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58 Best Business Ideas In Saudi Arabia [2023]

58 Best Business Ideas In Saudi Arabia [2023]

Interested in starting a business in Saudi Arabia in 2023?

We put together 58 of the best businesses you can start in Saudi Arabia today.

In this list of ideas, you can find:

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

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

Here's the full list:

1. Start a recruiting agency

The global online recruitment market size was $29B in 2019 and is projected to reach $43B by 2027.

The best way to assess the success of a Recruiting Agency is to review what their clients say about them and the results achieved for those clients.

As a recruiter, you dream of landing your first client, but once you do, you realize it’s only the start of what you hope will be a successful business. Have you ever wondered how to start a recruiting agency business? There’s so much you can learn from books, but nothing beats getting real-world experience.

How Much Can You Make?
$100 — $320,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$159,374
Time To Revenue
300 days
Skills
Business model

Case Study

My name is Sharon Koifman, and I am the president of DistantJob. DistantJob is a unique recruitment agency that specializes in finding remote employees. That means we go all over the world to find outstanding talent who works remotely for our clients.

Our unique approach and model, combined with a commitment to great customer support, has done well for us: we have 3 million dollars in revenue.

how-i-started-a-3m-year-remote-worker-recruitment-agency

2. Start a luxury brand

Statistics show the global luxury products market will grow by a CAGR of 3.75. Increased wealth and income among the affluent members of society are some factors fueling the growth.

If you are looking for an eCommerce business opportunity, consider starting a luxury brand and selling online. You can sell fashion and accessories online or set up a store locally, targeting the affluent class in your locality.

How Much Can You Make?
$8,000 — $2,583,333/month
Average Initial Investment
$250,500
Skills

Case Study

I’m William Scott Forshaw and I am the founder and CEO of Maxwell-Scott. Maxwell-Scott is a British-born luxury leather goods company for the refined professional seeking timeless design and high-quality craftsmanship. As a brand, our ethos is to support slow fashion by creating impeccably-made leather pieces for our customers to cherish and pass on through the generations.

Plus, last year we were nominated for Drapers’ Accessory Brand Of The Year which was a true reason to celebrate. I am so immensely proud of the progress that the team and I have made and know that there is so much more potential for growth.

3-6m-per-year-selling-luxury-italian-leather-bags

3. Start an event management company

Do you have a basic understanding of events, possess great communication skills, and aren’t afraid to talk to C-suite executives, event attendees, donors, brand sponsors, and vendors?

Event management is a profession that is growing rapidly. Experts estimate that the event management and planning industry will experience a growth rate of 10% in a few years.

You can use your skills and passion by starting an event management company. Event management is not only an exciting career, but it is also a profitable business opportunity, with endless opportunities, you can focus on social and entertainment events, and corporate events, or become a general event management company.

How Much Can You Make?
$1,000 — $400,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$18,700
Skills
Business model

Case Study

Hi, I’m Dietrich, a retired investment manager and co-founder of Spacehuntr. Spacehuntr is a fully integrated 360° platform that enables businesses to book and manage unique Work, Play & Stay spaces for corporate events in one easy to use platform that acts as a digital event planner.

In 2019, revenues grew +700% and we are, despite the global pandemic, on track to match this growth in terms of international expansion in 2020.

how-we-successfully-pivoted-our-app-for-coworking-spaces-to-a-50k-month-platform-to-book-event-venues

4. Start a food delivery business

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$4,000 — $83,333,333/month
Average Initial Investment
$5,375
Skills

Case Study

I started my career at the world-famous Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles Apprenticing under Certified Master Chef Raimund Hofmeister.

Food Fleet’s growth Year after year has been at an at over 30 %. From 2017-2018 we had an unprecedented 160% growth spurt. With a team of 6, including my partner and I, we managed over 20 million in sales for our clients. As an example. We took over a convention center 3 years ago managing their food truck business. For their largest event of the year, we were up 53% over the previous year. I honestly would have to equate some of that success to the under-reporting of sales by the previous operator. But the following year we were up 19% from that figure and again close to that this year. That is due in large part to our understanding of transaction times, menu mix, the equipment in each truck or pop up and other factors.

5. Start a solar energy business

Switching to solar energy has become the best way to save money by reducing utility bills. Are you interested in starting a business that focuses on renewable energy solutions?

A solar company can be a great business idea. You can set up a solar energy plant and sell the power to households and businesses without requiring them to purchase the entire solar energy system.

How Much Can You Make?
$600,000 — $2,000,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$50,750
Time To Revenue
360 days
Skills
Business model

Case Study

My name is David Gomez and I’m the founder and CEO of Clean Energy Solutions, based out of Los Angeles, California. We’re a solar energy provider that provides homeowners and businesses with low-cost solar power.

Our monthly revenue is around $600,000 with big plans to keep growing. A lot of our growth in the new year will be focused on our energy-efficient affordable housing division.

how-i-started-a-600k-month-company-selling-low-cost-solar-energy

6. Start a voice over service

Voiceover artist is an auditory performer who uses their voice in scripted presentations. The role of a voiceover artist is only to be heard but not to be seen.

Working as a voiceover artist is an opportunity to choose the projects you enjoy engaging in. The role of a voiceover artist is also fun and can help you meet new people.

To become a voiceover artist in Saudi Arabia, start practicing aloud reading so you familiarize yourself with your sound. Then, create your recording studio where you can practice your voiceover skills. It would help if you had a quality microphone, professional recording software, a computer, and soundproofing materials.

How Much Can You Make?
$400 — $40,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$50,000
Skills

Case Study

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 to over $765,000 in 2022 with a bottom line of around 30%.

how-i-started-a-40k-month-multilingual-voice-over-agency-and-marketplace

7. Start an online video editing business

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$2,000 — $208,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$150,075
Skills

Case Study

Hey, I am Sabba and I am the co-founder of VEED.IO along with my partner in crime Tim. We are a London-based bootstrapped startup. Our web app, VEED, is a simple online video editing platform that allows users to do a bunch of cool stuff like auto subtitle videos, add video effects, add music, trim, rotate videos and much more all in the browser.

We launched just over a year ago, started charging 4 months ago and as of this interview, we are at $5,300 MRR and are just about profitable (Ramen profitable).

how-we-developed-a-6k-month-online-video-editing-software

8. Become a mobile personal trainer

Do you love helping people through their fitness journey? If you want a great side hustle to earn extra income, consider becoming a personal trainer.

The fitness trainer side hustle can be an adamant industry to earn good money. However, once you develop a reputation as a good trainer, you can get more clients through referrals. You need to register for the certification course to start offering personal trainer services in Saudi Arabia.

To attract your first clients, consider online advertising, and seek referrals from every customer.

