business plans in sri lanka

50 Best Business Ideas In Sri Lanka [2024]

Interested in starting a business in Sri Lanka in 2024?

Southeast of the Arabian sea, Sri Lanka is a green, fertile tropical Island featuring palm-fringed beaches, misty mountains, and significant archaeology.

The country boasts a bilateral investment-protection agreement and a double-taxation avoidance agreement with U.S.A, U.K, Australia, and other countries.

Besides, Sri Lanka has a sophisticated and transparent regulatory and legal framework, which provides safety to foreign investors.

Finally, Sri Lanka's geo-strategic location makes it ideal for setting up operations and doing business. Startup owners have the opportunity to enter newer markets through multiple shipping routes.

We put together 50 of the best businesses you can start in Sri Lanka today.

In this list of ideas, you can find:

• Home-based businesses to start in Sri Lanka
• Profitable online business ideas
• Unique business opportunities for Sri Lanka
• Low investment business ideas (under $5k to start)
• Easy businesses you can start in Sri Lanka today

For each business idea, we'll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, + a step-by-step on how to start your small business in Sri Lanka.

Here's the full list:

1. Start an affiliate marketing business

Are you looking for a side hustle to pay you a passive income? Affiliate marketing is one of those side hustles that will pay you well over the long term. It is a way to earn money online by promoting other companies' products and services. You will be paid a commission for each sale you make as an affiliate marketer.

To get started, learn how to find the right product and brand to partner with. For example, you may prefer becoming an affiliate marketer for an eCommerce store, partnering with a manufacturer, and marketing their products for a commission.

How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Bar Games 101 is an authority website about classic bar games with over 200K monthly visitors and revenue over $4,000 for the month of August, achieved through consistent publishing of researched articles and outsourcing by the founder.

2. Start a SEO agency

An SEO agency is a company that provides search engine optimization services to businesses. The function of an SEO agency is to help businesses rank higher in search engines through organic or paid means.

SEO is a rapidly growing industry, with experts across all aspects of the field already making six-figure incomes and expecting to see these earnings grow dramatically over the next few years. Getting into SEO today, before it gets too saturated, will allow you to establish a strong base in a new career, with an excellent chance for success.

It’s easier than ever to start your SEO agency in Sri Lanka. The tools are there, and the competition isn’t as stiff as it used to be. If you’re considering starting an SEO or digital marketing agency, it might be a good idea to learn how other digital agencies succeed.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,800,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)

Rankings.io is a hyper-focused SEO agency that helps elite personal injury law firms dominate first page rankings and was ranked #858 in the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America for 2018, with a current revenue just under $300,000 per month, with plans for a record-breaking year.

3. Become a crypto trader

Crypto trading is an exciting market with a reputation for higher returns than some traditional investments.

Note that cryptocurrencies are incredibly volatile (and this is not investment advice).

When you start, opt for small-stake trades that allow you to get a handle on the market with minimal risk. Trade through a secure wallet provided by a reputable broker such as Coinbase or Binance. Take time to practice technical analysis, an essential research skill to help you read charts and identify patterns to inform your crypto trading strategies.

How long does it take to build: 135 days (?)

Exolix is an anonymous cryptocurrency exchange platform with a fixed rate and unlimited exchange that provides its users with fast, easy, and secure exchange processes.

4. Start a food truck

Food trucks are a highly profitable business that offers customers a variety of meal options out of a mobile truck. This basically operates inside a large vehicle equipped with kitchen and food products. Starting a food truck is a dream for many people, but it's more challenging than it looks. To make it work, you need the ideal location and menu.

To start a food truck business in a particular city, it is mandatory to check what kind of food trucks are already operating, identify a gap, and bring in some new experiences. Then, with the right plan and the right approach, you can be on your way to starting your own food truck empire.

How much you can make: $30,000 — $1,500,000/month

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

Food Fleet grew over 160% in just one year and managed over 20 million in sales for its clients, securing multiple contracts with the likes of Sodexo, Levy Restaurants and more, due to its understanding of catering client needs and its advanced turnkey and design services.

5. Become a software developer

A software developer is a person who creates computer programs. They design, test, and oversee the creation of software for a variety of purposes including businesses, personal use, or social networking.

If you have strong technical skills and experience in programming, you can start a software development business. You should also have a good understanding of how the software works.

The average salary for software developers is $110,140 . The best-paid 25 percent earn an annual income of up to 140K dollars while the lowest-paid workers make just under 84K dollars.

The recent trends in software development are moving towards mobile apps and cloud-based solutions. Businesses are providing a variety of programming languages and tools to create software that meets the client's needs.

Starting a software development company is the perfect way to explore in this exciting industry. This type of business is growing in popularity as businesses are looking for ways to offer their customers a convenient way to access their data and applications.

How much you can make: $500 — $350,000/month

How long does it take to build: 100 days (?)

SkyVerge, a software company, has grown rapidly with revenue of $350,000 per month, over 100,000 eCommerce customers, and a globally distributed team of 30 people, all through starting with consulting projects and building focused and solutions-based products, acquiring small products from other developers, and focusing largely on content marketing and providing excellent customer support.

6. Start a mobile photography business

Want to start your own photography business? You're not alone. With the rise of social media and photo-sharing, blogging, and online retailing, it's never been easier to start making money behind your camera.

There are photographers shooting weddings, creating images for ad campaigns, freelancing for magazines, touring the world, taking photographs of destinations — the list is endless!

To start mobile photography in Sri Lanka, research the target audience and determine which specialization area is more lucrative. Invest in high-quality, professional cameras, lenses, and a computer with professional software photo-editing software.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 190 days (?)

Photobooth Supply Co. offers a profitable business opportunity through their sleek and portable photo booths, with up to 97% satisfaction rate and a focus on customer experience, in a fast-growing event industry where photo booths are exploding.

7. Start a blog

In recent years, blogging has become a highly sought-after & lucrative Business. This location-independent business is a creative outlet to reach a broader audience and even work at any time. According to Optinmonster’s list of blogging statistics and facts:

• Blogs have been rated as the 5th most trustworthy source of gathering online information.
• 77% of internet users read blogs.
• Each month, approximately 409 million people view more than 20 billion pages.

Originally blogging started as an online journal, but today it is a highly profitable career option. Many people are choosing blogging as their full-time career and are earning their bread and butter from this profession.

If you want to start blogging as a side hustle or as a full-time profession, choose a niche you will enjoy writing about and have a content strategy ready. Then, create a mailing list, and decide on a good blog posting routine to keep your audience engaged.

How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.

8. Start a podcast

The podcast business involves creating and producing audio content that people can listen to online.

It’s a popular form of entertainment and information-sharing.

To start a podcast business on a budget, you'll need a few key steps.

First, choose a niche or topic that you're passionate about and that has an audience.

Next, get basic recording equipment like a microphone and headphones.

Then, find a free or affordable hosting platform to publish your episodes.

Finally, promote your podcast through social media, online communities, and word of mouth to build an audience and potentially attract sponsors or advertisers.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,020,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week

A successful podcast production company that grew from one client making $15/hour to a team of 10 contractors producing over 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10k/mo, primarily through referrals and with a focus on providing high personal touch and being picky about working only with clients who are a good fit.

9. Start a travel agency

Are you a passionate traveler with entrepreneurial skills? Then starting a travel agency can be a great career choice for you.

As a travel agency, you'll be responsible for linking travelers to providers of all the travel and tourism-related services such as accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, tour guides, local adventure, etc.

Starting an online travel agency is a lot easier than you might think. You'll need to perform market research, get a few necessary certifications (such as your IATA number), study competition, build a website, and do proper marketing.

To maximize earnings, negotiate discounts from the industry service providers, and charge travelers within the market rate.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,250 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Total Travel Solution is a 6-figure (USD) company that sells the best quality Sri Lanka and Maldives tour packages to tourists from all over the world, generating a sales revenue of about USD 2 million from 2012 to 2018 while maintaining their growth through honest, trustworthy, and high-quality services.

10. Start a beverage company

Are you thinking of starting a beverage or drink business?

Starting a beverage company can be a great way to combine your love of food and drink with a passion for entrepreneurship.

Beverage companies can make all sorts of different drinks, from juice to soda to beer. They can also sell other types of food products, like bottled water or snacks.

There are more and more drink options available today than ever before—and that means that beverage companies are constantly trying new things in order to stay competitive in this space! The more innovative they can be with their offerings, the better they'll be able to compete with one another

How much you can make: $500 — $12,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 250 days (?)

BruMate is a successful insulated drinkware brand focused on the adult beverage community, with a flagship product that generated $2.1M in sales in 2017 and is now doing over $1.1M per month in sales, with plans to do $20M this year.

11. Create an online course

An online course business involves creating and selling digital classes teaching specialized skills or knowledge to subscribed students.

As an entrepreneurial course creator, you identify educational gaps around topics you have expertise in and develop engaging video lessons and supplementary materials.

With flexibility around self-paced or cohort-based structures, building a student base provides passive income potential.

For founders who enjoy information-sharing, launching an online course platform presents a lucrative way to monetize your instructional talents with small startup costs by serving eager lifelong learners seeking convenient access to emerging subjects.

How much you can make: $350 — $1,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 88 days (?)

12. Start an instagram fan account

An Instagram fan account aims at supporting or appreciating a celebrity, a public fan, a brand, or an organization. The fan account covers the subject's daily movements and breaks stories about the fan, to keep their target audience entertained and updated.

An Instagram fan page earns profits through promotions and advertisements from interesting brands.

Are you interested in a celebrity, public figure, brand, or organization?

You can create an Instagram fan account and show your support or share opinions of the individual or brands through the Instagram account.

How much you can make: $500/month

A 15-year-old boy created an Instagram fan page for NFL player Ezekial Elliott which garnered 50,000 engaged followers and nearly 20,000 additional followers in the last two months alone, with currently no expenses aside from ads, and hopes to start selling his own products.

13. Start a voice over service

Voiceover artist is an auditory performer who uses their voice in scripted presentations. The role of a voiceover artist is only to be heard but not to be seen.

Working as a voiceover artist is an opportunity to choose the projects you enjoy engaging in. The role of a voiceover artist is also fun and can help you meet new people.

To become a voiceover artist in Sri Lanka, start practicing aloud reading so you familiarize yourself with your sound. Then, create your recording studio where you can practice your voiceover skills. It would help if you had a quality microphone, professional recording software, a computer, and soundproofing materials.

How much you can make: $400 — $85,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $7,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)

Voice Crafters, a multilingual voice-over agency and marketplace founded by Mony Raanan, doubled their revenue to over $765,000 in 2022 with a bottom line of around 30% after transitioning to an online marketplace and carefully vetting their network of over 1,000 professional voice actors in more than 80 languages.

14. Start a language translation service

Language translation services bridge the linguistic barriers, helping businesses reach a wider audience outside of a single language. A language translation job is an opportunity to cover a wide range of topics and meet people from different cultures.

To become a language translator in Sri Lanka, master a second language and earn some experience so you become fluent in the second language.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $550,000/month

How this founder started a $100K/month guaranteed transcription service for medical, legal, law enforcement, financial, academic and general business industries, winning the NASPO ValuePoint transcription services contract over 26 other companies and learning valuable lessons about getting a coach and getting as much PR as possible.

15. Start a web design & online marketing business

If you know about website design and marketing concepts then starting your own web design and online marketing business could be the perfect opportunity for you to do so.

The online marketing industry is the second largest industry in the United States and continues to grow. The online marketing industry is massive. It is estimated to grow by 30% annually, reaching $400B in the next four years.

How much you can make: $8,000 — $800,000/month

How Shannon Mattern built a DIY web design training business from scratch that now generates $10k/month in revenue through affiliate commissions and courses, without outside investment or debt.

16. Start a digital marketing business

Digital marketing businesses serve local and international companies to expand their reach and grow revenue. A top reason digital marketing is so exciting is that the field is constantly evolving and is easy to learn.

If you plan to start a digital marketing business in Sri Lanka, educate yourself and understand how digital marketing agencies work. Then, focus on building your digital skills and advancing your career through online digital marketing courses.

To stand out, find a digital marketing niche and focus on the audience interested in your services.

How much you can make: $100 — $1,250,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)

H-supertools founder Hasan developed a set of free SEO and digital marketing tools generating $2k per month in profit using Google Adsense, affiliate marketing, selling ad spaces, and email, plans to launch a membership option, and has attained over 80k registered users and 300k monthly visits in less than two years.

17. Become a virtual assistant

Virtual assistants support businesses, teams, or individuals by performing administrative tasks remotely. As businesses these days tend to outsource their tasks, the demand for virtual assistants is growing rapidly.

Becoming a virtual assistant is flexible, as you can choose a work schedule and location at your convenience. Many virtual assistants in Sri Lanka have a dedicated home office where they work in a quiet and distraction-free environment.

To become a virtual assistant, identify a niche you like and undertake any training. Then, figure out how much to charge your customers and create an online presence where you can apply for jobs. As a virtual assistant, you can define your work schedule depending on your availability.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

Filipino Virtual Assistance by FVA Business Consultancy, founded by Julmar Grace Locsin, offers online and offline training to empower marketers, enable businesses, and equip freelancers which has trained 25,000 students from their 31 courses, has 16 coaches assigned from different territories, and fifteen in the FVA team for global digital leadership that will impact the world through digitalization, one life at a time.

18. Start a real estate business

Are you a qualified architect with a broad range of knowledge in the real estate field? Starting a real estate business can be a profitable venture.

Real estate involves purchasing, selling, managing, or investing in land and buildings.

To become a successful real estate business owner, you must have finely honed visual awareness and a strong understanding of various building materials and structures.

How much you can make: $1,500 — $1,500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

This case study is about T. C. Lewis & Co, a real estate investment and management firm that successfully diversified their approach to include sales, development, remodeling, and construction, with property management being the key to investor doors and organic growth.

19. Become a proofreader

Proofreading business is a service that helps customers review their written work and ensure it is ready for publication. Typically, a proofreader corrects grammatical errors and provides the written piece meets any relevant style guide.

As a proofreader, you can work online, allowing you to choose what time to work.

If you plan to start a professional proofreading business in Sri Lanka, make sure you possess the following skills:

• Have an excellent grasp of grammar
• Ability to correct mistakenly capitalized words
• Familiarity with the proper use of capitalization
• Use spell-checkers to flag misspelled words

Proofreading is a great way to enhance content quality. With the increased use of written content marketing to reach a broader market, the demand for professional proofreaders has grown tremendously. Professional proofreaders earn an average of $12/hr. And $30/hr.

Therefore, consider proofreading as a business if you are looking for a great side hustle idea or simply looking for ways to increase your income.

How much you can make: $2,000/month

A proofreader was able to build a consistent income of ~$2,000 per month from scratch with zero experience in the field, no expenses, and barely any upfront costs by targeting bloggers and content creators who want their content to be copy edited and proofread.

20. Start a freelancer platform

Freelancer platform is a place where people come with skills and services to offer and people come who need those skills and services. So we can say freelancer platforms are a marketplace for sellers and buyers of services and skills.

The freelancing industry is growing rapidly and it's becoming a popular career option for people who are "non-traditional" employees. The global Freelance Platforms market size is expected to reach $6.7B by the year 2025 . While working on a full-time job, freelancers simultaneously work on a freelance career. The platforms available online help them to increase their business by attracting new clients.

With all of the businesses looking for help on their websites, it would be a good idea to start a freelancer platform. Freelance platforms do well because people have jobs that need to be done and businesses have the resources to pay for the job at hand.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $5,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $6,100 (?)

CloudDevs, a tech talent platform that sources and vets freelance tech talent and matches them with companies, has achieved $1 million in GMV in its first year, plans to achieve 100% growth year on year, and focuses on customer loyalty through its Net Promoter Score metric.

21. Start a cleaning business

Starting a cleaning business is an excellent opportunity to be your boss and make money doing what you love. This business is relatively easy to create and does not require much equipment or funds.

There are many cleaning services, so deciding what services (or combination of services) you will offer and what hours of the day or week those services will be available is essential.

To start cleaning service in Sri Lanka, you’ll want to consider investing in professional cleaning equipment such as a vacuum cleaner, a quality mop, and a good cleaning bucket. You will also need to buy environment-friendly cleaning products such as detergent, bleach, paper towels, and trash bags.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $708,333/month

MaidThis®, launched by Neel Parekh in Los Angeles with just one cleaner in 2013, has achieved over $10 million in total revenue by focusing on cleaning Airbnbs and vacation rentals, thanks to its successful remote business model and new-age marketing tactics, and has now launched MaidThis Franchise to expand the business further.

22. Become an Upwork freelancer

There are thousands of categories available to offer your services. Upwork has become a huge platform, attracting millions of people that search for reliable freelancers to work with. Take a moment to go through all the categories and then analyze the profiles of the best-rated users on the ones you're interested. A good tip to start is to offer low prices, in the beginning, to get more reviews quickly and thus climb through the ranks. Once you got a reputation and a track record, you'll be able to charge more.

How much you can make: $3,500/month

Daniel Waldman started his freelance writing business over three years ago and has since earned an average of $3,500 per month, mostly through referrals and Fiverr - offering blogging, article writing, website copywriting and editing services.

23. Start a proposal software app

A proposal software app is a program that streamlines the process of creating, sending, and closing proposals, quotes, contracts, and other sales documents. The common users of proposal apps include consultants and business executives who want to generate a personalized and professional-looking proposal. A good example of a proposal software app is Proposify

In creating your proposal app, first, understand how the target users interact with their proposals. Then, provide them with a suite of options so they choose ones that they feel convenient to use. Ensure your software enables the user to produce sleek business proposals quickly.

