The 40 Best Home-Based Businesses To Start In Kentucky [2024]

Updated: January 20th, 2022

Interested in starting a business in Kentucky in 2024?

We put together 40 of the best businesses you can start in Kentucky today.

For each business idea, we’ll show you real-world examples of how you can start your profitable, home-based small business in Kentucky.

Here's the full list:

1. Start a graphic design business ($50.4K/year)

SumanJung from Louisville, Kentucky, USA started DesignPac about 5 years ago, a graphic design business.

  • Location: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
  • Revenue: $4,200/ month
  • Founders: 3
  • Employees: 5

Case Study

My name is SumanJung. I am 25 years old. I am from the third world country Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world. Unseen by many, Nepal has tremendous business opportunities to those who want to utilize them. I co-founded the company called DesignPac which provides dedicated web experts (graphic designers, web developers & digital marketers) for rent. A productized service the world has never experienced before.

DesignPac rents out well-experienced & skilled web professionals on a monthly/hourly basis. It is a simple concept of hiring tech people when you want to create something online or need ongoing web support but have tight budget and limited resources. We provide a full-service web service agency, much like think creating your perfect meal from a restaurant menu. Custom design your service from a selection menu of designers, developer, and marketers, all ready to serve. By providing a full-service menu, we remove the hassle, expense, and headache of purchases these services individually through multiple providers, while our clients also enjoy the savings they incur by utilizing the global workforce. Sign up for DesignPac and an entire team is at your fingertips. We have an easy and convenient on-boarding process offering various options in billing terms (monthly/hourly/semiannually). Not only we rent the web experts, we also have our own project management tool to handle our client’s task and projects. An expert will be assigned to the client promptly after signing up. Our dashboard enables our clients to add additional web experts to their team easily with a few simple clicks.

All of our experts have been strenuously vetted. Only the most qualified are selected to join our team. Because of the currency exchange rate we are able to pay out team well above industry standard, giving us not only a competitive edge in the market but also in our ability to hire only the best. The majority of our clients are startups, small businesses, and agencies. Our company profiting by using a global workforce, enabling us to keep our service prices below industry average. A blessing for those who are frustrated with their unreliable freelance teams or for those with startups and low budgets. Anyone with a dream should be able to see it fulfilled. With DesignPac anyone can start a business.

how-i-launched-a-startup-from-a-third-world-country

2. Start a niche blog

Joe Stech from Louisville, CO, USA started Compelling Science Press about 8 years ago, a niche blog.

  • Location: Louisville, CO, USA
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

Hi! My name is Joe Stech, and I'm the founder of compellingsciencefiction.com. I publish science fiction short stories, focusing on plausible science fiction.

I started Compelling Science Fiction because I'd always been a huge fan of the genre, and realized that I could help encourage more authors to write the kind of science fiction that I enjoyed.

I'm happy to say that by that measure we've succeeded -- we're one of a couple dozen SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) qualifying markets in the world, and thus far we've paid professional rates to over 50 wonderful authors. This goal has resonated with our ~1600 readers, many of whom support the company voluntarily on Patreon.

turning-a-science-fiction-hobby-into-a-successful-side-project

3. Start a bathroom appliance business ($6M/year)

Howard Law from Erlanger, KY, USA started Magnus Home Products over 6 years ago, a bathroom appliance business.

  • Location: Erlanger, KY, USA
  • Revenue: $500,000/ month
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 14

Case Study

Hello, I’m Howard Law and I am a co-founder of Magnus Home Products. Magnus is an e-commerce business specializing in unique high-end kitchen and bath products that are typically not found in the big box stores. We offer over 6,000 SKU’s online.

Some of our signature products are unique bathroom sinks made of concrete, petrified stone, stone, and wood. We offer a wide range of farmhouse sinks in fireclay, copper, stone, cast iron, and stainless steel. Our bathtubs are constructed of copper, stone, wood, cast iron, acrylic, and resin. Our customers include homeowners as well as commercial accounts such as remodeling companies, plumbing suppliers, designers, etc.

Our products are both sourced directly from the factories and also through third-party distributors. I visit every factory we buy from and have developed long term relationships with all of our vendors/partners. This allows us to offer new and unique items much sooner than our competition. We also can develop exclusive designs not available anywhere else.

how-we-started-a-500k-month-business-selling-kitchen-and-bath-products

4. Start a benefit corporation ($60K/year)

Tippy Tippens from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA started Goods That Matter over 13 years ago, a benefit corporation.

  • Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
  • Revenue: $5,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 1

Case Study

Hi, I’m Tippy Tippens, Chief Eternal Optimist at Goods that Matter. I started with a soap that gives to oil spill cleanup in 2010, BirdProject Soap. This was my way as a designer to help after the BP Oil Spill Disaster in 2010. I got my start on Kickstarter with that product and then was inspired to start the company, Goods that Matter. We design and make a variety of eco-goods from candles to custom first aid kits to cards - each product raises funds for a unique cause.

