55 Media Related Business Ideas You Can Start Today [2023]
Interested in starting a media industry business in 2023?
We put together 55 of the best media industry businesses you can start in today.
For each business idea, we’ll show you real-world examples of other media industry businesses to help you see what it really takes.
Here's the full list:
1. Start a tv show ranking business ($15.6K/year)
Steve Sanders from Lisle, IL, USA started Episode Ninja about 6 years ago, a tv show ranking business.
- Revenue: $1,300/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 0
- Location: Lisle, IL, USA
With the rise of binge-watching TV shows through streaming services, I found myself wanting to go back and watch some of the best episodes of my favorite shows.
The website has been steadily growing since launch and is currently at more than 200,000 unique visitors per month.
I couldn’t find a good place to find these rankings online other than random articles written by folks across different websites. It seemed like there should be an objective way to aggregate ratings and rank episodes of a show; thus Episode Ninja was born.
2. Start a film production company ($18M/year)
Hope Horner from Los Angeles, California, USA started Lemonlight almost 9 years ago, a film production company.
- Revenue: $1,500,000/ month
- Founders: 3
- Employees: 75
- Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
I grew up in Johnson City, TN - a small town in the northeast corner of the state. For as long as I can remember, I dreamed of moving to Los Angeles and starting my own business. When I was 18, I moved to LA to attend college and haven’t left yet.
I started my first business in 2008 when the startup culture was very limited in Los Angeles. Resources were scarce and it was difficult to learn how to start and run a company with no experience. Nonetheless, I trudged through the journey for a few years trying to figure it out. It was filled with some success and a lot of learning lessons, but ultimately, it didn’t end the way I had hoped. I spent a few more years working with startup companies and learning more about the landscape and how to hone my skills as a leader and entrepreneur.
In April of 2014, I started my second company, Lemonlight, out of a second bedroom with my two co-founders, Daniel Marlow, and Chad Rogers. Lemonlight’s mission was to offer small and medium-sized businesses access to high-quality, affordable video content that they could use to advertise their brand online.
3. Start an animation business ($84K/year)
Mike Doyle from Raleigh, North Carolina, USA started drive80 about 12 years ago, a animation business.
- Revenue: $7,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 1
- Location: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
So here’s how I got into working for myself:
From 17 - 22 I was in a punk band called Lanemeyer. We toured 8 times over 2.5 years. Then we broke up because we were a shit show.
When I turned 22 I moved to LA to figure life out. While working at a P.F. Chang’s in Woodland Hills, a buddy of mine had a clothing company called Down Apparel. I decided that I wanted to start a clothing company, bought a Gateway PC for $1,300, and started designing. I got a cracked version of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator not realizing these programs were scary as hell. I moved back to NJ and put myself through a technical school to learn graphic design.
4. Become a proofreader ($24K/year)
Lenny Bron from New York, New York, USA started The Blog Proofreader almost 7 years ago, a proofreader.
- Revenue: $2,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 0
- Location: New York, New York, USA
This business idea was born in 2016, but the journey really began in 2014.
After working for a company for 8 years, I hadn’t really gotten far financially and felt stuck. I decided to find a job with better financial prospects and the possibility of advancement. After 6 months of searching, I was hired at a new employer and managed to double my salary in one fell swoop!
Just start! That little voice inside your head giving you doubts will always be there. Push through that voice and keep going until you reach a point where you’re lost.
5. Start a niche web design business ($300K/year)
Scott Bishop from Boston, Massachusetts, USA started Up And Social almost 9 years ago, a niche web design business.
- Revenue: $25,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 1
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
I began my business career with the family in-store sampling business, C.A. Courtesy, in the 1990s, while at the same time attending college at Johnson and Wales University, where I pursued a degree in Web Management & Internet Commerce.
I’ve always had a knack for marketing and technology, and when I left C.A. Courtesy, I was the Vice President of Marketing and Technology.
People don’t remember what you say as much as they remember how they felt when you said it.
6. Start an online video editing business ($72K/year)
Sabba Keynejad from London, England, United Kingdom started VEED over 4 years ago, a online video editing business.
- Revenue: $6,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 1
- Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Tim and I met during an online hackathon. During the hackathon participants were encouraged to meetup for real. We actually got on really well, and stayed friends and kept spitballing ideas for a startup for years.
At this time, I was a design student at Central Saint Martins and I had recently won a competition for Sony Music creating an interactive music video for the band Hurts with my friend Virgil. Then soon after graduation, I started working as a creative technologist in London for a bunch of different advertising & branding agencies and a few startups too.
7. Start a stock photography business ($0/year)
Serban Enache from Brentwood, TN, USA started Free Stock Images about 11 years ago, a stock photography business.
