92 Niche Blog Success Stories [2024]
Starting a niche blog can be a great way to engage with a passionate online community by sharing your expertise on a specific topic.
The first step is to identify a profitable and underserved niche, such as fashion, video games, film reviews, cooking, and more.
Find your niche and create unique and informative content, such as articles, commentary, news, how-to guides, top product lists, convention coverage, video interviews, and spotlights.
To monetize your blog, gain visibility and followers, provide affiliate links, grow a YouTube channel, collaborate with relevant brands, and speak at events.
To succeed in niche blogging, you need to have a passion for your topic, create engaging content, and regularly engage with your followers.
In this list, you'll find real-world niche blog success stories and very profitable examples of starting a niche blog that makes money.
1. Impression ($7.8M/year)
Aaron and his university friend, Tom, founded Impression as a side project while working in-house for a renewable energy business. They couldn't find an agency partner that met their expectations, so they decided to create one themselves. Starting with services like paid media, SEO, and digital PR campaigns, they evolved Impression into a strategic agency partner, reaching milestones like employing 100 staff and aiming for a revenue target of £10m.
How much money it makes: $7.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 103
Impression - a digital marketing agency started by two friends who were able to grow the business from scratch by profit-funding and recently reached the milestone of employing 100 staff, serving as a strategic agency partner to clients, and set to hit its next revenue target of £10m.
2. NW Adventure Rentals ($3M/year)
John Higgins, the founder of NW Adventure Rentals, came up with the idea for his business during a family vacation when they decided to rent an RV but were met with hidden fees, poor quality, and bad customer service. After having a successful trip in their own purchased travel trailer, John put an ad on Craigslist to rent it out and was overwhelmed with the response, realizing there was a real need for high-quality RV rentals without hidden fees. This led him to start NW Adventure Rentals, which has now grown to three locations, 85+ rental units, and $3 million in annual sales.
How much money it makes: $3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 19
NW Adventure Rentals is a thriving business with three locations, 85+ rental units, and $3M in annual sales over the last 10 years, offering clean, well-maintained luxury RVs for road trip adventures with a leaseback program that has proven to be a win-win for all.
3. Starter Story ($3M/year)
Pat came up with the idea for Starter Story after receiving numerous emails and messages about starting the website. Through his personal blog posts and monthly update articles, he chronicled the growth of Starter Story from its humble beginnings to reaching 1.6 million monthly visitors and generating $1,100,000 in annual revenue.
How much money it makes: $3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 6
Starter Story grew to 1.4 million monthly visitors and millions in annual revenue by sharing the stories of entrepreneurs. Pat breaks down the early days and how he grew the business into something that changed his life.
4. Sign Spot ($2.64M/year)
Lerno Esmaeilian, inspired by his father’s three-decade sign-building career, co-founded Sign Spot in 2016. After taking over in 2020, Lerno's modernization efforts catapulted the business to $220K in monthly revenue, with a projected 25% growth in 2022.
How much money it makes: $2.64M/year
How much did it cost to start: $45K
How many people on the team: 14
Sign Spot, a family-owned custom signage business, earns $220,000 in revenue per month and is projected to grow 25% in 2022, thanks to the streamlined processes and infrastructure it implemented through continuous investment in innovative machinery and technology.
5. NERDS Collective ($2.28M/year)
Born out of a passion for underground UK music, Luke Hodson founded NERDS Collective in 2007, transforming an initial series of warehouse parties into a youth marketing powerhouse with a near £1 million turnover by year four.
How much money it makes: $2.28M/year
How much did it cost to start: $3.5K
How many people on the team: 10
Luke Hodson founded NERDS Collective, a youth marketing agency based in London that specializes in big data, cultural intelligence, and gen-Z, after starting out selling doughnuts and snacks in school playgrounds to identify opportunities and make money, and now boasts a turnover of just under £1m and 112 signed off projects by Puma through a client-servicing strategy that is brutally honest and solution-oriented.
6. Digital Procurement World (DPW) ($1.95M/year)
Matthias Gutzmann, the CEO and Founder of DPW, came up with the idea for his business when he realized that existing procurement conferences were expensive, lacked diversity, and failed to attract startups and investors. He left his job in New York, moved back to Germany, and invested his personal savings to launch DPW. Leveraging his extensive network and applying social selling techniques, Matthias successfully created a buzz and attracted sponsors, delegates, and startups to his conference, leading to exponential growth and €1.8M in revenue in 2022.
How much money it makes: $1.95M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10.8K
How many people on the team: 6
DPW (Digital Procurement World) is a fast-growing conference and community in procurement that has more than tripled in revenue since launching in 2019, capping out the year at €1.8 million, with 95% of their growth coming from inbound traffic leveraging LinkedIn and applying social selling techniques.
7. Awkward Essentials ($1.44M/year)
Frances, the founder of Awkward Essentials, came up with the idea for her business, specifically the Dripstick product, after experiencing post-sex drip and realizing there were no effective solutions available. While baking and using a spatula, she had the idea for a vaginal spatula to clean up the leftovers, which ultimately led to the creation of the world's first cum sponge. Despite facing challenges and setbacks, Frances persisted and launched her business, gaining attention and orders from around the world.
How much money it makes: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 4
Awkward Essentials CEO and founder, Frances, discusses the creation and launch of Dripstick, the world's first cum sponge, and how they have grown their business through a mix of marketing tactics, including viral TikToks and an Amazon launch.
8. Angela Cote Inc ($1.2M/year)
Angela Coté came up with the idea for her business, AC Inc., after spending over 25 years in the franchise industry and realizing there was a need for a fresh and progressive approach to coaching franchisors. She used her expertise and empathy from being on different sides of the franchise relationship to provide actionable advice, and through networking and offering valuable services like the AC Roundtables during the COVID-19 pandemic, she attracted and retained loyal clients.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 5
Angela Coté Inc, a franchise advising and improvement company, shares their success story of using their signature method, The AC Method, which has already helped over 5500 franchisors in just 3 years, through refining their offerings, building trust with their clients, and taking imperfect action.
9. SearchEye ($1.14M/year)
Chris Porteous, the founder of SearchEye, came up with the idea for his SEO platform after witnessing the low quality and standards of the industry. After working with clients who were dissatisfied with previous SEO providers, Chris saw an opportunity to create a better solution and deliver on product expectations. He funded the business out of pocket and through consulting services, and is now focused on driving faster turnaround times, low prices, and consistent product quality for his customers.
How much money it makes: $1.14M/year
How much did it cost to start: $600K
How many people on the team: 16
SearchEye is an SEO platform company that has bootstrapped its way to making $1 million a year, with a goal of hitting $100k per month by December 2021 and $500k per month by December 2022, and currently has around 20 active agency users of the platform.
10. Buildapreneur ($960K/year)
Spencer Mecham, the founder of Buildapreneur, was introduced to the concept of affiliate marketing while working at a digital marketing agency.
Inspired by a co-worker's successful blog that reviewed vacuum cleaners, Spencer decided to enter the affiliate marketing space.
He initially struggled with starting a blog and trying other platforms like Instagram, but found success by accident when a YouTube video he created blew up and received hundreds of thousands of views.
From there, he pivoted to YouTube and has since grown his audience to nearly half a million people across various platforms, using content marketing to attract and retain customers.
How much money it makes: $960K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
11. Meridian Fitness ($708K/year)
Frustrated by the lack of local fitness options and intrigued by a gap in the market for stone massages, Alma Curry launched Meridian Fitness in Greenwich, now generating around £200,000 annually. Her gym-spa hybrid quickly became a community hub, leveraging SEO and word-of-mouth to attract over 50 members in the first quarter.
