So many people shy away from starting a business because of unforeseen expenses. 

But starting a new business doesn't have to leave you bankrupt. In fact, there are so many businesses you can start with minimum start-up costs and lucrative profit potentials.

I've narrowed down 95 promising businesses that budding entrepreneurs on a shoe-string budget can start.

I love looking into business opportunities.

I was able to quit my job in 2015 with the lead generation business, still growing the business today in 2020. (Its def low cost & massive profit potential)

As a newbie in business, you want to be able to fail small (low cost) and learn overtime, if you fail too big, you can't play the game anymore.

Before getting into this list, check out marketing guru and best-selling author, Seth Godin talk about the importance of failing small.

Time for the list!

Personal Services

1. Concierge Service

A personal concierge/personal assistant helps CEO’s/business owners run their day-to-day lives.

Tasks you can perform range from booking travel to running miscellaneous errands and setting appointments.

Pricing is completely dependent on you, whether you want to charge monthly or hourly. Many concierges can charge anywhere from $20-$100 per hour. 

Expenses include things like gas, car insurance and maintenance, website costs, and self-employment taxes.

2. Personal Chef

Those who love to cook can make a profitable business out of their passion. 

The best part? It will cost you very little to get going.

Food costs and such are reimbursed through your client fees and many times, you can utilize your client’s kitchen and equipment to do the cooking instead of your own. 

Your business is of interest to a variety of sectors like seniors, busy families with children, corporate events, and entrepreneurs.

You’ll want to take advantage of social media platforms and some online advertising to start getting business.

3. Tour Guide Company

International travel within the United States is a nearly 2 trillion dollar industry that occupies a significant portion of national GDP. 

Tourists who visit often spend money on gaining the ‘American experience’ by visiting historic sites and going on guided tours. 

Those who live in or near major American metropolitan areas can offer their helpful knowledge of the surrounding areas through a guided tour. 

Like I always recommend, niching down is the way to go, so decide if you’re going to offer bike tours, wine tours, beer tours, or something else you think will drive business.

4. Auto Repair

On-demand mobile services continue to rise in popularity, due to the huge convenience and accessibility to customers.

Those who enjoy working with cars can join in the hype with mobile mechanic services.

You set your own fees as far as the scope of service you’re willing to offer and traveling costs. 

You can meet customers at their homes, workplaces, and even on the side of the road in case of emergencies.

5. Home Decoration

Everyone holds a vision of what their perfect home looks like. 

Those with an eye for modern style and design can help others bring their decor dreams to life by starting a home decor business.

Add your magic touch to the kitchen, guest room, living room, and much more!

You can offer your services both locally and virtually through your home office.

6. Organization Services

Staying organized is a skill of its own and many find that hectic lives lead to disarray in many areas of their lives.

Professional organization can make a huge difference for an office space, garage clean-out, or a cluttered closet.

And you don’t need anything fancy to start fixing up people’s lives, just your marketing efforts.

Research has even shown that an organized space can help reduce stress and give an added boost to productivity and motivation.

7. Personal Stylist

Business executives, television personalities, and big-name folks always seem to look their best inside and outside the office.

Their secret?

A personal stylist who knows what they’re doing.

Personal stylists carefully plan out their client’s daily wardrobe, accounting for season, trends, and personality.

They also understand their client’s personal taste and work with them to settle on the final ‘look’.

You can take on multiple clients of varying influences to build your business and really create a name for yourself in the industry.

8. Car Detailing

We rely on our vehicles to get us from point A to point B. 

As new car prices continue to jump each year, at a rate of 4% according to PR Newswire , people are refraining from making purchases and instead maintaining the vehicles they already own.

Thus, car detailing is a good business to start from scratch.

You don’t even need a physical store-front, you can offer mobile detailing services and travel to customer’s homes and jobs.

9. Dog Walker

63.4 million U.S. households own a pet dog according to statistics obtained from iii.org, and that number is expected to increase over the years.

Pet owners have busy lives filled with work, kids, and bills.

They often don’t have enough time to fit in a daily walk with their furry friends and dogs need plenty of exercise and attention.

Love dogs and the great outdoors?

You don’t need much more than your own two legs to take dogs on adventurous hikes. Start with offering your services in your immediate area.

10. Credit Repair Consultant

Credit is everything today.

You can’t buy a home, lease a car, or even get some jobs without having your credit history checked.

Many people are unaware of the different factors that make up their credit score and uneducated on the ways to build positive credit history. 

Debt also hurts consumer’s credit scores, with a record-high $13.86 trillion in consumer debt within the United States alone.

Trust is going to be an important factor for your potential clients, so proving your expertise and support through various channels like social media and your website is a must.

11. Tailor/Alteration

Do your friends and family view you as their go-to tailor whenever they need an article of clothing mended? 

Turn your passion into a business and offer on-demand tailoring services, both locally and virtually.

