51 Tropical Island Business Ideas You Can Start Today [2023]
Interested in starting a tropical islands business in 2023?
We put together 51 of the best tropical island business ideas you can start in today.
For each island business idea, we’ll show you real-world examples of other tropical islands businesses to help you see what it really takes.
Here's the full list:
1. Start a tour guide business
Can you offer a native perspective of a town you know well? If yes, starting a tour guide business can be a significant business venture. Tour guides charge tourists per tour and provide visitors with an area with local tour narration and navigation.
To start a tour guide business, choose an area you know, and study its history. Visitors will often ask questions and expect you to answer them. Therefore, you have to be well-versed in the areas you will cover.
You can partner with a tour & travel company or a game park near you and offer the visitor's tour guide services.
In the late 1980s, Darrell and Geoff Manchester established Intrepid as a brand new way of exploring the world.
Intrepid Travel offers more than 1,150 trips on all seven continents that are sustainable and experience-rich.
They didn't set out to build the biggest purpose-led adventure travel brand in the world, but they have done so now, by generating $43 million in annual revenue.
They are the biggest adventure tour operator in the world, operating a network of 26 DMCs and a nonprofit foundation.
Since 2002, their nonprofit organization, The Intrepid Foundation, has raised over AUD 12 million for 135 charities worldwide.
Read the full story on forbes.com ➜
2. Start an airbnb hosting business
Do you have an extra room or an unoccupied house in your home? You can turn that property into a revenue-generating asset by starting an Airbnb listing. Airbnb is one of the world’s largest accommodation platforms. According to experts, Airbnb’s future is undoubtedly bright.
Therefore, starting an Airbnb business can be rewarding. To start, prepare your Airbnb listing and set it up accordingly. To increase bookings, offer the best services, and encourage the guests to leave a positive review.
My name is Gary Fox, and I run HostButlers, an Airbnb concierge service in Dublin, Ireland.
Since we started nearly four years ago, we have hosted over 200,000 people and have been profitable from month 5.
3. Start a surf brand
Tropical islands feature amazing beaches with calm waters and are great for surfing. The fantastic weather and calm waters make the beaches within the tropical islands an attractive destination for surfers.
Therefore, starting a surf brand in the tropical islands can be a profitable business. Alternatives include surfing lessons, surfing boards, and surfing accessories.
I'm Shenglong You, one of the co-founders of Thurso Surf. We make award-winning stand-up paddleboards packages with best-in-class accessories to make every step of your journey to the water easier than ever so you can focus on having fun out there.
Since 2018 when we launched thursosurf.com we have grown rapidly and earned a name as one of the best SUP brands in the highly competitive mid-range market. We've sold thousands of boards in dozens of countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, and the EU. We’ve been named one of the top blogs in the SUP sector and we've seen traffic increase 16X since our first year in operation with sales not far behind. We're still in rapid growth mode and don't plan on slowing down!
4. Start a travel blog
If you are an avid traveler, you will agree there is nothing like arriving on a tropical island. The exotic creatures, clear oceans, palm trees, plenty of water activities, and cool weather are some reasons travelers choose tropical destinations.
Do you live on a tropical island? Or maybe you are a blogger looking for the next idea. How about starting a blog relating to tropical island destinations? You can mention all the fantastic sightseeing sites, water activities, and other fun activities available to travelers.
Hello! My name is Jessica and I am the Content Creator, Blogger, and Influencer of MyCurlyAdventures which inspires people to travel more through finding exciting adventures close to home!
Through Instagram advertising, sponsorships, and affiliate income I’m able to make a living wage. Plus since I’m traveling so much many of my major expenses have been eliminated such as rent, food, clothing, beauty products, and obviously travel! So with everything I also get for trade that I don’t have to directly pay for, my income would be even higher.
5. Start a vacation rentals business
Vacation rentals host travelers for a short period. Often located in top vacation destinations, vacation rentals feature spacious rooms and a cozy lifestyle and are cheaper than booking a hotel.
