The 51 Best Businesses To Start In Ireland [2024]

Updated: June 10th, 2022

Interested in starting a business in Ireland in 2024?

We put together 51 of the best businesses you can start in Ireland today.

In this list of ideas, you can find:

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

Here's the full list:

1. Start a niche blog

Starting a niche blog can be a great way to engage with a passionate online community by sharing your expertise on a specific topic.

The first step is to identify a profitable and underserved niche, such as fashion, video games, film reviews, cooking, and more.

Find your niche and create unique and informative content, such as articles, commentary, news, how-to guides, top product lists, convention coverage, video interviews, and spotlights.

To monetize your blog, gain visibility and followers, provide affiliate links, grow a YouTube channel, collaborate with relevant brands, and speak at events.

To succeed in niche blogging, you need to have a passion for your topic, create engaging content, and regularly engage with your followers.

How much you can make: $200 — $250,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $450 (?)

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

I Make $6K Creating Website Animation Tutorials [Side Project]

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.

About
Donovan started CSS Animation over 8 years ago
Revenue
Donovan grew the business to $500/month
Read by 3,226 founders

2. Start a video ad creation business

How much you can make: $30,000 — $250,000/month

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

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

How We Started A $30K/Month Ecommerce Video Marketing Business

Silksocial produces rockstar video ads for eCommerce brands, with a turnover of around $30K/month and a focus on differentiation through a deep understanding of e-commerce video ad production techniques that optimize investment returns.

About
Louise started Silksocial over 4 years ago
Revenue
Louise grew the business to $30K/month
Costs
It cost Louise $2500 to start the business
Read by 6,742 founders

3. Start a digital agency

A digital agency’s task is to make a business reach its advertising, marketing, or technology-related goals. Anyone with enough knowledge and passion for digital marketing can start and run a profitable digital marketing agency. With the proper skill set, the right tools, and the right mindset, you can start a successful digital agency.

The global digital agency market reached a value of nearly $305B in 2020. The future growth prospects of the digital agency market are projected to be high due to the rising population of people consuming and creating content through digital channels.

How much you can make: $6,500 — $43,700,000/month

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

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

From a Freelance Translator Working From Home To An Entrepreneur With $1M In Revenue

TRANSLIT is an ISO-certified translation and interpreting service, which has grown organically to now include an online platform and marketplace that allows users to find, book and manage interpreters across the world with over 2,500 users and recently launched a Remote Simultaneous Interpreting technology available through a mobile app and web interface.

About
Alex started TRANSLIT over 4 years ago
Revenue
Alex grew the business to $50K/month
Costs
It cost Alex $300000 to start the business
Read by 7,856 founders

4. Start a medical device company

If you are a medical practitioner and want to start a business, then you could consider starting a medical device company. There are many medical device companies started by individuals or small teams. Some of them were successful and became startups impacting the industry with their technology.

Starting a medical device company is an exciting venture that can lead to a successful business. If you're considering starting a medical device business, there are several factors to consider before putting a team together and setting out to reach your goals.

How much you can make: $42,000 — $300,000/month

How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)

How A Doctor Got On Shark Tank And Saved 31M People From Pain

Pain Care Labs, founded by a pediatric emergency doctor after inventing a vibrating ice pack bee, Buzzy, has sold over 31 million units while focusing on non-pharmaceutical pain relief, and recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for their latest product, DuoTherm.

About
Amy started Pain Care Labs a dba of MMJ Labs over 17 years ago
Revenue
Amy grew the business to $208K/month
Costs
It cost Amy $150000 to start the business
Read by 23,974 founders

5. Start an IT company

How much you can make: $500 — $2,400,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $850 (?)

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

How I Started A $3.7K/Month Software Company In Kenya

Apps: Lab KE is a software development company generating $3,500 per month, specializing in problem-solving using technology and data for businesses and communities.

About
Marvin started Apps:Lab about 7 years ago
Revenue
Marvin grew the business to $6K/month
Costs
It cost Marvin $1200000 to start the business
Read by 9,435 founders

6. Start a boutique

You may consider opening a boutique if you are passionate about the fashion and textile industry.

A boutique is a shop that sells clothes. Opening a boutique is a dream for entrepreneurs who want to experience the joy and freedom of owning a cash business. Starting a boutique is easy and can be managed by a single individual. In addition, a boutique requires a comparatively smaller capital to start.

To succeed, the boutique owner must coming creativity and passion.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $25,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)

How I Grew My Clothing Boutique to $10K/Month in 6 Months

Boutique Rye is an online-only women's clothing and accessories boutique that has grown to 3,200 Facebook Group members and a successful website through organic customer sharing, live sales, and open communication with customers.

