My entrepreneurial journey started when I got a bag of bangles and started selling the jewelery during my primary school days. By high school, I had moved on to my second business: creating custom lip balms. I even set up an Etsy shop to sell them. This was a great start, but when the time came start a real business in college, I quickly realized it wasn't going to be that easy.

However, those early ventures taught me an important lesson: it's important to be creative and find unique ways to launch a brand on a shoestring budget.

As a freshman at Babson College, I decided to start a business with a more serious commitment. I have spent my entire life dealing with allergies and asthma caused by toxic chemicals found in everyday products, including cleaning products. Additionally, I learned that cleaning products were mostly made up of water and packaged in single-use plastic bottles, which end up polluting our planet. Then I realized that I had to solve my own problem, and You walkeda line of zero-waste and non-toxic home care products was created.

As a student with limited resources, I had to be resourceful and creative. From creating packaging design in Canva myself to learning how to take professional product photography, I found ways to start a company in a low budget. Here's how you can do it too.

Related: 31 ways to market your business on a budget

Never stop learning

When working with a low budget, constantly educating myself it is essential. It's not realistic to afford to hire someone for every task, so you have to learn to do it yourself.

I experienced this first hand when I realized I needed a website – and not just a simple one. Despite failing an online coding course twice and always struggling with technology, I knew I had to figure it out. I spent hours watching YouTube tutorials, reading articles and learning from the pros to now master my Website hosted by Shopify.

While this process was time consuming, it saved me thousands of dollars. Plus, I can make updates to my website whenever I need to at no extra cost because I've taken the time to understand the process.

As a startup founder, I had to convince myself that doing is sometimes better than perfect. It's more important to get your product out there and start learning from real customer feedback.

Relations:

• Use free resources like YouTube and online articles to learn new skills.
• Ask for feedback from people, especially those in your target audience.
• Don't aim for perfection with every aspect of your business; focus on perfecting the aspects that actually improve the customer experience.

Get creative

If you have a physical product, service or technology, unique brand it is essential. If you are resourceful, you can find low-cost ways to develop your brand. For Elcove, I designed all of our branding and packaging from my dorm room. I spent two months learning about creating high-converting packaging by watching videos, going to stores to study designs, and asking everyone I knew for their feedback.

That was when I got to it Canvas. I created custom designs for our packaging and all of our branding materials. The results? A professional-looking brand that costs only $120 (for Canva Pro subscription).

Relations:

• Use free or low-cost tools like Canva for your design needs.
• Study existing successful brands to understand what works.
• Collect as much feedback as possible to improve your designs.

Related: 3 Branding Strategies That Will Make Any Brand Stand Out

Build your network

or strong network it is essential to accelerate the growth of your company. Authentic relationships and connections, both online through platforms such as LinkedIn and in person through events, can open doors to valuable insights and opportunities. Don't be afraid to reach out to people who have been in your shoes. They have likely made similar mistakes and can offer advice to help you avoid costly mistakes.

Additionally, mentors have been invaluable to me. I am fortunate to have some who are truly passionate about my success. They provide feedback and serve as a sounding board for new ideas.

Relations:

• Reach out to individuals who have been on a similar path to you
• Research and understand their way to build real connections. Try to show that you really want to learn and appreciate their time.
• Don't be afraid of rejection because the worst they can say is no, and that's okay.

Pitch for free money

To date, I have generated $50,000 in non-equity funding from competitions and grant applications, in addition to crowdfunding. Perfect your stride and use it to your advantage. You never know who you will meet or what opportunities will open up.

Spend time refining your pitch. The most important part is to make sure they can understand your business in less than 60 seconds. I like to start with the story of why I created my business, as it makes the pitch more personal and relatable.

Entering pitch competitions and applying for grants is an ideal way to find free money for your venture. Even a few thousand dollars can make a substantial difference, especially if you're bootstrapping anything else, like building a website.

Relations:

• Research field competitions and grant opportunities, both local and virtual.
• Apply for as many as possible. You will face rejections, but persistence pays off.
• Use the funds strategically to cover the costs of critical areas of your business that you cannot learn on your own.

Related: How small businesses can score big profits in marketing without a lot of money

end

Launching a brand on a shoestring budget isn't easy, but it's definitely possible with the right mindset. If you are willing to invest the time to do research and teach yourself new skills, you can significantly reduce costs and create a successful business. Every step you take is a learning experience and every challenge is an opportunity to grow.