Goods that Matter creates everyday design goods, with extraordinary impact. Each Matter product is handmade in the U.S., of eco-friendly materials, & gives back to unique social and environmental causes. 10% of all proceeds flow to causes that impact the health, happiness, and sustainability of our communities both locally and for our neighbors around the world.

We are proud to be the first Benefit Corporation in the state of Louisiana and to have donated $43,632 to date to our partner causes! Goods that Matter works to make the world a better place by creating products and collaborations that matter.

how-we-added-new-products-and-opened-a-new-location

5. Start a marketing agency ($1.08M/year)

Karl Hughes from Chicago, IL, USA started Draft.dev almost 4 years ago, a marketing agency.

  • Location: Chicago, IL, USA
  • Revenue: $90,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$600
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 6

Case Study

My name is Karl, and I’m the founder of Draft. After almost a decade leading engineering teams at venture-funded startups, I decided it was time to leap into entrepreneurship. Draft is a productized service that provides technical content to software engineering blogs on a subscription basis.

August is my third month running the business and first month full-time, and I’m on track to bring in $10,000 in (mostly) recurring revenue this month. The business isn’t going to replace my salary as a CTO right away, but the freedom of running my own business has given me a lot of freedom to stretch my creative muscles and spend time with my family.

My son Joe and dog Chili. We get to hang out together every day now!

how-i-started-an-8k-month-technical-content-marketing-agency

6. Start a stuffed animals business ($120K/year)

Justin Baum from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA started ZZZ Bears almost 9 years ago, a stuffed animals business.

  • Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
  • Revenue: $9,999/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$5K
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

My full-time job is in advertising. (Think Don Draper with less Brylcreem,) And from 2005 to 2012, I worked at JWT, the United States Marine Corps’ longtime ad agency. As the Creative Director, I was in charge of recruitment advertising - writing the television commercials, print ads, billboards, etc - for the Marines during two of the most unpopular wars in our nation’s history.

Every time I’d go to a Marine base to film a commercial, I’d bring my then 5-year-old daughter back a small gift from the Marine Exchange. At the time, she was having trouble sleeping - bad dreams, fear of the dark, monsters under the bed - the usual fears of a young kid.

So I bought her a teddy bear and told her a story.

how-i-built-a-teddy-bear-business-helping-military-kids-sleep-at-night

7. Start a junk removal business ($300K/year)

Sam Evans from Pennsylvania, USA started You Call We Haul Junk Removal almost 8 years ago, a junk removal business.

  • Location: Pennsylvania, USA
  • Revenue: $25,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$1.7K
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 3

Case Study

My name is Sam Evans. I am 23 years old and a recent graduate from Penn State Altoona. I am the founder of You Call We Haul Junk Removal, a junk removal company that removes anything from single items to hoarder home cleanouts. We’re located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and have been in business (part-time) since May of 2016.

We service any and everyone who may have unneeded items they are looking to get rid of. People often ask what items we consider junk, to us junk is anything you no longer need or want.

Our main customers are middle-aged and up adults, typically with a higher income that do not want to or are unable to do the work themselves. We complete over 75 jobs per month, bring in about $20,000 in revenue per month profiting about 65% per job.

how-i-started-a-18k-month-junk-removal-company-before-graduating-from-college

8. Start a supplements company ($1.2M/year)

Nick Bey from Chicago, IL, USA started Bey Moss over 4 years ago, a supplements company.

  • Location: Chicago, IL, USA
  • Revenue: $100,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$500
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 10

Case Study

I’m Nick Bey and I run Bey Moss, an e-commerce platform that sells products infused with Chondrus Crispus or, better known as, sea moss. Our flagship product started with sea moss gel, which was used as a food additive. Our customers are men and women concerned about their health and using beauty products that are safe for your skin.

Bey Moss started on January 1, 2020, and has made over $800,000 to-date with less than $10,000 overall in ads. Our customers realize that they are investing in their health when they consume our products.

how-this-couple-started-a-100k-month-sea-moss-infused-health-supplements-brand

9. Start a stationery business ($48K/year)

Jordyn from Michigan, USA started Jordyn Alison Designs about 6 years ago, a stationery business.

  • Location: Michigan, USA
  • Revenue: $4,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

Hey, I’m Jordyn and I’m the owner of Jordyn Alison Designs. My intentions with my products are to bring joy to your daily life as well as help connect you with others.

For a couple of years, the only thing I sold in my shop was greeting cards. But in March of 2018, I started selling vinyl stickers, which proved to be successful. I now have greeting cards, stickers, notepads, apparel and more in my shop.

Part of what I think makes my business unique is that I have a pretty strong digital side to my business as well. For that side, I work on making SVG cut files and hand-lettered fonts. As someone who can’t sit still and do the same thing every day, it’s really nice to have two distinct sides to my business that I can switch back and forth from.

how-i-started-a-3k-month-hand-lettered-stationery-products-ecommerce

10. Start a specialty food business ($1.2M/year)

Stacey Schlaman from Alabama, USA started Liberated Specialty Foods about 9 years ago, a specialty food business.

