13 Profitable Sharing Economy Business Ideas
Would you like to start your own sharing economy business or earn money on the side, but still need to find the right business idea?
There will be countless exciting business ideas again in 2021. While it sounds exciting to start your own business, it's important that you run with the right idea.
Your goal should be to build a business in a niche that is not only profitable but can also ensure your long-term success.
Hopefully, all of the sharing economy business ideas listed here will give you inspiration and a head start for the 2021 year.
Here they are:
1. Start an office equipment rental
Examples of a successful office equipment rental:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a office equipment rental:
- Ie11 - Starting An Equipment Rental Startup W/ Rentmi , Inventing Entrepreneurs Episode 11
- #61 Equipment Rental Tips To Make Your Life Easier
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Rental Ledger Book: A Rental Income Expense
- Property Management Start-Up Business Book: How To Start & Finance A Rental Property Real Estate Investing Business: Brian Mahoney
Learn more about starting an office equipment rental ➜
Hi, I’m Alan Crowe, a native of Atlanta, and I launched a coworking space in 2020 called Room2work. If you have heard the term coworking, it's likely due to the woes of coworking behemoth WeWork, or you belong to a local shared office space.
Our revenue streams are also getting tested and refined. As of today, we’re generating $14K a month, but as coworking recovers from the pandemic, that number will level out at $20K to $22K/ month with one employee.
2. Start a jewelry rental business
Examples of a successful jewelry rental business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a jewelry rental business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start A Home-Based Jewelry Making Business: *Turn Your Passion Into Profit *Develop A Smart Business Plan *Set Market-Appropriate Prices On The Internet (Home-Based Business Series)
- Sell Your Jewelry: How to Start a Jewelry Business and Make Money Selling Jewelry at Boutiques, Fairs, Trunk Shows, and Etsy.
Learn more about starting a jewelry rental business ➜
3. Start a car rental business
Examples of a successful car rental business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a car rental business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start Your Own Car Rental Business With Just One Car
- Start Your Own Senior Transportation Business: Craig Wallin
Learn more about starting a car rental business ➜
We are Taylor Hood and Gretchen Bayless, founders of ROAMERICA. A company that specializes in adventure vehicles, including 4wd campervans.
4. Start an apartment rental business
Examples of a successful apartment rental business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a apartment rental business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Property Management Start-Up Business Book: How To Start & Finance A Rental Property Real Estate Investing Business: Brian Mahoney
- Rental Property Management How To Start A Property Management Business: Commercial Property Management & Residential Property Management
Learn more about starting an apartment rental business ➜
5. Start a vacation rentals business ($150K/year)
Examples of a successful vacation rentals business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a vacation rentals business:
- Starting A Vacation Rental (What To Focus On In Year One)
- Starting A Vacation Rental | How We Went From Zero To Fully Booked
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Vacation Rental Book: A Step-By-Step Guide
- Vacation Rental Success: Insider Secrets To Profitably Own, Market, And Manage Vacation Rental Property: Joel Rasmussen
Learn more about starting a vacation rentals business ➜
My name is Julio Sanchez, and together with my wife Alison we are the proud owners at Cardiff Vacations. We own three beautiful vacation rentals in Cardiff by-the-Sea, California. The Penthouse, the Parkhouse, and the Seacottage have been in the family for quite some time. Alison’s parents have built the duplex, what is now the Parkhouse and Penthouse when they moved here as a young family back in 1978 and this is the home where Alison grew up.
Each year we welcome around 3k people. Only 2020 has been a bit slower on business due to the pandemic restrictions. Hopefully, next year will bring us some good news and business will be closer to normal.
6. Start a camp space sharing business
Examples of a successful camp space sharing business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a camp space sharing business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Starting A Business All-In-One For Dummies
- Mind Your Business: A Workbook to Grow Your Creative Passion Into a Full-time Gig: Ilana Griffo
Learn more about starting a camp space sharing business ➜
7. Start an event venue sharing business
Examples of a successful event venue sharing business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a event venue sharing business:
- How To Start And Operate An Event Venue With Bonnie Hawthorne (Atlanta, Georgia)
- How To Start A Event Venue Business
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start Your Own Event Planning Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Success (StartUp Series)
- Launch A Wedding Venue Business On Your Property: A Guide To Help You Get Started: Teri Denison
Learn more about starting an event venue sharing business ➜
8. Start a co-working space rental business ($3.6M/year)
Examples of a successful co-working space rental business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a co-working space rental business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Social Media Marketing Workbook (2021): How to Use Social Media for Business (2021 Social Media Marketing 1): Jason McDonald
- Progressive Business Plan For A Coworking Desk Space Rental Company: A Targeted, Fill-In-The-Blank Template With A Comprehensive Marketing Plan
Learn more about starting a co-working space rental business ➜
I’m Lucas Seyhun. I’m the founder of one of the earliest New York City coworking spaces, The Farm Soho, established in 2014. Unlike most of our competitors (don’t want to give any names), we adopted the affordable workspace model which became our fuel both before and during the pandemic.
Now we cater to all these as well as established businesses discovering the agility and cost-effectiveness of flexible office space rental as opposed to conventional long leases; and also to event organizers in need of unique spaces backed up by expert support.
9. Start a car sharing service
Examples of a successful car sharing service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a car sharing service:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start Your Own Transportation Service: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Success (StartUp Series): Cheryl Kimball
- The Rideshare Guide: Everything You Need To Know About Driving For Uber, Lyft, And Other Ridesharing Companies
Learn more about starting a car sharing service ➜
- Giovanni Smith, Kendell Johnson, and Preston Martelly co-founded Subskryb, a luxury vehicle subscription service.
- Through Subskryb, car owners can list their high-end cars while renters can choose from the listed cars and book them daily, weekly, or monthly.
- This subscription-based car-sharing & car rental company leverages technology to revolutionize personal mobility while building a VAAS (Vehicle-As-A-Service) model with car owners and renters.
Watch the full interview on youtube.com ➜
10. Start a crowdfunding platform ($2.43M/year)
Examples of a successful crowdfunding platform:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a crowdfunding platform:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Crowdfunding Myth: Legally And Effectively Raising Money For Your Business
- The Ultimate Guide To Nonprofit Fundraising
Learn more about starting a crowdfunding platform ➜
My name is Howard Marks. I am the co-founder and CEO at StartEngine, a leading equity crowdfunding platform that allows everyday people to invest in startups and entrepreneurs to raise capital from the crowd.
StartEngine has helped more than 265 companies raise capital from a community of over 190,000 users on our platform. Those companies have raised close to $100M and include every type of business from electric bikes and solar panels to movies and open source voice assistants.
11. Start a storage rental business
Examples of a successful storage rental business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a storage rental business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Creating Wealth Through Self Storage: One Man's Journey Into The World Of Self-Storage
- How To Invest In Self-Storage
Learn more about starting a storage rental business ➜
12. Start a sporting goods rental
Examples of a successful sporting goods rental:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a sporting goods rental:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start A Sporting Goods Store: Spink, J. G. Taylor
- How To Start A Sporting Goods Store Business: Lewis & Renn
Learn more about starting a sporting goods rental ➜
I’m Zack Johnson, and I run ggCircuit,which provides premium software, services, and support for esports arenas around the world.
UC Irvine Esports Arena - One of our first university customers in 2016
13. Start a ridesharing company
Examples of a successful ridesharing company:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a ridesharing company:
- What's It Take To Start A Rideshare Company?
- Do It Yourself - How To Create A Successful Uber Type Ride Sharing Company In 30 Days! By Andy Tryba
For further info, check out these books and products:
Learn more about starting a ridesharing company ➜
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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