50+ Best Startup Ideas & Trends To Make Money In 2024
As we move into 2024, it's clear that the startup landscape is changing. In fact, it's changing so fast that it can be difficult to keep up with all of the trends.
If you want to be able to set your own schedule, make your own decisions, and take care of yourself and your loved ones, then starting a business is the way to go.
We compiled a list of 50 profitable startup ideas (with real-world examples) you can start in 2024.
Here's the full list:
1. 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 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 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
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.
2. Start a web flipping business
A web flipping business is where you purchase a website, improve its revenue and then sell it for a profit. To start a web-flipping business, find an undervalued site with high traffic but a poor monetization strategy. Alternatively, you can build your website, grow it and then sell at a profit.
To earn profits from web flipping, you must spend time churning out high-quality content and growing your following before you can start making money.
How much you can make: $175,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Mohit Tater, CEO and founder of BlackBook Investments, shares his company's offerings of buying and operating profitable internet businesses and helping others invest in these businesses, with a minimum investment of $100,000 for the one-to-one offering and $25,000 for the group buy offering, and has over $7.5m in AUM and growing at a very rapid pace.
3. Start a NFT marketplace
An NFT marketplace is an online site for crypto-collectibles and non-fungible tokens where traders can buy-sell and discover exclusive digital items.
Launching an NFT marketplace requires setting up a blockchain network, integrating a chosen digital wallet, and creating smart contracts. Finally, you need to build a customer-facing web application.
Experts estimate that NFT marketplaces will continue experiencing a YoY growth of 30.72%.
Therefore, NFTs are becoming some of the most profitable blockchain-based experiments.
How much you can make: $30,000/month
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
RMRK developed the most advanced NFT system in the world, generating $1 million per month in volume and $30k per month in revenue, due to founder Bruno's hack to put NFTs onto a chain without smart contracts.
4. 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
How much does it cost to start: $6,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
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.
5. Start a hair product line
Starting a hair product line can be a fun and profitable way to build a new income stream. It's also fairly easy, as long as you plan it out (and maybe do a little bit of market research before creating your sales funnel). There's a reason we often talk about trends in hip-hop and pop culture when we talk about hairstyles — they often have a lot to do with advancements in the hair product industry. The industry is expected to grow to 102 billion dollars by 2024.
How much you can make: $550 — $2,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)
Private Label Extensions is a hair distribution and technology company that builds hair brands from A to Z for entrepreneurs, achieving over $650,000 in monthly sales and ranked #278 of the fastest-growing companies by Inc Magazine for 2018.
6. Start a niche blog
Starting a niche blog can be a great way to engage with a passionate online community by sharing your expertise on a specific topic.
The first step is to identify a profitable and underserved niche, such as fashion, video games, film reviews, cooking, and more.
Find your niche and create unique and informative content, such as articles, commentary, news, how-to guides, top product lists, convention coverage, video interviews, and spotlights.
To monetize your blog, gain visibility and followers, provide affiliate links, grow a YouTube channel, collaborate with relevant brands, and speak at events.
To succeed in niche blogging, you need to have a passion for your topic, create engaging content, and regularly engage with your followers.
How much you can make: $200 — $250,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $450 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Starter Story grew to 1.4 million monthly visitors and millions in annual revenue by sharing the stories of entrepreneurs. Pat breaks down the early days and how he grew the business into something that changed his life.
7. Start a digital agency
A digital agency’s task is to make a business reach its advertising, marketing, or technology-related goals. Anyone with enough knowledge and passion for digital marketing can start and run a profitable digital marketing agency. With the proper skill set, the right tools, and the right mindset, you can start a successful digital agency.
The global digital agency market reached a value of nearly $305B in 2020. The future growth prospects of the digital agency market are projected to be high due to the rising population of people consuming and creating content through digital channels.
How much you can make: $6,500 — $43,700,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Power Move Marketing is an innovative digital marketing company founded by Hailey Brooke McFadden, which has achieved an impressive monthly income of $22,075 and is projected to make almost $300,000 in its first year, by offering a one-stop-shop for e-commerce businesses looking for a marketing powerhouse with a female positive culture.