  • Location: Alabama, USA
  • Revenue: $100,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 20

Case Study

I’m Stacey, founder and President of Liberated Specialty Foods, based in the quiet town of Madison, Alabama. We run a food manufacturing business making a full line of baked food (made mainly from nut flours) like almond flour pizza crust, cashew bread, and coconut flour donuts, along with additive-free sauces like ketchup and pizza sauce; with the specific mission to help those suffering from autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s and Colitis, that ALSO fill the niche of Keto, Paleo, Atkins, and other trending diets.

We sell online and to retailers. We went from about 100 retailers with our products in 2016 to over 1,000 today, including major chains from Whole Foods and Sprouts to Wal-Mart -- and we hope to keep adding more!

how-i-started-a-100k-month-food-for-auto-immune-sufferers-business

11. Start a niche investment platform ($4.2M/year)

Justin Cooke from North York, Ontario, Canada started Empire Flippers almost 12 years ago, a niche investment platform.

  • Location: North York, Ontario, Canada
  • Revenue: $349,983/ month
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 53

Case Study

My name is Gregory Elfrink and I’m the director of marketing with Empire Flippers. We’re a three-time winner of the INC 5,000 award for being one of the fastest growing companies in America and we help people buy and sell online businesses.

In the last few years, we have become the thought leader and one of the largest M&A advisory businesses for digital assets in the sub $10 million range. Though, I am pretty certain we will soon be selling businesses above that $10 million mark as well.

We have brokered over $50 million worth of deals, and since we’re a big believer in transparency we also created a scoreboard that details most of our stats - from the hundreds of thousands of website visitors we get to our pool of potential buyers that grow by the hundreds every month.

empire-flippers-20m-year-helping-people-buy-and-sell-websites

12. Start a candle business ($1.68M/year)

DShawn Russell from Raeford, North Carolina, USA started Southern Elegance Candle Company over 8 years ago, a candle business.

  • Location: Raeford, North Carolina, USA
  • Revenue: $140,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 20

Case Study

Hello! My name is D’Shawn Russell and I am the founder and CEO of Southern Elegance Candle Company. I started the company 4 years ago as a side hustle to make some extra money on the weekends and to get me out of the house. But it quickly grew to much more than I expected.

Southern Elegance Candle Company is all about loving and living in the South. We created home fragrance products that all have a southern theme to them and all of our fragrances are based on Southern agriculture. Apple? Check! Pine? Check! Cotton (or course) Check! Missing the Southern Sunshine? We got a fragrance for you. Our core group of customers are women that live in the South or people that appreciate Southern culture.

Our flagship products at the moment are our candles. We offer three different sizes; travel tin, mason jar and large tumbler. We also have wax melts and room spray. But, we will be slowly rolling out new products over the next year to include an apparel line.

how-i-started-a-20k-month-southern-inspired-candle-business

13. Become a shopify app developer ($780K/year)

Todd Trimakas from Charlotte, North Carolina, USA started ByteStand over 8 years ago, a shopify app developer.

  • Location: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
  • Revenue: $65,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$50K
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 1

Case Study

Hi, my name is Todd and I’m a serial entrepreneur. After a long history of building various businesses, I created ByteStand, a friendly software development company run by ecommerce nerds who get excited about weird things like “cross-platform integrations” and “fulfillment networks” and “coffee”.

We design Shopify apps, with three apps currently in the app store and over 2,000 shops using our software. Our two main apps are ByteStand and FBA Shipping, which were designed to help Amazon sellers diversify and generate more revenue by importing their Amazon inventory to Shopify and exporting their Shopify orders to Amazon for fulfillment.

We also created FreshCredit, Shopify's first true store credit app. Between all three apps, we generate about $17,000/month in revenue.

how-i-taught-myself-how-to-code-and-built-my-own-business

14. Start a luggage storage business ($780K/year)

Eugene Veeden from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started BagsAway Luggage Storage over 6 years ago, a luggage storage business.

  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Revenue: $65,000/ month
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 2

Case Study

BagsAway Luggage Storage is a marketplace that connects travelers and city locals with convenient, secure, on-demand bag storage locations across key cities. Utilizing the principles of the sharing economy we partner with local shops and businesses that monetize existing free-space by offering hourly/daily storage on location. We keep about 60% of all revenues while the storage partners keep the rest. With BagsAway locations in place, travelers and locals can now win precious hours back by conveniently dropping their bags at a location of their choice around the city, freeing their hands and their time to explore, experience, and sightsee without their bags in the way. Our overarching vision is to change people's relationship with things that weigh them down during travel and on the go.

We have stored over 150,000 bags for travelers thus far and have expanded to over 50+ cities and going strong! Our plan this year is to expand worldwide, with new funding and new members joining our company.

how-we-started-a-65k-month-world-wide-luggage-storage-service

15. Start a supplements company ($60K/year)

Paul Sciortino from Chicago, Illinois, USA started Ayo Supplements over 4 years ago, a supplements company.

