A great business idea is one that aligns with your passions, addresses market demand, is financially viable, and has the potential for long-term growth and sustainability. It should also be legally protected and differentiated from existing offerings.
If you are thinking about starting a business, you should also consider whether your idea is solving a prevailing problem or fills a gap in people lives and approach in their work. If you can identify an unmet need and a target market, then you might just have a business idea with legs.
Read on for some inspiration into the many types of businesses that could launch you to success.
1. Online reselling
A reseller is a person or company that buys products from different suppliers and sells them to their own customers, usually at a profit.
Business Model: Resellers purchase products from manufacturers, wholesalers, liquidators, or other retailers and then sell them to their own customers. They can specialize in a particular type of product or sell a variety of categories on one platform.
Platforms for Reselling: Resellers can sell products through online marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy, personal websites and social media, or branded business websites and apps.
Advantages of Reselling: Some advantages of the reselling business model include the ability to start a business quickly, carry no inventory, and lower financial risk. It is also a flexible and potentially profitable business model
If you’re interested in clothing and sales, you might consider starting an online reseller business. Although it takes time, dedication and an eye for fashion, you can start your business as a side hustle and turn it into a full-time resale business. You could start by using online store websites like Poshmark and Mercari to sell your unwanted clothing and items, then expand to your own resale website.
Consider shopping estate sales and flea markets for hidden finds at a low cost and then listing them for a profit online. You may be able to collect a substantial inventory of items that are in good shape for very little overhead if you’re diligent enough and search the right places.
2. Pet sitting
About 70% of U.S. families have a pet. When these families go away for extended periods, your pet-sitting small business can give them peace of mind. As a pet sitter, you’ll watch over your clients’ dogs, cats or other pets at their house. As part of the job, you’ll need to feed them, give them water, play with them, and (with dogs) walk them as needed.
To start a pet sitting business, you need:
Planning and Preparation: Research the pet care industry and identify your target market. Determine the range of pet sitting services you’ll provide and decide on your service radius.
Legal and Business Structure: Choose a legal structure for your business, such as an LLC or DBA. Register your business and obtain the necessary permits and licenses. Additionally, consider getting insurance to protect your business.
Branding and Marketing: Make your business stand out by creating a unique brand. Develop a user-friendly website to showcase your services and attract clients. Utilize social media and local marketing to promote your business.
Networking and Partnerships: Build relationships with local businesses and pet-related organizations to expand your client base. Consider offering referral incentives to encourage word-of-mouth marketing.
Client Management: As your business grows, you may need to invest in pet sitting software to manage your growing business. This can help with scheduling, billing, and client communication. Additionally, consider offering online booking to make it easier for clients to schedule your services. To help keep clients satisfied, you’ll also need to regularly update them on how their pets are doing.
If you have other sources of income that require nothing more than an internet connection and a laptop, pet sitting may be an especially apt small business idea. Almost all pet owners will be glad to let you work on your laptop while you spend time at their home with their pets, meaning that you can run two income streams simultaneously.
3. T-shirt printing
If you have a sense of fashion (or humor), T-shirt printing business can be an exciting and profitable venture. In order to be successful, you’ll need to:
Plan your business: Research the market, identify your target audience, and determine your unique selling proposition.
Choose the right production method: There are various production methods, such as screen printing, direct-to-garment printing, and print-on-demand services. Consider your skills, budget, and desired quality.
Find the right print provider: Research and compare print providers to ensure quality, diversity of services, and fast turnaround times. Consider using print-on-demand services for ease and cost-effectiveness.
Create unique designs: Develop your own designs or collaborate with artists and designers to create unique and appealing graphics for your T-shirts. You can also license someone else’s designs and screenprint them onto a blank tee. Either way, if you have space for a T-shirt printing setup, you can easily acquire the necessary tools to get started.
Set up an online store: T-shirt printing can be a great e-commerce business. Build a user-friendly eCommerce website to showcase and sell your T-shirts. Platforms like Shopify make it easy to set up and manage your online store. You can allow customers to place online orders and sell T-shirts in bulk. This way, you can sell to customers around the country and even the world.