Building or buying a vacation rental is a smart way of creating a passive income without much involvement in the business.
To make money through the vacation rental business, ensure a strategic location, often nearby attractions. Choose an area that is easily accessible and desirable all year round and create a beautiful space for your guests.
Stand out by optimizing the vacation rental listing online and featuring all available amenities.
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 holiday decorating service
Holiday decorators make the interior and exterior of businesses and homes festive. While the holiday decoration business is seasonal, it is also highly profitable and requires minimal startup investments. You do not need any special training to start the holiday decorating business. However, being creative and having experience in decorating is crucial to running a successful business.
I’m Janeen Brown! Founder and CEO of Balloon Haus LLC. In February 2018, I started Balloon Haus - the first opulent online and in-store Balloon boutique - where lifestyle and decor enter a "luxury" level of design. Our team consists of dedicated and loyal employees in Toronto, Atlanta, Detroit and South Florida destined to create iconic balloon memories to last a lifetime.
7. Rent party & events venue
Businesses use event venues for various purposes, including meetings, tradeshows, conferences, product launches, etc. On the other hand, individuals host birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations at event venues.
According to the latest statistics, the events industry is growing rapidly. Events provide a great marketing tool for businesses, and events are crucial for strengthening relationships.
The demand for event venues increases as individuals and corporates host more events annually. If you have some unused space and are enthusiastic about hosting events, you can start an events rental business.
To start, choose a niche, and market your business. You can focus on corporate events, social and entertainment events, or general venues suitable for any setting and party theme.
Hello, I am Akshay Patel from Albuquerque, NM the land of enchantment. I started an event rental and decor company that led me to an event venue. The View Event Center is a lavish space that is an indoor and outdoor event venue with panoramic city views. Our high-end venue with experienced staff will assist from venue decor to the smallest details entailed in making memories of a lifetime. Simply Decor, Tents, and Events ensures exclusive decor and thrives to bring your event to life through customized, elegant decor for all of their clients.
The full-service company will individually work with every client to design their event that will intrigue every eye in the room. Our company is broad that we get many different types of customers and we make many great connections with them as well. The company was making upwards of $380,000 a year.
8. Start a food truck
Food trucks are a highly profitable business that offers customers a variety of meal options out of a mobile truck. This basically operates inside a large vehicle equipped with kitchen and food products. Starting a food truck is a dream for many people, but it's more challenging than it looks. To make it work, you need the ideal location and menu.
To start a food truck business in a particular city, it is mandatory to check what kind of food trucks are already operating, identify a gap, and bring in some new experiences. Then, with the right plan and the right approach, you can be on your way to starting your own food truck empire.
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 cleaning business
Starting a cleaning business is an excellent opportunity to be your boss and make money doing what you love. This business is relatively easy to create and does not require much equipment or funds.
There are many cleaning services, so deciding what services (or combination of services) you will offer and what hours of the day or week those services will be available is essential.
To start cleaning service, you’ll want to consider investing in professional cleaning equipment such as a vacuum cleaner, a quality mop, and a good cleaning bucket. You will also need to buy environment-friendly cleaning products such as detergent, bleach, paper towels, and trash bags.
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.
10. Start a resort hotels business
A resort provides accommodations and attractions conveniently located on the same premises. An ideal resort business on an island has an excellent prospect since many people love traveling. However, starting a resort can be overwhelming.
To start, ensure you have a solid business plan and scout the area you intend to purchase the property, ensuring it shall be well-positioned. Promote and market your resort to attract tourists.
I am Tom Boyd, Founder, and President of Boyd Hollow Resorts. I have launched 17 businesses in my lifetime. I am presently 82 years old. I have written 3 books, one on the business life of my son who built a billion-dollar company, ran for governor of the state of Tennessee, and now is the President of the University of Tennessee.
This Village, which is unique in every detail, is envisioned to be a 5-star boutique resort and event center specializing in executive retreats, group celebrations, and high-end weddings. This property will be the first of many Villages built around the World based on the high demand that we have seen before opening. Each Village will be designed featuring a character from the book, Bokee’s Trek.