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • Revenue: $5,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

My name is Paul Sciortino, I am the founder of Ayo Supplements and we sell Matcha Boost, the best matcha tea supplement you will find on the market. It’s a simple

product; organic, ceremonial grade Japanese matcha powder combined with vitamin B-12 to support natural energy.

Matcha’s renowned health benefits are widely recognized and it is one of the healthiest substances in the world. It’s an acquired taste, however, and prep time can make it difficult to fit into a daily routine. I thought that if I created a quality product in a convenient “take with you anywhere” capsule, people couldn’t afford not to take it.

on-starting-a-2k-month-premium-matcha-supplements-brand

16. Start an online food business ($480K/year)

Ethan Holmes from Cleveland, Ohio, USA started Holmes Mouthwatering over 9 years ago, an online food business.

  • Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
  • Revenue: $40,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$500K
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 1

Case Study

My name is Ethan Holmes. I’m from Shaker Heights, Ohio and I am the 25-year-old founder and CEO of Holmes Mouthwatering Applesauce.

Holmes is an all natural applesauce product I created at the age of 15 and have since grown to hundreds of grocery stores throughout the Midwest.

how-an-entrepreneur-from-ohio-launched-his-own-applesauce-company

17. Create an online course ($240K/year)

Kelan Kline from Rochester, New York, USA started The Savvy Couple over 7 years ago, an online course.

  • Location: Rochester, New York, USA
  • Revenue: $20,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$500
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 2

Case Study

Hi there! We are Kelan and Brittany the founders of The Savvy Couple. We are a personal finance and lifestyle blog with a mission to help families organize and simplify their entire life so they can do more of the things they love.

We do this by providing content on organization, meal planning, budgeting, paying off debt, making money online, marriage, and more.

Some of our top articles include:

the-savvy-couple-update-why-we-re-focusing-on-seo

18. Start a men's grooming company ($1.2M/year)

Doug Geiger from Mount Clemens, Michigan, USA started CanYouHandlebar over 11 years ago, a men's grooming company.

  • Location: Mount Clemens, Michigan, USA
  • Revenue: $100,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$400
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 10

Case Study

I’m Doug Geiger, founder of Can You Handlebar, a men’s grooming product company. We’re one of those low-key-high-quality brands.

We are best known for beard oils and balms, moustache wax and inventing the first application brush for beard products, the Can You Handlebar Beard Oil Brush®. We are carefully and consistently extending our product line and distribution.

In our first three years our production grew from a kitchen countertop with a crockpot I stole from my wife to “making a million bucks” and a 10,000 square foot building with a whole fleet of crockpots. Meanwhile, our retail presence -- which began on the counter of a gracious proprietor of the corner gas station -- has grown to our own network of barbers and salons across the US, international distribution and most visibly, the shelves of every Art of Shaving.

how-i-turned-a-moustache-wax-recipe-into-a-million-dollar-business

19. Start a waterbottle business ($636K/year)

Jesse Hambly from Elora, Ontario, Canada started Pressa Inc. over 8 years ago, a waterbottle business.

  • Location: Elora, Ontario, Canada
  • Revenue: $53,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$100K
  • Founders: 3
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

My name is Jesse Hambly, I’m 1 of 3 brothers working at Pressa Inc. Luke and Mason are full-time founders as well. We have a diverse background, Luke manages engineering and manufacturing duties. Mason is in charge of media, content creation and strategy, and I (Jesse) oversee marketing, operations, and customer relations. We’ve been in business since 2015 where we’ve been selling our flagship product, Pressa Bottle. Pressa Bottle is a unique water bottle that allows the user to juice and press real fruit into any beverage.

Our company operates at just over $50k per month and we do this primarily through our .com and Amazon. We do sell in a few retailers which are Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillards and Uncommon Goods. The product lends itself well to the healthy/active crowd but we also sell a lot of units for flavored cocktails.

how-we-created-a-53k-month-innovative-water-bottle

20. Start a chimney repair business ($252K/year)

Mitchell Blackmon from Blue Ridge, Georgia, USA started Patriot Chimney over 5 years ago, a chimney repair business.

  • Location: Blue Ridge, Georgia, USA
  • Revenue: $21,000/ month
  • Founders: 3
  • Employees: 5

Case Study

Hi everyone, my name is Mitchell and I’m one of the three founders of Patriot Chimney. We sweep, repair, and build chimneys and also service and repair dryer vents around the Roanoke Valley in Virginia.

We created the company in order to provide really, really awesome, transparent, and trustworthy chimney and dryer vent services in our region. You see, chimney companies don’t typically receive a positive reputation and we’re out to change that. In fact, we’ve been fortunate enough to provide our services to more than 350 homes in an area that spans from Lynchburg, VA all the way down to Blacksburg, VA. What’s more is that we’ve also been able to generate more than $212,000 in revenue during our first year, with 8% of that being net profit.