Choose your sales channels: In addition to your online store, consider selling your T-shirts on other online marketplaces, such as Etsy, Amazon, and eBay.
Develop a marketing strategy: Promote your T-shirt business through social media, content marketing, and local events. Collaborate with influencers and local businesses to expand your reach.
Monitor and optimize: Track your sales, customer feedback, and online analytics to identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategy accordingly
4. Cleaning service
If you like to clean, you can easily turn that into a business. With a few staff members, a host of cleaning supplies and transportation, you can offer cleaning services to homeowners, apartment complexes and commercial properties. To start a profitable and successful cleaning service business, you’ll need to:
Choose your market: Decide whether you want to offer residential cleaning services, commercial cleaning services, or a combination of both.
Choose a business structure: Register your business and obtain the necessary permits and licenses. Consider the type of business structure that best suits your needs, such as a sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation.
Plan your business: Research the market, identify your target audience, and determine your unique selling proposition.
Set a reasonable cleaning company budget: Determine the pricing structure for your services, considering factors such as labor costs, equipment, and supplies. Most cleaning services charge $25 to $50 per hour. Cleaning services are straightforward businesses that require relatively little overhead; you simply need planning, dedication and marketing to attract customers.
Decide what cleaning equipment to purchase: Invest in high-quality cleaning equipment, such as vacuum cleaners, mops, brooms, and specialized tools for different cleaning tasks.
Hiring and Training: If you plan to hire employees, hire individuals who are reliable, trustworthy, and have a strong work ethic. Provide thorough training on cleaning techniques, customer service, and safety protocol.
Marketing and Branding: Utilize online and offline marketing strategies to promote your services, such as social media, local advertising, and networking. Offer referral incentives to encourage word-of-mouth marketing
If you’re looking to differentiate yourself from other cleaning services, consider adding premium options like floor waxing or exterior power-washing for an additional fee. These services could be the deciding factor between your new cleaning service and seasoned companies that maintain too large a client list to provide that level of cleaning.
5. Online teaching
Starting an online teaching business can be an exciting and profitable venture. Since this is an online venture, you can choose any subject you know about and teach a course regardless of location. If you don’t have advanced knowledge in any particular subject, consider teaching English as a foreign language online to students overseas.
6. Online bookkeeping
As with education, technology allows many bookkeeping services to be performed online. If you are an accountant or bookkeeper who wants the freedom and autonomy of running your own business, take advantage of modern technology to start your own online bookkeeping service.
7. Consulting
If you are knowledgeable and passionate about a specific topic (like business, social media, marketing, human resources, leadership or communication), consulting can be a lucrative option. You can start a consulting business on your own, then grow your business and hire other consultants over time.
8. Medical courier service
The healthcare industry is expanding, which is a good sign for medical courier service job stability. There’s a wide range of client groups your business can serve, including hospitals, nursing homes, labs and private practices.
If you have a reliable vehicle and good time management skills, consider creating your own courier service – more specifically, a medical courier service. As a driver, you would be responsible for transporting medical items like lab specimens, prescription drugs and equipment. You could start your courier business on your own or hire other drivers to work for you.
However, to start a medical courier service business involves several key steps and considerations such as:
Understand the industry: Research the medical courier industry and identify your target market. Determine the range of medical courier services you’ll provide and decide on your service radius.
Legal and Business Structure: Choose a legal structure for your business, such as an LLC or DBA. Register your business and obtain the necessary permits and licenses. Additionally, consider getting insurance to protect your business.
Invest in the right equipment: Invest in high-quality medical courier equipment, such as temperature-controlled containers, GPS tracking systems, and specialized tools for different medical transport tasks..
Develop a marketing strategy and an online presence: : Promote your medical courier business through social media, content marketing, and local advertising. Collaborate with healthcare providers and local businesses to expand your reach. You may need to build a user-friendly website to showcase your services and attract clients. Utilize online platforms to host your services, such as RxMile, and offer online booking to make it easier for clients to schedule your services.
