The 33 Best Business Ideas To Start In Guatemala [2024]

Updated: June 21st, 2022

Interested in starting a business in Guatemala in 2024?

We put together 33 of the best businesses you can start in Guatemala today.

In this list of ideas, you can find:

  • Home-based businesses to start in Guatemala
  • Profitable online business ideas
  • Unique business opportunities for Guatemala
  • Low investment business ideas (under $5k to start)
  • Easy businesses you can start in Guatemala today

For each business idea, we’ll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, + a step-by-step on how to start your small business in Guatemala.

Here's the full list:

1. 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 (?)

How I Started A $4K/Month Blog That Helps People Get Facebook Blueprint Certifications

Diego launched Markeko, a blog helping people pass Facebook Blueprint Certification exams, generating $4K a month and having a community of over 11K members, using a lean launch strategy and focusing on building and retaining a community.

About
Diego started Markeko over 6 years ago
Revenue
Diego grew the business to $4K/month
Read by 7,493 founders

2. 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 (?)

How I Started A $30K/Month Web Development And Marketing Agency Focused On Locksmiths

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.

About
Samuel started The Locksmith Agency (1-800-Unlocks) over 6 years ago
Revenue
Samuel grew the business to $30K/month
Costs
It cost Samuel $500 to start the business
Read by 6,410 founders

3. Start a SEO agency

An SEO agency is a company that provides search engine optimization services to businesses. The function of an SEO agency is to help businesses rank higher in search engines through organic or paid means.

SEO is a rapidly growing industry, with experts across all aspects of the field already making six-figure incomes and expecting to see these earnings grow dramatically over the next few years. Getting into SEO today, before it gets too saturated, will allow you to establish a strong base in a new career, with an excellent chance for success.

It’s easier than ever to start your SEO agency in Guatemala. The tools are there, and the competition isn’t as stiff as it used to be. If you’re considering starting an SEO or digital marketing agency, it might be a good idea to learn how other digital agencies succeed.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,800,000/month

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

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

How I Started An SEO Agency For Lawyers Generating $3.6M/Year

Rankings.io is a hyper-focused SEO agency that helps elite personal injury law firms dominate first page rankings and was ranked #858 in the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America for 2018, with a current revenue just under $300,000 per month, with plans for a record-breaking year.

About
Chris started Rankings.io about 11 years ago
Revenue
Chris grew the business to $700K/month
Read by 36,658 founders

4. Start a freelancer platform

Freelancer platform is a place where people come with skills and services to offer and people come who need those skills and services. So we can say freelancer platforms are a marketplace for sellers and buyers of services and skills.

The freelancing industry is growing rapidly and it's becoming a popular career option for people who are "non-traditional" employees. The global Freelance Platforms market size is expected to reach $6.7B by the year 2025. While working on a full-time job, freelancers simultaneously work on a freelance career. The platforms available online help them to increase their business by attracting new clients.

With all of the businesses looking for help on their websites, it would be a good idea to start a freelancer platform. Freelance platforms do well because people have jobs that need to be done and businesses have the resources to pay for the job at hand.

How much you can make: $3,000 — $5,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 80 days (?)

We Bootstrapped A Tech Talent Platform To $1.2M Sales In Our First Year

CloudDevs, a tech talent platform that sources and vets freelance tech talent and matches them with companies, has achieved $1 million in GMV in its first year, plans to achieve 100% growth year on year, and focuses on customer loyalty through its Net Promoter Score metric.

About
Rifzan started CloudDevs about 4 years ago
Revenue
Rifzan grew the business to $100K/month
Costs
It cost Rifzan $2500 to start the business
Read by 16,326 founders

5. Become a proofreader

Proofreading business is a service that helps customers review their written work and ensure it is ready for publication. Typically, a proofreader corrects grammatical errors and provides the written piece meets any relevant style guide.

As a proofreader, you can work online, allowing you to choose what time to work.

If you plan to start a professional proofreading business in Guatemala, make sure you possess the following skills:

  • Have an excellent grasp of grammar
  • Ability to correct mistakenly capitalized words
  • Familiarity with the proper use of capitalization
  • Use spell-checkers to flag misspelled words

Proofreading is a great way to enhance content quality. With the increased use of written content marketing to reach a broader market, the demand for professional proofreaders has grown tremendously. Professional proofreaders earn an average of $12/hr. And $30/hr.

Therefore, consider proofreading as a business if you are looking for a great side hustle idea or simply looking for ways to increase your income.

