You live in Australia and you want to start your own business? Here are more than 45 best small business ideas in Australia.
Have you always dreamed of being your own boss?
You’re not alone – most of us have. The difference is that some people have the courage needed to make the transition from an employee to entrepreneur, while others don’t.
So, if you want to be one of those that gave their dreams a chance to come true, here's a list of over 45 small business ideas in Australia – just keep on reading.
Australia, the Land of Small Businesses?
- 97 percent of all business in Australia are considered small; that amounts to 2,171,607 small businesses in Australia.
- With a high percentage rate of small businesses unfortunately comes a high failure rate: over 60 percent of companies are closed down during the first three years.
- Decide on a business structure – Four different business structures apply to all small businesses in Australia: sole trader, company, partnership, and trust. Each of these has its specific advantages, tax reporting responsibilities, and even health and safety obligations.
- Apply for an ABN (Australian Business Number) – An Australian Business Number is an 11-digit number that will identify your business to the government, as well as the community. You’ll use it for all sorts of tax and business purposes, but it won’t replace your tax file number. You can apply by visiting the Australian Business Register.
- Come up with a business name and get it registered – Your business name (or trading name) is a name under which you’ll be conducting your trades and a way for your customers to identify your business. It should be something that will make you stand out, especially if there’s a lot of competition in your niche.
- Don’t forget about taxes – One of the crucial steps, when you're starting a business, is registering for taxes; which tax registrations you’ll need depends on what kind of business you’re opening. Applying for a TFN (Tax File Number) is mandatory.
- Think about your funding – Where will your startup budget come from? There are several ways to cover the expenses of starting a small business – personal savings, a loan from family and friends, or from a bank (inform yourself about start-up business loans). Before you move to finding a funding source, you should think about how high your start-up costs might be.
- Learn about legal requirements – Registrations and licenses (national, state, and local ones) that apply to you are also critical things to keep in mind when you’re starting a business. Having the correct ones is fundamental for the future of your business.
Now that you have the legal part of starting a business down, here’s the fun part – browsing through all these small business ideas, looking for the one that will catch your attention.
The entire list is divided into niches to make the search a lot simpler for you.
Have a look:
Pet-Related Services
1. Dog Grooming
It’s a well-known thing that dogs are called „a man’s best friend“ – a lot of dog owners genuinely feel that way about their four-legged friends. It’s no wonder they’re willing to pay someone to take care of their dog’s overall appearance. Regular grooming can have a significant impact on a dog’s lifespan and wellbeing, which only means there’s no way this pet-related service is dying anytime soon.
Keep in mind that not all animals will feel comfortable with you bathing them, clipping their claws, and such; it would be best if you could get some training, to get a better idea on how to deal with different animal behaviors.
2. Dog Walking
A lot of people want to own a dog, but not all of them have the time needed to take proper care of them. Regular walks are mandatory if you wish to keep your dog healthy.
So, what are people supposed to do when they just don’t have the time?
Well, that’s easy: hire a professional dog walker.
Dog walking is one of those jobs where everyone profits in a way; your client’s dogs will get their daily exercise, and you’ll not only earn money but have the chance to spend your days surrounded by a bunch of cute animals, too.
3. Pet Care Blogger
We live in an internet era; it’s no wonder, then, that most of us turn to a simple internet search when we need information on a specific topic. Instead of calling the vet every time they have a question about their four-legged friend, pet owners nowadays tend to turn to pet-related blogs.
If you have experience with taking care of animals and you’re confident you could turn it into exciting blog posts, you should give this business a try. After all, you’ll need a minimal amount of money to set everything up, so there’s nothing to lose if you give it a try.
We’ll talk a bit more about blogging in general later on in the article; for now, keep in mind that a pet care blog is always an option.
4. Dog Breeding
If you’re determined to start a pet-related business, dog breeding is another excellent way to do it; this is a job that could turn out to be profitable and rewarding.
Some people will tell you that there’s no way you’ll earn money in this business, but you shouldn’t take them seriously. The real problem is that there are many unethical dog breeders out there – they are the ones that give this business a bad name.
So, if you do decide this is something you’d love to do, make sure you have the patience, time, and money to provide your breeding dogs with the best possible living conditions and health care. Don’t be one of the bad guys.
5. Canine Behaviour Counsellor
Dogs are a man’s best friend, we all know that. But when a pet isn’t properly potty trained, barks and bites for no apparent reason, or is showing other inappropriate behaviors, things can go south rather quickly.
What are dog owners supposed to do when they have such issues with their beloved pet?
They seek professional help; that’s where you, as a canine behavior counselor come to play. Your job is to help them deal with these situations by telling them how to act when such issues occur.
Love toward dogs is one of the essential prerequisites here since you’ll be surrounded by them all the time. Of course, a certificate in canine behavior is mandatory; luckily for you, there’s a rising number of courses dealing with dog behavior counseling.
6. Feline Behaviour Counsellor
We’re all well aware of the fact that cats just do their own thing. And that’s okay; we love them just the way they are.
However, things sometimes get out of control. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the cat is aggressive – it could be any number of things. Sometimes the only issue is that the owners can’t get their cat to come from under the bed (or any other hiding spot) or that it hisses anytime someone tries to pet it.
Most owners will accept this as normal feline behavior and just hope it’ll pass; if things don’t get any better with time, some of them turn to feline behavior counselors as their only remaining option.
If you love cats and everything about them, and you’re willing to put effort into getting certified, you should seriously consider this as a business idea for you.
7. Pet Photography
Pet photography is a fun (and profitable) business that will allow you to combine your love of animals with your passion for photography.
A lot of people tend to think of their pets as family members. It’s no wonder, then, that they are willing to pay good money for high-quality, professional photos of their pets, which they could display in their homes.
There are several things you should take care of before you can start your business. Let’s get one thing straight: owning a camera does not make you a photographer; you’ll have to invest in some high-quality equipment (several cameras, tripods, flashes, lenses, and reflectors), as well as a backdrop stand and backdrop material (for indoor photo shoots). Oh, and don’t forget some cute props for your furry models.
8. Mobile Pet Zoo
Yes, mobile petting zoos are a thing now. So, what’s up with that?
The idea behind this is that you have a mobile zoo focused on medium-sized, domestic animals only; pretty obvious, huh?
If you’re an animal lover, this could turn out to be a perfect business opportunity for you; to make things better, you’ll spend your work days surrounded by cute, little animals. A petting zoo includes typically goats, rabbits, chickens, miniature ponies, and even some traditional pets, such as puppies and guinea pigs.
The secret to mobile petting zoo success is that small children just love them; they get the chance to play with these animals and feed them, without the actual responsibilities of owning them.
Kids are happy, parents are happy, and you’re earning a decent income – what’s not to like?
Online Business Ideas
9. Freelancing
Have you given freelancing a thought?
Guess what: you’re not alone.
We live in an age where people are more inclined than ever to leave behind the 9-to-5 lifestyle and make a living by monetizing their passions and skills. One of the ways to achieve this is by becoming a freelancer.
Besides the fact that you won’t have to limit yourself to the official working hours or an office, another advantage of going freelance is that you can start with close to nothing; in most cases, a freelance business can be launched from your bedroom.