How much money it makes: $708K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 10
Discover the inspiring story of Alma Curry, founder of Meridian Fitness, as she shares her vision to create a holistic fitness community that offers top-notch training classes, affordable gym membership prices, and a variety of fitness programs for people of all ages.
12. EF Specialists ($688K/year)
Sean G. McCormick came up with the idea for his online executive functioning coaching business after realizing the high demand for support in managing school for students with ADHD and other learning disabilities. By niching down into executive function coaching and leveraging his expertise in special education, McCormick was able to quickly grow his business and establish himself as valuable in the education community.
How much money it makes: $688K/year
How many people on the team: 10
How Sean McCormick's online executive functioning coaching business went from $0 to over $100k per month in revenue in just a few years, with an average monthly revenue of around $57k, and grew from a sole proprietorship to an S-Corp with 16 employees and 125 active clients, serving parents and school districts mainly in California.
13. Swim University ($600K/year)
Matt worked in pool stores from the age of 13 to 25, where he gained extensive knowledge about pools. During this time, he also taught himself how to create websites. One day, his boss noticed him working on a website and asked him to make one for the pool company.
As he became more skilled in web design, Matt envisioned creating a website to educate people on pool and spa care. It took him two years to develop the website and an additional seven years to transform it into his full-time occupation.
How much money it makes: $600K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Learn how Matt Giovanisci built Swim University from scratch, turning it into a successful business that brings in an average of $50K/month and $600K/year, using SEO and social media as the main growth strategy.
14. World Renowned Coaching & Consulting ($576K/year)
Neal Oates, Jr. identified a growing demand for coaching and consulting services in the real estate sector and launched World Renowned Coaching and Consulting in 2022. By leveraging his luxury real estate experience, Neal turned his business into a $48,000/month enterprise that serves nine different industries.
How much money it makes: $576K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.2K
How many people on the team: 0
Case study about the founder building a successful coaching and consulting business generating $48,000 monthly, expanding from real estate to service-based businesses in nine industries, with growth for three consecutive quarters.
15. increasing.com ($480K/year)
Jamie realized the potential for Amazon affiliate links as a revenue stream while working on his social project. He added these links to his niche websites and scaled his project to commercial success.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 1
A 26-year-old Londoner turned to SEO and niche blogging in 2019 as a last resort to fund her social project to feed the homeless and increased her revenue to $81K in December 2022, mostly through affiliate commissions and organic searches via SEO, doubling down on affiliates for 2023.
16. ryrob.com ($480K/year)
Ryan Robinson started his blog ryrob.com in college as a way to share the lessons he learned from starting a business around his product, the iStash. After a viral post on HackerNews and Twitter, Ryan saw the potential to build a community around his blog and turned it into a full-time business. Now, his blog has around 500,000 monthly readers and generates between $25,000 to $55,000 in revenue each month through affiliate partnerships, sponsorships, and the sale of his own digital products.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 1
Ryan Robinson explains how he built a blog with over 500k monthly visitors and generates $25,000-$55,000 in revenue each month through affiliate partnerships, sponsorships, and his own digital products like courses and books.
17. TechJury ($360K/year)
Deyan Georgiev came up with the idea for Techjury.net after experiencing frustrations with dishonest laptop reviews and wanting to provide unbiased information. Despite initially struggling to monetize the site and facing challenges with SEO, they focused on organic traffic and quality content, which eventually led to success. Techjury now makes $30,000/month in revenue and helps over 200,000 people find the best software and products.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 13
Affiliate website Techjury.net achieves $30,000/month in revenue after a very slow start by disrupting the industry with unbiased reviews, achieved with a small team of 13 and attracting over 200,000 visitors a month, with founder Deyan Georgiev attributing their success to handpicking his team and treating people with respect.
18. OneHourProfessor.com ($360K/year)
Ron Stefanski, the founder of OneHourProfessor.com, came up with the idea for his online business when his step-brother asked for help finding a job with a felony record. Seeing a need for employment resources for those with criminal records, Stefanski launched a website that quickly went viral, attracting thousands of visitors in a short period of time. The business has since become highly profitable, with Stefanski making over $1 million in profit and earning $30-$40k per month.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $140
How many people on the team: 3
Learn how Ron Stefanski generated over $1 million in profit from his online business, OneHourProfessor.com by obsessively measuring and following data, using SEO, and focusing on reinvesting profits into growth.
19. Contact Any Celebrity ($360K/year)
Jordan McAuley, founder of Contact Any Celebrity, came up with the idea while in film school to make extra money. Starting in 1997, he built his website into a membership site and online database. Over time, he pivoted the site to cater to professionals, attracting customers from nonprofits, authors, entrepreneurs, and media people. The business has lasted 23 years and continues to thrive, with a 7-day free trial and an affiliate program that pays 50% monthly recurring commissions. The site even received recognition from Tim Ferriss in his book, 'The 4-Hour Workweek.'
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 2
Contact Any Celebrity founder Jordan McAuley shares how he turned his teenage hobby into a six-figure full-time business with a membership site and print directory of over 59,000 celebrity contacts, and his marketing strategies including an affiliate program, Google AdWords, and free trials.
20. Warrior Lodge Media ($252K/year)
Wes O'Donnell came up with the idea for Warrior Lodge Media out of frustration with the lack of simple military information online. He wanted to create a website that compiled every piece of unclassified U.S. military information in existence, and with the help of his network of military and veteran writers, he built Warrior Lodge slowly and organically. Today, the site earns between $18,000-$22,000 per month through ads, t-shirt sales, and affiliate links, and is almost completely hands-off, generating passive income for O'Donnell.
How much money it makes: $252K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 2
This case study is about the founder of Warrior Lodge Media, Wes O'Donnell, who started an all-in-one informational website for military and veterans and turned it into a $21k/month media company and eCommerce store, almost completely hands-off and generating true passive income.
21. Finsavvy Panda ($216K/year)
Finance blogger Ling Thich started her blog, Finsavvy Panda, after feeling unfulfilled with her job as a bank analyst. Through diversifying her income streams with display advertising, affiliate marketing, and selling digital products, she now earns between $13,000 to $25,000 per month from her two blogs.
How much money it makes: $216K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 2
Finsavvy Panda earns $13,000 to $25,000 monthly in net profit through diversifying their income stream with display advertising, affiliate marketing, and selling digital products like The Power Up Budget Binder and Pin Savvy Pinterest Templates after starting a blog on personal finance and budgeting.
22. Crowded Kitchen ($204K/year)
Lexi Harrison, the co-founder and CEO of Crowded Kitchen, came up with the idea for her plant-based recipe website and content business while studying abroad and facing dietary challenges. With the help of her mom, she grew their audience to 20k followers within the first year. With their expertise in photography and recipe development, they diversified their business by offering content creation services to food and beverage brands, which now accounts for 50% of their revenue.
How much money it makes: $204K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 3
How co-founders of Crowded Kitchen, a plant-based recipe website and creative content business, grew their social media following to nearly 200k and became a leader in the plant-based recipe space, while also offering photography and recipe development services to major food and beverage brands.
23. Sustainably Chic ($204K/year)
Natalia's business idea for Sustainably Chic stemmed from her passion for sustainable fashion, which she developed after becoming fatigued with the industry’s wastefulness and unethical practices.
At the time, sustainable fashion was not a popular topic and she felt like no one talked about it.
Motivated by a desire to create an impactful platform and realizing the lack of resources in sustainable fashion, she started her online community to showcase ethical brands, which quickly gained a significant following.