8. 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 — $3,735,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,850 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 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.
9. Start a phone case business
With the number of mobile phone users increasing, there are opportunities for accessory makers such as phone case manufacturers to make a profit. Building a business around making and selling phone cases is relatively easier to produce. You can print labels on-demand, starting with a lower risk, or buy them in bulk and sell them online.
The global mobile phone protective cover market is expected to reach 75.62 billion in the next few years.
Phone protective covers often make a statement and reflect a person’s social and cultural preferences. Phone case manufacturers take advantage of such considerations and keep their products relevant and up-to-date to attract a more extensive customer base.
Remember, as with any industry with a low entry barrier, there will be competition. Therefore, you must study customers’ tastes and preferences and offer customized phone cases.
How much you can make: $120,000 — $125,000/month
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Felony Case, a Toronto-based company designing unique iPhone cases, started as a small shop on Etsy and has grown to become an internationally recognized fashion iPhone case brand sold in top tier retailers like Nordstrom, Holt Renfrew, Indigo, Urban Outfitters, Revolve, Free People, and made over half a million dollars in revenue last year.
10. Start a drinkware brand
A drinkware brand sells home and houseware products like cups, koozies, mugs, and other drinking accessories. If you've decided to try and create a business selling drinkware, there are certain things you need to know. You can do it from the comfort of your own home. You can get started for free, avoiding the hefty cost of setting up a brick-and-mortar shop. And if you take advantage of the right marketing strategies, you could be on your way to making money within a few weeks. The demand for custom-branded drinkware in the workplace has increased substantially over the past decade.
How much you can make: $416,000 — $12,000,000/month
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. Start a supplements company
A supplement business makes money by selling dietary supplements, vitamins, protein powders, and health foods to customers.
These products are often sold directly to customers or through distributors and retailers.
Your target customers will likely include fitness enthusiasts, health-conscious individuals, wellness influencers, and those who prioritize their nutrition daily.
Starting a supplement brand is becoming increasingly popular because it's relatively inexpensive, and you can run the business from your home.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $3,500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 220 days (?)
A military officer turned entrepreneur built sports nutrition brand Bare Performance Nutrition from $15,000 in year one to on track to generate $6m in revenue this year, leveraging social media platforms and creating interactive, relatable and valuable content to create a community and a brand voice.
12. Start a life coaching business
Life coach helps people in various areas of their lives using a combination of emotional intelligence, professional knowledge, and experience.
Life coaching is a popular industry worth over $2.85 billion, and the number of life coaches has increased by 33% between 2015-2019.
This is a very profitable business and can be started at virtually no cost. You’ll need a computer, a high-speed Internet connection, and a LinkedIn account to start. Then, you can begin coaching part-time in your spare time until you build up your clientele.
How much you can make: $100 — $660,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
GrowthMentor, a platform connecting vetted growth mentors for one-on-one calls, founded by Fotis Panagiotakopoulos, has had over 2,500 mentorship calls booked to date and has seen success in using word of mouth, content marketing, and leveraging other people's networks as the primary drivers of customer acquisition.
13. Start a children's clothing business
The children's clothing business has grown rapidly over the last few years, and in 2022 was valued at $263.30 billion.
Starting a children's clothing business gives you the opportunity to be your own boss while working in a field you enjoy. While you have to be prepared to work long hours and put in lots of hard effort, it can be extremely rewarding if successful.
How much you can make: $500 — $1,333,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 190 days (?)
Argentinian startup Bambox has grown its monthly recurring revenue to $60,000 and ships more than 1,100 boxes of baby essentials a month, a figure expected to help it achieve an annual recurring revenue of about $750,000 in 2019, after launching its first subscription service in July 2017.
14. Start a stationery business
A stationery business sells stationery products such as paper goods, notebooks, greeting cards, and envelopes.
The best part about starting a stationery business is that it's relatively easy and inexpensive to get started.
Since there are so many different types of products available in this industry, there are endless opportunities for creativity, customization, and expansion.