Typically, the proposal software should be intuitive for any user and should include critical automation and support client interaction tracking, to make proposal creation easy. Build a great product that solves your customer’s pain.

Finally, set up a customer support team that will be directly responsible for guiding customers through the onboarding process, and work towards retaining and expanding accounts.

How much you can make: $570,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)

How long does it take to build: 205 days (?)

Proposify, an online business proposal SaaS company, currently serving over 8,000 customers and doing over $7M in annual recurring revenue, was founded by CEO Kyle Racki who turned his old proposal app idea into a successful business by focusing on user pain points, building a great product, and prioritizing customer service.

24. Start an online bakery

An online bakery is a business that sells baked goods through the internet.

To start an online bakery, first identify your specialty (like cookies, cupcakes, or bread) and gather basic baking equipment.

Next, create a simple website or use a platform like social media to showcase your products.

Take quality photos, set reasonable prices, and promote your online bakery through social media, local communities, and word of mouth to attract customers.

As orders come in, bake fresh treats, pack them securely, and arrange for reliable delivery or pickup options.

According to statistics, the global bakery products market size was $398B in 2020 . The market is projected to grow from $416B in 2021 to $590B by 2028.

How much you can make: $25,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $7,000 (?)

French chef and founder of online bakery Pastreez, Anthony Rosemond, shares keys to success including validating ideas with the market, focusing on SEO and organic growth, building customer relationships through email and SMS, never offering discounts but offering freebies, and diversifying the business with new products and content on social media.

25. Start a boutique

You may consider opening a boutique if you are passionate about the fashion and textile industry.

A boutique is a shop that sells clothes. Opening a boutique is a dream for entrepreneurs who want to experience the joy and freedom of owning a cash business. Starting a boutique is easy and can be managed by a single individual. In addition, a boutique requires a comparatively smaller capital to start.

To succeed, the boutique owner must coming creativity and passion.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $25,000/month

Boutique Rye is an online-only women's clothing and accessories boutique that has grown to 3,200 Facebook Group members and a successful website through organic customer sharing, live sales, and open communication with customers.

26. Start an online advertising agency

An online advertising agency helps businesses promote their products or services on the internet.

To start this business on a budget, first learn the basics of digital marketing through free online resources.

Create a professional website and set up profiles on social media platforms to showcase your skills.

Build a portfolio by working on mock campaigns or offering discounted services to friends and family, and gradually market your services to attract clients.

With dedication, you can grow your agency over time.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $1,250,000/month

Iman Gadzhi made over $1.2M in profit within two years with his social media marketing agency and education company, where he teaches entrepreneurs how to start and scale a profitable SMMA, with over 45 of his students making over six figures with their SMMA, and over 300 students having quit their regular jobs.

27. Start a mobile app development business

Mobile app development is the process of creating software applications that run on mobile devices. These apps can be used for a variety of purposes, including games, productivity, and social networking.

Starting a mobile app development business is a great way to enter the world of software development. This type of company is growing in popularity as businesses are looking for ways to reach their customers through mobile apps.

To start a mobile app development company, you need to have strong technical skills and be able to develop high-quality software. You should also have a good understanding of how to market and sell mobile apps

How much you can make: $6,000 — $700,000/month

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

This case study features Md. Yousuf Ali, the founder of Rank Trends, who shares how he started a successful digital marketing agency, which generated a revenue of over $6k per month through SEO and video production services.

28. Start a travel agency

29. Become a mobile personal trainer

Do you love helping people through their fitness journey? If you want a great side hustle to earn extra income, consider becoming a personal trainer.

The fitness trainer side hustle can be an adamant industry to earn good money. However, once you develop a reputation as a good trainer, you can get more clients through referrals. You need to register for the certification course to start offering personal trainer services in Sri Lanka.

To attract your first clients, consider online advertising, and seek referrals from every customer.

How much you can make: $600 — $60,000/month

How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 4 hours/week

Sweat from Home is a two-way, interactive, and live-streaming group fitness workout startup that has held over 800 classes since March 2020, generates $25k in monthly recurring revenue, and has donated over $7k to 6 different charities; they aim to become the world's best live-streamed fitness class.

30. Start a dropshipping business

Dropshipping is a business model where you sell products to customers without holding inventory.

Instead, when a customer makes a purchase, you buy the product from a third-party supplier, who then ships it directly to the customer.

To start a dropshipping business on a budget, choose a niche or category of products you want to sell.

Next, set up an online store using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. Then, find reliable suppliers from platforms like AliExpress, list their products on your store, and focus on marketing and customer service to grow your business.

Remember to carefully manage your expenses and monitor your profit margins to ensure profitability.

How much you can make: $6,000 — $3,000,000/month

Time commitment per week: Min. 10 hours/week

Entrepreneur Kamil Sattar has developed multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses, and his company, e-commerce mentoring, specializes in helping others create their own successful companies, with favorite platforms including using Shopify and apps such as Loox reviews and SMSBump.

31. Start a content writing company

Content writing involves writing, editing, and publishing content in a digital format. Examples of content include a blog post, product description, and podcast script—eBooks, press releases, or landing page content.

Becoming a content writer allows you to work as your boss. Therefore, you choose whatever working schedule suits you and take a manageable workload. Moreover, content writing helps you develop essential skills you may not obtain from regular writing.

Content writing is a highly-on-demand service, as companies compete for the online audience who often begin their shopping journey by searching for relevant and educative content online. Therefore, a content writing company is an excellent source of passive income.

To start a content writing company in Sri Lanka, research the market and choose a suitable niche. Sketch a proper business plan and create a website. Hire a pool of talented writers and leverage modern technology to streamline operations.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $550,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $600 (?)

Scribly.io, a subscription-based copywriting service providing high quality content that helps businesses scale at roughly 50% of the cost of hiring in-house, created by Dani, a first-time entrepreneur who started with just a few hundred dollars worth of projects and with the help of three other writers; as of last month, Scribly.io topped $14K monthly revenue.

32. Start a healthy food processing business

With the growing preference for healthy and functional food, starting a healthy food processing plant can be rewarding.

The advancements in the food processing industry, innovation in processing technology, and continuous growth in demand for processed food are some excellent reasons to consider opening a healthy food processing business.

To start a healthy food processing plant, find out a market gap, and research the demand. Understand customers changing tastes and focus on offering the best throughout.

How much you can make: $52,944/month

Bluebird Provisions Bone Broth is North America's fastest-growing bone broth brand, doing 49,000 per month and growing 50% YoY, with 5000% growth in customer base since starting, thanks to an SEO-focused strategy, email marketing, referrals, and Amazon.

33. Start a restaurant

If you love cooking and are passionate about entrepreneurship, starting a restaurant can be a fun and lucrative business.

To get started, choose a great location, and hire an excellent support team. You will need a chef to inspect the food and line cooks, waiters, and waitresses to serve the customers. No matter the restaurant type, you need great culinary and business skills to make your dream come true.

If you plan to open a restaurant in Sri Lanka, gain insight from consumer preferences and focus on serving modern consumers what they need.

How much you can make: $124,998 — $2,000,000/month

One Life Meals is a Toronto-based healthy meal delivery service that made 14,500 meals per month and generated $130k in monthly sales in 2018 through their one-on-one consultation, lean protein and seasonal veggies-based meals, and their focus on the client experience.

34. Start a hotels business

If you are considering starting a hotel, then it is time to implement your plan. There are five key elements to understand if you want to succeed in this industry: location, size, budget, experience, and market demand.

Here are some tips to consider before forming a hotel:

• Name your business
• Decide on a marketing strategy
• Start by renting out a room in your home.
• Hire a business capital broker
• Make a marketing plan
• Offer complementary services

How much you can make: $15,000 — $500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 325 days (?)

Boyd Hollow Resorts is launching a 5-star boutique resort and event center based on a fiction book that will be the first of many Villages to be built around the world, with over 200 event inquiries received before launching.

35. Start a youtube channel

For anyone looking to start a successful YouTube channel, there are plenty of YouTube channel success stories that can be used as inspiration and encouragement. In addition, YouTube has an established monetization system and boasts incredible popularity, making it a potential platform for revenue generation.

In this article, we'll look at different approaches you can use to help promote your channel and grow your viewers. While there's no quick and easy way to success, you can take these tips to build your own YouTube Channel Success story. If you love content creation, you can capitalize on YouTube's popularity to earn extra income.

If you want to join the Youtube partner program to monetize your channel, you will need to reach a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months.

How much you can make: $800 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)

Learn how this entrepreneurial couple made $5-7k a month by helping others find legitimate work from home jobs and creative ways to make money online through their blog and YouTube channel, as well as offering two flagship products designed to help beginner freelancers and new bloggers accelerate growth.

36. Start a dog training business

Professional dog trainers can be an incredibly fulfilling profession, especially for dog lovers.

You can choose to work as an independent dog trainer or work under a company as a part-time trainer.

However, note that dog training takes more commitment for a part-time gig.

To get started, you need some education to understand how dogs behave and train them in new tricks. You will find tons of online resources on dog training.

Alternatively, you can work as an intern with local dog trainers to acquire the skills before setting up your dog training side hustle.

The average hourly rate for dog trainers is just over $50/ hr.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $8,000/month

Fraternityk9 dog training is an example of how Donald's passion for dog training turned into a $5k/month business, by utilizing platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and learning about sales and business to scale the process.

37. Start a grocery store

A grocery store sells a wide variety of food products, fresh or packaged, and other household & personal care items. The grocery store industry is the largest retail channel that makes $682 billion in the United States.

To start a basic grocery store, you can expect to spend a minimum of $50,000. Ideally, the bigger expense would be the rent, equipment, labor cost, cash registers/POS systems, and software. Some of these are recurring monthly fees. However, the location, size of the store, competitors, and local customers will significantly impact the business. A new grocer should sell more items for a lower price to make a more significant profit.

A new grocer can also save costs by buying the items from local distributors. The distributor is the middleman between the manufacturer and the grocery store selling it. Once the store cost and location are decided, the next step is to obtain a seller license. In most states, a grocer's license is required to run a grocery store.

Thus an average grocery store has a profit margin of 3% to 5%. The profit rates depend on the store's location, size, and popularity. On average, a small to medium grocery store can make a profit of up to $300,000 annually if all the profit factors are considered.

Another way to make your business more profitable is to diversify your store and add amenities like a coffee shop or stocking up the front of the store with magazines, batteries, etc., as these items can cross a margin of up to 70%. As a rule of thumb, offering lower prices on higher purchases will ultimately win more customers and increase profitability.

38. Start a tutoring or education business

When students have problems with their schoolwork, they turn to tutors for help.

Being a tutor awakens your entrepreneurial skills. Being your own boss allows you to set your own schedule and be more independent. You'll create lasting relationships with students and their parents. Last but not least: you get paid well!

How much you can make: $50 — $235,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $4,000 (?)

Online makeup academy, Vizio Makeup Academy, founded in 2011 by Anastasia Andreani and her partner, has enrolled over 3,300 students and generated $2.4M in revenue this year, by offering professional makeup courses online and creating their own cosmetic line.

39. Start a cannabis business

Have you ever thought of starting your own cannabis business?

The cannabis industry has been continuously growing throughout the years. The legal marijuana sales are projected to reach $22 billion by 2022.

No matter your level of experience, the cannabis industry has a lot to offer. There are inspiring stories of entrepreneurs that made it big in this particular industry.

How much you can make: $2,500 — $3,100,000/month

Plain Jane, an online CBD company founded by two college roommates, offers unique products and has generated over $20K a month in sales within five months, attracting and retaining customers through social media, authentic stories, and content.

40. Start an email marketing business

Email marketing is a popular and effective way for businesses to reach their target audience and promote their products or services.

With the rise of the internet and the increasing use of email as a communication tool, starting an email marketing business can be a lucrative and rewarding venture.

An email marketing business involves creating and sending marketing emails to a list of subscribers. The emails can be newsletters, promotional messages, or other types of content designed to engage and convert the recipient into a customer. The business owner is responsible for building and maintaining the email list, creating the content, and sending the emails using specialized software.

To start an email marketing business, you must have a strong understanding of marketing principles and a good grasp of best practices. This includes creating compelling subject lines, segmenting your email list, and analyzing your campaigns’ results. You will also need to be proficient in email marketing software like Mailchimp or Constant Contact.

To run a successful email marketing business, you must clearly understand your target audience and what they are interested in. This will help you create relevant and engaging content that resonates with your subscribers and encourages them to take action. A solid call to action in your emails is crucial, whether it’s visiting your website, making a purchase, or signing up for a newsletter. Starting an email marketing business requires marketing skills, expertise, and a willingness to learn and improve continuously. The right strategies and tools can be a rewarding and successful way to reach your target audience and grow your business.

How much you can make: $120 — $8,300,000/month

How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)

GMass, an email marketing platform that allows users to send cold emails and email marketing campaigns with Gmail, has attracted over 500,000 user signups, including major tech companies like Uber, LinkedIn, and Google, and now generates over $200K in monthly recurring revenue through a successful content marketing strategy and focused ad spend.

41. Start a social media marketing agency

Whether you want to clear your utility bills, finance your college education or save for a vacation, a social media marketing agency is one of the best ways to earn extra income. The advantage is that you do not need to commit so much time to automate using social media marketing tools. All you need to do is develop a good social media marketing strategy that will enable you to serve customers efficiently. Besides, you need to create an agency portfolio to market your services to target customers.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $500,000/month

Time commitment per week: Min. 30 hours/week

How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.

42. Start an online retail store

Starting an online retail store is straightforward. All you need is a computer, a domain, and a web hosting service. Then, determine a niche for your online store, and conduct product research before listing products.

You can start your online store based on a drop shipping business model or list your self-made products in your online store.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,000,000/month

A high school student turned his love for LEGO into a $1.6k/month business, Summerfield's Toys, by reselling sets online through eBay, BrickLink, and Facebook Marketplace, in addition to buying and reselling brand new sets.

43. Start a restaurant

44. start a stock video business.

Stock video is pre-filmed footage that can be purchased and used in various projects and films. Like stock photos, copyrighted stock videos cannot be used without permission and licensing from the rightful owner.

Businesses and filmmakers use licensed stock footage as they save money and hours, they would need to create original footage. Starting a stock video suitable for use in commercials and entertainment can be a great venture.

How much you can make: $10,000/month

How long does it take to build: 197 days (?)

VideoPlasty, an affordable and easy-to-use platform for buying pre-made stock animation elements and GIF images, has attracted over 600,000 visitors since its launch, with over $100k in revenue in 2020 alone, thanks to free organic traffic from YouTube tutorials and optimized SEO.

45. Start a CAD designing business

A CAD designer is a professional who specializes in Computer-Aided Design. They use CAD software to create designs for clients and projects.

The CAD design industry has been growing at a rapid pace over the last few years. As a result, the need for 3D modeling and rendering services has risen dramatically in recent years, with many industries looking to CAD designers for their expertise and creativity.

A good CAD designer should have a wide range of skills that will allow them to work on projects from start to finish, from initial concept through final production.

How much you can make: $6,500 — $20,000/month

How long does it take to build: 105 days (?)

A 3D CAD designer and product inventor who started as a side hustle and averaged $9,000 a month in revenue, shares his insights on the ups and downs of owning a service-based business alongside an eCommerce store, as well as lessons learned in customer acquisition and in generating multiple streams of passive income.

46. Start a business support services

Business support services offer continuous administrative, technical, and operational assistance to companies.

To begin this business, start by identifying core services such as virtual assistance, bookkeeping, web services, and equipment maintenance to provide clients.

Market your services by attending networking events, cold calling local businesses, using social media, and having a website that emphasizes reliability, expertise, and cost-effectiveness.

Focus on understanding every client's operations and needs to customize your services, maintain strong communication, and build long-term relationships.

Stay up-to-date on business practices, technologies, and methods to enable clients to improve efficiency and concentrate on core functions effectively.

How much you can make: $6,800/month

Hutch, founded by Fearless, is a 24-month program that helps minority and women entrepreneurs in government digital services; the program has had 9 graduates, 11 company founders in current two cohorts, and 20 companies within its portfolio.

47. Start a social media management business

Similar to virtual assistants, social media managers offer various services, including but not limited to:

• Developing a marketing strategy based on clients’ goals
• Setting up social media accounts
• Posting on behalf of their clients
• Coming up with strategies for increasing client’s social media following
• Marketing analysis.

To become a social media manager, know the various platforms and understand how they work so you can develop strategies that help clients reach their goals.

The beauty of working as a social media manager is that you can define your work schedule and choose what niches to work on.

How much you can make: $100 — $550,000/month

This case study is about how the founder of AdvertiseMint, a Facebook advertising agency, started the company with just one employee and has since grown it to 25 employees, managing close to $100 million in digital media buys for clients such as Coca-Cola and Viacom.

48. Start an online influencer business

An online influencer business is a company or service that gets products or services sold through popular online users. It can be a very lucrative form of marketing.

As technology has advanced, more and more influencer businesses are starting to rise. These are people or companies who become famous for being influential on various topics.

More and more companies are investing in online influencer marketing because this channel is successful for new product exposure or for sharing news about a brand through voice-overs on popular online videos. You can work with these online influencers in different ways including the use of affiliate marketing or product embeds with sponsorship.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $83,333/month

How long does it take to build: 145 days (?)