How Much Can You Make?
$600 — $8,333,333/month
Average Initial Investment
$75,005
Time To Revenue
240 days
Time Commitment Per Week
Min. 4 hours/week
Skills
Interests
Business model

Case Study

Hey everyone! I am Chris and in March 2011 I started Live Fit. Live Fit is a personal training company that was created to change the standards in the personal training industry. Early on I focused on building a company that is not only based on results, as most fitness companies are, but that is also focused very heavily on relationships. Relationships create trust, trust creates buy-in, and buy-in leads to the accountability and dedication it takes to get results.

how-i-started-a-60k-month-personal-training-company

9. Start a podcast

Do you have knowledge and passion that you'd love to share with other people? Or perhaps you are a content creator and looking for ways to expand your revenue streams? If you match any of these criteria, then becoming a podcast host could be the perfect opportunity for you.

Podcasts are the new radio. Podcasting is one of the fastest-growing mediums for online audio, and it's not expected to slow down any time soon. But unlike traditional radio, podcasts are driven by content creators who have a passion for sharing stories with their listeners.

One of the main benefits that come with starting a podcast is the minimal investment needed to get started. All you need is a computer or phone with a microphone and a way to host it online. You can even create one on your own website if you want.

How Much Can You Make?
$400 — $1,020,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$4,284
Time To Revenue
90 days
Time Commitment Per Week
Min. 2 hours/week
Skills
Interests
Business model

Case Study

Hey there! I’m Jeremy Enns, the founder and Storyteller In Chief at Counterweight Creative, a podcast production and strategy agency.

I started the company 3 years ago, in 2016 with one client, making $15/hour and have grown into a team of 10 contractors producing more than 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10K/mo.

how-i-started-a-successful-podcast-production-company

10. Start a mobile app development business

Mobile app development is the process of creating software applications that run on mobile devices. These apps can be used for a variety of purposes, including games, productivity, and social networking.

Starting a mobile app development business is a great way to enter the world of software development. This type of company is growing in popularity as businesses are looking for ways to reach their customers through mobile apps.

To start a mobile app development company, you need to have strong technical skills and be able to develop high-quality software. You should also have a good understanding of how to market and sell mobile apps

How Much Can You Make?
$7,500 — $2,333,333/month
Average Initial Investment
$191,806
Skills

Case Study

Hi! 👋 My name is Tim Bornholdt, and I’m a co-founder of The Jed Mahonis Group. We are a custom iOS and Android app development consultancy, and we specialize in building native mobile app solutions for businesses of all sizes.

We’ve grown at a steady pace over the past eight years. We currently work with several large and small organizations including Great Clips, Profile by Sanford Health, Green Mill, and the USA CUP. My business partner and I started the company right out of college by investing $250 each and have since turned it into a nearly seven-figure a year agency.

how-we-started-a-82k-month-custom-ios-and-android-apps-development-agency

11. Create an online course

Online course businesses are one of the fastest-growing online business models. Creating an online course is an awesome way to generate extra income because it allows you to monetize the knowledge you already have. More people are taking online courses every day, and the COVID pandemic has accelerated that, with some online learning platforms having seen 15-fold growth in the number of users.

Another advantage is that these new platforms are so easy to use for instructors that you don't have to worry at all about the tech side of the business. You just need to focus on creating exciting content that is informational & engaging at the same time.

Starting an online course in Saudi Arabia allows you to eliminate some of the huge costs associated with setting up a physical training facility, and it's a great way to reach as many people as possible.

How Much Can You Make?
$350 — $3,735,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$6,531
Time To Revenue
150 days
Skills

Case Study

Hey! We are Kelan and Brittany Kline the founders and co-owners of the popular personal finance blog The Savvy Couple.

We are currently on pace to make over $250,000 this year alone with our personal finance blog!

how-this-28-year-old-couple-quit-their-jobs-and-make-20k-month-running-a-blog

12. Start a beverage company

Are you thinking of starting a beverage or drink business?

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$500 — $200,000,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$224,484
Time To Revenue
360 days
Skills
Business model
Work from home

Case Study

Hello, my name is Dylan Jacob and I am the founder of BruMate, AKA, The Dehydration Company. We are a unique insulated drinkware brand with a sole focus on the adult beverage community.

I launched our first product line in November 2016. We did $250,000 in sales from November-December 2016, 2.1M in sales in 2017, and we are now doing over 1.1M/mo in sales, in over 1000 retailers nationwide, and are on track to do 20M this year with roughly 35-45% bottom line depending on our ad-spend.

i-grew-a-drinkware-brand-to-1-1m-month-at-23-years-old

13. Start a SEO agency

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$1,000 — $10,000,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$5,851
Time To Revenue
390 days

Case Study

My name is Chris Dreyer and I’m the CEO/Founder of Rankings.io, LLC. My company is a hyper-focused SEO (search engine optimization) agency; we help elite personal injury law firms dominate first page rankings.

In 2018, we were #858 in the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America. Our revenue is just under $300,000 per month and we’re on pace for another record-breaking year.

how-i-started-an-seo-agency-for-lawyers-generating-3-6m-year

14. Become a virtual assistant

Virtual assistants support businesses, teams, or individuals by performing administrative tasks remotely. As businesses these days tend to outsource their tasks, the demand for virtual assistants is growing rapidly.

Becoming a virtual assistant is flexible, as you can choose a work schedule and location at your convenience. Many virtual assistants in Saudi Arabia have a dedicated home office where they work in a quiet and distraction-free environment.

To become a virtual assistant, identify a niche you like and undertake any training. Then, figure out how much to charge your customers and create an online presence where you can apply for jobs. As a virtual assistant, you can define your work schedule depending on your availability.

How Much Can You Make?
$1,000 — $850,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$4,289
Time To Revenue
180 days
Skills
Business model

Case Study

Hi, I am Julmar Grace Locsin, and I am the owner and co-founder of Filipino Virtual Assistance by FVA Business Consultancy. FVA offers online and offline training, coaching, consulting, workshops, services, franchising-related virtual assistance, offshoring, outsourcing, and remote work for brands and businesses, here and abroad.

Our very mission is to equip freelancers, empower marketers, and enable businesses. We envision FVA for global digital leadership that will impact the world through digitalization, one life at a time. FVA has three arms, namely FVA Online Academy- have trained 25,000 students from our 31 courses, FVA Services- from training to hiring programs, and FVA Franchising with 16 Coaches assigned from different territories. And we are fifteen in the FVA team, including FVA co-founder Jay Locsin and me.

on-starting-a-business-training-virtual-assistants

15. Start a digital marketing business

Digital marketing businesses serve local and international companies to expand their reach and grow revenue. A top reason digital marketing is so exciting is that the field is constantly evolving and is easy to learn.