- Revenue: $0/ month
- Founders: 3
- Employees: 25
- Location: Brentwood, TN, USA
By 2012, stock photography was well established as an accessible and inexpensive visual content resource and Dreamstime was already a thriving Top 3 agency, counting the world’s largest stock photo community. It already featured a small free download library that subscribers were able to access unlimitedly, still available today. As donations grew, we felt these files needed a dedicated home and audience and this is how Stockfreeimages appeared. In the first year, we had around 110,000 customers and 1,5 million images and numbers continued to grow constantly. Its aim was to upgrade budget-oriented customers instead of eroding current revenues.
Not hiring talented people soon enough or hiring the wrong people and having to start all over, avoiding making leaps of faith, and being overcautious are some of the things that may change the course of your business for better or worse.
A large pool of individuals and freelancers were in need of good imagery for personal or start-up projects, at no cost at all if possible. Stockfreeimages came to answer this need for safe content with model released, high-quality photos, and illustrations that they were able to download for free. It also served as the next step in image copyright protection for both contributors and consumers and helped users protect themselves from the costly fines that often result from copyright violations.
8. Start an online newspaper ($0/year)
Filip Poutintsev from started Honest Pros & Cons over 3 years ago, a online newspaper.
- Revenue: $0/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 0
- Location:
I started my business with affiliate marketing, which I was doing for nearly 10 years. In the beginning, I was doing SMS marketing, but since it was already the 2010s, the golden age of email marketing had passed. But with the introduction of smartphones, other marketing channels such as WhatsApp and Viber messages, as well as SMS marketing were born.
SMS turned out to be a very successful marketing channel, mostly because it didn’t have such a negative reaction to marketing as email has today. The click rate was over 10% on completely non-targeted lists, which is amazing. It was also very easy to get phone numbers. With emails, there's an endless amount of possible emails, but with phone numbers, there are typically 100 million available numbers for a country with a 10 million population. Therefore it was relatively easy to clean them. We simply ran WhatsApp software to check all those numbers in bulk and got a database of real people who use smartphones.
With this method during the few years, I managed to get a database of 80 million high-quality mobile phone numbers. Soon after I started doing this other people discovered my success and started to do the same. At this point, the industry became so competitive that it was not profitable to continue anymore. ROI on a typical campaign dropped from 100-200% to only 30% and on many campaigns, it was hard to make any profit at all.
9. Start a consulting business ($0/year)
Liz Illg from Phoenix, AZ, USA started Liz Illg almost 4 years ago, a consulting business.
- Revenue: $0/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 2
- Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA
I remember vividly when my idea of business consulting came to me. I was at a networking conference with other business owners and when I stood up to introduce myself to the group, I called myself a systems consultant.
Industries change. Times are constantly changing. Relationships, if built regularly, can last forever!
From that day forward, I created the perfect way to audit an operational system or create one, effectively and efficiently. My systems consultation service is still available to this day and I’ve helped business owners dial in theirs to allow them to grow and transform their teams.
10. Start a blog ($60K/year)
Chhavi Agarwal from New Delhi, Delhi, India started Mrs Daaku Studio over 4 years ago, a blog.
- Revenue: $5,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 3
- Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India
I am a licensed attorney in India and right after my master’s in law, I started working with a leading company as a lawyer. I worked there for about two years before I quit my job to become more location independent.
Choose a niche in whatever you start. It is critical for streamlining your efforts and make money.
My job paid me well but I worked 12 hours a day, I was exhausted by the end of each day, spent my weekends sleeping and I almost quit the things I liked to do - for example, sketching, yoga, traveling, etc.
11. Become a social media consultant ($180K/year)
Amanda Shepherd from Las Vegas, NV, USA started Social Media Manager Society over 2 years ago, a social media consultant.
- Revenue: $15,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 1
- Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
I spent the last decade of my career as a social media manager, in the agency, in-house, and freelance settings. I really created a name for myself in my niche and people were always coming to me for social media advice. I absolutely LOVED teaching people and for a long time, wondering how I could combine my passions for teaching and social media into one career.
Fast forward to fall 2019 - I was at a crossroads. The agency I was working for was moving in a different direction and I was literally moving back home. I had a decision to make - stay at the agency under different circumstances, find a new job in my new home, or finally take the plunge and start my own business.
I chose the latter and it was the best decision I ever made! I was immediately able to gain clients using internal systems I created and literally built my own business from the ground up. In one year, I made almost $100,000 and put all my systems inside the Social Media Manager Society, so other aspiring social media managers could take everything I learned and implement it themselves!
12. Create an online course ($1.44M/year)
Rasmus & Christian Mikkelsen (or Mikkelsen Twins) from Chester, New Jersey, USA started Mikkelsen Twins almost 5 years ago, a online course.
- Revenue: $120,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 2
- Location: Chester, New Jersey, USA
We never had a moment like “Ah ha! Let’s start an online education company!”, it just naturally evolved and grew into what it is today.
But I can tell you exactly how we got here. Before we get into how we first discovered what entrepreneurship even is, I want to paint the picture of what life was like even before that.
