60+ College Campus Business Ideas You Can Start Today [2024]

Updated: July 24th, 2023

Interested in starting a college campus business in 2024?

We put together 59 of the best college campus businesses you can start in today.

For each business idea, we’ll show you real-world examples of other college campus businesses to help you see what it really takes.

Here's the full list:

1. Start a music school

If you have a passion for music and love teaching, starting an online music school can be a great way to kickstart your music tutoring business.

This not only helps you connect with local customers but also opens up opportunities to reach a global audience.

Moreover, starting an online music school gives you the freedom to work from anywhere and at your preferred time.

Whether you are brand new to teaching music online or you have been teaching online but are looking for some fresh inspiration, you can incorporate it into your online music school. examples include:

  • Teaching church music online
  • Teaching children’s choir
  • Youth & adults’ choirs
  • Teach live video sessions using online meeting platforms
  • Choir, band & orchestra

How much you can make: $2,000 — $100,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $4,535 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

How I Left My Job To Start A Music, Vocals, Dance And Art Academy

Former IT professional Meenakshi started Art Splash Academy of Fine Arts, offering Keyboard, Guitar, Violin, Rock & Pop vocals, Indian Music, Carnatic vocals, Bharatnatyam, Certified Jazz, Arts, Yoga, and Tabla courses for all ages with an investment of $9,000, and now manages it successfully with 80% of customers enrolling in online classes during COVID-19.

About
Meenakshi started Art Splash Academy of Fine Arts over 8 years ago
Revenue
Meenakshi grew the business to $2K/month
Costs
It cost Meenakshi $9000 to start the business
Read by 6,414 founders

2. Start a sports coaching business

Sports coaching is a fast-growing industry in all areas of the world.

If you have a sports coaching qualification and experience, you can turn those experiences into a profitable business.

You can offer coaching to teams or individuals depending on your preference and the nature of sports.

You may join sports associations or attend networking events to market your sports coaching abilities.

How much you can make: $4,759 — $8,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $550 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How I Started A $4.8K/Month Business Offering Sports Coaching Services By Women

Girl Boss Sports, founded in December 2018, aims to increase the number of women sports coaches while keeping girls in sports by partnering with companies and organizations, and has brought in an average of $4,700 of revenue per month over the last 6 months by hiring over 20 female soccer coaches in Greater Seattle area.

About
Sarah started Girl Boss Sports about 5 years ago
Revenue
Sarah grew the business to $4.76K/month
Read by 6,284 founders

3. 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: 382 days (?)

How I Started A $650K/Month Hair Extensions And Products Business

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.

About
Mikey started Private Label Extensions about 11 years ago
Revenue
Mikey grew the business to $650K/month
Costs
It cost Mikey $14000 to start the business
Read by 36,063 founders

4. Start a personalized gift business

Personalized gifts are great for celebrating important dates, joyous occasions, and memorable moments. The personalized gifts include photo frames, key chains, to group gifts.

A personalized gifts business is a low-capital idea since you do not need a physical storefront or office space to start the business. Besides, you can put as much time into the business as possible, which means you can run the business as a side hustle.

Check out our guide on how to start a personalized gift business

How much you can make: $1,000 — $416,000/month

How long does it take to build: 135 days (?)

Learnings From Starting A Curated Gift Boxes Ecommerce Side Hustle And Growing It To $12K/Month

Bestowe Gifting quadrupled their sales during the pandemic by shifting to online sales and offering unique, locally sourced gifts, resulting in a successful eCommerce side hustle that allowed the founder to pay themselves and expand their custom business.

About
Catherine started Bestowe Gifting over 6 years ago
Revenue
Catherine grew the business to $12K/month
Costs
It cost Catherine $20000 to start the business
Read by 12,581 founders

5. Start a book club

A book club consists of several people who read and talk about the books based on the topic or an agreed reading list.

Setting up your book club can be a great way to enjoy books and meet new people.

More importantly, a book club is a well-paying side hustle idea. Therefore, figure out who you invite to your book club and define the purpose.

Do you want to learn something new, or do you just want to bond with other book lovers? Having a defined purpose helps you reach like-minded people to keep the book club close-knit.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $13,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $75 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How Two Friends Started A $13K/Month Online Book Club From Bali

Two friends started an online book club that now has 570 members and generates £10,500 MRR, by addressing the problem of 'Tsundoku,' charging a monthly subscription fee for one non-fiction book, one inspiring meetup, and one custom cocktail, inspiring conversation and community.

About
Ben started Rebel Book Club almost 9 years ago
Revenue
Ben grew the business to $13K/month
Costs
It cost Ben $100 to start the business
Read by 25,328 founders

6. Start an animation business

Animated posts and animated ads have become more prevalent today than ever before. Starting an animation business focusing on helping brands create animated ads and illustrations can be fun and profitable.