If you plan to start a digital marketing business in Saudi Arabia, educate yourself and understand how digital marketing agencies work. Then, focus on building your digital skills and advancing your career through online digital marketing courses.

To stand out, find a digital marketing niche and focus on the audience interested in your services.

How Much Can You Make?
$2,000 — $6,660,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$67,678
Time To Revenue
300 days
Skills
Business model

Case Study

Hello, My name is Hasan, the founder of H-educate, H-supertools, and some other websites and services. I began working on H-supertools 2 years ago and launched it four months afterward.

Today, we have more than 80K Registered Users on the platform and more than 300K Visits each month, which, in a sense, is a high achievement for a new platform that took less than two years to build.

i-built-a-seo-tool-that-s-completely-free-for-users-from-lebanon

16. Start a real estate business

Are you a qualified architect with a broad range of knowledge in the real estate field? Starting a real estate business can be a profitable venture.

Real estate involves purchasing, selling, managing, or investing in land and buildings.

To become a successful real estate business owner, you must have finely honed visual awareness and a strong understanding of various building materials and structures.

How Much Can You Make?
$5,000 — $1,500,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$38,575
Skills

Case Study

My name is Cory Lewis, and my company is called T. C. Lewis & Co. We are a real estate investment and management firm operating mainly in the Appalachian mountain region of the Southeastern United States. We are a licensed real estate brokerage in multiple states, and that allows us to identify, project, negotiate, and broker deals for our clients for commercial and investment properties. Following the acquisition, we manage the performance of the investment and/or the improvements to the investment through our Property Management and Construction Divisions. We now represent clients from all over the world investing in the Appalachians.

We now have a small corporate office in downtown Asheville, North Carolina supporting regional offices around the Appalachians. The firm has been named to Inc. magazine’s list of the Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies in America (no. 128), seventh fastest growing real estate company in America, named to the Financial Times inaugural 1000 Fastest Growing Businesses in the Americas list, named Best of Property Management for eight years running, named Community Supporter of the Year, been given the Tennessee Small Business Excellence Award, named Builder of the Year, named One of the 10 Best Brokers in Tennessee, and various other recognitions.

how-i-started-a-500k-month-real-estate-investment-business

17. Start a content writing company

Content writing involves writing, editing, and publishing content in a digital format. Examples of content include a blog post, product description, and podcast script—eBooks, press releases, or landing page content.

Becoming a content writer allows you to work as your boss. Therefore, you choose whatever working schedule suits you and take a manageable workload. Moreover, content writing helps you develop essential skills you may not obtain from regular writing.

Content writing is a highly-on-demand service, as companies compete for the online audience who often begin their shopping journey by searching for relevant and educative content online. Therefore, a content writing company is an excellent source of passive income.

To start a content writing company in Saudi Arabia, research the market and choose a suitable niche. Sketch a proper business plan and create a website. Hire a pool of talented writers and leverage modern technology to streamline operations.

How Much Can You Make?
$1,000 — $250,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$5,948
Time To Revenue
300 days
Skills
Business model

Case Study

Hi! My name's Dani, founder of Scribly.io - you can’t see me but I’m waving at you 👋

Last month Scribly.io topped $14K monthly revenue. That was a really big moment for me, and a bit of a turning point. What started out as a 'let's try and see' project has now become my full-time job with ambitious growth plans 🙌.

how-dani-mancini-transformed-her-freelance-gigs-into-a-saas-business

18. Become a software developer

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

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

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$4,000 — $465,583,333/month
Average Initial Investment
$327,675
Skills

Case Study

Hi all, my name is Max Rice, and I’m the co-founder and CEO of SkyVerge, where we build software tools that help over 100,000 eCommerce brands manage and grow their online stores. Our customers are mostly small to medium-sized businesses in all kinds of verticals.

My co-founder Justin Stern and I started SkyVerge in 2013 and we’re a globally distributed team of over 30 people, with revenue of $350,000 per month.

how-we-started-a-350k-month-business-developing-software-tools-for-ecommerce-brands

19. Start an affiliate marketing business

Are you looking for a side hustle to pay you a passive income? Affiliate marketing is one of those side hustles that will pay you well over the long term. It is a way to earn money online by promoting other companies' products and services. You will be paid a commission for each sale you make as an affiliate marketer.

To get started, learn how to find the right product and brand to partner with. For example, you may prefer becoming an affiliate marketer for an eCommerce store, partnering with a manufacturer, and marketing their products for a commission.

How Much Can You Make?
$500 — $773,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$60,616
Skills

Case Study

My name is Patrick Hess and I am the creator of Bar Games 101, a website about a wide variety of games to play with your friends and family.

As our library of game-focused content expands, traffic is increasing as well, with over 200K monthly unique visitors and revenue over $4,000 for the month of August.

how-i-built-a-3-5k-month-authority-site-with-a-full-time-job

20. Start a travel agency

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

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$2,000 — $114,200,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$26,078
Business model

Case Study

Hey! My name is Marissa Daniels, and I am a millennial travel agent! I began Spread Your Wings Travel in February of 2019. Prior to 2019, I wanted an extra source of income just to have an extra cushion. I did mystery shopping, took surveys online, drove for Postmates and DoorDash, worked at a grocery store, anything I could find for extra money. I also did, and still do Brand Ambassador events as well- but those things didn’t fulfill me. I was doing them to get extra money, but it didn’t have a purpose and it wasn’t paying me as much as I wanted, so I stopped it all and just gave it to God. I let Him handle it.

Spread Your Wings Travel offers all-inclusive vacations (most under $1000 per person), cruises, luxury villas, cabins, domestic travel and more! The main thing that people like about my business is that I have a payment plan option. I like to have that option for them because not everyone is able to pay for a vacation upfront.

how-i-started-a-2k-month-side-hustle-selling-vacations

21. Start a web design & online marketing business

If you know about website design and marketing concepts then starting your own web design and online marketing business could be the perfect opportunity for you to do so.

The online marketing industry is the second largest industry in the United States and continues to grow. The online marketing industry is massive. It is estimated to grow by 30% annually, reaching $400B in the next four years.

How Much Can You Make?
$6,000 — $800,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$15,080
Skills

Case Study

Hey there! I’m Shannon Mattern and I’ve helped over 15,000 new online business owners learn how to build their websites and market themselves online (even if they’re not a techie and are starting from zero).

And every month on my podcast I break down exactly how much money I make, how I make it and what my expenses are - because I believe it’s important to show the whole picture of what the opportunities and the costs are to run an online business!

how-i-started-a-10k-month-business-selling-diy-web-design-and-marketing-courses

22. Start a language translation service

Language translation services bridge the linguistic barriers, helping businesses reach a wider audience outside of a single language. A language translation job is an opportunity to cover a wide range of topics and meet people from different cultures.