About
Gia started Boutique Rye almost 7 years ago
Revenue
Gia grew the business to $10K/month
Read by 35,479 founders

7. Start a franchise ownership business

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

From Business Consultant To Owning A $1.2M/Year Franchise Portal

Franchise Direct, a leading global franchise portal with 15 multilingual sites, boasts 1,000 clients, 675k monthly visitors, and nearly 2M page views per month, all achieved despite Covid-19.

About
Sean started Franchise Direct over 26 years ago
Revenue
Sean grew the business to $100K/month
Costs
It cost Sean $25000 to start the business
Read by 4,399 founders

8. Start a construction company

Running a construction company can be very rewarding and require hard work, attention to detail, and a hustle mentality.

Construction companies are responsible for building/designing a variety of apartments, buildings, properties, housing, infrastructure, facilities & developments, motorways, roads, paths, pavement, and more.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $10,000,000/month

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

How I Gamed The YouTube Algorithm and Went Viral With 25M Views

Mountain Fire Woodworks founder Cameron Vilcsak shares how he used YouTube to promote his log cabins, chainsaw carvings, and passion for woodworking, culminating in one of his videos that has gone viral with over 25 million views and counting.

About
Andrew started MTN SIDE BUILDERS about 6 years ago
Revenue
Andrew grew the business to $40K/month
Costs
It cost Andrew $50000 to start the business
Read by 8,471 founders

9. Start a coffee cafe business

A coffee shop is a popular spot for customers to enjoy freshly brewed coffee, tea, and light snacks in a comfortable and welcoming environment.

These cafes are typically furnished with comfortable seating, free Wi-Fi, and a pleasant ambiance that provides a relaxed environment for people to gather, work or unwind.

To succeed in this business, it is essential to offer high-quality coffee, create a pleasant atmosphere, and provide excellent customer service.

With the increasing demand for specialty coffee experiences, starting a coffee cafe can be a lucrative business opportunity that caters to the widespread love for coffee and the need for communal spaces to enjoy it.

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

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

How We Started A $13K/Month Coffee Shop And Coworking Space

Chicago based Ignite Technology and Innovation-owned Momentum Coffee & Coworking, which focuses on coffee, coworking, community, and event space, rakes in about $17-20k a month in revenue, mostly from online and offline advertising, and just celebrated their first anniversary, with plans to open 2 more locations in Chicago in under-resourced communities.

About
Nikki started Momentum Coffee and Coworking almost 4 years ago
Revenue
Nikki grew the business to $13K/month
Costs
It cost Nikki $200000 to start the business
Read by 5,614 founders

10. Become an online fitness coach

Online fitness coaching is using live or recorded video to offer fitness classes to an online audience at a fee. To become successful in business, online fitness coaches should possess the following personal qualities:

  • Stay focused on clients’ needs and goals
  • Be ready to walk the talk
  • Ask the clients questions
  • Focused on educating the client
  • Adjust to a language clients understand

Increase in number of internet usersand more hours spent online, online businesses will keep thriving.

Therefore, fitness coaches looking to expand their businesses or venture into new markets can consider starting an online fitness coach business.

How much you can make: $250 — $39,875,000/month

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

How long does it take to build: 142 days (?)

How I Started A $48K/Month Business With An Online Fitness Training Service

This case study is about a former personal trainer who launched his online personal training platform, TeamFFLEX, starting with no money and a lot of drive, and grew it into a 6-figure business in less than a year, now doing $48,000 a month with potential for continued growth.

About
Ryan started TeamFFLEX about 10 years ago
Revenue
Ryan grew the business to $82K/month
Costs
It cost Ryan $500 to start the business
Read by 25,301 founders

11. 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 Ireland, 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 almost 11 years ago
Revenue
Neel grew the business to $100K/month
Costs
It cost Neel $800 to start the business
Read by 20,632 founders

12. Start a sports coaching business

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About
Sarah started Girl Boss Sports over 5 years ago
Revenue
Sarah grew the business to $4.76K/month
Read by 6,532 founders

13. Start an ecommerce platform

Over the past decade, eCommerce has become an indispensable part of the global retail framework. According to statistics, over 2 billion people prefer shopping online.

While brick-and-mortar stores are still making more sales compared to online sales, the adoption of eCommerce is still rising, mainly because of the increased speed and convenience of online shopping.

Therefore, starting an eCommerce platform could set you on the right path to building a futuristic business.

How much you can make: $100 — $83,333,333/month

How long does it take to build: 110 days (?)

How We Started A $700K/Month Business Getting Targeted Traffic For Online Sellers

StoreYa co-founders Eyal Reich and Yariv Dror, along with CTO Pasha Zaft, created a suite of marketing and advertising apps that include Traffic Booster, which has generated an average of $700,000 MRR and helped the business win a 2018 Google Acquisition Performance award, as well as becoming a PayPal exclusive advertising partner.