I studied marketing in college, but my experience in the past few years has been a mix between marketing and sales, so my focus is primarily around building the sales and marketing strategy for us. My brother (Matt) and a friend of his (Billy) focus on the operations, actually getting on the roof and doing some real dirty work.

how-i-started-a-21k-month-chimney-service-company-while-working-full-time

21. Start a franchise development business ($120K/year)

Andrew Hoffman from Brampton, Ontario, Canada started My Franchise Partners over 9 years ago, a franchise development business.

  • Location: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
  • Revenue: $10,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 2

Case Study

Hello, my name is Andrew Hoffman. I am the founder of My Franchise Partners.

My Franchise Partners is a $15-20K/month consulting agency focused on helping people understand the franchise industry before they take the plunge and invest in a franchise.

I help people find the best franchise for them through in-depth research, analysis, and due diligence. The best choice is always an informed choice.

how-i-started-a-10k-month-franchise-development-business

22. Start a meal prep business ($1.56M/year)

Andrei Calinescu from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started One Life Meals over 11 years ago, a meal prep business.

  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Revenue: $130,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 29

Case Study

Hi, I’m Andrei Calinescu and I am the Founder and CEO of One Life Meals.

One Life Meals is a healthy meal delivery service located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We handle the complete process from ingredient sourcing, cooking and delivery. We also work with our clients on a one-on-one basis to understand their requirements and help them select the right plan.

We cook and deliver twice per week to keep the meals fresh. The plan is for 6 days per week, with Sunday as a day off or a “cheat day”.

starting-a-1-5m-healthy-meals-delivery-business

23. Start a cocktail ingredient business ($540K/year)

Christopher Thomas from Nashville, Tennessee, USA started Eli Mason over 9 years ago, a cocktail ingredient business.

  • Location: Nashville, Tennessee, USA
  • Revenue: $45,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$10K
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

My name is Christopher Thomas. I am the managing partner and co-owner of a cocktail mixer brand called Eli Mason. We make premium cocktail mixers and syrups using real ingredients like cane sugar and premium bitters in Nashville, Tennessee.

Our flagship product is The Old Fashioned Cocktail Mixer. Just mix it with your favorite whiskey and you have a delicious Old Fashioned in less than 30 seconds. We have two main customers. Our first customer is someone who enjoys a delicious cocktail, but they don’t want the hassle of figuring out the right ratios of sugar to bitters, should they muddle fruit or not, we make it super easy for them to make a consistent and delicious Old Fashioned in less than 30 seconds. Our second customer is the cocktail enthusiast who loves making cocktails from scratch in their home, but sometimes they just want EASY. We give them that EASY option for a solid drink made with real ingredients.

how-we-grew-revenue-to-600k-and-launched-a-new-product-this-year

24. Start a subscription box business ($120K/year)

David Dewane from Chicago, Illinois, USA started Mouse Book Club almost 7 years ago, a subscription box business.

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • Revenue: $10,000/ month
  • Founders: 4
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

My name is David Dewane and I’m the co-founder and president of the Mouse Book Club. We make phone-sized physical books you carry around with you so that you have a decent alternative to reading your phone.

I’m an architect, professor, journalist, hustler, and the lowest form of tech junkie. I’m the kind of creep you’d see checking their phone at the dinner table when the baby is crying. That’s one of the reasons I started Mouse and am aligning our company with the movement towards digital minimalism, that is, a more limited and thoughtful integration of technology into our lives.

So far, we have mailed over 40,000 books to 60+ countries and all 50 states. We’ve done about $170,000 in sales in the first two years.

how-we-launched-a-book-subscription-service-and-sold-40k-books

25. Start a web testing software ($38.4K/year)

Fitz Nowlan from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA started Reflect almost 5 years ago, a web testing software.

  • Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Revenue: $3,200/ month
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 3

Case Study

Hi there! My name is Fitz Nowlan and I am one of two co-founders of Reflect. Reflect creates and manages automated web regression tests to verify a web application's appearance and functionality. Using Reflect, you can create automated web tests that replicate how a user actually uses your web application---all without writing a line of code. The benefits are two-pronged: 1) creating a Reflect test is faster than using a code-based automation tool, and 2) anyone in your organization can create a test because it requires no programming. Thus, businesses improve the quality of their web applications while simultaneously saving time and allowing anyone to contribute to their testing efforts.

Our customers are technology companies who sell either B2B, or B2C, and deliver their services or products through their web application. Therefore, they have a critical dependency on their web application behaving as expected in order for them to make money. They’ll usually have employees test (i.e., use) their web application to ensure it’s working, but the testers can range from technical folks like web developers and testing engineers, to non-technical folks like marketing and SEO specialists. As a result of the varied technical skills of application testers, we decided to make Reflect zero-code and zero-installation. This means anyone can use Reflect without coding or downloading anything, and create a test with nothing more than a URL!

Our customers access Reflect through a monthly, pay-as-you-go subscription that includes creating, executing and managing their suite of web tests. Reflect has been publicly available since November 2019 and generates around $3K in monthly recurring revenue. The cost of a subscription scales based on the number of test executions and the month-to-month plans range from ~$100/mo to $1,000/mo or more for our Enterprise customers. Our most exciting statistic is that we have not lost a customer yet!

how-we-launched-a-3-2k-month-automated-software-for-testing-websites

26. ($204K/year)

Natalie Kay Costello from Jacksonville, FL, USA started Sustainably Chic almost 10 years ago, .