The animated videos can be posted on Instagram and other social media platforms. To start an animation studio, you should start by hiring some specialists. You need a pair of illustrators, animators, and a scriptwriter to bring the idea to life.

As an animation artist, you can create animation and visual effects for films, gamers, ads, etc.

How much you can make: $500 — $400,000/month

How long does it take to build: 212 days (?)

How I Started A $7K/Month Freelance Career Designing Explainer Animation Videos

An animation company owner generates between $75,000 and $100,000 annually from producing custom explainer animations for start-ups and marketing companies for between $5,500 and $7,500; logo animations for companies that market using videos at $200 to $500; and Instagram Stories stickers beginning at $350.

About
Mike started drive80 about 13 years ago
Revenue
Mike grew the business to $7K/month
Read by 6,927 founders

7. Start a healthy meal delivery service

Meal prep delivery services offer healthy and nutritional meals to customers via e-commerce sites.

These services provide either DIY meal kits or Ready-to-eat meals, saving time and eliminating food waste.

They are particularly beneficial for busy people and health-conscious millennials who prefer nutritional food at home.

There are two types of meal services: online meal kits and fast food delivery services.

A meal prep delivery business can be profitable, especially when compared to restaurants, as they save costs on a storefront.

To make a good profit, one should invest less in groceries and ensure they have many customers.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $25,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 7 days (?)

How We Started A Meal Prep Delivery Business And Did $1.8M In Sales

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.

About
TJ started Healthy Chew almost 8 years ago
Revenue
TJ grew the business to $60K/month
Costs
It cost TJ $500 to start the business
Read by 37,379 founders

8. Start a selfcare subscription box

How much you can make: $1,000 — $50,000/month

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How We Started A $50K/Month CBD Subscription Box Side Hustle

Hemp Crate Co is a CBD subscription box delivering over $125 in value to their 1,000+ subscribers, generating $50k+/month in revenue, operating as a side hustle while offering a low-capital, prepay-based startup model.

About
Ryan started Hemp Crate Co. almost 5 years ago
Revenue
Ryan grew the business to $50K/month
Costs
It cost Ryan $20000 to start the business
Read by 8,680 founders

9. Start a healthy snack food business

Businesses with healthy snacks are becoming increasingly popular. This is because people are becoming more conscious of what they eat and the ingredients used in their food products.

Compared to a few decades ago, more people value health over anything else. A tasty snack food business can be a great way to turn your passion for snacking into profit.

The global healthy snacks market is expected to reach $152B by 2030, and there’s no sign of this slowing down. Healthy snacks can include anything from protein bars to gluten/dairy-free alternatives to chips, cookies, crackers, and more.

How much you can make: $15,000 — $3,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,200 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How We Started A Caffeine Gum Product, Sold 12 Million Pieces, And Landed A Deal With CVS

Neuro co-founders Kent Yoshimura and Ryan Chen developed their functional gum and mint products to offer a portable, healthy, and efficient alternative to energy drinks and supplements, hitting 12M pieces sold and generating ~$500k in monthly revenue with over 25% repeat customer rate and retail presence in over 6,500 locations including 5,000 CVS stores.

About
Ryan started Neuro over 8 years ago
Revenue
Ryan grew the business to $500K/month
Read by 18,127 founders

10. Start a mobile photography business

Want to start your own photography business? You're not alone. With the rise of social media and photo-sharing, blogging, and online retailing, it's never been easier to start making money behind your camera.

There are photographers shooting weddings, creating images for ad campaigns, freelancing for magazines, touring the world, taking photographs of destinations — the list is endless!

To start mobile photography , research the target audience and determine which specialization area is more lucrative. Invest in high-quality, professional cameras, lenses, and a computer with professional software photo-editing software.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 200 days (?)

Embracing the Experience Economy with a $300K/mo Photo Booth Startup

Photobooth Supply Co. offers a profitable business opportunity through their sleek and portable photo booths, with up to 97% satisfaction rate and a focus on customer experience, in a fast-growing event industry where photo booths are exploding.

About
Brandon started Photobooth Supply Co. almost 11 years ago
Revenue
Brandon grew the business to $500K/month
Read by 14,619 founders

11. Start a career coaching business

A career coaching business involves providing personalized guidance, support, and strategy services to help clients navigate professional transitions and growth opportunities.

As a career coach, you design custom sessions to assist with resume building, interview prep, and workplace advancement goals tailored to each client’s aspirations.

With flexibility for in-person or virtual meetings, building a client base lets you empower breakthroughs through specialized advice and accountability.