Discover how Philip Taylor built FinCon from scratch to a 3,000 attendee annual conference and achieved $1.6M in revenue in less than 10 years, by allowing customers to help build the event, fostering a sense of community, expanding offerings, pricing strategically, and surrounding himself with talented people.

49. Start a babysitting service

If you have some spare time at home, you can start babysitting services for couples who need extra support.

Here are the steps on how to start a babysitting business.

• Avail for training/credentials related to babysitting
• Register your business
• Apply for Licenses/Permits
• Open a bank account for business transactions

50. Start an online video editing business

Video editors manage camera footage, dialogue, sound effects, graphics, and special effects to produce the final film or video product. To become an online video editor, you must have media production and communication knowledge and the ability to work with others.

To start a video editing business, you can outsource video editing skills from an experienced professional. Your role will be to pick video footage from the customers and upload them for the video editor to do the magic.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $100,000/month

Saga, a private family podcast app, was founded to help families save the life stories of loved ones through audio and has raised $1.8 million in seed funding to date, has thousands of users across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and is set to launch on Android.

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30 Most Profitable Small Business Ideas in Sri Lanka for 2024

By digitalok marketing, may 4, 2020.

Are you fed up of stuck on a structural job? Yes, it doesn’t matter what your position is or how much you earn from your full-time job, once you explore becoming self-employed is even more beneficial than structural benefits with high pay. Becoming an entrepreneur is everyone’s dream, and it is on the majority’s bucket lists.

According to the Lord Buddha, “The mind is everything. What you think you become” . Never let the obstacles to nip in the bud.

Among so many small business ideas in Sri Lanka for 2024, you might get lost which are worth pursuing. So when it comes to new startups, e-commerce has done a major involvement in the global industry where Sri Lanka is still grasping the emerging strategies. With the help of digital marketing, you don’t need high-value investments or large business premises to be an entrepreneur. Sometimes you can conduct your own business just staying at home by using your laptop or the mobile phone or in another case you have to lease small business premises.

30 New & Best Small business ideas for 2024

To fire the first gunshot to start your small business idea in Sri Lanka is to have a proper and solid plan to execute. Conduct proper market analysis and find a niche market to gain more profit. A sound study of competitor analysis and their marketing strategies will pave the way to get a holistic idea of the business that you are going to involve.

When it comes to Funds, usually you can invest the current cash in hand, and when it expands, you can get financial aid from the government bank since they offer loans with less interest rate and extended payback period for the entrepreneurs.

In this masterpiece, you can discover 30 new and best small business ideas that are recommended to start in the year 2024.

1. Start an Online Business.

Since digital marketing is the newest trend in Sri Lanka, online business is the need of the hour. There are different genres you can choose and give more focus like;

• Ladies designer wears that have the greatest demand.
• homemade candles
• Handbags, paper bags. 
• Unique style of jewellery.
• Handmade organic soap varieties –going organic is the latest trend in Sri Lanka and so much popular on online businesses. 

Apart from the above, you can be a designer, illustrator, graphic designer, handle infographic and e-commerce, online coacher, etc.

Without having a single cent or a physical place, even you can start an online business just using your skills, and you can reach customers 24/7 online by replying to all their inquiries then and there. The payment method is so much secured since you can choose either cash on delivery or via a safe payment gateway.

The best thing Digital Okee Marketing provide in Sri Lanka best digital marketing solution you can achieve your online business goals affordable price.

2. Cooking and Baking 

“Home Made goodies”  are the most popular products online. The majority of the Sri Lankan community tends to purchase homemade stuffs online rather than purchasing from outside stores. 

All you need to own an oven to bake and the potential to cook yummy food to immerse the clients’ taste buds. Customized cakes, brownies, cookies are the most popular baking items, and lump rice and other traditional cooking items are few attractions among the online client base. It is a very competitive market since customers are seeking for various products with different tastes at a reasonable price range. The market is highly potential if you are keen on cooking and baking.

3. Babysitting / Childcare 

Nowadays, the majority of moms are working on a busy schedule. So their main concern is a safe child care centre. So it is in high demand. It is the most profitable way for housewives to earn extra income while staying at home and taking care of their babies. You can conduct the childcare centre in your own home or can lease small premises. 

If you feel that business is growing, you can get the involvement of other ladies. Investment for this business is very limited. You can get online lessons to conduct the childcare centre successfully. When your clients are more satisfied with the work, you will get more children to the centre via the recommendations. 

4. Pet Sitter 

Are you a pet lover? Looking for an idea to start a new business. So the potential is on your doorstep. Pet sitter is a niche market in Sri Lanka because the concept is novel. When the owners are travelling for holiday or business, their major concern is where to keep the pet safe while they are away.  

As a solution to their problem, you can start a pet sitting centre as your business. Large investment doesn’t require to engage in the business. You can start it at your home if you have a large space. You can sell pet food and earn extra income while taking care of them.  

5. Reading & Writing

Nowadays, everything can be done using various kinds of apps and software. The only thing still human brain need is creative writing or content writing. This is the most demanding online business. 

Without a single cent in hand, you can be a freelance content writer. The only thing you need is your laptop on the internet. But you have to have the potential for the writing to earn more. You can charge per word, per page, per hour, per month, per article wise after comparing the market prices. This is a never-ending business since client’s preferable ways are different.

So you can be;

• Blogger (you can have your blog or provide contents for the bloggers)
• Proofreader
• Content writer
• Marketing content (Subject knowledge is required)
• ORM Moderator ( Online Reputation Management / Facebook, Articles, Feedbacks reviews reply and delete negative comments)
• Transcription ( Doctors, Lawyers, authors & Chartered Accountant)

6 . Tourism Industry- ( Best small business idea in Sri Lanka)

Sri Lanka is a hidden gem for the tourism industry since it has numerous tourist attractions. Locals involved in the industry as their main fund earning way. 

For those who reside in rural villages with few tourist attractions can be tour guides to show every nook and corner for the strangers. So foreigners can get firsthand experience by mingling with the locals. Another way is you can start a travel agency where you can gather groups and arrange tours within Sri Lanka. You can arrange a unique local experience for the tourists, and they may wish to come back to you as well as tend to recommend for the others. Apart from this local food serving restaurants with the village-style may attract foreigners. You can earn a sound income with limited resources. 

7. Consultant / Advisor

This the greatest opportunity if you are a specialist in a particular field and have a passion for it. You can be a consultant or an advisor as a side business meantime doing the full-time job. It paves the way to obtain the maximum use of what you have studied. 

Charges depend on per hour, per day, per visit basis. If your specialized area is from a rare sector, you can charge a high amount. This is a stable income source and a high earning mode.

So you can involve in the following sectors;

• Social media advisor
• Dieting consultant
• Career consultant
• HR Consultant
• Organic Farming
• Fund Raising

8. Outsourcing for overseas – (Best small business idea in Sri Lanka)

BPO – Business Process outsourcing is a budding concept in Sri Lanka. It is a world-famous technique used by huge cooperate companies to reduce cost and time. You can establish a local company to serve foreign clients. 

You can act as a third-party service provider for their business needs. Most of the countries tend to involve as the business outsourcing partner due to the less labour cost. You will get paid in foreign currency. So it will affect the country’s foreign exchange ratio. BPO servicing is highly competitive, and by proving outstanding work experiences, you can gain more businesses. 

You can start the BOP services in Sri Lanka on the following genres;

– Designing Service – Web & App Development – Software Development – IT support – Accounting – Researching Service

9. Event, Party, Wedding Planner

This is the best small business idea in Sri Lanka. Nowadays, due to the busy lifestyle, people are seeking the help of a third-party planner. The client is providing their ideas and financial aid, so all you have to do is to execute them by satisfying them. You don’t want any financial investments for this business. 

You can build up acquaintances with the suppliers and able to offer a bundle package for the client. It is easy from the clients’ perspective as well as you can earn a bit more money. You can leverage the providing services to weddings, seminars, corporate events, birthday parties, baptisms, concerts, conferences, and other events by doing a diverse business. By fulfilling the customer requirements beyond the expected level, you can gain more businesses since the recommendations are highly important within this business category. 

10. Blogging

Have you aware that Blogging is the most viable source of income from diversified contents topics like travel, food, business, lifestyle and many more. So you can do Blogging as the main income mode by combining with email subscribers, affiliate marketing, blog sponsorships, ad sense, and other streams.

To fire the first gunshot, you have to gain both the technical background and understanding of the target audience as well as how to attract them online. You can refer to the online tutorials of successful bloggers. When you set up the blog, you can choose an affordable and user-friendly website hosting. So to grow the blog, you have to use the correct blogging tools to convince the reader.

11. Dropshipping 

This is the latest trend in the world. Perfect risk-free small home business idea for Sri Lanka. Without a big investment, you can start your own e-commerce business with fewer stocks in hand. The main feature of Dropshipping is you can order the product whenever the customer placed the order. Initially, you have to contact a few suppliers and come for an agreement with the required products. 

After that on your e-commerce site, you can display the items with the price, including your profit margin. Then you can promote your site using all- digital marketing strategies . Once the client placed the order, you can ask the supplier to deliver the product, and you can get the profit collectively. Never forget you can set the selling price as three times higher than the supplier price.

12. Food, Retail Item Delivery Business

Retail items and food delivery have become a compulsory option in today’s Sri Lankans’ life routine. Ex: Uber Eats is the most famous app on everyone’s mobile. It is a sort of courier service. You have to deliver the food from a restaurant or retail items from a store to the customer and obtain a delivery charge. The order is coming through a restaurant or the grocer’s website or an app. The service should provide under an agreement with the mentioned parties.

13. Interior Re Designer.

Never misunderstand the business idea. This is interior redesigning. This is the best opportunity for creative people who are keen on home designing. Instead of designing a new area with new furnishings and equipment, the redesigner creates a new look using existing items. They use whatever the homeowner owns, including purloined and rearranges it to give a completely different perfection. With limited resources, you can start this business very easily. This is a niche market for Sri Lanka and a novel concept. So it heads you to gain more revenue.

14. Start Direct Sales Consultant 

It is a convenient business to start. All you have to do is to sell a company’s goods or services to others and earn money. Good olden days, it used to sell the items during the household parties, but nowadays you can do them online. So there are two types in direct sales, one is direct marketing, and the other is MLM marketing.

 Direct marketing is a promotional model to present information of the company, product or service to the target audience without the involvement of middlemen for advertising. MLM marketing is also known as multilevel marketing is one of the strategies used by the direct sales companies to encourage the existing distributor channel to recruit new distributors and pay them a percentage of their recruits’ sales. Health and beauty products are the most successful direct sales. 

15. Wedding, Event Photography.

Wedding, Event Photography is the most competitive business ideas in Sri Lanka. Most photographers are charging premium rates. Every couple wants to capture their most important event in life in an amazing way. So if you are talented, they never hesitate to pay you what you demand. Apart from the wedding, you can do photography on events, and Pre shoots as well. The business mainly grows by word of mouth. So references and recommendations play major roles. Satisfying your client is the key component to establish a name in the industry. 

16. Ayurveda Herbal Product Manufacturer 

Again a new trend has developed in Sri Lanka to use Ayurveda herbal products. Still, the market is developing. It is a potential market where you can earn a sound income. Sri Lanka is a pool of resources for this business since you can find the ingredients everywhere. You can obtain the necessary aid from Ayurveda research centres. You can manufacture from skincare products to varieties of oils, soaps, shampoos, etc. The market is open, with lots of opportunities for the best quality products.

17. Imported products.

The majority of Sri Lankans prefer to use imported products. Voila, you can grab the opportunity. If you are travelling for personal or business, you can grab some products which can be sold locally. If not you ask someone to bring down the items if they are coming from abroad. These items you can sell at a lesser cost since they don’t incur any additional shipping cost. Fragrances, cosmetics, liquor varieties, chocolates, food items, fancy wears, and t-shirts are some of the highly demanded imported products.

  18. Manpower supply

Manpower supply another successful small business idea in Sri Lanka. The unemployment rate is increasing but still for some work, locals unable to find the labourers. So you can find few labours with different expertise and provide the service who require them. As an example of constructions, supply helpers. If you are capable enough, the clients will contact you for all their labour necessaries. Building relationships is the key factor in this business. You don’t want to have a big investment to start this business. 

19. Sub Construction Company

Sri Lanka is the best place to conduct small scale businesses. You can establish a sub-contract firm where you can obtain contracts from the main company with a profit margin and complete the task on the requested date with agreed prices. As an example, construction companies delegate tasks for the sub-construction company to meet the deadlines if they are lagging behind the schedule. This is a good way to gain a higher revenue without prior investment. 

20. Stationery supply 

Stationary is a mass market. Everybody is using some sort of stationary without an age limit. Writing materials, envelopes, writing implements, foam papers, and other office stationery supplies can be categorized as fast-moving items. So you can start a business to collect these items from small scale manufactures and supply them to officers, schools, stores and whoever required them. Since you are directly purchasing from the manufacture, you can keep a profit margin and sell them to the ultimate end customer. 

21. Air conditioner maintenance

Nowadays, Air Conditioners are compulsory equipment in officers, homes, shopping malls and, etc. even though their products, there is less expertise to maintain them. Thus who are in the business have a greater demand that they are unable to handle. So it is a greater opportunity for you if you are an expert in that subject. Since the demand is high, you will get paid more than the industry prices. Satisfying more clients will pave the way to gain more income.

22. Skin and beauty treatment-(Small business idea for men and women)

Especially skin and beauty treatment is an ideal small business in Sri Lanka. Majority working men and women tend to use third party places for the treatments. First, you have to gain knowledge and passion for this industry. Without basic awareness, you are unable to start this business. Background investment should be made to purchase the required equipment. The return of your investment can be done within a few years. If you are giving the best and quality service, clients will visit you frequently. 

23. Agriculture

After the civil war finished, locals tend to involve in more agriculture-related things. So it is high time for farming. If you have the potentials, ways have been to open export the crops too. For Agriculture, state banks are allowing loans that can be paid after a grace period and low-interest rate. Government agriculture office is there to help with expert knowledge. Food city chains like Cargills purchasing directly from farmers at a reasonable price. So without any hassle, you can sell the products and gain a profit. 

Also, you can export coconuts related products & virgin coconut oil .

24. Mobile phone repair/ accessories/ recharge / Mobile selling

Everyone is using Mobile phones without an age limit. It has become an essential device. Mobile phone repairing is a rare service to find. So it is a potential market. But you need to have a ground knowledge for mobile repairing. Apart from repairing, you can sell mobile accessories, recharge and latest mobiles selling on the same roof. Sometimes people who come to repair the mobile may tend to purchase a new device or extra accessories. Recharge service is really helpful for travellers and for those who need to charge the mobiles in an urgent situation. 

25. Instagram Influencer 

Instagram has been gaining impressive progress during the past recent years. It has become the most important social media platform in today’s life structure. So Instagram influencer refers to the person who creates and shares content, building communities based on various topics. You can cover travel, cooking, fashion, beauty, photography, and so much of the topic since it is a visual platform. Once you start as an Instagram influencer, you can start increasing the number of followers for your account. Uniqueness and authenticity are the keys to success as an Instagram influencer. 

26. You Tuber

Have you aware that the majority of people use youtube as an entertainment mode to relief from stress. So it is an excellent opportunity to use YouTube as a legitimate business idea. So you can create entertaining videos with a value, you can grow thousands of subscribers for the channel. 

The videos you are uploading can generate an income with the advertisements that display on the video. Annually, you tubers are earning a pretty income around the world, so there is a clear potential to grow up in this business by creating the right content to the target audience, maintaining the quality with skills, timing, and relationships. 

27. CCTV & surveillance

With the inflation rate, so many thefts are happening due to unemployment and lack of a stable income. So people are now becoming more security conscious. They want the protection for the house and the family to avoid theft, rape and other sorts of crimes. 

The newest trend is to fix CCTV and surveillance cameras at the officers, homes and other buildings. You can import all these items at a low cost and charge from the client, including the fixing charges. 

28. Making Wooden Toys.

People are practising a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Manufacturing food toys is a unique small business idea in Sri Lanka. Still, the concept is not familiar and has a niche market. You can collect the wooden pieces which are throwing from Milles. Those will not cost you much. So creativity is the success of the business easy and very convenient business with a big investment. You can sell your products online as well.

29. Recycling Plastic 

Plastic recycling is reprocessing waste plastic into useful products or sometimes completely something different. People tend to buy recycled products. So you can collect all the waste plastic and recycle them into an amazing product. For example, MAS manufactured t-shirts from the plastics found in the sea. If you are talented and think out of the box, the sky is the limit. You can take financial aid from the government since plastic is a major issue in the current scenario.

30. Curry Powder Making

The compulsory component in Sri Lankan cuisine is curry powder. There is a high demand for quality curry powder. So you can start the business without any hassle since you can find all the ingredients so easily. Initially, you have to find the traditional curry powder ingredients and start producing the authentic product. You have to find the best possible ways for the packaging and distribution channel. For the implementation process, you have to get a small investment. Nowadays, the government is allowing loans for small scale entrepreneurs with less interest.

Extra: Freelancing Agency

Freelancing is a new concept for Sri Lanka. You can work freelance while doing your regular job or you can involve in full time. Depend on your talents and skills, and there are plenty of websites you can get registered without any fee and get work.  www.upwork.com  ,   www.fiver.com  are few well-renowned freelancing websites.