  • Location: Jacksonville, FL, USA
  • Revenue: $17,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$3K
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 1

Case Study

Hi! My name is Natalie, and I help people build conscious wardrobes through my blog Sustainably Chic. It’s the ultimate destination for everything in a sustainable fashion. From learning what it is to brands who produce it, you can find all of that information on my blog. Sustainably Chic is here to show you fashion can exist responsibly.

While I mainly write about women’s fashion, I also speak about men’s fashion, children’s fashion, fashion in the home, and green beauty. I find fashion to be everywhere in life, so it’s important to touch on every little aspect I can. Most importantly, almost anything you use has a sustainable option, and Sustainably Chic is here to showcase it.

on-growing-a-blog-about-sustainable-fashion-to-60k-monthly-visitors-and-6k-month-in-revenue

27. Start a respirator mask business ($1.08M/year)

Michael Vahey from Virginia, USA started Breathe Healthy over 14 years ago, a respirator mask business.

  • Location: Virginia, USA
  • Revenue: $90,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 3

Case Study

My name is Michael, and I’m the owner of Breathe Healthy.

As a kid, I ran a lawn and field mowing business. Unfortunately, I also had allergies. There were times when I would be in the fields all day, but then had to come home with my eyes swelled shut because of my allergies. I tried masks, but they were uncomfortable, and not very easy for a kid to keep on his face.

A more urban lifestyle and career kept me away from the worst of my allergies until I entered the military. Once again, time “out in the field” brought back my allergies with a vengeance. While serving in a desert environment, we often had to operate in sandstorms and high dust and dirt environments. Often, a shirt or rag wrapped around the face was what we used to protect ourselves.

starting-a-90k-month-respirator-mask-business

28. Start an ice cream scooper business ($216K/year)

Michael Chou from South Lyon, Michigan, USA started Midnight Scoop over 9 years ago, an ice cream scooper business.

  • Location: South Lyon, Michigan, USA
  • Revenue: $18,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 4

Case Study

My name is Michael Chou, and I am an aerospace engineer by trade.

It’s always bothered me how difficult it was to scoop hard ice cream. I hated trying to melt the ice cream using heated spoons, or the microwave. I just knew there was a better way. It took me years to develop the most perfect ice cream scoop.

There is definitely blood sweat and tears in the product. Heck, we call it the Midnight Scoop because I spent so many nights obsessing about it and losing so much sleep.

how-an-aerospace-engineer-decided-to-reengineer-the-ice-cream-scooper

29. Start a construction company ($4.2M/year)

Clifton Muckenfuss from Apex, North Carolina, USA started Carolina Exteriors over 13 years ago, a construction company.

  • Location: Apex, North Carolina, USA
  • Revenue: $350,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$3.5K
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 10

Case Study

I’m Clifton Muckenfuss, I am Co-Founder of Carolina Exteriors, a Specialty Replacement Contractor based in Apex, NC, serving the Raleigh Metro Area. Carolina Exteriors offers residential home improvement services including Roofing, Siding, Windows, Doors, and Gutters. We believe that if we “build people, we build a winning team and combined, we Build Exceptional Customer Experiences. Our dedication to our people and customers and execution on our mission has led to us receiving numerous industry awards for customer service.

Carolina Exteriors was founded in 2010 amidst the last housing crisis and recession. We realized and understood that most contractors were great carpenters or “tradesmen” but not savvy business owners, and many found themselves overleveraged and without a sustainable business model. We [founders] drew from our previous business experience in Sales, Management, Customer Service and Operations Management to create a “customer first” company backed by systems and processes.

We bootstrapped the business on $3,500 and now 9 years later generate $4,000,000 in revenue.

growing-an-exterior-remodeling-company-from-3-5k-to-9m-year

30. Start a cork maps business ($48K/year)

Nick Fortosis from Zeeland, Michigan, USA started GEO 101 Design over 6 years ago, a cork maps business.

  • Location: Zeeland, Michigan, USA
  • Revenue: $4,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$200
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

My name is Nick Fortosis and I am the founder of GEO 101 Design, a company that specializes in creating one of a kind cork maps with modern minimalist aesthetics. Our goal is to turn your love of travel into your own personalized home décor.

Founded in late 2017, I run the business by myself and manufacture everything in my garage workshop in West Michigan. We have been steadily growing and are currently doing roughly $2000 a month in sales through our website and our Etsy shop.

how-i-started-a-side-project-out-of-my-garage-selling-cork-maps

31. Start a seo agency ($336K/year)

Russell Michelson from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA started Paper Box SEO over 7 years ago, a SEO agency.

  • Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Revenue: $28,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 2

Case Study

My name is Russell Michelson and I’m the founder of Paper Box SEO. We’re a boutique SEO agency based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Unlike most SEO agencies, we focus 100% of our efforts on SEO and don’t work in other types of online marketing like PPC or social media.

