30 Big City Business Ideas You Can Start Today [2024]
Interested in starting a big city business in 2024?
We put together 30 of the best big city businesses you can start in today.
For each business idea, we’ll show you real-world examples of other big city businesses to help you see what it really takes.
Here's the full list:
1. Start a career coaching business
A career coaching business involves providing personalized guidance, support, and strategy services to help clients navigate professional transitions and growth opportunities.
As a career coach, you design custom sessions to assist with resume building, interview prep, and workplace advancement goals tailored to each client’s aspirations.
With flexibility for in-person or virtual meetings, building a client base lets you empower breakthroughs through specialized advice and accountability.
Launching a coaching practice can be a great opportunity for those with speaking talents and human resources expertise to monetize their natural motivational abilities while setting their own schedule.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $235,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Wall Street Oasis, the largest online community focused on careers in finance, has over 100 million visitors during its 14-year history and is currently receiving over 2 million visits per month, offering interview courses and mentorship services, in addition to building and investing in a thriving online community.
2. Start an ebay business
eBay business is one of the most fun, and profitable side hustles you should try. You can earn between up to thousands of dollars per month selling on eBay. eBay business is a great side hustle idea because the platform has millions of loyal users. Besides, the platform is best for selling collectibles and different niche market items. But you can also sell old furniture or clothes that are collecting dust at home.
How much you can make: $10,000/month
How long does it take to build: 15 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 4 hours/week
Entrepreneur Adam Torkildson shares how he was able to launch a profitable sports card selling business on eBay with a $10,000 investment and an already existing eBay store, now reaching a monthly revenue of $10,000.
3. Start a dog walking business
Are you a dog lover? If so, you can turn your passion for animals into a profitable side hustle that allows you to earn extra income for your mortgage, a vacation, or paying off student loans.
As a dog walker, sitter, or boarder, you can earn an average annual income of between $10,000 and $30,000 by offering your services to dog owners in need of a caregiver for their furry friends.
To get started, register on a credible dog-walking app and create a compelling profile that showcases your experience, skills, and love for dogs.
With your dedication and expertise, you can help dog owners ensure their pets receive the care and attention they need while building a thriving business that fulfills your passion for animals.
How much you can make: $15,000 — $54,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week
Furry Fellas Pet Service LLC is a successful pet sitting and dog walking business that brings in over half a million dollars in sales per year, boasts 3,500-4,000 social media followers, employs 42 individuals and has been voted in the top 3 pet sitting/dog walking companies in the RI/MA area for eight years in a row.
4. Start a party planning business
Party planning involves budgeting, establishing party timelines, selecting and reserving ideal party sites, acquiring permits, theme décor, and coordinating party catering and transportation.
Are you organized, creative, and client-focused? You can put those skills into starting a successful party planning business. To become a party planner, you must desire to help other people enjoy themselves. Besides, you need diplomacy, salesmanship, and multitasking skills.
How much you can make: $3,500 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 6 hours/week
Akshay Patel's event rental and decor business, Simply Decor, Tents, and Events, saw an average ticket price of $2,000, as their advertising budget decreased from $20k to $5k, leading to 40% of their clients coming through social media advertising, 30% from expos, and 30% online in google, yahoo, and other platforms.
5. Become a wedding planner
A wedding planner assists with designing, planning, and managing a wedding, so the bride and groom have the happiest day. Wedding planners enjoy a flexible working schedule and opportunities to travel locally and globally, and it’s a great career with numerous growth opportunities.
To start a wedding planning business, identify your target clientele and study their wedding cultures so you can offer the clients excellent service. Remember, excellent wedding planning is all about having the passion and knowing how to harness that passion for designing weddings that bring out the emotions of those in attendance.
How much you can make: $774 — $200,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $6,735 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
How a former food truck owner founded the successful New York Food Truck Association which generated over $1M in its first year of business, providing local vendors with high-margin ancillary revenue streams, and saw consistent growth of 50% YoY.
6. Start a real estate business
Are you a qualified architect with a broad range of knowledge in the real estate field? Starting a real estate business can be a profitable venture.
Real estate involves purchasing, selling, managing, or investing in land and buildings.
To become a successful real estate business owner, you must have finely honed visual awareness and a strong understanding of various building materials and structures.
How much you can make: $1,500 — $1,500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
This case study is about T. C. Lewis & Co, a real estate investment and management firm that successfully diversified their approach to include sales, development, remodeling, and construction, with property management being the key to investor doors and organic growth.
7. Start a mobile photography business
Want to start your own photography business? You're not alone. With the rise of social media and photo-sharing, blogging, and online retailing, it's never been easier to start making money behind your camera.