You could even start out small by selling your products on Etsy or eBay before opening up an actual storefront.
How much you can make: $200 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,250 (?)
How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)
Chasing Planner Peace is a planner company that has expanded from selling planner inserts on Etsy, to offering a one-stop shop customizable planner experience with over 300 inserts, a planner line, and various other related products, gaining a monthly revenue of around $25,000 at its busiest time of year.
15. Start a furniture business
The furniture industry involves designing, manufacturing, and selling various types of furniture for household and commercial purposes. With the increase in flexible workspaces and the real estate industry’s growth, the furniture business’s demand is boosted.
The furniture business is easy to start and does not require high investments. However, it is first essential to know your niche, for example, office, domestic, home furniture, and luxury items.
The furniture business needs a lot of preparation and prior knowledge. Taking business classes, learning about your local market, and making a solid business plan is advisable. In general, if your products are unique and one of a kind, consumers will be willing to pay a higher, including the shipping cost.
How much you can make: $1,700 — $999,999/month
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Sasha Weekes, owner of Timber Grove Studios, turned her fine arts and cabinetmaking education into a successful home-based woodworking business that grew from a side project to netting 20-50% profits month-to-month and up to $10,000 in sales during peak periods through Etsy, with her company's growth continuing to increase through other social media outlets.
16. Start a meal prep business
A meal preparation business is a service that delivers prepared meals to its clients in the comfort of their own homes. The meal preparation business is a fast-emerging niche that offers a real opportunity to earn good money. To succeed, the starter must be efficient in the meal preparation and ensure proper communication skills. Besides, the entrepreneur must keep time when it comes to delivery to avoid customer disappointment.
A global survey shows that demand for food delivery service is on the rise. This is as people get busier with their careers and other more important tasks, leaving limited time to prepare meals and bond with friends.
Therefore, starting a meal preparation business can be a great way to earn extra monies.
How much you can make: $5,000 — $4,170,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 7 days (?)
Healthy Chew is a profitable weekly meal preparation service that grew from 200 to 10,000 weekly bowls in just over 3 years, with an overall sales figure of $1.8 million, achieved through effective branding and personalised customer service.
17. Start a jewelry making business
The global jewelry market size was valued at $278B in 2018 and is expected to reach $292B by 2025.
The industry comprises manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and jewelry designers. Unlike many other industries that have gone through leaps in technology, the jewelry industry has remained untouched for over 40 years.
If you know how to make jewelry, then this might be a great way to make some extra money.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $2,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
A primary school teacher found his passion for jewelry-making, turning it into a successful business generating $2500-3000 per month through sales at the Creative Queenstown Arts and Crafts Market, online, and through stockists, with plans to expand and eventually make it his full-time profession.
18. Start a skin care product line
The skincare business is a multi-billion dollar one, and it shows no sign of slowing down. New anti-aging products are entering the market at a nearly exponential rate, and the competition for consumers' money is growing more and more.
The industry was valued at 130 billion USD in 2021 and will expand at an annual growth rate of 4.6% up to 2030. This is surely a type of business that you should not miss. You'll need to build your creativity on your products and make sure that it is all safe and useful in improving the skin of your customers.
How much you can make: $300 — $1,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 165 days (?)
Two moms start a side hustle selling all-natural body products, doubling sales since their launch in 2017 with over 75 craft shows, promoting a non-profit source for their shea butter and self-promotion through podcasts, lining up retail interest from exposure.
19. Start an online fitness business
Thinking of starting an online fitness business?
Online fitness is growing rapidly in popularity because it’s convenient, affordable, and accessible to everyone. The best part is that you can stay in your home to start.
Starting an online fitness business can be a great way to make money and help people. When you start an online fitness business, you don’t have to worry about overhead costs like rent or maintaining a physical location - all you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $108,333,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study is about a former personal trainer who launched his online personal training platform, TeamFFLEX, starting with no money and a lot of drive, and grew it into a 6-figure business in less than a year, now doing $48,000 a month with potential for continued growth.
20. Start a freelance writing business
Freelance writing can be a good career choice if you are looking for a flexible online job.