To become a language translator in Saudi Arabia, master a second language and earn some experience so you become fluent in the second language.

How Much Can You Make?
$40,000 — $550,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$635,000
Time To Revenue
180 days
Skills
Business model

Case Study

Hello, my name is Cédric Sigoire and I am the owner of the DEMAN Translations group.

We will reach more than 6 million euros in the year 2021 and my target for 2022 is 10 million euros!

buying-a-translation-company-and-growing-it-to-4m-year

23. Start a travel agency

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

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$2,000 — $114,200,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$26,078
Business model

Case Study

Hey! My name is Marissa Daniels, and I am a millennial travel agent! I began Spread Your Wings Travel in February of 2019. Prior to 2019, I wanted an extra source of income just to have an extra cushion. I did mystery shopping, took surveys online, drove for Postmates and DoorDash, worked at a grocery store, anything I could find for extra money. I also did, and still do Brand Ambassador events as well- but those things didn’t fulfill me. I was doing them to get extra money, but it didn’t have a purpose and it wasn’t paying me as much as I wanted, so I stopped it all and just gave it to God. I let Him handle it.

Spread Your Wings Travel offers all-inclusive vacations (most under $1000 per person), cruises, luxury villas, cabins, domestic travel and more! The main thing that people like about my business is that I have a payment plan option. I like to have that option for them because not everyone is able to pay for a vacation upfront.

how-i-started-a-2k-month-side-hustle-selling-vacations

24. Become a proofreader

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
Skills

Case Study

Hi, my name is Lenny Bron, and I am The Blog Proofreader. I’m the annoying grammar police person you’ve always been tired of hearing from every time you use an ellipses incorrectly in a Facebook post you wrote 3 years ago.

I’ve been able to build my business from scratch to consistently make ~$2,000 per month with zero experience in the field, no expenses, and barely any upfront costs.

how-i-added-2-000-to-my-monthly-income-proofreading-blog-posts

25. Start a boutique

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$10,000 — $33,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$100
Time To Revenue
300 days
Skills
Business model
Work from home

Case Study

Hi everyone, my name is Gia, and I am the owner of Boutique Rye. We are a women’s clothing and accessories boutique that is all online!

We have anywhere from clothes that are appropriate for work or clothes that will make you turn heads on a night out on the town. I try and buy clothes with many different styles in mind. I'd like to think that we are a one-stop shop for a diverse group of women!

how-i-grew-my-clothing-boutique-to-10k-month-in-6-months

26. Start an online advertising agency

An online advertising agency provides business owners with a wide range of marketing services to help them reach targeted customers, and increase their product or service sales.

Services offered by online advertising agencies include creating ads, planning marketing campaigns, deciding the best platforms for reaching the target audience, and analyzing performance to help businesses make strategic marketing and advertising decisions.

How Much Can You Make?
$2,797 — $1,250,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$18,576
Skills

Case Study

Hello, my name is Luis Camacho and I am the founder of Fantôm Agency and also the host of the SaaS AdLab podcast, which is a podcast where I interview SaaS founders to learn more about their story. Fantôm is a digital advertising agency which focuses on helping mid-to-late stage SaaS (software as a service) companies scale through paid advertising channels such as Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Fantôm focuses entirely on paid advertising, I guess you could say that’s the bread and butter, it’s what I’m great at but it’s also what I’m most passionate about. There were attempts to enter different service offerings but did not have as much fun doing so. Now when clients have the need for other types of marketing, say, email marketing, I point them to one of my trusted partners who are able to execute and over-deliver on such service for them. Currently, Fantôm is making roughly $8,600 per month overhead is only a couple of hundred dollars per month, about $300, which go towards tools and software needed in order to provide the best possible results for clients.

my-story-on-building-my-own-8k-month-digital-advertising-agency

27. Start a fashion business

In 2022, the fashion industry was valued at $473.42B, with a growth rate of 8.3% over last year. To become successful in this highly competitive & ever-growing industry, you must have passion, perseverance, and the ability to take risks.

With platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the way that fashion products are marketed online has completely changed, so it’s essential to keep up with these trends.

How Much Can You Make?
$100 — $40,480,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$96,510
Time To Revenue
300 days
Business model

Case Study

Hello! My name is Lisa Miller-Mecham. I’m a creative mom of 4 who runs a craft/sewing website called CreativeFashionBlog.com. I started out as an accessory designer, turned award-winning fashion designer, turned DIY blogger… and now a profitable sewing pattern maker.

My best month so far in 2020 has generated slightly over $15,000 while working part-time. I’m actually launching a course next month to show other creative women how to do the same!

how-i-make-10k-month-selling-printable-sewing-patterns-from-my-fashion-blog

28. Start a freelancer platform

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$3,000 — $5,000,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$83,738
Time To Revenue
300 days
Skills

Case Study

Hello! I’m one of the co-founders of CloudDevs. We started this company in 2019 with a mission to change things around in the tech talent-hiring industry. We launched for sales in March of 2020, right before the initial lockdown due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

We are proud to say that within our first year of sales, we reached 1 Million USD in GMV, and we are aiming higher this year.

we-bootstrapped-a-tech-talent-platform-to-1-2m-sales-in-our-first-year

29. Start a blog

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

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$200 — $160,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$2,687
Time Commitment Per Week
Min. 5 hours/week
Skills
Interests

Case Study

Hey! We are Kelan and Brittany Kline the founders and co-owners of the popular personal finance blog The Savvy Couple.

We are currently on pace to make over $250,000 this year alone with our personal finance blog!

how-this-28-year-old-couple-quit-their-jobs-and-make-20k-month-running-a-blog

30. Start a dropshipping business

Dropshipping allows you to start your online e-commerce store without stock-keeping. Therefore, you do not need huge capital, and the risk is minimal because the manufacturer is responsible for the inventory and ships it directly to the customer. Therefore, your responsibility remains to market and offer customer service.

To start a successful dropshipping business in Saudi Arabia, you need a mastery of online marketing and a focus on improving customer experience.

How Much Can You Make?
$6,000 — $3,000,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$11,116
Time Commitment Per Week
Min. 10 hours/week
Skills
Interests
Business model

Case Study

Hello, my name is Kamil Sattar. I am an entrepreneur who’s developed many six-figure drop shipping businesses. I’ve also created systems to maximize opportunities in different markets and I’ve started companies in many industries. One of those companies specializes in helping people who are seeking to create drop ship companies of their own.

