
The 147 Best Service Business Ideas To Start In 2022
In most service-based businesses, customers pay you (the business owner) for your skills or knowledge. Some examples include plumbers, lawyers, accountants, and the list goes on.
But there are so many more (and unique) opportunities to start a service based business today...
So I decided to dive into our case studies database and showcase some of the best business ideas in the service industry.
I ended up finding 75 ideas for service businesses that are all in demand today. A few of these are old favorites, but most of them might be new ideas for you. Each idea listed below comes with a description, estimated revenue that you can make, and some real-world examples of service companies.
Here's the list:
1. Start a dog walking business ($54K/month)
Do you love dogs? If yes, you can turn your love for animals into a lucrative side hustle that can help you pay extra toward your mortgage, save for a vacation, or even clear that student’s loan.
If you choose to offer dog walking services as a side hustle, you could earn an average income of between $10,000 and $30,000 per year. As a dog walker, sitter or boarder, you offer your services to dog owners looking for a caregiver for their puppy. Register on a legitimate dog-walking app and create a compelling profile to get started.
Melodi Landi started Furry Fellas Pet Service LLC, a dog walking business, about 16 years ago:
Hi. My name is Melodi Landi. I am the Founder & Owner of Furry Fellas Pet Service LLC.
Furry Fellas has been voted in the TOP 3 Pet Sitting / Dog Walking Company within the RI / MA area for 8 years in a row!
2. Start a tutoring or education business ($100K/month)
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!
Ghazal Qureshi started UpBrainery Technologies, a education products business, about 2 years ago:
Hello! My name is Ghazal Qureshi and I am the proud founder and CEO of UpBrainery Technologies. UpBrainery is a startup tech company that focuses on revolutionizing modern education to fit the evolving needs of parents and children.
Within our first few months, we have cultivated relationships with organizations like the Girl Scouts, Girls Inc., Whataburger, NASDAQ, and the Houston Rockets. We are in the works to build a large network of opportunities with other corporations to provide educational content to children in their communities.
3. Start a children's party planning business ($2K/month)
Louise Wild started The Little Teepee Company, a children's party planning business, ago:
Hi there! We are Jane and Louise, the founders of The Little Teepee Company where we create extra special sleepovers and slumber under. Each child has their own individual teepee styled with bunting, fairy lights, luxurious blankets, cushions, and floor rugs with a breakfast tray and lantern at the end of each mattress. We set up and decorate the teepees on the day of the party and take everything down the next day allowing the host to have a stress-free party.
We started to generate an income of around $2000/mo for a few months until the pandemic hit and we found ourselves canceling bookings and offering refunds. Everything came to a grinding halt in March 2020. More about how we adapted our business model in this ‘new norm’ that we find ourselves in, below.
4. Start an online courses business ($122K/month)
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-folds 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.
Rasmus & Christian Mikkelsen (or Mikkelsen Twins) started Mikkelsen Twins, a online courses business, about 4 years ago:
We are Christian and Rasmus Mikkelsen, also known as the Mikkelsen Twins online. We run an online education company where we help people to build an online book publishing business. The reason why we teach what seems like a random/kinda weird online business model is because it’s what changed our lives almost 3 years ago and freed us from the life path we were heading down (were in the middle of a business degree in community college and there was absolutely no hope for a truly happy and fulfilled life if we had continued to take that path in life).
Fast forward to today, our company is making over 6-figures in profit every month which is almost unbelievable for two 24-year-old (ambitious) idiots with just a laptop, wifi connection and a small team.
5. Start a photography business ($40.1K/month)
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!
Tsour Lee Adato started Product Photography Studio, a photography business, ago:
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.
6. Start a mobile veterinary service ($580K/month)
A mobile veterinary service is just what it sounds like, your pet receives veterinary care in a car. A mobile unit is much cheaper than building a clinic.
As the number of pet owners is growing, there is also an increase in the number of pets that require check-ups and emergency services. If you are looking for a relatively low investment way to start a business, then starting a mobile veterinary service might be the right business for you.
Lisa Aumiller started housepaws, a mobile veterinary service, about 12 years ago:
HousePaws started 10 years ago this April. I had become disenchanted with practicing in a “normal” veterinary environment: appointments every 10-15 min, stressed owners/ pets/ workers, etc. I was starting work and it was dark outside and leaving work and it was dark outside. Clients, despite liking me as a vet, did not perceive the value of the visit was worth what they were paying, and the hospital I worked out was corporate-minded. The practice had one size fits all plans which were not consistent with how I like to practice. I consider every patient as an individual. Each pet, even those living in the same house, have different lifestyles sometimes.