About
Eyal started StoreYa over 11 years ago
Revenue
Eyal grew the business to $2M/month
Costs
It cost Eyal $5000 to start the business
Read by 10,284 founders

14. Start an airbnb management company

An Airbnb management company manages every aspect on behalf of an owner and manages a complete day-to-day running of a rental property.

The services offered by the Airbnb management company include: marketing a property, optimizing financing, meeting and greeting guests, repairs, maintenance, and cleaning.

An Airbnb management company fee structure is generally based on commission, flat rate, and guaranteed income.

Airbnb management companies can easily increase the Rental Income by a minimum of 30% to 50% without compromising guest experiences.

To become an Airbnb property manager, one should be able to find homeowners who will be interested in the services offered by you. Airbnb property managers can make an average annual salary of $55,000 or $27 per hour.

How much you can make: $1,333 — $270,000/month

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

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

How I Bootstrapped An Airbnb Management Service To $35K/Month

HostButlers is Ireland's first professional property concierge service for short-term rentals on Airbnb, boasting over 200,000 hosted guests and profitability from month 5.

About
Gary started Host Butlers over 8 years ago
Revenue
Gary grew the business to $35K/month
Read by 22,148 founders

15. Start a facebook group

Facebook is one of the oldest and largest social networking sites out there. Facebook offers its users a Group feature where one can join a community of people with similar interests. As per statistics, around 1.8 billion people use Facebook Groups each month.

Groups allow the members to have organic discussions, post content, and share their valuable experiences & knowledge with each other. The shared knowledge helped startups, business owners, freelancers, and professionals with their social media growth, lead generation, and customer acquisition.

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

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

How long does it take to build: 272 days (?)

How I Started A $4K/Month Platform That Offers Opportunities To Go Volunteering Abroad

This case study details the success of HelpStay, a subscription-based volunteering platform, which currently has an MRR averaging approximately USD $4,000 and has utilized a Facebook group as a low-cost source of both traffic and paid signups.

About
Shay started HelpStay about 10 years ago
Revenue
Shay grew the business to $4K/month
Read by 6,552 founders

16. 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 Ireland. 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 36,872 founders

17. Become a business coach

Are you thinking of starting a career as a business coach?

Becoming a business coach can be a great way to help aspiring entrepreneurs while earning a healthy income. You may want to consider becoming a coach if you have skills in specialized business fields such as marketing, e-commerce, stress management, or leadership.

Many small-business owners are finding it hard to get started, grow, and succeed. As a business coach, your job will be to help entrepreneurs identify new opportunities and take advantage of the ones they already have.

How much you can make: $3,500 — $9,259,259/month

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

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

How I Started A $4K/Month Website Helping People Make Money Online

This case study is about a website called eBizFacts.com, which helps people make money online through in-depth reviews of products and services related to building an online business. The business earns $4,000 per month consistently through affiliate marketing and has 4,731 email subscribers. The founder focuses on providing accurate information rather than maximizing profit and aims to make his site the ultimate gateway for anyone looking to build an online business.

About
Niall started eBiz Facts over 5 years ago
Revenue
Niall grew the business to $4.2K/month
Read by 10,144 founders

18. Make a handcrafted drums business

Start a handcrafted drums business in an industry ready to boom. Firsthand drum builders and craftspeople have long sought out solid places to connect, guild-style, on the web. If you're on a shoestring budget, think about starting a handcrafted drums business.

The global handcrafted Drums & IBCs Market is expected to hit a market value of $16B by 2022 and is expected to reach $22.5B from 2022 to 2029. Starting your own handcrafted drums business in the modern age is much easier than it used to be. Because of the rise in sites like eBay over the past 20 years, it's much easier to pick up some used equipment and have your own drum kit up and running for a fraction of the cost of buying new.

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

How I Faced My Fear of Failure And Launched A Business

This case study showcases a business owner who handcrafts steel tongue drums, which are used for music and sound therapy/meditation, with average monthly sales of $2000, and has successfully grown his business through persistence and creativity.

About
Oran started Goya over 5 years ago
Revenue
Oran grew the business to $2K/month
Read by 6,509 founders

19. Start a laptop accessories brand

Laptop accessories are items that enhance the functionality of a laptop. These can include external hard drives, docking stations, and carrying cases.

To start a laptop accessories brand, you will need strong marketing and design skills. You should also have a good understanding of the laptop market and what accessories are more popular.

The recent trends in the laptop accessories industry are moving towards eco-friendly and sustainable products. Businesses are looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact and offer their customers products that are made from sustainable materials.

Starting a laptop accessories brand is a great way to enter the world of product design. This type of business growing in popularity as people are looking for ways to personalize their laptops.

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

How long does it take to build: 342 days (?)

How I Solved My Own Problem And Turned It Into A Side Business

Aidan Breen, founder of APB Software and Hardware, shares the story of creating Posture – a lightweight, portable laptop stand designed to prevent neck and back pain – which started as a solution to his own problem and now accounts for his healthy revenue and continuous business growth.

