50 Best Self Employment Ideas For 2023 (Ultimate List)
Looking to start a self owned business but not sure which idea? Probably you are here the best self employed business ideas from successful entrepreneurs.
Pursuing self employed business ideas is a huge leap of faith, and you have to pick the most potential idea.
The good news is, there are so many ideas for self employment in 2023.
You can start with the low-investment options and scale when you start making profits.
To inspire you, we researched and listed the most profitable self employment ideas you can start today!
Here they are:
1. Start a blog ($16.7K/month)
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.
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!
Here is another great success story of a girl starting a blog:
2. Become a mobile personal trainer ($30K/month)
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 .
To attract your first clients, consider online advertising, and seek referrals from every customer.
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.
Do you want to see what a day in a life of a mobile personal trainer looks like?
3. Start a food truck ($125K/month)
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.
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.
If you want to learn more about how to start a food truck business, here is a great video explaining it super in-depth:
4. Become a proofreader ($2K/month)
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, 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.
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.
If you want to learn more about how to become a proofreader, we recommend the following video:
5. Build a SEO tool ($7.93K/month)
SEO tools provide data and alerts about the health and success of a website. Website owners and businesses are looking for tools to help them quickly identify and fix SEO issues. Thus, starting an SEO business that focuses on developing SEO tools can be a rewarding career.
My name is Samer Awada. I started OneSEO.io, an SEO marketing business, around May of 2018. Our best selling products are our blogger outreach and link building foundation services.
Wanna learn how to build an SEO tool? Here you go:
6. 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, you need a mastery of online marketing and a focus on improving customer experience.
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.
Dropshipping can be complicated, but watching the following video is a good place to start:
7. Start an affiliate marketing business ($290K/month)
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.
My name is Spencer Mecham. In 2016 I first heard about an industry called affiliate marketing and in 2017 I founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate business.
Here is a great introduction to affiliate marketing and how to start your own business:
8. Start a copywriting business ($12K/month)
A copywriter creates clear, compelling copy to sell products and/or educate and engage consumers.
To become a copywriter, focus on covering the basics, plan your copywriting business and choose the services you intend to offer.
To develop your brand, establish a marketing strategy, and offer quality services to your audience. Email marketing, newsletters, and other digital marketing tools can help you create a successful 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.
It's actually not that difficult to become a copywriter, but here are some tips to help you avoid the common pitfalls:
9. Start a podcasting business ($57.5K/month)
Podcasting businesses often start as a hobby. You publish a few episodes and posts, and soon you will start getting engagements from interested parties.
However, to earn money from your podcasting business, you need to put a lot of effort and time into producing quality shows that address your audience's concerns.
To grow your podcast business, ensure regular publishing, which brings better growth, more listeners to your channel, and a higher income.
Here is a list of steps to help you transition the podcast from a hobby to a full-time podcast business:
- Ensure a focused effort and adjust the tone of each podcast episode
- Make podcasting your priority
- Focus on building
- Grow a mailing list
- Aim at building a trusted brand
- Develop a long-term growth and marketing plan
Hey! My name is Marti Sanchez and I am the CEO of Influence Podium. We help B2B CEOs get placed on podcasts their target audience listens to and repurposes those episodes into LinkedIn or Twitter content to grow their personal brand and drive inbound.
We just crossed $30k MRR and are looking to hit seven figures by the end of the year. We’re a young company in our 3rd year in business, and completely self-funded.
Starting a podcast sounds easy, but in fact, there are some things you have to know!
Get all the info you need here:
10. Become a social media marketer ($5.05K/month)
Social media marketing is gaining website visitors or customers by promoting your company on social media. To succeed in social media marketing, you must regularly post tasty, entertaining, and engaging share material on your social media channels.
Everybody knows that social media is a tool that has become extremely important to businesses of all sizes. It allows them to connect with people worldwide and provides a platform for customer service. Social networks are changing the way we do marketing. They offer an opportunity for individuals, businesses, and organizations to reach millions instantly.
Nowadays, it is easy to earn money through social media marketing. You just need to invest some time and effort to make a profit. Social media has been an essential part of many businesses marketing campaigns, and it is expected to be a significant part of any company’s future.
I’m Kelsey Chance and I run Good Chance Creative, a creative agency specializing in social media content creation! I work with companies to manage their social media pages, take and post custom lifestyle imagery of their products and services, and strategize creative ways to keep their social media posts, reels, stories, and videos on-trend and successful!
