There's a reason blue-collar businesses do so well - particularly because most people don't have the expertise (or the motivation) to do these sorts of jobs themselves.
If you're looking to start your own blue-collar business idea, there are several low-capital options you can choose from.
We put a list together below of the top blue-collar business ideas you can start today!
Here they are:
1. Start a waste management business ($492K/year)
Dustin from Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA started SOCO Waste about 4 years ago, a waste management business.
- Revenue: $41,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 3
- Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
I came to the realization that I had a problem with staying at a job for more than 6 months. I would come in to work every day, learn the job, and about 6 months later I would be sitting there bored and wondering why they didn’t do things a certain way to make the business more efficient.
I tried working everywhere from door to door sales, fast food, shipping companies and at one point I was even an O.T.R. truck driver!
Eventually, I would find another job and move on because being inefficient wasn’t me!
2. Start a motorcycle parts business ($7.2M/year)
Justin Pflanz from Lincoln, Nebraska, USA started TAB Performance about 17 years ago, a motorcycle parts business.
- Revenue: $600,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 9
- Location: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
My Brother and I grew up in a very entrepreneurial family. Our parents had started, grown and sold several companies growing up and it’s something we both had a passion for.
We’ve also always felt that our personalities and experiences complimented each other well. Generally speaking, I tend to be more detail oriented and risk averse whereas my brother is better at looking at the big picture and is more comfortable taking risks. I went to college and got a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in business and he got his degrees in both Business Administration and Marketing.
3. Start a roof inspection business
Examples of a successful roof inspection business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a roof inspection business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Roofing Contractor: Start And Run A Money-Making Business
- Roofing Business Start-Up Kit: "Roof It Right & And It's Water Tight"
4. Start a junk removal business ($300/year)
Sam Evans from Pennsylvania, USA started You Call We Haul Junk Removal over 4 years ago, a junk removal business.
- Revenue: $25/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 3
- Location: Pennsylvania, USA
When I was ending my freshman year of college, I was sitting in my dorm room one day when I got a call from my cousin. Both of us had been flipping items on eBay since we were 14 and always loved to find ways to make some extra money. He told me about a book called Effortless Entrepreneur, written by the founders of College Hunks Hauling Junk which is currently the world’s second-largest junk removal franchise.
I ordered the book on eBay for $4 and as soon as it came to my dorm, I immediately started reading. About 20 pages into it, I called my Dad who is a used car salesman. I told him that I was going to start a junk removal company and that I needed his help finding a truck. After nearly a week of calling him telling him every reason I could come up with as to why I needed to start this company, he was finally in. He helped me find a $1,000 truck on Craigslist, a 1991 Ford F-150.
I bought the truck, printed out some flyers at my school’s library, ordered a few hundred horrible business cards, and was officially in business.
5. Start a jewelry making business ($48K/year)
Lindsay Ann Gottschall and Courtney Joy Bleier from Miami, Florida, USA started Ann + Joy ago, a jewelry making business.
- Revenue: $4,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 2
- Location: Miami, Florida, USA
Courtney Joy always wanted to be a teacher as a little girl. She used to pretend to teach in her childhood home basement on Long Island, New York. Growing up in an artistic family, she became a figurative and landscape artist and eventually attended art school. After college, she decided to merge her two childhood passions together and became an art teacher.
Lindsay Ann expressed herself through art in a different way. She was in the theater and went to school for drama in New York City. While pursuing her dream of acting, she also made beaded jewelry on the side. It quickly became a passion of hers and would help lead her down a new path in life.
Within our first 3 months, we sold over 100 orders, resulting in more than $3,000 in revenue. By the end of our first year, we had sold over 2,300 orders, resulting in more than $65,000.
6. Start a diy business ($1.62M/year)
Mark Tyrol from Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA started Battic Door almost 8 years ago, a DIY business.
- Revenue: $135,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 2
- Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA
When I purchased my first house in 2000, I had a pull-down ladder in one of the bedrooms.
When attic stairs are installed, a large hole (approximately 10 square feet) is created in your ceiling. The ceiling and insulation that were there have to be removed, leaving only a thin, unsealed, sheet of plywood.
I have a colleague who told me “Businesses do not fail, people quit.” I decided to not quit.
7. Start a remodelling business ($4.2M/year)
Clifton Muckenfuss from Apex, North Carolina, USA started Carolina Exteriors over 10 years ago, a remodelling business.