Of course, with every store that I open, I am able to learn new things. With every new thing that I learn, it helps me improve my system that I use to create these six and seven-figure stores and it helps me improve my process for helping others generate their stores.

how-i-started-a-100k-month-business-mentoring-dropshipping-entrepreneurs

31. Start a food truck

Food trucks are a highly profitable business that offers customers a variety of meal options out of a mobile truck. This basically operates inside a large vehicle equipped with kitchen and food products. Starting a food truck is a dream for many people, but it's more challenging than it looks. To make it work, you need the ideal location and menu.

To start a food truck business in a particular city, it is mandatory to check what kind of food trucks are already operating, identify a gap, and bring in some new experiences. Then, with the right plan and the right approach, you can be on your way to starting your own food truck empire.

How Much Can You Make?
$29,166 — $61,650,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$44,033
Time Commitment Per Week
Min. 5 hours/week
Skills
Interests

Case Study

I started my career at the world-famous Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles Apprenticing under Certified Master Chef Raimund Hofmeister.

Food Fleet’s growth Year after year has been at an at over 30 %. From 2017-2018 we had an unprecedented 160% growth spurt. With a team of 6, including my partner and I, we managed over 20 million in sales for our clients. As an example. We took over a convention center 3 years ago managing their food truck business. For their largest event of the year, we were up 53% over the previous year. I honestly would have to equate some of that success to the under-reporting of sales by the previous operator. But the following year we were up 19% from that figure and again close to that this year. That is due in large part to our understanding of transaction times, menu mix, the equipment in each truck or pop up and other factors.

32. Start a mobile photography

Want to start your own photography business? You're not alone. With the rise of social media and photo-sharing, blogging, and online retailing, it's never been easier to start making money behind your camera.

There are photographers shooting weddings, creating images for ad campaigns, freelancing for magazines, touring the world, taking photographs of destinations — the list is endless!

To start mobile photography in Saudi Arabia, research the target audience and determine which specialization area is more lucrative. Invest in high-quality, professional cameras, lenses, and a computer with professional software photo-editing software.

How Much Can You Make?
$2,000 — $500,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$24,583
Skills

Case Study

Hi! My name is Tsour Lee Adato and I am the founder of Pro Photo Studio. I started my product photography business over 5 years ago while living in New York. Pro Photo Studio specializes in high-end commercial photography and also caters to the average eCommerce online seller who sells on platforms like Amazon and Etsy.

The company began realizing a profit very quickly, in the first quarter after opening and year over year profits have increased while the cost of customer acquisition has decreased. Currently, the company makes approximately $350k per year and is on its way to becoming a 7 figure business.

how-i-started-a-commercial-product-photography-business

33. Start a personalized gift business

Personalized gifts are great for celebrating important dates, joyous occasions, and memorable moments. The personalized gifts include photo frames, key chains, to group gifts.

A personalized gifts business is a low-capital idea since you do not need a physical storefront or office space to start the business. Besides, you can put as much time into the business as possible, which means you can run the business as a side hustle.

Check out our guide on how to start a personalized gift business

How Much Can You Make?
$1,000 — $833,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$26,666
Time To Revenue
180 days
Skills
Business model

Case Study

Hello Stater Story readers! My name is Dmitriy Peregudov, I am a founder of GiftBasketsOverseas.com, a company offering global gift delivery in 200+ countries Worldwide.

Our company’s purpose is to help people build personal and business relationships Worldwide, one gift at a time and since the launch, we had a pleasure to connect more than 2 million people Internationally in more than 200 countries.

how-i-started-a-100k-month-corporate-personal-gift-baskets-company

34. Become a massage therapist

Massage is a growing industry, and as such, many business options exist for those who want to enter this field. The most typical form of massage therapist business is an independent operation. This can be either out of one's home or a massage studio rented on an hourly basis.

Building a successful massage therapy business in Saudi Arabia is not as difficult as you might think. Massage therapists offer much-needed services to communities and clientele. If you are looking for a new career or want to increase your income while delivering an important service, then starting a new massage therapist business can be an excellent choice.

Turn your massage therapy practice into a successful business by applying core business skills that lead to success.

How Much Can You Make?
$3,500 — $275,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$37,500
Skills

Case Study

Hi there! My name is Sam Varnerin and I created Snuggle with Sam, my independent professional cuddling practice, while I was still working full-time as a construction engineer.

Here’s all of the contributors on the panel at CuddleXpo in Chicago presenting how we came up with the Code of Ethics for Professional Cuddling. Back left to right: Maryelen Reid, Madelon Guinazzo, Samantha Varnerin (me!), Samantha Hess, Jean Franzbleau, Fei Wyatt, Janet Trevino. Front left to right: Keely Shoup, Lisa Meece. Photo credit Rellian Chen Merrin

how-i-make-a-living-professionally-cuddling-with-people

35. Start a hotels business

If you are considering starting a hotel, then it is time to implement your plan. There are five key elements to understand if you want to succeed in this industry: location, size, budget, experience, and market demand.

Here are some tips to consider before forming a hotel:

  • Name your business
  • Decide on a marketing strategy
  • Start by renting out a room in your home.
  • Hire a business capital broker
  • Try Airbnb
  • Make a marketing plan
  • Offer complementary services

How Much Can You Make?
$15,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$250,500
Skills

Case Study

Hi! I am Ezinne Iroanya-Adeoye, founder and CEO of SKNMUSE! SKNMUSE is a premium beauty brand dedicated to elevating the beauty experience for Black Women. We currently make Body-Care products, rich textures of creams and oils that cater to your soul’s vessel with a candle line to serenade your senses. Our cuticle oil is rated to10 by ELLE USA, however, our Devine Body Oil is the true showstopper.

As a new brand, one of our main priorities is building and maintaining a strong community, so customer retention is extremely important for us. We currently have a 40% customer retention rate with a 169% increase in revenue! Last year we made less than $35,000 in total revenue. This year we made $30,000 in our first quarter alone.

i-created-a-120k-year-skincare-brand-for-black-women-recommended-by-beyonce

36. Start a healthy food processing business

With the growing preference for healthy and functional food, starting a healthy food processing plant can be rewarding.

The advancements in the food processing industry, innovation in processing technology, and continuous growth in demand for processed food are some excellent reasons to consider opening a healthy food processing business.

To start a healthy food processing plant, find out a market gap, and research the demand. Understand customers changing tastes and focus on offering the best throughout.

How Much Can You Make?
$52,944/month
Average Initial Investment
$30,000
Skills

Case Study

I’m an elite ultramarathon runner, the world’s best wolf-dog dad, and the founder of Bluebird Provisions Bone Broth, North America's fastest-growing bone broth brand.