Behind the scenes - shooting a tabletop recipe video for a client’s social media page
We all are on social media. So it might sound easy to start as a social media marketer, right?!
But there is more to it. Using social media as a person and as a brand is different.
Learn more about it here:
11. Start a home tutoring business
A home tutoring company is an educational company that offers private tutoring from a tutor who visits the students at the student’s home.
Home tutoring is a growing business opportunity for motivated people and comes with the flexibility of working anytime, anywhere, and creates a passive income.
If you love teaching and helping others, one way to make money is to start a home tutoring business. Whether you want to tutor kids or adults, there’s a niche for you.
Once you have started your home tutoring business, promote it by putting fliers at other stores and on bulletin boards at colleges and libraries. Also, engage parents and guardians for home tutoring opportunities.
Learn how Lisa started her own home tutoring business!
12. Start a wedding photography business ($50K/month)
Starting a wedding photography business is a great way to turn your passion for photography into a profitable career. As a wedding photographer, you will capture the special moments and memories of a couple’s big day.
This involves coordinating with the couple to understand their vision for the photographs, scouting locations for the shoot, and using your creative skills to take stunning photographs.
To start a wedding photography business, you must invest in high-quality equipment such as a camera, lens, and lighting. You will also need to have a strong portfolio of your work to show potential clients and should consider joining a professional organization like the Wedding & Portrait Photographers International.
Marketing is also an essential aspect of running a successful wedding photographer business. This can involve creating a website and social media presence, networking with wedding planners and venues, and advertising in local wedding magazines or blogs.
Overall, being a wedding photographer requires a combination of technical skills, creativity, and business acumen. But with hard work and dedication, it can be a rewarding career that allows you to share in the joy of a couple’s special day.
I’m Pranesh Padmanabhan, 33, a first-generation entrepreneur and the Founder of Studio 31, a 12-years-old creative wedding photography and film company, that has been recognized by many premium publications in India. Studio 31 captures over 350 weddings every year and more than 90% of our customers are NRIs who travel to India for their weddings. On average, our annual revenue is about a million dollars.
One unique thing about why couples book Studio 31 is the overall customer experience that it provides, which is largely missing in the wedding photography industry in India.
Learn how Eric makes $100k per year as a wedding photographer!
13. Start a digital marketing business ($179K/month)
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, 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.
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.
Starting a digital marketing business is quite broad, but you can learn more here:
14. Become a graphic designer ($30K/month)
Graphic designing involves creating sketch designs and materials for corporate clients, advertising agencies, public relations firms, and publishers. Besides, graphic designers provide visual solutions to specific company images, log design, and branding problems.
Graphic design is an excellent career for creative thinkers who enjoy using their talent and artistic skills combined with technology and communication abilities to come up with unique solutions for their clients.
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.
Do you want to become a graphic designer? Then here is all you need:
15. Become a yoga instructor
The first step to becoming a yoga instructor is obtaining a certification from an instructor-affiliated institution near you. Your next step should be drawing up a business plan considering various projections. Finally, determine whether to open a brick-and-mortar establishment, offer online yoga classes, or a hybrid model.
The option has far more responsibilities for brick-and-mortar establishments, like paying rent and utility expenses. Also, check business-zoning requirements and acquire the required licenses. Proper marketing strategies will help you build clientele fast and grow your business.
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.
Learn how to be a yoga instructor yourself!
16. Start a voice over service ($40K/month)
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, 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.
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%.
Do you want to start your own voice-over business? Here are ten steps you have to do:
17. 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 , 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.
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.
Do you want to learn how to start your own bakery? Here it is:
18. Become a social media consultant ($11.7K/month)
Social media has become popular due to its ability to link businesses to their target customers. Social media consultants are professionals who help their clients improve, optimize and grow their social media presence.
Becoming a social media consultant comes with work flexibility and higher earning potential, but it also takes time and work commitment to grow the business.
To become a social media consultant, you must first become adept at using social media platforms and industry tools. Take online or offline courses like content marketing, public relations, and communication skills. Social media experts can choose a general practice or opt to focus on a niche.
Hi, I’m Laura Roeder, the CEO and founder of MeetEdgar, a social media automation tool.
Here’s a recent team photo at one of our biannual company retreats. This was taken in Phoenix, Arizona.
Want to start your own social media consulting business?
19. Start a travel consulting business
Travel consultants offer clients advice on all things related to travel, including destinations, airfare, accommodations, and activities. Be it flights or cruises, and you can bridge the gap between customer and service provider with a travel consulting business.