At the end of 2010, I was working alone, 80 hours a week, and making $60,000 in revenue. Today we have over 100 employees and are making more than 7 million in revenue and thankfully I am not working 80 hours a week anymore!
7. Become an online dating consultant ($5.2K/month)
An online dating consultant is a person who provides advice to people in the world of Internet dating. An online dating consultant can help you direct your profile, help you write your first message to an online match and help you make a great impression on your date.
Online dating has the potential to be one of the greatest customer service industries in the world.
Shane White started The Match Artist, a online dating consultant, over 4 years ago:
Hi everyone, my name is Shane and I’m the founder of The Match Artist. We help singles take amazing pictures for their online dating profiles. Our flagship product is the 3 hour Executive shoot, which gets you about 100 different photos in 7 different settings.
We started this business in January 2018, and we have helped over 100 singles take pictures for their profile. We usually average between $5,000- $6,000 a month in revenue.
8. Become a life consultant ($150K/month)
A life consultant or a life coach is a professional who aids clients in clarifying their goals, identifying different obstacles, and coming up with strategies to overcome such obstacles.
As a life consultant, you have exceptional opportunities to work with clients, helping them become a better version of themselves. Besides, you interact with different personalities, and get an opportunity to learn from them.
Roy Kiessling started EMDR Consulting, a online courses business, almost 9 years ago:
Greetings, my name is Roy Kiessling, founder of EMDR Consulting, an international training organization specializing in teaching the EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) psychotherapy to master's level and above mental health professionals.
Rapid eye movements and other forms of distracting activity seem to activate our adaptive processing system, something that automatically occurs during the REM (rapid eye movement) phase of sleep. Therefore, the phrase "Let me sleep on it." is accurate! In addition, EMDR's treatment procedures are more focused; therefore, our emotional healing is more concentrated and effective than what randomly occurs while we sleep. If you’re interested in learning more about EMDR, check out this video.
What started as a one-person training organization in 2013, has now grown to administrative staff of 5. a training team of over 20 trainers and 150 coaches. EMDR Consulting is now one of the largest EMDR training organizations in the United States, annually conducting over 150 EMDR basic training courses a year, teaching over 1500 mental health professionals how to integrate EMDR into their clinical practice.
9. Become a nutritionist ($251K/month)
A nutritionist teaches individuals or populations about the general nutrition, food and health practices. Typically, a nutritionist focuses on food behavior, and works with the clients in devising and implementing meal plans that improve the individuals or family nutrition.
As a nutritionist, you learn good food habits that not only transform your clients, but could also benefit your family, and other people close to you. Besides, nutritionist earn a decent salary, and have the freedom to work as freelancers or work for organizations such as hospitals, schools or even NGO’s.
Haley Hughes started RDRx Nutrition, a life coaching business, over 8 years ago:
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.
10. Become a meditation coach ($3K/month)
A meditation coach teaches and guides those who seek mental clarity through meditation. Typically, the meditation teacher combines breathing and concentration to deepen understanding and to help the clients achieve relaxation.
Working as a meditation coach provides you an opportunity to guide clients in finding new practices and techniques that may provide additional health benefits in their daily lives. In addition, meditation coaches earn a decent salary and enjoy the opportunity to define their working hours, while building relationships with people from different backgrounds.
Griff Williams started MindEasy, a online courses business, about 3 years ago:
Hey, I'm Griff, and I'm the founder of MindEasy. We create meditation courses and content designed to help people find their way into mindfulness and meditation in a personal way.
This is the problem I wanted to solve with MindEasy. Help people discover what they want to achieve with meditation and then help them approach it in a relevant and meaningful way.
11. Start an in-home senior care service ($250K/month)
In-home caregivers help their clients with the day-to-day household tasks and provide nonmedical personal care such as dressing them up, bathing, and grooming.
As a professional in-home senior care service, you enjoy a rare opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of clients and their families. Besides, in-home caregivers enjoy the personal relationships they build and the sense of accomplishment that comes from knowing they enhance an individual's quality of life.
Gareth Mahon started The CareSide, a in-home senior care service, over 4 years ago:
My name is Gareth Mahon. I’m the co-founder and CEO of The CareSide, a home care and nursing service provider for elderly individuals in Australia. We are based in Perth, Australia.
