82 Best Business Ideas For Newbie Entrepreneurs [2021 Edition] Ready to start a business? Here we have compiled a list of the 75 best business ideas you can start tomorrow. We categorized every business idea according to their type, investment and potential. Start your business now!
The cost of setting up a new business has never been so low. Especially for online based businesses. Technology has made starting your own business easy, affordable and possible. All you need to start a business online is a phone, a computer, and an internet connection. Coming up with a good business idea is often one of the hardest hurdles. Ideally (and for you to succeed), your perfect business idea should consist of three things:
It should be something you like doing,
It should be something you are good at, and
It should be something that is in demand (i.e., people would pay for).
To help get you started we’ve come up with a list of “online” and “offline” based business ideas that are easy to start, in demand, and can be profitable. We have categorized each business ideas as follows: CategoryRangeDescriptionBusiness typeOnline or OfflineIs this opportunity available in the real world or in cyberspace?InvestmentLow or High costHow much money does it cost to start this business?Earning PotentialLow or High valueHow much can you realistically expect to earn?We also indicate which ideas are well-suited to (1) stay-at-home moms and dads (2) college students and (3) teenagers and kids. Getting Started Checklist and One-Page Business Plan Once you’ve selected a business to launch, download our Getting Started Checklist and One-Page Business Plan. These simple documents will help you prepare and launch a successful small business. PDF VersionsWord Doc VersionsOne-Page Business Plan - PDFOne-Page Business Plan - Word DocStart a Business Checklist - PDFStart a Business Checklist - Word Doc Incorporate your new business for $0 Don't delay starting your new business. Incfile will form your new LLC business for $0. They handle all the admin - you just pay the state fees. Start now using this special discount link. Now, let’s dive into the business ideas. Find What You’re Looking For
B2B Business Services Ideas 1. Online Bookkeeping Just like so many other professions, bookkeeping has gone online. This is great news for many bookkeepers and accountants who feel trapped in the office environment and long for more personal freedom and the ability to work during their own hours. With easy-to-use accounting software and appointment-setting tools available, it’s never been easier to set up and manage client accounts. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎
Good for: Stay at home parents ✔2. Business Broker A business broker is someone who assists buyers and sellers of privately owned businesses in the buying and selling process. As such, he or she must have a good knowledge of business law and common practices in the particular industry. Business brokers are rewarded with commissions for the sales they make. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎
3. Office Space Rental Office sharing is a booming industry that’s largely driven by the needs of young entrepreneurs who are working on the next Google or Amazon. If you already own a suitable property, then your investment costs will be negligible. However, if that’s not the case, you are looking at a substantial investment. Business type: Offline Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎
4. Virtual Call Center Operator Unlike regular call centers, virtual call centers often employ people from all parts of the world, who then do the job from their homes. You can be sitting in your dorm room and the person you are talking to could still think that he or she is talking directly with someone who is physically present in the company. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎
Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔5. Language Translation Despite the impressive advancements of machine translation, the demand for skilled translators is still very high and will probably remain so for quite some time. You can start looking for work on platforms such as Fiverr or Upwork and slowly build your clientele. It’s also a good idea to directly contact popular bloggers and ask them if they would consider having their blog translated into another language. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔6. Importing Electronic OEM Gadgets If you look at top selling items on Amazon or eBay, you will probably notice that many of them are from China. The formula is fairly simple: you purchase your initial inventory, create a brand, and market and advertise your products online. You can even use drop-shipping or Amazon fulfillment services to do the whole thing without a physical warehouse. Business type: Online/Offline Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔7. Online Store Opening an online e-commerce store is just as viable a way to make a living as it was a decade ago. Yes, the completion is tougher, but you have access to a wide range of free tools that you can use to set everything up with very little effort. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔ With a platform like Shopify, you get everything you need to create and launch an online store, including their new AI (artificial intelligence) “assistant” named Kit. Kit can handle most of your marketing for you. 8. Affiliate Marketing Affiliate marketers promote products of other people and earn commissions on their sales. Amazon is currently the most popular platform for affiliate marketing, but there are many alternatives as well. Affiliate marketing is often combined with blogging to create a seamless mix of content and promotion. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔9. Data Analyst Consulting With the rise of “big data,” increasingly more companies need to make sense of heaps of information to adjust their overall business strategies. A data analyst is someone who has the technical expertise to do this, often has a background in economics, mathematics, or finance. Data analysts who work for large, international corporations can earn more than enough money to support an extravagant lifestyles. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔10. Digital Marketing Campaign Manager Marketing has gone digital, and it’s the job of digital marketing campaign managers to produce the best results possible. You can start your career as a digital marketing campaign manager by studying freely available online resources and experimenting on your own. You’ll need to understand things like advertising, SEO, landing pages, calls-to-action, and social media marketing (including using Facebook and Facebook Live). Once you know what you are doing, try cold-calling local businesses, asking them whether they would be interested in your services. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔11. Niche Website Owner New trends start every day, and some of them grew to be pop culture sensations. Your job as a niche website owner is to capture the market before it gets too saturated. Creating a niche website (using WordPress) will allow you to secure your place on the very top of search engines, resulting in thousands of daily visitors. Using a tool like StudioPress can make this even easier. Blogging effectively will grow your audience. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔12. SEO Expert Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an absolute necessity for everyone who wants to be relevant on the web. A capable SEO expert can turn a dying business into a prosperous operation in a matter of months. No wonder then that the best SEO professionals can earn as much as seasoned software developers. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔13. Business Incubator The job of a business incubator is to help new companies and startups plan and launch successfully. A typical business incubator will provide clients with management training, office space, high-speed internet connectivity, gym, food catering, and other necessities. You don’t have to think too big – a small, local incubator can the perfect place where to start. Business type: Offline Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ 14. Security Services We live in turbulent times, so it’s no surprise that the demand for security services is rising at a steady pace. Such security services can take place either offline – home and personal security – or online. The online side of things deals with identity theft, protection against doxxing, or general information security. Business type: Offline Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Arts and Media Businesses 15. Self-Publishing Some self-published authors earn as much as $1 million yearly. You can achieve the same kind of success and all you need is a few freely available tools and the ability to write a compelling book that will sell. Of course, you don’t have to earn six figures to succeed with self-publishing. Just a few hundred extra dollars every month can go a long way. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔16. Social Media Consultant This business is ideal for someone who knows how to use social media to obtain business objectives. You can specialize (e.g., in running Facebook ads) or you can be a generalist who can navigate LinkedIn, Snapchat stories, Twitter, and more. Social media tools make this job easier. While some social media consultants can earn big bucks, most can only manage to earn an average wage. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔17. Content Writer Businesses of all sizes embrace content marketing as their leading way of attracting customers and establishing their position as market leaders. A content writer should be able to quickly digest complex topics and turn them into engaging posts that are well optimized for search engines. As such, it’s great for people who know a little bit about everything. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔18. Podcasting Podcasting is a fantastic way how to make a few bucks on the side for anyone who deals with interesting or niche topics that are suitable for this type of format. Do you like video games or ethnic music? Interested in startups and entrepreneurship? There are definitely plenty of people just like you, who would look forward to hearing your show on their way to work or school. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎ 19. Blogging Blogging is alive and thriving in 2019. It’s still free to get started, but be patient: it will take a while to get exposure and grow your audience. These days, the competition is fierce. There are over a billion websites and blogs, and over 200 million are active. A good knowledge of SEO is essential, as is creating excellent content. Top bloggers can earn high six figures despite working only 20 or so hours every week. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔20. YouTube Stardom Who hasn’t heard about PewDiePie, the biggest YouTube star with over 46 million subscribers? His journey to stardom started in his room with a humble webcam and one simple Let’s Play video, which he does to this day. Beyond live game streaming, there are still vast, unexplored seas filled with opportunities for anyone on YouTube who dares to go after them. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔21. Handmade Goods If you are a crafty person, you should take a look at Etsy, the largest online market for homemade and vintage goods. You will find an amazing mix of leather wallets, lamps made from river wood, unique hand-printed t-shirts, jewelry, organic soup, and countless other things. Top sellers often expand beyond the platform, creating their own brands and opening stores across the globe. Also look at platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce. And realize you can sell your products on more than one site. Business type: Offline Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔22. Antique Refurbishment If you like working with wood and beautiful, valuable objects in general but don’t have the creative talent to create your own, antique refurbishing could be your ticket to success. Depending on what exactly you do, you don’t need to invest a lot of money to get started, but you will need to travel across the country to get the best pieces you can. Business type: Offline Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔23. WordPress Themes Are you a web developer or designer who earns for passive income? If so, creating WordPress themes might be the right path for you. You can sell your themes on websites like Envato. Once your theme is finished, you will still need to provide customers with ongoing support and work on updates, but you can do so when you please. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔24. Makeup Artist This profession is one of the few that you can start working on in your bedroom and end up on the set of a Hollywood movie just a few years down the road. What’s more, makeup artists can take advantage of platforms such as YouTube and make their content visible to billions of people from all over the world. Business type: Online/Offline Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ 25. Image Consultant You are probably wondering who needs an image consultant. Many companies and individuals rely on their image, making it worthwhile to hire someone to manage it. The best image consultants are people with a proven track record of success and inside knowledge of the particular industry. Business type: Online/Offline Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ 26. E-Magazine These days it’s very easy to start an e-magazine; you can outsource everything online and act as the chief editor. The subscription model allows you to know exactly how much money you will make the next month, and the global nature of the web gives you a very large audience to target. Business type: Online Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔27. Drone Videographer If you like piloting drones, perhaps you should consider working as a drone videographer. You get to go to interesting places, meet cool people, and eventually develop a portfolio that could land you a job in Hollywood. Professional drones are very expensive, but you can start small with a mid-sized drone and a GoPro camera and go from there. Business type: Offline Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: College students ✔ Video: There are plenty of online resources for learning about drones. 28. Graphic Design Artist A graphic designer may create digital or print design work, like website design and print layouts. Many designers work small jobs (like logo design) on gig websites like Upwork. Competition can be fierce. You can expect to make anywhere from $15/hour to $300/hour. Developing an impressive portfolio can help you earn more. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔29. Subscription Service Owner The main advantage of the subscription model is its predictable nature. As the number of your subscribers rises, you will know exactly how much you can expect to earn every month. The largest subscription services in the world are well-oiled machines that generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. Business type: Online Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Education-Related Business Opportunities 30. Language Teacher For a long time, language teaching has been the go-to way of making money on the side for students and even full-time high-school or university teachers. Now, with Skype and ubiquitous internet access, everyone can start teaching languages from the comfort of his or her home. You don’t even have to know any foreign languages yourself – there are many advanced learners who are happy to just practice their conversation skills. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔31. Online Teaching The success of Khan Academy, a non-profit educational organization created in 2006 by educator Salman “Sal” Khan, has proved the effectiveness of online teaching and paved the way for talented educators and their students. You can sell your expertise as video content on YouTube, or create your own website and charge your students on an hourly basis for Skype lessons. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔32. Online Course Creator One of the most popular platforms where people can access massive open online courses (MOOCs), Coursera, has more than 15 million users, who are hungry for knowledge. Such online courses go far beyond the traditional high-school curriculum. If you have any skill at all that you think people might be interested in, there’s nothing stopping you from giving it a go. All it takes is a web camera, capture software, and basic editing skills. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔ College students ✔ Kids & Teens ✔ Hospitality and Food Services Business Ideas 33. Hostel Owner With services like Airbnb, everyone can turn their house, garage, or just a single room into a unique accommodation for tourists and travelers from all around the world. The platform will take care of the initial exposure and will provide a way for owners and clients how to conveniently communicate. If you happen to own a house in a very attractive destination, you can even expect to earn good money. Business type: Offline Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ Good for: Stay at home parents ✔34. Event Planner The internet has enabled people to connect with like-minded individuals from across the globe, creating the perfect opportunity for event planners. An event planner uses his or her organizational skills to organize an event like a wedding or a trade show. Money can then be made from entrance fees, sponsorships, on-premise sales to attendees, and other things. Business type: Online Investment: Low cost ⬇︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ 35. Food Truck Do you like to cook and always like coming up with new, creative ideas? Then opening a food truck might be just for you. But even if you can hardly make a tea, you can still get in the business. Simply hire other people to what you can’t or are not willing to do yourself and become the brain of the operation. Business type: Offline Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ 36. Catering Business These days, starting a catering business is all about finding the right niche. You can specialize in any type of food you like, any type of clients, and any type of venues. Perhaps you would like to cater to young professionals who want to organize networking events, or you would like to be known as the go-to caterer for child parties – there’s nothing stopping you. Business type: Offline Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ 37. Craft Beer Brewing Producing small amounts of beer has recently turned into a popular hobby and fantastic business opportunity. You will need to invest in equipment, acquire the necessary knowledge, and possibly even employ a handful of people to help you with the entire operation. But seeing the finished product being served to customers in your favorite pub will be a wonderful reward. Business type: Offline Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ 38. Espresso Cart Your first espresso cart could be a start of a much larger business. The key is to not actually spend your time selling the coffee and, instead, employing someone else to do the job. You can then focus on growing your fleet of espresso carts and moving the business in the right direction. Business type: Online / Offline Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: Low value ⬇︎ 39. Gluten-Free Bakery Just like a regular bakery only gluten-free! While a very small home bakery won’t cost you that much, a larger commercial operation is not cheap. Luckily, you can often get the necessary equipment for a much better price, if you search for used commercial machines online. Learn how to use blogging to increase awareness of your business and grow revenue. Business type: Offline Investment: High cost ⬆︎ Potential: High value ⬆︎ 40. Organic Vending Machines Vending machines are not exactly in vogue, but there’s still one niche that could end up being extremely profitable: organic vending machines. Where else can you get your favorite granola bar at any time of the day? This business is most suitable for high-traffic areas in affluent parts of larger cities. Business type: Offline I