Lastly, don’t forget to Monitor and optimize your business: Track your deliveries, customer feedback, and online analytics to identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategy accordingly
9. App development
If you are knowledgeable and experienced in technology, you may want to consider a career in app development. Smartphones are an everyday accessory for many Americans that has increased the demand for mobile apps. Similarly, virtual reality software has become popular in recent years, so there is also a demand for VR app development.
10. Transcription service
If you have a good ear and can type quickly, a transcription service would allow you to work from home with a flexible schedule. Medical transcription services are especially needed as voice recognition technology proliferates for healthcare provider dictation.
You can accept as few or as many transcription jobs as you’d like. This flexibility can be especially beneficial if you’re not looking to start all at once or if you have a day job you would like to keep for now. To boost your business prospects and justify charging more, consider becoming a certified transcriptionist and delving into a few specialties.
Medical transcriptionists typically charge 6 to 14 cents per line of transcription, which adds up quickly. The typical turnaround time for transcription work is 24 hours, so it’s important to stay on top of the jobs you accept. However, the ability to accept only a few requests at first means you can scale up as you are ready. Best of all, there is very little startup cost and overhead. You only need a computer, the appropriate software and a secure messaging service.
11. Professional organizing
Looking for a small business idea that can really spark joy? Professional organizers, like Marie Kondo, help people declutter and minimize for a living. In an age of materialism, many people are desperate to downsize and take control over their possessions. Minimalism is becoming extremely popular, but people often find it hard to part with things they’ve owned for a long time. Part of being a professional organizer is helping clients develop a system for downsizing.
If you’re a highly organized person who enjoys making spaces functional and comfortable, you might be good at coaching others to do the same. People will pay you to help them devise a method of minimizing their possessions and maintaining an organized space. To promote your business, ask if your clients will let you take before-and-after photos of the areas of their homes you’ve organized. If so, you can use those to create a portfolio that you can put on social media to attract more clients.
12. Freelance copywriting or content writing
If you’re a natural wordsmith with a bit of marketing knowledge, you can establish yourself as a freelance copywriter or content writer. Whether you write blogs, web content or press releases, plenty of companies will pay for your services. Increase your value by using SEO knowledge to help clients craft a strategy around specific keywords that their target audience is already using in their online searches.
Freelance copywriting is a great business to run because as long as you have an internet connection, you can work. It’s a business that you can operate from the comfort of your own home or even from the road if you travel. If you establish a large enough network and gain referrals from satisfied clients, you could even make freelance writing your full-time job.
13. Home care service
A background in care and hospitality can go a long way to support housebound seniors who require in-home care. It’s also a service for which demand is only going to grow. According to the Population Reference Bureau, between 2020 and 2060, the 85-and-over population is projected to triple from 6.7 million to 19 million. The global number of centenarians (those over age 100) has already reached nearly 600,000. Many will need care and assistance, often in their own homes.
Luckily, you don’t need a background in healthcare to help seniors and grow a successful business at the same time, although those skills will be in demand as well. Many seniors need help with all kinds of tasks, like errands or repairs around the house. With some experience, you could consider growing your business to help seniors transition from their homes to assisted living facilities, offering services such as packing, transporting, setting up, or storing their furniture and possessions.
Senior home care is a rapidly growing industry. As a senior care provider, you can tap into this market while offering seniors premium care and assisting them with everyday tasks.
14. Translation service
According to research from IBISWorld, the translation services industry saw a decline in 2020, as did many industries; however, IBISWorld forecasts a “major uptick” for the industry over the next five years. That projected growth isn’t surprising, as the internet has opened up entrepreneurs in other countries to English-speaking markets, and vice versa.
This trend has created an opening for multilingual speakers to offer specific services, such as document translation and the translation of website information into languages for use in other markets. If you’re fluent in multiple languages, you could be successful in carving out a niche in the translation services industry.