I often like to compare our business to a plumber’s. It’s not the flashiest work. But it’s critical. When you need the help of a plumber, you really need it. The same goes for us. Our customers reach out to us when they need assistance caring for an elderly or disabled family member. In Australia, it’s common for seniors to spend their twilight years living at home rather than transitioning to nursing care facilities. That’s where we come in. We provide services such as nursing care, companion care, and personal care. Our goal is to help seniors maintain their autonomy so they can enjoy themselves and continue to be productive members of society.
We launched our company in 2017. Over the past 3 years, we have scaled to $5 million in revenue.
12. 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.
Michael Moloney started FilterGrade, a graphic designer, over 8 years ago:
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.
13. Become a personal fitness trainer
A personal trainer demonstrates exercises and routines to clients. A professional trainer takes a holistic approach to fitness and helps the clients attain a healthy lifestyle and attitude.
Personal trainers enjoy unlimited earning potential because they can work for several clients. Besides, they enjoy flexible working hours, become their own boss, and enjoy maximum job satisfaction.
14. Start a grocery delivery service
Grocery delivery is an on-demand service where clients shop for groceries and you deliver to their commercial or residential premises.
As a carrier in grocery delivery, you have an opportunity to maximize your output, as you can serve multiple customers in one trip. Besides, you get to choose your preferred working time and location.
15. Become a makeup artist
A makeup artist is a beautician who offers general makeup services, including facial aesthetics, thorough makeup, and creating custom looks for celebrities and even actors on movie sets.
As a makeup artist, you can serve clients from their homes or offices. Therefore, the makeup artists avoid the need to pay rent or pay expensive licenses. Besides, the makeup artists get to meet different famous people.
16. Start a doula service ($200/month)
Doula services provide emotional and physical support to mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
The demand for doula service increases, creating an excellent opportunity for trained professionals to earn a decent income.
Jessica Glendinning started Your Virtual Doula, a doula service, about 3 years ago:
Hello! I’m Jessica Glendinning and I am the creator of Your Virtual Doula. Your Virtual Doula provides parents-to-be with knowledge and emotional support during pregnancy, throughout labor and delivery, and postpartum through phone, text, and email.
Although many birthing professionals are currently attempting to hastily add virtual services for their clients out of sheer necessity, Your Virtual Doula has pioneered this business, constructing a foundation of effective and high-quality virtual doula services.
17. Become a private school application consultant
A primary school admission consultant helps children figure out their interests and suggests how to develop the interests further. Typically, they allow children to fill gaps in students' resumes by finding options for community service and academic enrichment opportunities during school breaks.
Primary school admission consultants work for multiple clients, which is an excellent opportunity for expanding their revenue sources. They can choose to work part-time, especially during school breaks and summer holidays.
18. Start a pet sitting business
A pet sitter is a professional who provides daily care for pets while the pet owners are at work or on vacation. The pet sitter's duties include:
- Cooking special meals for pets as instructed by pet owners.
- Reporting any behavioral issues to pet owners.
- Playing with the pets to encourage their mental and physical stimulation.
One of the advantages of working as a pet sitter is that it's not a stressful career. You also get to work with different animals while enjoying a work-life balance.
19. Become a handyman
A handyman offers various home repair services based on their skill set and the customer’s needs. Also known as a fixer, the handyman carries our repair works on the interior and exterior.
The handyman business is a great part-time opportunity, and you can earn a high-profit margin while the overhead costs are low.
20. Start a mobile car wash
A mobile carwash business reaches clients whenever possible and offers its services at great convenience. Therefore, car owners do not need to drive to different locations looking for a car wash, as the mobile service provider is there for the client.
The advantage of offering a mobile car wash business is that clients will call you to their location whenever they need their vehicles cleaned. Based on the convenience, you have the opportunity of serving more customers compared to an immobile car detailing business.
21. Start a virtual assistant business ($176K/month)
Virtual assistants support businesses, teams, or individuals by performing administrative tasks remotely.
As more businesses outsource more roles, the demand for virtual assistants is growing rapidly. You can find employment opportunities across a wide span of industries.
Julmar Grace Locsin started FVA Business Consultancy, a career coaching business, ago:
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.
22. Become an IT consultant ($2.1K/month)
An IT consultant is an external analyst in charge of evaluating a company’s IT systems and helping them meets its business objectives. IT consultants analyze and diagnose a company’s IT infrastructure, understand the client’s needs, and design solutions to help companies' IT problems.