Launching a coaching practice can be a great opportunity for those with speaking talents and human resources expertise to monetize their natural motivational abilities while setting their own schedule.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

From Getting Fired At 24 To Growing A $140K/Month Online Community

Wall Street Oasis, the largest online community focused on careers in finance, has over 100 million visitors during its 14-year history and is currently receiving over 2 million visits per month, offering interview courses and mentorship services, in addition to building and investing in a thriving online community.

About
Patrick started Wall Street Oasis almost 18 years ago
Revenue
Patrick grew the business to $200K/month
Read by 20,610 founders

12. 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 (?)

How I Started A $12K/Month Business Selling Productivity Planners Online

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.

About
Jess started Planner Peace over 8 years ago
Revenue
Jess grew the business to $22.5K/month
Read by 61,680 founders

13. 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: $400 (?)

How long does it take to build: 53 days (?)

How I Started A $80K/Month Content Writing Business

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.

About
David started Article-Writing Co almost 13 years ago
Revenue
David grew the business to $125K/month
Read by 23,072 founders

14. Start a digital magazine

A digital magazine is an electronic publication that takes a digital format rather than printed on paper.

Ideally, digital publications and traditional print magazines are not all that different. The only difference is the medium of delivery. To start a digital publication, decide the publication’s goals and pick a topic or theme. Then, create a content strategy and choose the right software.

How much you can make: $50,000 — $800,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)

Swagger: Starting A Digital Men's Magazine

SWAGGER Magazine is a digital lifestyle magazine for men, with a focus on lifestyle, fashion, gear, food, dating and business and careers, pulling in 1-2K per month in revenue through sponsored posts and celebrity features, and growing rapidly with 60k social media following and a growing audience.

About
Drew started SWAGGER Magazine almost 17 years ago
Revenue
Drew grew the business to $50K/month
Costs
It cost Drew $500 to start the business
Read by 7,007 founders

15. Start a sex toys business

The sex toy industry is growing rapidly, and there's no sign of this slowing down.

The reasons for this growth are varied. The rise of social media has made it easier to find out about new products and services, which has given companies greater access to their customer base and helped them grow their businesses. More people are also getting comfortable with buying things online; not only does this make it easier for them to shop in private, but it also helps them avoid embarrassment if they're nervous about their purchases being seen by other customers while they're waiting in line at a store.

The industry itself is changing as well: companies are offering more variety than ever before, which means that there's something for everyone—even those who might not have considered themselves interested in this sort of thing before now can find something that suits their needs perfectly!

There are already individuals who made it big in this industry and these stories are the proof of their success.

How much you can make: $500 — $5,260,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $625 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How We Started A $2.4K/Month Sex Toys For Men Store

SexToysForMen.Co founder shares how he stumbled into the adult toy industry, and through organic content marketing and referrals, has grown the business to bring in monthly revenue of $2,000-$3,000 with an email list accounting for 30% of sales.

About
Liam started Sex Toys For Men Co. over 7 years ago
Revenue
Liam grew the business to $2.4K/month
Read by 17,856 founders

16. Become a graphic designer

Graphic designing involves creating sketch designs and materials for corporate clients, advertising agencies, public relations firms, and publishers. Besides, graphic designers provide visual solutions to specific company images, log design, and branding problems.

Graphic design is an excellent career for creative thinkers who enjoy using their talent and artistic skills combined with technology and communication abilities to come up with unique solutions for their clients.

How much you can make: $8,000 — $81,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 165 days (?)

How We Make $7.5K/Month With A Productized Service

Draftss.com is a productized graphic design and front-end code service on subscription that made $66k ARR in 2019, has an MRR of $9.6k as of July 2020, and offers add-ons such as designers being added to team in interacting tools and front-end code services on WordPress using various page builders like Elementor and Divi.

About
Junaid started Draftss almost 6 years ago
Revenue
Junaid grew the business to $15K/month
Costs
It cost Junaid $100 to start the business
Read by 10,946 founders

17. Start a youtube channel

For anyone looking to start a successful YouTube channel, there are plenty of YouTube channel success stories that can be used as inspiration and encouragement. In addition, YouTube has an established monetization system and boasts incredible popularity, making it a potential platform for revenue generation.

In this article, we'll look at different approaches you can use to help promote your channel and grow your viewers. While there's no quick and easy way to success, you can take these tips to build your own YouTube Channel Success story. If you love content creation, you can capitalize on YouTube's popularity to earn extra income.

If you want to join the Youtube partner program to monetize your channel, you will need to reach a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months.