You can start a travel-related consulting business without being an expert in the travel industry. The U.S. travel and tourism industry generated $1.9 trillion in economic output, supporting 9.5 million American jobs and accounting for 2.9% of the U.S. GDP. At 14.5% of international travel spending globally.
Traveling the world is a dream that a lot of people have. Starting a travel consulting business is a fantastic way to create a passive income, travel the world, and help others at the same time. Travel consulting is one of your best ways to start a business on the side to earn more money.
Manoj: Kamlesh Ramchandani and I (Manoj Tulsani) are the founders of Rayna Tours and Travels. Fueled by our deepest interest in travel and entrepreneurship, we kicked off our business journey a decade ago from a small travel counter inside a five-star hotel in Dubai.
Kamlesh: We’ve been in the industry for over a decade and have now become a niche provider of destination management services in Dubai. As a one-stop, customer-oriented business for all travel needs, our main organizational goal is to design and craft travel services and packages in such a way that each of them ideally responds to the dynamic market trends as well as our clients’ specific travel requirements. We offer our full suite of travel solutions through our wholly-owned Rayna Group.
Before starting your own travel consulting business, here are some things you should know:
20. Become an interior designer ($110K/month)
Interior designing involves making indoor spaces safe, functional, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting essential & decorative items such as colors, lighting, and materials.
The global luxury interior design market is growing at a CAGR of 9.0%. The growth metrics show there is great potential for entrepreneurs targeting households.
If you are starting a luxury interior design business, focus on style and specialty. Add valuables with creative professions, such as interior design, so you stand out from the rest. Ensure you hire the right people and hone the brand identity.
Well, to make a long story short, my mother and I started this company together in 1996. I was working as a staff interior designer at a private firm in NYC, and my mother, Rosemarie was the manager of the Estate and Trust department at a large Law Firm. We both HATED our jobs and dreamed of doing our 'own thing'. We had no idea what that looked like, and so we turned to our passion..antiques and design.
That passion has morphed into a boutique design firm that boasts over 1M in annual revenue and has completed hundreds of trophy projects.
Do you want to learn how to become an interior designer without a proper education? Here is how!
21. Start an apparel boutique
An apparel boutique is a small shop dealing in fashionable clothing or accessories. An apparel boutique is low investment but potentially very profitable idea. However, starting a successful apparel boutique requires creativity and financial stability to help the brand achieve its objective.
Hi! I’m Emily, and I founded Bravery Co. in 2016. Bravery Co. is a company and community that supports chicks with cancer. We create Australia’s only range of designer headwear for cancer warriors with $2 from each scarf donated to cancer research to end this stupid disease.
On average, we make 3-5K profit a month, but this is always put back into the business. (Definitely no superyacht story here yet!)
If owning an apparel boutique is your dream, then you should probably watch this Q&A:
22. Become a personal chef
If you’re looking for a career that allows you to work within your own schedule, look no further. Becoming a personal chef means setting your own hours, planning your own schedule, and taking on as much or as little work as you want.
Not everyone has the time to prepare meals for themselves. If you love cooking, you can start a personal chef business in your area and earn a good income from the side gig. The side hustle can fit into your schedule easily, and you can offer delivery and pick-up or curbside options to ensure more people are buying your services.
Personal chefs can work at various locations, including their client’s homes or restaurant kitchens. They may have regular clients who call on them to prepare meals for them weekly, or they may get called in to prepare meals for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.
I am David Buchanan, a professional chef, and owner of Chefs-Resources.com, a website geared towards providing professional chefs with free detailed culinary info (seasonality, flavor profiles, etc.) about fresh fish, oysters, and cuts of meat, as well as tons of free kitchen management articles. Paid subscribers get access to our premium kitchen management resources such as Excel sheets (prep sheets, recipe templates, ordering guides, etc.), video tutorials, and kitchen management articles.
The site is not about recipes, but I am a Chef, so here is one of my favorite personal creations...seared scallops, spring pea puree, lemon beurre blanc, fingerling potatoes, golden beets, asparagus, corn kernels.
How is it to be a personal chef? Here is the truth!
23. Become a massage therapist ($240K/month)
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 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.
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
So you want to be come a massage therapist? Well, first here are some things you should know:
24. Start a daycare
Daycares provide educational, medical, and social services for the children of working parents either during school hours or when the parents are out of the home for an extended period of time. This can be a lucrative enterprise if you start a daycare in an area where it is needed.
As the growth of families has become dependent on two incomes, the need for quality daycare has skyrocketed. Starting a daycare business is challenging but rewarding. You will face many challenges but can overcome them as long as you are ready to make the sacrifices required.