11. Start a language learning app
Language learning apps use different activities and methods to assist users to expand their vocabulary and develop correct linguistic skills and general communication skills. The demand for global language learning apps has recorded a massive rise in the past decade and is expected to rise beyond $21.2 in the next few years.
Therefore, if you love linguistics or you have a passion for building apps that teach people a new language, then the language app business idea is worth diving into.
Here are basic steps to guide you through the journey of building a language learning app:
- Come up with an application concept
- Make a unique business analysis
- Define the feature set and make the requirements list
- Choose the technology stack based on the platform
- Develop the application design
- Create the content
- Develop full application version or MVP of your choice
- User testing
- Market and advertise the application
From the ideation stage to the final stage of your app development, focus on ensuring that your language learning application will have the following features:
- Gamification to encourage learners and bring on the competition
- Break down the courses into small chunks
- Provides learners with timely and relevant tips
- Variety of content and activities
- User-friendly design and interface
- Create a users’ community so they can interact and share tips
- Ensure a simple sign-in
- Regular assessment to test and score learner’s progress
Examples of language learning apps include Duolingo, Memrise, and LinguaLift.
I’m Alex, the co-founder and CEO of Gikken /'gɪk ən/. We made a few apps and browser extensions used by 800,000 people every month. We’re (yet) small, profitable, and based in Europe’s most interesting city—Berlin, Germany.
We’re making around $18,000 a month with it being higher in school months and lower during the summer months. You may ask, “Why so little if you have so many users?” and that’d be a totally valid question that I’m also asking myself. Monetizing our existing user base better is our top 1 priority for the next year.
12. Start a beach wedding company
If you have been aspiring to start a business that relates to weddings, you may consider starting a beach wedding company. Beach weddings have a naturally intimate romantic vibe and can be a perfect fit for couples looking for a unique experience.
Besides, beach weddings can be cheaper since there is not much décor to do and the ceremony and reception take place in the same venue.
My name is Brandon Wheeler, co-founder of Gulf Beach Weddings, a Beach Wedding Services company serving Tampa and Destin, FL.
13. Start a mobile photography
Want to start your own photography business? You're not alone. With the rise of social media and photo-sharing, blogging, and online retailing, it's never been easier to start making money behind your camera.
There are photographers shooting weddings, creating images for ad campaigns, freelancing for magazines, touring the world, taking photographs of destinations — the list is endless!
To start mobile photography , research the target audience and determine which specialization area is more lucrative. Invest in high-quality, professional cameras, lenses, and a computer with professional software photo-editing software.
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.
14. Start a taxi cab business
If you are an experienced driver and know your city well, starting a taxi cab business can be a very lucrative side hustle.
Here are the steps on how to start a taxi cab business.
- Secure your business licenses
- Secure financing and purchasing equipment
- Purchase a commercial insurance
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
15. 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.
16. Start a car rental business
Car rental can be profitable if you are passionate about starting a business in the auto industry. Retail and corporate are the main segments within the car rental industry. Retail car rentals focus on individuals who rent cars for shorter periods, while corporate car rental targets companies that want to transport clients or employees.
If you are starting a car rental business , target airports, hotels, railway stations, commercial offices, and other high-traffic areas.
Market your business, hire employees who will manage the operations and keep records, and purchase business insurance for both cars and employees.
We are Taylor Hood and Gretchen Bayless, founders of ROAMERICA. A company that specializes in adventure vehicles, including 4wd campervans.
17. 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.
18. Start a gaming cafe
A gaming cafe is a place that allows players to rent time on computers and consoles to play video games.
These establishments are more of a 'hangout spot' where gamers can spend hours playing their favorite game, enjoy snacks, and socializing with friends or schoolmates.
The concept has spread around the globe and can now be found in many different countries, including the United States.
Starting a gaming cafe is a fun and rewarding way to make money. You can sell food and drinks, as well as rent out consoles and games for people to play. You can also run tournaments for cash prizes, or host events and parties.