According to CNBC, now’s the time to do it, the numbers are on your side, so give freelancing a shot.
10. Online Retail
Here’s a fact for you: around 80 percent of internet users in Australia have made an online purchase. Here’s another one: there aren’t many retailers that are taking advantage of the whole online shopping trend.
If you put two and two together, it becomes somewhat evident that starting an online retail business is the way to go. With only a few online retailers to compete with, you have high chances of success. On top of that, it’s a business that’s relatively easy to set up – and operate; the costs don’t have to be that big, either. Pick out a product you’re willing to sell and start small; give your business time to grow.
11. Selling Arts and Crafts on Etsy
Etsy is known for being highly supportive of artists and the entire indie community, and when it comes to selling all kinds of crafts and handmade goods online, it’s practically unmatched.
So, how do you become a part of the Etsy community?
Signing up and setting up your Etsy shop is the easy part; you need to remember, though, that no magic button will attract customers. You’ll have to invest time in marketing your Etsy shop on social media (such as Facebook and Twitter) to make your brand more visible. Also, another way to ensure success is to take high-quality photos of your creations; when they can’t touch the product, the images you provide should be the next best thing.
12. Affiliate Marketing
First off, what is affiliate marketing?
To put it shortly, affiliate marketing comes down to referral marketing; you get paid a specific commission rate for each client you, as an affiliate, refer to a manufacturer. You can either be paid per sale or action (lead). You’ve recommended stuff to others before (a book, a movie or a restaurant), so imagine if you got paid whenever someone decided to follow your advice – that’s mainly how affiliate marketing works.
The best thing about this business?
Start-up costs are minimal – there aren’t any, to be exact.
13. Blogging
If you have a hidden talent for writing, it’s time to get it out there.
You’ve probably noticed a lot of people (especially young ones) have turned to blogging as not only a way to earn money, but a way of life, too.
Can blogging be a profitable business?
The answer is: yes. However, it will take some time and effort. First off, you have to find a popular niche; you read earlier about pet-related blogging, but there are plenty of other niches to get into – health and wellness, traveling, hobbies; that’s entirely up to you.
Adding affiliate marketing into the mix will only make your profits higher.
14. Web Content Writing
A lot of people don’t get how much work goes into starting up a website. Anyway, among other things, a site needs content – that’s where content writers come to play.
But what exactly is content writing and what type of content can I expect to write?
Your job will be to provide relevant, high-quality content for a particular website, while the type of content depends on what your client wants – you can expect anything from articles to business information and product description. Your clients will provide you with a brief; your job will be to turn that brief into website content.
You won’t need much to start; besides your love of writing, you’ll need a computer and an internet connection, and you probably already have both, so there’s no room for excuses.
15. Copywriting
You might be wondering: What’s the difference between content writing and copywriting?
Let’s start by explaining that; the main difference is the purpose of writing. The idea behind copywriting lies in promotional advertising. Your job will be to write content (which is called „copy“) focused on raising brand awareness; the ultimate goal is to persuade someone to take action (make a purchase, if you will).
So, if you love writing and know how to keep the reader’s attention, you should seriously consider starting a freelance copywriting business.
16. Digital Library
In many ways, a digital library works the same way as an online store – people will pay a specific amount for a year-long subscription fee (determined by you) and browse the library to find the book they need. After they’ve found what they were looking for, your job will be to ship their book to their doorstep.
However, acquiring a substantial amount of books to start your business will be a serious investment on your part. That’s why it’s best to focus on niche segments – begin with history books, fiction, or something else that comes to your mind. Once your business grows, you’ll need to expand your offer to keep up with the growing demands of your readers – they’ll keep coming back to you instead of going to their local library if you can give them what they’re looking for.
Event-Planning Businesses
17. Event Planner
This business indeed requires a specific personality type; you have to be an outgoing, creative, well-organized problem solver.
Why?
Because, once all the preparations are done and the day of the event comes, it will be your job to prevent everything from falling apart in a split second. It doesn’t matter what kind of event you’re organizing (a birthday party, a wedding, or a conference) your duties remain the same. You need to find a venue, choose the right catering, hire a band (if the event requires music), and, on top of that, make sure everyone is doing their job.
You’ll learn about wedding planning as an exceptionally popular event-planning niche a bit later; let’s stick to the general business idea, at least for now.
18. Wedding Planner
Do you have a soft spot for weddings and a set of organizational skills to go with it?
There’s a way to turn that into a career – becoming a wedding planner could be the ideal job for you. The bride and groom will come to you with their ideas of how their "special day" should look like; it’s up to you, then, to take those visions and ideas and turn them into a reality – a dream come true.
Except from having to deal with an occasional Bridezilla, there aren’t many disadvantages in this event-planning niche. However, you’ll have to put some effort into marketing your business; it shouldn’t be that hard, though – contact local flower shops, catering services, cake bakers, wedding photographers, and other wedding-related businesses so that they could recommend you to their clients.
19. Children’s Party Planner
Okay, so you’ve heard about event planners, as well as wedding planners, but did you know you could make a living by becoming a children’s party planner?
It’s normal that parents want to throw memorable birthday parties for their kids, but nowadays, when a lot of families have two incomes, it’s rather hard to find enough time to plan a party. In situations like this, they turn to a professional – a children’s party planner.
Is it needed to name the advantages of this job?
It’s fun, easy to start, and you get to spend your workdays surrounded by happy children.
Here’s a tip: if you decide this is the business you want to start, keep an eye out for the newest cartoon characters and big movies – kid’s love themed parties.
Food-Related Services
20. Catering Business
Think about family events; are you everyone’s go-to person when it comes to cooking? And, most importantly, do you love preparing food for friends and family members?
A home-based catering business could be a great way to monetize your culinary skills. As always, it’s recommended to start small and to focus on a particular niche, both food, and event-wise; for example, you can specialize in wedding catering. Alternatively, you could focus on the corporate market (conferences, meetings, and such).
The best thing about it is that you can rely on word-of-mouth to do your marketing for you; consider anyone who tries your food at an event a potential customer. Teaming up with local event planners would be a smart move, too.
21. Restaurant Business
Opening a restaurant can be a bit complicated, time-consuming, and expensive endeavor, but if done correctly, it could turn out to be the best business move you’ve ever made.
One of the most important things to consider when you’re opening a restaurant is its location; not every available spot is suitable for a restaurant; sometimes it’s better to wait a bit for a better place to open up. When it comes to interior design, a small space will provide a more intimate, cozy atmosphere, and since you’ll have a smaller-size dining room to decorate, you’ll save up some of your start-up money.
Consider researching the newest trends in the food industry and turning your restaurant into a specialized one; for example, a plant-based menu or an all-organic menu – whatever comes to your mind.
22. Making and Selling Baked Goods
There’s another way to make it in the food-related services, and that’s by starting a home-based bakery.
So, do you enjoy baking?
Because there’s a good chance, you could make a career out of it. Sounds like a dream come true, right?
You already love baking and decorating your baked goods, which is the most important secret to enjoying your job. While enthusiasm is very much appreciated, you’ll have to deal with some not-so-fun rules and regulations, but it’s a small price to pay for something you enjoy doing that much.