If you want to learn more about starting a daycare, here is a great video on that topic:
25. Start a language translation service ($275K/month)
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 , master a second language and earn some experience so you become fluent in the second language.
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!
If you want to become language translation freelancer, here is something just for you:
26. Start a website theme development business ($250K/month)
Starting a website theme development business involves creating visually appealing and functional website designs. These themes can be sold to individuals or companies looking to update their online presence. To start and run this business successfully, you will need a strong understanding of website design and development and a portfolio of your work to showcase to potential clients.
Additionally, you will need a strong marketing strategy to reach potential customers and showcase your skills. This may involve creating a website or social media presence to showcase your work and attract new clients.
Running a website theme development business also requires strong project management skills to ensure that projects are completed on time and to the satisfaction of your clients. Good communication skills are also essential, as you will need to work closely with clients to understand their vision and ensure that you are creating a theme that meets their needs.
Overall, starting a website theme development business requires a combination of creative skills and business acumen. This can be a rewarding and successful business venture with the right tools and strategies.
My name is Nick and I’m the founder of Qoders Family. Qoders Family is a family of different services & products all dealing with different aspects of website building.
Other than that we have multiple free WordPress Plugins that have been downloaded more than a few hundred thousand times, and a coffee blog, which is my current passion project. What can I say? I love drinking coffee!
This business isn't easy, but it's definitely doable, as Darrel proves.
27. Become a business coach ($43K/month)
Are you thinking of starting a career as a business coach?
Becoming a business coach can be a great way to help aspiring entrepreneurs while earning a healthy income. You may want to consider becoming a coach if you have skills in specialized business fields such as marketing, e-commerce, stress management, or leadership.
Many small-business owners are finding it hard to get started, grow, and succeed. As a business coach, your job will be to help entrepreneurs identify new opportunities and take advantage of the ones they already have.
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.
If you want to become a business coach, you must first have some experience. And then you have to watch this great video:
28. Start a cooking class ($100K/month)
Online cooking classes can be a great side hustle for seasoned chefs or cooking enthusiasts looking for a way to earn some extra cash. You can create content and teach your audience how to prepare meals.
Consider creating members-only content to earn more from your cooking class side hustle. Alternatively, you can sell recipes for a small fee as well. To grow your reach, consider offering some free content on your social media pages as a way to build curiosity among potential audiences. You can charge your audiences a subscription fee so they can have exclusive access to your content.
To start cooking classes , choose a niche and follow your passion. Create a website and maintain an active social media presence. Apart from online cooking classes or live sessions you can also offer exclusive offline weekend classes to give your audience a hands-on personal experience.
Hi, I’m Monika Reti, owner, and founder of Hipcooks! Hipcooks Cooking Schools are known for measurement-free cooking, delighting in the process, and inventing along the way. Every class ends a dinner party with new friends.
Hipcooks is proud to be counted among the top 25 Cooking schools in America, and the only other beside Sur La Table with more than one location.
Starting a cooking class business sounds probably more difficult than it really is. Steven has something to tell you about it:
29. Start a moving company ($60K/month)
Moving companies help people move their belongings from one location to another. The services can involve packing and shipping household items to physically moving them from one place to another. The moving can include anything from local moves to long-distance relocations.
Moving companies typically charge by the hour or job, so you’ll need to price your services accordingly. You’ll also need to invest in moving equipment, such as trucks and dollies.
My name is Max Maher I am a serial entrepreneur, lifelong learner, and a founder of Skinny Wimp Moving!
I am now 23 years old and my locations average $115,000 a month in revenue with record monthly sales of $158,000.
Learn exactly how to start a moving company:
30. Start an idea management software ($254K/month)
Idea management software is designed to help businesses and teams collaborate and track their ideas. The act of managing ideas can heavily influence the outcome of teams and projects, which can mean the difference between success and failure for a company.
You'll need to ensure that you have a solid foundation of coding and prototyping to build this kind of software. On top of that, you'll want to have good sales and marketing skills to sell this software to companies and executives.
Hello, my name is Charlie de Rusett and I’m the CEO and Founder of Idea Drop. We are a software-as-a-service (SAAS) that helps businesses identify, refine and execute their most innovative ideas. Our company was founded on the premise that the best ideas already exist, they just need to be discovered!
Companies across multiple global industries have seen success with Idea Drop. Examples range from multinational enterprises such as Ericsson and MTV to public sector organizations such as the NHS and Kent Police Force. We have an established track record of delivering long-term value for our clients. For instance, Covea Insurance found that an idea implemented as a result of Idea Drop would save them £2.5m over the next 5 years.