I am Akos Gabossy, CEO and co-founder of the PANIQ ROOM Franchise, a global network of escape rooms with an annual player count of 300,000 and a systemwide revenue of $10 million.
Our company was established in 2014 and PANIQ Room is one of the oldest and most reputable brands in the industry.
19. Start a yoga tutoring business
Research has proven that yoga holds many health benefits. And with more and more people wanting to increase their quality of life, the demand for quality yoga trainers is rising daily. Take advantage of this growing industry and start a yoga business today. There is no doubt that being a yoga teacher is a gratifying job. Some benefits of starting a yoga business are:
- You can start it from your home
- You can explore more
- You have a low-stress way to test the waters
- No significant investment is needed
Here we have all that you need to start an online yoga tutoring business:
- Get your certification
- Pick your specialty
- Pick a name and a logo
- Decide on a marketing and execution plan
20. Become a travel agent
Travel agents offer advice on destinations, plan trips, and itineraries, and make travel arrangements for clients. In addition, travel agents sell transportation, lodging, and admission to entertainment activities.
Starting a travel agency can be fun and rewarding.
To get started, complete relevant tours and travel training, do market research and competitor analysis, then create a website so you can be found by travelers.
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.
21. Start a craft business
If you have artistic passion and the skills to make unique art, consider starting a craft business. Craft businesses make jewelry, clothing design, card making, painting, sculpting, ceramics, among others.
According to research, the global handicraft market size will reach over $1252 billion in the next decade.
Checkout this video for steps to start your craft business.
The best websites to sell your crafts include:
Hi, I’m Theresa the owner of the blog DIY Lifestyle. On my blog, I share dozens of gluten-free, vegan, paleo, raw vegan and healthy recipes, fun crafts & DIYs, helpful life hacks, and travel tips. I started my blog because I was looking for a place to write down useful information to share with people all around the world but it quickly turned into something more.
22. Start a coffee shop
Starting a coffee shop is an exciting and rewarding venture. It's a business that can be started with relatively little capital, and there are many ways to make it profitable. Coffee shops feature a low-cost stock but are profitable businesses.
If you plan to open a coffee shop, you may purchase a franchise, buy an existing business, or start from scratch. Whichever the decision, ensure a strategic location and renovate the space to create an inviting atmosphere. Develop a fantastic offering and begin marketing the business even before you open.
My name is Beth Baxter and I co-founded Camper Cafe, a mobile coffee van business. The idea for our business started with my partner’s love for vintage VW campervans. He had a rusty old shell of a T25 Campervan given to him, that he wanted to convert into a trailer for his motorbikes.
Although we never really thought about this ever becoming more than just a lifestyle business, we found we were turning so much work away from that in 2019 when the company was turning over around £150k from working only 70 days of the year, we decided that I should go full-time to see the potential.
23. Start a laundromat
The first laundromat opened in the United States in 1887. It was invented by the entrepreneur Josephine Cochrane, who was frustrated with having to wash her family’s laundry by hand.
The laundromat is a self-service facility that provides washing and drying machines for personal use. There are many different types of machines available, including coin-operated ones and those that require a card. They also provide various types of detergents and fabric softeners for use with the machines.
A laundromat can make a lot of money if it is in the right location and has the right prices.
I’m Jono Santamaria, the director of Nina’s Laundrette, a laundromat located in Northcote, Australia. I purchased the coin laundry in July 2021; an older gentleman had run the laundromat then, and the shop was dated and only accepted coins.
The most significant impacts that led to this dramatic increase have been investing in our digital presence, upgrading the store’s machines, and creating a new and modern brand. We also added a commercial laundry service which brings in an additional AUD24K per year.
24. Start a swimwear line
Are you interested in a textile business? If you live near a beach, a potential business idea can be swimwear. People wear swimwear when going for an afternoon of water activities. Therefore, starting a swimwear line can be a great business idea if you live near a beach or a swimming pool. Swimwear shops stock men’s and women’s attire.