How much money it makes: $204K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 1
This case study follows the founder of Sustainably Chic, a sustainable fashion blog with 60k monthly visitors and $6k monthly revenue, providing insights on building a successful blog, effective branding, and the importance of value and sustainability.
24. ClearCheckbook Money Management ($198K/year)
Brandon, the founder of ClearCheckbook, came up with the idea for the financial management tool while he was in college and couldn't find a solution that met his needs. He started with a tiny website that he sent screenshots of to his friends, and their positive response inspired him to turn it into the first version of ClearCheckbook. Through providing great customer service and focusing on organic search traffic, ClearCheckbook has grown to generate about $18,000 per month with continued year-over-year growth.
How much money it makes: $198K/year
How much did it cost to start: $15
How many people on the team: 1
ClearCheckbook is a profitable financial management and budgeting tool, attracting customers who want to manage their finances effectively, and has achieved continued growth year over year, bringing in about $18,000USD per month.
25. The Profit Finder ($168K/year)
Disillusioned by repeated failures from hired marketing experts, Brian Carmody tripled his company's revenue and expanded from 1 to 48 states by employing his own strategies. This sparked the idea for The Profit Finders, now generating up to $15k monthly.
How much money it makes: $168K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 1
Case Study: Founder of The Profit Finders tripled revenue, expanded to 48 states, and lowered break-even by 70%, using specific strategies and a proprietary software built on 1 billion weighted algorithms.
26. Stephan & Adriana ($168K/year)
Stephan and Adriana, former professional ice skaters, discovered a passion for photography during their time touring the world. When Stephan missed his deadline to apply for college, he decided to give photography a chance, and the couple started shooting houses, landscapes, and weddings. The pandemic unexpectedly revealed a high demand for smaller, outdoorsy weddings, propelling their business to new heights as they focused on elopements and intimate weddings in breathtaking locations like Yosemite National Park. Their business now brings in an average of 12-18k per month, allowing them to spend quality time with their families in both California and Brazil.
How much money it makes: $168K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
How many people on the team: 2
How two ice-skating world travelers built a wedding photography business with a focus on intimate, outdoor weddings, working mainly in Yosemite National Park, where they managed to attract clients almost solely through content marketing and SEO, bringing in an average of 12-18k per month.
27. Aucoin Analytics, LLC ($166K/year)
Kervin Aucoin, a 15-year Army veteran and 20+ year Intelligence analyst, came up with the idea for Aucoin Analytics after realizing the need for an unbiased and well-informed travel security platform. Through blogging about his travel experiences and witnessing the detrimental effects of sensationalized news, Kervin developed a subscription-based private intelligence community that focuses on defeating fake news and providing accurate information. With a low overhead, Aucoin Analytics has seen profits of $10,000/month and offers specialized risk assessments and intelligence reports tailored to customers' needs.
How much money it makes: $166K/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
How many people on the team: 1
Aucoin Analytics, LLC is a private intelligence company that delivers highly specialized risk assessments and intelligence reports, while also offering a subscription-based private intelligence community that provides access to subject matter experts in government intelligence, with profits at $10,000/month.
28. Crowd Work News ($156K/year)
Starting a remote work blog was both a pain point for Sireesha (while she was searching for remote jobs) and a way to earn a passive income.
How much money it makes: $156K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 0
Sireesha Narumanchi shares how she turned her passion for flexible, remote work into a successful blog generating five figures a month by focusing on affiliate marketing, email marketing and SEO.
29. My Media Pal ($144K/year)
James Kuck, co-founder of My Media Pal, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the struggle of generating inbound local leads for his construction company. He discovered the power of local SEO and decided to pivot, creating My Media Pal as a digital marketing agency that helps local businesses with web design, SEO, and paid ads. Eventually, they realized the value of owning the assets that generate leads and shifted their focus to rank and rent, offering optimized websites and exclusive leads to local businesses.
How much money it makes: $144K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
How many people on the team: 1
My Media Pal is a successful digital agency that has morphed into three divisions, including a rank and rent business focused on generating local service leads, bringing in an average of $12,000-$15,000 per month.
30. Organically Addison ($144K/year)
Addison LaBonte, the founder of a portfolio of high-traffic food websites, came up with the idea for her business after adopting a gluten-free lifestyle to help with her Compartment Syndrome. After gaining a significant following on Instagram, she decided to create a website to share her recipes, which ultimately led to the rapid growth and profitability of her business. She has since focused on consistency, keyword research, and audience engagement to attract and retain customers, and plans to scale her company by purchasing more websites and building a team.
How much money it makes: $144K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 1
31. Net Net Hunter ($144K/year)
Evan Bleker, an investor and entrepreneur, started Net Net Hunter after struggling to find enough net-nets to fill his personal portfolio. He created a membership community focused on a niche value investment strategy, offering a list of roughly 1000 international net-nets and a community forum for sharing ideas. The business has become a stable cash cow and Evan is now working on another web startup.
How much money it makes: $144K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 5
This case study is about a successful entrepreneur who created Net Net Hunter, a membership community focused on a niche investment strategy that now earns $12k per month by providing a list of roughly 1000 international net-nets and filter through them by hand to identify the top 40 or 50 to focus research efforts on, and has since moved on to creating a new start-up project.
32. Teacher Misery ($120K/year)
Jane began her career as a teacher and faced many challenges.
To cope with the stress and share her experiences, she decided to create an Instagram page. Her content resonated with many people, and her social media following grew steadily.
Over time, she started her own website and began self-publishing books.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
33. Yoga Strong ($120K/year)
After retiring from a seven-season professional basketball career and struggling to land job interviews, Jason Deutchman turned a family dinner conversation about making yoga more fun into Yoga Strong, a luxe performance fitness accessory brand now raking in close to $10K monthly sales.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
How many people on the team: 0
Yoga Strong, a performance fitness accessories company, developed the perfect quality yoga mat with "Composite Technology," sourcing materials from over 200 yoga mat tests, and uses limited drops and influencer and affiliate partnerships to attract and retain customers, all while showing close to $10,000 in monthly sales.
34. AquariumStoreDepot ($120K/year)
Mark, the founder of AquariumStoreDepot, came up with the idea for his business after realizing his passion for aquatic animal keeping. He had been involved in the hobby since he was 11 years old and decided to turn it into a business after reading books like "The 4 Hour Work Week" and "End of Jobs." He started with a Shopify site and initially struggled to gain sales, but found success through organic SEO, Pinterest, and in-depth articles on his website. Despite facing challenges such as negative SEO campaigns and mergers/acquisitions from competitors, Mark remains dedicated to his passion and plans to continue growing his business through partnerships and content creation. He uses tools like Ahrefs to improve his SEO strategy.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 1
AquariumStoreDepot is a highly-profitable business in the niche market of aquatic animal keeping, averaging $8-10k per month with a high revenue month of $13k, and expanding over time from dropshipping to proprietary agreements.
35. SexualAlpha ($120K/year)
Dainis Graveris, founder of SexualAlpha, started his journey in the sexual wellness industry after working in web design and pursuing his passion for dance. While seeking ways to improve his own sex life, he realized the potential in helping others by providing unbiased sex toy reviews and sex education. With a website that now receives 900K visits per month and generates $10K/month in affiliate commissions, Dainis aims to continue expanding his company's reach and breaking the stigma around sexuality.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 8
SexualAlpha is a sexual wellness blog that provides honest sex toy reviews, with 900K visits per month and making around 10K/month on affiliate commissions, created by founder Dainis Graveris through intensive research and a strong passion for teaching people about sexuality.