Here’s a great tip: to reach a broad client base, make a good online presence for your business – take pictures of your creations and post them on social media. Alternatively, you could create an entire website dedicated to your baking business.
23. Food Truck Business
Starting a food truck business is always a good idea.
Why?
Well, there are several reasons; one of the most important reasons is that you won’t have to invest nearly as much money as you would if you wanted to open a traditional restaurant. So, if you 're going to start a food-related business, but can’t afford to open a restaurant, this is the way to do it.
Another one is that food trucks are profitable. Think about it: you’ll be able to provide food where there’s no room for an actual restaurant – camping sites, carnivals, construction sites, as well as campuses and office complexes.
Location, location, location.
Besides offering delicious food to your customers, picking the right location is key to success here.
24. Chocolate Making
Here’s a well-known fact: everyone likes chocolate.
Another fact: 68.4 percent of Australia’s population ate chocolate (in any form) in a four-week average period, and this consumption has been on the rise since 2013.
What is this telling you?
You should consider starting a chocolate-making business, of course.
With these numbers in mind, you have to expect some fierce competition. Don’t back down; all you need to do is make your brand stand out in the crowd – exotic flavors, unusual shapes, unique, eye-catching packaging – or whatever comes to your mind.
Oh, and remember that, as with selling any other products, marketing is vital; you could organize something like a chocolate tasting party. You could also send your products to potential clients (maybe even include a hand-written note) - people react better to this type of marketing because it gives a more personal vibe.
Other Profitable Small Business Ideas
25. Interior Design
Does your home get a lot of compliments from your guests? Or you always showed particular interest in interior decoration?
If you answered „Yes“ to at least one of these questions, you should consider making a career out of interior design. Your job will be to turn a client’s home into an attractive representation of their personality by using different home décor elements, such as furniture, wallpapers, accent pieces, and the like.
Start-up costs will be low, and you can always opt for a home-based business; all you need are creativity and an eye for design.
26. Translation
Take a minute to think about what „going global“ means market-wise.
Now, more than ever, businesses are operating on a global scale, which means there are a lot of cross-cultural interactions; companies hire translators to overcome these language barriers.
If speaking several languages fluently is one of your hidden talents, you could make a living working as a translator. There’s a significant demand for translation services on a global level, and it will only continue to grow.
Give this business idea some thought; the global community is in a constant need of translation services, the start-up costs are rather low, you can start a home-based business to cut back on your expenses even more, and your target market will continually be changing and extremely wide.
27. Foreign Language School
Besides starting a business in translation services, there’s another way to capitalize on your knowledge of several languages – you could open a foreign language school.
It won’t take much – you can have students come to your house for the time being. Once you build your business and you’re not able to fit all your students in your home for group lessons anymore, you should consider expanding and renting out space.
You can expect people of all ages and occupations in your classes – kids, young people, all sorts of professionals, or people that enjoy learning new things in general. They won’t all be total beginners, either; some of them will, for example, want to improve their conversational skills or grammar.
28. Music Lessons
Are you good at singing or playing an instrument?
If yes, consider monetizing your talent – start giving music lessons. It’s rather easy to start a business like this, as you won’t need much; the most important thing – your talent – is already there. Besides that, you’ll need an instrument of choice and music sheets, and you’re pretty much good to go.
When it comes to location, you can go to your student’s home or they could go to you; either way, there’s no real need to rent out space.
Also, think about how you want your lessons to look like; will you give only one-on-one lessons or are group classes something you’ll consider? Of course, individual courses tend to cost more, but group ones aren’t cheap, either.
29. Makeup Artist
While we’re on the topic of makeup, if teaching isn’t your cup of tea, you can always work as a makeup artist.
The best thing about it is that you can set up a makeup station in your home – there’s no need to rent out space; of course, if you want to grow your business and maybe even employ fellow makeup artists, that’s an option, too. However, for the time being, it’s best to keep things home-based and straightforward.
You’ll be hired for professional shoots and a variety of occasions; one of the most popular niches in the makeup industry is bridal makeup, so make sure you know how to achieve that subtle, yet flawless look many brides want on their big day.
30. Software Tutorials
So, what are the primary requirements for starting this type of business?
First of all, you have to have an advanced knowledge level of specific specialized software. If you’re a tech-savvy person, you could make a list of software you’re an expert on and then offer classes in your community.
Another important requirement would be to know how to teach – what good is all your knowledge if you don’t know how to pass it on to your students.
Do you have what it takes?
If your answer is yes, you could start giving the individual, as well as group classes. It doesn’t take a lot to begin – you could give lessons at home to save even more on start-up costs.
31. Cleaning Service
There are two ways to go about this; your cleaning business could either focus on residential or commercial cleaning – it’s up to you to decide which one you would prefer.
Residential cleaning includes predictable working hours but, in turn, payment rates aren’t as high as they are in commercial cleaning.
Why?
Because commercial cleaning means you’ll have to work outside the standard working hours because you’ll be cleaning various business spaces.
Ultimately, it’s up to you – both of these jobs are somewhat similar, the main difference between them is the scale on which you’ll have to do the job. However, if you’re looking to keep your day job and make this a second source of income, commercial cleaning is the better option for you.
32. Child Care
Child care services are a business with a growing demand all around the world, Australia included. It’s expected for this need to continue to grow over the next five years. Why?
Because parents have jobs to go to.
So, what are kids supposed to do during working hours?
They get to go to a daycare center. In most cases, it’s better to leave kids in a home environment – that’s why there’s such a massive demand for home-based child care centers. So, if you love being surrounded by kids and have the energy (and patience) to keep up with them, you should consider opening a daycare.
Of course, there are a lot of regulations you’ll have to follow – to ensure the safety of each child that’s under your care – but once you handle that, you can start enjoying the many benefits of working with children.
33. Green Services
The importance of being environmental-friendly has gone global over the years; a lot of people understand how crucial it is to „go green,“ and Australia is no different than the rest of the world.
So, why do they need your services?
Believe it or not, even though they do understand the importance, many of them don’t know what it takes to correctly „go green“ – they don’t fully understand the concept.
This need to save the planet isn’t going away anytime soon, so if you’re knowledgeable on the topic of everything that’s eco-friendly, you could turn your knowledge into an income. To put it shortly, you can become a green living consultant. There will be plenty of job opportunities for you, not just in Australia, but all over the world.
34. Personal Trainer
Are you into fitness?
If you are, then Australia is the place to be; it’s an extremely health-focused country – everyone seems to be into living a healthy lifestyle.
So, there’s a job for you that gives you the opportunity to be your own boss, work your own hours, and do what you enjoy the most – work out. You probably get what it is, but let’s state the obvious – you could become a personal trainer.
Of course, when there’s so much focus on fitness, there’ll undoubtedly be a lot of competition to deal with. What you can do to make yourself stand out is to become an expert in a particular area; for example, you could make body transformations or fat loss your focus.
35. Fitness Center for Pregnant Women
If you are a fitness enthusiast that wants to target a particular group, you should consider opening a fitness center for pregnant women.
Many pregnant women out there are starting to look up to celebrities – there’s always a lot of talking about how fast they got in shape after they gave birth. That’s where the need for pregnancy fitness comes from.