How much you can make: $800 — $4,500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 48 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How This Couple Makes $5K/Month Generating Content About Ways To Make Money Online

Learn how this entrepreneurial couple made $5-7k a month by helping others find legitimate work from home jobs and creative ways to make money online through their blog and YouTube channel, as well as offering two flagship products designed to help beginner freelancers and new bloggers accelerate growth.

About
Chhavi started Mrs Daaku Studio over 5 years ago
Revenue
Chhavi grew the business to $5K/month
Costs
It cost Chhavi $500 to start the business
Read by 13,279 founders

18. Create a website builder

How much you can make: $200 — $350,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $4,750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

On Starting A $160K/Month CRM & Automations Company After A US Air Force Career

GreenRope, a self-funded CRM and marketing automation platform with over 1,000 customers in 20 countries, was built organically and focused on creating a positive, customer-centric culture without outside investment, with an all-in-one interface solving challenges in managing sales, marketing, customer service, and operations.

About
Lars started GreenRope over 15 years ago
Revenue
Lars grew the business to $160K/month
Read by 10,760 founders

19. 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 (?)

Buying A Translation Company And Growing It To $4M/Year

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.

About
Cédric started DEMAN Übersetzungen almost 9 years ago
Revenue
Cédric grew the business to $550K/month
Costs
It cost Cédric $1250000 to start the business
Read by 7,391 founders

20. Become a social media influencer

Social media has become integral to people's lives and daily routines. Given the importance of social media, brands are flocking to different social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok in the hope of connecting with their target audience.

A popular approach taken by these brands is engaging social media influencers. A social media influencer has established credibility in a specific industry and has access to a vast audience they can persuade to act based on recommendations.

Anyone can become a social influencer so long as they have the right strategy. Choose a popular niche based on your interests and start creating relevant content.

How much you can make: $2,500 — $300,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $601 (?)

How long does it take to build: 155 days (?)

How I Started A $2.5K/Month Blog About Motherhood, Life And Travel

How one mother built a profitable frugal motherhood, life, and travel blog from scratch, using Instagram, Pinterest, and paid sponsorships to grow from 0 to 18.5K followers and generate $1,500-$3,000 per month in less than two years.

About
Asia started Frugal and Frills over 5 years ago
Revenue
Asia grew the business to $3K/month
Read by 6,891 founders

21. Start a book rental business

22. Start an upcycle fashion products business

Upcycle fashion products business involves creating fashionable clothing and accessories using recycled or pre-owned materials. This type of business is environmentally friendly and helps reduce waste by repurposing materials that would otherwise be discarded.

To start an upcycle fashion products business, you must source materials from thrift stores, garage sales, and other places where pre-owned items are sold. You can also consider partnering with organizations that collect and donate used clothing and other materials.

Once you have gathered your materials, you must design and create your products. This may involve sewing, knitting, or other creative skills. You can also consider hiring skilled artisans to help with the production process.

To sell your products, you can set up an online store, participate in craft fairs and markets, and sell your products through local retailers. It is essential to market your products effectively and showcase the unique aspect of your products being made from recycled materials.

To run a successful upcycle fashion products business, it is essential to have a clear vision of what you want to create and how you want to sell your products. It is also crucial to have a strong network of suppliers and customers and to continuously find new and innovative ways to create and sell your products. It is also essential to stay updated with the latest fashion trends and be flexible and adaptable as the market changes.

23. Start a pet sitting business

A pet sitter is a professional who provides daily care for pets while the pet owners are at work or on vacation. The pet sitter's duties include:

  • Cooking special meals for pets as instructed by pet owners.
  • Reporting any behavioral issues to pet owners.
  • Playing with the pets to encourage their mental and physical stimulation.

One of the advantages of working as a pet sitter is that it's not a stressful career. You also get to work with different animals while enjoying a work-life balance.

How much you can make: $15,000/month

How I Started A $8K/Month In-Home Pet Care Service

A technician-turned-CEO built an in-home pet care enterprise that generates $8k per month by documenting business operations and empowering employees, inspired by the successes of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc and researcher Brené Brown's work on vulnerability and empathy in the workplace.

About
Benny started Hands N Paws almost 6 years ago
Revenue
Benny grew the business to $15K/month
Costs
It cost Benny $1000 to start the business
Read by 7,020 founders

24. Start a youtube channel

For anyone looking to start a successful YouTube channel, there are plenty of YouTube channel success stories that can be used as inspiration and encouragement. In addition, YouTube has an established monetization system and boasts incredible popularity, making it a potential platform for revenue generation.

In this article, we'll look at different approaches you can use to help promote your channel and grow your viewers. While there's no quick and easy way to success, you can take these tips to build your own YouTube Channel Success story. If you love content creation, you can capitalize on YouTube's popularity to earn extra income.