Hey there I’m Evan Waldenberg, the founder of Junk in your Trunks. Clothing from trash for the wonderful piece of garbage you are. We’re making swim trunks out of recycled plastic bottles.
Up to about $25k/mo but rapidly growing, we just haven’t had the inventory to keep up with demand lately. We’re at a really interesting time because our company was/is still in its infancy and we managed to land an investment from Barstool Sports on a new shark-tank style show they debuted recently called The Big Brain. Gave up a decent amount of equity (the final deal doesn’t look exactly like what was discussed on the show, I’m happy with where we landed but gotta stay 🤐) but it really changed what the future of this business looks like as we’ve given ourselves an opportunity for a lot of awareness in our core market at minimal capital expense (this is exciting but also a risk as Barstool is an extremely polarizing company in the market and hasn’t really executed on these types of partnerships before).
25. Start a hotel booking platform
The explosively popular Airbnb and countless similar services have proven that the market for home and apartment rentals is growing rapidly. As an entrepreneur who loves travel, you see an opportunity to extend this model to hotels. That’s why you start a hotel booking platform where travelers can search for and book accommodations worldwide.
The market size of the online hotel booking platform industry worldwide amounted to nearly $518B in 2020. Starting a hotel booking platform can be so interesting as an idea that can proliferate. It doesn’t require any license, no inventory — only mobile phones, an internet connection, and some motivation to succeed.
Tripadvisor was founded by co-founders Stephen Kaufer, Langley Steinert, Nick Shanny, and Thomas Palka in February 2000. When they first launched Tripadvisor, they emphasized official words from newspapers, guidebooks, or magazines.
Tripadvisor, now the world’s leading travel advice network, assists hundreds of millions of people in becoming better travelers, from planning to booking to traveling.
Travelers use Tripadvisor to get bargains on lodgings, book activities, reserve tables at wonderful restaurants, and discover excellent locations nearby.
Kaufer co-founded TripAdvisor in 2000 to assist tourists worldwide in planning and having the perfect trip. The business idea came about when Steve was preparing for a vacation, and he searched the internet for a vacation idea, and his experience wasn’t pleasing.
At that moment, he decided to work on a travel search engine that would find those backwater pages, insights, and opinions of what other travelers found.
Their original search engine would search what was already out on the web, find biased information, pull it back into a central database, and then license it as a B2B model to other travel providers.
Their first client came a year after its founding when Lycos, the number 3 web search engine in 2001, allowed TripAdvisor to power the travel sections on Lycos and provide all the travel-related content.
Before co-founding TripAdvisor, Kaufer was an independent software vendor and CenterLine Software’s co-founder and vice president of engineering, where he directed the creation of many award-winning programming environments.
The platform has over 1 billion reviews and recommendations from almost 8 million companies. This travel guide firm works across 43 markets and offers services in over 22 languages, making trip planning simple regardless of the sort of journey.
The global revenue of Tripdavisor, Inc. increased by approximately 49 percent in 2021 over the previous fiscal year after dropping sharply in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Overall, the company’s revenue worldwide amounted to 902 million U.S. dollars in 2021, rising from 604 million U.S. dollars in 2020.
26. 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.
27. Start a fitness center
Are you interested in starting a business that revolves around health and body fitness? How about setting up a fitness center?
A fitness center business is a health, recreational, and social facility geared towards exercise and other physical activities. These centers serve people who may want to do workouts to get into shape and improve their overall health.
The health and fitness industry is one of the fastest-growing industries today. Some factors behind the sector’s popularity include a health-conscious population who want to avoid lifestyle-related illnesses, social media influence, and a shift towards better healthcare.
Starting a fitness center business can be a fun and profitable venture. If you plan to start the business, secure a good location, and equip your fitness center adequately. You may choose to operate entirely online or a hybrid model where you have the physical fitness center and the online one.