Working as a freelancer gives you the flexibility to define your work schedule. You can work from home at any time. Freelance writers work across various niches, writing about various topics assigned by the client,
To earn good money as a freelance writer, you need the following personal qualities:
- Strong writing skills
- Ability to meet deadlines
- Stay on the cutting edge
- Be a self-starter
- Be up-to-date with the current writing tools & writing trends
- Proper communication skills
How much you can make: $700 — $320,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $300 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
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.
21. Start a fashion business
In 2022, the fashion industry was valued at $473.42B, with a growth rate of 8.3% over last year. To become successful in this highly competitive & ever-growing industry, you must have passion, perseverance, and the ability to take risks.
With platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the way that fashion products are marketed online has completely changed, so it’s essential to keep up with these trends.
How much you can make: $100 — $40,480,000/month
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Learn how this DIY blogger turned sewing pattern maker generates over $10k per month in passive income, and discover her tips for building an authentic brand on a budget.
22. Start a graphic design business
Graphic designers create logos, brochures, ads, and other marketing materials for companies and organizations. They also design websites and other digital content, including social media graphics.
Graphic designers may specialize in one type of design (such as print or web design), or they can be generalists who do everything from logo design to social media graphics.
Starting a graphic design business can be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. It’s not easy, but if you’re passionate about design and want to make a living, starting your own graphic design business is a great way to go.
Consider a suitable pricing structure when starting a graphic design business. You may charge the customers per hour or fixed pricing based on the project’s nature.
How much you can make: $2,500 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 87 days (?)
Learn how two friends bootstrapped a SaaS business to $55k monthly recurring revenue (MRR) by creating a simple graphic design tool for non-designers and focusing on content marketing for customer acquisition.
23. Start a home decor business
Are you a talented interior designer? Do you know you can turn your hobby into a side income opportunity? Home décor as a side hustle is a great opportunity to build a brand as you earn extra income. You first need to work on your portfolio to launch a successful home décor side hustle.
The portfolio communicates to your potential customers your potential when it comes to home décor. You may use your home as an example or request a friend for an opportunity to do their home décor as a sample for your portfolio. Once you have a portfolio, market your business, and remember to include photos from your previous gigs to increase the chances of closing a sale.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $415,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 48 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Less is More Organizing Services, founded by Sarah Giller Nelson, is a home organizing service that operates in two states, serving an average of 95 households per year with an 85% repeat customer rate, offering services by the hour with a 4-hour minimum, and using a guided decluttering process to help customers achieve their goals.
24. Start a dating coaching business
A dating coach offers training and guidance to improve the client's success in dating and relationships.
The dating coach evaluates the results of the client's actions and decides what changes to make to the client's dating approach to improve the outcome. Besides, dating coaches offer guidance and support, helping clients negotiate the often confusing first stages of their early romantic experiences.
Dating coaches have been around for years. A more recent trend is dating coaches who help people with conditions like autism overcome their situations and begin dating people they love. Do you love helping people achieve their dating goals? You can start a dating coach service today!
To start, identify a niche and create a website, to help you reach more people. You can target teenagers, divorced people, or older adults and help them through their dating life.
How much you can make: $1,500 — $683,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $20 (?)
How long does it take to build: 45 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 3 hours/week
Meet Ta'Veca Collins, founder of Romance On The Go, a concierge service that promotes romance and intimacy; since becoming a preferred vendor for The W Hotel Fort Lauderdale, their gross income has increased to around $3,200.00 monthly, and they are currently expanding their team to meet the demands of new partnered hotels.
25. Start a backpack line
There is a demand for backpacks all year round, which increases during the camping season. As an entrepreneurial backpack company founder, you oversee design to bring functional style to an essential travel item.
Focus on creating versatile, durable, and comfortable backpacks suited for the daily commuter as well as outdoor adventurers by focusing on innovations in straps, padding, compartments, and lightweight but weatherproof materials.
Promote customized and made-to-order services to stand out while developing a direct-to-consumer model.
