41 Small Town Business Ideas You Can Start in 2023
Are you looking for the best small town business ideas?
Some entrepreneurs may not identify this right away, but launching small town business ideas offers a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs.
Unlike a big city, there is much lower competition and usually a big (and obvious) gap in the market that needs to be filled.
Sure, starting a business in a small town may come with its fair share of challenges, so you must check all the boxes before you go all in:
- Research the town - Understand the community & your target demographic
- Identify your comp set - Identify their strengths, weaknesses, price-point, and what differentiates them from the rest
- Connect with the community - Small towns may be reluctant to change. It's important to connect with the community, have a good reputation and start off on the right foot.
Here's a list of 42 small town business ideas that every small town should have.
1. Start a cleaning service
A housecleaning side business is a beautiful idea for people with free time on weekends or even weekdays. The side hustle idea requires little capital to start. During the launch, you can choose to offer the service to your neighbors and scale as you gain experience. The average salary for a house cleaner is $17.32 per hour.
By starting a house cleaning business, you are tapping into an enormous market with plenty of clientele. There could always be demand for your cleaning service, which keeps you in business as you help homeowners keep their homes spotless.
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 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.
2. Start a real estate business
Are you a qualified architect with a broad range of knowledge in the real estate field? Starting a real estate business can be a profitable venture.
Real estate involves purchasing, selling, managing, or investing in land and buildings.
To become a successful real estate business owner, you must have finely honed visual awareness and a strong understanding of various building materials and structures.
My name is Cory Lewis, and my company is called T. C. Lewis & Co. We are a real estate investment and management firm operating mainly in the Appalachian mountain region of the Southeastern United States. We are a licensed real estate brokerage in multiple states, and that allows us to identify, project, negotiate, and broker deals for our clients for commercial and investment properties. Following the acquisition, we manage the performance of the investment and/or the improvements to the investment through our Property Management and Construction Divisions. We now represent clients from all over the world investing in the Appalachians.
We now have a small corporate office in downtown Asheville, North Carolina supporting regional offices around the Appalachians. The firm has been named to Inc. magazine’s list of the Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies in America (no. 128), seventh fastest growing real estate company in America, named to the Financial Times inaugural 1000 Fastest Growing Businesses in the Americas list, named Best of Property Management for eight years running, named Community Supporter of the Year, been given the Tennessee Small Business Excellence Award, named Builder of the Year, named One of the 10 Best Brokers in Tennessee, and various other recognitions.
3. Start a photo booth business
A photo booth business allows people to take photos during gatherings and events. Typically, photo booth businesses are common at weddings, movie theaters, and other high-traffic locations.
Starting a photo booth business allows you to provide high-quality equipment like cameras, lights, and filters to your customers.
You can employ people to put up the photobooths at events and pay them a percentage of your income based on the events they cover.
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.
4. Start a handmade goods business
A handmade craft business entails selling own-crafted products on online platforms like Alibaba, Etsy, an independent website, or social media.
To succeed in selling handmade goods, you'll need solid creative skills. Your creativity can help you build a strong brand.
And with online marketplaces, handmade shopping has become a popular trend.
In recent years, consumers worldwide have shown their support of independent businesses and entrepreneurs, especially those venturing into the handmade goods business.
I am Sunny Choudhary, a 24-year-old co-founder of PortraitFlip with a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai.
We make sure to choose the best artists across the world so that there are no doubts in the hearts of our customers.
5. Start a men's clothing line
Men’s fashion is an increasingly popular niche. Market research has revealed that the growth of the menswear market has outpaced that of the women’s market.
The market growth is likely credited to a cultural shift as more men focus on their appearances than before.
If you want to start a men-focused fashion line, 2023 presents the best opportunity. Men’s wear offers a wide variety of products, which increases the growth potential. To start a men’s clothing line, start by thinking about your clothing brand's identity.
Then, identify the target market and understand what the customers want. The success of your men’s clothing brand depends on your marketing strategy.
You can reach a wider market with a mix of online and traditional marketing strategies.
My name is Valentin Ozich. I'm the Founder and Creative Director of the men's premium streetwear brand; I Love Ugly.