Here is a great example of idea management software:
31. Start a graphic design app ($7.08K/month)
A graphic design application is a SaaS application that allows users create online graphics. Examples of graphic design applications include Snappa, adobe Photoshop, and GIMP.
Modern businesses need digital branding, holograms, and poster designs, to maximize the customer reach abilities. Therefore, graphic designers are becoming the most in-demand professionals.
The high demand is a good basis for choosing graphic design applications as one of the best app business ideas in 2022. Before you kick start the graphics design app business idea, here are technical skills you may consider:
- Design principles
- Idea generation
- Branding skills
- Typography
- Print designing
- UX and UI Design
While coding skills and cross-platform development skills are important to start developing applications, you can hire developers online.
Hey there! My name is Christopher Gimmer and I’m the co-founder of Snappa - a SaaS app that helps non-designer create online graphics in a snap. We make it super easy to create graphics for social media, ads, blogs, and more!
In the following video, you can find an idea of such graphic design apps:
32. Start a job board ($55K/month)
Starting a job board is the easiest way to make money online and have others work for you. This is one of the most underrated ways of creating an online business with no start-up costs. The global online job board market size was $28.68B in 2019 and is projected to reach $43.39B by 2027.
It's no secret that finding a job can be tough. In a time when we have to work harder for less money and resources, it's tempting to give up looking for work altogether. Thankfully, there is another option: starting your own job board.
Hey! I’m Gino Ferrand and I’m the founder of TECLA. I’m originally from Lima, Peru, and I’m currently living in Seattle, Washington. My business makes it easy for startups to interview and directly hire software developers from an invite-only network of the top talent in South America (same time zones as the U.S.).
I started TECLA in 2013 with $15k in total investment from my own savings. The business has always been 100% bootstrapped. Today, we are a team of 12 full-time (core) team members, 5 part-time contributors, and a network of 9,000 tech professionals, working remotely (from home) from countries like Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Colombia, and Uruguay.
Here is how to start your very own job board!
33. Start a web development business ($148K/month)
Web development is creating websites that can be used for various purposes, including e-commerce, social networking, and information sharing.
To start a web development business, you need strong technical skills like Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) coding, cascading style sheets (CSS), and JavaScript. It would help if you also had a good understanding of how the World Wide Web works.
Recent web development trends are moving towards responsive design and mobile-friendly websites. This type of business is growing in popularity as more businesses seek ways to reach their customers through the internet.
Hello! My name is John Leider and I am the founder of Vuetify, LLC.I started my company to help developers, especially design inept and inexperienced ones, build beautiful web applications.
Vuetify puts a large emphasis on its free aspect. Locking extra features or functionality behind a paywall just feels bad. Open Source is about sharing and improving code through community support. Over the years, this philosophy has allowed me to grow a massive user-base and ecosystem surrounding the framework.
If you need some help with a web development business, this video is for you:
34. Start a pet store ($610K/month)
Pet stores are retail businesses that sell animals and pet supplies. They are a leading industry category with sales of approximately $4.5B U.S dollars and positive sales growth of 2.7%.
You can set up a pet store in many places, like supermarkets, malls, or pet supply stores.
The first thing to do is to find a location for your store. A good place would be an area with many residential buildings, schools, and colleges as this will give you access to many customers. It would help if you also looked for a location near public transport as it will make it easier for people to come and visit your store.
I am Mike Leon, mechanical engineer, an avid bike rider, service dog trainer and inventor of the 1-Running-Dog Bike Tow LeashⓇ for safe bike, trike, scooter, and wheelchair dog-rides.
I am the owner of LEON Engineering, Inc. We design, build and sell the 1-Running-Dog Bike Tow Leash® to dog owners, walkers, trainers, military and law enforcement, search and rescue and those with special needs. Having sold less than 200 BTLs prior, My on-the-side hobby turned into a true business in 2009 with the launch of our first website. We went from shipping hundreds/year to thousands/year. Now, our business allows me to work comfortably from home, making 6 figures, while caring for my wife and enriching the lives of tens of thousands of dogs and their humans.
If you want to learn how to start a pet store, here is how:
35. Start a dating website ($7.15K/month)
A dating website is a great way to connect people who are looking for love. It is a platform that helps people to find and connect with potential romantic partners. This service offers a variety of features, including a profile creation tool, a search engine, and a messaging system.