The secret to getting back in shape isn’t entirely in what you do after childbirth, a lot of it comes from how you take care of your body during the pregnancy. A lot of women are starting to realize that, and they’re more than willing to invest time and money in a fitness center made with moms-to-be in mind.
You should consider becoming a part of this booming business.
36. Laundry and Dry Cleaning Business
Doing laundry is one of those chores that no one likes – sorting everything, finding the right temperature, using the right amount of washing detergent – there’s just too much room for error. And to be honest, it’s boring.
So, if you decide to start a laundry and dry cleaning business, chances are you’ll have enough work to earn a decent income. The best thing is: it seems like this is a business that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon – there’ll always be those that are too lazy or too busy to do their laundry.
Since your goal is to attract as many customers as possible, you should include laundry delivery or any other particular type of service – it’ll make you stand out from the competition.
37. Graphics Designing
Here’s an interesting fact for you: a lot of graphic designers (successful ones) are self-employed and work from a home-based office. So, if graphic design is your thing, become one of those freelance designers – start-up costs will be minimal, while the industry itself is rather lucrative.
When it comes to equipment, you’ll need nothing more than a computer with an internet connection; of course, the computer has to be a high-end one, to be able to handle all the graphic design software.
There are several things you could focus on as a graphic designer; you could design children’s books, product catalogs, cover pages, company newsletters, business cards, and much more.
38. Nutritionist
As you had the chance to read previously, most Australians are known for taking care of their health and wellbeing.
But what about those that don’t quite know what it takes to live a healthy lifestyle?
That’s where you come into play. If you’re knowledgeable on the topic of nutrition and healthy diet, all you need to do is get certified – and you can start building your business.
Primarily, your job will be to help people achieve their goals, whether it’s to lose weight, to transition to a different diet (plant-based diet or vegetarianism) or just help them adopt a healthy lifestyle. You’ll do that by creating specialized meal plans, giving advice, and the like.
39. Floral Designer
Floristry is one of those businesses that are expected to have a long lifespan; after all, when you think about birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and other kinds of special occasions, what do they all have in common?
That’s right: flower arrangements. It doesn’t matter what’s the occasion – chances are there will be floral decorations or flowers in the form of a gift - that’s just what we’re all used to. So, opening a florist shop doesn’t seem like a bad idea – you’ll get to use your creativity to make your customers happy.
But, just as any other entrepreneur, you need to make sure your business succeeds; how do you do that?
That’s simple: by teaming up with other entrepreneurs that require floral designers at some point in their jobs - event planners, wedding planners, even funeral homes. You want to be the person they call when they need someone to handle the floral arrangements.
40. Non-Medical Care
Are you a natural caregiver?
There might be an ideal business idea for you; why don't you start a non-medical caregiver business? Did you ever give this some thought before?
You definitely should; it’s one of those jobs that’s not only profitable but fulfilling, too. Your job will be of the non-medical type; so, what exactly will your duties be?
First off, you need to realize that this doesn’t mean taking care of seniors. Yes, they will be a massive part of your client base, but they won’t be the only ones. And when it comes to your duties, you can expect anything from doing some work around the house to providing companionship to your clients; you’ll probably meet some rather interesting people.
41. Personal Shopper
There are many reasons why a person can need a personal shopper; some people just hate shopping, and that’s okay – that’s why there are people like you, that enjoy it a bit too much. Sometimes the reason why they can’t do their own shopping is that they are bedridden; or too busy, you never know.
Anyway, don’t think that your job as a personal shopper will mean you’ll get to just run around shopping for clothes; you’ll have a lot of clients that will need you to provide the most basic groceries for them.
If you want to expand your business, you could always start working for companies and corporations, too; they’ll mostly hire you to buy (and possibly arrange) gift bags for major investors and clients.
42. Dance Classes
If you’re a talented dancer (and a certified one, for that matter), you could turn your talent into a business by becoming a dance teacher.
What kind of dance should you teach?
Well, that’s entirely up to you - whatever you feel comfortable with the most. For example, if contemporary dance is your thing, you should consider giving modern/contemporary dance classes. You should get a certificate, though; you’ll be dealing with people that have different fitness and flexibility levels, so you need to know how far you can push them without them getting hurt.
Oh, and if you wish to add more fun to it, you can start giving dance lessons for kids, too.
43. Photographer
You already had the chance to read about pet photography as a possible business opportunity; if that niche is a bit too specific for you, don’t worry – there’s plenty of other genres of photography that you could get into.
You need to remember that the equipment is not what makes you a photographer, though. Since the prices of camera equipment dropped over the last few years, everyone seems to think they’re a photographer just because they had the money to buy a camera. So, do you have what it takes to stand out from this flock of amateurs?
Even though you should strive to become an expert in a particular niche (portraits, weddings, landscapes), at the same time, you shouldn’t limit yourself like that. Instead, offer your clients a variety of services.
44. Greeting Cards Makers
If you’re a creative person looking to turn that creativity into a successful business, then you should consider becoming a greeting card maker.
Before you jump right into it, there are some things you should consider. For example, the technique you’re going to use to make them; this will depend on how skilled you are when it comes to different methods (such as calligraphy, hand printing, rubber stamping, and the like).
Another thing you should consider is whether you’ll sell pre-designed cards or you want to provide a lot of customization options to your clients.
All in all, this is a rather lovely job; not only do you get to use your creativity, but you'll also get to help make somebody’s day.
45. Tutoring
If there’s a specific area you’re particularly good at, be it math, chemistry or something else, you should probably consider starting a private tutoring business. Many people are already using tutoring as a way to add to their regular income (by doing it as a part-time thing). You could, however, turn it into a small business – there are always high school and college students that need some extra help with specific subjects.
All you need is some teaching experience, even though that doesn’t mean you need to be a teacher by profession; you just need to know the best way to pass knowledge to your students. There are two ways to go about this – you can either hold tutoring lessons in your home or you could do it online – it’s up to you and your students (and their parents).
46. Tour Guiding
As a local, you probably know all the best locations and hidden gems of your town – so why not help those that are coming to Australia for the first time?
Of course, you’ll need to know more about your town’s history that an average person; if this weren't a requirement, pretty much anyone would be able to become a tour guide. Besides knowing your town (and its history) like the back of your hand, you’ll have to keep the tourists entertained – you can’t just tell a story, you need to make it interesting for them.
Tourists in general love to hire locals to show them the town, so if you have what it takes, you should consider opening a tour guiding business.
47. Web Developing
Do you have notable web development skills? If you do, you have a chance to turn those skills into a profitable business by starting your own web development business. The demand is so high right now that there’s no reason for you to worry about not succeeding; you just need to be good at what you do.
In the age where online presence could make or break a business, having an engaging, user-friendly, and professional website will attract customers and promote their brand.
While freelancing means an irregular income and a blurred line between your work and your home, since your office will be a home-based one, there are many advantages, too. Many web developers think that they’d be better off as entrepreneurs than employees.
Final Word
So, there you have it – over 45 of the best small business ideas in Australia. Hopefully, by now you already have an idea of what it is your future business to be; if not, don’t worry, let it all sink in and think about it later. After all, this is a decision that shouldn’t be made in the heat of the moment – you should think this through.