- Revenue: $350,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 10
- Location: Apex, North Carolina, USA
The founders are childhood best friends from small-town America (South Carolina). We took different paths after college and approximately 9 years later, reunited in North Carolina. I (Clifton) was recruited from Florida to work for a Mortgage Company in Raleigh, NC and Wesley was already established here (Raleigh) working for a major building materials manufacturer (James Hardie). After the housing crisis, the Mortgage Company went bankrupt and I (Clifton) found myself without a job. I then founded a Residential/Commercial/Cleaning Company (still in operations today, Managed by my wife, Mary Ann) and grew that business from $0 - $500K rapidly.
Surround yourself with POSITIVE people.
Then, Wes and I were talking about the possibility of starting a siding/exterior remodeling company since most of the contractors were retreating after the recession and the ones that remained, didn’t focus on the customer, but rather, only on the transaction.
8. Start a campervan transformation service ($96K/year)
Bryan and Jen Danger from Portland, Oregon, USA started ZENVANZ almost 2 years ago, a campervan transformation service.
- Revenue: $8,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 3
- Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
As a part of our nomadic lifestyle, we built out a campervan simply to facilitate our own travels, whether it be a summer spent on the coast of Baja or chasing snow from mountain to mountain in the Canadian Rockies.
We really never had the intention of starting a business… In fact, we said no for a couple of years to those asking us to either buy our campervan or for us to build one for them. We loved the process and loved the idea of helping others to get out and enjoy more nature/adventure the way we had, but the idea of giving up some of our own freedom to go back to working in the shop simply wasn’t attractive.
Eventually, friends came to us and convinced us to start the business. To simply show them how to do what we had learned and for us to simply continue “marketing” the business as we already had been (by camping and attending events and simply talking to others who saw the van when we opened the doors). Those friends were also looking to make a transition in life as they wanted out of their 9-5s, and we saw it as an opportunity we couldn’t refuse- both to help them and to help others we had talked to about van builds over the years.
9. Start a crime scene cleanup business ($33.6M/year)
Nick-Anthony Zamucen from Greenwood Village, Colorado, USA started Bio-One almost 13 years ago, a crime scene cleanup business.
- Revenue: $2,800,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 7
- Location: Greenwood Village, Colorado, USA
I started Bio-One Inc. over two decades ago.
Bio-One is the nation's leader in Crime & Trauma Scene Cleaning with over 90 franchised to date and growing. Bio-One isn’t like any other business you get into, it’s not all about profit.
Let me explain a bit more. When a suicide, homicide or an undiscovered dead body is found, there are many people who get called to the incident. The police, coroner/medical examiner, fire department, detectives and the last responders are companies like mine, Bio-One the crime scene cleaners. Not all scenes we clean are crimes, but the term crime scene cleaner gives some mental picture of what gets done. We clean and remediate what is commonly left behind from EMT’s, police, fire departments and coroners to name a few.
10. Start a fishing boat charter business
Examples of a successful fishing boat charter business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a fishing boat charter business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start A Fishing Charter Business
- How To Start A Small Boat Charter Company Plus Business Plan
11. Start a candle business ($1.2M/year)
DShawn Russell from Raeford, North Carolina, USA started Southern Elegance Candle Company about 5 years ago, a candle business.
- Revenue: $100,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 20
- Location: Raeford, North Carolina, USA
I started Southern Elegance right after my son was born as a hobby. Initially, I made a bunch of random bath and body products in addition to the candles. When I decided to get serious, I looked at everything and decided to just focus on one product and chose candles because they had the potential to be the most profitable. I chose a niche that I could speak authentically about. My ideal customer was easy to identify because it was basically me. (But, don't use that a marketing strategy. It just happened to work in this case) I was born and raised in the South. I LOVE living here and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. I created a company around all the things that I love to do.
Choose your partners carefully and trust your gut. I made very bad decisions by going against what I thought I should do and listening to “experts” and lost a ton of money.
I was working in education at the time and I absolutely hated it. One day walked into work and quit my job to make candle making a full-time career. I had absolutely no background in sales, manufacturing, marketing or anything business-related. I basically had no clue as to how it was going to work or if this was even a viable plan. Everything was a learning curve, and I spent hours learning a new skill then implementing it.