My name is John Zarbock. I am the CEO and Founder of BioFit. I started my business in November of 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. We build better humans by providing them with the most effective, efficient, and safe exercise on the planet. We do this through the High-Intensity Training (HIT) methodology mostly by leveraging the Adaptive Resistance Exercise (ARX) machines. They are designed to achieve exercise results in as little as 20 minutes a week by performing not only each rep and set near perfectly but also allowing for the maximum amount of intensity every moment of every session in the safest way possible while giving each client real-time feedback on progress and performance. We deploy a simple success formula: Work + Rest = Growth.
We currently have approximately 125 clients and our average monthly revenue is $20k. We have about an 80% closing ratio and our client retention is over 70%. The intricacies of the business have been very dynamic as I have served more than half of my time operating it while on Active Duty for the Army. I am currently deployed overseas in Kuwait so there have been challenges in growth and scale but we have grown year over year in both memberships and revenue despite having a skeleton crew of dedicated team members and partners in the last two years.
28. Start a babysitting service
If you have some spare time at home, you can start babysitting services for 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
29. Start a sauna service business
Have you ever felt so tired that you wished you could jump into a steam room or a sauna? You are not alone. Sauna and steam room improve blood circulation, lower blood pressure, and reduce stress. Thus, many people will even pay for a sauna or steam bath just to enjoy the relaxation. Therefore, opening a sauna and steam bath business can be profitable.
Hey everyone! I am Chris and in March 2011 I started Live Fit. Live Fit is a personal training company that was created to change the standards in the personal training industry. Early on I focused on building a company that is not only based on results, as most fitness companies are, but that is also focused very heavily on relationships. Relationships create trust, trust creates buy-in, and buy-in leads to the accountability and dedication it takes to get results.
30. Start a restaurant
If you love cooking and are passionate about entrepreneurship, starting a restaurant can be a fun and lucrative business.
To get started, choose a great location, and hire an excellent support team. You will need a chef to inspect the food and line cooks, waiters, and waitresses to serve the customers. No matter the restaurant type, you need great culinary and business skills to make your dream come true.
If you plan to open a restaurant , gain insight from consumer preferences and focus on serving modern consumers what they need.
Hi, I’m Andrei Calinescu and I am the Founder and CEO of One Life Meals.
31. Start a sea food restaurant
Seafood restaurants can be a fun way to become an entrepreneur and earn a living. Start by picking the type of seafood restaurant to open. This is especially important if the target area has other seafood establishments. Then, create a working budget and write a good business plan for a seafood establishment. Secure working capital and legitimize your business to avoid trouble with the local authorities.
Finally, contract reliable seafood suppliers, hire staff and market your business.
32. Start a casino hotels business
A casino hotel is an establishment consisting of a casino with temporary lodging and a hotel. Customers have access to gambling facilities, lodging, and other catering services under the same roof.
Casino amenities are profitable businesses, with much of their profits coming from gambling activities. However, they require certain licensing and permit guidelines that may differ from other catering businesses.
33. Start a juice bar
The increasing popularity of healthy juices and low start-up costs make starting a healthy juice shop appealing.
To start a healthy fresh juice business, prepare a business plan, create juice recipes and ensure you have the licenses and permits to sell fresh juice. Locate local producers and source fresh fruits for your business.
34. Start a jet ski rental business
Are you looking for a business you can start within the coastal locations? A jet ski rental business can be excellent if you target areas that attract water sports tourists. According to industry experts, the global market size for the water sports gear market will reach $55.2 billion in the next decade.
Therefore, starting the ski jet rental business can be a profitable business. To venture into the ski rental business, you may start alone or consider starting as a franchise partner. For an absolute beginner in this industry, a franchise would be advisable.
35. Become a face painter
Popular at children's parties, weddings, and even some corporate events, face painting is a great creative activity that sparks joy among people of all ages.
If you love making people happy and helping them celebrate different events in life, consider starting a face-painting business.
If you are planning to start a face painting business on a professional basis, it would be wise to take an introductory training course to learn the basics of face painting and the safety and health precautions involved in the business.