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

How I Added $2,000 To My Monthly Income Proofreading Blog Posts

A proofreader was able to build a consistent income of ~$2,000 per month from scratch with zero experience in the field, no expenses, and barely any upfront costs by targeting bloggers and content creators who want their content to be copy edited and proofread.

About
Lenny started The Blog Proofreader almost 8 years ago
Revenue
Lenny grew the business to $2K/month
Read by 14,233 founders

6. Start an online video editing business

Video editors manage camera footage, dialogue, sound effects, graphics, and special effects to produce the final film or video product. To become an online video editor, you must have media production and communication knowledge and the ability to work with others.

To start a video editing business, you can outsource video editing skills from an experienced professional. Your role will be to pick video footage from the customers and upload them for the video editor to do the magic.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $208,000/month

How long does it take to build: 145 days (?)

How We Developed A $6K/Month Online Video Editing Software

VEED.IO, a London-based start-up co-founded by Sabba and her partner, offers a simple online video editing platform using batch job cloud architecture to help social media managers across the world auto subtitle, filter, rotate videos and much more, earning the company $5,300 MRR and the founders Ramen profitability within just a year of starting.

About
Sabba started VEED over 5 years ago
Revenue
Sabba grew the business to $6K/month
Read by 11,764 founders

7. Start a podcast agency

A podcast agency builds and promotes podcasts for other businesses. The podcast agencies develop strategies for making the client's podcast a success.

If you plan to start your own podcast agency, you may offer full podcast services or identify a niche and focus on it. Options include:

  • Podcast production agency - Creates audio content for podcasts
  • Podcast advertising agency - Advertise on podcasts
  • Podcast editing agencies - Edit podcast episodes
  • Podcast marketing agencies - Build podcasts to market the business or market businesses through other podcasts.
  • Podcast booking agencies - Booking podcasts guests.
  • Podcast promotion agency - Promote podcasts.

Building and growing a podcast requires some level of skills and expertise that many businesses may lack. Thus, they hire a podcast agency to help in all or particular aspects of podcast building and marketing.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $125,000/month

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

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

How I Started A $17K/Month Podcast Growth Service

Fame's founder, Tom Hunt, shares how he started a $17k/month podcast growth service for B2B SaaS and service businesses, and provides insights on how he grew the business to $20k MRR and his plans to hit $50k MRR by the end of 2021 through prioritizing revenue and customer satisfaction.

About
Tom started Fame over 4 years ago
Revenue
Tom grew the business to $17K/month
Read by 6,718 founders

8. Start a travel agency

Are you a passionate traveler with entrepreneurial skills? Then starting a travel agency can be a great career choice for you.

As a travel agency, you'll be responsible for linking travelers to providers of all the travel and tourism-related services such as accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, tour guides, local adventure, etc.

Starting an online travel agency is a lot easier than you might think. You'll need to perform market research, get a few necessary certifications (such as your IATA number), study competition, build a website, and do proper marketing.

To maximize earnings, negotiate discounts from the industry service providers, and charge travelers within the market rate.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $114,200,000/month

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

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

How I Started A $2K/Month Side Hustle Selling Vacations

Marissa Daniels runs a successful travel agency, Spread Your Wings Travel, that hit $100,000 in sales within a year of launch and provides payment plan options for its all-inclusive vacations, and she hopes to help 100 families supplement their income through the business.

About
Marissa started Spread Your Wings Travel Agency about 5 years ago
Revenue
Marissa grew the business to $7K/month
Costs
It cost Marissa $200 to start the business
Read by 17,122 founders

9. Start a blog

In recent years, blogging has become a highly sought-after & lucrative Business. This location-independent business is a creative outlet to reach a broader audience and even work at any time. According to Optinmonster’s list of blogging statistics and facts:

  • Blogs have been rated as the 5th most trustworthy source of gathering online information.
  • 77% of internet users read blogs.
  • Each month, approximately 409 million people view more than 20 billion pages.

Originally blogging started as an online journal, but today it is a highly profitable career option. Many people are choosing blogging as their full-time career and are earning their bread and butter from this profession.

If you want to start blogging as a side hustle or as a full-time profession, choose a niche you will enjoy writing about and have a content strategy ready. Then, create a mailing list, and decide on a good blog posting routine to keep your audience engaged.

How much you can make: $200 — $160,000/month

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

How long does it take to build: 37 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How This 28-Year-Old Couple Quit Their Jobs And Make $20K/Month Running A Blog

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.

