• A savvy entrepreneur can launch a venture with minimal investment.young business business woman on white call phone image by Anatoly Tiplyashin from Fotolia.com
  
  Launching a business can seem like a long and expensive endeavor, as even small operations often require heavy investment in equipment, employees and even real estate. Some business options, though, require considerably less money and time, and a savvy business owner can launch a successful venture with little more than a home computer.
  
  

Food Service

• Food has a long history of business success, and the demand for food service is virtually endless. Savvy entrepreneurs need not invest in expensive restaurant equipment and pricey real estate to capitalize on food, though. According to the business startup website BusinessInfoGuide, business owners can launch a venture in catering, baked goods, canning or even as a cooking class instructor with very little up-front investment. To completely minimize the up-front costs, consider offering a food pick-up service that delivers food from popular restaurants to nearby customers.
  
  

Cleaning Service

• Though many businesses require a considerable investment in equipment, advertising and manpower, a savvy entrepreneur can launch a cleaning service with only a few cleaning products readily available at a local discount retailer. According to the business magazine Entrepreneur, cleaning services offer a considerable amount of flexibility to fit almost any business owner's needs; a busy entrepreneur can focus advertisements and promotions on a small geographic area and provide services during limited hours, or a business owner with more time can recruit residential and business customers throughout an entire metropolitan area. Even better, startup requires only some cleaning equipment, paper towels, a vacuum cleaner and some time dedicated to recruiting customers.
  
  

Online Auction Assistant

• While almost anyone can make a few extra bucks selling unwanted belongings on online auction websites, a business owner can make a profession of this hobby. To minimize costs, according to Entrepreneur, launch this venture by selling items already laying around the house; this approach limits startup costs to the price of a computer and Internet access. As the unwanted household merchandise sells, reinvest the funds into buying more inventory at yard sales, estate sales and local live auctions. To really maximize profits, some professional online auction assistants routinely source free merchandise from dumpster diving or collecting neighbors' unwanted items, but be sure to check local regulations before pursuing these activities.
  
  

Virtual Assistant

• Entrepreneurs who have plenty of time but want to start up a low-cost business may consider selling their time as a virtual assistant. This venture, according to BusinessInfoGuide, requires only a computer and some basic professional skills like typing and filing. As the operation expands, business owners may find that additional expenses like a dedicated telephone line, fax line and mobile phone become necessary, but a savvy entrepreneur can launch the venture using self-printed business cards and an existing telephone line.