If you are interested in starting a business that helps people find love, then starting a dating website could be a great option for you. This business is growing in popularity as more people are looking for ways to meet partners online.
Tinder has taken over the world! It is so popular that it brings in revenues of $1.4B per year.
Some recent trends that are making dating websites more popular include the growth of the online dating market, the rise of mobile dating apps, and the increasing acceptance of online dating.
Hello everyone! My name’s Pat Stedman and I’m the founder of The Dynamic Man, LLC. I started the company in 2015 when I decided to officially break into Dating and Relationship Coaching.
My “high-quality problem” at the moment is that I have a very large number of clients, and need to find a way to balance fulfillment with future growth. I love the men I work with, and refuse to give up quality for increased revenue. It’s so rewarding to see guys come to you confused or hurt and to emerge confident and capable. It’s also entertaining at times — guys have some crazy experiences with women!
Dating is a huge industry but also quite competitive. If you want to start your own dating website, you probably would need some help. Thank god Oliver created this video:
36. Start a property flipping business
Are you thinking about getting into the property flipping business?
Flipping houses (or homes) involves buyers purchasing distressed properties, fixing them up, and then reselling them for a good profit. The trick is to find a house that you can buy below market value and then turn around, sell it, and make money on it.
My Tennessee Home Solution (MTHS), a renowned off-market Real Estate Investment Company in Tennessee, was created by co-founders Jordan Isham, Briar Bearss, and Charles Chandler.
MTHS specializes in buying residential properties, repositioning the asset as an investment, and then selling the investment to institutional and active investors or selling the property as a house to retail customers.
Their network of investor clients covers all 50 states in the US as well as other countries. Since their founding in 2021, they have acquired and transacted more than $40M in residential real estate.
Jordan, a co-founder of My Tennessee Home Solution, is in charge of the organization’s general strategy, brand building, and revenue expansion.
They established this business to change the world. They remain committed to making a difference, helping struggling homeowners who need to leave unpleasant situations, or giving money to nonprofit Veteran organizations.
The company is now consistently making $80,000 per month after investing many long weeks and a significant amount of personal resources to get started.
The business is handled by a team of veterans who make selling your home stress-free. They now advise and mentor those who want to establish their real estate businesses.
Learn how to start such business yourself:
37. Become an Upwork freelancer
There are thousands of categories available to offer your services. Upwork has become a huge platform, attracting millions of people that search for reliable freelancers to work with. Take a moment to go through all the categories and then analyze the profiles of the best-rated users on the ones you're interested. A good tip to start is to offer low prices, in the beginning, to get more reviews quickly and thus climb through the ranks. Once you got a reputation and a track record, you'll be able to charge more.
I’m Daniel Waldman and I’m a freelance writer. My business is called Daniel Waldman Writing and I’ve been in business for about 3 years. That said, I’ve worked in marketing and public relations for nearly my entire career (over 15 years), and writing has always been a central element of my professional activities.
I offer a wide variety of writing and editing services, but mainly clients come to me for help with blogging, article writing, their website copy, and video script writing. I’ve also helped one writer with editing a business book and continue to expand my editorial services. On average, I earn about $3500/month (before taxes).
Here is a great video for beginners how to make money on Upwork in 2023.
38. Start a food startup ($8K/month)
Starting a food business can involve opening your own restaurant, bakery, food truck, cake shop, or even starting a business or blog online.
Other kinds of food businesses include manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Food businesses prepare a wide range of foods such as snacks, sweets, and meals to sell directly to consumers and also include cafeterias at workplaces and similar facilities.
If you have a passion for food, starting a food business can be an extremely fun, challenging, and rewarding business venture.
Hello! My name is Mustafa Mannan, co-founder and co-owner of Trini Pepper Sauce by Findlay Food Group llc. Undergrad friends and I started producing two varieties of sauce, mild [also known as “Original”] and hot, five years ago.
Today, the sauce is sold in specialty stores in Raleigh and Washington DC, with the majority of sales coming from our online store front. All in all we are averaging $3000/month in revenue.
Learn how to start your own food startup now!
39. Sell leather accessories ($20K/month)
The leather industry is among the oldest manufacturing industries in history. It is no surprise that the leather goods market will surpass $623.44 in the next few years.
The leather business is a lucrative idea for entrepreneurs targeting the elite consumer. Just as we know, the rich love antique leather collections ranging from shoes, clothes, purses, accessories, and bags.
If you are targeting the leather market, you can begin as the manufacturer, retailer, or distributor.