About
Kelan started The Savvy Couple over 7 years ago
Revenue
Kelan grew the business to $20K/month
Costs
It cost Kelan $500 to start the business
Read by 27,278 founders

10. Start a cleaning business

Starting a cleaning business is an excellent opportunity to be your boss and make money doing what you love. This business is relatively easy to create and does not require much equipment or funds.

There are many cleaning services, so deciding what services (or combination of services) you will offer and what hours of the day or week those services will be available is essential.

To start cleaning service in Guatemala, you’ll want to consider investing in professional cleaning equipment such as a vacuum cleaner, a quality mop, and a good cleaning bucket. You will also need to buy environment-friendly cleaning products such as detergent, bleach, paper towels, and trash bags.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $708,333/month

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

How I Started A $100K+/Month Home Cleaning Service For Busy Individuals And Airbnb Hosts

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.

About
Neel started MaidThis Franchise over 10 years ago
Revenue
Neel grew the business to $100K/month
Costs
It cost Neel $800 to start the business
Read by 20,578 founders

11. 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

How I Started A $100K/Month Business Mentoring Dropshipping Entrepreneurs

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.

About
Kamil started E-commerce Mentoring about 7 years ago
Revenue
Kamil grew the business to $100K/month
Costs
It cost Kamil $1000 to start the business
Read by 24,253 founders

12. Start a food delivery business

In today’s busy lifestyles and schedules, cooking is no longer a priority to many. People like to order-in food from their nearest restaurants or food joints and enjoy a meal in the comfort of their homes.

The food delivery business is like a courier service through which restaurants deliver food to their customers.

You can offer retail food delivery services to restaurants within your locality if you have a truck. Customers order through a restaurant or grocer’s website, and the owners contact you to deliver.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $83,333,333/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,750 (?)

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

How I Took Food Trucks Corporate And Built A $18M Business

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.

About
Jeffrey started Food Fleet about 12 years ago
Revenue
Jeffrey grew the business to $1.5M/month
Read by 14,560 founders

13. Start a consulting business

Consulting businesses are booming, more so than ever before, and seeing year-over-year growth. With an accumulated value of about $250B, the global consulting industry is one of the biggest markets within the professional services sector.

If you want to start your own consulting business with valuable insights from industry experts, reading about their entrepreneurial journey will help you decide how you should go about it.

How much you can make: $100 — $2,500,000/month

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

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

How I Started A $45K/Month Cybersecurity Consulting Firm For Startups

Cybersecurity consulting firm Eden Data, launched in March 2020, scaled to four team members and generated over $45k MRR without large startup costs through their unique Virtual CISO offering, which outsources cybersecurity and compliance needs for a flat monthly price, rather than charging by the hour or for long-term commitments.

About
Taylor started Eden Data about 4 years ago
Revenue
Taylor grew the business to $230K/month
Read by 34,512 founders

14. Start a coffee brand

How much you can make: $2,000 — $250,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $7,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)

How We Started A $80K/Month Coffee Roasting Company

Latvian coffee roasting company grew from a team of 2 to 13, with a current monthly turnover of €80k, driven by word-of-mouth marketing, sustainable practices and developing accessible products for the specialty coffee market.

About
Raimonds started Kalve Coffee Roasters about 7 years ago
Revenue
Raimonds grew the business to $150K/month
Costs
It cost Raimonds $60000 to start the business
Read by 26,469 founders

15. Become a software developer

A software developer is a person who creates computer programs. They design, test, and oversee the creation of software for a variety of purposes including businesses, personal use, or social networking.

If you have strong technical skills and experience in programming, you can start a software development business. You should also have a good understanding of how the software works.

The average salary for software developers is $110,140. The best-paid 25 percent earn an annual income of up to 140K dollars while the lowest-paid workers make just under 84K dollars.

The recent trends in software development are moving towards mobile apps and cloud-based solutions. Businesses are providing a variety of programming languages and tools to create software that meets the client's needs.

Starting a software development company is the perfect way to explore in this exciting industry. This type of business is growing in popularity as businesses are looking for ways to offer their customers a convenient way to access their data and applications.

How much you can make: $1,700 — $465,583,333/month

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

How We Started A $350K/Month Business Developing Software Tools For Ecommerce Brands

SkyVerge, a software company, has grown rapidly with revenue of $350,000 per month, over 100,000 eCommerce customers, and a globally distributed team of 30 people, all through starting with consulting projects and building focused and solutions-based products, acquiring small products from other developers, and focusing largely on content marketing and providing excellent customer support.