36. Christian Hypnobirthing ($120K/year)
Tara Menzies, the creator of the Christian Hypnobirthing App, came up with the idea after experiencing anxiety and fear during her own pregnancy and difficult labor. As a Christian, she wanted a scripture-based alternative to traditional hypnobirthing methods. With no app-building or software background and limited funds, she used a free app-building platform and recorded the tracks herself to create an app that helps expecting mothers feel more relaxed and connected to God during pregnancy and birth.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 1
Tara Menzies created the Christian Hypnobirthing App, which has 5,000 downloads a month and average revenue of US$10K a month, to help expecting mamas feel more relaxed and connected to God throughout pregnancy and birth, and later expanded to include a childbirth education course.
37. Content Intelligence Media ($120K/year)
Thomas Oppong, the founder of AllTopStartups, came up with the idea for his business while studying software entrepreneurship at Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology. He started by aggregating the best and top technology ideas on his personal platform, and after receiving interest from readers, he transformed it into a startup blog focused on sharing promising startups that were growing rapidly or changing the way we live or work on a large scale. Today, AllTopStartups collaborates with hundreds of content marketing agencies and generates approximately $10,000 per month in revenue.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How many people on the team: 2
From blogging about the best technology ideas to earning $10K/month through paid newsletters and courses, this case study explores the journey of entrepreneur and blogger Thomas Oppong and his successful online platforms.
38. Prosmartrepreneur ($114K/year)
Sayan Neogie, an engineering student, started his personal finance and entrepreneurship blog in 2018, initially as a way to make money on the side. After reading an article about a blogger who made over $100,000 per month, Sayan jumped into blogging without hesitation. Fast forward to 2021, his blog now attracts over 160,000 monthly readers and generates a full-time income, proving that blogging can be a profitable venture with minimal investment.
How much money it makes: $114K/year
How much did it cost to start: $4
How many people on the team: 0
This case study is about a college student who started a personal finance & entrepreneurship blog and now makes $9.5k a month with over 160k monthly visitors, showcasing how blogging can be a profitable business model with little investment and high potential for growth.
39. The Modest Wallet ($102K/year)
Ricardo Pina, an engineer, started The Modest Wallet after feeling frustrated with financial advisors who didn't provide access to the best financial products. He wanted to share his knowledge and help others achieve their financial goals, leading him to create a personal finance blog. Through hard work and an SEO strategy, The Modest Wallet has seen success, bringing in an average of $8,500 per month in revenue after almost two years in business.
How much money it makes: $102K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
How many people on the team: 0
The Modest Wallet is a personal finance website founded by Ricardo Pina that generates an average of $8,500 a month in revenue by using an affiliate commission revenue model, with a strong emphasis on SEO to drive website traffic.
40. Catherine Nguyen Photography ($99.6K/year)
After a trip to France, Spain, and Vietnam, Catherine Nguyen discovered her passion for photography. She decided to pursue a career in photography after her cousin suggested it, and with her background in design and project management, she was able to start and grow her own photography business. Now, Catherine has a thriving business with a strong client base and an organic Instagram following, and she continues to attract new clients through referrals and publications.
How much money it makes: $99.6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 1
From freelance photography to six-figures: This case study shows how a Raleigh-based photographer grew her business through organic Instagram growth to gain new client inquiries almost daily, built brand awareness through publications, and hired a marketing firm.
41. Age of Miniatures ($96K/year)
Peter noticed the business opportunity when the new version of Warhammer came out.
Many first-time players struggled with the game and sought answers to similar questions.
Peter started a blog to address their concerns and posted it on a website in 2017.
To his surprise, the one-page website started receiving 1000 organic Google search visits per month within a few months of its launch. This unexpected traffic made it clear to Peter that he had a viable business opportunity.
How much money it makes: $96K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
Discover how Peter Thuborg's Age of Miniatures blog turned into a $96K/year business, attracting 1000 monthly organic Google visits within months of launching, with a growth strategy centered around five posts weekly that focus on niche keywords like Warhammer and Genestealer kill team.
42. Happy Hound University ($96K/year)
self-worth as an entrepreneur is not tied to the success or failure of your business. Stay true to your passion, be patient, and don't be afraid to ask for help or seek mentorship. Stay focused on providing value to your customers and building genuine relationships, and success will follow.
How much money it makes: $96K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 2
As a side hustle turned full-time job, Mary Thompson's Happy Hound University dog training business brings in an average of $6,000 a month and growing, with her best month yielding over $12,000, largely due to personal referrals from vets, animal shelters, and other dog owners.
43. The Holistic Enchilada ($96K/year)
Delilah Orpi started her blog, The Holistic Enchilada, in 2017 as a side project while working as a full-time teacher.
After finding success with a post about her curly hair routine, she decided to focus on the curly hair niche.
With the help of blogging courses and her expertise in clean beauty, Delilah has grown her blog to earn an average of $7,000 a month in revenue.
How much money it makes: $96K/year
How much did it cost to start: $250
How many people on the team: 2
Delilah Orpi's blog "The Holistic Enchilada" is making up to $7,000 a month in revenue through sales of digital products, display ads, affiliate marketing, and sponsored posts in the niche market of clean beauty and curly hair, with a focus on retaining customers through email marketing and SEO.
44. Moneypicks ($96K/year)
Tyler started betting on sports during the World Cup 2008, and he ventured into this not to make money, but to help people. No wonder when he did started charging, business flooded through the door.
How much money it makes: $96K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Learn how a 27-year-old entrepreneur uses his love for sports and numbers to make $200-$600 per day by predicting the outcome of sporting events with his proprietary systems, which produce winners at a 60%+ rate, all without any significant startup costs or overhead.
45. Scotty's Cigars ($78K/year)
Scotty, the founder of an online business selling cigars and tobacco products, got his start in the tobacco business with a small kiosk in a local mall. Seeing the success of big companies like Amazon and eBay, as well as the opportunity with pipes and pipe tobacco, he decided to jump into e-commerce in 1999. Over the years, he made strategic shifts in product selection and rebranding, navigating changes in regulations and market demand, to build a successful online business.
How much money it makes: $78K/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
How many people on the team: 6
Entrepreneur Scotty shares how he started an online business in 1999 selling premium cigars and pipe tobacco, eventually becoming the largest direct-to-consumer distributor of pipe tobacco in the USA and generating over $6.5k/month in revenue, and how he pivoted his business from RYO supplies to premium cigars and tobacco products.
46. I should have said ($72K/year)
After being humiliated in public, she considered creating a website to help individuals deal with verbal bullying.
Bryn was humiliated in front of her two young sons and a crowd of onlookers because of a misunderstanding about her son’s casual comment.
This altercation, sparked by her son's opinion, led to an unwarranted and harsh confrontation by another parent.
Feeling embarrassed and angry about her inadequate response and the public scrutiny Bryn was under, she dwelled on the incident for weeks.
This period of reflection and her desire to have handled the situation differently inspired the creation of her website, turning a negative experience into the catalyst for her business idea.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How many people on the team: 1
Case study about founder Bryn Todd's self-defense website, "I Should Have Said," which helps victims of verbal bullying respond appropriately, with initial revenue of $6k/month and annual revenue of $72k from digital bundles starting at $29 and one-on-one consulting at $50/hr.