Whether aiming to outfit students, professionals, or travelers seeking hands-free convenience, building a backpack line from scratch aligns savvy business sense with a passion for accessories that organize and transport daily essentials.
How much you can make: $20,000 — $1,600,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
How Tortuga bootstrapped their way to seven figures in revenue, by solving a problem for travelers with their carry-on sized travel backpacks, after overcoming challenges in design, manufacturing, and advertising.
26. Become a toy maker
The toys market is growing at a CAGR of 2.5% and will reach a market size of $103 Billion in the next few years. Toys play a critical role in a child’s growth and development. They help in brain development, enabling the kids to acquire logical and reasoning skills.
Besides, toys help kids develop spatial reasoning and social and communication skills. Therefore, starting a toy-making business today could be the best decision you are about to make.
To start your toy-making business, identify a potential niche, and focus on delivering suitable toys.
How much you can make: $9,999 — $200,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 95 days (?)
This case study is about how the founder of ZZZ Bears created and grew a line of military teddy bears named SGT SLEEPTIGHT, primarily selling to military families and gaining success through Facebook ads and partnerships with military exchanges, Target, and TAPS, while also learning important lessons such as the power of mentors and seeking help.
27. Become a business coach
Are you thinking of starting a career as a business coach?
Becoming a business coach can be a great way to help aspiring entrepreneurs while earning a healthy income. You may want to consider becoming a coach if you have skills in specialized business fields such as marketing, e-commerce, stress management, or leadership.
Many small-business owners are finding it hard to get started, grow, and succeed. As a business coach, your job will be to help entrepreneurs identify new opportunities and take advantage of the ones they already have.
How much you can make: $3,500 — $9,259,259/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
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.
28. Become a children's book writer
If you are passionate about early childhood education, why not become a children’s book writer? Starting a children’s bookstore is a low-barrier-to-entry business you can start today.
You can write storybooks or subject textbooks for kids, publish and distribute them through the bookshops or your online bookstore, or sell them on Amazon and other online bookstores.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $50,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,600 (?)
How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)
OrderOfBooks.com is a website that lists books in both publication and chronological order and generates six-figure revenue after starting off as a resource for the founder and his friends, serving as a valuable resource for book readers.
29. Start a men's underwear brand
Underwear is essential to any person’s wardrobe, and the men’s underwear industry has grown quite large.
Many companies, such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Hugo Boss, specialize in men’s underwear. These companies have been able to keep up with the demand of this growing industry by offering quality products at reasonable prices.
The demand for men’s underwear has risen because it offers an alternative to traditional cotton briefs. Men are increasingly realizing that they don’t want the same old thing when it comes to their underwear; they want something that feels like luxury and provides them with comfort and support.
With so many opportunities available today, it’s easy to see why more people are turning to this industry to start their businesses.
How much you can make: $800 — $475,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $4,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 470 days (?)
Founder Krystian Frencel shares how he built a men's luxury underwear brand, Bunch of Animals, to $5,000/month with no previous e-commerce or product creation experience, offering softer than soft boxer briefs featuring seamless designs in collaboration with artists from around the world.
30. Start a swimwear line
Are you interested in a textile business? If you live near a beach, a potential business idea can be swimwear. People wear swimwear when going for an afternoon of water activities. Therefore, starting a swimwear line can be a great business idea if you live near a beach or a swimming pool. Swimwear shops stock men’s and women’s attire.
How much you can make: $800 — $40,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $9,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
Junk in your Trunks is a sustainable swim trunk brand that uses recycled plastic bottles, reporting up to $25K in monthly revenue and gaining traction with a Barstool Sports partnership.
31. Start a hardware store
A hardware store sells tools, farm implements, and construction materials such as nails.
To start hardware, decide between opening your hardware store or starting a franchise. A franchise store provides access to an established name, a well-proven operational model, and a reliable supply chain. On the other hand, starting your hardware store lets you make independent decisions about how the business will operate.
How much you can make: $30,000 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Suffolk Latch Company, an online store specialising in traditional and hand forged ironmongery, has experienced a 20% increase in turnover compared to the previous year despite economic turbulence, attracting and retaining customers through a multi-pronged approach of Google ad campaigns, reviews and social media, blog articles, and selling through eBay and Amazon.