Now we’re doing 49,000 per month and growing 50% year over year. Our customers are active individuals aged 30-60 who are looking for natural ways to get better skin, and gut health and improve joint pain. We’ve increased our customer base by 5000% since we started.

how-i-healed-my-injury-with-bone-broth-and-bootstrapped-a-540k-year-business

37. Start a tutoring or education business

When students have problems with their schoolwork, they turn to tutors for help.

Being a tutor awakens your entrepreneurial skills. Being your own boss allows you to set your own schedule and be more independent. You'll create lasting relationships with students and their parents. Last but not least: you get paid well!

How Much Can You Make?
$1,700 — $500,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$141,900
Skills
Business model

Case Study

Hi, my name is Anastasia Andreani. I grew up in the Midwest, in a small town outside Chicago. From a very young age, I was drawn to the world of beauty and art. Growing up wasn’t easy. My parents got divorced when I was very young, which led me to start working and hustling to make money at a young age. I have always been a free-willed spirit with the intention of paving my own way in life.

Vizio Makeup Academy has enrolled over 3,300 students and generated $2.4M in revenue this year. We have been contributing a lot of energy and time into our growth strategies, so we aim to double and triple our earnings in the years to come.

how-i-started-a-200k-month-online-makeup-academy

38. Start an online retail store

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$5,000 — $62,500,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$37,447
Skills

Case Study

Hagan makes ski mountaineering gear—exclusively. We focus without distraction on alpine ski touring. We don’t make downhill skis, clothing, hiking boots, or running shoes.

Our focus on high-performance ski mountaineering gear is recognized and appreciated by devoted backcountry skiers and has 50% annual growth in recent years. Hagan is Pure Ski Mountaineering.

how-i-started-an-online-store-selling-backcountry-skis

39. Start a restaurant

If you love cooking and are passionate about entrepreneurship, starting a restaurant can be a fun and lucrative business.

To get started, choose a great location, and hire an excellent support team. You will need a chef to inspect the food and line cooks, waiters, and waitresses to serve the customers. No matter the restaurant type, you need great culinary and business skills to make your dream come true.

If you plan to open a restaurant in Saudi Arabia, gain insight from consumer preferences and focus on serving modern consumers what they need.

How Much Can You Make?
$5,000 — $61,650,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$57,500
Skills

Case Study

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

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

40. Start a handmade goods business

A handmade craft business entails selling own-crafted products on online platforms like Alibaba, Etsy, an independent website, or social media.

To succeed in selling handmade goods, you'll need solid creative skills. Your creativity can help you build a strong brand.

And with online marketplaces, handmade shopping has become a popular trend.

In recent years, consumers worldwide have shown their support of independent businesses and entrepreneurs, especially those venturing into the handmade goods business.

How Much Can You Make?
$1,000 — $150,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$6,252
Time To Revenue
180 days
Skills
Business model
Work from home

Case Study

I am Sunny Choudhary, a 24-year-old co-founder of PortraitFlip with a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai.

We make sure to choose the best artists across the world so that there are no doubts in the hearts of our customers.

the-27k-month-company-that-turns-photographs-into-custom-handmade-portraits

41. Start a tour company

Starting a tour company is a great way to bring your love of travel to life. You can share your passion with others and help make their dream vacations come true!

There are many types of tour businesses, so choosing something you are passionate about and knowledgeable about is best. Here are a few of the most popular tour companies to start in Saudi Arabia:

  • Food & Drink Tours
  • Adventure & Sporting Tours
  • Sightseeing & Historical Tours
  • Shopping Tours
  • and many more!

It’s also essential to determine what mode of transportation you want for your tour company, as this will determine the initial startup costs needed for your company.

To get started, find out if you need a license to operate in your state. Some states require tour companies to be licensed, while others do not. If you are required to be licensed, talk with the licensing agency to find out what steps must be taken before you can apply for that license.

How Much Can You Make?
$3,750 — $43,300,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$19,750
Skills

Case Study

Hi, I’m Jessica Baumgart, and in 2017 I founded Delicious Denver Food Tours to connect Denver locals and visitors to my city’s amazing food scene.

When I first launched the business, I was guiding every food tour myself. By month three, I had broken even and was turning a profit. This was also when I started hiring my first tour guide. Now 1.5 years into running the business, I manage a team of tour guides, and the business is producing $20,000/month in revenue.

how-i-started-a-wildly-successful-food-tour-business

42. Start a CPG company

A CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) company is a company that sells packaged items that are purchased by consumers for daily use. These products are usually sold in retail stores, but they can also be sold online or in other ways.

CPG companies make products that are generally easy to use and accessible to any consumer. These include household items such as cleaning supplies and toothpaste as well as food and beverages like juice or beer.

Starting a CPG business requires finding an idea for a product, researching the market to determine if there is room for your product in the marketplace, getting a manufacturer or distributor to produce and distribute the product, and coming up with enough capital to get started.

How Much Can You Make?
$150 — $2,000,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$94,197
Skills

Case Study

I’m Eric Bandholz, the founder of Beardbrand. Beardbrand is a men’s grooming company that makes products for your beard, hair, and body. In addition to that, we also create a significant amount of content on our YouTube channel.

We’ve bootstrapped the business from a $30 investment to seven figures in a short period of time. We’ve been expanding our product offerings with the goal of getting towards that 8 figure mark.

starting-a-beard-branded-store-earning-over-100k-mo

43. Start an email marketing business

Email marketing is a popular and effective way for businesses to reach their target audience and promote their products or services.

With the rise of the internet and the increasing use of email as a communication tool, starting an email marketing business can be a lucrative and rewarding venture.

An email marketing business involves creating and sending marketing emails to a list of subscribers. The emails can be newsletters, promotional messages, or other types of content designed to engage and convert the recipient into a customer. The business owner is responsible for building and maintaining the email list, creating the content, and sending the emails using specialized software.

To start an email marketing business, you must have a strong understanding of marketing principles and a good grasp of best practices. This includes creating compelling subject lines, segmenting your email list, and analyzing your campaigns’ results. You will also need to be proficient in email marketing software like Mailchimp or Constant Contact.

To run a successful email marketing business, you must clearly understand your target audience and what they are interested in. This will help you create relevant and engaging content that resonates with your subscribers and encourages them to take action. A solid call to action in your emails is crucial, whether it’s visiting your website, making a purchase, or signing up for a newsletter. Starting an email marketing business requires marketing skills, expertise, and a willingness to learn and improve continuously. The right strategies and tools can be a rewarding and successful way to reach your target audience and grow your business.