36. Start a resort hotels business
A resort provides accommodations and attractions conveniently located on the same premises. An ideal resort business on an island has an excellent prospect since many people love traveling. However, starting a resort can be overwhelming.
To start, ensure you have a solid business plan and scout the area you intend to purchase the property, ensuring it shall be well-positioned. Promote and market your resort to attract tourists.
I am Tom Boyd, Founder, and President of Boyd Hollow Resorts. I have launched 17 businesses in my lifetime. I am presently 82 years old. I have written 3 books, one on the business life of my son who built a billion-dollar company, ran for governor of the state of Tennessee, and now is the President of the University of Tennessee.
This Village, which is unique in every detail, is envisioned to be a 5-star boutique resort and event center specializing in executive retreats, group celebrations, and high-end weddings. This property will be the first of many Villages built around the World based on the high demand that we have seen before opening. Each Village will be designed featuring a character from the book, Bokee’s Trek.
37. Start a surprise travel agency
Are you looking for a scalable side hustle idea and one that allows you some flexibility? A surprise travel agency is a good option that will enable you to choose a friendly niche market. Besides, a surprise travel agency lets you gain exposure and experience while it is an opportunity with unlimited income potential. If you love sharing travel recommendations and always find the best local spots when you visit a new city, this will be ideal for you.
Hello! My name is Charlotte Curry McGhee and I started Whisked Away Surprise Travel. Whisked Away saves travelers from hours of planning and overwhelm, giving them the curated surprise trip of their dreams!
Since starting the business in March of 2017, I’ve seen revenue grow exponentially each year, with many clients booking their second surprise trips with Whisked Away within months (or weeks!) of returning.
38. Start a fast food business
Fast food kiosks utilize ordering kiosks where patrons order food before taking a seat. The business model cuts the wait times by offering faster service and sending orders directly to the kitchen.
Starting a food kiosk allows you to reach a wider audience and comes with a reduced burden on staff. Therefore, food kiosks are a low-expense business with the potential to generate higher profits.
Hello, my name is Andrew Buehler, and I am the founder of Urban Smokehouse, the world’s first digitally native BBQ brand.
To date, we have spent zero dollars on marketing. I am now exploring digital marketing strategies to drive traffic to our website and events. I expect a significant uptick in traffic from the word of mouth and organic social media we have relied on thus far.
39. Start a fruit delivery business
With today's busy lifestyles, people have turned to food delivery services. You can start a fruit delivery business, where you source fruits from reputable farms or groceries and deliver them to customers at a fee.
Alternatively, you can grow your own fruits and vegetables and deliver them to customers.
My name is Ivory Mouzon and I’m the Chief Accountability Officer and Founder of Honeydew Lists.
We just launched a few weeks ago, but we are expecting to bring in at a minimum of $5000 in our first month.
40. 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.
41. Start a recreational boat rental service
Boat hiring and boat rental services are tapping into the booming market of the experience economy. Today, most consumers prioritize experience over material items. Boat rental services are necessary, not just for tourists but also for family, couples, friends, and even solo. Investing in the right recreational boat rentals can have a significant return on investment.
Listed are the steps to start a recreational boat rental service business.
- Register your business name
- Permit and licenses to operate
- Obtain equipment for the operation
- Hiring staffs
- Organize your business and activity flow
- Promote your business
42. Start a mini golf business
Minigolf or miniature golf is a viable opportunity for entrepreneurs looking for a fun and entertaining business opportunity within the sporting sector.
Typically, mini golf focuses on aspects of its parent game, and it's played on courses consisting of a series of holes that feature short lengths.
Starting a mini golf business is not as difficult as you may think. You can choose to become a mini golf creation and contracting company or set up a mini golf course, where you charge the players per session.
Like any business, know your market and choose the right location for your business.
43. Start a fishing business
Are you passionate about fishing and wishing to start a business? If yes, then the fishing business is fun and can be profitable if done right. Fish and fish-based food are consumed globally and can be a great source of nutrients.