Alterations always need to be made for tuxedos, dresses, blazers, and everyday clothing as there is no standard one-size-fits-all option. 

Offering additional services like local pick-up and free shipping (factored into your fees) for online customers can help boost your business’s growth.

Marketing

12. Digital Marketing

Similar to social media marketing, digital marketers utilize the power of online marketing to help generate leads, sales, and data for their customers.

This can be achieved with SEO, Google ads, Facebook ads, sales funnels, and other avenues.

Some software and advertising is needed as far as start-up costs for things like ClickFunnels, SEO tools, website hosting, and more.

Yet these minor costs pale in comparison to the income you can generate from your full-scale digital marketing agency.

13. Social Media Marketing

Businesses need the online marketing capabilities of social media to maximize their income potential.

But most business owners are already overworked, handling all of the front-end and back-end logistics. 

Implementing an effective social strategy takes work.

Someone who specializes in the social media marketing sphere is a highly valuable asset to the majority of companies- so this is where you can really capitalize. 

Most social media management services charge monthly retainers, ranging anywhere from $500-$2,500 per client.

If you’ve got 5 clients, you’re already making more than the average American.

14. Social Media Consulting

Slightly different than social media marketing, social media consultants analyze a client’s social presence and advise them on how to implement different strategies to reach their goals. 

They don’t take over complete management of the client’s platforms, rather they guide them and check in on progress periodically to make any necessary adjustments.

A cohesive and consistent strategy can make all the difference when it comes to leads, sales, and customer engagement.

15. Sell and promote digital products on Clickbank

Digital products are awesome because you can essentially create a product once and collect profit on it for years and years without having to maintain inventory or change anything else. 

Clickbank is a great platform to leverage when you’re just getting started and want to sell your e-book, course, video, and more.

You can also make money off of other people’s products by promoting them with your affiliate link and receiving a commission when a sale is made.

I've dabbled in affiliate marketing and have managed to generate extra income each month using this business model. 

To start making money on ClickBank, you’ll pay a one-time $49.95 charge along with payment processing fees.

16. Copywriting

This has got to be the most lucrative area of writing you can enter.

Yet it also requires talent, tons of practice, and knowledge of marketing and psychology.

Copywriting entails producing copy (or text) for marketing/advertising purposes. 

These writers are employed in all types of industries and their skillset is incredibly valuable for profit generation for the companies they work with. 

Salary earnings fluctuate massively, as Neville Medhora demonstrates from the large pool of income data he’s gathered. 

17. Content Writing

There are blogs on pretty much anything these days, from how-to magic card tricks to helpful marriage advice.

So if you’re good at throwing words together, there’s a content writing opportunity out there for you.

The vast opportunities for content writers include gigs like writing long and short-form articles, short stories, and more.

18. Copy Editor

Can you easily spot the msitake in this sentence? Are grammar and punctuation near and dear to your heart?

You could help out businesses by proofreading their copy and supervising the copy process to ensure everything is up to standards.

Though you don’t need formal education, many copy editors gain experience working as freelance copywriters and content writers prior to branching out.

Education

19. Online Course Creation

Got some knowledge to drop? 

If you’ve seen success in one of your ventures, such as investing, starting a successful business, or even saving a large amount of money, then creating a course might be the next best move for you.

Time will be your biggest investment, with some additional costs like the course platform, video/computer software, and advertising.

The potential ROI can be massive, with some people generating $1 million within a year of launching their course.

20. Online Music Teacher

The variety is out there for music teachers!

There are so many paths you can take when you start an online music lessons business, and getting started won’t break the bank.

You can create your own course or use a site like Udemy or Skillshare to publish it.

YouTube and social media provide further routes for promotion of your services and possible monetization. The fees you charge students for lessons is left entirely up to you.

21. College Planning Consultant

As secondary education has become the norm in the United States, parents scramble to prepare their children as much as possible.

Tutoring, test prep, college application workshops, financial aid-- everything can be difficult to navigate.

This role works closely with students and parents either in-person or virtually, guiding them through every step of the process and aiding with comprehension. 

Consultants can suggest extracurriculars and classes for students to take and help parents navigate resources for financial aid.

22. Test Prep

The SAT/ACT is perhaps one of the most important exams in a high school student’s career.

Often, it can determine what college choices are most viable based on the score received.

Students and parents seek out the best classes and books to best prepare for these rigorous tests.

If you’re well versed on the exam material, you can offer your knowledge through in-person or online classes. 

23. Online English Tutor

English is widely spoken, not just here in the United States, but also globally. 

Countries like China have demonstrated high interest in learning the English language, growing the demand for online tutors to fill the shortage of English teachers within China itself.

This is a great opportunity for new online platforms to enter and offer personalized webcam tutoring sessions for children and adults.

Online platforms dedicated to teaching children are booming right now, with front-runner VIPKid raking in $3 billion in revenue.