Up until we were 21 years old, we were 2 guys just going through life on autopilot with no regard for the future. Worrying about what my next week would look like was hard enough. Then we basically “woke up” and found ourselves in a 1 bedroom apartment in Aarhus, Denmark, not showing up to our part-time job anymore and smoking pot every day. For the first time, we reflected on ourselves, what we were doing and we just felt embarrassed. We were wasting our precious time away doing absolutely nothing. I don’t want to get too into the emotions felt, but it was a rock bottom for us. Long story short, we have a private twin meeting and said to each other “this is f\cking sad, we have to change”. And because we had each other, we developed motivation and ambition to prove we weren’t useless, waste-of-space losers (but that’s exactly how we had acted).
13. Start a video production company ($1.99M/year)
Henry Finn from San Francisco, California, USA started Luminous over 9 years ago, a video production company.
- Revenue: $166,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 4
- Location: San Francisco, California, USA
I’m a filmmaker and that’s where my passion is. I’m an artist from my balls to my heart and I only became a producer and use my head because I also hate working 9-5s and I wasn’t interested in moving to LA. So I realized pretty quickly if I wanted to be free doing something I loved I would have to learn the business side.. which was really hard for me in the beginning.
I made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot of hard lessons because as an artist you don’t care about a lot of things that corporations care about (namely learning to look at a project as a product for capitalistic needs over self-expression) and also have to add a lot of components to your knowledge like branding, marketing, etc.
Luckily the fear of letting the corporate machine suck my soul out forever (I used to be in banking) outweighed my cynicism, so I sucked it up and made a business for myself.
But actually, the moment that really changed my perception of reality was when I accidentally started one of the world’s top modern art sites (at the time) with a group of friends way back in 2005 or so.
We were originally going to make a collaborative portfolio site to try and get clients for our businesses (filmmakers, photographers, graphic designers, etc.) and I was trying to solve the problem of how to get someone to come back to our website once they’ve visited it once.
So I had this hypothesis that if instead of making a simple portfolio site, if we actually made a blog and just shared dope art we love with the world, it might give people a reason to come back.
14. Start a podcast agency ($204K/year)
Tom Hunt from London started Fame about 3 years ago, a podcast agency.
- Revenue: $17,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 3
- Location: London
This whole thing started when I was working as head of marketing at a B2B SaaS business. We started a podcast.
The podcast was focused on the sales operations resource, and was called Sales Ops Demystified. We interviewed sales ops people.
It started to go pretty well, we got social shares, SEO value and even had some sales calls with our guests (we sold sales software). Sales Ops Demystified is now the most downloaded podcast in the world of sales ops.
15. Start a freelance writing business ($0/year)
Eva Gutierrez from Los Angeles, CA, USA started Eva Gutierrez about 6 years ago, a freelance writing business.
- Revenue: $/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 0
- Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Five years ago I was really lost and confused about what career path to pursue. I had graduated from college with a degree in Biology in hopes of becoming a doctor. I quickly found out that I didn’t want to spend my life working in an office or having to see as many patients as I could fit into my schedule to make back my medical school expenses. At the end of my senior year, I started to watch blogging really start to take off and was immediately interested—this was an entirely new career path we hadn’t see before and something about it made me want to learn more. I figured out how to use WordPress and made a free account to start something like a food blog. I published a few articles and just wrote about what I was eating and why I was so focused on eating nutritious foods over others.
After stumbling upon a writer’s Instagram profile with the bio, “Contributing Writer at EliteDaily”—I Googled, “How to be a contributing writer at EliteDaily” and sent in my application. They accepted me (to be fair, I think they were accepting everyone at this time) and I wrote a few articles for them. That was my first taste of the writing life, unpaid work that could get views if it struck the right chord with their audience. Those articles are still online today haha. But, because this was so new into the blogging world and I had absolutely no idea how to monetize or figure any of this out on my own, I didn’t take the opportunity too seriously. I assumed I’d need a “regular” job and soon stopped writing for EliteDaily.
After I graduated, I decided that I would take a break from applying to jobs I didn’t want and instead obligated myself to do something I loved every day with the hope of stumbling upon my passion and purpose. While it seems obvious now that I wanted to be a writer, at the time I was still pretty lost and confused. I didn’t know any successful internet writers and I wasn’t confident enough to ask people for help, guidance, or advice. But, a few weeks into obligating myself to do something that I loved every day, I started writing again.
16. Start a web design & online marketing business ($900K/year)
Francesc LTW from Barcelona started La Teva Web over 20 years ago, a web design & online marketing business.
- Revenue: $75,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 19
- Location: Barcelona
My academic background has always been focused on management and strategy, I did economics, a PGDip in European Companies Management, and an MBA in England. Once I finished these studies, I started to work in Barcelona as a product manager for a couple of large companies. These were very well-known and large companies and, although I was in my twenties and I had achieved a relevant position in both companies but, for me, it was a waste of time.