Despite a few setbacks along the way and despite my lack of skills when I first started out, I believe we are back on the path to hit that goal and are proof that with a bold dream, ambition and hard work anybody has the potential to turn an idea that began out of your bedroom into a multi-million dollar business.
6. Start a hair salon
Hair salons offer a wide range of beauty services including hair-cutting, waxing, nail treatment, massages, and complementary care such as aromatherapy.
With the increased demand for high fashion beauty services, starting a hair salon could be a profitable venture.
To start a hair salon, you need a strong business plan and find a niche that attracts a local client base. To succeed, hire knowledgeable and experienced employees, and encourage them to maintain a good customer service culture,
7. Start a bicycle company
A surge in exercise and heightened anxiety over public transportation during the Covid-19 pandemic are reasons more people have embraced biking.
Apart from being a form of exercise, using bicycles is also good for the environment as there are no emissions.
Therefore, starting a bicycle company can be a profitable venture. Research the market and choose a niche. Then, register your brand and focus on the production of high-quality bicycles.
My name is Mehdi Farsi, I'm the co-founder of State Bicycle Co. in Tempe Arizona. We specialize in great-looking, great riding bicycles, parts, and accessories that are both attractive and affordable.
We sell our own brand of bikes, clothing, and accessories, as well as a handful of curated complimentary products directly on our website and through over 400 bike shops worldwide. The business has grown to over $50m+ in annual sales and we’ve produced over 100,000 bikes.
8. Start a food delivery business
In today’s busy lifestyles and schedules, cooking is no longer a priority to many. People like to order-in food from their nearest restaurants or food joints and enjoy a meal in the comfort of their homes.
The food delivery business is like a courier service through which restaurants deliver food to their customers.
You can offer retail food delivery services to restaurants within your locality if you have a truck. Customers order through a restaurant or grocer’s website, and the owners contact you to deliver.
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.
9. Start a coffee roasting business
A coffee roasting business roasts green coffee beans to various roast levels. Recent market research has shown that the global coffee roaster market is increasing at a CAGR of 4.24% for the next six years.
Therefore, launching your coffee roasting business in 2023 can be profitable. Coffee roasters use large machinery, including a roaster and grinder, to turn the beans into a finished product.
To start a coffee roasting business, research the market and find who else is roasting in your target area.
Then, find out where coffee sellers in your area are getting their supplies. You also need to know how many coffee shops are in your area.
Then, decide if you want to sell the coffee to individuals or to a coffee shop. Alternatively, you can sell the coffee in your coffee shop or deliver it to elite lodging establishments and restaurants.
My name is Raimonds Zadvornovs, and, along with my partner Gatis Zēmanis, we run Kalve Coffee Roasters - a coffee roasting company based in Riga, Latvia. Our main operation is simple - we buy high-quality green coffee, then skilfully roast it, and afterward sell it, but obviously, the business involves a lot more than that.
This is why these days we call ourselves a coffee service company - our main task has not changed, but we’re continuously expanding our work and growing along with the company. Our big public launch was in February 2019 with just the two of us and roasting at 5% of our production capacity. As of this day, we’re a team of 13 people and roasting at 70% of our maximum production capacity.
10. Start a meal prep business
A meal preparation business is a service that delivers prepared meals to its clients in the comfort of their own homes. The meal preparation business is a fast-emerging niche that offers a real opportunity to earn good money. To succeed, the starter must be efficient in the meal preparation and ensure proper communication skills. Besides, the entrepreneur must keep time when it comes to delivery to avoid customer disappointment.
A global survey shows that demand for food delivery service is on the rise. This is as people get busier with their careers and other more important tasks, leaving limited time to prepare meals and bond with friends.
Therefore, starting a meal preparation business can be a great way to earn extra monies.
When we first started, we sold around 200 bowls each week. We currently sell around 10,000 bowls each month. Most companies like this start the same way, cooking from their primary residence for family and friends. We were no exception. But as we continued to grow, we spent time and money to work out of rentable commercial kitchens until we were able to afford our own.