Retail

24. Etsy Seller

Etsy is the place to go for most homemade and hand-crafted items which can include anything from jewelry to monogrammed items.

Perfect as either a side hustle or a full-time business, Etsy makes it super simple to get set up.

While some sell items as a side hustle or hobby without the intention of making much money, many Etsy sellers have managed to break six figures and beyond.

Etsy is completely free, save for a $0.20 per listing and a 5% payment transaction fee per their site.

25. Ecommerce Store

Anything you want to sell online, there’s a very very high chance that someone will be interested in buying. 

While many people still tend to shop in-person, according to Digital Commerce 360 60% of millennials (ages 23-38) prefer to shop online.

Products and services targeting this demographic have the potential for insane profit.

You can start your store for less than $20 per month with ad-spend and shipping costs thrown in.

26. Dropshipping

Unlike a traditional ecommerce store, a store centered around the dropshipping model holds no overhead and typically doesn’t deal with shipping costs. 

Customers pay you for the product and you then pay the wholesaler to ship it directly to your customer, keeping whatever’s leftover as profit.

These factors help make dropshipping an appealing business model.

You can sell virtually anything using this model and ensure quality by carefully choosing your wholesaler. 

Social media and online marketing play a big role in your marketing efforts and make up the bulk of your starting investment.'

Side note: I initially found success through the dropshipping model. I scaled a shark onesies store to $48K revenue in a single calendar month.  

However, I've since stepped back from dropshipping and here's why.

27. Recycle Scrap Metal

Going to the scrap yard can be a money-making venture if you’ve got a pick-up truck.

If you understand the metal market well enough and scope out the best scrap yards, demolition sites, and auto repair shops, you can turn up on some quick and hefty profits for little down.

28. Storage Auction Reseller

When storage unit owners default on payment, the facility will wait a short time before auctioning off the contents of the unit to the public.

The highest bidder wins the auction and becomes the proud new owner of everything they find.

The bidding process makes pinpointing expenses tough since the going price is completely up to the crowd’s interest. 

Yet many storage unit flippers report making as much as 100-600% of the sales price which are crazy figures for any business. 

29. Online Reseller

The clearance rack is going to become your best friend. 

Online resellers are always on the hunt for a bargain--perusing retail stores, thrift stores, and even ecommerce sites for popular items.

Popular sites like eBay and Amazon make reselling fairly simple while providing legitimate backing.

Amazon FBA is a reselling business that can net some serious profits when done right. I covered some of the best courses that teach you how to start here.

You’re not really limited to what you can sell. Baby clothes, dog toys, workout gear-- you name it, you can sell it.

30. Mobile Retail Pop-up

As consumers turn to more convenient ways of shopping, offering another means of shopping only helps to boost potential revenue and expand your customer base.

People love the ease of browsing and shopping on their own time, which is why online shopping is so popular.  

Why not go directly to where your customers spend their downtime (shopping plazas, outdoor markets, etc) and bring the shopping experience with you?

You can start a mobile retail pop-up selling thrift-store finds and clearance rack items.

You don’t need a van right away--you can set up a tent or outdoor pop-up to display your items until your business starts to bloom and it’s time to upgrade.

31. Meal Kit Delivery

Who doesn’t want a home-cooked meal after a long day at work?

Of course, everyone does-- but not all of us have the time, foresight, or patience to whip up a nutritious meal when we’re already so exhausted.

Meal kit delivery services offer the convenience and consistency that busy customers need. And they’re growing in demand, with the market size expected to double to $11.6 billion by 2022.

Make sure to narrow your target audience and decide what niche you’re going to enter, whether it’s low-carb, paleo, gourmet, vegan, or another area.

32. Monthly Subscription Service

Receiving a new product in the mail every single month is both rewarding and satisfying for consumers. 

They’re seriously obsessed with monthly subscriptions--Forbes calculated that the business model has seen an 890% growth since 2014.

Those numbers don’t lie.

You’re left to your own creative devices if you want to join in this growing industry.

From yoga pants to makeup, consumers enjoy the ‘surprise’ element when a new box launches. Pick a niche and run with it.

33. Home Bakery

‘You should sell these in stores, they’re delicious!’

The praise you receive about your baked goods from family members might be on to something. 

Whether your specialty is brownies or cookies, there’s a market out there dying to try something sweet. 

You most likely already have the necessary tools and equipment if you’re an avid baker, so the hard part is securing partnerships and events to sell your goods.

Exploring niche markets can prove the most profitable route, such as producing vegan-friendly goods and sharing in the 329% growth in popularity over the past year.

34. Food Cart

People often get hungry when they’re out and about in public, whether they’re at the grocery store or an amusement park-- which means ample opportunities exist for food carts of all types.

French baguettes, tacos, tortas, pasta-- the variety of cuisines you can serve with your food cart is endless.