 Once you get registered, you can maintain your profile and bid for the published works. If the clients have chosen you, directly can be dealt with him. Payment methods are flexible and secured. The more work you do, you will be able to earn as much as possible. There is no limit for some freelancers who earn millions annually. 

Small Business Ideas Sri Lanka Conclusion

This article bought you the best possible ideas to start a new business in Sri Lanka within 2024. Still, we are at the beginning of the year. The wait is over. It’s a high time to plan your own business without doing a boring day to work. Especially you can earn more money. 

Before entering into the new venture, it is always advisable to legitimate your business. So it helps to get financial and expertise aid without any hassle. Without investing your money blindly, make sure you are fully armed with the required skill to function in the business fully. 

If this article is missing your choice for the best business ideas, share your comments. Have a look for the other articles. There is a lot more to learn. We are always there for you to give the proper guidance.

Bonne Chance!!! Good Luck!

Follow up on our latest update

• Top 7 Effective Marketing strategies in Sri Lanka
• List of Top IT Companies in Sri Lanka 2024.

13 Comments

Thank you for sharing valuable posts about small business ideas. I also want to do start a small business in Sri Lanka without much more investment. So please suggest me how to do it.

Thank You Roshan

Hi Great Article. Very insightful

I think those are perfect business ideas

A very big salute to Mr.Chinthaka Samaraweera for a outstanding article. Thank you very for your ideas.

I think this covers almost all the modern business ideas women can start working on.

Thank you Sahan Dananjaya

I always wanted do a business but i didn’t have a idea which is it but now I’m having some kind of idea after reading this article thank you guys.

This is very thoughtful and it helps people to think their own talents and start their own business. Thank you for giving the ideas.

Thank you so much. Its very Good. Well Done and great work

Your service will be complete if you introduce the places and people where you can get the necessary training on small industries. Thank you so much for that

Thank you, Nihal and I will consider your idea.

very good article which boosts entrepreneur to start a new business.

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With the financial crisis and the instability of traditional employment opportunities, many citizens of Sri Lanka are turning to entrepreneurship and small business ownership as a way to gain financial independence. However, starting a small business can be complicated and intimidating, especially for those who have yet to gain experience in the area. Fortunately, this guide has all the necessary information to help you get started with your small business in Sri Lanka.

Table of Contents

How to come up with a business idea

We’ve seen many individuals in Sri Lanka start their businesses just because someone they know suggested it or they heard that a certain business was profitable. But this is probably the main reason why many businesses fail – it’s not because they weren’t given the right advice or lacked resources, but rather because they didn’t have a well-thought-out plan.

So if you’re thinking of setting up a small business in Sri Lanka, the first step is to come up with the idea that you’re passionate about. Do your research, identify a need in the market that you can fill, and figure out what makes your business unique. Check if it is a problem-solving startup that can bring a new and innovative solution to the market or something more traditional.

Ultimately you must consider if it is profitable and financially viable. Calculate the cost of startup expenses, such as licenses, materials, equipment, and marketing costs. If your business idea fits within a realistic budget, you can start to create a business plan.

If you still don’t have any business ideas, here are some profitable ideas to think about:

01. An online store or retail business 02. Export-import business (There is a demand for dehydrated products and spices) 03. Food delivery service 04. A home-based business 05. Event planning business 06. Restaurant, café, or catering business 07. A cleaning service 08. Pet-sitting or pet grooming business 09. Home repair business

No matter what kind of business you decide to start, be sure to check if it is something you are passionate about. This will make it easier to stay motivated and work hard to achieve your goals.

Creating a Business Plan – Small Business In Sri Lanka

Creating a business plan involves three main steps.

Market Research

First, you should analyze the competitors so that you can better understand what makes your product or service unique. Research the pricing and competition and find out who your target customers might be.

Then validate your business idea by releasing a minimum viable product or beta version to get feedback from potential customers. If your samples are sold within a month, then your idea has potential.

Execution Plan

Once you have validated your business idea, you need to come up with an execution plan. This includes budgeting for marketing and advertising, hiring staff, choosing the right logistics partners, and so on. A good execution plan can make or break a business. So, choose wisely.

Spot Analysis

It would help if you also took note of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. This will help you understand your market better and how to make your business work better, even when times are tough. With the information you gathered, you can make informed decisions to keep your business going and growing.

Fund your business

Now that you have a proper business plan and insights into the market, you need to figure out how to fund your business. There are quite a few funding options available in Sri Lanka.

Personal wealth – This option is the most straightforward and involves using your own wealth to fund the business.

01. Venture capitalists / Investors – This is a riskier option as venture capitalists will take an equity stake in the business and expect a return on their investment.

02. Loan – Taking out a loan is another way of funding your business. You need a good credit score and be able to show that you can pay the loan back.

You can also opt for crowdfunding if you are targeting an international market. This involves setting up a campaign on a crowdfunding platform such as Kickstarter or Indiegogo and raising money from people who believe in your product. However, it may be more beneficial to look for local investors or banks for local businesses.

No matter which option you choose, make sure that you have a clear plan and strategy in place to ensure that you will be able to repay your investors or loans. This will not only help you get the funds you need, but it will also improve your credit score and show potential investors that you are serious about making your business a success.

Register your business

Now comes the legal part. Depending on your business type, you may need to take extra steps and register your business. If you’re looking to register your small business in Sri Lanka, there are three options available for you, sole proprietorship, Partnership, and Private Limited registration. However, most businesses choose sole Proprietorship or Private Limited registration as they are the easiest options.

Sole Proprietorship

The sole proprietorship is suitable for individuals who want to run a business on their own. This type of business registration is unincorporated, meaning it has no separate legal entity, and the owner is the business. This is the simplest and least expensive form of legal business registration available in Sri Lanka.

01. Cheap registration fee.

02. Ability to open a bank account under your business name.

03. Flexible business structure.

04. No requirement for minimum capital to start a business.

05. No need to file any document at the Department of Registrar of Companies.

01. All income generated will be considered your personal revenue. Therefore, you are liable to pay taxes on the business income.

02. You won’t have a separate legal entity, so you will bear all the responsibilities and liabilities of the business. (This means you’ll have to use your own assets to pay off in case of a lawsuit or bankruptcy.)

03. You can’t sign any contracts with investors.

04. Limited access to bank loans and other funding options.

05. The death of the owner ends the business.

How to register a sole-proprietorship business in Sri Lanka?

To register a sole-proprietorship small business in Sri Lanka, you’ll need to visit the provincial council in your area. Once you visit and explain the kind of business you’re setting up, the authorities will provide you with a bunch of forms to fill out.

They will also ask for some documents in order to apply for business registration. This will include but not be limited to an application form, a grama sewa certificate, A copy of NIC, and legal documents of your business premises (if the premises is not owned by you, you’ll also need to provide a lease agreement or a consent letter), affidavit of the initial capital of the business, and other documents required depending on your business type.

It will take around one week to several months to collect all of these documents, depending on the time you are willing to spend getting them. Once everything is all set, submit them to the provincial council with the registration fee. Depending on the initial capital of the business, you’ll have to pay around 500-3000 rupees.

Once the application is accepted, you’ll be given a registration certificate with an official stamp in 10-15 days. You are now ready to launch your business.

Private Limited Company

Private Limited companies are a more popular alternative to sole proprietorships as they provide more protection against personal liability and offer more flexibility with regard to management structure.

01. Limited liability – owners and shareholders are not personally liable for the company’s debts or obligations, providing greater financial security to those involved.

02. Investor friendly – investors may feel more secure investing in a business that provides longevity and stability beyond the death of an owner or partner, making private limited companies more attractive to potential investors.

03. Easier access to funding – lenders and investors often prefer to invest in businesses registered as private limited companies, giving these businesses better access to financial resources.

04. Easy to register as an importer or exporter – government procedures for registering a business as a private limited company are less complex than those for sole proprietorships or partnerships, allowing faster registration as an importer or exporter when required.

05. Higher credibility – customers, and suppliers may view your business more positively if it is registered as a private limited company due to its established structure and standards of corporate governance, leading to increased trust in your services or products.

01. Cost: Registration of a private limited company in Sri Lanka is a costly process as it involves legal fees and other expenses related to filing and maintaining corporate documents.

02. Legal Requirements: Companies registered as PLCs in Sri Lanka have to comply with various statutory regulations, such as filing annual returns, auditing accounts, and so on, which can be time-consuming and expensive.

03. Limited Liability Protection: Although private limited companies offer some protection against personal liability, they may not provide complete protection in certain cases.

04. Difficulties for Ownership Transfer: Private limited companies impose restrictions on the transfer of ownership, which makes it difficult to pass ownership from one person to another without the permission of all shareholders.

05. Lack of Flexibility: Private limited companies lack flexibility when compared to other types of business entities, such as sole proprietorships or partnerships. The directors are required to adhere to certain rules and regulations, which can limit the ability of the business to adapt quickly and innovate.

How to register a private limited business in Sri Lanka?

To register a private limited company, you’ll have to head over to The Department of the Registrar of Companies . They offer an online registration portal where you can register your company in a few simple steps. You’ll first need to check out the availability of your business name through the portal and reserve it if available (Rs.2500 fee will be charged for this).

You can begin the company registration process after the business name is approved. You’ll be required to enter the stakeholders, directors, company secretary, and shareholder details during the process. The next step will be to download and fill out Form 1 – Company registration, Form 18 – Consent of the directors, and Form 19 – Consent of the company secretary. Along with these documents, you’ll have to submit an Article of Association to finish the registration process. You’ll be required to pay around Rs.8000 for the registration.

It will take around 2-3 weeks to get the approval. Once you get the approval, you’ll have to give public notice about the registration of your company. The notice must include details such as the name of the company, its registered address, and the names of all stakeholders, along with their addresses.

Once all this is done, you can follow the process of opening a corporate bank account and get the documents attested. When you’re done with all this, your company will be officially registered, and you can begin conducting business.

Branding the business

Many newly established businesses skip this step, but it is one of the essential parts of any business. A good brand can help you stand out from the competition and give customers the confidence they need to purchase. Branding your business will also help you create trust and loyalty with customers, which can be beneficial in the long run.

When branding your business, you have two options.

01. Branding your business name

02. Branding your product/s

The branding process is called trademark registration which is a process used to protect your branding from being copied or misused by other businesses. You can register trademarks through the National Intellectual Property Office .

Establish a name and logo for your business / products.

The business / product name should be easy to pronounce, spell, and remember. It should also be unique so that it is clear from other brands. Especially you must check if the same name already exists and make sure the logo you choose is visually appealing and doesn’t infringe on any existing trademarks. Since the logo is an integral part of your branding, you’ll want to ensure it reflects your business’s values and personality. It should also be versatile enough that it can be used on various products and platforms. Professional logo designers can help you with this task.

Create a website and social media profiles.

Having a website and social media profiles is also essential for businesses today. Not only do they enable customers to learn more about your business, but they also build trust and credibility. A good website should be optimized for both desktop and mobile devices, contain a clear call-to-action and feature information about your products and services. You can get help setting up your website and social media profiles from web designers .

Marketing your Business

A business can not run successfully without properly marketing it. It is vital to have a well-thought-out plan for how your business will be marketed in order to maximize its potential. As for marketing your business, it can be done through both offline and online marketing channels.

Offline Marketing

Offline marketing is any advertising or promotion done away from the internet. This includes television, radio, print advertisements, and direct mail to reach potential customers. Offline marketing is an excellent way to reach a large number of customers, but it can be expensive.

Online Marketing

Online marketing is the use of digital channels such as websites, search engines, social media, and email to reach potential customers. Online marketing can be done relatively cheaply compared to offline marketing and can be used to reach a much wider audience. It’s also easier to track the effectiveness of your online campaigns, which can help you refine your strategies for future success.

Both offline and online marketing is important to the success of a business, but there are some distinct advantages to online marketing. For example, it’s incredibly cost-effective when compared to traditional means of marketing such as TV and radio adverts. You can also use online marketing to target specific customers and demographics, allowing businesses to focus their efforts on those most likely to purchase their goods or services. Finally, online marketing is highly measurable and adaptive, allowing you to make changes quickly in response to customer feedback or trends.

No matter the size of your business, online marketing should be an important part of your overall strategy. From creating a professional website to engaging with customers on social media, online marketing offers a range of opportunities to reach your target audience and measure the success of your campaigns.

At Gavi, we offer a range of services to help local businesses get the most out of their online and offline marketing efforts. Our team of experienced design professionals can design a custom package that suits your business’ budget and objectives. We know the importance of staying on top of the latest trends and technologies, so our team constantly stays abreast of new digital marketing developments.

So, if you need any help with your digital marketing campaigns , such as creating and managing social media accounts, developing content strategies, optimizing websites for search engine visibility, or analyzing performance metrics – just give us a call. We’re here to help you achieve your goals and make the most of your digital marketing budget. Get in touch today and let us work together to create a customized package that perfectly suits your needs.

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Best 14 Business Ideas to Get Started in Sri Lanka

By Fernando Raymond

Table of Contents

Are you tired of being confined to a traditional job structure? Regardless of your current position or income level, the allure of self-employment transcends the confines of a structured job and often proves to be more advantageous. The dream of becoming an entrepreneur resonates with many, finding a place on most bucket lists.

Sri Lanka is a growing economy. Over a decade, 748 new startups started ; the estimated 2025 is more than 1000 new startups in Sri Lanka. The best option for your startup is as it is a strategic location and has tourism potential, too. Here are some of the online and offline business ideas for startups in Sri Lanka:

Here are some of the best Ways to start your Business in Sri Lanka:

Top online business ideas, 1. become a blogger.

If you are passionate about writing about various topics, you must have thought of writing blogs for your target audience. It’s a two-way process where you will get the opportunity to explore multiple niches along with earning a decent amount of money. This is even beneficial for your readers as they are getting useful information from your blogs. To start with this you need to know more details about the ways to earn money from blogging . This is one of the most demanding start-up ideas for writing enthusiasts.

A more convenient approach to start your blogging journey and generate income is by enrolling in an online course . This enables you to grasp the intricacies of the process, breaking it down into manageable bits and pieces.

2. Become an Instagram Influencer

In recent years, Instagram has experienced remarkable growth, solidifying its position as the most significant social media platform in today’s societal landscape. An Instagram influencer is an individual who develops and shares content, fostering communities around diverse topics such as travel, cooking, fashion, beauty, and photography, leveraging the visual nature of the platform. Building a follower base is a key step for aspiring Instagram influencers, with success hinging on the elements of uniqueness and authenticity in their content.

Get inspired here:

9 Top UK Wellness Influencers Running a Healthy Online Business

3. Start a Freelancing Business

Freelancing holds significant promise as a viable business startup idea in Sri Lanka, offering flexibility and opportunities for diverse income streams. As a freelancer, one can engage in various types of work, such as content writing, graphic design, programming, digital marketing, and virtual assistance. This flexibility allows individuals to leverage their skills and expertise while catering to a global clientele.

Earning avenues in freelancing include project-based fees, hourly rates, and long-term contracts. With the rise of remote work and the gig economy, freelancing provides a platform for Sri Lankans to establish their businesses, tapping into a global marketplace and contributing to the country’s economic growth.

These platforms connect freelancers with clients worldwide, providing a vast array o

Platforms like Upwork, Freelancer.com, and other top freelance marketplaces serve as excellent starting points for aspiring entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka to kickstart their freelancing business opportunities in various fields such as listed here:

22 Best Side Hustles UK: You Can Work from Home on the Side to Make Money

4. Become a YouTuber

Being the largest video search engine in the world, YouTube has opened a golden opportunity for people all across the globe to learn and earn. With millions of viewers tuning in daily, YouTube offers a vast audience eager for unique content. Whether you’re a travel enthusiast, a cooking maestro, or a gaming guru, YouTube provides a platform to showcase your talents. Through engaging content, consistent uploads, and strategic use of keywords, one can attract subscribers and monetize their channel . From ad revenue to brand partnerships, the avenues for income are diverse.

YouTube isn’t just a video-sharing platform; it’s a gateway to turning your creativity into a thriving source of income while connecting with a global audience. So, grab your camera, unleash your creativity, and let YouTube become your stage for success!

5. Get into Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a dynamic and profitable avenue for individuals looking to generate income online. In today’s digital landscape, entrepreneurs can collaborate with businesses to promote their products or services using unique affiliate links. As affiliates drive traffic or sales through these links, they earn a commission, resulting in a mutually beneficial relationship between the affiliate and the business. The beauty of affiliate marketing is its versatility; one can delve into niches that they are passionate about, such as tech gadgets or lifestyle products.

Building trust with your audience, strategically selecting products to promote, and using effective marketing techniques are all important components of affiliate marketing success. With numerous affiliate programmes available, ranging from global e-commerce behemoths to niche-specific platforms, affiliate marketing offers a scalable and accessible pathway.

Learn more here:

How to Start an Affiliate Blog with WordPress

6. Start a Digital Marketing Agency

Digital marketing has emerged as an essential tool for businesses navigating the online landscape, offering a multifaceted approach to reaching and engaging with a diverse audience. Businesses can build a strong online presence by leveraging digital channels like social media, search engines, email, and content marketing. Digital marketing agencies offer services that include search engine optimisation (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, and email campaigns. It enables businesses to target specific demographics, track campaign effectiveness, and adapt strategies in real-time. The democratisation of digital platforms has made them available to businesses of all sizes, providing a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

Search the best companies in a tech hub like London for example to know their hiring process here .