32. Start a pet accessories business
With the increasing number of pet owners globally, the pet accessories market is booming. Pet accessories include items that promote the health and wellness of pets and improve pet handling. Examples of pet accessories include pet treats, toys, collars and tags, leashes, pet beds, food and water bowls, poo bags, clothing, costumes, etc.
To start a pet accessories business, market research and focus on the highly demanded pet products.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $300,000/month
How long does it take to build: 268 days (?)
Tuft + Paw, a modern cat brand founded by Jackson Cunningham, started as an importer of exquisite cat furniture and, after raising $150k from Kickstarter, graduated to manufacturing products, seeing sales grow to over $300k per month and now raising $2m from famed investors including Alexis Ohanian.
33. Start a transcription business
A transcription service converts live or recorded speech into a written or electronic text document. Transcription service is in demand globally across industries.
Becoming a transcriptionist can be a side hustle or a full-time job, so long as you have the right gear.
Do you plan to become a transcriber ? Take an online transcriptionist course and work on your listening skills. To succeed, you need a good typing speed and excellent language command.
How much you can make: $100,000 — $200,000/month
How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)
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.
34. Start a hair extensions business
The hair extensions industry offers hairpieces and wigs for aesthetic and medical purposes. People looking for hair extensions are concerned about regular hair styling, so they prefer them.
If you follow hair and beauty trends and are passionate about starting a business in the beauty industry, you can start a brick-and-mortar hair extensions business. Research the market and find out the type of hair in demand.
How much you can make: $500,000 — $650,000/month
Private Label Extensions is a hair distribution and technology company that builds hair brands from A to Z for entrepreneurs, achieving over $650,000 in monthly sales and ranked #278 of the fastest-growing companies by Inc Magazine for 2018.
35. 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 , master a second language and earn some experience so you become fluent in the second language.
How much you can make: $40,000 — $550,000/month
How long does it take to build: 70 days (?)
DEMAN Translations grew from 6 employees and 1.5 million euros in turnover in 2015 to 17 team members and 3.5 million euros in sales in 2020 after acquiring 12 other translation agencies, with a goal to reach 6 million euros this year and 10 million euros in 2022.
36. Start a Greeting Cards Business
People use greeting cards to mark births, deaths, graduations, anniversaries, and other parties or events.
If you love helping people celebrate special occasions, starting a greeting card business can be a great business opportunity.
When starting a greeting card business, choose a potential niche and write a business plan.
Then, find an ideal spot to sell the greeting cards.
For instance, you can offer greeting card design and posting services, so customers can choose the best designs and post greeting cards online.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $100,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 65 days (?)
Joker Greeting sells unique prank gifts, including a non-stop musical birthday card, an idea raised by the founders visiting their mom's house, having no website or marketing and yet raising $92,073 on Kickstarter in 30 days due to being picked up by media, enabling them to sell 15,000 units in the first year, owned SEO for their niche, selling almost 40,000 units in 2017 and expected to reach 50,000 to 60,000 in 2018 with a small team, using Shopify and various social media channels with lots of organic traffic.
37. Start a gift baskets business
A gift basket is delivered to the recipient at the workplace or residence. A gift basket business is a noble idea because, with a proper strategy, you can remain in business all year round.
To start a gift basket business, choose a niche or a sales channel, and register your business appropriately. Then, with a proper marketing strategy, you should be able to reach a broader customer base.
How much you can make: $550 — $125,000/month
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Dick At Your Door is an e-commerce shop that grew almost 10x within the last eight months by selling anonymous pranks such as 5 oz chocolate penises, and its founder shares his journey that started as a joke to becoming a professional chocolatier.
38. Start a newsletter
Did you know that in the past five years, there has been more than a 50% increase in the number of people who read newsletters?
Newsletters are one of the few things you can use to market yourself as a trusted expert. A well-written newsletter can educate your subscribers and build connections with them.