Food carts require less maintenance than food trucks making them perfect for starter entrepreneurs in the food industry.

You’ll only need occasional paint jobs and wheel replacement.

35. Rare Book Dealer

Those old and rare books you’ve got lying around may be worth more than you think.

Get good at identifying value and you could flip books for a hefty profit through auctions or online selling platforms.

Book prices fluctuate greatly so the income you make as a rare book dealer really depends on opportunity and personal sales.

36. Marijuana Home Grower

A wave of states across the country passed marijuana legalization acts, making the recreational consumption and selling of marijuana legal for adults over a certain age. 

As you can imagine, this legislation is not only a big deal for consumers, it opens up a previously untouched market for entrepreneurs to leverage.

In California you can cultivate up to six plants at home and profit potential from a single plant can be extremely lucrative.

Residential/Commercial Services

37. House Painting

Got a ladder and some good o’ fashioned painting tools in your garage?

Then you’re sitting on a money-making opportunity.

People desire to add color not only to the eye-catching exteriors but also to the interior parts of their home such as the living room or a bedroom.

If patience and perfection are part of your specialty, then house painting may be the ideal business for you.

38. Bike Repair

If you’re good at picking up tools and fixing a variety of bike issues, you might as well make some money doing it!

Repairing bikes is lucrative as a side hustle or a full-time living, with your only monthly overhead being marketing, your phone, and periodic equipment repairs.

You don’t even need a workshop space to run this business--you can do it entirely from your garage, storage space, or even driveway.

39. TV Mounting & Home Electronic Set-Up

Do you know how many people would love to forego the troubles that come with mounting a flat-screen TV or figuring out a new surround sound system?

With just a few tools and your personal vehicle, you can make money traveling to local homes and doing simple installations in your spare time.

40. Home Inspection

Anywhere homes are sold, a local home inspector is needed.

Though your job doesn’t really require much technical know-how, you’ll want to receive training on how to use tools and what to look for during your home inspections to provide the best service possible.

Develop relationships with your local real estate offices to increase your chances of getting a job referral.

41. Carpet Cleaning

A fresh and stain-free carpet can tremendously improve the appearance of a space.

With just a few pieces of powerful equipment, you could be well on your way to earning a great income with a carpet cleaning business.

This industry generated $5.4 billion in 2019.

Homes and commercial spaces both posses high demand for carpet cleaning services, offering business opportunities year-round.

42. Window Washing

Windows can literally be found everywhere, they’re a major feature of most buildings, homes, and vehicles.

Nobody likes a smudged and dirty window, least of all homeowners and business owners. 

You can start a window cleaning business for as less than $100, and in some cases with zero money down if you already own the basic tools like a ladder, rags, and cleaning solution.

43. Gutter Cleaning

Rain gutters get caked with all types of gunk like grit, muck, leaves, and branches.

Routine cleaning is needed to maintain the overall integrity of a home, but it’s often a strenuous and sometimes dangerous job for many homeowners to perform.

You’ll need a ladder, safety rope, gloves, and basic equipment to collect the debris. Be prepared to try out various techniques to remove everything possible.

Location does matter, so determine whether most of the work you do will occur seasonally or year-round.

44. Window Tinting

People look to tint their windows to keep harmful UV rays at bay and offer additional privacy for the vehicle’s occupants. 

Though some auto body shops provide window tinting as an additional service, making an appointment can be difficult around a busy schedule.

Fulfill this need by offering mobile window tinting services, traveling to wherever your customers are.

Supply costs are generally low when starting out and you could net $50-$60 per hour.

45. Pressure Washing

Local businesses are always looking for ways to improve the appearance of their store-fronts.

Sweeping doesn’t always remove every particle of dust, grime, and mud from concrete surfaces, so the need for a pressure washer comes in.

Basic pressure washers start off at $250 and you can always upgrade to a more expensive model once you’ve got an established client base.

46. Snow Removal

If you live in an area with heavy snowfall year round, you’re a few pieces of equipment away from a full-fledged snow removal business.

Most homeowners simply don’t want to deal with the hassle of shoveling piles of snow from their driveways. They have places to be.

So you bet they’re on the hunt for help.

Considering it doesn’t snow nationwide, the numbers are astounding.

Snow removal touts $19 billion in yearly revenue.

47. Driveway Sealing

When you take care of your driveway, it can last for over 30 years.

Maintenance entails sealing your driveway and filling in gaps periodically to stretch out its lifespan. 

But driveway sealing is no easy task, requiring hard labor over the length of two to three days-- something homeowners would rather not do themselves. 

You can fill this need with a few simple tools, gloves, and your readiness to work.

48. Handyman Services

CNBC reports that home sales are booming at a one and a half year high. People are selling homes just as quick as they’re buying ‘em. 

As homeowners scramble to prepare their homes for purchase, renovations and repairs are the first thing on their minds.