47. Startups of London ($72K/year)
Startups of London was founded by an entrepreneur who noticed a lack of rich media content about the startup scene in London. With a background in understanding human behavior and previous experience in startups, the founder launched the business in September 2019 as a documentary company profiling startups with video and rich content. The pandemic shifted their focus to SEO and discovering niche areas of need, resulting in impressive growth with over 100,000 people reached and becoming the number one organic result for key search terms in their audience.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How many people on the team: 4
Startups of London is a media company profiling startups in the UK with a focus on high-value content creation that has seen over 100,000 people reached and is the number one organic result for many key search terms, since their launch in September 2019.
48. Zen Soundproof ($60K/year)
During the pandemic, Ludovic found himself reflecting on his future and how he could increase the frequency of his visits to his family. He realized that to achieve his ambitions, he needed to make some changes. This led him to decide that he would like to start a business related to his passion and engineering background.
To come up with a viable business idea, Ludovic conducted an extensive analysis of keyword traffic and competition and focused on combining his skills and interests.This is how he came up with the idea of starting a soundproofing blog.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
Zen Soundproof, founded by mechanical engineer Ludovic Chung Sao, generates $60K/year through Amazon affiliate revenues and the Mediavine platform, with 99% of traffic coming from Google searches and a growth strategy focused on SEO and Pinterest.
49. Startup Story Private Limited ($60K/year)
Anil Bakshi and Animesh Shukla founded Startup Story to help aspiring entrepreneurs gain credibility and visibility in the market. Recognizing that 90% of startups fail due to a lack of team credibility, they provide startup support services and media promotion through brand stories, podcasts, and video interviews. With over 150 inspiring stories and 50k monthly unique visitors, Startup Story is empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 10
Startup Story is a media platform that promotes startups and small businesses through podcasts, live interviews, and real-life stories, with over 150 stories covered and a monthly traffic of 50k unique visitors.
50. Fresh Look Mobile Auto Detailing ($60K/year)
Matt Paskow, a former sales executive in the technology industry, started Fresh Look Mobile Auto Detailing after growing tired of the uncertainties of corporate layoffs. With a passion for car detailing and a desire for more control over his future, Matt recognized the opportunity to provide convenient and high-quality auto detailing services to busy professionals in North County, San Diego. By focusing on SEO, Google My Business, and Google AdWords, Matt has been able to attract customers and build a successful business that generates $5,000 per month.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2.5K
How many people on the team: 1
Learn how former tech salesman, Matt Paskow, left the industry to start Fresh Look Mobile Auto Detailing, a profitable mobile auto detailing business generating around $5k per month that focuses solely on SEO, Google AdWords, and Google My Business for marketing.
51. TechySex ($60K/year)
Martin Moore, the founder of TechySex, stumbled upon the idea for his business when he realized there was a lack of information and quality content on sex toys and sexual wellness.
After working as a freelance writer in the industry, he decided to create his own blog to provide valuable resources and recommendations.
With a focus on SEO and organic traffic, TechySex has become profitable, generating around $5K per month and attracting readers from both the USA and Europe.
The future looks promising as Martin plans to expand his team and explore new ways to increase income.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20
How many people on the team: 0
TechySex is a website that offers sexual wellness education and sex toy reviews, making around $5k per month on average and featuring affiliate programs as the main source of income; the founder Martin Moore started it after having experience as a ghostwriter in the adult industry and noticing a huge lack of information on sex toys as well as sexual wellness in general.
52. Avatoon ($56.4K/year)
Zoltán and his colleagues founded Avatoon.net after realizing the obscure market for custom hand-drawn avatars. They launched their website and attracted customers through an email campaign and ProductHunt feature, and have since focused on improving their SEO to attract organic traffic. With a majority of their clients being returning companies, they plan to spend more on SEO and introduce different art styles at different price points in the future.
How much money it makes: $56.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $800
How many people on the team: 3
Avatoon.net founders share how they started a $4.7k/month business selling custom hand-drawn avatars and grew to an average of $5,000 per month with ~100 clients through SEO-focused marketing and serving returning companies.
53. Stray Curls ($54K/year)
Angela, the founder of the blog Stray Curls, turned her passion for illustration and creativity into a profitable online business. Her skills in computer science, graphic design, and illustration came in handy in creating a unique blog that helps young women establish creative online businesses.
With her colorful illustrations and engaging content, Angela has built a loyal following. She continues to grow her business by using email marketing and creating digital products that cater to her audience's needs.
How much money it makes: $54K/year
How much did it cost to start: $99
How many people on the team: 0
Angela shares how she turned her love for creating comics, drawings and graphic design into a successful blog and business that helps young women build creative online businesses, earning $4.5k a month on her blog and selling digital products.
54. Leader Connecting Leaders ($54K/year)
Jodi Carlson, a professional web designer and former Girl Scout leader, started her blog to share her knowledge and resources with other leaders.
She accidentally stumbled into a profitable business when she received an email from a leader on the other side of the country interested in one of her badge activity booklets.
Since then, Carlson has grown her blog into a profitable venture, generating $5,000 - $8,000 a month from activity booklet sales, ad revenue, and affiliate marketing.
How much money it makes: $54K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 0
Jodi Carlson, a professional web designer, turned her Girl Scouts hobby into a successful profitable blog, making $5,000 - 8,000 a month from printable booklets and affiliate marketing, through focusing on Pinterest and Facebook as marketing platforms along with offering free resources and collaboration opportunities.
55. Book Club Chat ($48K/year)
Heather Caliendo, a journalist with a passion for reading, turned her love for books into a profitable business with Book Club Chat. Despite the saturation of the book blogging market, Heather stood out by creating a beautifully designed website and focusing on providing book club questions tailored to novels. With over 5,000 visitors a day and earning $4,000/month in ad revenue, Book Club Chat has become a go-to resource for book clubs around the world.
How much money it makes: $48K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
How many people on the team: 0
Book Club Chat founder Heather Caliendo started a website dedicated to book club questions, reviews, and book lists with no upfront costs by dedicating a lot of time to reading and writing high-quality content that attracts over 5,000 daily visitors and has made $4,000 per month in ad revenue alone by focusing on organic search, SEO, and Mediavine.
56. SelectSoftware Reviews ($40.5K/year)
Phil Strazzulla, founder of SelectSoftware, came up with the idea for his business after building a personal brand in the HR space through a weekly whiteboard video series. He realized that HR professionals were struggling to choose the right software for their needs, and saw the opportunity to create an online review site, similar to NerdWallet or WireCutter, for HR software. With organic search traffic growing at 30% per month and revenues hitting $1k per month, SelectSoftware has gained traction in the market.
How much money it makes: $40.5K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
How many people on the team: 0
VC-turned-entrepreneur Phil Strazzulla, who previously built a successful b2b SaaS business, shares how he bootstrapped an online review site for HR software into a viable business with over $1k monthly revenues in just 3 months through organic search traffic growth and selling high intent leads.
57. Gettims ($36K/year)
After discovering the #nocode trend in 2020 and having tried his hands on 2 no-code projects, Quentin wanted something that could be made monetizable from the start, and digital products seemed like the perfect way to go.
How much money it makes: $36K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5
Discover how Quentin Villard grew Gettims, a database of free tools for Indie Makers, from $3K/month to $36K/year through smart growth strategies and a $29 lifetime access pricing model.
58. Write.as ($34.8K/year)
Matt Baer, founder of Write.as, came up with the idea for his business in 2014 while working at a social media startup. He was inspired by the need for privacy and free expression in the face of increasing government surveillance, and created a simple writing platform that required no sign-up and focused on usability and privacy. Since then, Write.as has grown to host over 75,000 sites and 500,000 articles, with plans to expand into new areas like newsletters and company communications.