There are photographers shooting weddings, creating images for ad campaigns, freelancing for magazines, touring the world, taking photographs of destinations — the list is endless!
To start mobile photography , research the target audience and determine which specialization area is more lucrative. Invest in high-quality, professional cameras, lenses, and a computer with professional software photo-editing software.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 190 days (?)
Photobooth Supply Co. offers a profitable business opportunity through their sleek and portable photo booths, with up to 97% satisfaction rate and a focus on customer experience, in a fast-growing event industry where photo booths are exploding.
8. Start a youtube channel
For anyone looking to start a successful YouTube channel, there are plenty of YouTube channel success stories that can be used as inspiration and encouragement. In addition, YouTube has an established monetization system and boasts incredible popularity, making it a potential platform for revenue generation.
In this article, we'll look at different approaches you can use to help promote your channel and grow your viewers. While there's no quick and easy way to success, you can take these tips to build your own YouTube Channel Success story. If you love content creation, you can capitalize on YouTube's popularity to earn extra income.
If you want to join the Youtube partner program to monetize your channel, you will need to reach a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months.
How much you can make: $800 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Learn how this entrepreneurial couple made $5-7k a month by helping others find legitimate work from home jobs and creative ways to make money online through their blog and YouTube channel, as well as offering two flagship products designed to help beginner freelancers and new bloggers accelerate growth.
9. Start a food delivery business
In today’s busy lifestyles and schedules, cooking is no longer a priority to many. People like to order-in food from their nearest restaurants or food joints and enjoy a meal in the comfort of their homes.
The food delivery business is like a courier service through which restaurants deliver food to their customers.
You can offer retail food delivery services to restaurants within your locality if you have a truck. Customers order through a restaurant or grocer’s website, and the owners contact you to deliver.
How much you can make: $14,000 — $1,800,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Food Fleet grew over 160% in just one year and managed over 20 million in sales for its clients, securing multiple contracts with the likes of Sodexo, Levy Restaurants and more, due to its understanding of catering client needs and its advanced turnkey and design services.
10. Start a cleaning service
A housecleaning side business is a beautiful idea for people with free time on weekends or even weekdays. The side hustle idea requires little capital to start. During the launch, you can choose to offer the service to your neighbors and scale as you gain experience. The average salary for a house cleaner is $17.32 per hour.
By starting a house cleaning business, you are tapping into an enormous market with plenty of clientele. There could always be demand for your cleaning service, which keeps you in business as you help homeowners keep their homes spotless.
How much you can make: $3,000 — $600,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 70 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 7 hours/week
MaidThis®, launched by Neel Parekh in Los Angeles with just one cleaner in 2013, has achieved over $10 million in total revenue by focusing on cleaning Airbnbs and vacation rentals, thanks to its successful remote business model and new-age marketing tactics, and has now launched MaidThis Franchise to expand the business further.
11. Start a billboard and outdoor advertising business
Starting a billboard and outdoor advertising business can be a lucrative and exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs. This business involves leasing space on billboards and other outdoor structures to advertisers who want to reach a broad audience through visual marketing.
To start a billboard and outdoor advertising business, you will need to secure leases for billboard locations and negotiate rates with advertisers. You will also need to design and install the advertisements and maintain and repair the billboards. It is essential to have a strong understanding of the local market and demographics to target your advertising campaigns effectively.
In addition to the practical skills needed for this business, you should also have excellent communication and negotiation skills to work with advertisers and secure leases. Strong marketing and sales skills will also be beneficial in attracting new clients and growing your business.
To run a successful billboard and outdoor advertising business, it is essential to stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices constantly. It would help if you also were willing to adapt and pivot your strategies as needed to meet the changing needs of your clients and the market.
With hard work and dedication, a billboard and outdoor advertising business can be a lucrative and rewarding career path.
12. Become a handyman
Handyman offers various home repair services based on their skill set and the customer’s needs. Also known as a fixer, the handyman repairs works both on the interior and exterior.
The handyman business is a great part-time opportunity, and you can earn a high-profit margin while the overhead costs are low.
How much you can make: $8,000/month
Learn how a third generation business owner started a profitable pool service and installation business in Southern Ontario, earning an average of $8000/month net revenue during peak season and growing from servicing 0 to 350+ pools since May 2016 by doing things that don't scale, such as manually talking to customers and focusing on the ideal customer.
13. Start an amusement park
14. Start a nanny placement service business
Starting a nanny placement service can be a rewarding and lucrative business idea for anyone passionate about helping families find the best care for their children. This type of business involves matching qualified nannies with families needing childcare services.