And hopefully, once you do make your choice and finally transition from an employee to an entrepreneur, you’ll enjoy every minute of it and be one of those people that do their job with a smile on their face.
Good luck!
Are you interested in starting your own business? Here’s a list of the best small business ideas in America.
Deciding it’s time to make a career change is one thing; going through with it is something entirely different.
There’s a lot to think about before starting out, but don’t worry – it will all pay off in the end, and once you finally become your own boss, you’ll see it was worth the effort.
If you feel like you’re up to the challenge, here are some of the best small business ideas in America.
Off to a Good Start: Tips for Starting Your Business
Let’s face it: there’s no perfect, fail-proof formula for starting a small business. So, how can you be sure you’ll make it?
While no one can guarantee you success, there are things you could do to lessen your chances of failure significantly. If you talked to some people about this idea you have about starting your own small business, you’ve probably gotten a lot of advice from family, friends, other business owners; choosing which ones to follow might get a bit overwhelming.
There are, however, some tips that you could find useful; it certainly won’t hurt to give these a try:
• There’s no room for excuses – The fear of failing is your number one enemy when you’re thinking about starting your own business. You have the ambition, you have the ideas, but there’s that little voice in your head, repeating the same question over and over again: What if you don’t succeed? People tend to react to this fear of failing in a similar way – they start making excuses for not trying at all, and somewhere along the way they just give up on their dream of running a small business.
• Learn about your future business niche – Read, talk to people that have experience in that particular niche, such as other successful business owners, do some research; to put it shortly, be a sponge. Once you acquire a decent amount of knowledge on the topic, get back to your original idea – it’s time for a revision. You need to get a better understanding of how the business world actually works and how your plans fit into it. It would be best to get a notebook and write stuff down – valuable advice, random ideas, all the DOs and DON’Ts of running a business - everything that comes to mind that could help you make your dreams come true.
• Narrow your focus – All that excitement about starting a business could make you lose your focus, which is relatively common. New ideas will pop up in your head all the time – while you’re drinking your morning cup of coffee, taking a shower or when you’re about to fall asleep. If you don’t deal with this the right way, things might get out of hand, and before you even realize, something that was once a good idea will become an overly complicated plan – and excessively complicated is something you want to avoid when starting a small business. Starting small is your best bet; it’ll be a lot easier to add all those bells and whistles once your business begins to grow.
• Consider the costs of starting a business – You need to consider how much developing a business idea might cost you; there’s no way of knowing the exact amount of money you’ll need for a venture like that, but you can make some pretty good estimations. Once you have a number in your mind, multiply it by, let’s say, four. Yes, four. Why?
Because, as you’ll soon discover, starting a business brings all sorts of hidden costs. Don’t forget to count in your personal budget; you’ll still need money for your everyday life – food, rent and healthcare can’t be put on hold just because you’re trying to save up some money for your business budget.
• Don’t quit your day job (yet) – The transition you’re making from an employee to an entrepreneur should be as gradual as possible. That means leaving your job is not an option... yet. Wait until you have a steady income from your small business; it will take some time, so be patient. While you wait for your newly started business to stand on its own two feet, stick to your current job; it will be your primary (and probably only) source of income for the time being.
• Follow the legal requirements – Although there are many exciting things about starting a new business, this isn’t one of them, but it’s undoubtedly the most important one; there are many legal things to take care of – business registration, taxes, employer laws, etc. Following government regulations is an absolute must; you’ll face some serious consequences if you fail to obey the law. It would be best if you could talk to an expert about this, someone who knows and understands the law.
• Let people know about your business – Experience has showed that many entrepreneurs out there struggle with mastering the art of selling. If you’re not an outgoing person by nature, you’ll have a hard time with this, but it’s something that needs to be done if you want your new business to succeed.
There’s no room for being shy here – get out of your comfort zone and start talking to people about your business. You can’t expect to earn money if no one knows about your business, so put yourself out there and start selling; you’ll get more comfortable as time goes by, and eventually, you’ll be able to speak about your business with real, attention-grabbing confidence.
Statistics: Numbers You Need to Know Before Starting a Business
Starting with Less than $2,000: Top 10 Small Business Ideas Your Budget Can Handle
1. Pet Sitter
In a scenario like that, owners are forced to leave their pet at home and have someone else take care of them while they’re away. While friends and family members are an option, many people are willing to pay someone with a bit more experience to do the job in their own home, as it will be a lot less stressful for the animal than being taken to an unfamiliar surrounding; that’s where you come into play.
Use other local pet-related businesses – pet shops, dog grooming services, veterinarians – to market your services through them. Talk to other business owners and ask them to help you by recommending you as a pet sitter to their customers, and promise to do the same for them once you get your own; they’ll be a lot more inclined to help you that way.
2. Personal Shopper
You can expect to be hired to buy presents for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and a variety of other occasions; seniors will need you to buy groceries for them because they can’t get around as they used to anymore. And if you decide to expand your customer base, so that includes corporations as well, you’ll get hired to buy gifts for their clients, investors, employees; you get the idea.
What do you need to get started?
That’s the best thing – nothing, except a love for shopping, good taste and a little creativity; this is one of those jobs that doesn’t require any real experience to get started.
3. Music Lessons
Giving music lessons is a business that will allow you to capitalize on your talent; just pick out something you’re good at – singing, playing the piano, guitar, violin or any other instrument out there – and you’re good to go. Music lessons are a great way to turn your love for music into a part- or full-time business.
If you’re wondering where exactly to conduct these classes, here are some of the most popular solutions: you could do it at your home or go to your student’s place. You could also rent a space for your lessons, but keep in mind this option will require a more substantial investment on your part than the first two.
Another thing to consider is whether you want to give individual (one-on-one) or group classes; this will determine how much you’ll charge per hour – one-on-one lessons tend to cost more in general (sometimes up to three to four times more than the group ones).
Market your new business, and soon you’ll have more students than you can handle on your own. You should take this as a sign it’s time to expand and look for other skilled musicians willing to teach.
4. Children’s Party Planner
Remember how birthday parties used to look when you were a child? Well, the situation is considerably different nowadays; parents are spending way more than our parents used to.
So, it’s time to ask yourself: Do I have what it takes to become a children’s party planner?
Let’s see what the essential requirements are; first off, you need to love children and being around them. That’s simple, though. The other is that you enjoy (and are good at) planning parties. If you ticked both of these prerequisites, you might have found your dream job.
There are two ways to do this – by going to your client’s chosen location or by making them come to you. Either way, you’ll have pretty much the same duties; it’ll be up to you to plan the whole thing, to make sure there’s entertainment (because no one wants a bunch of bored kids at one place) and games, and to decorate the venue. Food and beverages are also part of your job. All in all, you’re there to make sure those kids have the best time ever; parents won’t care how much it costs them as long as they see their child having fun.
5. Cake and Cupcake Bakery
Are you known among your friends as the one that bakes the most delicious cupcakes in the world? If yes, there’s a way to turn your hobby into a potentially profitable business.