How Much Can You Make?
$1,500 — $8,333,333/month
Average Initial Investment
$10,628
Time To Revenue
90 days
Skills
Business model

Case Study

Hello, my name is Chase Dimond and I am the Co-Founder of Boundless Labs. We are an email marketing agency that specializes in working with eCommerce brands. We currently work with 30 eCommerce brands that do anywhere from 6 to 8 figures in annual revenue.

We ended up bringing on our first full-time employee in Q3 of 2019 and started onboarding clients again. For the second half of 2019, our business grew by ~$12K per month and we’re now making ~$90K per month. We just recently hired our second full-time employee and anticipate we’ll be at $100K per month in revenue by the end of January 2020.

how-i-started-a-55k-month-email-marketing-agency-specialized-in-ecommerce

44. Start a youtube channel

For anyone looking to start a successful YouTube channel, there are plenty of YouTube channel success stories that can be used as inspiration and encouragement. In addition, YouTube has an established monetization system and boasts incredible popularity, making it a potential platform for revenue generation.

In this article, we'll look at different approaches you can use to help promote your channel and grow your viewers. While there's no quick and easy way to success, you can take these tips to build your own YouTube Channel Success story. If you love content creation, you can capitalize on YouTube's popularity to earn extra income.

If you want to join the Youtube partner program to monetize your channel, you will need to reach a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months.

How Much Can You Make?
$800 — $4,500,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$8,757
Time Commitment Per Week
Min. 5 hours/week
Skills
Interests

Case Study

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).

how-this-couple-makes-5k-month-generating-content-about-ways-to-make-money-online

45. Start a grocery store

A grocery store sells a wide variety of food products, fresh or packaged, and other household & personal care items. The grocery store industry is the largest retail channel that makes $682 billion in the United States.

To start a basic grocery store, you can expect to spend a minimum of $50,000. Ideally, the bigger expense would be the rent, equipment, labor cost, cash registers/POS systems, and software. Some of these are recurring monthly fees. However, the location, size of the store, competitors, and local customers will significantly impact the business. A new grocer should sell more items for a lower price to make a more significant profit.

A new grocer can also save costs by buying the items from local distributors. The distributor is the middleman between the manufacturer and the grocery store selling it. Once the store cost and location are decided, the next step is to obtain a seller license. In most states, a grocer's license is required to run a grocery store.

Thus an average grocery store has a profit margin of 3% to 5%. The profit rates depend on the store's location, size, and popularity. On average, a small to medium grocery store can make a profit of up to $300,000 annually if all the profit factors are considered.

Another way to make your business more profitable is to diversify your store and add amenities like a coffee shop or stocking up the front of the store with magazines, batteries, etc., as these items can cross a margin of up to 70%. As a rule of thumb, offering lower prices on higher purchases will ultimately win more customers and increase profitability.

46. Start a stock video business

Stock video is pre-filmed footage that can be purchased and used in various projects and films. Like stock photos, copyrighted stock videos cannot be used without permission and licensing from the rightful owner.

Businesses and filmmakers use licensed stock footage as they save money and hours, they would need to create original footage. Starting a stock video suitable for use in commercials and entertainment can be a great venture.

How Much Can You Make?
$10,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$25,150
Skills

Case Study

I’m Eduard Stinga, founder of VideoPlasty, a platform for stock animation and GIF images.

Since we launched, more than 600,000 people have visited our platform over the years, with 2020 being our best year so far, the year we finally cleared the first legendary milestone for any startup, registering our first six-figure year with a little over $100k in revenue. And we’re just getting started!

i-built-a-120k-year-stock-animation-and-gif-images-side-hustle

47. Start a social media management business

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

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

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$15,000 — $166,667/month
Average Initial Investment
$3
Skills

Case Study

I’m Amanda Shepherd, the owner and lead mentor at the Social Media Manager Society. Aside from social media consulting to businesses in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries, I created a program to teach other women how to run successful social media businesses so they can have the time and financial freedom they’ve always wanted!

I quit my 9-5 and in one year made almost $100,000 working an average of four hours per day - and still growing!

how-i-started-a-7-5k-month-social-media-consulting-and-training-business

48. Start a business support services

How Much Can You Make?
$6,800 — $250,000/month
Skills

Case Study

Hutch, founded by Fearless in 2019, is an intensive 24‑month program located in Baltimore, MD that provides minority and women entrepreneurs with a blueprint for building successful and impactful government digital services firms. The program equips businesses with the tools, mentorship, and peer-to-peer support they need to thrive in the world of government contracting.

To date, Hutch has 9 graduates, 11 company founders in our current 2 cohorts, and 20 companies total within our portfolio. Hutch is the only company of its kind led by industry experts with years of experience in digital transformation and government services.

we-created-an-80k-year-incubation-program-to-help-minorities-and-women-entrepreneurs

49. Start a restaurant

If you love cooking and are passionate about entrepreneurship, starting a restaurant can be a fun and lucrative business.

To get started, choose a great location, and hire an excellent support team. You will need a chef to inspect the food and line cooks, waiters, and waitresses to serve the customers. No matter the restaurant type, you need great culinary and business skills to make your dream come true.

If you plan to open a restaurant in Saudi Arabia, gain insight from consumer preferences and focus on serving modern consumers what they need.

How Much Can You Make?
$5,000 — $61,650,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$57,500
Skills

Case Study

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

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

50. Start a financial service business

How Much Can You Make?
$21,000 — $3,141,666/month
Skills

Case Study

Hello everyone! My name is Avi Grunwald; I’m the founder and CEO of Fair Capital.

Based on ACA International's recent report, our unique debt collection strategy demonstrated a debt collection success rate 52% higher than the industry average.

how-an-industry-outsider-started-an-80k-month-debt-collection-business

51. Start a tutoring or education business

When students have problems with their schoolwork, they turn to tutors for help.

Being a tutor awakens your entrepreneurial skills. Being your own boss allows you to set your own schedule and be more independent. You'll create lasting relationships with students and their parents. Last but not least: you get paid well!

How Much Can You Make?
$1,700 — $500,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$141,900
Skills
Business model

Case Study

Hi, my name is Anastasia Andreani. I grew up in the Midwest, in a small town outside Chicago. From a very young age, I was drawn to the world of beauty and art. Growing up wasn’t easy. My parents got divorced when I was very young, which led me to start working and hustling to make money at a young age. I have always been a free-willed spirit with the intention of paving my own way in life.

Vizio Makeup Academy has enrolled over 3,300 students and generated $2.4M in revenue this year. We have been contributing a lot of energy and time into our growth strategies, so we aim to double and triple our earnings in the years to come.

how-i-started-a-200k-month-online-makeup-academy

52. Sell building materials

A building material business trades materials used in the construction industry.

The building materials include loose rocks, sand, iron, bricks, cement, poles, cement, and all other materials the building contractors need. Your target market will be building and construction managers, hardware, and contractors.