7. Offer Support with Social Media Management

Social Media presence is essential for every business today, from big brands to new startups to celebrities seeking to establish a strong online presence with their audience and collaborate with brands as celebrities. Social media marketing and management provides services for clients, such as setting up social media accounts for clients, creating posts and posting them on behalf of the business, analysing the market for clients, and creating marketing strategies for increasing clients’ followers.

Starting a social media management business involves leveraging your expertise in creating and curating engaging content, implementing strategies for audience growth, and ensuring a positive digital presence for clients. By offering services such as audience engagement, brand visibility enhancement, marketing and promotion campaigns, reputation management, and insightful analytics, you become the go-to resource for businesses aiming to thrive on social platforms. As a social media manager, income potential arises from retainer fees, project-based contracts, and additional services like running paid advertising campaigns. Building a reputation for effectively navigating the ever-changing social media landscape can lead to long-term client relationships and increased income as businesses increasingly recognize the value of a strong and strategic social media presence.

8. Sell Online Courses

To reach your target audience, use local social media platforms, collaborate with influencers, and employ SEO tactics. Offer flexible pricing plans, which may include discounts for early enrollees. In addition, offer ongoing support through discussion forums or live Q&A sessions. As the course gains popularity, consider expanding into related topics or providing advanced courses. Course enrollment fees can be used to generate revenue, with the possibility of earning more from related services such as personalised coaching or downloadable resources. With hard work and a well-structured course, you can help shape the online education landscape in Sri Lanka while also generating a steady income.

9. Start a Podcast Business

Launching a podcast business on a budget entails several essential steps. Begin by selecting a niche or topic that aligns with your passion and possesses a potential audience. Acquire basic recording equipment, such as a microphone and headphones, without breaking the bank. Click here to discover how we at SeekaHost started our podcast to get inspired.

Top Offline Business Ideas

10. open a restaurant.

To get started, choose a great location, and hire an excellent support team. You’ll need a chef to inspect the food, as well as line cooks, waiters, and waitresses to serve customers. To make your dream come true, you must have excellent culinary and business skills, regardless of the restaurant type.

If you want to open a restaurant in Sri Lanka, learn about consumer preferences and focus on giving modern customers what they need. The investment required for this business depends on various factors such as the scale of the business, location, equipment, marketing, and other operational costs.

Licensing is another important factor that needs to be taken into consideration. Common licences include business licences, health permits, zoning permits, and industry-specific licences, such as food handling permits for restaurants or professional licences for certain services. It’s crucial to research and obtain the necessary licences to ensure compliance with local regulations and legal requirements.

11. Start a Boutique

Success in the boutique business hinges on the owner’s ability to bring creativity and passion to the forefront. Being able to curate a unique and appealing collection of clothing is essential to stand out in the competitive fashion market. For those with a keen eye for trends and a genuine love for fashion, owning and managing a boutique can be a fulfilling and rewarding entrepreneurial experience. The process of starting a boutique is relatively straightforward and can be handled by a single individual.

Moreover, compared to other business endeavours, a boutique demands a smaller initial capital investment. If you are planning to start a small boutique a very minimal investment is required for a boutique space rent and the material procurement. Boutique owners typically source clothing from various sources, including wholesale purchases from fashion distributors, direct collaborations with independent designers, and trade shows.

12. Offer Interior Redesigning Services

Never misinterpret the business idea. This is an interior redesign. This is an excellent opportunity for creative individuals who are interested in home design. Instead of designing a new space with new furniture and equipment, the designer creates a new look with existing items.

They take whatever the homeowner owns, and rearrange them to create a completely different perfection. With limited resources, you can easily start this business. This is a novel concept and a niche market in Sri Lanka. As a result, it drives you to increase your revenue. It requires your skill to re-utilize the existing furniture and aesthetics. You need to create a strong online presence for your business to attract potential clients and also to promote your expertise.

AI tools like AutoCAD, SketchUp, and Roomy, offer features like 3D modelling, virtual staging, and space planning to enhance the efficiency and creativity of interior redesign projects.

13. Get into a Dropshipping Business

Using the dropshipping business concept, you may sell goods to clients without keeping stock. Rather, you purchase the dropshipping products from a third-party provider upon a customer’s purchase, and the supplier sends it straight to the consumer.

Pick a speciality or product category to offer to launch a dropshipping business on a tight budget. Next, use systems like Shopify or WooCommerce to build up an online store. Next, locate trustworthy vendors on marketplaces such as AliExpress, add their merchandise to your shop, and concentrate on advertising and client support to expand your enterprise.

14. Offer Support with Event Planning

Conduct market research to identify the specific needs and preferences of your clientele. Understanding of client demands such as decor, themes, and entertainment. Connecting with the local community and industry will help you know more about your industry and build your network. It can be a good source of income in Sri Lanka’s economy because of tourist participation in the events.

In conclusion, the diverse business ideas presented offer a spectrum of opportunities for entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. From blogging and freelancing to YouTube, digital marketing, and crowdfunding, individuals can explore their passions while creating sustainable income streams. Whether delving into the culinary arts, fitness coaching, interior redesigning, dropshipping, or event planning, the key lies in leveraging local insights and embracing innovation. As the entrepreneurial spirit continues to thrive, these business ventures have the potential to contribute not only to personal success but also to the economic growth of Sri Lanka.

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Generating a Business Idea for Sri Lankan Startups

Introduction:.

In the dynamic world of entrepreneurship, generating a viable business idea is the first crucial step for Sri Lankan startups. A great business idea forms the foundation for success, but it can be challenging to come up with innovative concepts that align with the local market and cater to the needs of customers. In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through the process of generating a business idea specifically tailored for Sri Lankan startups.

Step 1: Identify Your Passion and Interests

Start by exploring your personal passions and interests. What are you truly enthusiastic about? Consider your hobbies, skills, and areas of expertise. Identifying areas that genuinely excite you will not only fuel your motivation but also increase your chances of building a successful business in the long run.

Step 2: Research Market Needs and Trends

Conduct thorough market research to understand the needs, problems, and emerging trends within the Sri Lankan market. Study consumer behavior, analyze industry reports, and explore online platforms to gain insights into gaps and opportunities. Look for areas where demand is high but supply is limited or where existing solutions can be improved upon.

Step 3: Brainstorm and Generate Ideas

Gather a team or engage in solo brainstorming sessions to generate a wide range of business ideas. Encourage creativity and open-mindedness during this process. Use techniques like mind mapping, idea listing, and concept association to spark new possibilities. Consider diverse industries, sectors, and niches while exploring potential ideas.

Step 4: Evaluate Feasibility and Viability

Once you have a list of potential business ideas, evaluate their feasibility and viability. Assess the market demand, competition, scalability, and financial potential of each idea. Consider factors such as initial investment requirements, resource availability, and potential profitability. Weed out ideas that are not realistic or sustainable in the Sri Lankan context.

Step 5: Validate Your Idea

Validate your business idea by seeking feedback from your target audience. Conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups to gauge their interest, pain points, and willingness to pay for your product or service. Use their feedback to refine and iterate your idea, ensuring that it resonates with your potential customers.

Step 6: Develop a Unique Value Proposition

Craft a compelling unique value proposition (UVP) for your business idea. Clearly define how your product or service will address customer needs and stand out from competitors. Emphasize the unique benefits and advantages that your startup brings to the market. Your UVP should communicate a clear value proposition and resonate with your target audience.

Step 7: Create a Business Plan

Once you have a solid business idea and a well-defined UVP, it’s time to create a comprehensive business plan. Outline your business model, target market, marketing strategies, operational structure, and financial projections. Include a thorough analysis of the competitive landscape and potential risks. A well-crafted business plan will serve as a roadmap for your startup’s future growth and development.

Step 8: Seek Mentorship and Guidance

Seek mentorship and guidance from experienced entrepreneurs or industry experts who can provide valuable insights and advice. Join startup communities, attend networking events, and connect with like-minded individuals who can offer support and guidance throughout your entrepreneurial journey.

Step 9: Start Building Your Startup

With a validated business idea, a solid plan, and a network of supporters, it’s time to start building your Sri Lankan startup. Take the necessary steps to register your business, set up a legal structure, secure funding if needed, and assemble a skilled team. Stay agile, adapt to market feedback, and continuously iterate your business model as you progress.

Step 10: Business name registration – Protect your brand

Registering your business name typically grants you exclusive rights to use that name within your jurisdiction and industry. This means other businesses cannot use a similar name that could cause confusion among customers.

In summary, business name registration is crucial for legal compliance, branding, protection of your business identity, and establishing trust with customers, partners, and financial institutions. It provides the foundation for your business to operate smoothly and grow successfully. read more how to register your business

Conclusion:

Generating a business idea for Sri Lankan startups requires a systematic approach that combines personal passion, market research, creativity, validation, and planning. By following this step-by-step guide, you can increase your chances of developing a viable and successful business idea. Remember, entrepreneurship is a journey, and the key to success lies in perseverance, adaptability, and relentless pursuit of innovation.

Certainly! Here are some example business ideas that are relevant to the Sri Lankan market:

• Eco-Friendly Packaging Solutions: With increasing environmental concerns, there is a growing demand for sustainable packaging materials and solutions. You can explore the production and distribution of eco-friendly packaging options made from biodegradable or recyclable materials.
• Agri-Tech Solutions: Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector offers opportunities for technological advancements. Consider developing innovative agri-tech solutions such as smart farming tools, crop monitoring systems, or online marketplaces connecting farmers directly with consumers.
• Health and Wellness Services: Sri Lankans are increasingly focused on personal health and well-being. You can establish a health and wellness center offering services such as yoga, meditation, fitness classes, nutritional counseling, or alternative therapies.
• Online Tutoring Platform: With the rise of e-learning, creating an online tutoring platform that connects students with qualified tutors can be a lucrative business idea. Offer specialized subject tutoring or language learning courses to cater to specific educational needs.
• Sustainable Fashion Brand: Sri Lanka has a rich textile industry. Consider starting a sustainable fashion brand that produces clothing and accessories using organic, ethically sourced materials and promotes fair trade practices.
• Mobile App Development: Mobile apps are in high demand across various industries. Establish a mobile app development company catering to businesses and individuals seeking custom app solutions, including e-commerce apps, productivity tools, or entertainment platforms.
• Tourist Experience Services: Sri Lanka is a popular tourist destination. Create unique and immersive experiences for travelers, such as guided cultural tours, adventure activities, eco-tourism packages, or personalized itineraries.
• Online Marketplace for Local Artisans: Support local artisans and craftsmen by developing an online marketplace where they can showcase and sell their handmade products, including traditional artwork, pottery, jewelry, or textiles.
• Sustainable Food Delivery Service: Tap into the growing demand for healthy and sustainable food options. Start a food delivery service that offers organic, farm-to-table meals prepared using locally sourced ingredients.
• E-commerce Platform for Local Products: Develop an e-commerce platform that exclusively promotes and sells Sri Lankan-made products, including handicrafts, spices, tea, clothing, and home décor items, to a global customer base.

Remember, these are just a few examples, and it’s important to conduct thorough market research and assess the feasibility of any business idea before pursuing it. Additionally, consider your own interests, skills, and resources when selecting a business idea.

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Top 10 Small Scale Business ideas in Sri Lanka

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

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What are the best small business investment opportunities in Sri Lanka? Are you interested in starting a business in Sri Lanka and you need business ideas ? Then I advice you read on.

According to 2012 IMF estimates, Sri Lanka’s economy is worth $64 billion, and the country’s per capital GDP is about $7900. The country has most likely had strong growth in recent years. And in terms of GDP per capita, it is ahead of other countries in South East Asia.

Although Sri Lank ranks 81st on the Ease of Doing Business Rank, this doesn’t rule out the fact that there are many opportunities for investors to make money in the country. So if you have some funds that you are planning to invest in a business in Sri Lanka, then consider exploring any of these following ten areas, as they are the most lucrative in the country right now.

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Small Scale Business ideas & Opportunities in Sri Lanka

1. information technology.

As more individuals and businesses discover more ways to make life easier with IT and its various applications, the demand is booming in Sri Lanka for professionals that offer IT related services such as database management, data and information security, and so on. So, if you have a solid background in anything related to IT, you can trade your skills for money in Sri Lanka.

Tourism is one of the main industries in Sri Lanka. Every year, several thousands of tourists from varying locations visit the country to behold the major tourist attractions. These attractions are focused around the islands and famous beaches located in the south and east of Singapore, the heritage sites in the interior of the country, and resorts located in the country’ mountainous regions. So, you can make lots of profit from any business that caters to tourists.

3. Foodstuff

The demand for food in Singapore is much more than the supply by local farms. This has necessitated the importation of foodstuff from neighboring countries. In fact, foodstuff is one of the most largely imported commodities in Sri Lanka. There are huge opportunities for investors who import food from neighboring countries and sell them locally in Sri Lanka. This business is easy to start, as it usually requires little capital.

4. Pharmaceuticals

With increasing health awareness among Sri Lankans come a booming demand for medications and other pharmaceutical products.

In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry in the country has grown tremendously. If you have enough capital to set up a pharmaceutical company, you will make lots of profit in the long term. But if your capital is low, you can start small by buying pharmaceutical products as a wholesaler or retailer and selling to consumers.

5. Textiles and fabrics

Textiles and fabrics are imported into Sri Lanka due to the huge demand for these products. As an investor, you too can start a business that imports these products from countries like india and Turkey and sell them in the local market.

6. Agriculture

Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of Sri Lanka’s economy, with a 12.8% contribution to the country’s GDP. The country produces and exports agricultural produce like rubber, tea, coconuts, and tobacco. So, if you have a keen interest in agriculture, you can start cultivating tea, rubber, coconut palms, and tobacco plant. There is no limit to the profit you can make from this business because you have both local and foreign markets to cater to.

7. Real estate

This business sells well in virtually every country, even in countries with harsh business climates. In Sri Lanka, you can start a real estate business that offers land and housing property for lease and for sale to individuals and businesses.

8. Petroleum

While setting up a refinery in Sri Lanka would require a capital much higher than what the average individual investor can afford, this would be a very smart business move for corporate investors. As an individual investor, however, you can still tap from the “ juice ” in the petroleum industry by selling petroleum products to consumers.

Because Singapore is undergoing rapid growth, new buildings and infrastructure are erected on a daily basis. And since cement is needed for this, the demand for cement and other products used in building and construction is on the high side. So, starting a business that sells cement is one of the sure ways to make money in Sri Lanka.

10. Construction services

With new buildings and facilities being constructed in Sri Lanka, there is huge demand for the services of experts such as architects, structural engineers, electrical engineers, and other professionals. So, if you have a background in any of these specialties, you will make lots of profit in Sri Lanka by demonstrating your skills and expertise.

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Best New business Ideas in Sri Lanka for 2023: How To Start & What You Must Know?

Thousands of people are looking for new business ideas in Sri Lanka and it’s time to know the best!

I have been an entrepreneur for over decade and build two successful companies in the UK and 3 rd if is on it’s lane to greatness.

I have smart people working from Sri Lanka, India, Germany, United Kingdom and it’s growing every day.

With my years of experience in the business, I have found  out some easy steps for anyone who is looking or new business ideas to get started their business.

Here’s a guide on how to start a business in Sri Lanka, including the registration process, costs, websites to visit, and top 10 business ideas that can be started from home.

Top 10 New Business Ideas:

Step 1: Choose a Business Idea The first step in starting a business in Sri Lanka is to decide on a business idea. Consider your interests, skills, and market demand. Research the local market and identify potential business opportunities. Here are the top 10 business ideas that can be started from home in Sri Lanka:

• Online Store: Sell products or services online through an e-commerce website or social media platforms.
• Food Delivery: Start a home-based food delivery service, catering to local customers.
• Freelancing: Offer freelance services such as graphic design, content writing, web development, or digital marketing.
• Handicrafts: Create and sell Sri Lankan handicrafts, such as batik, handloom textiles, or wood carvings.
• Home Gardening: Start a home gardening business, selling plants, seeds, or gardening services.
• Tutoring: Offer tutoring services for subjects such as English, mathematics, or science.
• Event Planning: Start an event planning business, organizing events such as weddings, birthdays, or corporate functions.
• Personal Fitness: Offer personal fitness training or yoga classes from your home.
• Beauty Salon: Set up a home-based beauty salon, offering services such as haircuts, facials, or manicures.
• Pet Care: Provide pet grooming, pet sitting, or dog walking services from your home.

Step 2: Register Your Business Once you have chosen a business idea, the next step is to register your business. In Sri Lanka, businesses can be registered under several legal structures, including sole proprietorship, partnership, or private limited company. Here’s an overview of the registration process:

• Business Name Registration: Choose a unique name for your business and register it with the Department of Registrar of Companies (DRC). You can search for available business names on the DRC website ( www.drc.gov.lk ) and submit the registration application along with the required documents.
• Obtain Business Licenses: Depending on the type of business, you may need to obtain additional licenses or permits from relevant government authorities. For example, if you are selling food, you may need to obtain a food safety license from the Ministry of Health.
• Register for Taxes: Register your business for value-added tax (VAT) and other applicable taxes with the Department of Inland Revenue (IRD) or the Sri Lanka Customs, if applicable.
• Social Security Registration: Register your employees for social security contributions with the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) if you plan to hire employees.
• Business Bank Account: Open a business bank account with a local bank to separate your personal and business finances.