About
Aidan started Posture about 6 years ago
Revenue
Aidan grew the business to $1K/month
Read by 5,746 founders

20. 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 3,693 founders

21. Start a home healthcare service business

Today’s lifestyle patterns have introduced new diseases, and the demand for healthcare services is rising. As we age, we develop different health problems resulting in medical services. Thus, starting a health service business can be a lucrative opportunity with the rising demand for healthcare.

Niche markets within the healthcare industry include:

  • Ambulatory surgery centers
  • Medical labs
  • Kidney dialysis facilities
  • Outpatient clinics
  • Mental health facilities etc.

To start a health service business, research the market and acquire all necessary medical equipment. You can choose a franchise or partnership or start your own health center from scratch.

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

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

How I Started A $75K/Month Liposomal Natural Health Products Brand

A health supplement company established in 2017, with revenue streams from different brands, aims to hit the 1 million EUR mark this financial year, having shipped orders to over 30 countries with over 20 products on its main sales site, primarily from organic traffic, and building trust and brand authority organically.

About
Kel started Sanuku APM Limited about 7 years ago
Revenue
Kel grew the business to $/month
Costs
It cost Kel $40000 to start the business
Read by 6,980 founders

22. Start a web development business

A web development business is a company that builds and takes care of websites. They typically use coding and design skills to create online spaces that meet the needs of individuals or businesses.

These businesses help ensure websites work well and look good, playing a key role in the online presence of their clients.

How much you can make: $6,600 — $350,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)

I Built A $300K/Year Vue.js Component Library

Vuetify is a popular open-source user interface library, built with the Vue.js framework, that generates revenue through digital content and services such as paid digital content in the Vuetify store, direct support through consulting, ad revenue from Carbon ads on the documentation pages, and donations/sponsorships via GitHub and Patreon, generating an average income of $6,500 per month.

About
John started Vuetify almost 7 years ago
Revenue
John grew the business to $25K/month
Read by 45,166 founders

23. Start a database management business

Database management is the process of organizing and storing data. This data can be used for a variety of purposes, including analytics, marketing, and customer service.

To start a database management business, you will need strong technical skills and experience in database management software. . You should also have a good understanding of how to design and optimize databases.

The average salary for a Database Manager is $90,815 per year or 43.66 dollars an hour in the United States. On the lower end of that spectrum are people who make roughly 59K while the top 10% can earn up to 139K.

There is a growing demand for database management services as businesses increasingly rely on data to drive their operations.

A database management business provides services like data backup, disaster recovery, and data security to businesses. This can be a great business idea for those with a background in computer science or information technology.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $1,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 400 days (?)

I Built A CRM To Solve My Own Problem & Now It Makes $60K/Year [India]

Flamon cloudtech's co-founder Rahul shares the story of building and launching TeleCRM, a game-changing Tele-Sales CRM product in beta phase, which is already being used by 20 companies with a monthly recurring revenue of $4500/month and is aiming to capture around 40-50% of the CRM market space in the long term.

About
Rahul started TeleCRM over 2 years ago
Revenue
Rahul grew the business to $5K/month
Costs
It cost Rahul $200000 to start the business
Read by 2,592 founders

24. Start a fashion accessories brand

Fashion accessories are an integral part of our wardrobes and are chosen specifically to compliment a person's outfit.

Typical fashion accessories include footwear, apparel, jewelry, wallets, handbags, hair accessories, and watches.

The global fashion accessories market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% during the forecast period (2021 - 2026).

How much you can make: $1,500 — $40,480,000/month

How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)

How We Invented A $10K/Month Innovative Cuff Adapters

CuffStyle created Cuff Adapters, silicone tabs that fit over shirt cuff buttons allowing cufflinks to be worn with standard button-down shirts, and has sold over 2,000 packs and received 100+ reviews with a 4.6/5 star rating on Amazon, with plans to move into big-box retail and B2B sales.

About
Eric started Cuff Style over 5 years ago
Revenue
Eric grew the business to $50K/month
Read by 6,771 founders

25. Create a web development course

A web development course is an educational program designed to teach individuals the skills and knowledge needed to create and maintain websites and web applications.

These courses typically cover programming languages, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as frameworks, databases, and other tools relevant to web development. Courses may be offered by educational institutions, online platforms, or coding bootcamps, catering to beginners or those looking to enhance their existing skills in the field of web development.

How much you can make: $500 — $110,000/month

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

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

I Make $6K Creating Website Animation Tutorials [Side Project]

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.

About
Donovan started CSS Animation over 8 years ago
Revenue
Donovan grew the business to $500/month
Read by 3,224 founders

26. Start an art business

Starting an art business can be a great idea if you have a passion for art.

You’ll be able to work on your schedule, set your prices, and do something you love—while supporting yourself or even making money!