Think about it: baby showers, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries – these are all events that require beautifully decorated, one-of-a-kind cakes (or cupcakes), which is why you should be the one people turn to when they need some baked goods for their party.
The best thing about starting a cupcake business is the investment needed – or the lack of it; seriously, if you have a kitchen and you know your way around it, congratulations, you have what it takes to open your own home-based bakery. Of course, once you start making a serious profit out of it, you should consider moving your business from your home into a rented space.
But how do you get to that point?
Well, first of all, you’ll have to advertise your business; offer your services to event coordinators, children’s party planners, bridal shops, photographers and even restaurants. Better yet, send them samples of your cakes; that way, they’ll have the chance to see for themselves how skilled you are. Another thing you could do is make a website dedicated to your bakery. Going online will give you a much broader customer reach, which will inevitably result in a growing business and, finally, a higher income.
6. Soap and Essential Oils Maker
Attention, all lovers of handcrafted goods!
Here’s a home-based business idea perfect for you: making essential oils and soaps. It’s fun, creative, as well as profitable business that you can truly enjoy. There will be some initial investments, but those are almost always a part of starting your own business; they will be minimal, though. Once you have your setup ready, you can start working in your kitchen.
You can play around with different shapes, scents, and colors; if you decide it’s time to make your offer more extensive, you can start making bath bombs (there’s a massive demand for these right now) and salts. Your focus can be on aromatherapy or on making every product using only organic ingredients. To make things more fun, you could even make soaps that have a toy hidden inside, that will be revealed once the soap is all used up; the possibilities are endless, you just have to let your creativity run wild.
7. Floral Designer
There are two major requirements for starting a business as a floral designer; you probably know what they are, but let’s state the obvious anyway – you need to love flowers and have good taste (this will help you tremendously when it comes to creating floral arrangements). If you’re confident you have what it takes, maybe this could be a business idea you should seriously consider. Of course, it would be best if you could do some formal training first (there are probably floral design classes available in your community) because you’ll learn all about different techniques and materials you could use.
Your job as a floral designer will consist of making floral arrangements (bouquets, table centerpieces, wreaths) for different occasions; people will hire you to design something for their weddings, social events, as well as funerals. If you’re lucky, a local restaurant will notice your work and ask you to become their regular floral designer. As far as marketing goes, you have the best chances of success if you team up with wedding planners, event planners, and funeral homes.
8. Fashion Accessories Designer
Have you ever bought a piece of jewelry (for yourself or as a gift to someone) and thought to yourself: Well, I could have made this?
Chances are you could – with the right tools and supplies, you could start making (and selling) jewelry, as soon as you get the hang of how it all works. Of course, you have to have that special something – let’s call it a flair for design – for this to work.
Once you start making jewelry, give the first few pieces to friends and family and ask them for their honest opinion; that could be one of the simplest ways to get a clearer picture of your future customer base. Don’t get discouraged if their reactions aren’t entirely positive at first; you’ll get better, just give yourself some time and room for improvement.
One great thing about this particular business is that you can sell handmade jewelry almost everywhere nowadays. First off, there’s Etsy, which is one of the most popular websites for selling all sorts of handcrafted items; then there’s eBay, and if you want a more hands-on approach to selling, you could try local craft fairs.
9. Vintage Clothing Dealer
Do you have a love for all things vintage? Then here’s a small business idea that would be perfect for you – become a vintage clothes dealer.
Your average day „at work“ will look a little bit like this: visiting flea markets, auctions, and garage sales in search of some amazing vintage pieces of either clothing or accessories (shoes, hats, scarves, and jewelry). And if you happen to find a vintage Channel (or any other high-fashion piece that’s been sitting in someone’s closet for the past few decades) you’ve hit the jackpot.
Getting into this particular business will require a bit more effort, though. First of all, you’ll have to gather some knowledge on the topic of vintage clothing; you don’t want to spend too much thinking it’ll be money well spent, just to find out a few days later that the piece isn’t worth nearly as much as you paid. So, get to work; for example, learn how to tell apart a vintage dress from a vintage style dress – it will be more than useful once you hit the flea market.
Several other skills will make things a lot easier (and less expensive in the long run); remember, these aren’t mandatory, but they sure do help a lot: sewing and minor alterations, as well as removing stains and discolorations without destroying the sensitive fabrics. You could, of course, pay someone else to do this for you, but if you’re looking to save money during the start-up phase, then it’s best if you learn to do it yourself.
10. Dog Walker
If you're looking for a low-cost, straightforward and fast way to become a part of the pet industry, starting a dog walking business is one of the best ways to do it.
There was already mention of a job closely related to this one (you read about the pet sitting services at the beginning of this list) and while it may seem like those two are pretty much the same, there's an essential difference to keep in mind. As opposed to pet sitting, dog walking means you have fewer responsibilities while the pet is under your supervision.
Dog walking is a business that gained a lot of popularity over the years since there are many dog lovers out there that have a dog but can't afford to be there for their mandatory walks because they have a job to go to. That's where you come into play.
Before starting your business, talk to someone about insurance specifically tailored to fit dog walkers; it will protect you from any legal actions in case a dog that was under your supervision causes some damage during one of your walks.
Small Businesses in America: The Ultimate List of Business Ideas
11. Food Truck Business
It doesn’t matter where you live, you’ve probably seen one of these at least once before. So, how does it seem to you - the idea of owning a large truck equipped for preparing and selling foods?
You’re probably thinking: I don’t want to sell hamburgers and French fries for the rest of my life.
That’s the catch – you don’t have to. Thinking of food trucks as a place that only sells fast food and ice cream is a thing of the past; nowadays you can find everything from Mexican food to sushi rolls, freshly prepared right there on the truck. It isn’t about fast food anymore, so if your dream is more of a gourmet cuisine food truck, by all means, make it happen. As long as there’s a market for that particular food type, you can be sure your business will continue to grow.
The best locations for your food truck are the ones where a traditional restaurant just isn’t a possibility; for example, college campuses, construction sites, carnival sites, and even beaches – these are all excellent locations that will get you lots and lots of customers. There’s also a growing trend of hiring food trucks for events such as birthday parties, picnics, community events, and weddings (it’s not typical, but it’s entirely possible). You’ll need to get in touch with your local event planner if you want to expand your business in such a way, though.
12. Grocery Store Owner
What is one of the main things that people can’t do without? Groceries.
That’s one of the main reasons for you to consider opening a grocery store. Since you’re already here looking for small business ideas, keep this one in mind; it’s relatively easy to get started, and it won’t cost you a fortune. On top of that, it’s one of those investments that pay off in no time.
There are several things you can do as a new grocery store owner to make sure your business avoids facing the same financial difficulties that forced some grocery stores to close over the years.
The first thing you need to do is to look at your competition; is there any and, if yes, how many?
Opening another store in the neighborhood that already has several other is pointless in most cases. Also, remember to do a detailed market research; if you include the right products in your offer, you’ve already made a step in the right direction.
If you’re a member of a rural community that doesn’t have a well-stocked grocery store, seize the opportunity and open one that will; people will notice and appreciate your effort, which is the first step towards building a loyal customer base.