11. Start a brewery
If well-planned, a brewery can be a profitable business. However, starting a brewery is not a walk in the park.
Opening a brewery requires a lot of planning, involves many decisions, and is capital intensive.
If you have decided to start a brewery, you must comply with the legal requirements. Then, understand the startup costs involved in starting a brewery.
Your brewery business plan must indicate the brewery concept and outline the brewery funding plans.
My name is Diego Benitez and I run Progress Brewing (http://progress-brewing.com) Progress brews and sells craft beer in a wide variety of styles exclusively at its tasting room in the city of South El Monte, approximately 12 miles East of Downtown Los Angeles.
12. Start an eBikes business
An electric bike has an electric motor to assist the rider while pedaling. Market data shows that the annual Ebike sales crossed more than 880,000 Ebikes.
Besides providing benefits for body health and fitness, e-bikes have become the best for reducing urban traffic, especially in cities where it isn’t an effective public transportation business.
Ebikes market demand is higher among millennials who prefer riding for health benefits and because riding Ebikes enables them flexibility in choosing routes.
Therefore, starting an Ebikes business in 2023 can be a great business decision.
Hello! My name is Stephan Aarstol. I'm the CEO of Tower Electric Bikes.
In October of 2019, Tower was named one of the "Top 20 Shark Tank Products of All Time" in USA Today. We've done over $36 million in sales since getting a $150,000 investment from Mark Cuban in 2012.
13. Start an online t-shirt business
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.
14. Start a skin care product line
The skincare business is a multi-billion dollar one, and it shows no sign of slowing down. New anti-aging products are entering the market at a nearly exponential rate, and the competition for consumers' money is growing more and more.
The industry was valued at 130 billion USD in 2021 and will expand at an annual growth rate of 4.6% up to 2030. This is surely a type of business that you should not miss. You'll need to build your creativity on your products and make sure that it is all safe and useful in improving the skin of your customers.
Oh My Balm was founded two years ago and we make kitchen-crafted all-natural body products. Our tagline is “Two Mom’s Making it Real.”
We promote them through our marketing, as they work on several different projects that create a life of prosperity for African women and their families. You can find more about them here. The other charity that is close to our hearts is Behind The Scenes, which provides financial support to entertainment technology industry professionals if they, or their immediate dependent family, are seriously ill or injured. We make a body butter, “Crew,” and we give a portion of the proceeds of every tin sold to BTS. This got us mention in several entertainment industry magazines.
15. Start a maid service software
Consumer demand for maid service is increasing at a significant rate. Experts attribute the increase in demand to the growing number of households and increasing disposable income.
High demand has created multiple opportunities, including starting a maid service software.
If you are interested in technology-based business opportunities, you can build a maid service software that connects customers to available domestic workers.
You do not need to be a programmer to build maid service software. You can hire programmers through online freelancing platforms like Upwork or purchase a ready-made service and tweak it to suit your business model.
Hi, my name is Amar Ghose. I’m the CEO/co-founder of ZenMaid. Our software makes it easy for growing maid services to manage their cleaners, clients, and schedules in one easy to use software.
While we might have started off slow (both my co-founder and I worked full time for over 2 years after starting ZenMaid) we now make more than half a million dollars a year helping maid service owners to achieve the freedom in their lives and businesses that we have (I’m currently writing this from Canggu in Indonesia!)
16. Start a junk removal business
Households and businesses need help hauling away broken furniture, clearing out trash, and even emptying properties during a foreclosure. Therefore, the demand for junk removal services is high. Starting a junk removal business can be profitable if you own a box truck and are looking for self-employment opportunities.
To begin, perform market research in your area, and apply for the necessary regulatory permits or licenses. Build a website and market your services.
My name is Sam Evans. I am 23 years old and a recent graduate from Penn State Altoona. I am the founder of You Call We Haul Junk Removal, a junk removal company that removes anything from single items to hoarder home cleanouts. We’re located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and have been in business (part-time) since May of 2016.
Our main customers are middle-aged and up adults, typically with a higher income that do not want to or are unable to do the work themselves. We complete over 75 jobs per month, bring in about $20,000 in revenue per month profiting about 65% per job.