About
Max started SkyVerge, Inc. about 11 years ago
Revenue
Max grew the business to $350K/month
Read by 35,781 founders

16. Start an online advertising agency

An online advertising agency helps businesses promote their products or services on the internet.

To start this business on a budget, first learn the basics of digital marketing through free online resources.

Create a professional website and set up profiles on social media platforms to showcase your skills.

Build a portfolio by working on mock campaigns or offering discounted services to friends and family, and gradually market your services to attract clients.

With dedication, you can grow your agency over time.

How much you can make: $2,797 — $1,250,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 45 days (?)

How I Started A $120K/Month Online Course For Social Media Marketing Agencies

Iman Gadzhi made over $1.2M in profit within two years with his social media marketing agency and education company, where he teaches entrepreneurs how to start and scale a profitable SMMA, with over 45 of his students making over six figures with their SMMA, and over 300 students having quit their regular jobs.

About
Iman started Grow Your Agency almost 7 years ago
Revenue
Iman grew the business to $120K/month
Read by 14,303 founders

17. Start a craft business

If you have artistic passion and the skills to make unique art, consider starting a craft business. Craft businesses make jewelry, clothing design, card making, painting, sculpting, ceramics, among others.

According to research, the global handicraft market size will reach over $1252 billion in the next decade.

The best websites to sell your crafts include:

How much you can make: $1,000 — $80,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 20 days (?)

How I Turned My Passion For Crafts And Writing Into A Side Income Source

DIY Lifestyle blog owner, Theresa, turned her passion for crafting and writing into a side income source, attracting hundreds of thousands of global visitors, with her blog generating $400-$500 a month and her online Etsy store bringing in an additional $200-$300 a month, showcasing her unique, all-natural, one-of-a-kind polymer clay earrings, home decor, and huts inspired by Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, reading and home decorating.

About
Theresa started With Love From T To You over 6 years ago
Revenue
Theresa grew the business to $1K/month
Costs
It cost Theresa $200 to start the business
Read by 7,713 founders

18. Start a tourist guide business

There's no denying the profitability of a tourism business. If you know the state and cities well, starting a tour guide business can be a very lucrative idea. All you need is a license, and you can soon start working as a tour guide.

Listed are the steps on how to start a tour guide business.

  • Register your tour guide name business
  • Obtain necessary licenses
  • Open a bank account for business transactions
  • Organize your business operations
  • Start to promote and get clients

How much you can make: $200 — $8,110,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)

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

How We Built A No-Code Map Builder [400 Users In The First 3 Months]

No Code Map App is a no code builder that allows businesses to create custom interactive maps with dynamic filters automatically based on their dataset, generating >$400 in the first full month of monetization.

About
Nan started No Code Map App about 2 years ago
Revenue
Nan grew the business to $200/month
Costs
It cost Nan $200 to start the business
Read by 4,229 founders

19. Become a business consultant

Business consultants serve as professional advisors who help companies achieve their goals or to streamline operations in a particular business area.

Business consulting is big business. Experts project the demand for consultants to keep increasing in the coming years. Therefore, becoming a certified business consultant can be rewarding.

To become a business consultant, you need a bachelor’s degree and expertise in a specific area. Are you ready to start your business consulting career and develop a professional network and web presence to help you connect with clients?

How much you can make: $4,500 — $1,500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,425 (?)

How long does it take to build: 66 days (?)

How This Couple Started A $20M/Year Sales And Marketing Consulting Firm

Pedowitz Group, a $20M+ consulting agency, shares the story of how they grew their business by prioritizing customer retention/loyalty, being platform-agnostic, and focusing on strong results aligned with clients' key business objectives.

About
Jeff started The Pedowitz Group about 17 years ago
Revenue
Jeff grew the business to $1.5M/month
Costs
It cost Jeff $500 to start the business
Read by 3,669 founders

20. Start a security dogs training business

Guard dog businesses are becoming very popular, particularly in areas that have high levels of crime.

First, you must identify the local dog owners in your area, which is easy to do with the help of social media sites, such as Facebook and Nextdoor. You can even offer to hold training classes at the local community center or park.

The first steps in setting up your guard dog business are to:

  • Establish your LLC or business
  • Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Guard Dog Business
  • Get Guard Dog Business Insurance

21. Start an etsy shop

Etsy has been around for over a decade, and the platform has become more popular for creators, entrepreneurs, and consumers.