Dan Khadem started Access Database Support, a IT consultant, over 10 years ago:
My everyone. My name is Dan Khadem. I’m from Denver, Colorado and have a wife and 2 kids. I might have the most interesting or unique story because I have two very opposite things going on in my life. For my first business, I started a database consulting service for small and medium-sized organizations. This is using my technical skills and is very much using the Type A side of my personality. On the other end of the spectrum I do commercial acting and modeling. This is essentially for advertising in the form of print ads and commercials.
The rest of my side income comes from the database consulting service. Unfortunately, time is my limiting factor otherwise I’d grown the consulting business to larger than what it currently is.
I never thought I’d be wearing makeup in this life.
23. Start a mobile notary service business
A mobile notary verifies the signer's identity, witnesses the signing of documents, and puts his signature and stamp on the document.
24. Start a property management business
Property management companies maintain a residence's status quo by representing the property owners. The property management company markets the property and collects rent on behalf of the owners.
With the demand for housing increasing annually, the property management business is lucrative. Property managers earn commissions and have an opportunity to maximize profits by working for as many clients as they can handle.
Eugenio Ferrante started Casa Mia Coliving, a property manager, over 2 years ago:
We are Eugenio Ferrante and Ahmed Nizar, co-founders of Casa Mia Coliving.
Today, we have 150 bedrooms in central Singapore across popular neighborhoods such as River Valley, Tiong Bahru, and Orchard. We have reached an annualized revenue of $2.5M, and we’re growing fast!
25. Become an event planner
Event planners arrange the details of various events, including weddings, anniversaries, reunions, and large social gatherings.
As an event planner, you get to explore your creative vision and see an idea turn into reality from the conception stage to the execution stage.
Natasha Miller started Entire Productions, a virtual events business, over 21 years ago:
I’m Natasha Miller- raised in Des Moines, Iowa but high-tailed it out of there as soon as I could at the age of 23. I thought I’d be a performer only - a classical violinist and jazz vocalist, but as it turns out those careers might have been the catalyst for where I am today.
- Inc. 5,000 Fastest Growing Companies in America
- Entrepreneur Magazine 360 List “Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America”
- San Francisco Business Times Fast 100 “Fastest Growing Companies in the San Francisco Bay Area”
- Special Event Top 50 Event Planners in the World
26. 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 comes with 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.
27. Become an In-home masseuse
28. Start an acupuncturist business
Moira J McCarthy started Acupuncture Wellness Center, a massage therapist, almost 25 years ago:
Hello guys, my name is Moira McCarthy and I am a licensed acupuncturist in Austin, Texas. I am the owner of Acupuncture Wellness Center, LLC, and have been in practice since 1997. I offer acupuncture and cosmetic acupuncture services.
I recently reduced my practice to one client per hour so that I could spend more time with each client and offer more services such as Acugraph computer analysis, Pointoselect digital auricular therapy, and cupping, as well as traditional acupuncture therapy and cosmetic acupuncture. My practice averages about 65 to 70 clients per month at an average cost of $90 per session.
29. Start a chiropractor business
30. Start a meal delivery service
31. Become a personal chef
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.
David Buchanan started Chefs Resources, a online courses business, over 11 years ago:
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.
32. Start an errand service
Errand services help people and businesses who have daily errands to run but need an extra hand. So, they seek professional help who can do their chores on time with utmost efficiency.
There are various different services you can provide as an errand business, including, grocery shopping, picking up + sorting through mail, going to the bank, and much more.
33. Start a dry cleaners business
Nishant Tripathi started Elite DhobiLite Laundry Pvt. Ltd., a dry cleaners business, almost 11 years ago:
Hello! My name is Nishant Tripathi, and I founded Dhobilite, a premium online dry cleaning, and laundry service. I started this company in 2011 with a vision to pioneer laundry service in India.
We started operations in the year 2011. Over the years, we experimented with and developed our business model and software. In 2015, we disrupted the laundry market and became India's first app-based, on-demand laundry service provider. We have expanded into more than 15 cities in the last two years and have around 20+ stores today. In addition, we have 30 plus franchises. We also have factories in Gurgaon, Noida, Lucknow, Hyderabad, and Faridabad.
34. Become a tailor
35. Start a window cleaning business
36. Start a home cleaning service
Neel Parekh started MaidThis Franchise, a cleaning service, almost 9 years ago:
Hey! My name is Neel Parekh and I am the Founder and CEO of MaidThis® & MaidThis® Franchise, a cleaning franchise that helps residential homeowners and short-term rental hosts (Airbnb, VRBO, etc) with their cleanings.