With very limited resources, (basically no money) I went to the school of Google and Youtube. I took some online classes on Branding and Wholesaling. I hired a business coach and I literally hit the streets selling. For the first year, I would sell my candles at any Church function, fair, festival, school bazaar… I did not care. I sold candles outside in the middle of the summer and the dead of winter. I also sold on any and every online platform that would accept me. Etsy, Amazon, Faire, Modalyst, Houzz, etc. All the money I made went back into building the brand, I was lucky to have a husband to pay the bills but it was tight financially. When I finally felt comfortable I approached stores to carry my products. And we slowly built a base of stores to sustain the company.
12. Start a home building company ($6M/year)
Michael J Parnell from Wall Township, New Jersey, USA started MPC Builders almost 9 years ago, a home building company.
- Revenue: $500,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 4
- Location: Wall Township, New Jersey, USA
I started my career in a large scale, the commercial construction industry in the NJ and NYC markets. I was a project manager on $50-100+ million dollar projects, for clients such as the NY Red Bulls, Goldman Sachs, Princeton University, GlaxoSmithKline… large, multi-year projects.
After the downturn in 2010, I was just finishing up the Red Bull Arena soccer stadium project, and my employer decided to all but shut down our NJ business unit, laid off a ton of employees and pulled the ones they kept into our NYC office. I was commuting from Monmouth County, NJ to lower Manhattan, and after a year and a half, I had enough. My son was just born, and I was leaving for work at 5:30 am and getting home at 7:30 pm, and never home when he was awake other than on weekends. I knew that wasn’t the life I had envisioned having, and I needed to make a change.
So at first, I tried getting another job, in northern NJ for a small general contracting firm. I was hired as the Operations Manager and had a deal to work my way into an ownership position after a few years. But shortly after starting with the company, I knew it wasn’t going to be a long term position. It was very unorganized, with a culture in place that was not interested in making any changes to the way things were run. They also didn’t have solid business relationships, and after coming in 2nd place in nearly all of our bids (without the relationships to bring in those opportunities), I saw the writing on the wall. I was the second-highest salary, in a sinking ship, and I was laid off after only 5 months in the position.
13. Start a machine building and design
Examples of a successful machine building and design:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Cnc Machining Handbook: Building, Programming, And Implementation
- How To Build Gm Pro-Touring Street Machines
14. Start a woodworking business ($78K/year)
Sasha Weekes from Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, Canada started Timber Grove Studios over 3 years ago, a woodworking business.
- Revenue: $6,500/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 0
- Location: Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, Canada
I was always the art kid growing up, so I naturally began my post secondary education by pursuing a degree in Fine Arts. I spent my summers refinishing furniture and doing photography and that’s how I got my feet wet with business, so by my second year, I was also pursuing a minor in Commerce.
I had never really done much woodworking at all but became a lot more interested in design and home decor during those years. After finishing my third year, I was itching to do something more practical than becoming a gallery artist, so I set my sights on furniture design and enrolled in a college cabinetmaking course instead. It really wasn’t where I had ever expected to end up, but it was sort of a natural progression and I’m so glad I did it!
I started making mountain shelves in the morning before class to sell on Facebook and Kijiji. It was intended to be a fun side project but they were so popular that I started my business shortly after graduating with the mountains as my first product.
15. Start an electronics repair business ($0/year)
Allen Chiang from Connecticut, USA started Retro Radio Farm about 7 years ago, a electronics repair business.
- Revenue: $0/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 2
- Location: Connecticut, USA
One day back in 2012, I happened to go to a local flea market. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, and I'm not a flea market or garage sale regular.
I noticed these two old radios for $15 each. I had not been interested in old radios before, and I was not a collector or a retro guy. These particular radios were from 1950s, bright and colorful, oozing with retro pride, but in sad, neglected shape.
As far as my professional background, I have an electrical engineering degree but never worked on radios. My understanding of these things was only basic at best. I knew analog audio sounded better than digital from my guitar days.
16. Become a general contractor
Examples of a successful general contractor:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a general contractor:
For further info, check out these books and products:
17. Start a car wash
Examples of a successful car wash:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a car wash:
- How To Start And Fund A High End Car Wash - Ask Evan
- How To Start Your Own Car Wash Business At Home!
