We’re going to say it, loud and proud: small businesses are the backbone of the economy. The Federation of Small Businesses reports nearly 6 million businesses with fewer than 50 employees, with half the gross revenue of the entire private sector. Some of these businesses are very small – so small that they are run entirely by the business owner alone.

These tiny but fierce businesses thriving today in the competitive market are called “nano businesses,” with “fewer than one” people engaged in the business, often working from home.

Suppose you are not familiar with them yet. In that case, a few examples of nano businesses are those businesses that trade on eBay, provide part-time consulting services, influence thousands of followers in their social media platforms, make videos or do translation work. 

These businesses often offer services that can be provided in addition to a “regular” job, which may even blossom into a full-time business.

Nano Businesses: Start Small But Think Big

Wikipedia classifies Nano Businesses as firms with three employees, starting with a $1,000 initial capital, targetings cash on cash returns, and not necessarily targeting long-term capital growth.

A nano business is also a business that can use less than one person as the working force.

For example, what we mean by that is supposedly the regular working time for a person is eight hours a day. A nano business will use up less than that amount of time per day, let’s say four hours, six, one. It doesn’t matter. It has to be a fraction of your full-time.

Given their very minimal resource requirements, this business model is great for so many reasons. They can start on a very tight budget, and they require as much or as little time commitment as you want. You can still work a full-time job or spend time with your friends and family while running your nano business.

And best of all, nano businesses can either be scaled to grow bigger or be abandoned with ease. The potential monetary loss is slight because of the low initial investment required. 

The minimal level of investment can easily make the business profitable. Not to mention, getting started is immediate. There are more than 20 million nano-businesses that earned $950 billion in 2010. 

The nano-business model has eventually become a source of inspiration and confidence to potentially grow into a micro-business, small business, and beyond.  

What Makes the Nano Business Model Possible?

Automation

In this age, as we experience technological advancement like no other, we have become acquainted with several business tools that automate the way we do our usual business processes. The more we utilize these automated business tools, the less time we need to run our business. Automation benefits nano and small businesses as much as it does for big industrial players.  

Flexibility

Nano businesses’ flexibility in nature is what makes them more doable and competitive in the market. Here, owners have a better grasp on how to use their time. They enjoy the freedom to either run it like a full-time job or run it on the side as passive income as they go on about their everyday life. In times of crisis, it is much easier to drop it thanks to very minimal risk since the initial investment to start the business is also minimal.

With this kind of flexibility, you can scale through hard work over time, advertising, networking, product expansion, and other traditional means, or just start another business. You decide if or when to scale, what to work on and when to do it.

Variety

With the flexibility, minimal investment, and the amount of free time, you can consider more than one employment simultaneously. You can invest your time and money in activities with different levels of risks, diversifying with all the benefits that it takes.

 

Benefits of a Nano Business

Minimal Investment

Website

Inventory, if you’re selling something

Advertising could be done through Google or social media platforms

Outsource any work you can’t do yourself

Flexible Time Commitment

Flexible Nature

Work when you can or are motivated

Take time off to relax

Set your own working hours

It’s your business and your decision

Easy Scalability

Minimal Risk

Don’t invest more than you can afford to lose. If it’s not working, or you’re not enjoying it, try something else!

 

 

Nano businesses are the future because the future is ‘flexibility.’

More than ever during the lockdown, creative minds have found ways to operate businesses without the traditional brick and mortar stores or high street premises. 

Many have flourished, either generating another income or growing to become a full-time business. And as the economy reopens, allowing physical stores to function again, few will rush to do so as they discover the benefits of running your business using automation and technology, lesser time commitments, and very minimal resources investments.

Nano businesses are the future because the future is flexibility. With factors that can affect your business that may be completely out of your control- just like what the pandemic has shown us, flexibility has become an integral part of how businesses are run today and in the coming years.

 

Conclusion

Human beings, in general, will start to realize that when it comes to the quality of our life, happiness and quality time with our loved ones are never going to replace the money. With the pandemic happening, bringing a range of realizations to people as to what matters most in life, soon enough, the general working time will decrease. 

Of course, this is going to be made possible with automation and business tools. Again, automation is not something only used by big industry players but it is meant to be taken advantage of by all businesses regardless of size. 

That means fewer working hours with the same profit, more quality time spent, and hopefully, better inspirations to gain better business ideas.