At that time you could not expect to have a minimum influence in companies where all marketing decisions are always made in central offices, always abroad. Unfortunately, Spanish companies produced few goods and they merely buy and sell products manufactured in other countries.
I wanted to see all processes and, above all, feel that my efforts were worth something real and touchable. That’s why I decided that if I wanted to put into action everything I had learned, I should build my own company.
17. Start a language learning app ($224K/year)
Alex Chernikov from Berlin, Germany started Gikken ago, a language learning app.
- Revenue: $18,635/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 1
- Location: Berlin, Germany
Gikken’s foundation was laid in 2011 or so. I don’t remember the exact year but I was in high school. I was amidst my most active English learning years. I was trying to read as many articles, blogs, essays, etc in English as possible. At some point, an idea that it’d be great to double click on words to get them translated right there struck me. It was the early days of Google Chrome that wasn’t the most popular browser yet. And, I think it already could translate pages entirely, but it was totally useless for me because when I can understand 80% of the text, why would I translate it entirely? It’s also terrible for mastering a language. Guessing the meanings of words from the context works better for memorizing new vocabulary. The more effort your brain takes, the stronger neural connections are.
So, physiology aside, I wanted a fast way to translate single words I didn’t understand or double-check sentences. The previous flow involved copying it, switching to a new tab with Google Translate opened there, translating it, and then switching back. Terribly inefficient and annoying when you have to do it 10 times per article, 100 times per day.
By the time I was obsessed with this idea, I could already easily implement anything I wanted on the web. I started coding at 13, so I had already at least 2 or so years of experience with copycatting news portals, trying to build my social network (who didn’t!), and reinventing a few popular JavaScript libraries. It was the early days of not only Google Chrome but also Chrome Web Store—the extension store. I made an extension that I needed for my own needs, called Instant Translate, and uploaded it to the Chrome Web Store. Uncunningly, the timing was perfect for organic growth through the store as Instant Translate happened to be one of the first extensions there. The 15-year-old me knew something only about building apps but absolutely nothing about turning them into a business. Thus, I relied on "organic growth". In other words, routinely checking analytics and praying that it grew. I did nothing more than that for the first few years.
18. Start a journal brand ($1.8M/year)
Ollie Aplin from London, UK started MindJournal almost 7 years ago, a journal brand.
- Revenue: $150,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 3
- Location: London, UK
I’ve personally kept a journal for 10 years now, ever since I first went into therapy to recover from PTSD. My mum took her own life 2 years prior to my breakdown, and I never really got to grips with my emotions or how to process everything that had ever happened.
When I started therapy I was still stuck in the mindset that talking about how I felt was not something I should do. So talking therapy was the most unnatural experience for me. So to help, my therapist recommended I tried journaling – as a way of privately thinking about how I felt and what was on my mind. It was a game-changer of a moment for me.
My mum took her own life 2 years prior to my breakdown, and I never really got to grips with my emotions or how to process everything that had ever happened.
19. Start a wordpress template business ($132K/year)
Sam from Kalamazoo, MI, USA started Sam Munoz Consulting, LLC about 5 years ago, a wordpress template business.
- Revenue: $11,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 2
- Location: Kalamazoo, MI, USA
It was 7:00 pm, about 8 days before Christmas in 2017 when my boss sent me a text message “Can I call?”.
I’d been in the tech industry as a software developer for a while now, so a late-night chat wasn’t necessarily out of the ordinary - especially if one of our clients had an unexpected, catastrophic error that couldn’t wait until the morning.
“Of course!” I said.
20. Start a desktop publishing tutorials business
Examples of a successful desktop publishing tutorials business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a desktop publishing tutorials business:
- How To Start A Desktop Publishing Business
- How To Build A 6-Figure Book Publishing Business (Kindle Ebooks, Createspace & Audiobooks)
For further info, check out these books and products:
Learn more about starting a desktop publishing tutorials business ➜
21. Start a short story vending machine business
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a short story vending machine business:
- 5 Things You Must Know Before Starting A Vending Machine Business
- Short Story Vending Machine Dispenses Tales-To-Go
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start A Vending Business
- The Amazing Money Machine: How to Make Money and Build a Passive Income Owning and Operating ATM Machines: Noah Wieder
Learn more about starting a short story vending machine business ➜
22. Start an e-learning apps business
Examples of a successful e-learning apps business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a e-learning apps business:
- Build Your Own Udemy! Online Education Business Franchise With Video Courses!
- Building An Elearning Platform
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Your Own E-Learning Business (The Startup Series): Mike Hogan
- Start Your Own Elearning Or Training Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Success (StartUp Series): Ciree Linsenmann
Learn more about starting an e-learning apps business ➜
In 2000, Luis von Ahn was starting his PhD in computer science when he attended a talk and happened to learn about one of Yahoo's biggest problems: automated bots were signing up for millions of free Yahoo email accounts, and generating tons of spam. Luis' idea to solve this problem became CAPTCHA, the squiggly letters we type into a website to prove we're human. He gave away that idea for free, but years later, that same idea had evolved into a new way to monetize language learning on the web, and became Duolingo. Today, the popular app is valued at $1.5 billion, and is seeing a big spike in growth while people are confined to their homes.