We’ve been able to grow rapidly compared to many other local cleaning companies because of a few main factors:
- We made our niche focus on cleaning Airbnbs and vacation rentals, in addition to regular home cleaning, which is a rapidly growing industry. We became the first cleaning franchise specializing in vacation rental cleaning.
- Local businesses are often pretty old school and typically aren’t the best with marketing, especially digital marketing. We’re bringing new-age marketing tactics to this old-school industry.
- Remote work: we’ve been able to stay extra nimble and lean with having a global workforce. This was initially done out of necessity so I could travel, but quickly became a huge competitive advantage. Our office team works across 8 different countries.
37. Start a private car service
38. Start a hairstyling business
39. Become a personal wardrobe stylist
40. Start a doula service ($200/month)
Doula services provide emotional and physical support to mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
The demand for doula service increases, creating an excellent opportunity for trained professionals to earn a decent income.
Jessica Glendinning started Your Virtual Doula, a doula service, about 3 years ago:
Hello! I’m Jessica Glendinning and I am the creator of Your Virtual Doula. Your Virtual Doula provides parents-to-be with knowledge and emotional support during pregnancy, throughout labor and delivery, and postpartum through phone, text, and email.
Although many birthing professionals are currently attempting to hastily add virtual services for their clients out of sheer necessity, Your Virtual Doula has pioneered this business, constructing a foundation of effective and high-quality virtual doula services.
41. Start a lactation consulting business
42. Start a babysitting service
If you have some spare time at home, you can start providing babysitting services to couples who need extra support.
Here are the steps on how to start a babysitting business.
- Avail for training/credentials related to babysitting
- Register your business
- Apply for Licenses/Permits
- Open a bank account for business transactions
43. Become a home baby proofing consultant
44. Start a nanny placement service business
45. Become a private music teacher
46. Become a birthday party character
47. Start a kids entertainment business
48. Become a homeschool teacher
49. Become an online english tutor
50. Start a SAT tutoring and preparation business
51. Start a GED test prep business
52. Become a college application consultant
53. Start a college essay editor
54. Start a resume writing service ($2K/month)
Resumes and cover letters have become an integral part of the hiring process. Besides, job marketing is getting tight and more people are looking for employment. If you have a good resume and cover letter writing skills, you can capitalize on your knowledge and earn good money. You can offer both a personal consultation service and create paid downloadable templates to create different revenue streams.
Alex Benjamin started Recruiter Written, a resume writing service, almost 4 years ago:
Hi everyone! My name is Alex Benjamin, founder of Recruiter Written. We are a resume and LinkedIn profile writing service that provides our clients with an extraordinary advantage in the job market.
55. Become a physical therapist
Samantha Varnerin started Snuggle with Sam, a professional cuddler, over 5 years ago:
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
56. Start a nursing home/hospital business
57. Start a pet sitting business
A pet sitter is a professional who provides daily care for pets while the pet owners are at work or on vacation. The pet sitter's duties include:
- Cooking special meals for pets as instructed by pet owners.
- Reporting any behavioral issues to pet owners.
- Playing with the pets to encourage their mental and physical stimulation.
One of the advantages of working as a pet sitter is that it's not a stressful career. You also get to work with different animals while enjoying a work-life balance.
58. a mobile pet grooming business
59. Start a pool servicing and maintenance
60. Start a lawn care service
61. Start a locksmith business
62. Start a home entertainment installation
63. Start a home inspections business
64. Start an interior painting service
65. Start a wallpaper business
66. Start a power washing business
67. Start a carpet installation business
68. Start an air conditioner installation business
69. Start a plumber
Andrew Tomasetti started Innovation Plumbing, a family business, about 31 years ago:
Innovation Plumbing started as an idea in 1990, and officially in 1991 when my dad got his C 36 plumbing license for the state of California. I was two years old at the time.
Over the years Innovation Plumbing has grown and evolved into a devoted list of repeat customers who are more like family to us. Makes sense, in a family business!
My two sons, ft Grandad's leg
70. Start an appliance repair business ($100K/month)
Allen Chiang started Retro Radio Farm, a electronics repair business, over 8 years ago:
My name is Allen Chiang, and I founded Retro Radio Farm, where I repair and restore old radios. I offer Bluetooth MP3 upgrade if the customer wants to play digital music.
Right now, I make about $50K a year for the work I put in primarily on weekends. While it’s highly profitable, it has not yet lucrative enough yet for me to quit my day job. Although, the business has been growing 20% every year.