Most of our clients are small to medium-sized businesses who want to grow their organic traffic and get more customers. We almost exclusively work long term contracts for a fixed monthly fee. Our packages are all-inclusive, meaning they include on-page optimization, content creation, link building, and monthly reporting. At the moment, we’re doing $20k/month in revenue and our team consists of me, a full-time employee, and a part-time contractor who is our dedicated writer. We also have an accountant and web developer who we use on an as-needed basis.

how-i-started-a-28k-month-boutique-seo-company

32. Start a hvac equipment shop ($4.5M/year)

Mike Luongo from Ohio, USA started Total Home Supply over 14 years ago, a HVAC equipment shop.

  • Location: Ohio, USA
  • Revenue: $375,000/ month
  • Founders: 5
  • Employees: 5

Case Study

My name is Mike Luongo and I am the Managing Member of Total Home Supply in Fairfield, NJ. Total Home Supply was founded in 2010 by a group of disgruntled people working for other Internet companies. We were not happy with the direction of these companies so we got together under a common concept of creating a company that would treat our customers the way we would like to be treated.

Since we sell heating and cooling products that can be purchased elsewhere, we knew we needed to find a compelling reason for customers to choose us. We also knew that just selling cheap was not the answer so we became the leader in customer service, both before and after the sale.

The above is why we have double-digit growth while our competitors struggle to maintain the volume from previous years.

how-5-founders-left-their-jobs-to-start-a-4-5m-heating-cooling-business

33. Start a tv show ranking business ($15.6K/year)

Steve Sanders from Lisle, IL, USA started Episode Ninja over 7 years ago, a tv show ranking business.

  • Location: Lisle, IL, USA
  • Revenue: $1,300/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

Hello, my name is Steve Sanders and I’m the creator of a website called Episode Ninja. The primary goal of the site is to rank the “best” episodes of a given TV show.

In my day job, I work as a web and app developer at a company in the smart home space. Episode Ninja is still firmly a side project for me, currently making around $1000 a month in revenue. It is monetized through display advertising and TV streaming affiliate programs.

Traffic to the website has been steadily growing since launch and is currently at more than 200,000 unique visitors per month.

how-i-built-and-monetized-a-website-side-project-ranking-tv-shows

34. Start a wordpress template business ($132K/year)

Sam from Kalamazoo, MI, USA started Sam Munoz Consulting, LLC over 6 years ago, a wordpress template business.

  • Location: Kalamazoo, MI, USA
  • Revenue: $11,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 2

Case Study

Why hello there, my name is Sam and I am the owner and head developer over at Sam Munoz Consulting, LLC! We are a WordPress development company, specializing in upscale websites for high-performing businesses as well as affordable website templates called the Effortless Website Kits for new business owners & entrepreneurs.

Our purpose is to EMPOWER business owners & entrepreneurs to harness their website to work for their biz as the #1 MVP. We strive to make the tech side of the business overall less scary and overwhelming through bite-sized education, our digital products, and speaking in human terms.

We are a dynamite team of 3 tech-savvy ladies. The team includes Sam (me!) owner & lead developer, Laura Kåmark - business and project manager & Karyn Paige - head tech wizard.

how-i-started-a-9k-month-wordpress-templates-business

35. Start a 3d printing business ($3.6M/year)

Jeremy Simon from Algonquin started 3D Universe, LLC over 10 years ago, a 3D Printing Business.

  • Location: Algonquin
  • Revenue: $300,000/ month
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 4

Case Study

Hi, I’m Jeremy Simon, founder of 3D Universe, LLC. We are an e-commerce value-added reseller, providing digital fabrication solutions, such as 3D printers, laser cutters, and vacuum forming machines, as well as related supplies and accessories. We represent several different brands, but the Ultimaker line of 3D printers is our strongest product line.

Our customers include educational organizations, government entities, commercial organizations across a wide variety of vertical markets, and individual consumers.

We have developed a business model that leverages online technologies to minimize operational overhead, allowing us to conduct a profitable business with significant revenues using a very small team of employees.

how-we-increased-our-sales-and-added-new-opportunities-during-the-pandemic

36. Start a clothing boutique

Savitra from Smyrna, GA, USA started New Era of Style about 5 years ago, a clothing boutique.

  • Location: Smyrna, GA, USA
  • Starting Costs: $$4.5K
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

Hello! My name is Savitra and I am the owner of the influential online boutique New Era of Style, LLC. New Era of Style is a mid-priced online boutique that is dedicated to catering to the fashion needs of working professional men and women.

New Era of Style is a Career and Lifestyle brand. Our selections are versatile and transition with the busy schedules of our customers. Our best-selling items include our selection of tops, vegan-leather bags, and wardrobe accessories. We work with several unique wholesalers and designers to bring the best in fashion. To create exclusivity with our merchandise, we offer a limited inventory of selected items.

on-starting-a-men-s-and-women-s-online-boutique-while-working-a-full-time-job

37. Start a shoelace brand ($1.5M/year)

Tim Talley from Rochester, New York, USA started U-Lace No-Tie Sneaker Laces ago, a shoelace brand.