For further info, check out these books and products:
18. Start an instrument repair business
Examples of a successful instrument repair business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a instrument repair business:
- How To Get Started In Band Instrument Repair
- What Tools Are In A Brass And Woodwind Musical Instrument Repair Shop Daily Vlog 5-21-14
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Small Engine Repair Business Book: How To Start, Get Government Grants, Market, & Write A Business Plan For Your Small Engine Repair Business
- How To Start And Run A Successful Guitar Repair Business: Practical Tips For The New Entrepreneur
19. Start a concrete cutting service
Examples of a successful concrete cutting service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a concrete cutting service:
- Norton Clipper Cs451 Floor Saw - Asphalt And Concrete Cutting
- Concrete Cutting With 20 Inch Diamond Blade Wet Saw
For further info, check out these books and products:
20. Start an auto repair business
Examples of a successful auto repair business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a auto repair business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Secrets Of America's Greatest Body Shops: The Book That Will Challenge Everything You Know About The Collision Repair Business
- How To Start A Home-Based Car Detailing Business
21. Start a guard dog security service
Examples of a successful guard dog security service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a guard dog security service:
For further info, check out these books and products:
22. Start a cabinet making business
Examples of a successful cabinet making business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a cabinet making business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
23. Start a countertop manufacturer
Examples of a successful countertop manufacturer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a countertop manufacturer:
- Solid Surface Countertop Call 888-Lesmith Manufacturing/Fabrication
- Get 10x Leads For Granite Countertop Business
For further info, check out these books and products:
24. Become a bicycle manufacturer
Examples of a successful bicycle manufacturer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a bicycle manufacturer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
25. Start a generator repair service
Examples of a successful generator repair service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a generator repair service:
- How-To Quickly Start A Generator That Won't Start!
- How To: Repair A Generator That Won't Start Or Stalls
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Small Ac Generator Service Manual, Volume 2: Covers
- Automotive Repair Service: Start And Run A Money-Making Business
26. Start a holiday decorating service
Examples of a successful holiday decorating service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a holiday decorating service:
For further info, check out these books and products:
27. Start a machine building and design
Examples of a successful machine building and design:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Cnc Machining Handbook: Building, Programming, And Implementation
- How To Build Gm Pro-Touring Street Machines
28. Start a lawn care service
Examples of a successful lawn care service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a lawn care service:
For further info, check out these books and products:
29. Start a bitcoin hardware mining business
Examples of a successful bitcoin hardware mining business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a bitcoin hardware mining business:
- I Built A Crypto Mining Farm In My Garage
- How To Start Bitcoin Mining For Beginners (Super Easy) - Ultimate Guide
For further info, check out these books and products:
30. Start a graffiti removal business
Examples of a successful graffiti removal business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a graffiti removal business:
- Graffiti Removal & Big Dollars - Pressure Washing Business
- How To Start A Graffiti Removal Business - Starting A Business Online Review
For further info, check out these books and products:
31. Start a carpet cleaning service
Examples of a successful carpet cleaning service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a carpet cleaning service:
- Start A Carpet Cleaning Business $300 To $800 Keep It Simple My Friends! Why Pay More For A Start Up
- Shocked At How Much The Carpet Cleaning Business Makes In One Day!
For further info, check out these books and products:
32. Start a landscaping business ($13.2M/year)
Examples of a successful landscaping business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a landscaping business:
- How to Start a Landscaping Business RIGHT NOW with NO Startup Money
- How To GROW A Landscaping Business | How To Start Landscaping
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start & Run a Landscaping Business (Start & Run Business Series)
- Start Your Own Lawn Care or Landscaping Business
Check out all of our landscaping business case studies ➜
And for some real world inspiration, give Terry Morrill's story on creating Pacific Outdoor Living a read:
I'm Terry Morrill, the owner of Pacific Outdoor Living, Pacific Pavingstone, and creator of the AIMM System. At Pacific Outdoor Living, our main product that we sell is a complete landscape design-build project to high-end residential customers. We refer to our primary customer base as the "mass affluent". I run Pacific Outdoor living and its sister company, Pacific Pavingstone, with my two sons, Trent and Chad Morrill.
Our office, located in Sun Valley, has a staff of over 80 employees. Within the staff, we have specialized crews in demolition, landscaping, pavers, and pools. These specialized crews are experts in their field and have been trained with the highest certifications in each division.