17. Start a taxi cab company
Tax services provide an essential service, including 24-hour availability and preparedness to offer transportation. The taxi cab business is earning huge profits, given the growing urban population.
To start a good taxi service, conduct market research and analysis so you understand your competition and define your unique selling proposition. Before starting the tax business, ensure you have a valid driver's license and an insurance policy.
My name is Albert Williams. I am the President and CEO of The Best Deal Group of Companies. located in the Boogie Down Bronx. Best Deal is a transportation company, who specializes in local community transportation, Corporate Transportation as well as Non Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT).
Below is a picture of our cars gathered to pick up 30+ passengers for one of corporate accounts
18. Start a food tour company
The food tour business involves guiding travelers through a tour of food from various restaurants and cities. Food tours are a unique avenue for foodie travelers who want to explore the cities they are visiting. The good thing about starting a food tour business is you have different niches to choose from. Besides, you can concentrate on a particular location and define your work schedule.
Food tour businesses make money by introducing discerning customers to unique restaurants, vineyards, and breweries for a fee. Alternatively, the food tour company can earn commission from the restaurants they refer customers to, based on a pre-arrangement.
Hi, I’m Jessica Baumgart, and in 2017 I founded Delicious Denver Food Tours to connect Denver locals and visitors to my city’s amazing food scene.
When I first launched the business, I was guiding every food tour myself. By month three, I had broken even and was turning a profit. This was also when I started hiring my first tour guide. Now 1.5 years into running the business, I manage a team of tour guides, and the business is producing $20,000/month in revenue.
19. Start a lighting store
The lighting fixtures market will reach a CAGR of 5.4% over the next few years. The massive demand for modern lighting fixtures will fuel the market growth as consumers look to optimize power consumption and save more on utility bills.
Thus, starting an interior and exterior lighting fixtures store can be a profitable business venture. If you are passionate about supplying lighting fixtures, consider setting up a brick-and-mortar shop in your neighborhood.
If you already have an online store that is doing well, you can target the areas with a high demand for lighting fixtures and open a physical store there.
I’m Nick Griffiths. For 25 years I was a freelance journalist in London; now I run Any Old Lights, selling vintage nautical and industrial lighting, online and from a shop by the sea in Cornwall, UK. You never quite know where life will take you!
Any Old Lights has won awards along the way and keeps growing in popularity, selling worldwide to anyone from high-street giants and celebrity bars to Middle Eastern hotel groups, turning over last year £250,000.
20. Start an axe throwing business
Throwing axes is a great way to relieve stress, bond with friends and coworkers, and even make some money.
Axe throwing is a new and exciting activity that is growing in popularity, especially for corporate or business events.
Hi there! My name is James and three years ago I started an axe throwing venue called Forged Axe Throwing. We teach people how to throw axes and then run amazing tournaments with everyone. Many of our clients are visitors to the area as we’re in a resort town, but we also have a locals league and get lots of local businesses coming to us for events.
This was our team early on, we’ve since expanded to about 22 staff members.
21. Start a ski touring gear
Ski touring is a type of skiing that occurs in the backcountry in unmarked or unpatrolled areas. The essential ski touring gear includes touring skis, touring bindings, climbing skins, telescopic touring poles, and touring ski boots.
Are you interested in selling sports gear? Starting a ski touring gear business could be your right decision today. You can buy the ski touring gear in bulky and open a brick-and-mortar shop or online ski touring gear shop.
Hagan makes ski mountaineering gear—exclusively. We focus without distraction on alpine ski touring. We don’t make downhill skis, clothing, hiking boots, or running shoes.
Our focus on high-performance ski mountaineering gear is recognized and appreciated by devoted backcountry skiers and has 50% annual growth in recent years. Hagan is Pure Ski Mountaineering.
22. Start a food tour company
The food tour business involves guiding travelers through a tour of food from various restaurants and cities. Food tours are a unique avenue for foodie travelers who want to explore the cities they are visiting. The good thing about starting a food tour business is you have different niches to choose from. Besides, you can concentrate on a particular location and define your work schedule.