There are different options if you are interested in starting a fishing business. You can start a fish farm in your backyard, do sea fishing, offer fishing classes, or rent fishing equipment to recreational and commercial anglers.
Malik King is the founder of Malik’s Fish Garden and a fish influencer from Toronto, Canada. He raises and sells uncommon and exotic fish as a side business while working as a freelance background artist in television & cinema.
Malik sells his fish to local people and wholesales it to retailers. He mainly obtains unusual fish from other collectors and certain well-known South American fishermen.
He breeds them for around one year and provides them per the customer’s need. He lives in one building flat, where he has 55 to 60 tanks for farming.
Malik is of Sri Lankan ancestry, and after suffering in the war-torn political environment, he & his family immigrated to Canada as political refugees when he was 12. He began growing fish at seven, motivated by his father.
Every month, he spends about $500 on fish meals and $100 on medicine. Aquamalik is his YouTube channel, where he gives fish farming guidance in live sessions.
He makes roughly $5000 per tank by selling the fish. His annual net revenue from this side activity is roughly $45,000.
44. Start an apartment rental business
An apartment is a private residence divided into several separate dwellings. If you are interested in starting an accommodation and housing-related business, apartment rental can be a good fit. Your target customers can be business executives, dignitaries, travelers, etc.
To start your business, look for a strategic location and build or buy a ready property. When purchasing an apartment, you may need to renovate the property to be suitable for rental.
45. Start a community museum business
A community museum is an exhibition and gathering space for specific identity groups or geographic areas. Museums not only provide a sense and place for celebrating collective heritage, they are also a profitable economic activity.
If you know about a particular community and its economic activities, you can start a museum.
46. Start a speed boat rental business
Boat hiring and boat rental services are tapping into the booming tourism sector. Water activities have become a significant tourist attraction, especially in coastal areas. Thus, boat hiring and rental are among the most attractive maritime business opportunities.
47. Start a gift shop kiosk
The gifting culture is a trend that will not end anytime soon. People will look for customized or surprise gifts for their friends, parents, relatives, and colleagues.
Do you love the gifting tradition and looking for a chance to help others improve their gifting experiences? Maybe you can start a gift kiosk in your neighborhood.
A Gift kiosk sells greeting cards, books, candy, jewelry, fragrance, inspirational gifts, and baby and fashion items. To start, identify the niche, and set up the shop at a strategic location. It would be best to have high-quality suppliers so your business stands out and attracts return customers.
48. Start a boat cleaning service
Boat cleaning is a low barrier to entry business, with high-profit margins and low competition. If you love working on boats and looking forward to starting a boat business, this could be your best time to start the boat cleaning business.
To start a boat cleaning business, target the regions where boats are a popular means of transportation and fishing. Advertise your business, and focus on offering superior service so customers keep returning and referring your services to others.
49. Start a boating tours business
Boat tour is a relatively short trip taken for touristic reasons or fishing. If you are interested in water activity related business, you can start boat tours. Customers pay per hour or by distance covered.
50. Start a bungee jumping service
Bungee jumping is an action-filled recreational activity involving head-first jumping from a tall structure. If you have bungee jumping experience and are interested in earning from the business, consider starting the Bungee jump.
Bungee jumping is becoming a popular entertainment. However, starting the sporting activity can be cash-intensive. The business demands upfront startup capital for equipment buying, licensing, and marketing.
51. Become a bed and breakfast owner
Bed and breakfast is a sort of hybrid between a luxury hotel and a private home. The host offers the guests affordable accommodation featuring a bed and breakfast at the room's price. B&Bs offer affordable accommodations and are becoming popular among travelers who prefer a private setting.
If you have realistic expectations, B&B can be a profitable and enjoyable business. To start, you can renovate and turn your home into an inn. Alternatively, you can build or buy a ready house and convert it into a modern B&B.
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.
- Shortform guides are essentially superpowered book summaries.
- Get all the book’s key ideas clearly and simply explained, plus smart commentary and analysis.
- It’s like having your smartest friend dissect a book for you.
Get your free trial + $42 off the annual sub today
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."