13. Makeup Artist
First off, don’t think it’s a business idea suitable only for women; there are plenty of male makeup artists out there that are amazing at their job. Now that we got that out of the way let’s see what it’s like to become a part of the makeup industry.
One of the main advantages of this business is its flexibility. If you’re not ready to leave your current job yet, you can work as a part-time makeup artist until you build your confidence and improve your skills; it would be best to set up your makeup station in your home for the time being. Once your business grows, and you can see yourself doing this as a full-time job, consider opening a salon.
You can expect to be hired to do bridal makeup, professional photo shoots, and all sorts of special occasions (reunions, birthday parties, anniversaries); some people will come to you wanting a makeover or even lessons in applying makeup. All in all, you can’t expect to get bored of your job anytime soon.
14. Non-medical Home Care
You can choose to call it elder care, adult care or non-medical home care; either way, this is not only an exploding industry (which automatically translates to profit) but a generous way to help those in need, too. People tend to lose their ability to get around as they age, which means they need personal attention. If you like the idea of being a caregiver, this could be the ideal job for you.
A typical list of services you’ll provide to your clients is, as the title already says, a non-medical one. Your duties will consist of running errands, reminding them to take their medications, preparing meals, and doing some light work around the house. However, the most important thing is that you’ll provide some companionship for them.
Of course, non-medical home care doesn’t include only helping the elderly; you can also provide those (or similar) services to people with disabilities or those that are recovering from an illness or an injury.
As always, it’s best to start out small; once you gain a significant amount of experience and feel ready to take the next step, consider opening an agency to hire additional caregivers.
15. Personal Fitness Trainer
People are getting more and more focused on finding ways to improve not only their looks but their quality of life, too, which gives health and fitness enthusiasts the option of starting a business in this niche by becoming personal fitness trainers.
Even though there are no real certification requirements for this type of job, you should consider getting certified anyway. After all, your clients will be people with different goals and backgrounds, so you need to be educated on how to achieve those goals without compromising their health in any way.
There are two ways to lead this business – either by doing one-on-one sessions or group training programs. If you’re wondering what your client base might look like, there’s no way to tell for sure, since basically anyone who wants a personal fitness trainer is a potential client of yours. You could, however, focus on a particular group, such as moms-to-be, seniors, kids or disabled people. Start out by training in your home (or your customer’s home, if they prefer it that way); once your business grows, you’ll be able to afford to open your fitness studio.
16. Commercial Cleaning
The only real difference between commercial and residential cleaning services are the working hours and the scale on which the job is done; there are some additional services as well, such as replenishing soap and paper products, floor stripping and waxing, but more on that later.
When it comes to working hours, they can be considered both an advantage and a disadvantage – depends on how you look at it. Since you’ll be hired to clean offices and other business spaces, you’ll have to work outside the usual working hours, which means nights and weekends. If you’re just looking to make some money on the side, while still keeping your day job, this is a business to consider.
The payment rates are also higher when compared to residential cleaning. One of the factors that decide how high they go are the unusual working hours; the other one is related to the work itself. The equipment costs more, and you’ll do specialized jobs, such as stripping and waxing floors; when combined with the first factor, you’ve given an absolute right to charge a premium.
How do you get customers, though?
Well, you’ll have to knock on some doors, and once you acquire a decent amount of clients, people will come to you by word of mouth.
17. Event/Party Planner
One question always seems to arise when it comes to event planning: What kind of events are we talking about here?
"Special events" seems to be too broad of an answer, but in general, you'll be hired to handle the planning of all kinds of celebrations (weddings, birthdays, reunions), commemorations, promotions, conferences, as well as parades and fairs. You could specialize in planning a specific type of events (weddings, for example), but more on that later. While a degree or certificate in management or event planning isn't mandatory, it will help you a lot in landing clients.
Your job will consist of many different tasks, from finding a site to supervising everything that goes on during the preparations; you'll even be present on the day of the event to make sure everything runs smoothly.
18. Wedding Planner
Nowadays, people are ready to spend a substantial amount of money to make sure their special day turns out to be a dream come true for both the bride and the groom. With all the expenses of planning a wedding, spending a little extra to hire a wedding planner seems like money well spent to most couples.
Your duties will cover everything - from picking out the venue, the right catering, music, and table centerpieces, to handling all the little details (for example, who's going to sit where). To put it shortly: your job will be to take someones vision and make it a reality, with their budget in mind.
Becoming a wedding planner doesn't require much money-wise, but you'll have to do a good job at marketing your business; how can you expect people to hire you if they don't know your business exists in the first place?
19. Childcare Center
You love everything about kids, especially taking care of them?
Maybe you should consider starting a daycare center. The need for childcare keeps growing due to the costs of living being so high that both parents require full-time jobs. At the same time, most parents prefer to leave their child in a home environment than an institutional one.
There are two ways to go about this – you could either open a home-based daycare center or rent out space and turn it into a childcare facility. As always, it would be best if you start small; opening a home-based business will cut down on your investment costs drastically. You will, however, be limited regarding how many kids you’re allowed to care for in your house.
When it comes to finding clients, you’ll realize soon enough that it will never be a problem; you’ll probably have to turn people down because you already reached your limit. It’s astounding how well the word-of-mouth advertising works; parents are always looking for a reliable person to take care of their kids, so make sure you become the one that others will recommend.
20. Photographer
As camera gear became more affordable in the last decade or so, a lot of people turned to photography as a hobby, and some of them even decided to make it their profession. It's gotten to a point where it seems like almost everyone can become (and is) a photographer. Of course, that's not entirely the case; there's a significant difference between someone who casually takes photos (as a hobby) and those that make a living from it - it's all in the skill level. Don't get discouraged, though; this only means you'll have to put in a bit more effort to get your work to stand out in a pile of amateur shots.
There are many paths you could go down as a photographer: you could specialize in wedding photography, stock photography, portraits, landscapes, and even pet photography. Try everything out to see which of these niches suits you best and become an expert in that particular field, but try not to limit yourself to only one type of photography. That way, you'll be able to offer a variety of services to your clients.
21. Freelance Writing
If you’re a talented writer, it would be a shame if you didn’t get to use your talent, especially if there’s a way to turn it into a real, full-time job. Freelance writing might be the best solution for you if you want to make writing your career, without belonging to an actual company.
You could turn it into a full-time job, but there’s the option of making a part-time thing, using it only as a way to add some money to your already existing income; that’s entirely up to you. There’s one thing to keep in mind, though: if writing becomes your career, it’s going to be something you’ll do pretty much every single day, so think carefully about whether or not you enjoy writing that much.
While getting a degree in English or journalism is considered an asset in this business, it’s not mandatory; all you need are talent and passion for writing. If you have both, you’re good to go.
22. Translation Services
There was a time when the local market was all we had, but that’s not the case anymore; nowadays, we can talk about the continually growing global marketplace. Why do you need to know this? Because „global“ essentially means cross-cultural. For businesses that are operating on such a large scale, language barriers are an issue more often than not. So, how do they deal with this? The answer is simple: they hire translators.
If you speak a foreign language fluently, now’s the time to capitalize on your skill; it doesn’t matter which languages you speak since there’s certainly a corporation out there that could use your services in particular.