There are so many different avenues available to you as an artist-entrepreneur right now—from selling your work online (on sites like Etsy), through galleries or museums, or even at craft fairs and flea markets.

How much you can make: $876 — $415,000/month

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

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

How I Turned My Hobby For Painting Into A Successful Art Business

Innerglow Art is a successful custom abstract painting business that incorporates scripture and personable connection with buyers to produce beautiful and unique artwork.

About
Sarah started Innerglow Art over 7 years ago
Revenue
Sarah grew the business to $4.3K/month
Read by 52,178 founders

27. Start a bitcoin vending machine

A bitcoin vending machine allows customers to purchase bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

To Start a bitcoin vending machine you need to buy a bitcoin ATM and register the AML/KYC requirements with the BTM compliance. Then, you have to secure a steady bitcoin supply before deploying the machine to a secure location. Finally, you need to load service cash before launching the business.

The BTMs recoup costs through a margin for profit attached to any fees levied on the consumer. With the rate of fees and the overall popularity of Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency ATM is still a highly profitable venture.

28. Start an online bakery

An online bakery is a business that sells baked goods through the internet.

To start an online bakery, first identify your specialty (like cookies, cupcakes, or bread) and gather basic baking equipment.

Next, create a simple website or use a platform like social media to showcase your products.

Take quality photos, set reasonable prices, and promote your online bakery through social media, local communities, and word of mouth to attract customers.

As orders come in, bake fresh treats, pack them securely, and arrange for reliable delivery or pickup options.

According to statistics, the global bakery products market size was $398B in 2020. The market is projected to grow from $416B in 2021 to $590B by 2028.

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

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

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

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

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

About
Anthony started Pastreez about 7 years ago
Revenue
Anthony grew the business to $25K/month
Costs
It cost Anthony $7000 to start the business
Read by 6,748 founders

29. Start a dating website

A dating website is a great way to connect people who are looking for love. It is a platform that helps people to find and connect with potential romantic partners. This service offers a variety of features, including a profile creation tool, a search engine, and a messaging system.

If you are interested in starting a business that helps people find love, then starting a dating website could be a great option for you. This business is growing in popularity as more people are looking for ways to meet partners online.

Tinder has taken over the world! It is so popular that it brings in revenues of $1.4B per year.

Some recent trends that are making dating websites more popular include the growth of the online dating market, the rise of mobile dating apps, and the increasing acceptance of online dating.

How much you can make: $1,300 — $11,250,000/month

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

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

How I Started A $30K/Month Dating And Relationship Coaching Business

This case study follows Pat Stedman, founder of The Dynamic Man, LLC, and his journey to building a successful dating and relationship coaching business that now earns around $25,000 - $35,000 per month through coaching services and passive income products like his 19-hour video masterclass.

About
Pat started Pat Stedman Dating and Relationship Coaching over 9 years ago
Revenue
Pat grew the business to $30K/month
Read by 10,777 founders

30. Start a customer intelligence analytics business

Customer intelligence analytics is all about understanding your customers and using that data to improve your business. It is a process of analyzing customer data to generate insights that can be used to improve business decisions.

Starting Customer intelligence analytics is a great business idea for those who are good at analyzing data and have strong communication skills. If you can help businesses to understand their customers better, then you will be in high demand!

VERINT is a global leader in Actionable Intelligence solutions. Verint's customer intelligence analytics platform helps organizations make sense of customer interactions and turn them into valuable insights. In 2022, Verint Systems Inc generates $1.3B in revenue.

This business idea is growing in popularity because it's a process that can be used by all businesses. Small businesses can use it to make better decisions about their marketing and sales strategies, while larger businesses can use it to improve their customer retention rates.

How much you can make: $8,000 — $916,666/month

How long does it take to build: 345 days (?)

How I Started A $840K/Month Virtual Phone Numbers Business

United World Telecoms' founder saw explosive growth potential in the international callback industry and has since created a virtual phone system, partnered with over 2000 businesses worldwide, and uses Google Ads, SEO, and email marketing to promote customer satisfaction.

About
THIERRY started United World Telecom dba Global Call Forwarding about 28 years ago
Revenue
THIERRY grew the business to $840K/month
Read by 10,141 founders

31. Start an electronics store

An electronics store sells any electronics from smartphones to televisions, laptops, refrigerators and other home appliances. With the technological advancements in the past decade, the electronics sector is expected to grow by 5.6 percent over the next five years.

To start an electronics store, research and find the right location for your store, then register your company at the state level to get the tax ID number.

Then, research your competition, which includes online stores and the local electronics store in your area. You should examine what they sell and focus on the products you can provide at a better price than the competition.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $1,175,000/month

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

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

How I Started A $27K/Month Business Modifying And Upgrading Game Consoles

Founder Kyle Capel started Hand Held Legend, a DIY upgrade shop for vintage handheld consoles, which generates an average revenue of $27,000 a month and grew 30% in Q1 of 2020, offering an array of modern LCD upgrades for various consoles and serving an audience of mostly male customers aged between 13 and 45, 40% of which are international.