23. Start an online journalism business
Examples of a successful online journalism business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a online journalism business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start An Online Business: Create A Business Around Your Lifestyle: Emilie Pelletier
- How to Start an Online Business: A Step by Step to Make Money from Your Computer Even If Your Starting from Scratch! (How to start an Online Business, ... Startup, Online Business for Beginners): LR Smith
Learn more about starting an online journalism business ➜

24. Start a copywriting business ($144K/year)
Examples of a successful copywriting business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a copywriting business:
- How To Become A Freelance Copywriter & Get Your First Client
- The #1 Way To Start Your Copywriting Career
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start & Run a Copywriting Business (Start & Run Business Series): Steve Slaunwhite
- How To Launch A Freelance Copywriting Business: Creative Writing For A Living (Method Writing Book 1)
Learn more about starting a copywriting business ➜
My name is David Tile. I own and operate a Content Writing Service, under the banner Article-Writing.co.
We don’t consider ourselves a content marketing firm. But a firm dedicated to the business of writing. Project management offers most often attached to marketing agencies. We work against marketing briefs delivering content on time and under budget.
25. Start a youtube channel
Examples of a successful youtube channel:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a youtube channel:
- How To Start A Youtube Channel In 2020: Beginner's Guide To Youtube & Growing From 0 Subscribers
- How To Start And Grow Your Youtube Channel From Zero — 7 Tips
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Crushing Youtube: How To Start A Youtube Channel, Launch Your Youtube Business And Make Money: Joseph Hogue
- Crushing Youtube: How To Start A Youtube Channel, Launch Your Youtube Business And Make Money
Learn more about starting a youtube channel ➜
I am Chhavi, the founder and owner of the blog and YouTube channel Mrs Daaku Studio along with my husband Amit.
Our blog, YouTube channel, and products are designed to help you achieve what we have (...and, more).
26. Become a graphic designer ($360K/year)
Examples of a successful graphic designer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a graphic designer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
Learn more about starting a graphic designer ➜
Hi, I’m Mike Moloney, the founder of FilterGrade. FilterGrade is a marketplace for creators where you can find digital assets such as presets, LUTs, video templates, and much more.
Today thousands of creators from all around the world buy and sell digital products on FilterGrade and more than 450,000 users visit the site every month.
27. Become a freelance journalist
Examples of a successful freelance journalist:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a freelance journalist:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business: The Complete Guide To Starting And Scaling From Scratch (Startup)
- Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business and More: Copywriter, Proofreader, Copy Editor, Journalist: George Sheldon
Learn more about starting a freelance journalist ➜
28. Become a music tutor ($840K/year)
Examples of a successful music tutor:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music tutor:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Music For Kids: When To Start Piano Lessons
- Piano Book For Adult Beginners: Teach Yourself How To Play Famous Piano Songs, Read Music, Theory & Technique (Book & Streaming Video Lessons)
Learn more about starting a music tutor ➜
Hi! I’m Jacques Hopkins, creator of Piano In 21 Days. My online piano course helps adults of all ages learn to play piano as fast as possible. Most of my students are people who never had the time or failed piano lessons before. Some are retirees who are excited about a new hobby but don’t want to wait years for results. Others are busy parents or professionals who need a low-pressure, flexible learning schedule.
My business brings in five figures every month, and I built everything from the ground up. I knew I had a unique take on piano lessons, but I had to learn everything about digital entrepreneurship and marketing in real time. It took a lot of effort, but it worked: I quit my engineering job and have been supporting my family this way for over eight years now.
29. Start a business directories business
Examples of a successful business directories business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a business directories business:
- Make Money Online With A Business Directory
- Passive Income Ideas: Start Your Own Business With A Directory Website
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Home-based Business For Beginners: How To Start A Business On A Shoestring From Your Own Home
- Venture Capitalists & Angel Investors Directory: The Ultimate Guide to Locate Venture Capitalists & Angel Investors to Start a Business, Buy a Business or Expand an Existing Business
Learn more about starting a business directories business ➜
During the dot com boom of the late 1990s, Jimmy Wales was running an internet search company. That's when he began to experiment with the idea of an online encyclopedia. In 2001, Wales launched Wikipedia, a website where thousands of community members could contribute, edit, and monitor content on just about anything. Today, the non-profit has stayed true to its open-source roots and is the fifth most visited website in the world. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built That," how Florence Wetterwald created Blabla dolls – eco-friendly knitted dolls made in Peru.
Read the full story on npr.org ➜
30. Start a record label
Examples of a successful record label:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a record label:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start And Run Your Own Record Label, Third Edition: Winning Marketing Strategies For Today's Music Industry (Start & Run Your Own Record Label): Daylle Deanna Schwartz
- How To Start Your Own Successful Record Label In 21 Days or Less!
