Business options
Six ways to deploy capital
Ordered by how much of the capital each one risks.
Business allocation
$400,000
40% of capital, set on the capital page
Liquidity reserve to protect
$400,000
Household money, not business money
Compare each option against the business allocation. The Low, Medium and High assessments are planning judgements, not user inputs. Anything needing more capital either waits or changes the split.
Hold and observe
Low effortCapital: No new capital
Keep capital liquid for the first period while the family settles, and learn the local market before committing.
Strongest first move: it protects the reserve while healthcare, schooling and housing settle.
Risk: Opportunity cost only. Capital sits idle while inflation continues.
Family fit
High
Speed to income
Low
Difficulty · high is harder
Low
Residential property
Low to medium effortCapital: Large, mostly illiquid
Buy the family home first, and consider a second unit only after a full year of local experience.
Simple and familiar, but ties up a large share of the reserve.
Risk: Rates, maintenance and vacancy. Selling takes months, not days.
Family fit
Medium
Speed to income
Low
Difficulty · high is harder
Medium
Established franchise
High effortCapital: Medium to large
A proven system with training, supply and brand support, at the cost of fees and tight rules.
Suits a family able to commit an owner-operator's hours.
Risk: Franchise fees, royalties, staffing and location dependence. Verify claims independently.
Family fit
Medium
Speed to income
High
Difficulty · high is harder
High
Buy an existing business
High effortCapital: Medium
Acquire trading cash flow and staff rather than build from nothing.
Fastest route to income if the books stand up to inspection.
Risk: Overpaying for weak numbers. Full financial and legal due diligence is essential.
Family fit
High
Speed to income
High
Difficulty · high is harder
High
Professional or care services
High effortCapital: Small to medium
Build a service business on the family's existing healthcare, technology and administration skills.
Uses skills the family already has, and can start small.
Risk: Licensing and regulation. Confirm what credential each service actually requires.
Family fit
High
Speed to income
Medium
Difficulty · high is harder
High
Online or technology venture
Medium effortCapital: Small
Low fixed costs and flexible hours, suited to a part-time start alongside study.
Good learning ground for the younger adults while studies continue.
Risk: Slow and uncertain revenue. Do not treat it as household income in year one.
Family fit
Medium
Speed to income
Low
Difficulty · high is harder
Medium
The leading shortlist
Both sit inside the services option and use the family's healthcare experience.
Home and community care
Scheduling-led, staff-heavy and licence-dependent, but demand is steady and the family's healthcare experience transfers directly.
Confirm the provincial licensing and ownership rules before any offer.
Allied health clinic
Physiotherapy, dental hygiene or diagnostics: higher capital, regulated professionals on staff, and a clearer route to owner oversight rather than daily operations.
Verify which services require a regulated professional as owner or director.
The recommendation in this deck is to hold capital for the first year. Nothing here is investment advice, and any business needs independent financial and legal due diligence.