15. Digital marketing
The importance of the internet grows with every passing day, but it also becomes harder for businesses to cut through the online clutter and properly market themselves. Digital marketing services are always in demand. Yet, many small and midsize companies would rather outsource them than establish a costly in-house team. If you have chops in SEO, content marketing, pay-per-click advertising, web development or social media management, you could seize a business opportunity that allows you the freedom to work from home.
Digital marketing is an important part of any brand, so you’ll need to respond to developments in your clients’ marketing strategies. Social media management entails watching for comments and messages around the clock, not just scheduling posts with a set-it-and-forget-it mindset. If you enjoy strategizing and implementing marketing plans meticulously, digital marketing could be the right business for you. You may also consider becoming an affiliate marketer, which is another form of digital marketing.
16. Owning a food truck
Food trucks come in all shapes and sizes, serving up a wide range of snacks and cuisines. Take your favorite style of food on the road, and sell your culinary passions directly to hungry customers. Sure, you’ll be working, but you’ll be in a space you’re passionate about, with a chance to connect to people who have similar interests.
Starting a food truck is a great small business idea for entrepreneurs with a taste for the culinary. The overhead and upkeep for a truck is significantly less than for a restaurant, and you have the added benefit of mobility.
Starting a food truck business can be profitable. However, there are some startup costs to consider, such as purchasing a food truck and modifying it to meet local regulations. If you’re interested in serving up smiles with a food truck, get more information in our guide to starting a food truck business.
17. Lawn care service
If you grew up with a lawn, chances are your parents made you maintain it. For many, lawn care is bothersome, but for some it offers a sense of peace and serenity. Working outdoors with your hands to tame and beautify the natural landscape can be a rewarding experience, but since so many people find the work tedious, it can also be profitable.
Lawn care services require little more than some basic equipment, a trailer and perhaps some staff, depending on how many clients you have and how big the jobs are. You can grow a small lawn care service into a full landscaping company by offering premium services and establishing a reputation as a brand that does a thorough job with a smile. If you like working outdoors and creating elegant landscapes, this could be the business for you.
Some states require landscapers, especially those using pesticides, to have a license. Check your state’s requirements to help you determine if you need to obtain a license for your business’s services.
18. Rideshare driving
If starting your own business seems daunting or too much of a risk, you can always use your car to become a rideshare driver. The overhead and responsibility of running the company fall on the rideshare service, giving you the freedom to work as much or as little as you want. Rideshare applications such as Uber and Lyft allow people to start side hustles that pay well and require little more than a willingness to drive people to their destinations and make occasional friendly conversation.
Rideshare drivers have the independence of a small business owner without the heavy workload required to manage behind-the-scenes logistics. If any of the other business ideas seem to require too much effort or upfront capital, ridesharing might be the way to dip your toe into the world of entrepreneurship.
19. Real estate
For many people, navigating the housing market is overwhelming. As a real estate agent, you can help people find their dream home at a price that fits their budget. Starting a real estate business involves several key steps and considerations, as outlined below:
Get a real estate license: To operate a real estate business, you need to obtain a real estate license, which allows you to legally buy, sell, and lease properties.
Find a brokerage: A real estate brokerage provides the necessary support, resources, and marketing to help you succeed in the industry. They typically take a percentage of the gross margin as payment for their services.
Join the National Association of Realtors (NAR): Membership in NAR offers various benefits, including access to tools, resources, and networking opportunities to help you grow your business.
Conduct market research: Understanding the latest trends and identifying potential opportunities in the market is crucial for a successful real estate business.
Network: Networking is essential in the real estate industry, as it helps you build connections, establish credibility, and generate leads. Attend industry events, join local business clubs, and engage with potential clients on social media
Keep Records. If your unable to do it on your own, hire a bookkeeper: Becuase, as a real estate entrepreneur, you’ll need to keep track of your income and expenses. Hiring a bookkeeper can help you manage your finances and maintain accurate records
In many states, you only need to complete a few months of classes and pass an exam to qualify as a real estate agent. Keep in mind that even with a certification, you’ll need strong social skills, so if you’re not a people person, this might not be the route for you.
