Skill Based Businesses for earning extra cash in campus

Whether it's a talent or a skill, with a good business plan or strategy, one can be very successful. Apart from earning extra cash, starting a skill-based business is also an excellent way to perfect one's skills. This article will feature 5 good skill-based businesses you can start while at University. They include:

• DIY Handmade crafts Business- crafting/art
• Hairdressing / Nail Technician / Make-up Artist Business- Hair and Beauty
• Graphic design Business - Graphic Design, UI/UX
• Portfolios Business- UI/UX, Software Development
• Musical Instrument Classes for Kids and Adults Business - Music

1. DIY handmade crafts Business- crafting/art skills

DIY handmade crafts products have been in demand lately. For those who may not know, DIY stands for Do It Yourself. There are many DIY crafts one can be skilled in that could make them a lot of money in 2022. The good thing about DIY Crafts is that one can make them very personal and custom-made for their customers. People love having something explicitly handmade for themselves or their loved ones and may buy without hesitation.

An individual who may be skilled in drawing or painting can start by making portraits of people or things that people love, like their pets, and create a commission-based businesses. Another Idea could be a handmade jewelry business that produces custom jewelries with people's names on them or anything that may remind them of a good memory in their life.

Another untapped DIY business idea is making DIY kits for people to make for themselves. This is exciting because people also take pride in making things for themselves and keeping them as souvenirs or gifting loved ones. Such kits can be like DIY painting kits that may include a few pints of paint, one brush, a small canvas and directions to paint a certain thing, maybe a sunset. This is a great activity idea, and all the features from this kit may come from the artist's own supplies.

If you are thinking about starting a DIY business, always look for pop-up markets that offer platforms for small businesses to participate as vendors. Such pop-up markets can be found at malls, popular restaurants, and even Universities like Strathmore University, which supports small SMEs started by University students by giving them a space to vendor at their student center. This is an excellent way of making good sales and increasing visibility apart from online.

For more inspiration, check out Etsy, an e-commerce shop where crafters sell their handmade products and gather ideas on which specific products are trending.

2. Hairdressing / Nail Technician / Make-up Artist Business- Hair and Beauty Skills

Many people may perceive that to have a beauty business, one must have an establishment like a salon. That may be partially true because one can set up a mobile beauty shop! 

Many people nowadays don't have the luxury of time to go and spend a whole day at the salon doing their hair or nails. If one has the skill, they can set up a house call business and go to where the clients are on an appointment basis. Tools like Calendly can be handy to have clients book appointments according to the available timings. 

3. Graphic/Visual/Animation design Business - Graphic/ Animation Design skills

One can tap into many business ideas while thinking about starting a design business. You can look into an on-demand business whereby you create graphics or visuals according to client requests. Designs for T-shirts, Greeting or Invitation cards, posters, promotional videos, magazines, logos, social media visual content, and many more are some of the money-making ideas you can explore. 

Another good idea is a branding and advertising business. One can offer services like logo design, merchandise design, packaging design, identification of brand colors, letterhead design, UI/UX design for  websites or apps, promotional video design, and many more for other businesses or organizations.

A good business example is Keelonzi on Instagram. Wakeel Kilonzi (founder) is an animation student at the United States International University (USIU). He has a freelance visual design business whereby he creates ads, music videos, and body art designs for clients. His freelance business has helped him improve his skills, build a good portfolio of projects and earn extra money while in campus.

4. Portfolios Business- UI/UX, Software Development Skills

Web-based portfolios have been trending heavily, especially this year. According to a LinkedIn article on the importance of a portfolio, a portfolio creates a remarkable impression on your viewers, whether they are hiring companies or potential clients. 

If you are a Developer, this is a fantastic freelance opportunity to venture into that requires skill in Design and mostly Frontend development. To start, a developer can create a few portfolios for demonstration, including their own, and present to clients in industries where they are most likely to be asked to present a portfolio of their work during job applications. Some of these clients may be Graphic, UI/UX, Animation Designers, Writers, Vlogges, Videographers, Photographers or even fellow developers. 

When it comes to hosting, there are free web hosting sites like GitHub Pages or Heroku. One can also charge a small editing fee for someone who wants to change something on their portfolio over a while. 

5. Musical Instrument Classes for Kids and Adults Business- Music Skills

People skilled in playing musical instruments can create a course that will teach people how to play an instrument for either one-on-one sessions or group classes. 

This may be an excellent opportunity for kids during the holiday season. One can Liaise with a local music shop or a school to market their course or offer space for the classes, opt to do them online, or even do home schooling classes. 

There's no doubt that the knowledge that we all have acquired can turn into a successful business. The exciting concept of starting a skill-based business is that it is easier to manage because it is one's passion or area of expertise. 

‍