Whether it’s an iconic Ford Transit, or a luxurious Mercedes Sprinter, the humble van is a staple piece of equipment from a huge number of businesses, and if you feel like setting a company up that allows you to roam around in one, then you’ve come to the right place.  Here’s a list of three businesses that you can set up without a huge outlay – all you need is a van.

Man with a Van

It’s surely the most obvious one on here, but there’s always a need for a man or woman equipped with a trusty van to move around those awkward loads and be on hand to help with odd jobs.  The work isn’t always reliable, and jobs can vary hugely, but you barely need anything to get started other than yourself, your van and perhaps a set of ladders.  A nice big van is the best route to take here, and you can always charge more for the privilege.  If you’re not sure about putting a lot of money into the vehicle, then it could be an idea to speak to a company like Hitachi Capital about leasing.

Ford Falcon Van by Casey Yee, on FlickrThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.

Mobile Valeting

If you’re into cars, then this is a great one for you.  Get yourself some premium car washing equipment, and some lessons on how to properly detail a vehicle and you’ll be ready to buff those Bugattis and polish those Porsches.  Having a good-looking van is often a good idea here, as customers like to know that the person looking after their car is also proud of their own appearance.  A Mercedes Vito Sport-X is the best van you can get for the job, as not only does it look cool, it has an impressive 0-60 time of 9.1 seconds courtesy of a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine.  It’s sure to impress your customers.

Self-Employed Courier

If you want regular work, then you can sign up to one of the many companies that will distribute jobs out, or you can go at it alone.  It’s difficult, but more rewarding and potentially more profitable if you’re good at promoting yourself and managing your diary of drops.  Having an economical and flexible van is absolutely essential here if you want to maximise your profits – the Sport-X is certainly not the sensible choice.  You’re also unlikely to need a really big van, as most drops will be small packages.