To start a nanny placement service, you will need to understand the local market and the needs of families in your area. You will also need to be well-connected with nannies and have a thorough screening process to ensure that you only work with the most qualified and reliable candidates.
To run a successful nanny placement service, you will need to have excellent communication skills and build relationships with families and nannies. You will also need to be able to negotiate fair wages and contracts and be able to handle any conflicts that may arise.
In addition to these skills, you will also need a solid business plan, including marketing strategies and financial planning. You will also need to be able to handle the administrative tasks involved in running a business, such as billing and payroll.
Starting a nanny placement service is a great business idea for anyone who is organized, detail-oriented, and passionate about helping families find the best childcare solutions. With hard work and dedication, you can create a successful and fulfilling business that helps families and nannies alike.
15. Start an interior decorating business
Interior design is one of the most exciting and rewarding fields to enter. Interior designers help clients create functional, beautiful spaces that reflect their personalities.
The demand for Interior decor is booming and showing no signs of slowing soon. If you love enhancing the look of interior spaces, starting an interior décor business can be a great business idea.
To start an interior décor business, you must possess a working knowledge of space planning, textiles, color schemes, and more. You will work with architects, engineers, and builders to plan the look and function of indoor spaces.
How much you can make: $400 — $110,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)
Mother and daughter duo turn passion for antiques and design into a boutique design firm with over $1 million in annual revenue and hundreds of trophy projects, showcasing the importance of grit, determination, and passion in building a successful business.
16. Start a car rental business
Starting a car rental business can be a profitable venture for those interested in the auto industry.
Retail and corporate are the main segments within the car rental industry. Retail car rentals focus on individuals who rent cars for shorter periods, while corporate car rental targets companies that want to transport clients or employees.
If you are starting a car rental business , target airports, hotels, railway stations, commercial offices, and other high-traffic areas.
Market your business, hire employees who will manage the operations and keep records, and purchase business insurance for both cars and employees.
How much you can make: $870 — $10,000/month
How long does it take to build: 135 days (?)
ROAMERICA, a campervan rental company founded by Taylor Hood and Gretchen Bayless who quit their full-time jobs to focus on their business and have expanded their fleet quickly to meet the demand of adventure-seeking customers, with most of their web traffic coming from organic Google searches and a focus on social media and brand awareness.
17. Start a tattoo parlor business
18. Start a shopping mall play centers business
19. Start a night club
Night clubs are entertainment venues comprising dance floors, light shows, and a stage for playing live music or featuring DJ music. Humans enjoy dance, and many societies incorporate dance as a prominent aspect of entertainment, socializing, and progression.
Thus, a nightclub is one of the best nighttime business ideas you can start today. Every city has its picks for the most prominent nightclubs, bars, and dance floors.
How much you can make: $3,500/month
How much does it cost to start: $450 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Denver Pub Crawl is a US-European hybrid experience for tourists and locals run by Tyler, with operations that not only were able to scale around variables like capacity and number of attendees, but also managed to grow his team from two part-time members to a team of four, including a paid intern, while answering the question of what the future looks like: continuing to push, grow, and create.
20. Start a fitness center
Are you interested in starting a business that revolves around health and body fitness? How about setting up a fitness center?
A fitness center business is a health, recreational, and social facility geared towards exercise and other physical activities. These centers serve people who may want to do workouts to get into shape and improve their overall health.
The health and fitness industry is one of the fastest-growing industries today. Some factors behind the sector’s popularity include a health-conscious population who want to avoid lifestyle-related illnesses, social media influence, and a shift towards better healthcare.
Starting a fitness center business can be a fun and profitable venture. If you plan to start the business, secure a good location, and equip your fitness center adequately. You may choose to operate entirely online or a hybrid model where you have the physical fitness center and the online one.
How much you can make: $20,000 — $59,000/month
How long does it take to build: 145 days (?)
BioFit is a fitness studio that offers safe and effective exercise through high-intensity training (HIT) methodology, using adaptive resistance exercise (ARX) machines that can achieve results in as little as 20 minutes a week, with an 80% closing ratio, over 70% client retention, 125 clients, and an average monthly revenue of $20k.
21. Buy a towing truck
A tow truck is fitted with winches and hoist mechanisms for freeing and pulling stuck, broken, or damaged vehicles. The tow truck businesses make money by charging customers for tows. If you have a passion for the automobile industry and are considering the best truck business ideas, then starting a towing business would be ideal.
To secure repeat customers, serve vehicle owners well, and work with garage owners and insurance companies.