Step 3: Understand Legal and Financial Obligations As a business owner in Sri Lanka, it’s important to understand your legal and financial obligations. This includes complying with local laws and regulations, filing regular tax returns, keeping proper financial records, and fulfilling any other legal requirements related to your business.

Step 4: Costs Involved The costs of starting a business in Sri Lanka can vary depending on the legal structure, business type, and other factors. Here are some potential costs to consider:

• Business Name Registration Fee: LKR 3,000 – 10,000 (approx.)
• License/Permit Fees: Varies depending on the type of business.
• Professional Fees: Legal and accounting fees, if applicable.
• Taxes: VAT and other applicable taxes, based on your business turnover.
• Social Security  

What are the best easy online businesses anyone in Sri Lanka can start without money?

Starting an online business with little to no money is possible in Sri Lanka. Here are some business ideas that require minimal investment:

• Dropshipping: Start an online store without the need to invest in inventory. With dropshipping, you can sell products from suppliers who handle the inventory and shipping on your behalf. You only pay for the products once you receive an order.
• Affiliate Marketing: Promote products or services of other companies on your website or social media, and earn a commission for every sale or referral made through your unique affiliate link.
• Content Creation: Start a blog, YouTube channel, or social media page focused on a specific niche or topic, and monetize it through sponsored content, advertising, or donations.
• Online Consulting or Coaching: Offer your expertise in a specific field, such as business, finance, fitness, or personal development, and provide consulting or coaching services online for a fee.
• Online Marketplace: Create a platform or marketplace for a specific niche, such as local handicrafts, organic products, or unique services, and charge sellers a fee or commission for using your platform.
• Online Freelancing: Offer your skills and services, such as graphic design, content writing, web development, or social media management, on freelancing platforms such as Fiverr, Upwork, or Freelancer, and earn money from clients.
• Virtual Assistance: Offer administrative, secretarial, or other virtual assistance services to businesses or entrepreneurs online.
• Online Language Teaching: If you are proficient in a foreign language, offer online language teaching services to students or professionals.
• Online Reselling: Sell products or services from established online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, or Etsy, and earn a commission or profit from the price difference.
• Social Media Management: Offer social media management services to businesses or individuals, helping them manage their social media accounts, create content, and grow their online presence.

Please note that while these businesses may not require a significant investment upfront, they still require time, effort, and dedication to succeed.

It’s important to thoroughly research and plan your business, develop a solid marketing strategy, and provide excellent customer service to maximize your chances of success. Additionally, make sure to comply with all relevant laws and regulations in Sri Lanka, such as obtaining any required licenses or permits.

5 books to read on starting a home business

• “The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses” by Eric Ries: This bestselling book provides valuable insights on how to start a business with limited resources, focusing on the principles of lean methodology, iterative product development, and customer validation. It offers practical strategies for building a successful business from scratch, with a focus on agility, experimentation, and customer-centricity.
• “ The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future” by Chris Guillebeau: This book showcases inspiring case studies of entrepreneurs who have started successful businesses with minimal investment, including many home-based businesses. It offers practical advice on how to identify business ideas, create a plan, and launch a profitable venture on a tight budget.
• “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It” by Michael E. Gerber: This classic book challenges common myths about entrepreneurship and provides insights on how to build a successful home-based business by focusing on systems, processes, and scalability. It emphasizes the importance of working on your business rather than just in your business, and offers practical strategies for creating a business that can thrive without constant hands-on management.
• “Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence-and How You Can, Too” by Gary Vaynerchuk: This book highlights the power of personal branding and social media in building a successful home-based business. It shares inspiring stories of entrepreneurs who have leveraged their passion, skills, and online platforms to create thriving businesses, and offers practical advice on how to build a brand, create content, and engage with customers to grow your business online.
• “The Art of Profitability” by Adrian Slywotzky: This book focuses on the fundamentals of business profitability and provides insights on how to build a profitable home-based business. It covers various business models, pricing strategies, and value creation techniques, and offers practical frameworks and case studies to help entrepreneurs understand how to create and capture value in their businesses.

These books provide valuable insights, strategies, and inspiration for starting and growing a home-based business. Remember to adapt the concepts to your specific business idea and market, and always seek professional advice when needed.

Should you register a domain name for the business and build a website, when starting a new business?

Registering a domain name and building a website can be important steps when starting a new business, especially if you plan to have an online presence. Here are the steps to register a domain name and build a website:

• Choose a domain name: A domain name is the unique web address that represents your business online (e.g., www.yourbusinessname.com ). Choose a domain name that is relevant to your business, easy to remember, and reflects your brand identity.
• Check domain name availability : Once you have chosen a domain name, check if it is available using a domain name registrar, such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains. If your desired domain name is not available, you may need to choose an alternative or modify your chosen name slightly.
• Register the domain name: If your chosen domain name is available, you can register it by following the registration process provided by the domain name registrar. This usually involves providing your contact information, choosing a registration period (typically 1-10 years), and paying a registration fee.
• Choose a website builder or web hosting service: Next, you’ll need to choose a website builder or web hosting service to create your website. There are many options available, such as Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, and Shopify, which offer various templates, features, and pricing plans to suit your needs. Choose WordPress and that’s the best platform to create a website.
• Design and build your website: Once you have chosen a website builder or web hosting service, you can start designing and building your website. Most website builders provide intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces that allow you to customize your website’s layout, design, and content without needing coding skills. You can add pages, images, text, and other elements to create a professional-looking website that represents your business.
• Add essential website content: Make sure to include essential content on your website, such as your business name, logo, contact information, products or services, and any other relevant information that visitors may need. This will help potential customers understand what your business offers and how to contact you.
• Optimize your website for search engines: Consider optimizing your website for search engines by using relevant keywords in your website content, optimizing meta tags, and submitting your sitemap to search engines. This can help improve your website’s visibility in search engine results and drive more organic traffic to your website.
• Test and launch your website: Before launching your website, thoroughly test it for functionality, compatibility, and responsiveness across different devices and browsers. Make sure all links and forms are working correctly, and the website loads quickly. Once you are satisfied with your website, you can officially launch it by publishing it to your chosen domain name.
• Regularly update and maintain your website: After launching your website, it’s important to regularly update and maintain it to keep it secure, functional, and relevant. This may involve updating content, fixing broken links, backing up your website, and installing security updates.

Registering a domain name and building a website can help establish your online presence, increase brand visibility, and attract potential customers to your business. However, it’s important to carefully plan and consider your website’s design, content, and functionality to create a professional and effective online representation of your business.

What are the 7 best tips on why anyone should consider starting a home business?

Starting a home business can be a rewarding venture with several benefits. Here are seven tips on why anyone should consider starting a home business:

• Flexibility: One of the biggest advantages of starting a home business is the flexibility it offers. You can set your own working hours, which allows you to have a better work-life balance and tailor your business around your personal commitments.
• Cost-effective: Home-based businesses often require lower startup costs compared to traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. You can save on expenses such as rent, utilities, and commuting costs, making it a cost-effective option for starting a business on a budget.
• Increased control: When you start a home business, you have greater control over your business operations and decision-making. You can make decisions related to products, pricing, marketing strategies, and more, without having to seek approval from others.
• Income potential: Running a successful home business can provide a source of income and financial stability. You have the potential to earn profits from your business and have control over your income, depending on the success of your business efforts.
• Work-life integration: With a home-based business, you can seamlessly integrate your work into your daily life. You have the flexibility to take breaks, spend time with family, and manage personal tasks, which can result in better work-life integration and overall well-being.
• Increased job security: Starting a home business can provide you with increased job security as you are not reliant on a single employer. You have the ability to diversify your income streams and be less dependent on a single source of income.
• Personal growth: Running a home business can be a great opportunity for personal growth and development. It allows you to learn new skills, gain experience in various aspects of business management, and challenge yourself to grow both personally and professionally.

Starting a home business can offer flexibility, cost-effectiveness, increased control, income potential, work-life integration, increased job security, and opportunities for personal growth. However, it’s important to carefully plan, research, and execute your home business idea to increase the likelihood of success.

To learn about digital business and to learn the skills, visit SeekaHost University . You can take the most important courses for free and build a thriving new business in Sri Lanka.

Also read my guide on how to earn money online in Sri Lanka which will give you the tips on 7 ways to make money.

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Written by Fernando Raymond

Founder & CEO - ClickDo Ltd. & SeekaHost Ltd. Writes about business, startups and how to get online with domain names and web hosting. Creating the world's best hosting platform with seekahost.app

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Release of ‘a step by step guide to doing business in sri lanka’.

The information in this booklet is summarised under three main chapters: ‘Starting a Business’, ‘During the Business’ and ‘Other Activities’. In the chapters, comprehensive information on the relevant institutions, documentary requirements, regulatory clearance requirements, associated costs and contact details that are helpful for the users to obtain further clarifications, are included.

The amendments made up to mid 2021 and confirmed by the relevant institutions are incorporated into this edition.

The electronic version of the publication can be accessed through the Central Bank website ( http://www.cbsl.gov.lk ).The printed version of the publication is available for sale from the Sales and Distribution Counters of the Central Bank located at the Central Point Building (Chatham Street, Colombo 01), Tel:011-2444502; Centre for Banking Studies (No. 58, Sri Jayewardenepura Mawatha, Rajagiriya), Tel:011-2477803; Regional Offices of the Central Bank (Matara, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Anuradhapura).

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ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කරන්නේ කෙසේද?

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ඔබේම ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කිරීම අභියෝගාත්මක කාර්යයක් සේ පෙනෙන්න පුළුවන්. ආරම්භ කරන්නේ කෙසේද, ගත යුතු පියවර මොනවාද, වළක්වා ගත යුත්තේ කුමක්ද, මේවා ඔබට ඇති ප්‍රශ්න සමහරක් විය හැක- කෙසේ වෙතත්, කරදර නොවන්න! අපි මෙහි සිටින්නේ ඔබට උදව් කරන්න- ඔබේම ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කිරීම ගැන ඔබ දැනගත යුතු සියල්ල දැන ගැනීමට අපගේ මාර්ගෝපදේශය කියවන්න – ව්‍යාපාර අදහසක් ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමේ සිට එය සාර්ථකව දියත් කිරීම දක්වා!

වර්ධනය වන ආර්ථිකයක් ඇති රටක් ලෙස නැගී එන ව්‍යාපාර සඳහා ශ්‍රී ලංකාව හොඳ පසුබිමක් සපයයි- මිලියන 21-5 කට වඩා වැඩි ජනගහනයක් සිටින ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ඕනෑම කෙනෙකුට ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කිරීමට සුදුසුම ස්ථානයකි – විශේෂයෙන් කුඩා පරිමාණ ව්‍යාපාරික අවස්ථා සඳහා-

1- ව්‍යාපාර අදහසක් ජනනය කරන්න

2- ඔබේ පර්යේෂණ සිදු කර ව්‍යාපාර සැලැස්මක් මත වැඩ කරන්න, 3- ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය සඳහා නමක් ජනනය කිරීම, 4- ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරයට අරමුදල් සැපයීම, 5- ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය ලියාපදිංචි කරන්න, 6- ඔබේ වෙබ් අඩවිය ගොඩනඟන්න, 7- ඩිජිටල් අලෙවිකරණය භාවිතා කරන්න.

8- ඊළඟ පියවර

ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය දියත් කිරීමේදී සලකා බැලිය යුතු වැදගත් පියවර කිහිපයක් පහත සඳහන්වේ;

ඔබේම ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කිරීමට කැමති පුද්ගලයෙකු ලෙස, කුමන අදහසක් ක්‍රියාත්මක වේද යන්න ගැන ඔබ සිතනවා විය හැක.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ඔබට සලකා බැලිය හැකි කුඩා ව්‍යාපාර අදහස් කිහිපයක් පහත සඳහන්වේ;

• ගෙදර සැකසූ ආහාර – ආරම්භක ව්‍යාපාරයක් වශයෙන් ශ්‍රී ලංකාව වැනි රටකට ආහාර ව්‍යාපාරයක් වඩාත් සුදුසු වේ- ඔබ UberEats  යෙදුම විවෘත කළේ නම්, වැඩිවන ඉල්ලුම හේතුවෙන් සාර්ථකව කරගෙන යන ආහාර සම්බන්ධ ව්‍යාපාර විශාල ප්‍රමාණයක් දැනට නිවාස වලින් ක්‍රියාත්මක වන බව ඔබට පෙනෙනු ඇත- එය මේ වන විට වෙළඳපොලේ වඩාත් ජනප්‍රිය ව්‍යාපාරයකි- ඔබ කෑම පිලියෙල කිරීමට රුචිකත්වයක් හෝ මෙම ක්ෂේත්‍රයට ඇලුම්  කරන පුද්ගලයෙක් නම්, මෙම අදහස සලකා බලන්න!
• ඩිජිටල් අලෙවිකරණ සේවාවන් – ලෝකය ඩිජිටල්කරණය වෙමින් පවතින හෙයින්, බොහෝ ව්‍යාපාර තම ව්‍යාපාර පුළුල් කිරීම සඳහා ඩිජිටල් අලෙවිකරණය මත යැපීමට පටන් ලෙන ඇත- ඔබ අලෙවිකරණ කුසලතා ඇති පුද්ගලයෙක් නම්, ඔබට ඔබේම ආයතනයක් ආරම්භ කර නිෂ්පාදන අලෙවි කරන සහ සේවා සපයන සමාගම්වලට ඩිජිටල් අලෙවිකරණ සේවාවන් සැපයිය හැක-
• පැල සිටුවීම (රෝපණය කිරීම) – ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ පැල සිටුවීම වර්ධනය වන ව්‍යාපාරයක් බව ඔබ දැන සිටියාද? ශ්‍රී ලංකා වෙළඳපොලේ පළතුරු සහ වෙනත් ගෘහස්ථ ශාක සඳහා විශාල ඉල්ලුමක් පවතී- කුඩා පැළෑටි තෑගි ලෙස ලබා දීම මිනිසුන් පුරුද්දක් කරගෙන ඇති අතර සත්‍ය වශයෙන්ම ගෘහස්ථ ශාක තබා ගැනීම ජනප්‍රිය විනෝදාංශයකි-
• ඡායාරූපකරණය සහ වීඩියෝකරණය – ඔබ ඡායාරූපකරණය සහ වීඩියෝකරණය විනෝදාංශයක් ලෙස කැමති නම්, ඔබට එය පහසුවෙන් ව්‍යාපාරයක් බවට පරිවර්තනය කර හොඳ මුදලක් උපයා ගැනීමට පටන් ගත හැක-
• රූපලාවණ්‍යාගාරය – සෑම කෙනෙකුම ඔවුන්ගේ පෙනුම පවත්වා ගැනීමට කැමැත්තක් දක්වයි- එම නිසා රූපලාවණ්‍ය සේවාව අවශ්‍ය ගනුදෙනුකරුවන් හමුවීමට ඔබට හැකි වන අතර ඔබේම ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කිරීමට අවශ්‍ය නම් මෙය තවත් හොඳ විකල්පයකි-
• (Online) මාර්ගගත පොත් සාප්පුව – ඔබ කවදා හෝ බිග් බැඞ් වුල්ෆ් වෙත ගොස් ඇත්නම්, ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ පොත් ලෝලීන් විශාල සංඛ්‍යාවක් ඔබ දැක ඇති- මනස්කල්පිත සිට විද්‍යාත්මික සිට ප්‍රබන්ධ නොවන පොත් දක්වා, මිනිසුන් කියවීමට කැමති ප්‍රභේද රාශියක් ඇත- වර්තමානයේ, සාර්ථක අන්තර්ජාල පොත් සාප්පු සමාජ මාධ්‍ය හරහා ක්‍රියාත්මක වන අතර ඒවා පාඨකයින්ගේ පාරිභෝගික පදනමක් ගොඩනගයි.
• වෙබ් අඩවි නිර්මාණය – බොහෝ ව්‍යාපාර ක්‍රියාත්මක වීමට වෙබ් අඩවි භාවිතා කරයි- ඔබ වෙබ් නිර්මාණ හා සංවර්ධන කුසලතා ඇති අයෙක් නම්, වෙබ් නිර්මාණ කුසලතා සොයන බොහෝ අය සිටින බැවින් ඔබට පහසුවෙන් එයින් ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කළ හැක-

ඔබට ආරම්භ කිරීමට අවශ්‍ය ව්‍යාපාර වර්ගය පිළිබඳ අදහසක් ඇති වූ පසු, ඔබේ ඊළඟ පියවර විය යුත්තේ පර්යේෂණ පවත්වා ව්‍යාපාර සැලැස්මක් සකස් කිරීම ආරම්භ කිරීමයි- ඔබේ ශක්තීන් හා දුර්වලතා හඳුනා ගැනීම වැදගත්ය- ඔබට කුඩා ව්‍යාපාරයක් පවත්වාගෙන යාමට අවශ්‍ය නම්, ඔබට භාවිතා කළ හැකි අද්විතීය කුසලතා හෝ අත්දැකීම් තිබිය හැක- ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරයේ ඔබ ලබා දීමට අපේක්ෂා කරන දේ, අරමුදල් සපයන ආකාරය සහ ගනුදෙනුකරුවන් ලබා ගන්නේ කෙසේද යන්න වැනි ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරයේ ප්‍රධාන අංශ ලියන්න-

ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය සැලසුම් කිරීමේදී සලකා බැලිය හැකි උපදෙස් කිහිපයක්