How much money it makes: $34.8K/year
How many people on the team: 1
Founder of Write.as, Matt Baer, shares his journey of building a suite of integrated creative tools, including a writing/blogging platform, photo-sharing tool, and submission management system, which host over 75,000 sites and power hundreds of independent WriteFreely sites across the web, with revenue growing by 200% year-over-year since launching paid plans.
59. Website Profit Course ($28.2K/year)
Ray DelVecchio, founder of Website Profit Course, came up with the idea after realizing the importance of owning one's website and email list. He wanted to help people start their web design businesses and provide them with the necessary skills to succeed. Through his blog and membership program, he has been able to help aspiring web designers gain clients and generate income, with some members earning up to $4,900 from their first paid gigs.
How much money it makes: $28.2K/year
How much did it cost to start: $600
How many people on the team: 0
Learn how one founder built and grew a web design business learning platform, with an average online revenue of $2,350/month, by providing step-by-step training systems and resources for beginners and using consistent publishing on YouTube, blog and email lists to retain customers.
60. Karachi Kitchen ($24K/year)
Sadaf, the co-founder and designer behind Karachi Kitchen Foods, started the business with her mother, a long-time chef and culinary instructor. They launched their business after collaborating on a self-published cookbook, which won a Gourmand Award. Despite facing setbacks due to Covid and learning about federal and state regulations, they have seen sales more than double since launching their online store.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 0
Karachi Kitchen Foods saw over 200% growth in sales in the past year, offering seven different chutneys and spices, and plans to launch an online subscription box and publish recipes on their website in coming months.
61. ALDECOR ($24K/year)
ALDECOR founder Khames started the business after struggling to compete with high-ranked interior design blogs. He recognized a lack of trustworthy information in Arabian interior design resources, leading him to create ALDECOR as a trusted source in the Arab world. With a focus on SEO and social media, ALDECOR now attracts over 40,000 visitors per month without any paid campaigns and plans to become the main source of interior design information in the 22 Arab countries.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 3
ALDECOR is the most popular Arabian interior design platform, gaining over 40,000 visitors every month and generating profits of around 24,000 USD per year, with a strong focus on SEO as their main strategy for attracting customers and retaining them, and plans to create thousands of new articles about interior design across 22 Arab nations.
62. Shaadivaale ($24K/year)
Shaadivaale was founded in 2018 by an entrepreneur who had a difficult time finding suitable vendors for their own wedding. Recognizing the need for a platform where clients and vendors could easily connect, they launched Shaadivaale to help people find wedding vendors and to support vendors in growing their businesses. Since its inception, Shaadivaale has gained over 500 registered vendors and has seen success in terms of sales and customer retention.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 5
Shaadivaale is a successful wedding planning service in India, started in 2018 as a side business with a job, which now has over 500 vendors registered and plans to get into offline and real luxe wedding planning while staying true to their vision of providing a platform for clients and vendors to find each other.
63. Spreadtheworld ($24K/year)
Xavier Coiffard, a developer turned solo entrepreneur, came up with the idea for his business, Spreadtheworld, after struggling to find online places to post his startup. He curated a list of 100 places and shared it on Reddit and IndieHackers, which gained significant traction. This led him to create a product, and from there, he launched several other successful ventures following a similar approach.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
Learn how Xavier Coiffard generated $2000 per month in revenue by building 4 products in 4 months with no-code tools like Carrd, Airtable, Gumroad, and Zapier, as well as how he soft launched his products on Twitter and iterated on his launch strategy.
64. Workspaces ($24K/year)
Ryan Gilbert came up with the idea for Workspaces when he noticed Twitter users sharing pictures of their new setups during the pandemic. Wanting to preserve these inspiring workspaces, he started a newsletter that now has over 9,000 subscribers and generates $2,000 per month from sponsorships. He recently joined YC startup Loops as Head of Content and continues to publish Workspaces while exploring new marketing initiatives.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 0
The founder of Workspaces, a newsletter giving readers a behind-the-scenes tour of entrepreneurs' new desk setups, was making $2,000 per month from sponsorships and was recently acquired by YC startup Loops, with 9,000+ subscribers and open rates around 60%.
65. Indie Worldwide ($24K/year)
Anthony came up with the idea for Indie Worldwide after experiencing setbacks in his career and freelancing. He leveraged his experience in running events and his desire to be like other successful founders in the indie hacking community to create a virtual meetup for indie hackers. Through organic growth and strategic launches on platforms like Product Hunt, the community has grown to over 2,000 members and has multiple revenue streams, including a successful Founders' Club with $5.5k in ARR and sponsorships.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.2K
How many people on the team: 1
66. Grandmas House DIY ($24K/year)
Tarah Wolff, the founder of Grandma's House DIY, came up with the idea for her blog while renovating her grandparents' 100-year-old farmhouse. Inspired by her love for DIY projects and woodworking, Tarah decided to document and share her renovation journey, providing inspiration and motivation for others. Since its launch, Grandma's House DIY has seen steady growth, with monthly revenue currently reaching $2,000.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 0
A DIY and renovations blog called Grandma's House DIY, founded by Tarah Wolff, is bringing in around $2,000 a month, and has grown to average 40k monthly sessions with around 70k monthly page views, through consistent posting and promotion on niche websites.
67. Super Smash Cache ($24K/year)
Cy, an award-winning sex blogger, started her review blog, Super Smash Cache, after realizing the lack of honest information about body-safe sex toys. With a background in biology and art, Cy wanted to create a platform that challenged assumptions about sexuality and provided a space for sexually expressive individuals. Today, her blog has amassed over 11,000 followers on Instagram and brings in around $2,000 a month through affiliate commissions, sponsored posts, and banner ads.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $14
How many people on the team: 0
Sex blogger turns a free WordPress blog into a $2,000 a month part-time digital business by investing in education, self-hosting, and building relationships within the NSFW community.
68. Startupily ($18K/year)
Safwan Khan, founder of Startupily, came up with the idea for his blog when he was struggling to find a job and needed to earn an income. Inspired by the trend of blogging for side income, he started interviewing entrepreneurs and publishing their interviews on Startupily. Over time, he expanded the blog by adding business articles, templates, and documents, attracting traffic and positive response from entrepreneurs worldwide.
How much money it makes: $18K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
How many people on the team: 0
Founder Safwan Khan started Startupily, a blog for entrepreneurs seeking business articles and resources, after being inspired by Pat Flynn's podcast and networking app DUST, providing free PR services for small business owners, before expanding into publishing business articles and selling business plan templates and documents, resulting in partnerships with global sites Influencive and Thrive Global.
69. Gear Up Hiking ($16.2K/year)
Asen, the founder of Gear Up Hiking, started his journey in affiliate marketing in 2018. After selling his first blog, he bought Gear Up Hiking in a niche he loved and practiced himself. With a focus on quality content, keyword research, and outreach, Asen has built the website to average over $1,300 per month and attract 20k to 30k visitors monthly.
How much money it makes: $16.2K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.7K
How many people on the team: 1
From almost zero knowledge about SEO and marketing, this founder grew Gear Up Hiking, a hiking and camping niche affiliate blog that currently averages $1300+ per month and has a traffic range of 20k to 30k visitors monthly, and is worth over $50,000 if sold for profit.