Email newsletters are a great way to connect with customers and potential customers. It’s a newsletter’s job to inform, persuade, and sell to your audience.
How much you can make: $100 — $3,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $400 (?)
How long does it take to build: 22 days (?)
Financial media company MarketBeat, founded by Matt Paulson, provides objective financial information and real-time market data to empower individual stock investors to make better trading decisions, generating approximately $8 million in revenue in 2019 and ending the year with over 1.3 million unique email subscribers due to a freemium model with 75% of revenue from advertising and 25% from subscriptions.
39. 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: $29,166 — $61,650,000/month
How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)
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.
40. Start a cleaning service
A housecleaning side business is a beautiful idea for people with free time on weekends or even weekdays. The side hustle idea requires little capital to start. During the launch, you can choose to offer the service to your neighbors and scale as you gain experience. The average salary for a house cleaner is $17.32 per hour.
By starting a house cleaning business, you are tapping into an enormous market with plenty of clientele. There could always be demand for your cleaning service, which keeps you in business as you help homeowners keep their homes spotless.
How much you can make: $3,000 — $600,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 80 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 7 hours/week
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.
41. Start a lawn care service
Are you ready to begin your lawn care business and be your boss? A lawncare business offers lawn aeration, Seeding, fertilizing, soil acidity tests, and controlling weeds, among other services. If you love creating amazing landscapes, consider starting a lawn care company.
To start lawn care legally and run it profitably, you must register the business legally. You can get into a franchise or start a business from scratch. Decide what lawn care services you will offer and your target clients.
To offer effective service, purchase lawn care equipment, and hire skilled lawn care personnel.
How much you can make: $375,000/month
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
GreenPal has bootstrapped their business to over $30 million a year in revenue, after securing an unsecured line of credit for $85,000, and have built the operating system and platform for small lawncare companies to run their entire business through, becoming live in all 50 US states and having 1.2 million homeowners using the platform.
42. Start an online t-shirt business
Running a t-shirt business is an opportunity many entrepreneurs are looking into as a side hustle or even a full-time business opportunity. While having your own physical store is possible, online businesses are becoming extremely popular in this field.
Launching your own successful online t-shirt business may feel daunting, but with the guidance & insights from people who are already pioneering this industry, it’s simpler than you may think. You can start with selling customized quotes t-shirts, tie-dye prints/screen printing t-shirts, or solid color t-shirts. The opportunities for this industry are endless.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $83,300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $425 (?)
How long does it take to build: 7 days (?)
Texas-born apparel brand Tumbleweed TexStyles has grown to serve over 150 retailers throughout the southern United States, selling an estimated 90,000+ products yearly and making an annual $1.2m in sales, thanks to the founders' unique designs, focus on giving back to the education community and successful “guerilla marketing” tactics.
43. Start an amazon kindle publishing business
Are you a writer looking for a way to grow your career? Kindle direct publishing is amazon’s e-book self-publishing platform where readers purchase eBooks or print-on-demand books. KDP is one of the top self-publishing companies and currently dominates the self-publishing book market.
Publishing your books on KDP is easy, especially for writers who find traditional publishing overwhelming. If you are an author, you can upload your book files directly, and it will appear as an eBook for readers to purchase and download instantly.
How much you can make: $120,000/month
How long does it take to build: 200 days (?)
Founder Dave Chesson shares how he created a successful book marketing software, generating $120k a month, and offers advice for non-techies on how to hire programmers, prioritize support, and innovate continuously.
44. Start an amazon service agency
Amazon service agency works for sellers who lack experience and resources, helping them create, optimize, and execute product listings and storefronts to achieve their business goals and objectives.
Amazon agency can provide complete amazon management or selected services, where the agency will assist amazon sellers on a few things like amazon advertising campaigns. Therefore, the amazon service agency is similar to a digital marketing company.
Starting an amazon service agency is a massive and lucrative business opportunity. To be successful, you must put in hard work, research, dedication, and an adequate budget. By working hard and researching, you can maximize your potential to start and build a successful business.