About
Kyle started Hand Held Legend over 10 years ago
Revenue
Kyle grew the business to $230K/month
Read by 10,630 founders

32. Start a waste management business

Waste management is a booming industry with a lot of potential for growth. Waste management companies are in charge of collecting and transporting waste from households, business areas, and other sources. They also collect recyclable materials and sell them to recycling centers.

The market for waste management is huge, but it may be difficult to enter due to the high capital requirements. However, if you have the resources and expertise, there's a lot of opportunity to make it big in this industry.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $37,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 345 days (?)

How I Started A $41K/Month Residential Waste Removal Service

This case study showcases the story of a locally owned and operated residential waste removal business based in Colorado Springs started with a pick-up truck and a $35k loan, which now has 51 dumpsters, two roll-off dumpster delivery trucks, two residential garbage trucks, and is projecting $700-800k in sales for 2020.

About
Dustin started SOCO Waste over 7 years ago
Revenue
Dustin grew the business to $230K/month
Costs
It cost Dustin $150000 to start the business
Read by 13,906 founders

33. Start a city maps business

The city maps business involves creating and selling customized maps of cities, neighborhoods, or specific areas.

The city maps can be used for decorative purposes, navigation aids, or as unique gifts.

To start this business on a budget, you can begin by researching and selecting popular cities or areas to create maps for.

Next, design the maps using graphic design software or outsource the design work if needed.

Finally, consider selling the maps online through platforms like Etsy, your own website, or at local markets and events.

How much you can make: $200 — $416,666/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,600 (?)

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

How Two Brothers Started A $3.5K/Month Side Hustle Sells Custom Maps

How a pair of engineering students co-founded Mapsery, a unique custom map poster business, and grew it into a $3.5k/month side hustle with a 25% profit margin in just over two years, despite facing increasing competition in the map poster niche.

About
Love started Mapsery over 6 years ago
Revenue
Love grew the business to $3.5K/month
Read by 8,529 founders

34. Start an acting lessons business

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

35. Start a property management business

Property management companies maintain a residence’s status quo by representing the property owners. The property management company markets the property and collects rent on behalf of the owners.

With the demand for housing increasing annually, the property management business is lucrative. Property managers earn commissions and have an opportunity to maximize profits by working for as many clients as they can handle.

How much you can make: $10,500 — $1,700,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,250 (?)

How long does it take to build: 195 days (?)

We Started A $2.4M/Year Coliving Business In Singapore

Casa Mia Coliving, a sustainable and modern co-living and property management company in Singapore offering affordable accommodation, has an annualized revenue of $2.5M with 150 bedrooms across popular neighborhoods, attracting young professionals and boasting a 10x LTV/CAC ratio, all while focusing on unit economics and profitable growth.

About
Eugenio started Casa Mia Coliving over 4 years ago
Revenue
Eugenio grew the business to $200K/month
Read by 3,584 founders

36. Start a mobile hair salon

With the ever-increasing number of people in the world becoming increasingly mobile, the demand for mobile hair services will also increase. Mobile hairstyling is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. Making money while driving around in your car or truck may sound enticing.

Listed are the steps to start a mobile hair salon business.

  • Plan your business
  • Register your business
  • Secure permits and licenses
  • Get certificates
  • Purchase needed materials and supplies.
  • Connect with clients. Promote your business

37. Start an online fitness business

Thinking of starting an online fitness business?

Online fitness is growing rapidly in popularity because it’s convenient, affordable, and accessible to everyone. The best part is that you can stay in your home to start.

Starting an online fitness business can be a great way to make money and help people. When you start an online fitness business, you don’t have to worry about overhead costs like rent or maintaining a physical location - all you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $108,333,333/month

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

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

How I Started A $48K/Month Business With An Online Fitness Training Service

This case study is about a former personal trainer who launched his online personal training platform, TeamFFLEX, starting with no money and a lot of drive, and grew it into a 6-figure business in less than a year, now doing $48,000 a month with potential for continued growth.

About
Ryan started TeamFFLEX about 10 years ago
Revenue
Ryan grew the business to $82K/month
Costs
It cost Ryan $500 to start the business
Read by 25,301 founders

38. Build a crypto app

Building a crypto trading app is the easiest and safest way to make money from cryptocurrencies.

To build a custom crypto app, you need technical skills. A custom crypto app offers the developers complete access to the technical support team. Purchasing a white-label solution means quick time to market, and it involves a relatively simple setup.

Whether crypto traders make or lose money, a crypto app remains a winner.