As a manufacturer, you will be responsible for the designs and ensuring that the end product suits the end user's purpose. Distributors or retailers work with the manufacturers to make sure the customer gets the products best suited for them.
Hi! My name is Sonal Malhotra and I am the co-founder of Silviano along with my brother Nakul Malhotra.
Learn how to start your own leathergoods business and make money quickly!
40. Start an ebay business ($10K/month)
eBay business is one of the most fun, and profitable side hustles you should try. You can earn between up to thousands of dollars per month selling on eBay. eBay business is a great side hustle idea because the platform has millions of loyal users. Besides, the platform is best for selling collectibles and different niche market items. But you can also sell old furniture or clothes that are collecting dust at home.
My name is Adam Torkildson (Tork to my friends). I run Tork Media, which is the umbrella company to several ventures I’m in various stages of running and/or funding.
I’m a partner and founder of 7 very different ventures; ranging from a solar farm in Bakersfield to selling sportscards on eBay (which is the one I like to talk about the most).
If you need basics on how to sell on eBay, we got you covered!
41. Start a natural beauty product business ($22.3K/month)
Natural beauty products include aloe vera, honey, or cocoa butter. They contain no chemical or synthetic elements.
The global natural skin care products market size was valued at $6.7 billion in 2021.
Thinking about launching a beauty product line? What’s holding you back? Check out our case studies below to see how others have done it!
Hello, my name is Mel. I run a skincare business called Flowerdale Valley. I named the business Flowerdale valley because that's where I live, in a small town called Flowerdale in country Victoria, Australia.
Learn how to start your own natural beauty product business at home!
42. Start an online t-shirt business ($143K/month)
Running a t-shirt business is an opportunity many entrepreneurs are looking into as a side hustle or even a full-time business opportunity. While having your own physical store is possible, online businesses are becoming extremely popular in this field.
Launching your own successful online t-shirt business may feel daunting, but with the guidance & insights from people who are already pioneering this industry, it’s simpler than you may think. You can start with selling customized quotes t-shirts, tie-dye prints/screen printing t-shirts, or solid color t-shirts. The opportunities for this industry are endless.
What’s up Y’all! My name is Brian Wysong and I am the Co-Founder and Co-Owner of a Texas-inspired apparel brand called Tumbleweed TexStyles.
We also hire teachers to help us out with art, events and sales. We love to support students and teachers in any way we can.
Starting an online t-shirt business is one of the quickest way how to make some nice side-income and eventually replace your 9-5 job. Here is how to start:
43. Start a mobile florist business
Mobile florists, just like traditional florists, can deliver flowers to an array of special events, including weddings, birthdays, or anniversaries. People love their flowers fresh and delivered right to their doors.
Listed are the steps on how to start a mobile florist business.
- Purchase on a reliable truck
- Secure needed papers for your mobile flower shop
- Organize your business flow
- Outsource from flower suppliers
- Promote your business
Here is how to start a mobile florist business by Coling and Meg.
44. Start a drive-thru laundromat business
A laundromat business provides self-service commercial washers and dryers within a retail space and customers pay for the usage of the machines.
Wanna learn more about a laundromat business and how to start one?
45. Start a VR escape room
Google searches for Escape Room VR has been growing globally. That means that awareness and demand for virtual reality escape rooms are increasing. Therefore, VR escape rooms have the potential for massive growth over the next few years.
To start a VR escape room business, create a business plan. A good business plan should help you track market trends and outline an operational strategy. Select the VR escape room you want to open and select the best location. Finally, select the VR escape room games and consider licensing requirements.
I am Akos Gabossy, CEO and co-founder of the PANIQ ROOM Franchise, a global network of escape rooms with an annual player count of 300,000 and a systemwide revenue of $10 million.
Our company was established in 2014 and PANIQ Room is one of the oldest and most reputable brands in the industry.
You can also start a VR escape room as a franchise:
46. Become a virtual assistant ($400K/month)
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 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.
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.
If you want to make money online, becoming a VA (virtual assistant) is probably the easiest way.
Learn how to do so:
47. Become a nutritionist ($252K/month)
A nutritionist is a food and nutrition expert who guides you toward a healthy lifestyle by counseling on nutrition issues specifically to increase or decrease body weight.
They are called food experts because they teach you about healthy food habits and how to plan your meal, including all the nutrition, vitamins, and minerals that maintain good health and prevent diseases.
There are several courses available online to become a Nutritionist. You can also earn a bachelor’s degree in food science, nutrition science, clinical nutrition, or a related area.