If you want to join the Youtube partner program to monetize your channel, you will need to reach a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months.

How much you can make: $800 — $4,500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 48 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How This Couple Makes $5K/Month Generating Content About Ways To Make Money Online

Learn how this entrepreneurial couple made $5-7k a month by helping others find legitimate work from home jobs and creative ways to make money online through their blog and YouTube channel, as well as offering two flagship products designed to help beginner freelancers and new bloggers accelerate growth.

About
Chhavi started Mrs Daaku Studio over 5 years ago
Revenue
Chhavi grew the business to $5K/month
Costs
It cost Chhavi $500 to start the business
Read by 13,279 founders

25. Start a delivery service

Delivery service refers to a collection of services that deliver goods and products through the land, air, or waterways across locations. The delivery services serve B2B, B2C, and C2C customers.

The growing e-commerce sect and increased cross-border trade are some factors driving the growth of delivery services. Furthermore, consumer preference for online shopping has greatly contributed to the increased demand for delivery services.

To start a delivery service, make sure you have a cargo van, a fully functional website, and meet all the legalities for operating a business in your state.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $83,333,333/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How I Started A $100K/Month Logistics And Delivery Service Company

How a logistics company grew its revenue over 300% in 2 years, starting with just 2 vans and 25k+ square feet of warehouse space, and focused on relationships, efficiency, and building trust with its customers.

About
Ben started Velocity International Group over 8 years ago
Revenue
Ben grew the business to $150K/month
Read by 11,966 founders

26. Start an etsy seller business

Etsy is an online marketplace where people can buy and sell all kinds of handmade goods, vintage items, and art supplies.

It's a great way to make some extra cash, and you can use it as an opportunity to build your brand and find new clients.

To get started on Etsy, you'll need these four things:

  • An Etsy account
  • A PayPal account
  • A product idea (or at least a product category)
  • A visually appealing storefront with photos of your products

How much you can make: $100 — $750,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How I Started A $12K/Month Business Selling Productivity Planners Online

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.

About
Jess started Planner Peace over 8 years ago
Revenue
Jess grew the business to $22.5K/month
Read by 61,680 founders

27. Start an used books retail kiosk

The global second-hand books will evolve at a CAGR of 6.6% over the next few years. If you want to start a used book shop, now is a great time to profit from the business.

To start a used book shop, you may source the books from overseas or purchase them locally. Your business will target the local book lovers looking to read more books. Your used book kiosk can be located in a shopping mall or a residential location.

28. Start a furniture lending business

29. Start a research paper writing business

How much you can make: $2,000 — $42,857/month

How much does it cost to start: $67 (?)

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

How We Started A $514K/Year Content Curation Agency With Just $35 [From India]

Content-Whale, a content curation agency, has achieved a Rs. 4 crore ($514k/year) turnover 4-5 years after being started with just Rs. 2500 ($35), and has a pool of more than 500 writers, aiming to become a market leader in the global content market.

About
Vaibhav started Content-Whale Private Limited over 6 years ago
Revenue
Vaibhav grew the business to $42.9K/month
Costs
It cost Vaibhav $35 to start the business
Read by 4,651 founders

30. Start a campus bus shuttle service

A campus bus shuttle service is excellent for getting students and campus staff to and from class as efficiently as possible. Many campuses provide the bus shuttle service through a partnership with a private transport operator.

To start a campus shuttle service, collaborate with the campus administration, so you are allowed to operate within the campus.

31. Start a campus newspaper business

32. Start a mobile phone repair kiosk

A cellphone repair kiosk is a low-startup cost business; hence easy to start. However, the profit margins may be low as you start the business, but they increase over time as you become well-known and successful.

To start a mobile phone repair kiosk, find streets with high foot traffic, and open a store. Advertise your business widely to get more foot traffic to your shop.

33. Start a brochures printing business

34. Start a private library business

35. Become a bed and breakfast owner

Bed and breakfast is a sort of hybrid between a luxury hotel and a private home. The host offers the guests affordable accommodation featuring a bed and breakfast at the room's price. B&Bs offer affordable accommodations and are becoming popular among travelers who prefer a private setting.

If you have realistic expectations, B&B can be a profitable and enjoyable business. To start, you can renovate and turn your home into an inn. Alternatively, you can build or buy a ready house and convert it into a modern B&B.

36. Start a bike rental store

Bike rental is one of the most profitable business ideas most people overlook. Today, bike rental is in high demand, especially among people who love outdoor activities. Today, people prefer renting a bike as opposed to buying one. Moreover, bikes offer a hassle-free and quicker ride option for daily commuters. In that regard, starting your own bike rental business is exciting and can be profitable.