• වෙළඳපල පර්යේෂණ පැවැත්වීම – නව අවස්ථා හඳුනා ගැනීමේදී, විවිධ ව්‍යාපාරවල ගනුදෙනුකරුවන් මුහුණ දෙන ගැටලු අවබෝධ කර ගැනීමේදී (පාරිභෝගික වේදනා දෙන තැන්) වෙළඳපල පර්යේෂණ ඉතා වැදගත් වේ- තරඟකරුවන්ගේ විශ්ලේෂණයක් පැවැත්වීමෙන් තරඟකරුවන් ක්‍රියා කරන ආකාරය ඉගෙන ගෙන තේරුම් ගන්න- ගැඹුරු පර්යේෂණ මඟින් කර්මාන්තයේ ප්‍රධාන ක්‍රීඩකයන්ට එරෙහිව තරඟකාරී වාසියක් ලබා ගැනීමට සහ ඔබේ ඉලක්කගත ගනුදෙනුකරුවන්ගේ අවශ්‍යතා වඩාත් ඵලදායී ලෙස විසඳීමට උපකාරී වේ-
• ගැටලුවක් විසඳන්න – ඔබ මුහුණ දුන් ගැටලුවකට විසඳුමක් සොයන්න- එසේ කිරීමෙන්, ඔබේ ගැටලුවේ ස්වභාවය, ඔබට සුදුසුම ප්‍රතිඵලය සහ එය විසඳීමට හොඳම ක්‍රමය ඔබට තේරුම් ගත හැක- මෙම තීක්ෂ්ණ බුද්ධිය භාවිතා කරමින්, මෙම ගැටළුවෙන් කොපමණ පිරිසක් පීඩාවට පත්වී ඇත්දැයි හඳුනා ගන්න- එකම ගැටලුවකින් පීඩාවට පත් පුද්ගලයින් ප්‍රමාණවත් නම්, ඔබට ශක්තිමත් පාරිභෝගික පදනමක් සහිත තිරසාර ව්‍යාපාරයක් ගොඩනගා ගත හැකිය- විශේෂිත ගැටළුවක් විසඳීමෙන් ඔබට එය විශේෂ දක්ෂතාවයක් ලෙස සංවර්ධනය කර ඔබේ ගනුදෙනුකරුවන්ට වටිනාකමක් එක් කළ හැකිය-
• ඔබේ ආශාව මුදල් කරගන්න – ඔබ ආශා කරන විනෝදාංශයක් වෙත අවධානය යොමු කර එය ව්‍යාපාරික අදහසක් ලෙස ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමට ඔබට හැකි දැයි බලන්න- ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කිරීම සඳහා ඔබ කිරීමට කැමති දෙයක් භාවිතා කරන්න. මෙය ජීවිතයේ ලාභදායීතාවය සහ සතුට යන දෙකම ළඟා කර ගත හැකි හොඳම ක්‍රමයකි-

ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරයට ගැලපෙන, ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරයට සුදුසු සහ ආකර්ශනීය නමක් ලබා ගැනීම බොහෝ කාලයක් ගතවන ක්‍රියාවලියකි.

ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය සඳහා සුදුසුම නම ඉදිරිපත් කිරීම සඳහා උපදෙස් කිහිපයක් මෙන්න;

• ව්‍යාපාරයේ නම ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාර අරමුණු, නිෂ්පාදන හෝ සේවාවන්ට කෙලින්ම අදාළ විය යුතුය- එය ඔබේ නිෂ්පාදන හෝ සේවාවන් සමඟ අනුනාද නොවන්නේ නම්, නම ඔබේ සමාගමට හෝ ව්‍යාපාරයට සුදුසු නොවනු ඇත-
• විවිධ ව්‍යාපාර නාමයන් කල්පනා කර හොඳම නම තෝරන්න-
• ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය ලියාපදිංචි කිරීමේදී කරදරකාරී අවස්ථාවන් වළක්වා ගැනීම සඳහා වෙළඳ ලකුණු ගැන සෙවීමක් කරන්න-
• ඔබේ වෙළඳ නාමය ආරක්ෂා කිරීම සඳහා ඔබේ ලාංඡනය සහ වෙළඳ ලකුණ ලියාපදිංචි කිරීම සලකා බලන්න-

ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කිරීම සඳහා සැලකිය යුතු ආයෝජනයක් අවශ්‍ය වේ- ප්‍රාග්ධනය වෙනස් වන බැවින් ඔබ ආයෝජනය කළ යුතු මුදල ව්‍යාපාරයේ වර්ගය අනුව වෙනස්වේ-

ඔබට තෝරා ගත හැකි අරමුදල් විකල්ප කිහිපයක් මෙන්න;

• පෞද්ගලික මුදල් – ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරයේ ආයෝජනය කිරීම සඳහා ඔබේම මුදලින් සුළු ප්‍රමාණයක් භාවිතා කළ හැක- ණයක් සඳහා අයදුම් කිරීමට තීරණය කිරීමට පෙර, ඔබට ඔබේ පුද්ගලික මුදල් භාවිතා කළ හැකිදැයි බලන්න- මෙම විකල්පය මහා පරිමාණ ව්‍යාපාරයක් සඳහා වඩාත් සුදුසු නොවන අතර, ඔබේම ව්‍යාපාරයක් සඳහා ඔබේම මුදල් භාවිතා කිරීමෙන් ඔබට නිදහස් හැඟීමක් ලැබෙනු ඇත-
• බැංකු ණය –  ඔබ ව්‍යාපාර ණයක් සඳහා ඉල්ලුම් කිරීමට කැමති නම්, අවම වශයෙන් මාස 6 ක් වත් ලියාපදිංචි,  ක්‍රියාත්මක වන ව්‍යාපාරයක් තිබිය යුතුය- කෙසේ වෙතත්, ඔබ දැනට රැකියාවක නියුතු නම්, ඔබට පුද්ගලික ණයක් සඳහා අයදුම් කළ හැකි අතර එය ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය සඳහා භාවිතා කළ හැක-
• පවුලෙන් අරමුදල් ණයට ගැනීම –  ඔබට ඔබේම අරමුදල් භාවිතා කිරීමට හෝ බැංකු ණයක් සඳහා අයදුම් කිරීමට හැකියාවක් නොමැති නම්, ඔබේ පවුලේ අය සහ සමීප මිතුරන් වැනි ඔබ වඩාත්ම විශ්වාස කරන පුද්ගලයින්ගෙන් මුදල් ණයට ගත හැක-
• ජන සමූහයකින් මුදල් රැස් කිරීම crowdfunding – මෙයින් අදහස් කරන්නේ විශාල පුද්ගලයින් සංඛ්‍යාවක් නව ව්‍යාපාරයකට මුදල් යෙදවීමට උදව් වන බවයි- ‘ක්‍රවුඞ්ෆන්ඩින්ග්’ වෙබ් අඩවි ආයෝජකයින් සහ ව්‍යවසායකයින් එක තැනකට ගෙන එන අතර එමගින් ව්‍යවසායකයින්ට අවස්ථාවක් නිර්මාණය කිරීමට සහ විශාල ජන ජාලයක් ද ගොඩනංවයි- ¡ CrowdIsland , Online Fundraising Pages for Sri Lanka ,  Tribefunds.lk , ශ්‍රී ලංකාව සඳහා මාර්ගගත අරමුදල් රැස්කිරීමේ පිටු වන අතර ඔබට යොමු කළ හැකි ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ප්‍රධාන ජන සමූහ අරමුදල් සපයන වෙබ් අඩවි කිහිපයකි-

ඔබේ නව ව්‍යාපාරය සාර්ථක වීමට හෝ වර්ධනය වීමට පටන් ගත් පසු, ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය ලියාපදිංචි කරන්නේ කෙසේදැයි සොයා ගැනීමට ඔබට අවශ්‍ය විය හැක- ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ලියාපදිංචි කිරීම සඳහා ඔබට භාවිතා කළ හැකි විවිධ ක්‍රම තිබේ-

ව්‍යාපාර ලියාපදිංචි කිරීමේ වඩාත් පොදු වර්ග මේවාය;

• තනි පුද්ගල ව්‍යාපාර – එක් පුද්ගලයකු සතු, තනි පුද්ගල ව්‍යාපාර ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ සුලභ ය- සාමාන්‍යයෙන්, තනි පුද්ගල ව්‍යාපාරයක් නීත්‍යානුකූල නම් ඕනෑම ව්‍යාපාර නාමයක් සමඟ ලියාපදිංචි වේ- තනි හිමිකාරත්වය පිළිබඳ අපගේ බ්ලොග් ලිපිය කියවීමෙන් ඔබට හිමිකාර ව්‍යාපාරය පිළිබඳ වැඩි විස්තර සොයාගත හැකිය-
• හවුල් ව්‍යාපාර –  නීත්‍යානුකූලව පිළිගත් ව්‍යාපාර ආකාරයක් ලෙස, හවුල්කාරිත්වය යනු මූල්‍ය සම්පත් හෝ කුසලතා එකතුවක් මත පාර්ශවයන්ගේ එකමුතුවක් වන අතර එහි සාමාජිකයින් වගකීම් සහ දැනුම බෙදා ගැනීමෙන් පොදු ඉලක්කයක් හෝ ලාභයක් කරා ක්‍රියා කරයි- වැඩි විස්තර දැනගැනීම සඳහා කරුණාකර හවුල්කාරිත්ව ගිවිසුම පිළිබඳ අපගේ බ්ලොග් ලිපිය කියවන්න-
• පුද්ගලික සමාගම – ඔබ තනිවම හෝ පුද්ගලයන් දෙදෙනෙකු හෝ වැඩි ගණනක් සමඟ ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කිරීමට අදහස් කරන්නේ නම්, ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය පෞද්ගලික සහ සීමිත ලෙස ලියාපදිංචි කිරීම සලකා බැලිය හැකිය- මෙම ලියාපදිංචි කිරීමේ ක්‍රමය ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ බහුලව දක්නට ලැබේ- කෙසේ වෙතත්, තනි හිමිකාරත්වයක් ලියාපදිංචි කිරීම හා සසඳන විට ක්‍රියාවලිය සංකීර්ණ විය හැකිය- මේ පිළිබඳ වැඩි විස්තර සඳහා කරුණාකර පුද්ගලික සීමිත ලියාපදිංචිය පිළිබඳ අපගේ විශේෂිත බ්ලොග් ලිපිය කියවන්න-

ඔබේ නිවසේ සිට සුවපහසුවෙන් ඔබේ ලියාපදිංචිය හැසිරවීමට ඔබ කැමති නම්, රජයේ කාර්යාලවලට යාමේ කරදරයකින් තොරව ඔබේ හවුල්කාරිත්ව ලියාපදිංචි කිරීමේ ක්‍රියාපටිපාටියේ මූලික පියවරයන් ආරම්භ කිරීම සඳහා රජය විසින් ‘ඊරෝක්’ ැඍධක්‍ හඳුන්වා දී ඇත- වැඩි විස්තර සඳහා ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය මාර්ගගතව දබකසබැ ලියාපදිංචි කිරීම සඳහා අපගේ පියවරෙන් පියවර උපදෙස් බලන්න-

ව්‍යාපාරයක් පවත්වාගෙන යාමට ඔබේම වෙබ් අඩවියක් තිබීම අත්‍යවශ්‍ය නොවන අතර, ඔබේ ගනුදෙනුකරුවන්ට ඔබව කෙලින්ම සම්බන්ධ කර ගැනීමට ඉඩ දීම, මිලදී ගැනීම සහ විකිණීම වඩාත් පහසු කිරීම, ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය තවදුරටත් පුළුල් කිරීම සහ තවත් බොහෝ දේ සහ විවිධ අවස්ථා වෙබ් අඩවියක් ඔබට ලබා දෙයි- වැඩි වැඩියෙන් ගනුදෙනුකරුවන් අන්තර්ජාලය හරහා මිලදී ගැනීමේ තීරණ ගන්නා බැවින්, ගනුදෙනුකරුවන් ආකර්ෂණය කර ගැනීමේදී එය ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරයට සැලකිය යුතු වටිනාකමක් එක් කරයි-

විශිෂ්ඨ වෙබ් අඩවියක් තැනීම සඳහා උපදෙස් කිහිපයක් 

• ඔබේ වෙබ් අඩවියේ ව්‍යුහය සහ අන්තර්ගතය සැලසුම් කරන්න – ඔබේ ඉලක්කගත ප්‍රේක්ෂකයින් හඳුනාගත් පසු ඔබේ වෙබ් අඩවියේ ශෛලිය හා පණිවිඩ යැවීම තීරණය කිරීමට ඔබට හැකි විය යුතුය- ඔබේ අන්තර්ගතය ස්ථාවර හා තේරුම් ගැනීමට පහසු විය යුතුය- ඔබේ වෙබ් අඩවියේ අන්තර්ගතය සහ ව්‍යුහය ඔබ විකුණන නිෂ්පාදන හෝ සේවාවන් පැහැදිලිව සන්නිවේදනය කළ යුතුය, එවිට ගනුදෙනුකරුවන් ව්‍යාකූල නොවනු ඇත-
• ඩොමේන් නාමයක් ලියාපදිංචි කර ආරක්ෂිත වෙබ් අඩවි සත්කාරකයකු මිලට ගන්න – ඔබේ වෙබ් අඩවියේ ලිපිනය හෝ ඔබේ ඩොමේන් නාමය ඔබේ සමාගමේ නම තරම්ම වැදගත් වේ, මන්ද ගනුදෙනුකරුවන් ගූගල් හි ඔබ ගැන සොයනු ඇත- මෙය ආරක්ෂිත වෙබ් සත්කාරක වේදිකාවක් සමඟ ඒකාබද්ධ කිරීමෙන් ඔබේ වෙබ් අඩවිය ඕනෑම සයිබර් ආරක්ෂණ අවදානමකින් හෝ අක්‍රීය කාලයකින් ආරක්ෂා වන බව සහතික කෙරේ-
• සෙවුම් යන්ත්‍ර ප්‍රශස්තිකරණය සඳහා ඔබේ වෙබ් අඩවිය සකසන්න – ඔබේ වෙබ් අඩවිය  SEO හිතකාමී බව සහතික කර ගන්න එවිට ඔබේ වෙබ් අඩවිය සෙවුම් ප්‍රතිඵලවල ඉහළ ස්ථානයක් ලබා ගත හැකි අතර මිනිසුන්ට ඔබේ වෙබ් අඩවිය පහසුවෙන් සොයාගත හැක-

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අප ජීවත් වන්නේ ඩිජිටල් යුගයේ ය- අලෙවිකරණය දැනටමත් ඩිජිටල් කිරීමට පටන් ගෙන ඇති බැවින්, ඩිජිටල් අලෙවිකරණයේ විවිධ අංශ භාවිතා කිරීම නිසැකවම ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය වැඩිදියුණු කර එය වඩාත් කාර්යක්ෂම කරනු ඇත-

ඔබට අවධානය යොමු කළ හැකි ඩිජිටල් අලෙවිකරණයේ අංශ කිහිපයක්

• සමාජ මාධ්‍ය අලෙවිකරණය – ඔබේ නිෂ්පාදන සහ සේවාවන් පිළිබඳ දැනුවත්භාවය ඇති කිරීම සඳහා ෆෙස්බුක් සහ ඉන්ස්ටග්‍රෑම් වැනි සමාජ මාධ්‍ය වේදිකාවලින් ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය සඳහා ගිණුම් නිර්මාණය කළ හැක- ඔබට වෙබ් අඩවියක් තිබේ නම්, ඔබේ සමාජ මාධ්‍ය නාලිකා පවා ගමනාගමනය සඳහා භාවිතා කළ හැකිය-
• විද්‍යුත් තැපැල් අලෙවිකරණය – ඔබට ස්ථාවර ගනුදෙනුකාර පදනමක් ඇතිවූ පසු, ඊමේල් මගින් යාවත්කාලීන කිරීම් සඳහා ඔවුන්ගේ සම්බන්ධතා තොරතුරු රැස් කිරීම ආරම්භ කළ හැකි අතර ඔබේ නව නිෂ්පාදන හෝ සේවාවන් මිලදී ගැනීමට දැනට සිටින ගනුදෙනුකරුවන් දිරිමත් කරන්න- ඔබට ඊමේල් ලිපින ලබා ගත හැකි එක් ක්‍රමයක් වන්නේ විද්‍යුත් තැපැල් ලිපිනයන් සඳහා වට්ටම් හෝ කූපන් පත් හුවමාරු කිරීමයි-
• අනුග්‍රාහක දැන්වීම් – සුළු මුදලක් වියදම් කිරීමෙන් ඔබට සමාජ මාධ්‍ය නාලිකා හෝ ගූගල් සෙවුම හරහා ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරයට ගනුදෙනුකරුවන්ට ළඟාවිය හැකිය- දැන්වීම් දකින්නේ කවුරුන්ද යන්න තෝරාගෙන ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය සඳහා සුදුසු පුද්ගලයින් ඉලක්ක කර ගත හැකිය-

අන්තර්ගත නිර්මාණය – ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය හා නිෂ්පාදන හා සම්බන්ධ ආකර්ශනීය අන්තර්ගතයන් සාදන්න, ඒවා ඔබේ සමාජ මාධ්‍ය නාලිකා හෝ වෙබ් අඩවියේ පළ කරන්න- ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරය සඳහා අන්තර්ගතයන් නිර්මාණය කිරීම සඳහා ඔබට කැන්වා, පික්මන්කි සහ ක්‍රෙලෝ Canva , PicMonkey , Crello වැනි ග්‍රැෆික් නිර්මාණ වෙබ් අඩවි භාවිතා කළ හැකිය- ඔබට නොමිලේ පින්තූර සොයා ගැනීමට අවශ්‍ය නම්, ඔබට ෆ්‍රිපික්, ෂටර්ස්ටොක්, අන්ස්ප්ලැශ්, හෝ පෙක්සල්ස් Freepik , Shutterstock , Unsplash , Pexels වැනි වෙබ් අඩවි භාවිතා කළ හැක-

ඩිජිටල් අලෙවිකරණය පිළිබඳ වඩාත් ගැඹුරු තොරතුරු සඳහා, ඔබට ඩිජිටල් අලෙවිකරණය සඳහා හබ්ස්පොට්ගේ සවිස්තරාත්මක මාර්ගෝපදේශය කියවිය හැකිය-

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ඔබේම ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කිරීම ඔබ කනගාටු නොවන තීරණයක් වනු ඇත- පැහැදිලි සැලැස්මක් තිබීම සහ එය නිසි ලෙස ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීම දිගුකාලීනව ඔබට ප්‍රතිලාභයක් වනු ඇත-

ඔබ නව ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කිරීමට බලාපොරොත්තු වන්නේ නම් සහ සමාගම් ලියාපදිංචි කිරීමේ ඕනෑම අංශයක් සඳහා උපකාර අවශ්‍ය නම්, ඕනෑම වේලාවක අප හා සම්බන්ධ වන්න-

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How to Start an Online Business in Sri Lanka?