Learn more about starting a record label ➜
31. Start an e-book writing business
Examples of a successful e-book writing business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a e-book writing business:
- How To Create And Sell An Ebook
- How To Write An Ebook And Make Money (How To Make Passive Income From Ebooks)
For further info, check out these books and products:
Learn more about starting an e-book writing business ➜
I'm Vaibhav Kishnani, an engineer but a passionate writer by profession. I established Content-Whale in 2017 when I was in my third year of engineering. Going by the maxim that quality writing is everything, Content-Whale caters to 42 different content types that form the backstory of every company’s digital presence and marketing efforts.
I started this content agency with a mere sum of Rs. 2,500. Today, we have drawn a revenue turnover of Rs. 4 Crores! In my opinion, it is not individual progress. Instead, a start-up is about connecting with the right individuals at the right time, who keep the show running ahead with their strife for perfection.
32. Start a voice over service ($480K/year)
Examples of a successful voice over service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a voice over service:
- How To Start A Voice Over Business From Scratch
- How To Build A Voice Over Business Pt. 1 Start With A Plan
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start A Voiceover Career: (When You Have No Time Or Money)
- How To Start And Build A Six Figure Voice Over Business: Set Your VO Career on Fire!: Bill DeWees
Learn more about starting a voice over service ➜
Hi, my name is Mony Raanan, and I’m the founder of Voice Crafters, a multilingual voice-over agency and marketplace.
Voice Crafters operated as an agency until early 2020, at which point we launched our online marketplace. This move essentially helped double our revenue and we’re on track to making at least $500,000 in 2021 with a bottom line of around 40%.
33. Start a billboard rentals business
Examples of a successful billboard rentals business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a billboard rentals business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Make It In The New Music Business: Lessons, Tips
- How To Be Your Own Booking Agent And Save Thousands Of
Learn more about starting a billboard rentals business ➜

34. Start a dance reality show business
Examples of a successful dance reality show business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a dance reality show business:
- How To Start A Dance Studio Business
- Dance Businesses We Need In 2020: Dance Business Ideas For Change
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Starting A Business All-In-One For Dummies
- Starting A Business Quickstart Guide: The Simplified Beginner’s Guide to Launching a Successful Small Business, Turning Your Vision into Reality, and Achieving Your Entrepreneurial Dream: Ken Colwell
Learn more about starting a dance reality show business ➜
35. Start a tv show program
Examples of a successful tv show program:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a tv show program:
- Road To Success Tv Program: Planning In Business
- Road To Success Tv Program: Transforming An Idea Into A Business
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Host Your Own Tv Show: Five Steps To Help You Become A Top
- The Show Starter Reality Tv Made Simple System: Ten Steps
Learn more about starting a tv show program ➜
36. Start a speech writing business
Examples of a successful speech writing business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a speech writing business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Lost Art of the Great Speech: How to Write One--How to Deliver It
- How To Start A Home-Based Writing Business: Lucy V. Parker
Learn more about starting a speech writing business ➜
37. Start a sports radio station
Examples of a successful sports radio station:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a sports radio station:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Sports Talk: A Journey Inside The World Of Sports Talk
- Sports-Talk Radio In America: Its Context And Culture
Learn more about starting a sports radio station ➜
38. Become a sound effects producer ($600K/year)
Examples of a successful sound effects producer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a sound effects producer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Audio Theater Guide: Vocal Acting, Writing, Sound Effects And Directing For A Listening Audience
- Sound Design: The Expressive Power Of Music, Voice And Sound Effects In Cinema
Learn more about starting a sound effects producer ➜
My name is Aaron Hsu. I started Blerp in my junior year of college after I made the viral Shia Lebouf soundboard app. In the first few weeks after launch, we had over 100K downloads. It was at that moment I realized there was an opportunity to make a full sound sharing platform instead of downloading one off soundboard apps at a time.
Blerp takes a small cut of soundpack sales. We’re excited about bringing more ways for creators to monetize their brand and their most iconic moments.
39. Become a ghost blogger ($147K/year)
Examples of a successful ghost blogger:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a ghost blogger:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- HOW TO START A BLOG THAT PEOPLE WILL READ: How to create a website, write about a topic you love, develop a loyal readership, and make six figures doing it. (THE MAKE MONEY FROM HOME LIONS CLUB): Mike Omar
- How to Start a Blog Today: A Free Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide to Create a Blog in 20 minutes: Scott Chow
Learn more about starting a ghost blogger ➜
Hey, I’m Lacy and I’m a content strategist, author of the bestselling Kindle ebook Make a Killing With Content, and the Director of The Content Direction Agency. We specialize in done-for-you content strategy and writing retainers for the content between launches or promotions that helps businesses grow, nurture, and prime their audience to say “hell yes!” before they ever see the offer.