Food tour businesses make money by introducing discerning customers to unique restaurants, vineyards, and breweries for a fee. Alternatively, the food tour company can earn commission from the restaurants they refer customers to, based on a pre-arrangement.
Hi, I’m Jessica Baumgart, and in 2017 I founded Delicious Denver Food Tours to connect Denver locals and visitors to my city’s amazing food scene.
When I first launched the business, I was guiding every food tour myself. By month three, I had broken even and was turning a profit. This was also when I started hiring my first tour guide. Now 1.5 years into running the business, I manage a team of tour guides, and the business is producing $20,000/month in revenue.
23. Start a boutique
You may consider opening a boutique if you are passionate about the fashion and textile industry.
A boutique is a shop that sells clothes. Opening a boutique is a dream for entrepreneurs who want to experience the joy and freedom of owning a cash business. Starting a boutique is easy and can be managed by a single individual. In addition, a boutique requires a comparatively smaller capital to start.
To succeed, the boutique owner must coming creativity and passion.
Hi everyone, my name is Gia, and I am the owner of Boutique Rye. We are a women’s clothing and accessories boutique that is all online!
We have anywhere from clothes that are appropriate for work or clothes that will make you turn heads on a night out on the town. I try and buy clothes with many different styles in mind. I'd like to think that we are a one-stop shop for a diverse group of women!
24. Start a bridal accessories store
Bridal accessories are a great way to help you complete your wedding day look. Bridal accessories are something similar that surrounds weddings in our society. Bridal accessories are all the rage nowadays. These pretty things create the perfect set of accessories for the bridal.
The Bridal Wear market in the USA is estimated at $26B in 2020.
A bridal accessories store can provide you with high income and the ability to hire. Bridal occasions are exceptional and endure several phases. You could start a bridal accessories business with access to millions of customers from the first introduction until they get married.
Hello! My name is Vivian and I’m one of the co-founders of East Meets Dress. We’re the first modern fashion company to bring Asian-American representation and inclusion to the traditional wedding industry by combining contemporary cultural designs, quality craftsmanship, and a dedicated customer experience.
East Meets Dress has been entirely bootstrapped from Day 1 (we got started with less than $100 over a weekend). Neither my co-founder nor I had any prior experience in fashion or entrepreneurship, but through a lot of hard work, hustle, and trial and error, we've been able to grow our team and company to a 6-figure annual recurring revenue ($25k/month) in one year and help hundreds of brides across the world celebrate their heritage in style.
25. Start a personalized gift business
Personalized gifts are great for celebrating important dates, joyous occasions, and memorable moments. The personalized gifts include photo frames, key chains, to group gifts.
A personalized gifts business is a low-capital idea since you do not need a physical storefront or office space to start the business. Besides, you can put as much time into the business as possible, which means you can run the business as a side hustle.
Check out our guide on how to start a personalized gift business
Hello Stater Story readers! My name is Dmitriy Peregudov, I am a founder of GiftBasketsOverseas.com, a company offering global gift delivery in 200+ countries Worldwide.
Our company’s purpose is to help people build personal and business relationships Worldwide, one gift at a time and since the launch, we had a pleasure to connect more than 2 million people Internationally in more than 200 countries.
26. Start a candle business
The candle industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world.
Candle making was one of the first industries to be industrialized, and now up to 90% of all candles are made by machinery. Yet most of us still make our own candles from home, creating a demand for handcrafted, high-quality candles from candle manufacturers even in today's automated world.
A candle business is a worthwhile idea for an entrepreneur who wants to make some extra money in their free time from the comfort of their own home. There are many opportunities for this type of business if you consider it seriously.
Hello! My name is D’Shawn Russell and I am the founder and CEO of Southern Elegance Candle Company. I started the company 4 years ago as a side hustle to make some extra money on the weekends and to get me out of the house. But it quickly grew to much more than I expected.
You can check out our brand story video here: Southern Elegance: Candles Crafted In The South
27. Open an ice cream parlour
Ice cream is something that people of all ages equally enjoy globally, making it a profitable business to venture into.
This frozen dessert industry has registered massive growth in recent years, a trend that shows the industry’s potential.