71. Start a porcelain repair business
72. Start a home maintenance equipment rental
73. Start a mobile car wash
A mobile carwash business reaches clients whenever possible and offers its services at great convenience. Therefore, car owners do not need to drive to different locations looking for a car wash, as the mobile service provider is there for the client.
The advantage of offering a mobile car wash business is that clients will call you to their location whenever they need their vehicles cleaned. Based on the convenience, you have the opportunity of serving more customers compared to an immobile car detailing business.
74. Start a mobile car mechanic
75. Start a vehicle inspection service
76. Start a windshield repair business
77. Start a headhunter service business
78. Start a language translation service ($183K/month)
Cédric Sigoire started DEMAN Übersetzungen , a language translation service, about 7 years ago:
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!
79. Become a project manager
80. Become a bookkeeper
81. Become an accountant
82. Start a payroll service business
83. Start a financial auditor
84. Start a business plan consultant business
Elena & Andrew started Emirabiz, a business plan consultant business, over 7 years ago:
Hi guys! We are Elena and Andrew, and we are corporate services providers in the UAE - we run a business consultancy company in Dubai for 9 years already.
We were the first company who published all our fees online on our website as a statement of the customer-oriented and honest way of doing our job.
We started as a “one-man-show”, but managed to grow quickly. We now reached a point of having about 15 full-time employees and average monthly revenue of over 200K USD.
85. Start an office support services
86. Start a data analysis business
Michael Dent started PropertyData, a data analysis business, about 5 years ago:
My name is Michael Dent and I’m the founder of PropertyData, a subscription website for property investors and developers in the UK that helps them make better-informed decisions when buying a residential property.
I started the business in April 2017, and today it’s making $128,000 per month in recurring revenue.
87. Start a messenger service
88. Start a freelance reseacher
89. Become a business coach ($39.5K/month)
Kamil Sattar started E-commerce Mentoring , a business coach, about 5 years ago:
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.
That’s the best part of it. The techniques that I have learned are replicable. You can rinse and repeat and create new drop shipping stores.
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.
90. Start a customer service phone operator
91. Start a live chat customer support service
92. Start a website designer
93. Start a marketing copywriter
94. Start a content writing company ($30.2K/month)
It's never been easier to make money doing freelance content writing.
Dani Mancini started Scribly.io, a content writing company, almost 4 years ago:
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 🙌.
95. Start a proofreading service ($1.2K/month)
Sara Davies started Prooftheword, a publishing business, about 7 years ago:
I’m Sara Davies, founder of Prooftheword, a complete editing and proofreading site that gives customers the ultimate editing service for any document. I’m a sole trader, so I work alone. All the editing and proofreading is done by me, along with everything else. I sort out my invoices, do my own accounts, file my own tax returns – everything.
My editing skills are excellent, which is my main selling point. People come to me because they know I will do a great job! I have a wide range of customers, from students to book writers and regular magazines. My work has grown over the years and, while I’m not making millions, I regularly take home around £1,200 a month.
96. Become an ebook writer
Praveen Malik started PM-by-PM, a online courses business, over 6 years ago:
Hi, Pat and everyone else.
In the year 2016, we had negligible revenue from the blog but the blog has grown substantially since then. Our average revenue is about $17K per month. Our gross profit margin is about 80% since we maintain a very small team and there are no physical products. Our target is to achieve 100% revenue growth by the end of next year.
97. Become a Facebook ads consultant ($2.63M/month)
Kean Graham started MonetizeMore, a Facebook ads consultant, over 12 years ago:
I’m the Founder & CEO of MonetizeMore. I started MonetizeMore in 2010 with the goal to build a bootstrapped business that would dramatically increase ad revenues for publishers.
I am a pioneer in ad optimization covering areas like AdSense / Ad Exchange (AdX), Google Ad Manager (GAM), header bidding and ad network optimization. I have always believed in empowering publishers to increase their ad revenues more efficiently and effectively via articles, videos and technology.
98. Start an instagram consulting business
Ellis Smith started American Cannabis Company, a cannabis business, over 10 years ago:
My name is Ellis Smith and I am the co-founder of American Cannabis Company. ACC is a full-service consulting firm supporting the industry for over 9 years. We specialize in putting together the pre-application tools needed to raise capital as well as write winning applications in competitive markets. We have designed and built over 1.7 million sq ft of growing space to date with another 60,000 sqft under construction currently.