How much you can make: $25,000 — $220,000/month

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

Earning $32,000 in 30 Days With a Crypto-Filled USB Drive

CBlocks is a cryptocurrency startup that generates random wallets of the top 100 cryptocurrencies, funds them, and ships them on a USB drive alongside software to manage them, with $32k made in the first 30 days and almost $3k on their second day from being featured in TheNextWeb, Forbes, The Outline & LifeHacker all within their first 3 weeks.

About
Auston started CBlocks.io over 6 years ago
Revenue
Auston grew the business to $32K/month
Read by 13,068 founders

39. Start a crypto cybersecurity system

Cybercriminals can gain access to entire investments by stealing crypto wallet account keys. Therefore, you must treat crypto accounts with the utmost caution.

Cyber security experts focus on helping companies secure their networks and data from attacks by cybercriminals. Blockchain technologies are receiving massive attention from the research community in different application fields.

Becoming a cybersecurity expert focusing on crypto can be a rewarding career. Coinbase and other cryptocurrency exchanges use blockchain in cybersecurity, allowing users to trade everything from Bitcoin to Litecoin and Ethereum on the company’s secure blockchain platform.

How much you can make: $91,000 — $2,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 300 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 34,582 founders

40. Start a crowdfunding platform

Raising money for your project can be difficult. Crowdfunding is one way to get funding through a large number of smaller investments. If you have some expertise in a particular area that may be useful to other people, there's no better time to take action. The crowdfunding revolution is happening right at your fingertips.

Crowdfunding has exploded over the past year, and you need to be a part of it. The Worldwide crowdfunding market share is expected to increase by $240B from 2021 to 2026. Crowdfunding is one of the quickest ways to get funding and build your brand.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $400,000/month

How long does it take to build: 272 days (?)

How We Built And Launched A $100M Equity Crowdfunding Platform

StartEngine has helped over 265 companies raise capital from a community of 190,000 users on their equity crowdfunding platform, and has raised almost $100M to date, offering equity, debt, convertible note, and other types of securities to investors.

About
Howard started Kosmos Innovation Centre over 11 years ago
Revenue
Howard grew the business to $400K/month
Read by 8,358 founders

41. Become an Uber driver

Becoming an uber driver can be a great way to earn additional income while still keeping a flexible schedule.

To become an uber drive, there are a few requirements:

  • Meet the minimum age to drive in your city
  • Have at least 1 year of driving experience in the U.S
  • Have an eligible 4-door vehicle
  • Have the proper documents and identification
  • Complete a screening online (reviews driving history, record, and criminal history).

To learn more about the requirements in your city, check out this page.

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

42. Start a subscription box business

Subscription box businesses offer customers a niche set of products on a monthly basis.

They're in high demand as they add value to customer service, offer exclusive products and can be highly profitable.

To start a subscription box business, understand your niche market, provide quality products, perfect your box design, build a good relationship with fulfillment companies, and market your service.

How much you can make: $400 — $16,666,667/month

How much does it cost to start: $210 (?)

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

How I Started A Gift Box Business For Non Traditional Brides

Vowed Box Co. is a line of curated, quirky gift boxes with non-traditional brides in mind, offering four different products that have helped the business become profitable most months since its launch in 2018, with a monthly income of roughly $600.

About
Lindsay started Vowed Box Co. over 6 years ago
Revenue
Lindsay grew the business to $400/month
Read by 30,050 founders

43. Start an influencer reporting tool business

The influencer reporting tool is a great way to see which influencers are performing well right now. You can also look at the share of voice and performance over time. Find out what other people are saying about them on social media and get an overall view of the influencer's results.

Influencer reporting is an important part of any modern company's marketing strategy and it shouldn't be a struggle to find the information you want.

Starting an influencer reporting tool business might sound risky, but it doesn't have to be. When you're competing in a crowded market with billions of dollars at stake and high barriers to entry, having a formal business plan is a great way to start off on the right foot.

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

How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)

How We Developed A $8.5K/Month Reporting Tool For Influencers

InfluenceKit is a reporting tool that helps content creators increase their sponsored content revenue with accurate, always-updated reports, who have 180 paying customers so far, popular among bloggers, Instagrammers, YouTubers and podcasters.

About
Bruno started InfluenceKit over 6 years ago
Revenue
Bruno grew the business to $13K/month
Read by 6,160 founders

44. Start a clothing boutique

If you have an eye for fashion trends and retail experience, opening a clothing boutique can be a great opportunity for you to tap into the lucrative fashion retail industry and be your own boss.

To succeed in this venture, you need to identify your target customers, curate your inventory to match their style and leverage social media marketing to build a loyal following and grow your business rapidly.

Focusing on specific customer segments, such as petite, plus-size, budget-conscious customers, or underserved groups instead of competing with major chains can further help you stand out in the market.

Opening a specialized clothing boutique lets you monetize your passion while serving customers that traditional stores often ignore.

How much you can make: $500 — $11,750,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $4,500 (?)