To promote your business, get featured in industry magazines and online forums. Create a website and ensure an active online presence through social media and SEO.

How Much Can You Make?
$20,000 — $1,250,000,000/month
Skills

Case Study

My name is Mat Hofma, and I created Mini Materials. We sell miniature masonry and woodworking supplies like cinder blocks, red bricks, pallets, lumber, and even molds to pour your own cinder blocks.

Since then we've expanded to different styles of mini masonry and even kits to build models.

selling-mini-construction-supplies-and-making-17k-mo

53. Start an online jewelry store

Starting an online jewelry store can be a lucrative and engaging business. The online jewelry store industry has been growing rapidly. More and more people are buying cheaper jewelry online because it is easier and has a much more extensive selection.

The United States jewelry market was valued at about $76B in 2020. Diamond jewelry is the most valuable jewelry market in the United States. Starting an online jewelry store can be highly profitable. But to do this, you need a great e-commerce platform.

How Much Can You Make?
$1,000 — $833,333/month
Average Initial Investment
$37,500
Time To Revenue
300 days
Skills
Business model

Case Study

I am Nikolay Piriankov, the Founder and CEO of Taylor & Hart. We are an award-winning, disruptive e-tailer of custom-designed, ethical engagement rings, wedding rings, and fine jewellery, that capture your story. Our online platform, processes, and brand democratises bespoke jewellery, allowing us to offer this service at scale. Taylor & Hart's vision is to reconnect customers with the original purpose of jewellery - a personalised product that tells a unique story.

Recently we closed a seed round of £1M. The London based Garage Soho, an early stage investor and brand builder also supported us in the last round.

starting-and-growing-a-jewelry-business-to-4-6m-year

54. Start a data science recruitment service

Data science recruitment is a service that helps companies to find and hire the best data scientists. This service offers a variety of features, including a talent database, job postings, and a matching algorithm.

If you are interested in starting a data science recruitment service. In that case, you should have a strong understanding of the data science industry and be able to identify the best talent. You should also be familiar with the various tools and platforms that data scientists use.

Glassdoor says that in 2021, ‘data scientist’ was the second most sought-after role in the United States, with an average salary of $113,736. According to the data of Glassdoor, over the past five years, this has been a pretty consistent salary expectation for data science roles in the US.

Starting a data science recruitment service is a great way to help companies find the best data scientists for their needs. This is a growing industry with a lot of potential, and there is a lot of demand for data scientists.

How Much Can You Make?
$250,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$80,000
Skills

Case Study

My name is Matt Reaney and I am the CEO of the global data science recruitment company Big Cloud. My team is based in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter in the UK. A cultural hub of creativity and innovation for the last century, we are right at home here!

For the first 6 months, Big Cloud was up and running, we limited the business to the confines of the UK. We have since expanded globally, which opened up doors for us. We met more talent, as well as other startups and established companies looking to hire. Big Cloud’s primary markets are now the UK, Europe, the US, Canada, and APAC.

how-we-started-a-250k-month-data-science-recruitment-service

55. Build a healthcare business process automation software

Healthcare business process management covers a sequence of executions/steps within the sector.

Unfortunately, the healthcare sector has not been among the fastest to embrace technological innovations. However, great strides have been made, and practitioners realize that manual procedures to fulfill clinical and administrative duties hampers business growth.

Thus, there is a demand for business process management software within the healthcare industry.

Starting a BPM in healthcare can be a great business if you understand healthcare process management. To start, model a prototype and pilot it before selling it to target healthcare practitioners.

How Much Can You Make?
$66,000/month
Skills

Case Study

My name is Dan Prince, and I am the founder of illumisoft, a software development company specializing in cloud migration, web applications, business solutions, and data management.

Regarding illumisoft, as a leading software development company, we are always evolving to best serve the healthcare industry. In 2020, the initial year of the pandemic, our annual revenue was $842k, and in 2021 our annual revenue was $785k. As for 2022, we are trending upwards and look forward to having one of our best performance years yet.

i-built-a-792k-year-software-development-company-for-the-healthcare-industry

56. Start a consulting business

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

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

How Much Can You Make?
$100 — $2,500,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$7,739
Skills

Case Study

Hey there! My name is Taylor Hersom and I am the founder of Eden Data. Eden Data is a cybersecurity consulting firm focused on helping startups build better security as they grow.

Since starting the company in March of 2020, we have scaled to four team members and an MRR of $45k, all through remote services and nearly no startup costs.

how-i-started-a-45k-month-cybersecurity-consulting-firm-for-startups

57. Start a perfume business

A fragrance or perfume business creates and sells products made from various ingredients, such as oils and extracts, which are mixed together to produce a pleasant smell.

And perfumes are no small business: the industry is expected to reach over $40B in the next few years.

There are a few ways to get started with creating your own perfume. You can start by choosing which ingredients you would like to use and then find recipes that will work for those ingredients. Or, you could start with a fragrance that you already love and try to recreate it as closely as possible with natural ingredients.

How Much Can You Make?
$19,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$2,000
Skills

Case Study

Hi, my name is Rafael Hernandez and I am the founder of Alfred Lane. I have a line of personal and home fragrances handcrafted in small batches out of our Miami studio. I began selling solid colognes initially as an alternative to spray colognes and released three fragrances.

The business generates $19k a month in revenue. In 2020, the company had its best year ever. I opened a production studio where we make everything and hired a studio assistant all within the last 5 months. It’s been more than 8 years since I started and the journey has been a wild one.

how-i-started-a-19k-month-personal-and-home-fragrances-brand

58. Start a bakery

Everyone loves baked goods, be it sweet items like cakes, muffins, and cookies or savory baked food like pizzas, buns, bread, and puff pastry. Baking takes a lot of effort and patience, which is why many people buy baked items from stores or restaurants instead of baking them at home.

Starting a bakery can be a rewarding business opportunity if you have a passion for baking. If you plan to start a bakery, consider that happy customers often become repeat customers. Therefore, always focus on quality and work on customer satisfaction.

To start a bakery in Saudi Arabia, pick an ideal format. Some options include:

  • Counter-style bakery
  • A hybrid bakery with a cafe,
  • Food truck with a bakery
  • Home bakery.

Write a suitable business plan and choose the correct location.

How Much Can You Make?
$2,500 — $25,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$3,642
Skills

Case Study

Bonjour! My name is Anthony Rosemond. I'm a Parisian chef & founder of Pastreez, an online French bakery.

We’ve sold over 1 million macarons to this date, with only a team of two.

how-this-couple-left-france-to-build-their-american-dream-a-six-figure-online-french-bakery

Pat Walls,  Founder of Starter Story
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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.

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