Translators and interpreters have unimaginable chances for success in this day and age and, according to some estimations, the situation will only continue to get better: by 2022, the need for these occupations will increase by an astounding 46 percent. If the numbers don’t mean that much to you, let’s just say it’s a growth rate way faster than any other out there.
23. Contracting
Here’s a scenario that’s a tad bit different than most on our list: let’s assume you worked as a contractor for quite some time now and you’re finally feeling confident enough to make the transition from an employee to a business owner.
At the same time, you begin to wonder if that’s such a good idea. It’s normal to have those doubts but don’t let them stop you from taking that step. You’re already a skilled worker; all you need to do know is learn a bit more on how to run a successful business.
Do a little research, and you’ll soon realize that the market offers plenty of job opportunities for contractors; as the economy improves, people can afford to build new houses or renovate the one they live in currently. It’s evident that there’s a growing need for skilled labor of this sort, so if you’re thinking about becoming your own boss, this is the time to make your dream come true.
24. Software School
Is highly specialized software your thing?
If the answer is yes, here’s a business idea for you – start giving lessons to those that want to improve their skills; you can work with amateurs, as well as those who are just looking to expand their knowledge.
You might be thinking: There are already tech manuals that deal with programs such as Final Cut, QuickBooks and the like, so why would someone need me to teach them? Here’s a little secret for you – an average user would probably have a hard time getting through it; it may seem simple to you, but remember you’re the expert on the topic, while most of us are not.
The best way to start is by picking a software you want to teach and giving private lessons, just to get the hang of teaching before moving onto larger group classes. You can charge by the hour or by a complete tutorial, that’s entirely up to you. If you’d like to grow and expand your business, you could get in touch with some other specialists; that way, you’ll offer a broader range of software tutorials to your students. Oh, and one more thing: remember to move your business online. That way, you can reach a much broader customer base, as well as add things like online classes, consulting, and even ebooks to your offer.
25. Smartphone Repair
Life without smartphones is becoming unimaginable these days; everything from your personal life to your career depends on your smartphone in one way or another. While pretty much everyone knows how to use a smartphone, not everyone knows how to fix it, which is why people need someone who does.
So, are you qualified for the job?
There are national-wide smartphone repair businesses, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start one in your city (or even state, if you’re feeling ambitious). Since repairing a phone can sometimes cost almost as much as buying a new one (depending on who you hire to do it), so your goal is to make your services a bit more affordable than the average repair costs.
That way, you’ll build a loyal customer base – people will keep hiring you because they can afford your services and, on top of that, you do your job well. The best thing is you can start a business like this with close to nothing; renting a place isn’t mandatory – this is one of those businesses that can be run from home.
Smartphone repair could turn out to be a profitable business, especially if you live in the rural parts of America, as these communities often face a lot of difficulties when it comes to tech support. You could start with this type of repairs, but if you have a broad knowledge of technology in general, you could consider expanding your services to tech support, resolving connectivity issues, internet setup and the like.
26. Social Media Consultant
You’re already all over social media, and you know how to attract new followers, as well as how to keep the old ones coming for more? Then there’s no reason for you not to make a business out of it. Of course, you have to have a topnotch online presence yourself, that’s the first step to starting a successful business as a social media consultant.
To be honest, your client base will probably consist out of boring companies and business owners that don’t have the time (or the creativity) to run social media accounts and connect with followers.
It would be best if you could become an expert on certain platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat; leave these companies to do their not-so-interesting jobs, while you do yours (which will be a lot more fun, as you can imagine).
27. Auto-Repair Shop
It’s safe to say that car repair is one of those businesses that doesn’t have an expiration date; the reasons behind this are simple: as long as there are cars, people will need to repair them. When they drive their cars regularly, some wear and tear are mandatory; that’s why you’ll never be out of business.
Another reason why people need mechanics is to make sure their vehicles are in good shape – this is one of the leading factors in driving safety. It means that, even though your job will be repairing cars, you can expect regular customers that will require nothing more than a checkup just to be sure everything’s working as it should.
While it’s true that all you need to start your own car repair business is a garage and a skilled pair of hands, some states do require you to get a license before you can open up a shop. Talk to someone about this and see if there are similar regulations in your state.
In case you do have to acquire an operating license to become a mechanic, don’t worry, it won’t be that complicated, especially since you already know your way around cars. Once you’re done with training and have all the needed documentation ready, you can move on to starting your business. If, however, this doesn’t apply to your state, all you have to do is to prepare your tools, and you’re good to go.
28. Hot Dog Cart Business
There was already mention of food trucks on this list of business ideas; if that’s not entirely what you’re looking for, but you still want to get into the food service, you should consider setting up a hot dog stand, either as a part- or full-time job. Alternatively, you could make it a seasonal job. Choose the option that suits your lifestyle the best.
You might think there’s no way a hot dog stand could turn out to be a profitable business, but you’re wrong; as it turns out, a lot of people make the same mistake assuming that. In reality, a hot dog stand could easily be one of the most profitable businesses to establish.
But why, what’s the deal with hot dogs?
First off, everyone likes them; if you set up your cart on a busy street, hungry passersby will, in most cases, stop by and buy a hot dog from you. It’s simple, quick, tasty, and it’s not as time-consuming as going to an actual restaurant – what’s not to like there?
If you decide on a mobile stand, you’ll have a tremendous advantage over the standard fast food retailers, since you’ll be able to move your business where ever your customers are – even at their doorstep.
29. Woodworking
Is woodworking a hobby of yours?
Did you ever think about turning your weekend hobby into a small business that would generate a steady income?
You probably have some (if not all) tools and raw material you’ll need already sitting in your garage, and you have a significant amount of experience, so why wait?
Don’t be one of those people that had a hobby for over 20 years and always dreamed of it becoming a full-time business, but they never got around to doing it, especially when it’s relatively easy to start. There’s no need to hire staff (you can do that once your business expands) or need to rent a space – it can all be done in your garage, by yourself.
And don’t assume you’ll be making furniture for the rest of your life just because you got into woodworking; for example, you could teach woodworking to others for a fee.
30. Dog Groomer
As you can see, the pet industry has a lot of options for those thinking about starting a small business; one of them is a dog grooming service.
Why is it so popular?
Well, many pet owners don’t have the time (or skill) to groom their pets, but they still want their furry friends to get the best care possible; that’s the main reason why this service exists and continues to grow. It’s one of those pet-related services that are equal to spending the day at a spa – it’s luxurious, but it needs to be done regardless. Your startup costs will be minimal, and you don’t need a lot in general; you could start working from your home, so there’s no need to pay any additional rents.
One thing you should keep in mind is that not all animals will like what you’re doing to them, even if it’s for their well-being, and you’ll be dealing with some temperamental ones, as well. It would be best if you could get some training and experience on how to calm animals down when none of the usual methods work; it will make your workplace a lot safer for both you and your little, four-legged customers.
Conclusion
So, there you have it – thirty of the best small business ideas that you can start in America. They all require a certain amount of work and they can all end up being successful if you invest your time and effort in them.
Even though you’re here to decide what’s the best business for you to start, you shouldn’t choose one based solely on how profitable it is. Remember, this will be your chosen career, so make it something you’ll enjoy doing day in, day out.
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