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Why opt for an Online Business?

Steps for Starting an Online Business

1. conduct market research, 2. choose a niche, 3. source or develop products, 4. develop a business plan, 5. choosing a business name, 6. register your business, 7. get started with the fundamentals, 8. establish the shipping and logistics, 9. selling channels, 10. build your online shop, 11. e-commerce payment methods and processing, 12. promote businesses through digital marketing, 13. monitor and optimise, 14. legal considerations, why opt for an online business.

With 63% of shopping occasions beginning online, it is inevitable that no matter where your customers make their last purchase, whether online or at a brick-and-mortar store, their journey will start online.

Online business has grown significantly in recent years as more people tend to access the internet and prefer the convenience of shopping online. Business over the Internet is vital, as it offers flexibility for both buyers and sellers. Consumers benefit from access to a wide range of products from anywhere, anytime, with less human interaction, saying goodbye to the hassle of visiting a physical store. Businesses can expand their customer base and reduce expenses associated with physical stores by aiming for increased sales and revenue.

The continuous growth of online businesses will have a profound effect on the global economy in the upcoming years. As more businesses embrace online platforms, the competition for customers will be more strenuous, inducing further innovation and enhancements in the online business sector. Getting started with an online business can be a black box at first unless one is guided through the correct steps.

Market research involves gathering information about a target audience, competitors, industry trends, and emerging technologies to make informed business decisions and gain a competitive advantage. Methods include surveys, focus groups, online user analysis, and social media analysis. Advantages include improved products and services, increased customer satisfaction, higher revenue, and long-term success.

Solid market research and an audience analysis would also help you identify your niche markets and their requirements and demands, paving the way for creating your own product or service segment.

Create a sales funnel. A sales funnel is a visual guide that shows how a customer progresses through the purchase process of your product or service. It should be easy to navigate, so it helps them learn about your product and make a purchase decision quickly. Market research helps you understand the needs of your target market, identify a profitable niche, and develop strategies to meet those needs.

A niche is a specific area of expertise or market segment that you focus on. It will help you to stand out from the competition and create a unique selling proposition that will help you attract more customers.

By choosing a niche, you can focus your marketing efforts and target your ideal customers more effectively. You can also develop in-depth knowledge of your chosen field and create content that resonates with your target audience. This will help you to build trust with potential customers and establish yourself as an expert in the industry.

When strategizing for online business, consider a niche that complements interests and expertise while assessing market demand, competition, and trends. Evaluate business models such as B2C, B2B, C2C, and D2C, and experiment with e-commerce platforms to refine the model. Opting for the ideal online business allows companies to maximise revenue and improve their digital presence.

After identifying your niche market, choosing the right products or services to offer is an essential decision.

Developing your products can be a great way to differentiate yourself from the competition and increase your bottom line. It also gives you more control over how much you charge for your products, as well as the quality of the items you offer. On the other hand, sourcing products from other manufacturers can be a great way to save time and money while still providing customers with quality items. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to weigh all of your options before deciding which path is best for your business.

Selling the product/ service needs a plan. “If you don’t plan to win you plan to fail”.

Developing a business plan is important to outline the goals, and strategies, minimising the risk of failure and financial projections for the business, as well as providing a roadmap for how the company will achieve success. It is important to conduct appropriate research and analysis when developing a business plan to identify potential risks and opportunities and ensure that the business is viable in the long run. A business plan also serves as a tool for securing funding from investors or lenders, as it provides a clear picture of the company's potential for growth and profitability.

A well-chosen business name can help to build brand recognition, increase customer loyalty, and contribute to the overall success of your business. It should be memorable, easy to pronounce, and relevant to the products or services. When selecting a business name, it is important to consider your target audience and the image you want to project. Research potential names, seek feedback from your target audience, and register them with the appropriate authorities. A business is incomplete if it's not protected from any economic, legal, or social instability. This is why business registration is important.

Registering a business is a crucial legal requirement that establishes the company as a separate legal entity. To do this, one needs to choose a legal structure, obtain licences and permits, follow regulations, and register with authorities. Proper registration can bring many advantages, including asset protection, government grants, and loans. It's essential to research the legal requirements and seek professional help if needed. Once registered, one needs to keep up with legal and regulatory requirements such as filing taxes and keeping financial records accurate to ensure long-term success. After registering a business, it's ready to start its operations.

Developing a logo

A well-designed logo can help to build brand recognition and awareness, which will make a business more distinguishable from the competition. A Logo should be simple and reflect the personality and values of the brand. Logos should also be versatile and work well across a variety of mediums, including print and digital. When developing a logo, it is important to consider the target audience and the image the business wants to project. The logo should be unique and not infringe on any existing trademarks and should be used consistently across all marketing materials. 

Build an inventory

Building an inventory is an essential task for any business that deals with physical products. It helps businesses keep track of their stock levels and ensure they have enough products to meet customer demand. Maintaining an accurate inventory is essential for effective inventory management, which can lead to increased profitability and customer satisfaction. With the help of modern inventory management software, businesses can efficiently track and manage their stock in real time. A logistics and shipping process is what involves the physical movement of goods.

When selecting a shipping strategy, a business should consider aspects such as the size and weight of its products, the shipping destination, and shipping timeframes. You can partner with a logistics provider or set up your fulfilment centre to ensure that it meets the needs of customers. It is also important to work with reliable shipping carriers and provide tracking information to ensure visibility into the delivery process. By investing in a shipping strategy that aligns with your business goals, you can enhance the customer experience, reduce shipping costs, and drive long-term growth for your business. Choosing the right sales channels that align with your business goals is important to reach your target market easily.

There are various sales channels available, such as e-commerce websites, social media platforms, marketplaces, physical retail stores, and more. Each channel has its advantages and disadvantages, and it is essential to evaluate them based on factors such as cost, reach, target audience, and ease of use. Considering resources such as budget, time, and personnel is crucial when selecting sales channels.

To build a successful online presence, select the right eCommerce platform, ensure the website is user-friendly and secure, choose a domain name and hosting provider, and utilise a website builder or content management system. A reliable hosting provider with excellent uptime and customer support is crucial. An eCommerce website can establish a broader customer base, enhance customer engagement, and remain competitive in the digital age. When building an online shop, it's crucial to consider different e-commerce payment methods and processing to ensure a seamless and secure checkout experience for customers.

Choosing Your Payment Methods

Choosing the right payment methods, including credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and bank transfers, is an important decision that can impact sales and revenue. Common payment methods. Credit and debit cards offer convenience and streamlined payment processes, while PayPal offers added security and convenience. Apple Pay and other mobile payment options have also gained popularity. It is important to offer multiple payment methods to customers to provide a seamless checkout experience and increase the likelihood of completing a sale.

Payment processing methods

Payment processing methods involve a third-party provider that handles the transaction, processing and settling of the payment. Some of the most popular payment processors include PayPal, Stripe, Square, and Authorize.net. These providers offer secure payment processing, fraud detection and prevention, and seamless integration with e-commerce websites. By selecting the right payment processing method, businesses can improve the checkout experience for customers, reduce the risk of fraud, increase reliability and streamline business operations.

Digital marketing strategies include social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, and paid advertising.

Content marketing can help establish a business as an authority in the industry and attract more visitors to the website.

Social media is vital to reach a wider audience anywhere in the world.. Social media can be utilised to run promotions and contests, advertise products or services, and collaborate with other businesses or influencers to reach a wider audience. and as a powerful tool for driving traffic.

Email marketing allows businesses to connect with customers directly and share updates, promotions, and new product launches.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most effective ways to drive traffic, as it helps websites rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Paid advertising, such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads, can also be an effective way to drive traffic. Email marketing can help you stay in touch with customers and encourage them to visit websites.

By using a combination of these strategies, businesses can drive more traffic and increase the chances of converting visitors into customers. 

Promoting is not sufficient unless a business recognizes what works and what doesn’t. Remember “You can't improve what you don't measure”

Continuous monitoring and analysing will benefit businesses to stay ahead of the race and drive long-term business growth.

Tracking website analytics can help identify which products and pages are most popular, where traffic is coming from, and which marketing channels are most effective.

With excellent customer service, businesses can build a loyal customer base, attract new customers, and differentiate their brand from competitors. An effective customer service system will handle customer inquiries and complaints, provide prompt and helpful responses, and provide a positive customer experience. This includes optimising the website for easy navigation, providing detailed product information and images, and ensuring a fast and secure checkout process.

Value-added services like free shipping, easy returns, and personalised recommendations can also make the shopping experience more enjoyable for customers.

When launching an online business, legal considerations are crucial. Business owners must register their businesses, obtain licences, and follow data protection and privacy laws. Compliance with consumer protection laws and the protection of intellectual property is also essential. By meeting these requirements, business owners minimise legal risks, protect customers and their businesses, and operate confidently.

Starting an online business in Sri Lanka can be a great way to make money and be your own boss. However, it is important to do your research and plan carefully before you get started. We have outlined the steps involved in starting an online business in Sri Lanka. We guarantee that this information will help you to get started on your journey to becoming an entrepreneur.

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US plans to build a $553 million terminal at Sri Lanka’s Colombo port in rivalry with China

The proposed site for a $553-million project to build a new, deep-water shipping container terminal in the Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Nov.8, 2023. The U.S. announced a $553- million project Wednesday to build a new, deep-water shipping container terminal in the Port of Colombo as it competes with China in international development financing. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Chief Executive Officer Scott Nathan, center, prepares to leave after making a statement in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Nov.8, 2023. The U.S. announced a $553- million project Wednesday to build a new, deep-water shipping container terminal in the Port of Colombo as it competes with China in international development financing. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Chief Executive Officer Scott Nathan, sitting, talks to an unidentified person as Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, left, prepares to leave after their meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Nov.8, 2023. The U.S. announced a $553- million project Wednesday to build a new, deep-water shipping container terminal in the Port of Colombo as it competes with China in international development financing. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Chief Executive Officer Scott Nathan, sitting, prepares to leave after making a statement in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Nov.8, 2023. The U.S. announced a $553- million project Wednesday to build a new, deep-water shipping container terminal in the Port of Colombo as it competes with China in international development financing. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The U.S. announced a $553 million project Wednesday to build a deep-water shipping container terminal in Sri Lanka’s Port of Colombo as it competes with China in international development financing.

The project is billed as providing critical infrastructure for the South Asian nation with the potential to “transform Colombo into a world-class logistics hub at the intersection of major shipping routes and emerging markets,” according to the U.S. International Development Finance Corp.

The DFC loan of $553 million for the West Container Terminal will “expand its shipping capacity, creating greater prosperity for Sri Lanka — without adding to sovereign debt — while at the same strengthening the position of our allies across the region,” said DFC Chief Executive Officer Scott Nathan.

The announcement comes as Sri Lanka is struggling to recover from a dire financial and economic crisis.

The Port of Colombo has been operating near its capacity since 2021, and the new terminal will cater to growing economies in the Bay of Bengal, the DFC said.

The DFC will make a direct loan to the consortium developing the terminal, which is 51% owned by India’s largest port operator, Adani Ports & Special Economic Zones Ltd. The other partners are Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings, which has a 34% share, and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority with the remaining 15%.

Nathan said that with the loan, Sri Lanka will be the “2nd biggest exposure” for his institution in the Indo-Pacific region, after India.

“It’s high priority for the United States to be active in the Indo-Pacific region,” he told reporters in Colombo after visiting the site of the new terminal.

The DFC was established five years ago in response to Beijing’s massive global infrastructure building campaign, known as the Belt and Road Initiative. Through it, Beijing has invested tens of billions of dollars each year to build roads, railways, ports and airports, typically in developing nations, to foster trade and goodwill toward China.

Some of those projects have raised controversy, among them Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port, on its southeastern coast. Sri Lanka borrowed heavily from China to build the port and other infrastructure including an airport and a city being built on reclaimed land. The projects have failed to earn enough revenue to pay for the loans, and in 2017, Sri Lanka leased the seaport in Hambantota to China.

Sri Lanka’s multibillion-dollar debts to Beijing have hindered efforts to resolve its financial woes and have often been cited as evidence by critics of the Belt and Road Initiative who claim China engages in debt-trap diplomacy.

The Chinese government rejects such accusations. The debt trap argument was “fabricated to disrupt and undermine China’s cooperation with developing countries,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a daily briefing Tuesday.

Both neighboring India and China are jostling for influence in Sri Lanka and both have already invested in expanding facilities at the Colombo port. India worries about a growing Chinese presence on the island, which is on one of the world’s busiest shipping routes and in a region that India considers part of its strategic backyard.

The Colombo port also has a terminal run by China Merchants Port Holdings. Another Chinese project, a luxury oceanside development spanning over 269 hectares of reclaimed land called Port City, is being built by CHEC Port City Colombo Co., a unit of China Communications Construction Company.

The $1.4 billion project to build an integrated resort and casino and conference center zone, a marina, apartments, a business district and green space has raised concerns in Sri Lanka and India that the development could become a virtual Chinese outpost or colony.

In development financing, the U.S. faces tough competition from Beijing, which has recalibrated its BRI initiative to be greener, safer and more sustainable, according to AidData, a research lab at William & Mary, a public university in Virginia.

Nathan said that sustainability and “local appropriateness” are very important elements of the DFC’s work.

“We are not interested in giving money to projects that are not going to work,” he said. “Of course, sometimes, mistakes happen. But rarely.”

He called the Sri Lanka port terminal project “an investment in dynamics of the global economy, shipping and transshipment.”

“My understanding is every time the capacity in the port of Colombo has increased, that additional capacity has been absorbed within just a couple of years,” he said, adding that research indicated that is likely to continue.

In a recent report, AidData said the U.S. is catching up with China in development finance after being overtaken by Beijing in total official financial flows to the developing world in 2007.

The gap has narrowed recently as China scaled back its lending while the U.S. sharply raised loans through the newly launched DFC.

The U.S. now provides about $60 billion of development finance each year to low- and middle-income countries. Yet, at $80 billion a year in aid and credit commitment, China remains the single largest official source of international development finance, AidData says.

For the past two decades, China has dominated global infrastructure finance with faster and bigger projects. Now it has rebooted with more stringent environmental, social and governance safeguards, said Bradley Parks, executive director of AidData.

He said, “this finding is a big deal because China’s competitors in the global infrastructure market offer safety but not speed.”

“Beijing, on the other hand, is squaring the circle between safety and speed. It is several steps ahead of its competitors in the global infrastructure market. It is laser-focused on giving leaders in the developing world exactly what they want: rapid delivery of big-ticket infrastructure projects without unreasonably high levels of risk,” he said. “Whether the U.S. will be able to do the same is a big question mark.”

Tang reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific

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IRD to undergo digital transformation with IMF-backed IT plan

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) is gearing up for a major digital transformation, following the approval of its Information Technology (IT) Strategic Plan for the period 2025-2027, which was a key structural measure under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme for Sri Lanka.  The Cabinet of Ministers this week approved the proposal to implement the IT Strategic Plan for the department just before the IMF’s August 2024 deadline.  “The preparation of the IT Strategic Plan was mandated as a structural measure under the comprehensive loan facility programme with the IMF and it is expected to significantly enhance the IRD’s efficiency through digital transformation,” Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting held on Monday.  The approval marks a critical step in modernising the IRD’s infrastructure and enhancing service delivery, which will pave the way for improved tax administration in the future, according to the minister.  The strategic plan for the period aims to reduce manual processes, leverage technology to simplify tax collection, reduce administrative burdens and streamline the processes at the IRD, which will help generate more accurate and timely revenue for the country. (NR) 

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Sri Lanka: Country Operations Business Plan (2018–2020)

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The country operations business plan (COBP), 2018–2020 is the first COBP under the country partnership strategy (CPS), 2018–2022.

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