If you are starting a bike rental business, some avenues you could use to increase business profitability include:

  • Targeting tourists
  • Reaching out to biker clubs
  • Biking training schools
  • Cater to employees in organizations that encourage the use of bikes

Use bike rental software to manage bookings, and market your business on social media and biking clubs, to maximize bookings.

37. Start a child care business

Starting a childcare business is a great way to build a steady income. You will have the opportunity to be your boss and set your hours even from home. You will have the satisfaction of building one-on-one relationships with children and watching them grow over the years.

A childcare business is an excellent idea. It is both a personal and economical investment for its owners. This is especially true if you are considering starting your non-profit organization or becoming licensed to provide child care. Running a childcare business allows you to help children develop while also making money. As with any business endeavor, running a childcare business has its ups and downs, but it can be very rewarding.

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

38. Start a sports bar

People drink when they are happy or depressed. Opening a sports bar can be an excellent opportunity to earn money no matter their mood.

Are you looking for a strip mall business idea? You can start a sports bar at your nearest strip mall. You can sell take-away wines, spirits, whiskey, or beers and have a sitting place for customers who enjoy drinks at the bar.

39. Start a cyber cafe business

40. Start a perfume retail kiosk

The global perfume market is growing rapidly, a trend attributed to increased awareness of luxury and exotic fragrances. Among the end users, the fragrance market is segmented into male, female, and unisex. However, the females account for a higher value luxury perfume market share.

To start a perfume kiosk, understand the market potential and conduct proper research. Select a niche and an ideal location for your perfume business. To keep the business running, create a sourcing plan and scout the competition.

How much you can make: $19,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How I Started A $19K/Month Personal And Home Fragrances Brand

Founder Rafael Hernandez launched Alfred Lane, a line of handcrafted personal and home fragrances, generating $19k in monthly revenue with 50% attributed to online and wholesale sales, while expanding to 65 stores across 6 countries and expanding to Europe and South America.

About
Rafael started Alfred Lane about 11 years ago
Revenue
Rafael grew the business to $19K/month
Costs
It cost Rafael $2000 to start the business
Read by 7,361 founders

41. Start a bakery

Everyone loves baked goods, be it sweet items like cakes, muffins, and cookies or savory baked food like pizzas, buns, bread, and puff pastry. Baking takes a lot of effort and patience, which is why many people buy baked items from stores or restaurants instead of baking them at home.

Starting a bakery can be a rewarding business opportunity if you have a passion for baking. If you plan to start a bakery, consider that happy customers often become repeat customers. Therefore, always focus on quality and work on customer satisfaction.

To start a bakery , pick an ideal format. Some options include:

  • Counter-style bakery
  • A hybrid bakery with a cafe,
  • Food truck with a bakery
  • Home bakery.

Write a suitable business plan and choose the correct location.

How much you can make: $2,500 — $25,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How This Couple Left France To Build Their "American Dream:" A Six-Figure Online French Bakery

French chef and founder of online bakery Pastreez, Anthony Rosemond, shares keys to success including validating ideas with the market, focusing on SEO and organic growth, building customer relationships through email and SMS, never offering discounts but offering freebies, and diversifying the business with new products and content on social media.

About
Anthony started Pastreez almost 7 years ago
Revenue
Anthony grew the business to $25K/month
Costs
It cost Anthony $7000 to start the business
Read by 6,334 founders

42. Start a Xerox Store

Starting a Xerox store can be a lucrative and rewarding business opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to enter the printing and document solutions industry. This business provides various services, including printing, copying, scanning, and document management.

To start a Xerox store, you’ll need a good location that is easily accessible to your target customers. You’ll also need to invest in high-quality Xerox equipment, including printers, copiers, and scanners. In addition, you’ll need to have a strong marketing and sales strategy to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Running a successful Xerox store also involves providing excellent customer service and building client relationships.

You’ll need to be knowledgeable about the various products and services you offer and be able to troubleshoot any issues that may arise. It would help if you were proactive in staying up-to-date with industry trends and advancements to provide the best solutions to your customers.

Overall, starting a Xerox store requires a combination of business savvy, technical expertise, and excellent customer service skills. You can build a successful business in this exciting and growing industry with the right approach and dedication.

43. Start a music and video sales business

44. Start a mobile supermarket business

45. Start a clothing and accessories delivery business

How much you can make: $105,000 — $500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

This 24-year-old designer just made $1 million selling used clothes online

Teenager turned millionaire entrepreneur creates viral alt-fashion brand from scratch, with 380K followers on Instagram and more than 1 million dollars earned from Depop app, now launching her own website to sell original designs under her brand name, iGirl.