70. Etramping ($12K/year)
Agness and Cez, the founders of Etramping, started their business in 2011 as a personal site to share budget travel hacks for backpackers. Their passion for travel and their own experiences of backpacking on a tight budget drove them to share their knowledge and help aspiring adventurers explore the world. Since then, Etramping has grown into a thriving community, offering unique itineraries, travel hacks, budget tips, and buying guides for travel gear. With consistent content, strategic partnerships, and a focus on their audience's needs, Etramping has attracted and retained a loyal customer base.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How many people on the team: 1
This case study follows the journey of Agness and Cez, founders of Etramping, as they started a personal travel site in 2011 and grew it into a thriving business, sharing budget travel hacks, unique itineraries, helpful tips, and buying guides, attracting half a million page views in a month and earning up to $2,000 in monthly ad revenue through Mediavine and affiliate marketing.
71. Content Spotlight ($12K/year)
Somnath, the founder of Content Spotlight, started the business after mastering SEO techniques through his travel blog. Seeing the potential in the digital space, he decided to become an SEO consultant and launch his own venture. With their clear goals, focus on organic traffic, and a high client satisfaction rate, Content Spotlight is expanding and looking to hire new team members.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Content Spotlight, a Kolkata-based SEO company, averaging $1k per month and counting, discusses their innovative strategies for attracting and retaining customers and their plans for future growth.
72. HeavyBJJ ($12K/year)
Zack Nicholas, the founder of heavybjj.com, came up with the idea for his martial arts and fitness blog after seeing the success of a friend's similar site that was making $3,000 a month with minimal work. With a passion for fitness and martial arts, Zack decided to start his own blog, and within a year, he is set to make around $500 a month through ad revenue and affiliate marketing.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 2
A software IT manager started a niche martial arts and fitness blog, earning ~$500/month after just one year through ad revenue and affiliate marketing, with plans to eventually leave his IT job in 1-2 years and make $5,000/month at the 2-year mark of his business.
73. Dreamfruit ($12K/year)
Elizabeth Russell, creator of the Dreamfruit Almanac for Earthlings, came up with the idea after closing the doors of her integrative arts and community event space. In a moment of inspiration, she created a prototype for a moon-based planner/journal hybrid that blended her concern for the world with her faith in human compassion. She collaborated with her partner, worked with a designer to create a new website, and launched her business, attracting customers through emails and in-person events.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
How many people on the team: 1
Dreamfruit Almanac for Earthlings is a unique moon-based planner and guided journal self-published by Elizabeth Russell which resulted in a successful crowdfunding campaign with over 100% community support, building a core of supportive people through live-events and community-focused marketing.
74. Our captions ($12K/year)
and staying updated with the latest trends and strategies is crucial. Some of the most influential resources for me have been "SEO 2021: Learn search engine optimization with ... 150 problems with ... solutions" by William Ross, "Digital Marketing for Dummies" by Ryan Deiss and Russ Henneberry, and "The One Thing" by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. These books have provided valuable insights and actionable strategies that have helped shape my approach to growing my business. Additionally, I regularly listen to podcasts such as "The Smart Passive Income Online Business and Blogging Podcast" by Pat Flynn and "The GaryVee Audio Experience" by Gary Vaynerchuk. These podcasts provide valuable knowledge and inspiration from successful entrepreneurs in the industry.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
How many people on the team: 3
OurCaptions founder Siddharth Malhotra shares how he built a social media website that attracts over 200k visitors per month purely via organic searches, and offers tips on writing SEO-optimized articles.
75. Schmidt Auto Brokers ($12K/year)
Mbali Schmidt, a stay-at-home mother, started Schmidt Auto Brokers after hearing about the challenges people face in getting car financing due to their credit scores. She saw an opportunity to connect Rent-To-Own dealerships with individuals who have bad credit scores and are declined by banks. Since launching 5 months ago, Schmidt Auto Brokers has already helped multiple customers and is making an average of $1,000 per month.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 1
Schmidt Auto Brokers is a five-month-old South African business connecting people with poor credit scores to rent-to-own dealerships; despite being in a highly competitive arena, the business is averaging $1,000 a month and plans to invest more in marketing and advertising to continue growing and helping improve drivers' lives.
76. Recruiterly ($12K/year)
Matt Gibbs, co-founder of Recruiterly, came up with the idea for the business after experiencing frustrations with the negative stigma surrounding the recruitment industry. After meeting his co-founder Jamie, they decided to start their own recruitment agency to generate revenue and eventually create a solution to the industry's problems, which became Recruiterly. They conducted extensive testing, gathered market demand, and relocated to San Francisco before launching the platform, which is now in the process of scaling.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Recruiterly co-founder Matt Gibbs discusses how he and his partner went from recruiters to co-founders of a marketplace and lead-generation platform for recruitment professionals and businesses, with current revenues below $1,000 MRR.
77. Failory ($12K/year)
Rich Clominson, the co-founder of Failory, came up with the idea for the business after experiencing multiple failures with his own startups. Recognizing the value in learning from these failures, he decided to create a platform where failed startup owners could share their stories and lessons, in order to help future entrepreneurs avoid making the same mistakes. Since its launch, Failory has gained traction and grown its community, with plans to monetize through sponsorships and affiliate marketing.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Failory is a community where failed startup owners come to tell their failure stories and the mistakes they committed, offering advice for future entrepreneurs.
78. DJ Tobander ($12K/year)
DJ Tobander, a seasoned blogger, noticed that DJs were constantly asking him about his playlists for special occasions. With this insight, he created collections of DJ sets and sold the names of the songs and their order. This unique product resonated with his target audience, leading to a profitable business generating $1,000 in sales each month.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
How many people on the team: 0
Learn how DJ Tobander created a successful niche info-product business generating $1,000 a month through selling collections of DJ sets for special occasions and working with affiliates, with only modest costs and simple tools like WordPress, AWeber, LeadPages, and Digistore24.
79. Blooming Anomaly ($8.4K/year)
Ann Remo, founder of Blooming Anomaly, started her gardening blog in 2017 with the goal of making enough money to cover her monthly student loan payments. Through research, learning how to write for a blog, and utilizing social media platforms like Pinterest, she has grown her blog to make around $700 a month, exceeding her initial goal. Ann's focus on writing helpful articles and utilizing SEO has been key to attracting and retaining customers.
How much money it makes: $8.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 0
Ann Remo turned her love for urban gardening into a profitable blog, Blooming Anomaly, which earns her around $700 a month through Mediavine ads, Amazon affiliates, and other affiliate programs. She recommends focusing on writing great posts with keywords, and investing in SEO and social media through courses.
80. To Go Cycles ($6K/year)
Nathan Thomson, the founder of To Go Cycles, came up with the idea for his bicycle accessories company when he realized there was a need for a product that allowed cyclists to carry a 4-pack of beer. Unable to find a suitable solution on the market, he designed a durable and stylish saddle bag that could hold the drinks. Within the first day of launching the product, Thomson received messages of support and excitement, and the business has since grown its customer base across Canada and the United States.
How much money it makes: $6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $4K
How many people on the team: 0
To Go Cycles sells a beer-friendly saddle bag for bike enthusiasts and has already sold their product across Canada and the US, improving brand awareness by partnering with local breweries and cycling groups, and planning to expand globally and expand their product range.
81. CSS Animation ($6K/year)
Donovan Hutchinson, a website developer, came up with the idea for his business, CSSAnimation.rocks, after realizing the value of sharing his knowledge and learning experiences with others. He started by writing in-depth tutorials on creating web animations using HTML and CSS on his website. The positive reception and social media shares confirmed that he was onto something valuable.
How much money it makes: $6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
A website developer generates a monthly income of $6k with his website CSSAnimation.rocks, an online platform that offers tutorials on how to create web animations using HTML and CSS, and includes a newsletter, an ebook, and a video course.