Yet time and inexperience leaves many homeowners absolutely clueless as to what needs to be done.

Handymen are well versed on household repairs of all types such as door and lighting repairs and drywall installation. 

Those handy with tools around the house can take advantage of the high demand or outsource client work to subcontractor handymen.

49. Flooring

As disposable income rises and housing investments grow, the flooring business is set to scale beyond its $26 billion industry valuation.

While flooring doesn’t require specialized training, it does require you to get down and dirty working with your hands.

It’s best to narrow down your focus on one area of flooring such as linoleum, wood, or carpeting.

You can factor in material costs within your client fees, while keeping in mind you’ll need to put down a small investment on tools.

50. Upholstery

If you enjoy working with your hands and have picked up some upholstery skills, a full-time business in the field can be well within reach.

Customers use upholstering services to maintain different pieces of furniture, replacing older materials for sturdier and newer ones. 

Social media, YouTube, and an online course can make a significant impact in helping you grow your business.

51. House Sitting

A relatively low-key and enjoyable business model, house sitters oversee the upkeep of a home while the homeowner is away. 

Hiring a house sitter eases stress for those who travel frequently since there’s someone to take care of not only the home but also pets and plants.

You can find clients for both seasonal and year-long commitments for steady work.

Plus, you don’t need any special equipment or overhead at all.

52. Lawn Care

Homeowners take pride not only in the interior furnishings of their home, but also its appearance from outside.

A well-kept yard can also help boost the value of your home.

If you enjoy the smell of freshly cut grass and desire more freedom, consider starting a lawn care business. 

This business model can provide stable income and more time flexibility while also generating high-profit returns. You can get started with just your lawnmower and some varied marketing efforts. 

However, keep in mind your current location does matter if you’re looking for year-round work rather than seasonal.

53. Packing/Moving Services

Moving to a new place can be a huge pain, not to mention packing up every single thing you own. The entire process can take hours or even days!

Offering your packing services takes a burden off overly stressed customers and is also a great way to make money with close to no overhead.

Your fees can figure in packing materials and boxes so you typically don’t have to purchase them out-of-pocket.

Your clients can include apartment dwellers, homeowners, and businesses. 

54. House Cleaning

Statista states that there are over 128 million households in the United States.

As Americans continue to grow busier, the need for household cleaning assistance rises in conjunction with this figure.

Purchase all of the cleaning supplies you’ll need, get a website up, do a bit of advertising and you could start a residential cleaning service with very little expenses upfront. 

Doing all of the cleaning yourself when you start is yet another way to keep your costs extremely low.

The sky is the limit with the amount you can make after factoring in contractors and advertising but you could net six figures and more through this growing business model.

55. Office Cleaning

Corporate workers are notorious for being messy and office cleaners are the nightly saving grace they need to function.

Basic cleaning supplies and garbage bins are all you really need to ensure the office building gets a deep scrubbing.

The majority of office cleaning contracts end up spanning many years, so land a few main clients and you could be making the big bucks.

56. Commercial Plant Watering & Decor Services

You’d be surprised at how much more impressive a lobby is with the addition of a few green plants.

First impressions are everything in service-based industries, so your local dentist or plastic surgeon’s office are great places to start offering this service.

Plants need to be watered and lobbies need to be tidied nearly weekly, which makes long-term retainers the most popular option in this business model.

57. Commercial Trash Collection

This isn’t the same as weekly trash take-out, rather this is another necessary garbage maintenance service best for walk-in businesses.

You’ll collect trash and sweep in front of stores and office buildings to preserve their appearance.

Storefronts with heavy foot traffic get quite dusty and littered after a busy week, which is why your business’s services are especially needed.

58. Construction Site Clean-up Crew

Though it might sound counterintuitive, clean-up is often not a service many contractors offer post-construction or post-renovation.

Instead, an outside clean-up crew is brought in to ensure the site is left impeccable.

The work you’ll be doing requires tons of heavy lifting and pulling, so you and your crew will need to be physically fit. 

As home renovations continue to boom, touting a $450 billion industry valuation, now is the perfect time to take a leap. 

Web/Tech

59. Desktop Publisher

A desktop publisher creates and finalizes different documents types for print/electric publication.

They use specialized software to work with document types of varying complexity and design.

Other than a computer and publishing software like Adobe and Corel, you’ll need a camera, scanner, and color printer.

You may need more or less equipment depending on your client’s formatting and design needs.

60. Domain Flipping

Verisign reported that 354.7 million domain names were registered in the 2nd quarter of 2019 alone. Yet once domains expire, many people fail to renew them.

This allows others to invest in some digital real estate and purchase these domains to resell them for profit. 

The amount you pay for a domain varies with the amount you can make from selling it entirely up to demand.

Combing through the millions of domains out there to find the most promising ones is a tedious and time-consuming process, so domain flipping does take work.

