label them carefully. The more you will extract old files, reports, and documents that’s so last year from your laptop or PC, the more it will run efficiently.

3. Don’t forget cleaning up your online DNA. Give your website and social media pages the necessary spring cleaning, too. Perhaps, it is high time to “re-dress” your website’s look. A quick run on your dashboard will be so much fun. Social media profile badges may also have to be changed. Turn off those notifications. Realign your settings in a manner that’s conducive to your goals.

4. Reassess what you have done to your business and to your life. Do a no-nonsense month-by-month blow on the things you have done vis-à-vis your vision and mission. Are the marketing strategies you and your team painstakingly craft followed to a tee? Did you exceed or fall short from your goals? Are customers staying or going? How powerful does your online presence become? Make past performances as your gauge in setting goals and action plans to ensure improvement and growth this year.

5. Boost your business prowess. You can do so by having yourself and the whole workforce re-trained. Enroll your steering committee into a training class or a seminar. Have your operation workforce go into training for new skills. It is time to stretch everyone’s capabilities to the hilt, including your own self.

6. Give your own self the break you deserve. Perhaps, you have toiled high and low in the past months due to a slump or various challenges of the business. After all other aspects have been addressed, now is time to give your own self the pampering it needs. Go on an off-grid getaway. Reconnect with loved ones and friends. Meditate. Cleanse and purge your system from all the toxicity of last year’s struggles. Strengthen your mind and body—and come back with a renewed sense of purpose.

Always regard every cycle of the business with care. Every womanpreneur know that like running a home, doing an annual spring cleaning for your business will definitely create more opportunities for growth. Do so regularly and enjoy newly strengthened motivation to forward your goals.