If you are looking to start your ice cream business, follow these steps:
- Decide whether to make your ice cream or to source from established ice cream brands
- Write an effective business plan for the ice cream shop detailing the goals, strategies, and plans
- Fund your business idea
- Choose a spacious shop in an area with plenty of foot traffic
- Offer different ice cream flavors
Opening an ice cream parlor is not easy work. However, if you do it right, it is rewarding and can be a lot of fun.
Hello! My name is Stephen Layton and I am one of the founding members of The Good Scoop located in the greater Sacramento region. We make all of our own ice cream in house using fresh local and all-natural ingredients.
Some of our best selling and most popular flavors include our banana, rosewater, lavender, and salted cookies and cream. We use fresh seasonally available ingredients, so we use peaches in the summertime and apples in the fall. Some of our more interesting flavors include horchata, honey wasabi, peppermint bark, and olive oil.
28. Start a tutoring business
Starting a tutoring side hustle is a great way for teachers and students to earn extra monthly income. If you are considering becoming a tutor, find an ideal tutoring niche, and craft a tutoring website. Then, find your tutoring clients and market your side hustle online. You can choose to offer online tutoring as a part-time or full-time engagement.
Hey everyone! My name is Adam Shlomi and I am a 22-year-old senior at Georgetown University from South Florida. I am the founder of SoFlo SAT Tutoring, an online SAT/ACT tutoring company that provides exceptional test prep to students across the country. I started this business in my bedroom almost a year ago while I was recovering from ankle surgery. I couldn’t walk for 6 months and SoFlo gave me the motivation to get up in the morning.
SoFlo currently brings in average revenue of $15,000 a month and has seen a linear increase in student sign-ups each month since its official inception in March 2019. Since our customer lifetime is short –our students study for and take the SAT, get the score they want, and then no longer require our services– we invest in and rely heavily on the quality of the service we provide to attract future customers. Happy customers and significant score increases have helped spread the word and grow the brand.
29. Start a delivery service
Delivery service refers to a collection of services that deliver goods and products through the land, air, or waterways across locations. The delivery services serve B2B, B2C, and C2C customers.
The growing e-commerce sect and increased cross-border trade are some factors driving the growth of delivery services. Furthermore, consumer preference for online shopping has greatly contributed to the increased demand for delivery services.
To start a delivery service, make sure you have a cargo van, a fully functional website, and meet all the legalities for operating a business in your state.
My name is Ben Elizer, and I am the Founder and President of Velocity International Group, a full-scale logistics company, offering SameDay delivery, Expediting, Distribution, Fulfillment, andmany Warehousing Services. We offer to consult and some other services as well to help our customers succeed in an ultra-competitive environment. Velocity started with 2 vans and many faces to face conversations. We now have 10+ vehicles, including trucks, and have grown to 25k+ square feet of warehouse space as well to best serve our customers.
Over the past 2 years, our revenue has grown over 300%, which has completely contributed to the great people and culture we have at Velocity. After having to move out of my apartment (because I put everything financially I had into this company), and move back into my mom’s house in my mid 20’s, it was difficult, but just 6 months later we had our first small office and warehouse space. I’m fortunate I had a support system to move back into, or else Velocity might not be here today. The business has grown ever since because of hard work, trust, and relationships. We focus on what is important.
30. Start a food delivery business
In today’s busy lifestyles and schedules, cooking is no longer a priority to many. People like to order-in food from their nearest restaurants or food joints and enjoy a meal in the comfort of their homes.
The food delivery business is like a courier service through which restaurants deliver food to their customers.
You can offer retail food delivery services to restaurants within your locality if you have a truck. Customers order through a restaurant or grocer’s website, and the owners contact you to deliver.
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.
31. Start a mobile karaoke experience
Karaoke service has become popular in urban places. Karaoke is fun for people because it allows them to socialize with friends, relieve stress while they perform a song they love, and it is also a way to let go of boredom.
Starting a mobile karaoke service in your home city or town can be fun and a way to earn extra money.