About
They started iGirl World about 7 years ago
Revenue
They grew the business to $105K/month
Read by 2,126 founders

46. Start a coffee shop

Starting a coffee shop is an exciting and rewarding venture. It's a business that can be started with relatively little capital, and there are many ways to make it profitable. Coffee shops feature a low-cost stock but are profitable businesses.

If you plan to open a coffee shop, you may purchase a franchise, buy an existing business, or start from scratch. Whichever the decision, ensure a strategic location and renovate the space to create an inviting atmosphere. Develop a fantastic offering and begin marketing the business even before you open.

How much you can make: $15,000 — $52,500/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

We Built A Coffee Shop In A Van That Makes $180K/Year

This case study follows the co-founder of Camper Cafe, a mobile coffee van business which started as a hobby and now has 6 units that supply the UK's biggest sporting events, commercial and film shoots, generating around £150k from working only 70 days of the year.

About
Beth started Camper Cafe over 12 years ago
Revenue
Beth grew the business to $15K/month
Costs
It cost Beth $5000 to start the business
Read by 5,504 founders

47. Start a fitness center

Are you interested in starting a business that revolves around health and body fitness? How about setting up a fitness center?

A fitness center business is a health, recreational, and social facility geared towards exercise and other physical activities. These centers serve people who may want to do workouts to get into shape and improve their overall health.

The health and fitness industry is one of the fastest-growing industries today. Some factors behind the sector’s popularity include a health-conscious population who want to avoid lifestyle-related illnesses, social media influence, and a shift towards better healthcare.

Starting a fitness center business can be a fun and profitable venture. If you plan to start the business, secure a good location, and equip your fitness center adequately. You may choose to operate entirely online or a hybrid model where you have the physical fitness center and the online one.

How much you can make: $59 — $39,875,000/month

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

I Built A $240K/Year Business While Deployed In Kuwait

BioFit is a fitness studio that offers safe and effective exercise through high-intensity training (HIT) methodology, using adaptive resistance exercise (ARX) machines that can achieve results in as little as 20 minutes a week, with an 80% closing ratio, over 70% client retention, 125 clients, and an average monthly revenue of $20k.

About
John started BioFit about 5 years ago
Revenue
John grew the business to $20K/month
Costs
It cost John $100000 to start the business
Read by 2,654 founders

48. Start a gadget accessory store

49. Start a gaming lounge business

50. Start a juice bar

The increasing popularity of healthy juices and low start-up costs make starting a healthy juice shop appealing.

To start a healthy fresh juice business, prepare a business plan, create juice recipes and ensure you have the licenses and permits to sell fresh juice. Locate local producers and source fresh fruits for your business.

51. Start a beauty parlour business

A beauty parlor business offers various services, including haircuts, styling, coloring, makeup application, and other beauty treatments. To start a beauty parlor business, you will need a space to operate out of, typically a salon or storefront. You will also need various equipment and supplies, including styling chairs, shampoo stations, mirrors, styling products, and makeup.

For the success of a beauty parlor business, it is essential to have a team of experienced and skilled stylists and beauty professionals. It is also crucial to have a strong marketing strategy in place to attract and retain customers. The marketing strategy can include advertising through social media, local events, and word-of-mouth referrals.

Offering high-quality services and maintaining a clean and welcoming atmosphere is vital to returning customers. It is also essential to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and techniques in the beauty industry to offer the most current services to your clients.

Overall, a beauty parlor business can be a rewarding and lucrative venture for those passionate about the beauty industry and provide excellent customer service.

52. Start a dorm room cleaning business

53. Start a laundry business

Starting a laundry business can be a fulfilling and lucrative venture for entrepreneurs looking to make a difference in their communities. With the right equipment and a commitment to providing excellent customer service, this business idea has the potential to thrive in a variety of locations.

One unique aspect of starting a laundry business is the opportunity to offer specialized services, such as eco-friendly detergent options or same-day turnaround for busy professionals. Additionally, partnering with local dry cleaners or offering pickup and delivery services can set your business apart from competitors and attract a loyal customer base.

In terms of upfront costs, starting a laundry business will require a significant investment in commercial-grade washing machines and dryers, as well as a convenient and well-located storefront. However, with the right marketing strategies and a focus on providing top-notch service, this investment can quickly pay off and result in a thriving business.

Overall, starting a laundry business is a rewarding and potentially profitable venture for entrepreneurs who are passionate about making a positive impact in their communities. With the right approach and a commitment to excellence, this business idea has the potential to succeed in a variety of settings.

How much you can make: $24,000 — $83,333/month

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

I Built A $318K/Year Business By Digitalizing The Laundry Industry

Dhobilite disrupted the laundry market in India by using smartphone technology and becoming India's first app-based, on-demand cleaning service provider, expanding to more than 15 cities, with 20+ stores and 30+ franchises, offering premium online dry cleaning and laundry services, with revenue equally distributed between dry-cleaning and laundry.