Over the past 9 years, we’ve helped hundreds of business owners create bespoke content strategies to consistently drive quality traffic to websites, increase monthly email leads by 300% or more, improve search engine rankings, enroll dozens of clients per month into membership programs, support multi-six figure launches, and drive millions of views of our articles.
40. Start a shooting video games development business ($1.2M/year)
Examples of a successful shooting video games development business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a shooting video games development business:
- How To Start A Video Game Company [2020] - A Step-By-Step Guide
- Start A Game Studio In 12 Months (Seriously!)
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Comprehensive Guide to Shooting Professional Video With Your Mobile Device: With Bonus Video! (Mobile Video Book 1)
- Camcorder Video: Shooting And Editing Techniques: Merrill
Learn more about starting a shooting video games development business ➜
Hello everyone! My name is Thomas Gullen and I’m the co-founder of Construct 3 along with my brother Ashley. Construct 3 is a game engine that allows anyone to make games without needing to know how to code - “Powerpoint for games”. We feel a lot of other low-code/no-code engines slip into cookie-cutter-style game engines, and a primary focus for Construct has always been not to fall into this trap and allow users to have complete control over every aspect of their games. We’ve recently celebrated our 10 years anniversary of starting the business, and it’s a little unnerving how quickly that time has flown by looking back!
We’re currently generating in the region of $100k per month in revenue - a number if you’d told me and Ashley 10 years ago we’d be generating I don’t think either of us would've believed it. We’ve gone through some major transitions in the business, not only the technology choices but also how we charge customers (moving from a pay-once model to subscription-based) and we’ve learned a huge amount along the way which I’m happy to share. I’ve always thought the most important thing when running a business is to minimize the mistakes you could make, and looking back I feel like this is a pretty large part of why we are where we are today.
41. Start a theater productions business
Examples of a successful theater productions business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a theater productions business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How to Run a Theater: Creating, Leading and Managing Professional Theatre: Jim Volz
- How To Start Your Own Theater Company: Reginald Nelson
Learn more about starting a theater productions business ➜
42. Start a jingle writer business
Examples of a successful jingle writer business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a jingle writer business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business: The Complete Guide To Starting And Scaling From Scratch (Startup)
- Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business and More: Copywriter, Proofreader, Copy Editor, Journalist: George Sheldon
Learn more about starting a jingle writer business ➜

43. Start a 360-degree cameras business
Examples of a successful 360-degree cameras business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a 360-degree cameras business:
- Easy 360 Photo Booth Setup - Rent This Out And Make Money Today!
- How To Start A Virtual Tour Business 2020 (Complete Walkthrough!)
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The 360° Video Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide
- The 360° Video Handbook: A step-by-step guide to creating video for virtual reality (VR)
Learn more about starting a 360-degree cameras business ➜
44. Start a comic writing business
Examples of a successful comic writing business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a comic writing business:
- How To Start A Comic Book Company
- Promoting And Publishing Comic Books - Advice For Independent Comic Writers And Artists
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Words For Pictures: The Art And Business Of Writing Comics And Graphic Novels
- Start & Run a Copywriting Business (Start & Run Business Series): Steve Slaunwhite
Learn more about starting a comic writing business ➜
We are Lisa and Ted Van Liew, owners of Superworld Comics, Inc., purveyors of vintage comic books, and original comic book art. Superworld is in its 34th year buying and selling comics from the 1930s to the 1970s. Our customers are nostalgia seekers who remember buying from the newsstands when they were kids, collectors who love comics and filling in their runs, and also investors looking to add some diversity and some fun to their portfolios. Prices of Silver Age (1955-1970) and Golden Age (1938-1955) comics have risen consistently since the 1970s.
Joe Fish (at a computer) and Adam Fish (with camera) and Ted during an episode of Treasure Chest Tuesdays
45. Start a music writing and production business
Examples of a successful music writing and production business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music writing and production business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Music Business For Dummies: Loren Weisman
- How To Make A Living As A Writer (Bell On Writing Book 7): James Scott Bell
Learn more about starting a music writing and production business ➜
I'm Vaibhav Kishnani, an engineer but a passionate writer by profession. I established Content-Whale in 2017 when I was in my third year of engineering. Going by the maxim that quality writing is everything, Content-Whale caters to 42 different content types that form the backstory of every company’s digital presence and marketing efforts.
I started this content agency with a mere sum of Rs. 2,500. Today, we have drawn a revenue turnover of Rs. 4 Crores! In my opinion, it is not individual progress. Instead, a start-up is about connecting with the right individuals at the right time, who keep the show running ahead with their strife for perfection.
46. Start an ad film making business
Examples of a successful ad film making business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a ad film making business:
- The Next Step As A Filmmaker
- Transitioning From Wedding To Commercial Filmmaking (Starting A Video Production Company)
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Art Of Candle Making Business Startup: How to Start, Run & Grow a Million Dollar Success From Home!: Suzanne Carpenter
- Jumpstart Your Awesome Film Production Company: Sara Caldwell
Learn more about starting an ad film making business ➜
Victoria founded Viewst, a no-code ad design, and automation tool. They earned +$56k in 2 months and are confident to reach $1M ARR in 2021.