Identify a strategic location for your performances to start a mobile karaoke service. You can take the mobile karaoke to bars or restaurants or market your service to event planners and party organizers.
Compared to other entertainment-related services, mobile karaoke is one of the easiest to start and takes less time to move. All you need is to invest in a professional-level karaoke system which includes a karaoke machine, microphones, and speakers.
We are Kelli Bielema & Vanessa Resler and we run The AirScream, a mobile karaoke lounge in a vintage Airstream located in Seattle, WA. The AirScream is an experience like no other where we bring the trailer to your special event, park it & let the party ignite! Our customers are marketing and brand specialists who want a unique activation at their events that bring people together. We also work with event planners who plan corporate parties as well as private social celebrations like birthday parties and weddings.
We are new to the market and are slowly scaling up as we get comfortable with our processes so we can perfect everything before we debut to the public. Currently, we are operating focus groups with event planners & vendors, our friends & family and with upcoming pop-up events at select locations where we truly will experience The AirScream in the wild.
32. Start a boutique
You may consider opening a boutique if you are passionate about the fashion and textile industry.
A boutique is a shop that sells clothes. Opening a boutique is a dream for entrepreneurs who want to experience the joy and freedom of owning a cash business. Starting a boutique is easy and can be managed by a single individual. In addition, a boutique requires a comparatively smaller capital to start.
To succeed, the boutique owner must coming creativity and passion.
Hi everyone, my name is Gia, and I am the owner of Boutique Rye. We are a women’s clothing and accessories boutique that is all online!
We have anywhere from clothes that are appropriate for work or clothes that will make you turn heads on a night out on the town. I try and buy clothes with many different styles in mind. I'd like to think that we are a one-stop shop for a diverse group of women!
33. Start a gardening tools company
Gardening has been touted as a relaxational activity that provides excellent personal rewards and a source of income to commercial gardeners. Whether commercial or just farming for fun, gardeners prefer to use innovative tools to help them tend their gardens.
Therefore, starting a gardening tools business can be a lucrative opportunity. You can either start selling gardening tools or offer them to gardeners on lease terms.
My name is Nate Lipton and I’m one of the founders of a group of related companies in the cannabis and hemp industries.
We now have made it to the point where GrowersHouse.com is the largest e-commerce store in our niche, with one of the most popular YouTube series about cannabis cultivation. The cannabis and hemp industries are taking off, and I can’t think of a more interesting industry to be in on the ground floor.
34. Start a dirt bike business
The dirt bike is lightweight and rugged, handling rough terrain and other tricks. The dirt bikes have special tires and stiff suspensions to help riders overcome the roughest terrains.
Dirty bikes have become popular in town. Participation in urban dirty bike races has also increased over the years.
Starting a dirty bike business can be fun and rewarding if you love dirty bike racing. You can buy and sell used, dirty bikes or start a dirty bike leasing business.
Hi, I’m Stephen and I am the founder and owner of Micro Bikes UK, an e-commerce store that specializes in kids quad bikes (4 wheelers) dirt bikes, scooters and ride on toys.
We are on track to hit six figures in revenue for this financial year and we dropship 90% of our products.
35. Start a Greeting Cards Business
People use greeting cards to mark births, deaths, graduations, anniversaries, and other parties or events. If you love helping people celebrate special occasions, starting a greeting card business can be a great business opportunity.
When starting a greeting card business, choose a potential niche and write a business plan. Then, find an ideal spot to sell the greeting cards. For instance, you can offer greeting card design and posting services, so customers can choose the best designs and post greeting cards online.
I am Travis Peterson and started Joker Greeting. We make original prank gifts and prank non-gifts for friends, family, and offices. It all started with a non-stop musical greeting card that looped for 3-6 hours.
For 2.5 years, I have been working on making musical greeting cards interesting again. To be clear, I never intended on making a greeting card or joke company, but we launched on Kickstarter and raised $92,073 in 30 days with no marketing, so I decided to give it a shot.
36. Start a Backyard Plant Nursery
Do you have a gardening hobby and want to turn your passion into a profitable business with a minimum entry barrier?