About
Nishant started Elite DhobiLite Laundry Pvt. Ltd. over 12 years ago
Revenue
Nishant grew the business to $26.5K/month
Costs
It cost Nishant $80000 to start the business
Read by 4,338 founders

54. Start a laptop cleaning business

55. Start a t-shirt customization business

A t-shirt customization business is a business that allows customers to design and create their unique t-shirts. You can do this business either online through a website or in a physical storefront location.

To start a t-shirt customization business, you must invest in a t-shirt printing machine and the necessary equipment, such as ink and screens. You may also want to consider offering a variety of t-shirt styles, colors and sizes to appeal to a broader range of customers.

One way to attract customers is to offer a user-friendly online design tool that allows customers to easily upload their designs or choose from a selection of templates and clip art. You can also offer in-store design consultations for customers who want a more personalized experience.

In addition to t-shirts, you may consider offering customization for other types of clothing, such as hoodies, tank tops, and hats. You could also provide customization services for other items, such as bags, mugs, and phone cases.

To market your t-shirt customization business, you can use social media, online, and local advertising to reach potential customers. You can also participate in local events and trade shows to promote your business and attract new customers.

Overall, a t-shirt customization business can be a fun and rewarding way to turn your creativity and passion for design into a successful business.

How much you can make: $200 — $4,255,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How We Bootstrapped A $1.4M/Year Clothing Manufacturing Business [From Ludhiana]

NG Apparels is a garment export unit based in Ludhiana that caters to the clothing segments worldwide, boasting a turnover of $1,581,547 without loans or credit card limits.

About
Arpit started NG Apparels about 13 years ago
Revenue
Arpit grew the business to $1.33M/month
Costs
It cost Arpit $10000 to start the business
Read by 3,086 founders

56. Start a grocery store

A grocery store sells a wide variety of food products, fresh or packaged, and other household & personal care items. The grocery store industry is the largest retail channel that makes $682 billion in the United States.

To start a basic grocery store, you can expect to spend a minimum of $50,000. Ideally, the bigger expense would be the rent, equipment, labor cost, cash registers/POS systems, and software. Some of these are recurring monthly fees. However, the location, size of the store, competitors, and local customers will significantly impact the business. A new grocer should sell more items for a lower price to make a more significant profit.

A new grocer can also save costs by buying the items from local distributors. The distributor is the middleman between the manufacturer and the grocery store selling it. Once the store cost and location are decided, the next step is to obtain a seller license. In most states, a grocer's license is required to run a grocery store.

Thus an average grocery store has a profit margin of 3% to 5%. The profit rates depend on the store's location, size, and popularity. On average, a small to medium grocery store can make a profit of up to $300,000 annually if all the profit factors are considered.

Another way to make your business more profitable is to diversify your store and add amenities like a coffee shop or stocking up the front of the store with magazines, batteries, etc., as these items can cross a margin of up to 70%. As a rule of thumb, offering lower prices on higher purchases will ultimately win more customers and increase profitability.

57. Start an acting lessons business

Mumbai is the hometown of Bollywood, and many people are coming to Mumbai to become actors. As the owner of an acting classes business in Mumbai, you will provide training, coaching, and support to those considering getting into the Mumbai Bollywood industry. To get started, you may choose to work with children or with a career-oriented adult audience interested in stage acting, film, commercials, voice-over work, or other areas of specialization.

58. Start a yoga tutoring business

Research has proven that yoga holds many health benefits. And with more and more people wanting to increase their quality of life, the demand for quality yoga trainers is rising daily. Take advantage of this growing industry and start a yoga business today. There is no doubt that being a yoga teacher is a gratifying job. Some benefits of starting a yoga business are:

  • You can start it from your home
  • You can explore more
  • You have a low-stress way to test the waters
  • No significant investment is needed

Here we have all that you need to start an online yoga tutoring business:

  • Get your certification
  • Pick your specialty
  • Pick a name and a logo
  • Decide on a marketing and execution plan

59. Start a skill development training business

How much you can make: $30,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $8,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 2 days (?)

We Built A $180K/Year Learn-To-Code Community

Online learning community Frontend Mentor has over 200,000 members, with over 1,500 paid subscribers generating over $15,000 MRR, offering professionally designed challenges to improve front-end coding skills with a freemium business model and a focus on real-life experience.

About
Matt started Frontend Mentor over 5 years ago
Revenue
Matt grew the business to $30K/month
Costs
It cost Matt $8000 to start the business
Read by 9,726 founders

meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.