The requirements to become a nutritionist vary from state to state, but some states require licensing by one or more of the following associations:
- The Clinical Nutrition Certification Board (CNCB)
- The Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists (BCNS)
- Commission on Dietetic Registration (RDN)
There are several career opportunities for a certified nutritionist ranging from healthcare, food science & technology to working with large-scale groups like corporates, schools, and sports authorities. Some of the roles are:
- Clinical nutritionist
- Public health nutritionist
- Management nutritionist
- Sports nutritionist
- Registered dietitian nutritionist
An average salary of a nutritionist in the United States is $64,000 per year. A nutritionist can also work privately with their clients and charge them hourly. The average hourly pay for a nutritionist job in the US is $28 an hour.
Starting a nutritionist business may feel overwhelming and confusing. Focus on knowing where to spend your time and energy to secure consistent nutrition clients. Seek referrals from other practitioners, such as personal trainers and doctors.
Hello! I am Haley Hughes a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator and CrossFit coach! I’m from Anchorage Alaska but currently live in Greeley, Colorado where I completed my bachelor’s degree in dietetics.
After one year of business, I have been able to pay off my car, travel to Bora Bora and Europe and still invest in retirement. I am making $1800-$2100 per month through nutrition counseling while also working for 3 other organizations as an independent contractor where I still am able to my assigned work on my own time.
If you want to learn how to become a nutritionist, this is a great video for you:
48. Start a publishing business ($1.2M/month)
Starting a publishing business can be a rewarding and lucrative endeavor for those with a passion for literature and strong business acumen. This type of business involves producing and distributing written materials such as books, magazines, and digital content.
To start a publishing business, you need a solid business plan outlining your goals and target market. You will also need to secure funding to cover the costs of printing and distributing your materials. This can include obtaining loans or seeking investors.
In addition to financial resources, you will need a team of professionals with expertise in editing, design, marketing, and sales. It’s important to build a diverse and skilled team to ensure the success of your business.
Success in the publishing industry requires a strong understanding of current trends and adapting to changing market conditions. Stay current on industry news and continually seek new opportunities to grow and expand your business.
Starting a publishing business requires hard work, dedication, and a willingness to take risks. But with the right team and strategy, it can be a fulfilling and profitable venture.
Hello! I’m Ricardo Fayet, one of the four founders and the Chief Marketing Officer of Reedsy. First and foremost, Reedsy is a marketplace connecting authors (or anyone looking to publish a book) with all the people they’ll need to prepare, publish, and market that book successfully — think editors, proofreaders, cover designers, illustrators, ghostwriters, book marketers, and even literary translators.
Since starting in 2014, the marketplace has become home to over 1,500 vetted freelance professionals and close to a million authors, driving 1,000+ projects every month with a GMV of over $1m.
Learn how to start your own publishing business!
49. Start a catering business ($20K/month)
A catering business is responsible for providing food & beverage-related services for vast types of events.
Catering businesses are known to be more flexible than other businesses because they don't have to worry about location or pricing and can even work 24/7. They can cater anywhere and offer any price point that they want.
However, starting a catering business requires a lot of planning. To start a successful catering business , you'll need to plan and prepare menus, manage budgets, handle clients, and more. In addition, catering allows you to meet more people and show off your cooking skills.
Hi, my name is Nestor Nidome and I am the founder and owner of Elegante Catering. Serving the Inland Empire (San Bernardino and Riverside county) and now have expanded to serve all of Southern California. Our customers, mostly higher middle class, have enjoyed our delicious menu ranging from full service plated meals, made to order pasta bars to buffet-style menus such as Mexican fajitas bar and tacos.
Weddings because there is no higher compliment than to have the bride and groom come up to us complimenting us and letting us know how all their guests are raving about the food. As for corporate caterings we like to make it as simple as possible for them. We have 12 different menus they can choose from so that every month their employees enjoy a different menu. Plus once we have their information all they have to do is text us the Date, Menu, and Time they want. We understand that they have better, more important things to do than order food. This has allowed us to grow our monthly sales to $20,000.
Catering business can be very profitable. Learn how to start your own with this great video:
50. Become a professional cuddler ($8.8K/month)
Imagine being a professional cuddler for a living. Getting paid to snuggle your clients may sound strange, but this type of service has been in high demand over the last few years.
Think of 'snugglers' as a more personal therapist. They get paid for many services: hugging their clients, listening to their problems, coaching them, comforting & reducing stress, cooking and eating meals together and more.
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
This idea is quite wild, but many people make their living this way! Learn more about this business:
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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