Starting a backyard plant nursery is relatively easy, and the financial benefits can be rewarding. The secret to maximizing your profitability is specializing in plants that are in high demand, like vegetables and flowers.
To start, you can visit the nearby retail nurseries for seedlings and see what they stock and retail. To keep the startup cost low, consider using locally available materials.
My name is Debbie Odom and I am a horticulturist and the co-founder of Camelliashop.com.
37. Start a natural beauty product business
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.
38. Start a stationery business
A stationery business sells stationery products such as paper goods, notebooks, greeting cards, and envelopes.
The best part about starting a stationery business is that it's relatively easy and inexpensive to get started.
Since there are so many different types of products available in this industry, there are endless opportunities for creativity, customization, and expansion.
You could even start out small by selling your products on Etsy or eBay before opening up an actual storefront.
Hi, I’m Jess. I’m 34 years old from Tasmania, Australia. I started Chasing Planner Peace back in 2015 when I was pregnant with my third child. Originally we were based on Etsy and only sold planner inserts, however, we’ve now turned into a one-stop planner shop that caters to seasoned “planner addicts” who want to add to their planners, and also planner newbies who love the fact our shop is the only store in Australia you can custom build your own ring planner style planner.
Over the past few years, we’ve really expanded our range to not only offer planners and inserts, but also planner dashboards (beautiful cover pages), dividers, notepads, stationery items and more. We also recently started our subscription box service where every two months customers can receive a “Planner Peace Box” which is full of planner and self-care goodies. We have so many more plans for new products in 2020.
39. Start a tour company
Starting a tour company is a great way to bring your love of travel to life. You can share your passion with others and help make their dream vacations come true!
There are many types of tour businesses, so choosing something you are passionate about and knowledgeable about is best. Here are a few of the most popular tour companies to start:
- Food & Drink Tours
- Adventure & Sporting Tours
- Sightseeing & Historical Tours
- Shopping Tours
- and many more!
It’s also essential to determine what mode of transportation you want for your tour company, as this will determine the initial startup costs needed for your company.
To get started, find out if you need a license to operate in your state. Some states require tour companies to be licensed, while others do not. If you are required to be licensed, talk with the licensing agency to find out what steps must be taken before you can apply for that license.
Hi, I’m Jessica Baumgart, and in 2017 I founded Delicious Denver Food Tours to connect Denver locals and visitors to my city’s amazing food scene.
When I first launched the business, I was guiding every food tour myself. By month three, I had broken even and was turning a profit. This was also when I started hiring my first tour guide. Now 1.5 years into running the business, I manage a team of tour guides, and the business is producing $20,000/month in revenue.
40. Start a phone case business
With the number of mobile phone users increasing, there are opportunities for accessory makers such as phone case manufacturers to make a profit. Building a business around making and selling phone cases is relatively easier to produce. You can print labels on-demand, starting with a lower risk, or buy them in bulk and sell them online.
The global mobile phone protective cover market is expected to reach 75.62 billion in the next few years.
Phone protective covers often make a statement and reflect a person’s social and cultural preferences. Phone case manufacturers take advantage of such considerations and keep their products relevant and up-to-date to attract a more extensive customer base.
Remember, as with any industry with a low entry barrier, there will be competition. Therefore, you must study customers’ tastes and preferences and offer customized phone cases.
Hi, I’m Andrew Moore, the founder, and designer at Felony Case, a Toronto based company designing unique iPhone cases. I founded Felony Case in 2012, and since then we’ve created several flagship iPhone case designs.
41. Become a nutritionist
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.
Conclusion
There you have it - 42 business ideas that you can start in your small town today.
If you'd like to read our step-by-step guide on how to validate your business idea, check it out here
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
Get our 5-minute email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Collect and analyze feedback with Delighted, the self-serve experience management platform of choice for thousands of the world’s top brands.
Choose from 8 ready-made survey templates including: Net Promoter Score, Product Market Fit, Smileys, Thumbs Up/Down, 5 Stars, and more.
And 5 survey delivery methods: email, web, link, kiosk, and iOS.
Sign up now and start collecting feedback for free.
"An amazing network of founders that truly want to help each other grow their business."