How much you can make: $20,000 — $958,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
A service agency that helps brands grow their business on Amazon saw a 300% YoY growth, averaging $25k a month in revenue and profits of approx. 30-40%, after restructuring pricing and realizing that their service was more valuable than they gave it credit.
45. Start a drone photography business
Drone video, a.k.a, aerial cinematography, is the best way to achieve affordable bird's view footage of an event or commercial.
Until recently, when organizations wanted an aerial video of their business, they had to hire a helicopter, or a photographer had to climb the highest roof to cover the business. Nowadays, drones are the best approach when it comes to aerial photography.
The technological evolution has created an opportunity for aerial cinematography. To start a drone photography business, get your drone flying license, buy a basic drone and camera, and create your aerial cinematography profile.
How much you can make: $10,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $850 (?)
How long does it take to build: 44 days (?)
A group of friends started a video production company called CFF Media that now generates $10k per month in revenue, where they primarily make promotional and testimonial videos for other companies in Atlanta.
46. Start a niche web design business
Niche web design business focuses on a specialized market such as law, home improvement, videography, fashion, etc. typically, when a web designer niches down their services, they are simply choosing to concentrate on one industry and create websites for businesses within the particular niche. To become a niche web designer, consider honing the following skills and personal qualities:
- Visual design, HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- Strong communication skills
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Teamwork and research skills
- Attention to detail
Narrowing your focus to a particular niche gives you a higher chance of becoming a recognized expert and places you in a better position to charge more for your services.
How much you can make: $200 — $200,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 40 days (?)
The Locksmith Agency, run by Samuel Wilson, a licensed locksmith with over 10 years of digital marketing experience, is making $30k+ per month by providing digital marketing services such as Website Development, SEO, and Google Listing optimization services specifically for the locksmith industry.
47. 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: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
48. Start a mobile auto detailing service
A mobile carwash business reaches clients whenever possible and offers its services conveniently. Therefore, car owners do not need to drive to different locations looking for a car wash, as the mobile service provider is there for the client.
The advantage of offering a mobile car wash business is that clients will call you to their location whenever they need their vehicles cleaned. You can serve more customers based on convenience compared to an immobile car detailing business.
How much you can make: $5,000 — $20,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Learn how former tech salesman, Matt Paskow, left the industry to start Fresh Look Mobile Auto Detailing, a profitable mobile auto detailing business generating around $5k per month that focuses solely on SEO, Google AdWords, and Google My Business for marketing.
49. Start a parking lot business
More people are purchasing cars, and the demand for parking spaces has increased significantly. Finding a safe parking lot is becoming a problem, and this is where the parking lot business opportunity emerges.
A private parking lot business provides customers with a convenient and safe space for automobiles.
Starting a parking lot business requires ample space, a parking attendant, a surveillance system, and payment collection software. To increase your income, you can introduce an EV charging station.
A parking lot business is an excellent low-maintenance business since you do not need to be there physically, as you can fully automate the parking lot as a self-service facility, available 24/7.
How much you can make: $61,583 — $100,000/month
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Learn how the Co-Founder and CEO of NOSON grew their business to $1.2M in revenue in 27 markets using tools like Typeform, Zapier and Google for only $300 a month, and their advice for entrepreneurs just starting out.
50. Open an ice cream parlour
Ice cream is something that people of all ages equally enjoy globally, making it a profitable business to venture into.
This frozen dessert industry has registered massive growth in recent years, a trend that shows the industry’s potential.
If you are looking to start your ice cream business, follow these steps:
- Decide whether to make your ice cream or to source from established ice cream brands
- Write an effective business plan for the ice cream shop detailing the goals, strategies, and plans
- Fund your business idea
- Choose a spacious shop in an area with plenty of foot traffic
- Offer different ice cream flavors
Opening an ice cream parlor is not easy work. However, if you do it right, it is rewarding and can be a lot of fun.
How much you can make: $16,000/month
The Good Scoop, a California-based artisanal ice cream shop, started with a small Italian countertop ice cream maker and now has a production facility, wholesaling to various venues, offering frequent scooper programs, and using Instagram as their primary advertising platform.
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