This year, we will end up grossing around 16 million in gross sales, which is a significant increase from the years prior.
33. Start a pest control business
Examples of a successful pest control business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a pest control business:
- Starting your own pest control business with Jake Goodwin (Episode 5)
- How to Start an Exterminator Pest Control Business | Including Free Business Plan Template
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Book on Pest Control: How to Start a Pest Control Business
- How to Start & Manage a Pest Control Service Business: A Practical Way to Start Your Own Business
34. Start a window cleaning business
Examples of a successful window cleaning business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a window cleaning business:
- How To Make $2,000 A Week With A Window Cleaning Business (How To Start With No Money)
- How Exactly To Start A Window Cleaning Business Step-By-Step 2020
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Window Cleaning Blueprint: How To Make $500 A Day Cleaning Windows
- Easy Cash Window Cleaning: How To Start A Window Cleaning Business That's Easy, Fun And Profitable
35. Start a recycling business
Examples of a successful recycling business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a recycling business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start A Recycling Business Ebook: Peyton, John
- How To Start A Small Aluminum Can Recycling Business: Make Money Selling Aluminum Cans
36. Start an ac repair business
Examples of a successful ac repair business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a ac repair business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Starting a Business All-In-One For Dummies
- How To Start And Run A Successful Guitar Repair Business: Practical Tips For The New Entrepreneur
37. Start an industrial laundromat business
Examples of a successful industrial laundromat business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a industrial laundromat business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
38. Start a drain repair service
Examples of a successful drain repair service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a drain repair service:
For further info, check out these books and products:
39. Start a carpet installation business
Examples of a successful carpet installation business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a carpet installation business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
40. Start a plumbing business
Examples of a successful plumbing business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a plumbing business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Starting a Business All-In-One For Dummies
- Profitable Plumbing: How To Make The Most Money In The Plumbing And Heating Trade
41. Start a gardening business
Examples of a successful gardening business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a gardening business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener: How to Grow Your Own Food 365 Days a Year, No Matter Where You Live
- Homegrown Herbs: A Complete Guide to Growing, Using, and Enjoying More than 100 Herbs
42. Start a boat repair business
Examples of a successful boat repair business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a boat repair business:
- How To Start A Boat Repair Shop With A Strong Client Base
- What Can Revolutionize Your Boat Business?
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Small Engine Repair Business Book: How To Start, Get Government Grants, Market, & Write A Business Plan For Your Small Engine Repair Business
- Tow Truck Kings: Secrets Of The Towing & Recovery Business
43. Start a christmas lights service
Examples of a successful christmas lights service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a christmas lights service:
- Christmas Light Service-Christmas Decorating Tampa-Lakeland-Clearwater 813-352-0209
- Christmas Lights Service Introduction
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start A Christmas Store Plus Business Plan
- Easy Christmas: Classic Recipies For The Perfect Christmas
44. Start a christmas tree farm
Examples of a successful christmas tree farm:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a christmas tree farm:
- #43 Starting A Christmas Tree Farm - Our First 6 Months [Recap]
- #95 Christmas Tree Farm First Year Costs & Revenue
For further info, check out these books and products:
45. Start an aviation cleaning service
Examples of a successful aviation cleaning service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a aviation cleaning service:
For further info, check out these books and products:
46. Become a camera manufacturer
Examples of a successful camera manufacturer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a camera manufacturer:
- Porsche: High-Level Car Manufacturer
- How Hara Foam Defied All Odds To Become A Leading Local Manufacturer
For further info, check out these books and products:
47. Become a carpenter
Examples of a successful carpenter:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a carpenter:
- How To Be A Carpenter. Tips And Tricks And Stuff To Know.
- Training And Retaining Young Carpenters - A Path To Success
For further info, check out these books and products:
48. Start a plant stands business
Examples of a successful plant stands business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a plant stands business:
- The Best Plant to Propagate to Start a Business or Get Tons of Free Plants!
- Amazing Plant Stands Tutorial by Robert Barnes
For further info, check out these books and products:
49. Start a furniture delivery and assembling business
Examples of a successful furniture delivery and assembling business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a furniture delivery and assembling business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
50. Become a laundry detergent manufacturer
Examples of a successful laundry detergent manufacturer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a laundry detergent manufacturer:
For further info, check out these books and products:

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