22. Start a shoe laundry business
In simple terms, a shoe laundry business involves cleaning, sanitizing, and restoring shoes to their original glory. As people become increasingly conscious of their footwear, the demand for professional shoe cleaning services is on the rise.
Not only would you be addressing a common problem, but you'd also have a scalable business model that's easy to expand. From specialized cleaning techniques to eco-friendly products, you can carve out a niche that sets you apart.
If you have a knack for meticulous work and an eye for detail, this endeavor offers both satisfaction and profit potential. It's a business that combines practicality with growing consumer needs, making it a compelling option to explore.
How much you can make: $26,500/month
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Dhobilite disrupted the laundry market in India by using smartphone technology and becoming India's first app-based, on-demand cleaning service provider, expanding to more than 15 cities, with 20+ stores and 30+ franchises, offering premium online dry cleaning and laundry services, with revenue equally distributed between dry-cleaning and laundry.
23. Start a home repair business
The home repair business idea involves providing services to fix various issues in people’s homes. The issues can include fixing plumbing problems, repairing electrical issues, painting, and general maintenance tasks.
To start this business, you will need a few things. First, you will need some knowledge and skills in home repair. You can obtain knowledge and skills through education, experience, or both. You will also need the necessary tools and equipment to complete the tasks you are offering. You will also need a reliable vehicle to travel to and from job sites.
To operate this business, you must market your services to potential customers. Marketing can be done through word of mouth, advertising in local publications, or creating a website. When you receive a service request, you will need to visit the customer’s home to assess the issue and provide an estimate for the repair. Once the repair is complete, you will need to collect payment from the customer. It is important to be timely, professional, and thorough in your work to ensure customer satisfaction and to build a positive reputation for your business.
Overall, the home repair business idea is a great way to utilize your skills and provide valuable services to your community. If you have a passion for fixing things and are willing to put in the time and effort, this could be a rewarding and profitable business.
How long does it take to build: 1 days (?)
24. Start a laundromat
The first laundromat opened in the United States in 1887. It was invented by the entrepreneur Josephine Cochrane, who was frustrated with having to wash her family’s laundry by hand.
The laundromat is a self-service facility that provides washing and drying machines for personal use. There are many different types of machines available, including coin-operated ones and those that require a card. They also provide various types of detergents and fabric softeners for use with the machines.
A laundromat can make a lot of money if it is in the right location and has the right prices.
How much you can make: $9,300 — $100,000/month
How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)
Pick My Laundry, India's on-demand laundry and dry-cleaning service provider has developed a mobile app and website serving almost 50,000 customers in its first year after signing up 100 third-party laundry services and franchising its model with over 50 franchises across more than 15 Indian cities.
25. Start an apartment rental business
An apartment is a private residence divided into several separate dwellings. If you are interested in starting an accommodation and housing-related business, apartment rental can be a good fit. Your target customers can be business executives, dignitaries, travelers, etc.
To start your business, look for a strategic location and build or buy a ready property. When purchasing an apartment, you may need to renovate the property to be suitable for rental.
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
26. Start a window cleaning business
If you are ambitious about cleaning spaces, you may consider the window cleaning business opportunity.
Starting a window cleaning business offers several advantages. First, you get to choose a suitable work schedule. Also, you have access to repeat business since windows need regular cleaning to keep their shiny appearance.
Besides, starting a window cleaning service is not capital-intensive and comes with minimal overhead costs.
How much does it cost to start: $50 (?)
27. Start a craft class business
How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
28. Start an errand service
Errand services help people and businesses who have daily errands to run but need an extra hand. So, they seek professional help who can do their chores on time with utmost efficiency.
You can provide various services as an errand business, including grocery shopping, picking up + sorting through mail, going to the bank, and much more.
Starting an errand business is relatively easy. Consider offering package deals as a way of getting and retaining customers. Most errand businesses charge per hour, and you may charge per mileage if the task involves driving.
29. Start a pet sitting business
A pet sitter is a professional who provides daily care for pets while the pet owners are at work or on vacation. The pet sitter's duties include:
- Cooking special meals for pets as instructed by pet owners.
- Reporting any behavioral issues to pet owners.
- Playing with the pets to encourage their mental and physical stimulation.
One of the advantages of working as a pet sitter is that it's not a stressful career. You also get to work with different animals while enjoying a work-life balance.
How much you can make: $15,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
A technician-turned-CEO built an in-home pet care enterprise that generates $8k per month by documenting business operations and empowering employees, inspired by the successes of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc and researcher Brené Brown's work on vulnerability and empathy in the workplace.
30. Start a placement service business
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