20. Graphic design
Corporations, small businesses and sole proprietors all need eye-catching promotional materials, but not everybody has an eye for what looks good. Therefore, if you have an artistic streak and know how to organize content into a visually pleasing format, you could start a graphic design business to provide flyers, digital ads, posters and other engaging visual materials.
Business Model: Graphic designers can establish their businesses in various ways, such as creating a unique graphic design model or brand, working as a freelance designer, offering online design services, or providing design services in addition to other creative services.
Legal and Business Structure: It’s important to legitimize the business by registering it with the state authority and choosing a suitable business structure. This may involve setting up a method for payment, establishing a separate business bank account, and creating contracts and other legal forms to protect the business and the designer.
Marketing and Branding: Building a personal brand as a graphic design expert and using social media to reach out to potential clients is a common strategy. Consistently posting tips and articles on social media can help establish a designer’s expertise and attract clients. However, note that as a Graphic designer, one should continuously seek to improve their skills and knowledge to stay competitive in the industry. This may involve obtaining certifications, learning about the latest design trends, and seeking advice from experienced designers.
Starting a Graphic design business requires few physical tools beyond a laptop and a desk.
21. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is a business model where a seller lists products online without keeping an inventory. Instead, the seller has a contract with a supplier who delivers the products directly to customers. The seller sets their own price and keeps all the profit.
Dropshipping has become a popular eCommerce business model due to its low investment and low risk. It is a way to sell products online without needing to keep them in stock. When an order is received, the seller sends it to another company who ships the product straight to the customer.
The seller is a middleman between the customer and the company with the product. The dropshipping process is essentially a relationship between a customer-facing store and a supplier. Dropshipping can be a complement to a traditional eCommerce business model, and it can be a highly useful tactic when applied correctly. However, it has trade-offs, such as low-profit margins and fierce competition.
To start a dropshipping business, one needs to research what products would fit well with their strategy, market, and customer base, find the best supplier, and create an online storefront.
The minimal inventory and tools needed for drop-shipping make it an especially great startup idea if you’re worried about overhead costs and physical space.
22. Personal training
Starting a personal training business involves several key steps and considerations. Here are some insights from the search results:
Business Model: Personal trainers can establish their businesses in various ways, such as creating a unique personal training model or brand, working as a freelance trainer, offering online training, or providing group training in addition to one-on-one sessions. As a personal trainer, you can offer in-home training sessions that cater to each of your clients’ exercise capabilities. You can also help clients build customized nutrition and meal plans so their diets complement their physical goals.
Legal and Business Structure: It’s important to legitimize the business by registering it with the state authority and choosing a suitable business structure. This may involve setting up a method for payment, establishing a separate business bank account, and creating contracts and other legal forms to protect the business and the trainer.
Marketing and Branding: Building a personal brand as a fitness expert and using social media to reach out to potential clients is a common strategy. Consistently posting tips and articles on social media can help establish a trainer’s expertise and attract clients.
Many personal trainers start their client acquisition process with social media pages that detail their experience in the gym along with some motivational quotes. While a certification can help expand your customer base, you aren’t legally required to have any specialized training to start this type of busines.
If you choose to go this route, it’s OK to start small at first, then scale up. For instance, MOURfit is a personal training business in Indianapolis that started in a shared gym, then grew to a private gym that offers group fitness, personal training, and nutrition services.
23. Sewing and Alteration Specialist
Image Source
People will always need clothing hemmed and buttons mended — and you could be the person to do it. If you love sewing and have a sewing machine at home, start by offering simple services like those mentioned above and expand your repertoire to dressmaking and design as you build a customer base and demand.
You don’t need a special license or degree to begin a sewing and alterations business, but it’s essential to build your skills so you can take on more complicated projects. High-value clients will want to customize complicated items of clothing such as suits, pants, gowns, and dresses. That’s where you’ll see the highest potential for profits.
Altering these items require special skills, however. A few courses you might consider include:
You’ll also need to shop for sewing supplies of all colors to accommodate your clients.