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

How I Grew My Clothing Boutique to $10K/Month in 6 Months

Boutique Rye is an online-only women's clothing and accessories boutique that has grown to 3,200 Facebook Group members and a successful website through organic customer sharing, live sales, and open communication with customers.

About
Gia started Boutique Rye almost 7 years ago
Revenue
Gia grew the business to $10K/month
Read by 35,479 founders

45. Create a landing page builder

Let’s face it: creating a product is easy; creating a product that sells is the real challenge.

Many startups have great-looking websites but lack a highly converting landing page. A landing page builder does just that; it builds landing pages for you.

A landing page builder business is a service that helps businesses and individuals create professional-looking web pages designed to convert visitors into customers or leads.

To start this business on a budget, you’ll need basic web development skills and knowledge of popular website-building platforms like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace.

Unbounce, a popular landing page tool, makes nearly $26M per year.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $1,500,000/month

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

How long does it take to build: 105 days (?)

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

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

About
Lars started GreenRope almost 16 years ago
Revenue
Lars grew the business to $160K/month
Read by 11,129 founders

46. Start a hair product line

Starting a hair product line can be a fun and profitable way to build a new income stream. It's also fairly easy, as long as you plan it out (and maybe do a little bit of market research before creating your sales funnel). There's a reason we often talk about trends in hip-hop and pop culture when we talk about hairstyles — they often have a lot to do with advancements in the hair product industry. The industry is expected to grow to 102 billion dollars by 2024.

How much you can make: $550 — $2,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)

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

Private Label Extensions is a hair distribution and technology company that builds hair brands from A to Z for entrepreneurs, achieving over $650,000 in monthly sales and ranked #278 of the fastest-growing companies by Inc Magazine for 2018.

About
Mikey started Private Label Extensions over 11 years ago
Revenue
Mikey grew the business to $650K/month
Costs
It cost Mikey $14000 to start the business
Read by 36,619 founders

47. 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 34,582 founders

48. Start a personal trainer marketplace

The Personal trainer marketplace is a marketplace of personal trainers and fitness instructors. The latest market trends indicate that the global personal training industry is growing at an exponential rate. With this, the demand for reliable and competent personal trainers and trainers-in-training is also rising.

The market size of the Personal Trainers industry in the United States is $13B in 2022. It increased faster than the Life Sciences sector overall.

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

How long does it take to build: 89 days (?)

How I Built A $1.3M/Year Coaching Business With Instagram [Fitness Industry]

Fitness coach Zakk Colburn started The Personal Trainers Business Incubator in 2020, generating $250k in sales in the first year and, with a team of 15 employees, finished 2022 at $1.3 million in sales, providing an online hub for trainers to learn how to start and grow their own businesses.

About
Zakk started Personal Trainers Business Incubator almost 4 years ago
Revenue
Zakk grew the business to $200K/month
Read by 1,343 founders

49. Start a podcast production company

A great podcast is an amazing tool. With the rise of podcasts, they've become a staple in daily lives, with many using them as a source of entertainment, fresh news, and education.

World Wide podcasting market size was estimated at $14.25 billion in 2021. Podcasts have seen a major resurgence in recent years, with more listeners and new shows than ever before. If you're thinking of getting into podcast production, you've probably noticed that it isn't a cheap endeavor. In fact, it can get quite expensive. The good thing is that there are ways to start your own podcast production company on a budget.

How much you can make: $400 — $125,000/month

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

How I Started A Successful Podcast Production Company

A successful podcast production company that grew from one client making $15/hour to a team of 10 contractors producing over 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10k/mo, primarily through referrals and with a focus on providing high personal touch and being picky about working only with clients who are a good fit.

About
Jeremy started Counterweight Creative almost 8 years ago
Revenue
Jeremy grew the business to $16K/month
Read by 17,704 founders

50. Start a tech company

Tech businesses are about the most exciting and potentially lucrative businesses you can start.

The global tech market size is expected to grow from $8,384B in 2021 to $9,326B in 2022.

But don't mistake the excitement for easy street: getting the tech startup off the ground requires a lot of work. There are many important factors, including how much capital you need, your business plan, and equipment needed to get started.

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

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

How I Started A $3.7K/Month Software Company In Kenya

Apps: Lab KE is a software development company generating $3,500 per month, specializing in problem-solving using technology and data for businesses and communities.

About
Marvin started Apps:Lab about 7 years ago
Revenue
Marvin grew the business to $6K/month
Costs
It cost Marvin $1200000 to start the business
Read by 9,435 founders

51. Start a grocery delivery service

Grocery delivery is an on-demand service where clients shop for groceries, and you deliver to their commercial or residential premises.

As a carrier in grocery delivery, you have an opportunity to maximize your output, as you can serve multiple customers in one trip. Besides, you get to choose your preferred working time and location.

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

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.