47. Become a social media influencer
Examples of a successful social media influencer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a social media influencer:
- How To Become An Influencer In 2020
- How To Become A Social Media Influencer? How To Work With Brands
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Social Media Marketing Workbook (2021): How to Use Social Media for Business (2021 Social Media Marketing 1): Jason McDonald
- Social Media Marketing 2020: Build Your Brand and Become the Best Influencer Using Social Media Marketing. Top Personal Branding & Digital Networking Strategies (Online Business)
Learn more about starting a social media influencer ➜
My name is Asia Crawford and I am a Motherhood, Life, and Travel blogger that resides in Vancouver, Canada. I am a wife and mother to two sweet little girls aged 4 and 2!
I started with no community, 0 followers on any media page I had and in just two years have grown to 18.5K followers on Instagram, 1.2 MILLION monthly viewers on my Pinterest, 12.5K Pageviews a month on my blog website and have been nominated for 3 blogging awards.
48. Start a video arcade business
Examples of a successful video arcade business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a video arcade business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Business & Legal Primer For Game Development: S. Gregory Boyd
- Crushing Youtube: How To Start A Youtube Channel, Launch Your Youtube Business And Make Money: Joseph Hogue
Learn more about starting a video arcade business ➜
49. Become a sports news anchor
Examples of a successful sports news anchor:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a sports news anchor:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Basic Climbing Anchors (How To Climb Series): John Long
- Morning Sunshine!: How To Radiate Confidence And Feel It Too: Robin Meade
Learn more about starting a sports news anchor ➜
50. Start an aviation tv program
Examples of a successful aviation tv program:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a aviation tv program:
- 5 Low Investment Aviation Business Ideas You Can Start Today
- How To Start A Business In Aviation. Startups Tips
For further info, check out these books and products:
Learn more about starting an aviation tv program ➜
51. Start a catalogues business
Examples of a successful catalogues business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a catalogues business:
- How To Set Up A Facebook Catalogue
- Create Your Own Small Business Product Catalog - Free Excel Template
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How to Start an Online Business: A Step by Step to Make Money from Your Computer Even If Your Starting from Scratch! (How to start an Online Business, ... Startup, Online Business for Beginners): LR Smith
- Start Your Own Self Publishing Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide To Success (StartUp Series)
Learn more about starting a catalogues business ➜
52. Start a sports PR business
Examples of a successful sports PR business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a sports PR business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start Your Own Public Relations Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide To Success (StartUp Series)
- The Sports Training Business Guide: Your Guide To Starting And Running A Private Sports Coaching Business: Bill Dale
Learn more about starting a sports PR business ➜
My name is Jay Fuller, I’m one of three co-founders of athlo agncy. – a personal branding startup for the anonymous college athlete navigating NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness). Our flagship product is a personal branding workshop, pre-recorded in a MasterClass-like format. Facilitated by my other two co-founders – Aly and Isaac Nauta (brother and sister).
We’ve been able to add athlo ambassadors, participate in an event with UGA baseball and a sports accelerator, and have two on-campus workshops scheduled this summer with two different universities.
53. Start a campus newspaper business
Examples of a successful campus newspaper business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a campus newspaper business:
- How To Start Your Own Newspaper + Earn $100,000
- How To Start Your Own Micro-Community Newspaper Or Neighborhood Newspaper
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Campus Ceo: The Student Entrepreneur's Guide To Launching A Multi-Million-Dollar Business: Randal Pinkett
- Publish Your Own Magazine, Guide Book, or Weekly Newspaper: How to Start, Manage, and Profit from a Homebased Publishing Company (Culture Tools): Thomas A. Williams
Learn more about starting a campus newspaper business ➜
54. Start a Digital Printing Business ($12M/year)
Examples of a successful Digital Printing Business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a Digital Printing Business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The T-Shirt Revolution: Building Your Business Using a Digital Apparel Printer
- Screen Printing: A Practical Guide to Starting Your Own T-Shirt Business
Learn more about starting a Digital Printing Business ➜
Hello. I am Abhishek Agarwal the CMO of two successful IT business ventures - Design’N’Buy & DesignRiver.co.
Our hard work and struggle helped us earn a turnover of 1.5 million dollars and 1000+ clients across 60+ countries currently and now we are expecting a growth of 50% in 2021-22 financial year.
55. Start a drive-by broadcasting business
Examples of a successful drive-by broadcasting business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a drive-by broadcasting business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- This Business Of Television: Howard J. Blumenthal, Oliver
- The Business Of Media Distribution: Monetizing Film, Tv, And Video Content In An Online World
Learn more about starting a drive-by broadcasting business ➜
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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