  • Location: Rochester, New York, USA
  • Revenue: $125,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 2

Case Study

I’m Tim Talley and I am the founder and CEO of U-Lace No-Tie Sneaker Laces. U-Lace is the originator of the modular No-Tie Sneaker Lace. Our product is a stretchy woven lace segment that is designed to span just a single set of sneaker eyelets at a time. A couple of packs of U-Laces transforms most pairs of lace-up sneakers into slip-on that never need to be tied or untied.

Our consumers are kids and adults; convenience seekers; parents looking for a way to get kids out of the door and on the way to school without lace-tying hassle; frequent fliers and people who lack the ability or dexterity to tie and untie standard shoelaces; and those seeking to add a bit of fashion pop to their sneakers.

Our customers are retailers such as Learning Express, Pigtails, and Crewcuts, Once Upon a Child and Global distributors covering the UK & EU, Israel, Asia, Canada and a few other regions of the world. We sell about $1.5MM worth of U-Lace’s every year. While lots of copy-cats have come into the market we boast the largest color range of about 60 colors which shows our total commitment to this business and product category

how-i-got-mark-cuban-to-invest-in-my-1-5mm-year-tieless-shoelaces-business

38. Become a temporary tattoo artist ($12K/year)

Anslea from Atlanta, GA, USA started Forgotten Mermaids almost 6 years ago, a temporary tattoo artist.

  • Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
  • Revenue: $1,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$100
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0

Case Study

Hey there! So excited to be going over everything that’s happened this last year. My name is Anslea and I run Forgotten Mermaids, a brand of temporary tattoos inspired by mermaids, designed by humans. Our tattoos give the illusion of mermaid scales so even if you’re not ready to commit to the mermaid lifestyle, you can still add a little mermaid magic to your every-day outfit. Currently, we have two tattoo styles available in six colors, alongside a variety of clothing items such as leggings and swimsuits that share this same scale pattern.

We started the year with big plans for expanding our sales channels and product line, but due to COVID-19 our timeline was pushed way back and ultimately we had to change our vision quite drastically. Thankfully, since the business was built on the premise of being adaptable, adjusting to our new reality was relatively painless and has since opened up opportunities we otherwise wouldn't have explored.

Currently, we’ve seen a 40% increase in sales compared to this time last year and hope to keep that trending upwards with new products and expanded marketing tactics.

forgotten-mermaids-update-how-we-ve-grown-sales-by-40

39. Start an ecommerce platform ($1.2M/year)

Nick and Angelica from Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA started Romans Tide about 9 years ago, an ecommerce platform.

  • Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
  • Revenue: $100,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$20
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 5

Case Study

My name is Nick and I am the founder of Romans Tide. My business started out selling on eBay in early 2015, by November we moved to Amazon. Our method of selling was 100% arbitrage back then.

By 2017 we did over $1,000,000 in revenue on the Amazon platform. I had no idea what I had gotten into. I had no business experience and had no idea how to manage all this money flowing through the business.

Now we have our own Private Label Products, a couple of wholesale accounts (pursuing more), and a full-scale countrywide Retail Arbitrage operation that generates six figures a month in revenue with 20-25% profit margins.

A lot of people say “you can’t scale Retail Arbitrage”. We prove them wrong on a daily basis.

Nowadays, Romans Tide is becoming more of a distributor for my other product creations and brands. My journey in E-Commerce has had me sell everything from toys and clothes to trampolines and patio sets. We sell to all types of customers so that led me to develop my own brands.

Right now we have:

Java Advisor - Sells coffee, tea, and related products @JavaAdvisor

Mind Your Grind - Started out as my personal blog but is being turned into a sales channel for customers focused on health, fitness, and mindset. @Mind_Your_Grind

RTX (in development) - This is my Sports and Outdoor Brand focused on serving the customers involved in extreme sports. My love for riding waves is what fuels this project

how-i-started-a-private-label-small-business-generating-six-figures-a-month

40. Start a digital magazine ($600K/year)

Drew Williams from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started SWAGGER Magazine about 17 years ago, a digital magazine.

  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Revenue: $50,000/ month
  • Starting Costs: $$500
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 25

Case Study

My name is Drew Williams and I run and operate a digital lifestyle magazine for men called SWAGGER Magazine. SWAGGER Magazine is one of the first products created under our parent company, Swagger Publications Inc.

Our product is simple. It is targeted to the affluent males that aspire to have great things in life, and are on the path to building themselves to be powerful and successful people in all aspects of life - no matter what their interests are. We focus on Lifestyle, Fashion, Gear, Food, Dating, and Business and Careers.

The mission statement for Swagger is to take the average man from nothing to something, by featuring successful individuals in every domain and outlining what steps they took to get there and how anyone else can follow in their footsteps.

swagger-starting-a-digital-men-s-magazine

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.