61. App Creator

Need to compare foundation tones?

There’s an app for that.

Wanna find the best route on your commute and avoid traffic?

There’s an app for that.

So many great ideas would work well as apps.

Once you get around the app development learning curve, you could create the next top-rated app for download.

62. Flipping Websites

A website is chock full of valuable content and resources, making it an asset for many businesses and media conglomerates as evidenced by this guy who sold his website to the New York Times for $30 million.

While that type of success is on another level entirely, many people turn a pretty profit by flipping websites either part-time or as their main gig. 

You start by creating a website and growing its value before opening it up to offerings, using sites like flippa.com or through your own means.

Profits vary but they typically significantly exceed the minor financial investment you put into building and hosting your site.

63. Smartphone/Computer Training

Older folks really struggle to adapt to the changing times, namely advanced technology like smartphones, computers, and tablets.

Tech-savvy folks with expertise to offer can fulfill this need by offering home consultations and workshops for in-person education.

You can create some easy-to-follow presentations and guides combined with hands-on training for maximum learning.

64. WordPress Expert

The CMS you decide to go with when creating your website often matters just as much as your site’s content and design.

With so many CMS platforms available, each with its own benefits and features, you need to take into consideration what it is you need as far as support.

WordPress occupies 61.9% of the market share of all content management systems, based on data collected by w3techs.com. 

Yet WordPress is a beast on its own to tackle and not every site owner wishes to become an expert, so outside help is always needed.

If you know your way well around WordPress and its various plug-ins, consider starting a WordPress web design company including services like build-out, troubleshooting, and routine maintenance.

65. Videography

Though smartphone cameras are becoming much more versatile and high-quality, they still don’t compare to what professional videography can capture. 

Brands and businesses appreciate the value of a great video, but so do influencers and YouTubers-- and chances are not many of these people are experts in shooting the perfect video. 

60% of marketers agree that video advertisements drive more engagement and interest compared to single image advertisements.

Grab your videography equipment and offer your services to local and online businesses to make serious dough and build an impressive portfolio to grow your business.

Health/Wellness

66. Mobile Esthetics

Job competition for estheticians is fierce, with limited spots for the thousands of new graduates. Starting your own business makes sense now more than ever.

The beauty and skincare industry isn’t dying down anytime soon. In fact, the New York Post  reports that the average American woman spends over a quarter of a million dollars on appearance over their lifetime.

You’ll travel to client homes and provide services like scrubs, chemical peels, facials, and more. 

67. Online Fitness Trainer

The health and wellness industry is on the rise. 

Consumers are more educated about eating habits and fitness routines, seeking sustainable and long-term solutions for weight loss and overall well-being.

The Internet provides information for users at the touch of a button, yet many don’t know how to process what they read and take action. 

Thus, they seek out the guidance of an online fitness trainer-- an accessible and affordable option when compared to distance and rising gym dues.

With social media and YouTube, you can promote your fitness training services and gain a global client base.

In many cases, even if you’re not certified you can still leverage your own experience and results to find clients.

68. Personal Sports Trainer

If you’ve been playing sports your whole life and have advanced skills, you can help others develop their expertise by working as a sports trainer.

Through one-on-one or small group sessions, you’ll guide your students through drills and exercises to obtain different skills.

To expand your reach, you can offer both in-person and online coaching sessions.

69. Online Coaching

We all need motivation and support at times, whether in life, business, or health.

Online coaching can encompass a wide range of niches and allows you to use your knowledge to help others reach and even exceed their goals. 

Social media has helped increase awareness surrounding this field and is also a good avenue for coaches to gain exposure and credibility in their niche. 

70. Patient Advocacy

Navigating the healthcare system is difficult enough for many people. 

Throw in debilitating illness, healthcare systems that seem to prioritize profit, and a lack of assistance from family members and people are left even more vulnerable.

Patient advocates work to support their clients by acting as a liaison between the patient and healthcare staff, communicating on issues such as standard of care and patient’s rights.

It’s highly recommended for you to be well versed in HIPAA and patient privacy laws, which may require some training.  

Arts/Creative

71. Stock Photography

People use stock photos as imagery for blogs, websites, social media platforms, and much more. 

Photographers can diversify their income and make income off of the stock images they sell.

Images can be sold on various stock photography sites for royalty fees. 

To have more control over their art and income, photographers also have the option of selling their photos through social media and their own website, which is the only small fee other than photography equipment.

72. Logo Design

Your logo represents your brand and its vision.

Think about some of the most iconic logos like McDonald’s golden arches.

It serves as a visual for your clients to remember and associate with your business and its products/services. 

Your logo can also impact consumer psychology and trigger emotional responses through font type, sizes, shapes, and colors--so it’s crucial to put time and thought behind it. 

If you’ve got an eye for design and creative software, you can get started churning out awesome logos for your clients with almost no upfront cost.