The platform started as a place for crafters to sell their supplies and handmade goods. Now it has become a venue for artists and small businesses of all kinds to sell their products.

If you just started your shop or want to sell your products on Etsy, there are many different ways to kill on the platform. With the tips and advice of Etsy sellers who’ve been in your position, you’ll soon be successful!

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

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

How long does it take to build: 30 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 62,377 founders

22. 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 38,092 founders

23. Start a personal care products

How much you can make: $4,000 — $2,800,000/month

How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)

How We Started A 4.8M E-Commerce Skincare Company

Tree To Tub, a natural skincare company, solves the painful problem of people with delicate skin, resulting in $3M revenue on their third year; their signature products include shampoo, body wash, and facial cleanser made from the gentle Soapberry, and they have since grown to $4M and plan to reach $10M in 2020.

About
Michael started Tree To Tub about 8 years ago
Revenue
Michael grew the business to $500K/month
Read by 18,513 founders

24. Start a beverage company

Are you thinking of starting a beverage or drink business?

Starting a beverage company can be a great way to combine your love of food and drink with a passion for entrepreneurship.

Beverage companies can make all sorts of different drinks, from juice to soda to beer. They can also sell other types of food products, like bottled water or snacks.

There are more and more drink options available today than ever before—and that means that beverage companies are constantly trying new things in order to stay competitive in this space! The more innovative they can be with their offerings, the better they'll be able to compete with one another

How much you can make: $500 — $200,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 250 days (?)

I Grew A Drinkware Brand To $1.1M/Month At 23 Years Old

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.

About
Dylan started BrüMate over 8 years ago
Revenue
Dylan grew the business to $12M/month
Skills
Design Skills
Costs
It cost Dylan $5000 to start the business
Read by 101,658 founders

25. Start a telecommunications business

The telecommunication business involves the development, ownership, or operation of one or more telephone, telecommunications or information systems. Typically, telecom companies provide infrastructure to enable clients to transmit voice, video, and data.

To start a telecommunication business, you need telecommunication skills.

How much you can make: $430,000/month

How long does it take to build: 251 days (?)

How I Built A Wireless Carrier Company At 28 And Grew It To $430K/Monthly Revenue

This case study is about how Chaymeriyia Moncrief launched Tesix Wireless Network, a prepaid wireless carrier with around 7,000 mobile subscribers and an average monthly revenue of $430,000 from mobile subscriptions, box sells, and activations kits, targeting young adults and millennials who want lower phone services, zero fees, no contracts, and zero limits on their data by leveraging influencers, raising funds, and building an online presence.

About
Chaymeriyia started Tesix Wireless Network over 5 years ago
Revenue
Chaymeriyia grew the business to $430K/month
Costs
It cost Chaymeriyia $125000 to start the business
Read by 2,586 founders

26. Develop an online survey tool

Online survey tools are a great way for businesses to gather customer feedback. They offer a convenient and cost-effective way to collect data from large groups of people. This service offers a variety of features, including a survey builder, a data collection tool, and a reporting system.

If you are interested in starting a business that helps businesses to gather customer feedback, then starting an online survey tool could be a great option for you. This business is growing in popularity as more businesses are using online surveys to collect data.

Typeform is a popular online survey tool that allows you to ask customers questions and get their feedback on the product. This can be used for many different purposes such as improving services or developing new products. Typeform told TechCrunch on the occasion of today’s funding announcement that its annual recurring revenue surpassed $70 million in 2021 after tripling over the preceding three years.

Building an online survey tool is a good business idea because there is a lot of demand for data collection. Businesses need to know more about their customers in order to be able to make better decisions.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,600,000/month

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

How I Started A $1.6M/Month Online Surveys And Research Tools Software

QuestionPro's Founder, Vivek Bhaskaran, shares the story of how he started the most robust survey software on the market, which has provided innovative technology to Fortune 100 companies, academic institutions, small businesses, and individual DIY researchers for over 12 years.

About
Vivek started QuestionPro about 19 years ago
Revenue
Vivek grew the business to $1.6M/month
Costs
It cost Vivek $60000 to start the business
Read by 11,374 founders

27. 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 almost 6 years ago
Revenue
Chhavi grew the business to $5K/month
Costs
It cost Chhavi $500 to start the business
Read by 13,571 founders

28. Start a bread bakery

You’ve heard the term “breadwinner”, but did you know there is a growing market to bake bread, which could potentially make you a “breadmaker?” If you love baking but want to make extra money, consider a bread making business. The industry is flourishing and has tons of growing potential. On average, the typical U.S. resident consumes 37.4 pounds of bread annually. It is a small scale manufacturing business that can be started with little investment & from the comfort of your home.

29. Start an online retail store

Starting an online retail store is straightforward. All you need is a computer, a domain, and a web hosting service. Then, determine a niche for your online store, and conduct product research before listing products.

You can start your online store based on a drop shipping business model or list your self-made products in your online store.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $62,500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 51 days (?)

How I Turned A $5K Investment Into A $7.2M Apparel Brand

This case study follows the story of a successful online business that has made 7.2 million dollars in sales since 2012, with profits of around 30-45%, and the founders share insights on lessons learned and tools used.

About
Jonathan started On Cloud Faith almost 2 years ago
Revenue
Jonathan grew the business to $5K/month
Costs
It cost Jonathan $5000 to start the business
Read by 7,969 founders

30. Start an used electronics business

You can sell pre-used electronics online or set up a brick-and-mortar establishment. You can choose to specialize in a niche or sell everything from used computers, televisions, stereos, and gaming systems.

What is essential is researching the pre-owned electronics business. Set specific goals and limits for your business and work towards the goals. Find the niche that works best for you and explore it until you find success.

31. Build a medical app

Medical apps are an integral part of any physician’s practice. Doctors need access to the latest reference materials and advances in healthcare technology. You might have a lot of medical experience, but creating a medical app can be daunting if you don’t know about coding and app building.

The medical apps market is expected to reach $314.60B in 2028. The healthcare industry is sacrificing billions of dollars annually on paperwork, filing, and an inefficient system for sharing patient information. With today’s technology, healthcare professionals can streamline this process and will be able to keep track of their patient’s records through a secure information system.

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

How long does it take to build: 282 days (?)

Leveraging My Experience As A Doctor To Create A Digital Health App

Conduct Science founder Shuhan He co-founded Qolty, a digital health software that tracks health and patient symptoms and provides electronic surveys for patients with geofencing capabilities installed on a patient's phone, used by practitioners at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and shows promise with a 50% year-on-year growth target.

About
Shuhan started Qolty over 6 years ago
Revenue
Shuhan grew the business to $100K/month
Read by 6,770 founders

32. Start an ecommerce plugin

An e-commerce plugin is a piece of software that allows businesses to sell their products online. These plugins typically include features such as a shopping cart, payment gateway, or product catalog.

To build an e-commerce plugin, you need to be familiar with the different types of e-commerce platforms and have a good understanding of how to develop plugins. You may also need to have strong coding skills.

The demand for e-commerce plugins are growing as online stores are looking for ways to improve their processes. Plugins can help businesses add new features and integrations, and they can also help save time and money by automating tasks that would otherwise be done manually.

How much you can make: $117 — $50,000/month

How long does it take to build: 100 days (?)

How We Developed A $29K/Month WhatsApp Plugin For Shopify

SuperLemon, a WhatsApp plugin for Shopify eCommerce stores, crossed $29,000 in MRR as of July 2020, with 20,000 users from 50+ countries and 1700+ paying customers, all acquired through organic marketing strategies and a relentless focus on customer service and satisfaction.

About
Preetam started SuperLemon almost 5 years ago
Revenue
Preetam grew the business to $29K/month
Read by 21,106 founders

33. Start a social media management business

Similar to virtual assistants, social media managers offer various services, including but not limited to:

  • Developing a marketing strategy based on clients’ goals
  • Setting up social media accounts
  • Posting on behalf of their clients
  • Coming up with strategies for increasing client’s social media following
  • Marketing analysis.

To become a social media manager, know the various platforms and understand how they work so you can develop strategies that help clients reach their goals.

The beauty of working as a social media manager is that you can define your work schedule and choose what niches to work on.

How much you can make: $20,000 — $166,667/month

How much does it cost to start: $251 (?)

How long does it take to build: 3 days (?)

How I Started A $7.5K/Month Social Media Consulting And Training Business

A social media manager turned entrepreneur created a program that has brought in almost $100,000 in one year, designed to teach women how to run successful social media businesses in less than 30 days.  

About
Amanda started Social Media Manager Society over 3 years ago
Revenue
Amanda grew the business to $20K/month
Read by 6,647 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.