We are making about $150,000 a month as a company with our sites set on acquisitions of grows and dispensaries in 2021. This will increase our revenue to well over $500,000 a month.
99. Start a social media manager
100. Start a content marketing business
David Tile started Article-Writing Co, a freelance writing business, about 11 years ago:
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.
101. Start a seo consultant business ($6.75K/month)
Bruce Jones started 1ON1 SEO Training, a SEO agency, almost 3 years ago:
Hi there, my name is Bruce Jones and I am the Founder and CEO of 1ON1 SEO Training. I created my business two years ago, offering personalized search engine optimization and digital marketing courses for startups, small businesses, and individuals interested in learning about SEO and improving their businesses.
Today, I have worked with dozens of businesses from all around the world and earn over $10,000 a month working out of my home office. I started serving local businesses in my area, which quickly expanded across the U.S., and now have clients as far as New Zealand and Ireland.
102. Start an email marketing business
Chase Dimond started Boundless Labs, a email marketing tool, almost 4 years ago:
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.
Since starting Boundless Labs 18 months ago, we have driven over $25 million (and growing rapidly) in email attributable revenue for our clients. Most of our clients generate ~30% of their total revenue from our email work. Our 5 highest performing clients are generating 45+% of their total revenue from our email work.
From launching in June of 2018 through the first half of 2019 our “agency” was making $40K per month (fees our clients paid us). The reason I put the agency in quotes is that during our first year in business my business partner and I were just focused on having a great time with no intentions of building a true agency.
Additionally, in my personal life, I got engaged in 2018 and married in June of 2019 so I was very focused and busy with that. Once I got back from my honeymoon at the end of Q2 of 2019, we realized we had a huge opportunity to scale the business. Clients love us as people equally as much as they love our work which has led to a majority of our client acquisition coming from referrals (more to come on this in later sections).
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.
103. Start an affiliate marketing business ($290K/month)
Are you looking for a side hustle that will pay you a passive income? Affiliate marketing is one of those side hustles that will pay you well over the long-term.
To get started, learn how to find the right product and find the right brand to partner with. You may prefer becoming an affiliate marketer for an eCommerce store or partner with a manufacturer, and market their products for a commission.
Patrick Hess started AFH Media LLC, a niche blog, over 7 years ago:
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.
104. Start a brand photographer
105. Start a marketing video producer
106. Start a podcast production company ($41.7K/month)
A great podcast is an amazing tool. With the rise of podcasts, they've become a staple in our daily lives, with many using them as a source of entertainment, fresh news, and education.
World Wide podcasting market size was estimated at $14.25 billion in 2021. Podcasts have seen a major resurgence in recent years, with more listeners and new shows than ever before. If you're thinking of getting into podcast production, you've probably noticed that it isn't a cheap endeavor. In fact, it can get quite expensive. The good thing is that there are ways to start your own podcast production company on a budget.
Jeremy Enns started Counterweight Creative, a podcast production company, about 6 years ago:
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.
107. Start a presentation and proposal designer
108. Start a public relations business
Tyra Nicole started LeNoir Agency, a public relations business, almost 5 years ago:
Hey, what’s up, folks? My name is Justin May and I’m the founder of Uptown Access Creative Group. We are a digital marketing agency dedicated to helping music artists connect with their audience. We work both directly with artists, as well as record labels and management groups.
Since our launch in February 2019; our clientele and industry presence has grown year after year, with current revenue of $5k monthly.
109. Start a brand ambassador
110. Start a computer repair service
111. Start a printer and copy machine maintenance
112. Start a software installation service
113. Start an IT support business
Boris Abazher started TRIARE, a software developer, ago:
Hi, my name is Boris and I am the founder and CEO of the software development company TRIARE based in Ukraine. We help businesses and startups to transform their ideas into accomplished digital solutions.
I want to share how personal and collective responsibility paired with patience and consistency can help you build a profitable, respected business. It’s not easy, but it shouldn’t be painful. Here’s my story.
114. Start a mobile app development business ($79.2K/month)
Rob Bentley started The Jed Mahonis Group, a mobile app development business, about 10 years ago:
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.
115. Start an online network installation and maintenance
116. Become a security consultant
117. Start a data management consultant
118. Start a legal process server
119. Start a paralegal business
120. Become a private investigator
121. Start a contract drafting and review service
122. Start a tour guide service business
Manoj Tulsani started Rayna Tours, a tour company, over 16 years ago:
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.