73. Photo Editing

Who doesn’t want the perfect photo? 

A perfectly executed photo can hit all the right angles, but a little photo editing can go a long way in refining and enhancing an image. 

Plus, with the pressing importance of images in our everyday lives from advertisements to social media-- having an eye for aesthetics is a pretty valuable skill. 

74. Graphic Design

Graphic design covers a wide range of visual communication mediums like posters, web design, social media images, and advertisements. 

Professional graphic design work stands out from amateur work and helps convey a company’s vision, value, and voice.

You can work with businesses in a variety of industries to visually capture their brand’s unique proposition.

Low overhead like software makes your income potential entirely dependent on your own efforts.

75. Creative Branding Agency

Having a brand helps your audience recognize your company and uniquely distinguish it from your competition. It’s also a way to connect with your customers emotionally.

Most new businesses struggle with solidifying a brand image and seek outside consultations from branding experts. 

Those who possess creativity and innovative ideas can thrive working in an environment conducive to artistic expression. 

Social media increasingly serves as a space for branding agencies to showcase their work and attract new clients in the process.

76. Arts & Crafts Workshops

Both children and adults love creating fun crafts they can use to decorate their homes.

You don’t need an art degree; you can specialize in painting, cartoons, macaroni art, or whatever you want!

The best part of this business model is its versatility-- you can run your arts and crafts workshops from a classroom, recreation center, party, or just your home.

77. Dance Teacher

Jazz, ballet, hip-hop, salsa-- whatever form of dance you know, you can create a business teaching it!

Private sessions are often the most lucrative for dance teachers alongside offering their typical repertoire of group classes.

The internet has opened up even more revenue streams for dance teachers, as they can also offer classes 100% online to students everywhere.

Entertainment

78. Karaoke Machine Rental

Karaoke is universally loved by so many people. A social gathering just isn’t complete without belting out a few tunes and enjoying the company of good friends.

Bring this experience to a wide array of gatherings and events with a karaoke rental business. 

You can purchase a standard karaoke machine for less than $100 and make back your investment and more after just one event!

Make sure you compile a vast collection of songs from different genres to provide variety to your customers.

79. Community News Blog

Local residents are often clueless about the goings-on around town. This leaves them unaware of local news, events, and resources which can prove helpful.

Plus, towns and municipalities often rely on resident contributions to flourish.

A town blog that’s constantly updated with local happenings would spur awareness, participation, and connections-- a win-win for all residents! 

You can monetize your site with paid local advertisements and sponsored interviews.

 Consider pairing your blog with a monetized Facebook group for further income generation.

80. Event Promoter

Are you the hype-man of your group, scoping out the hottest night-life scenes and planning unforgettable experiences?

Your charisma translates well in the event promotion industry.

Effective promotion makes all the difference and a popular and publicized event can bring in tons of new customers for a company. 

G2 lists event marketing as critical for companies to grow their database, increase conversion rates, engage customers, and build trust.

81. Mobile Bartending

Bring the fun of the party with you!

If you mix and shake drinks like a cool and don’t want to be stuck working day in and out at a restaurant, a mobile bartending business is the way to go.

Large-scale events like weddings, company parties, and festivals hire mobile bars to handle the influx of thirsty customers, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on dough due to a slow night.

Invest in some simple signage, light decor, and of course basic equipment like a blender to get going.

82. Children Party Entertainment

Kid’s parties are notorious for character appearances.

A beloved princess, superhero, or cartoon character makes the entire experience fun and memorable for children.

If you fancy dressing up and playing make-believe to the delight of kids, you could make a lucrative hourly wage traveling to parties around your local area. 

83. Photo Booth Rental

Party entertainment encompasses a wide range of services from a DJ to a kid’s party clown.

A photo booth serves as an engaging source of entertainment while also creating long-lasting memories. 

There are so many varieties of photo booths ranging from the most basic set up to those with interactive touch screens. Many companies also include home-made or costume props for guests to use.

You can make your investment back after just a few corporate and party events.

84. Wedding Planning

A wedding is a huge once-in-a-lifetime event filled with decorations, caterers, place-cards, food, and music.

Not to mention it comes with a hefty price tag since the average American wedding costs over $30,000, as Business Insider explores in this article.

Juggling every single detail places untold stress on couples and their families, which is why many trust the knowledge and organization that a wedding planner provides.

They’ll coordinate the day’s events, finalize arrangements, and reach out to vendors.

85. Online Consultant

Experts in each field are highly valuable to businesses and major corporations alike, as evidenced by the booming $506 billion industry.

They serve to provide valuable insight behind different business operations and help drive businesses toward profitable and productive activities.

Online advertising, software, a computer, and your vast knowledge is pretty much what you need to get started as you can include things like traveling costs into your fees.

86. PR 

Promoting a person or business without reverting to any advertising can be insanely difficult.