82. Behind Chocolate Eyes, LLC. ($6K/year)
Montoya "Chocolate" Walton, a Texas-based financial analyst, came up with the idea for her online adult shop, Behind Chocolate Eyes, LLC, after realizing the profitability of the adult entertainment industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite facing initial funding challenges, Montoya took a leap of faith and found a wholesale sex toy distributor to kickstart her business. Within just 4 months, she has made over $2.5k in sales and is confident in the future success of her venture.
How much money it makes: $6K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Founder Montoya "Chocolate" Walton started an online adult shop named Behind Chocolate Eyes, LLC with just $1,200, and has made $2.5k+ in total revenue in only 4 months through online purchases and events, with plans to expand her business to a mobile adult shop and increase her social media following.
83. Millennial Moderator ($6K/year)
Aleksey Weyman came up with the idea for Millennial Moderator when he was teaching himself basic HTML/CSS and decided to create a blog as a way to practice. After refining the brand and seeing the value it provided to readers, Aleksey focused on providing valuable insights and industry trends to attract and retain customers. With an average of $500 USD/month and 3000 monthly readers, Millennial Moderator is now looking to scale upward.
How much money it makes: $6K/year
How many people on the team: 1
Millennial Moderator, a profitable online publication averaging $500 USD/month and around 3000 monthly readers, shares insights on developing an online publication from scratch, monitoring user experience, and engaging readers through social media channels and advertising networks.
84. The Diamond App ($6K/year)
Tony Florida came up with the idea for The Diamond App when he was engagement ring shopping and realized he could find cheaper diamonds online. After extensive research and building a software program to find the most sparkly diamond within his budget, Florida decided to create a website to help others find affordable diamonds. The Diamond App now generates an average of $500 per month in revenue and has diamond price history for close to 8 million loose diamonds.
How much money it makes: $6K/year
How many people on the team: 0
The Diamond App founder developed an online diamond search engine that earns $500 per month in affiliate revenue from 6 jewelers, attracting 500 new users monthly through optimized SEO and offering valuable insights into his hands-off operation.
85. Cars of Carlisle ($5.03K/year)
Darren Reighard, founder and CEO of the Cars of Carlisle Network Podcast, came up with the idea for his profitable podcast after a friend recognized the need for an automotive podcast in their hometown of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. With his love for cars and background in mass communications, Reighard quickly established a virtual product to fill this niche and market gap, resulting in over 12,000 downloads and an increasing annual revenue.
How much money it makes: $5.03K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3.11K
How many people on the team: 1
Cars of Carlisle Network Podcast, founded by Darren Reighard, has grown into an increasingly successful entrepreneurial pursuit with over 130 episodes and is continuing to expand, with an annual revenue that is increasing, over 12k downloads from 45 countries, and a 18-month goal to expand sponsorship to become a full-time CEO managing the business with a 5 employee team.
86. Get Out Alive Podcast ($4.8K/year)
Ashley Bray, host of the Get Out Alive Podcast, came up with the idea after working in wildlife biology and experiencing frustrations with not being able to be honest about wildlife conflicts. She and her high school friend, Nick, decided to create a podcast about animal attacks that provided honest advice on how to coexist peacefully with wild animals. They invested in equipment, reached out to other podcasters for guidance, and launched the podcast, attracting initial listeners through social media.
How much money it makes: $4.8K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Get Out Alive LLC's success story of how they grew to making a nearly $400/month profit on Patreon in just over a year, without spending any money on ads, through producing an animal attack podcast and selling merchandise.
87. CarSpiritPK ($4.8K/year)
Usman Ansari, the founder of CarSpiritPK, came up with the idea for his automobile blog after experiencing manipulation in the content he wrote for other publications. He wanted to provide unbiased and genuine content for auto consumers in Pakistan, and started the website to shape opinions and provide quality reading material. Despite rejection of lucrative offers to promote obsolete products, CarSpiritPK has gained a reputation as a trusted source of information and attracts over 65-85k visitors each month, generating ad revenues of $250-400 USD.
How much money it makes: $4.8K/year
How much did it cost to start: $150
How many people on the team: 2
CarSpiritPK is a dedicated automobile blog attracting between 65-85k visitors each month, generating ad revenues of around $250-400 USD a month, all whilst staying unbiased.
88. Joker Mag ($3K/year)
Tyler O'Shea, founder of Joker Mag, drew inspiration for his media platform from his personal experience of being cut from his baseball team in 7th grade. He found solace in the stories of undersized athletes who defied the odds, and he wanted to share those stories to inspire others. Today, Joker Mag receives an average of 25,000 monthly visitors, generating approximately $250 in revenue per month with potential for significant growth.
How much money it makes: $3K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 0
A media platform celebrating underdog stories in sports, Joker Mag, founded by Tyler O'Shea, receives an average of 25,000 monthly visitors generating $250/mo, and focuses on improving traffic through SEO, seeking to move towards brand partnerships as a primary monetization method in the future.
89. Blue Oceans Green Earth ($2.4K/year)
Blue Oceans Green Earth was started by Dave and Cynthia as an affiliate marketing website promoting eco-friendly alternatives to plastic. They rebranded from their original name, Glass is Better, and focused on raising awareness about plastic reduction. Despite challenges, including nearly shutting down, the business is now experiencing sales growth and aims to balance revenue channels by selling their own products and earning sponsor revenue.
How much money it makes: $2.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $700
How many people on the team: 1
Blue Oceans Green Earth, an eco-friendly affiliate marketing site promoting alternatives to plastic, shares the challenges they faced in building brand awareness and how rebranding and a team of VAs saved the business, with plans to balance revenue channels soon.
90. Monster MMORPG ($2.4K/year)
Furkan, the only owner and developer of Monster MMORPG, came up with the idea for his browser-based creature hunting game during his third year of Bachelor's education. Inspired by the popularity of fan-made Pokemon games, he and his colleague created a simple game that gained massive attention from players worldwide. After graduation, Furkan continued to develop the game solo, eventually converting it into a unique, full copyright-owned, branded creature hunting game. Today, Monster MMORPG generates about $200 per month and has a dedicated player base that has been with the game for around 10 years.
How much money it makes: $2.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 1
Monster MMORPG is a browser-based creature hunting game generating $200 per month from ads and Patreon support, started as a fan-made project in 2009, and developed by a single owner and developer.
91. Crypto Fireside ($2.4K/year)
Andrei Rotariu came up with the idea for Crypto Fireside after being inspired by Pat from Starter Story. Combining his love for writing and his passion for cryptocurrency, he created a crypto-related publication that focuses on education and features interviews, guides, reviews, and satire. After going through various online ventures and learning the ways of the web, Andrei found his niche in the crypto space and started Crypto Fireside.
How much money it makes: $2.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
How many people on the team: 1
Crypto Fireside is a cryptocurrency publication that focuses on crypto education, boasting over 1 year of establishment and an average monthly turnover of $200, with a focus on testing and preparation for future growth.
92. Foundation for a Human Internet ($1.2K/year)
In 2019, Bastian, leveraging his decade-long experience in digital marketing, witnessed rampant bot-generated misinformation during Indonesia's presidential elections, inspiring him to create humanID—an anonymous Single Sign-On solution, now supported by Harvard Business School and Mozilla.
How much money it makes: $1.2K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
HumanID, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting online privacy and fighting fake news, has created an anonymous online and anonymous Single Sign-On (SSO) service to block spam and automated accounts, charging just 1 cent to run it, and has already attracted hundreds of users across various sites.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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