Manoj Tulsani and Kamlesh Ramchandani
123. Start an adventure tours
124. Start a travel agency business
SALMAN BIN RASHID SHAH SAYEEM started Flight Expert Bangladesh, a flight tours business, about 5 years ago:
Hello, I am Salman Rashid, Founder & CEO of Flight Expert. It is the first-ever online travel agency in Bangladesh. Our uniqueness was to build a state-of-the-art online travel agency with services focusing on Bangladesh primarily. This country has never before enjoyed taking assistance from any online travel agency.
However, the best part is that we achieved 50% more revenue in October 2021 than our pre-covid highest number on sales in a month, interestingly, and we are aiming to hit breakeven by March 2022 if all goes well in the market.
Flight expert launching event on 1st March 2017 at BICC, Dhaka
125. Start a corporate retreat and workshops business
126. Start a cruise ship travel agent business
127. Start a travel consulting business
Manoj Tulsani started Rayna Tours, a tour company, over 16 years ago:
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.
Manoj Tulsani and Kamlesh Ramchandani
128. Become a skiing instructor
129. Start a scuba diving instruction business
130. Start a beach equipment rentals
131. Start a fundraising consulting business ($150K/month)
Daryl Hatton started ConnectionPoint, a fundraising consulting business, over 13 years ago:
My name is Daryl Hatton. I am a founder, CEO, and lead investor of a team that created ConnectionPoint in 2009 as an early entrant and innovative pioneer in the crowdfunding industry.
To date, we have helped almost 200,000 projects in 40+ countries raise over $200 million using our platform.
132. Start a trade show producer
133. Start a wedding planner business ($2K/month)
Lia chhabra started Shaadivaale, a wedding planner business, over 4 years ago:
My regards to everyone who’s reading this interview. Thanks, Starter Story for providing the platform where entrepreneurs can share their journeys and ventures openly.
I started it in 2018 as a side business with my job. Initially, I gave my all to this and after 3 years, I can finally say that I have achieved some sort of satisfaction with the work that we’re doing. Many vendors are reliant upon us for work and it makes me so happy when people appreciate our portal after they see results coming in.
134. Become a conference marketing manager
135. Become an event photographer
136. Become an event videographer
Hope Horner started Lemonlight , a film production company, about 8 years ago:
Hello there! My name is Hope Horner, and I’m the co-founder and CEO of Lemonlight, an on-demand video production company that offers brands and agencies access to high-quality affordable video content nationwide.
We’ve built Lemonlight as an entirely self-funded business. We haven’t taken any outside capital since we launched the business in 2014. We’re on track to hit 6M in sales this year and we’ve grown the team to 45 full-time employees. We’ve been recognized in dozens of major publications, and we were awarded in Inc 5000 and Entrepreneur 360 for three years in a row.
137. Start an audio visual technician
138. Start a lighting designer
139. Start a live video service
140. Start a bartending service
141. Start a special event catering business
142. Start a custom baking
143. Start an event DJ
144. Start a photo booth business ($425K/month)
Scott McInnes started TapSnap, a photo booth business, almost 10 years ago:
Hi guys! I’m Scott McInnes, founder of TapSnap, a photo booth company with franchised locations in most major cities in the United States and Canada as well as Sydney, Australia. Our flagship product is our TS-42, an open-air photo booth that features a giant 42-inch touch screen and a high quality DSLR camera for fantastic image quality.
We launched TapSnap in 2012, and within a few years grew to over 100 franchised locations in North America. Our photo booths are used at over 10,000 events every year, for everything from a wedding for a few hours to a multi-day conference, or a 40 city movie premiere.
145. Start a reunion organizer business
146. Start a valet parking service business
147. Start an event furniture and equipment rental
Want to start your own business?
Hey! 👋I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
We interview successful business owners and share the stories behind their business. By sharing these stories, we want to help you get started.
Interested in starting your own business? Join Starter Story Premium to get the greatest companion to starting and growing your business:
- Connect + get advice from successful entrepreneurs
- Step by step guides on how to start and grow
- Exclusive and early access to the best case studies on the web
- And much more!
Did you know that brands using Klaviyo average a 95x ROI?
Email, SMS, and more — Klaviyo brings your marketing all together, fueling growth without burning through time and resources.
Deliver more relevant email and text messages — powered by your data. Klaviyo helps you turn one-time buyers into repeat customers with all the power of an enterprise solution and none of the complexity.
Join Brumate, Beardbrand, and the 265,000 other businesses using Klaviyo to grow their online sales.