PR agencies work tirelessly on behalf of their clients to secure promotions, sales, and support from their intended audiences.

PR professionals’ work consists of outreach, research, and creation of promotion materials like speeches, press releases, social media content, and blog posts.

Agency fees vary all over but can range anywhere from $2,000-$20,000 per month according to Agility PR Solutions, leaving you with a sizable profit left after factoring in software, monthly subscriptions for tools, and website hosting.

87. Tax Preparation

Stress is at its highest peak during tax season for both businesses and individuals, so they turn to an experienced tax preparer they can depend on.

Though this business is considered seasonal, efficient tax preparers and companies that employ other tax preparers can rake in anywhere from $20,000-$80,000+ in the 5-month tax season alone.

You’ll need to undergo a certification training program and pass an exam before handling any tax returns.

This business model can be run entirely from your home or you can rent an office space if you wish.

88. Commercial Courier Services

Mail, memos, payroll, and packages-- offices send out a large volume of paperwork each day, but there’s not always a lowly office worker to do these tasks.

You can exclusively service businesses like law offices with your courier service, traveling to and from the post office whenever needed.

Gas is going to be the biggest expense in your commercial courier business, so make sure your vehicle is reliable and economical.

89. Home/Apartment Staging

Prior to listing a home for sale on a website, professional staging photos are super important to attract potential buyers.

Capturing the beauty of a home through photography takes special dedication, which is why so many real estate companies hire out this task to home staging companies.

Pair your camera and eye for decor together to make some serious money!

90. Professional Reviewer

Before you go out and spend your hard-earned money on a product or service, it makes sense to scope out more information about the company.

Credibility to consumers usually comes in the form of ratings and reviews detailing customer experiences. 

A poll conducted by Emarketer.com found that over 40.8% of consumers used reviews as a critical part of their shopping process. Companies flourish based on awesome and genuine reviews. 

You can start a website and social media page dedicated to reviewing certain products and local businesses.

In fact, many companies will send free products in exchange for your testimony so all you really need to worry about is outreach and web hosting.

91. Project Management

Organized, forward-thinking, and driven individuals-- project managers excel at taking charge of projects in a wide array of industries like technology, healthcare, and engineering.

They define a clear pathway to project completion and ensure each team member follows through.

Though many work for corporations and agencies, many project managers opt for self-employment.

Either way, the field is pretty lucrative and hovering close to six figures and above for seasoned professionals.

If you don’t have PM experience, the bulk of your start-up costs will cover certifications and other forms of higher education to build up your knowledge. 

92. Process Server

‘You’ve been served!’

If you’ve ever been dying to say those words while serving papers, the process server business may be calling you.

Requirements for becoming a process server depend on your location.

But in most cases, you just need to file paperwork, get your fingerprints done, and pay for a surety bond.

93. Bookkeeping 

Enjoy working with numbers and staying organized?

Balancing financials is a key component of running a successful business.

You don’t need to be an accountant to understand accurate financial record-keeping skills-- a bookkeeper possesses the capability to do so. 

It’s important to reconcile business expenses, incoming revenue, and staff payroll to get a clear picture of a business’s current financial state-- making bookkeepers in high demand.

94. VA Agency

Business owners tend to overexert themselves, with their focus on a million different business operations at one time. 

Running a successful business can be difficult to manage and hiring a full-time employee isn’t always the best option.

Virtual assistants work on a contractor basis, managing many different tasks like emails, phone calls, travel arrangements, and more.

They help business owners prioritize and stay organized through day-to-day operations.

You can start out working as a VA yourself with only a computer and some office supplies or you can start a team of contractors for outsourced work to scale profits quicker.

95. Property Management

Real estate investor’s portfolios often span several properties and they’re too busy to deal with the day-to-day functions of an individual apartment building.

Those who invest in large-scale housing and commercial buildings are riddled with tenant issues, repairs, rent collection, and much more. 

Property management companies step in to manage the operations for the building and work with their clients, tenants, and contractors to resolve different problems. 

As the number of properties you manage grows, you can hire additional staff as your client base expands.

The Best Business You Can Start

Low expenses and profits are key driving forces for entrepreneurs when they're deciding what business model to follow.

However, no other business model offers the same profit potential, scalability, and residual income that local lead generation does.

Local lead generation allowed me to leave my dead-end 9-5 and build a digital empire. The entire process takes six simple steps:

The average lead gen property generates between $750-$2,000 per month. 

Start-up costs are insanely low: a web hosting subscription, a few SEO tools, time, and dedication. That's it.

And the amount you can make? 

The sky is truly the limit with this business model.

I average $52K per month through pure lead generation and I'm not scrambling around doing busy work for clients.

I build the site, rank it, partner with a client for a monthly retainer, and it's on to the next.

This site pays me $2,000 every single month without fail... and I haven't touched it in nearly two years:

To sum it all up, local lead generation outranks every other business model out there because: