50 Best Self Employment Ideas For 2024 (Ultimate List)

Updated: July 24th, 2023

Looking to start a self owned business but not sure which idea? Probably you are here the best self employed business ideas from successful entrepreneurs.

Pursuing self employed business ideas is a huge leap of faith, and you have to pick the most potential idea.

The good news is, there are so many ideas for self employment in 2024.

You can start with the low-investment options and scale when you start making profits.

To inspire you, we researched and listed the most profitable self employment ideas you can start today!

Here they are:

1. Start a blog ($44.9K/month)

In recent years, blogging has become a highly sought-after & lucrative Business. This location-independent business is a creative outlet to reach a broader audience and even work at any time. According to Optinmonster’s list of blogging statistics and facts:

  • Blogs have been rated as the 5th most trustworthy source of gathering online information.
  • 77% of internet users read blogs.
  • Each month, approximately 409 million people view more than 20 billion pages.

Originally blogging started as an online journal, but today it is a highly profitable career option. Many people are choosing blogging as their full-time career and are earning their bread and butter from this profession.

If you want to start blogging as a side hustle or as a full-time profession, choose a niche you will enjoy writing about and have a content strategy ready. Then, create a mailing list, and decide on a good blog posting routine to keep your audience engaged.

How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

Here is another great success story of a girl starting a blog:

2. Become a mobile personal trainer ($29.1K/month)

Do you love helping people through their fitness journey? If you want a great side hustle to earn extra income, consider becoming a personal trainer.

The fitness trainer side hustle can be an adamant industry to earn good money. However, once you develop a reputation as a good trainer, you can get more clients through referrals. You need to register for the certification course to start offering personal trainer services .

To attract your first clients, consider online advertising, and seek referrals from every customer.

How much you can make: $600 — $60,000/month

How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 4 hours/week

Do you want to see what a day in a life of a mobile personal trainer looks like?

3. Start a food truck ($368K/month)

Food trucks are a highly profitable business that offers customers a variety of meal options out of a mobile truck. This basically operates inside a large vehicle equipped with kitchen and food products. Starting a food truck is a dream for many people, but it's more challenging than it looks. To make it work, you need the ideal location and menu.

To start a food truck business in a particular city, it is mandatory to check what kind of food trucks are already operating, identify a gap, and bring in some new experiences. Then, with the right plan and the right approach, you can be on your way to starting your own food truck empire.

How much you can make: $30,000 — $1,500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

If you want to learn more about how to start a food truck business, here is a great video explaining it super in-depth:

4. Become a proofreader

Proofreading business is a service that helps customers review their written work and ensure it is ready for publication. Typically, a proofreader corrects grammatical errors and provides the written piece meets any relevant style guide.

As a proofreader, you can work online, allowing you to choose what time to work.

If you plan to start a professional proofreading business, make sure you possess the following skills:

  • Have an excellent grasp of grammar
  • Ability to correct mistakenly capitalized words
  • Familiarity with the proper use of capitalization
  • Use spell-checkers to flag misspelled words

Proofreading is a great way to enhance content quality. With the increased use of written content marketing to reach a broader market, the demand for professional proofreaders has grown tremendously. Professional proofreaders earn an average of $12/hr. And $30/hr.

Therefore, consider proofreading as a business if you are looking for a great side hustle idea or simply looking for ways to increase your income.

How much you can make: $2,000/month

If you want to learn more about how to become a proofreader, we recommend the following video:

5. Build a SEO tool ($99.8K/month)

SEO tools provide data and alerts about the health and success of a website. Website owners and businesses are looking for tools to help them quickly identify and fix SEO issues. Thus, starting an SEO business that focuses on developing SEO tools can be a rewarding career.

How much you can make: $2,800 — $850,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)

Wanna learn how to build an SEO tool? Here you go:

6. Start a dropshipping business ($414K/month)

Dropshipping is a business model where you sell products to customers without holding inventory.

Instead, when a customer makes a purchase, you buy the product from a third-party supplier, who then ships it directly to the customer.

To start a dropshipping business on a budget, choose a niche or category of products you want to sell.

Next, set up an online store using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. Then, find reliable suppliers from platforms like AliExpress, list their products on your store, and focus on marketing and customer service to grow your business.

Remember to carefully manage your expenses and monitor your profit margins to ensure profitability.

How much you can make: $6,000 — $3,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $8,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 10 hours/week

Dropshipping can be complicated, but watching the following video is a good place to start:

7. Start an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)

Are you looking for a side hustle to pay you a passive income? Affiliate marketing is one of those side hustles that will pay you well over the long term. It is a way to earn money online by promoting other companies' products and services. You will be paid a commission for each sale you make as an affiliate marketer.

To get started, learn how to find the right product and brand to partner with. For example, you may prefer becoming an affiliate marketer for an eCommerce store, partnering with a manufacturer, and marketing their products for a commission.

How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Here is a great introduction to affiliate marketing and how to start your own business:

8. Start a copywriting business ($34.9K/month)

A copywriter creates clear, compelling copy to sell products and/or educate and engage consumers.

To become a copywriter, focus on covering the basics, plan your copywriting business and choose the services you intend to offer.

To develop your brand, establish a marketing strategy, and offer quality services to your audience. Email marketing, newsletters, and other digital marketing tools can help you create a successful copywriting business.

How much you can make: $700 — $160,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

It's actually not that difficult to become a copywriter, but here are some tips to help you avoid the common pitfalls:

9. Start a podcasting business ($74.8K/month)

Podcasting businesses often start as a hobby. You publish a few episodes and posts, and soon you will start getting engagements from interested parties.

However, to earn money from your podcasting business, you need to put a lot of effort and time into producing quality shows that address your audience's concerns.

To grow your podcast business, ensure regular publishing, which brings better growth, more listeners to your channel, and a higher income.

Here is a list of steps to help you transition the podcast from a hobby to a full-time podcast business:

  • Ensure a focused effort and adjust the tone of each podcast episode
  • Make podcasting your priority
  • Focus on building
  • Grow a mailing list
  • Aim at building a trusted brand
  • Develop a long-term growth and marketing plan

How much you can make: $5,000 — $349,983/month

How much does it cost to start: $350 (?)

How long does it take to build: 15 days (?)

Starting a podcast sounds easy, but in fact, there are some things you have to know!

Get all the info you need here:

10. Become a social media marketer ($44.5K/month)

Social media marketing is gaining website visitors or customers by promoting your company on social media. To succeed in social media marketing, you must regularly post tasty, entertaining, and engaging share material on your social media channels.

Everybody knows that social media is a tool that has become extremely important to businesses of all sizes. It allows them to connect with people worldwide and provides a platform for customer service. Social networks are changing the way we do marketing. They offer an opportunity for individuals, businesses, and organizations to reach millions instantly.

Nowadays, it is easy to earn money through social media marketing. You just need to invest some time and effort to make a profit. Social media has been an essential part of many businesses marketing campaigns, and it is expected to be a significant part of any company’s future.

How much you can make: $100 — $250,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,250 (?)

How long does it take to build: 57 days (?)

We all are on social media. So it might sound easy to start as a social media marketer, right?!

But there is more to it. Using social media as a person and as a brand is different.

Learn more about it here:

11. Start a home tutoring business ($465K/month)

A home tutoring company is an educational company that offers private tutoring from a tutor who visits the students at the student’s home.

Home tutoring is a growing business opportunity for motivated people and comes with the flexibility of working anytime, anywhere, and creates a passive income.

If you love teaching and helping others, one way to make money is to start a home tutoring business. Whether you want to tutor kids or adults, there’s a niche for you.

Once you have started your home tutoring business, promote it by putting fliers at other stores and on bulletin boards at colleges and libraries. Also, engage parents and guardians for home tutoring opportunities.

How much you can make: $100,000 — $830,000/month

How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)

Learn how Lisa started her own home tutoring business!

12. Start a wedding photography business ($24.4K/month)

Starting a wedding photography business is a great way to turn your passion for photography into a profitable career. As a wedding photographer, you will capture the special moments and memories of a couple’s big day.

This involves coordinating with the couple to understand their vision for the photographs, scouting locations for the shoot, and using your creative skills to take stunning photographs.

To start a wedding photography business, you must invest in high-quality equipment such as a camera, lens, and lighting. You will also need to have a strong portfolio of your work to show potential clients and should consider joining a professional organization like the Wedding & Portrait Photographers International.

Marketing is also an essential aspect of running a successful wedding photographer business. This can involve creating a website and social media presence, networking with wedding planners and venues, and advertising in local wedding magazines or blogs.

Overall, being a wedding photographer requires a combination of technical skills, creativity, and business acumen. But with hard work and dedication, it can be a rewarding career that allows you to share in the joy of a couple’s special day.

How much you can make: $6,000 — $50,001/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

Learn how Eric makes $100k per year as a wedding photographer!

13. Start a digital marketing business ($119K/month)

Digital marketing businesses serve local and international companies to expand their reach and grow revenue. A top reason digital marketing is so exciting is that the field is constantly evolving and is easy to learn.

If you plan to start a digital marketing business, educate yourself and understand how digital marketing agencies work. Then, focus on building your digital skills and advancing your career through online digital marketing courses.

To stand out, find a digital marketing niche and focus on the audience interested in your services.

How much you can make: $100 — $1,250,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Starting a digital marketing business is quite broad, but you can learn more here:

14. Become a graphic designer ($26K/month)

Graphic designing involves creating sketch designs and materials for corporate clients, advertising agencies, public relations firms, and publishers. Besides, graphic designers provide visual solutions to specific company images, log design, and branding problems.

Graphic design is an excellent career for creative thinkers who enjoy using their talent and artistic skills combined with technology and communication abilities to come up with unique solutions for their clients.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $81,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Do you want to become a graphic designer? Then here is all you need:

15. Become a yoga instructor ($59.5K/month)

The first step to becoming a yoga instructor is obtaining a certification from an instructor-affiliated institution near you. Your next step should be drawing up a business plan considering various projections. Finally, determine whether to open a brick-and-mortar establishment, offer online yoga classes, or a hybrid model.

The option has far more responsibilities for brick-and-mortar establishments, like paying rent and utility expenses. Also, check business-zoning requirements and acquire the required licenses. Proper marketing strategies will help you build clientele fast and grow your business.

How much you can make: $59,000 — $60,000/month

How long does it take to build: 282 days (?)

Learn how to be a yoga instructor yourself!

16. Start a voice over service ($38.6K/month)

Voiceover artist is an auditory performer who uses their voice in scripted presentations. The role of a voiceover artist is only to be heard but not to be seen.

Working as a voiceover artist is an opportunity to choose the projects you enjoy engaging in. The role of a voiceover artist is also fun and can help you meet new people.

To become a voiceover artist, start practicing aloud reading so you familiarize yourself with your sound. Then, create your recording studio where you can practice your voiceover skills. It would help if you had a quality microphone, professional recording software, a computer, and soundproofing materials.

How much you can make: $400 — $85,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $7,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)

Do you want to start your own voice-over business? Here are ten steps you have to do:

17. Start a bakery ($10.5K/month)

Everyone loves baked goods, be it sweet items like cakes, muffins, and cookies or savory baked food like pizzas, buns, bread, and puff pastry. Baking takes a lot of effort and patience, which is why many people buy baked items from stores or restaurants instead of baking them at home.

Starting a bakery can be a rewarding business opportunity if you have a passion for baking. If you plan to start a bakery, consider that happy customers often become repeat customers. Therefore, always focus on quality and work on customer satisfaction.

To start a bakery , pick an ideal format. Some options include:

  • Counter-style bakery
  • A hybrid bakery with a cafe,
  • Food truck with a bakery
  • Home bakery.

Write a suitable business plan and choose the correct location.

How much you can make: $2,500 — $25,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,250 (?)

How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)

Do you want to learn how to start your own bakery? Here it is:

18. Become a social media consultant ($99.2K/month)

Social media has become popular due to its ability to link businesses to their target customers. Social media consultants are professionals who help their clients improve, optimize and grow their social media presence.
Becoming a social media consultant comes with work flexibility and higher earning potential, but it also takes time and work commitment to grow the business.

To become a social media consultant, you must first become adept at using social media platforms and industry tools. Take online or offline courses like content marketing, public relations, and communication skills. Social media experts can choose a general practice or opt to focus on a niche.

How much you can make: $100 — $550,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,250 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Want to start your own social media consulting business?

19. Start a travel consulting business ($462K/month)

Many people dream of traveling the world. Starting a travel consulting business is an excellent way to make a passive income, explore different parts of the world, and help others do the same.

As a travel consultant, you will provide advice to clients on various aspects of travel, including destinations, airfare, accommodations, and activities.

The objective is to assist tourists and travelers in planning personalized vacations, offer travel advice, and provide end-to-end travel arrangements for a fee.

By making use of industry knowledge and relationships with hotels, airlines, and destination experts, travel consultants can save their clients time and effort in designing their dream trips.

How much you can make: $20,000 — $1,500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Before starting your own travel consulting business, here are some things you should know:

20. Become an interior designer ($208K/month)

Interior designing involves making indoor spaces safe, functional, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting essential & decorative items such as colors, lighting, and materials.

The global luxury interior design market is growing at a CAGR of 9.0%. The growth metrics show there is great potential for entrepreneurs targeting households.

If you are starting a luxury interior design business, focus on style and specialty. Add valuables with creative professions, such as interior design, so you stand out from the rest. Ensure you hire the right people and hone the brand identity.

How much you can make: $100,000 — $415,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Do you want to learn how to become an interior designer without a proper education? Here is how!

21. Start an apparel boutique

An apparel boutique is a small shop dealing in fashionable clothing or accessories. An apparel boutique is low investment but potentially very profitable idea. However, starting a successful apparel boutique requires creativity and financial stability to help the brand achieve its objective.

How much you can make: $3,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $9,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

If owning an apparel boutique is your dream, then you should probably watch this Q&A:

22. Become a personal chef

If you’re looking for a career that allows you to work within your own schedule, look no further. Becoming a personal chef means setting your own hours, planning your own schedule, and taking on as much or as little work as you want.

Not everyone has the time to prepare meals for themselves. If you love cooking, you can start a personal chef business in your area and earn a good income from the side gig. The side hustle can fit into your schedule easily, and you can offer delivery and pick-up or curbside options to ensure more people are buying your services.

Personal chefs can work at various locations, including their client’s homes or restaurant kitchens. They may have regular clients who call on them to prepare meals for them weekly, or they may get called in to prepare meals for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.

How much you can make: $5,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $50 (?)

How long does it take to build: 360 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 15 hours/week

How is it to be a personal chef? Here is the truth!

23. Become a massage therapist ($87.2K/month)

Massage is a growing industry, and as such, many business options exist for those who want to enter this field. The most typical form of massage therapist business is an independent operation. This can be either out of one's home or a massage studio rented on an hourly basis.

Building a successful massage therapy business is not as difficult as you might think. Massage therapists offer much-needed services to communities and clientele. If you are looking for a new career or want to increase your income while delivering an important service, then starting a new massage therapist business can be an excellent choice.

Turn your massage therapy practice into a successful business by applying core business skills that lead to success.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $275,000/month

How long does it take to build: 100 days (?)

So you want to be come a massage therapist? Well, first here are some things you should know:

24. Start a daycare

Daycares provide educational, medical, and social services for the children of working parents either during school hours or when the parents are out of the home for an extended period of time. This can be a lucrative enterprise if you start a daycare in an area where it is needed.

As the growth of families has become dependent on two incomes, the need for quality daycare has skyrocketed. Starting a daycare business is challenging but rewarding. You will face many challenges but can overcome them as long as you are ready to make the sacrifices required.

If you want to learn more about starting a daycare, here is a great video on that topic:

25. Start a language translation service ($124K/month)

Language translation services bridge the linguistic barriers, helping businesses reach a wider audience outside of a single language. A language translation job is an opportunity to cover a wide range of topics and meet people from different cultures.

To become a language translator , master a second language and earn some experience so you become fluent in the second language.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $550,000/month

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

If you want to become language translation freelancer, here is something just for you:

26. Start a website theme development business ($147K/month)

Starting a website theme development business involves creating visually appealing and functional website designs. These themes can be sold to individuals or companies looking to update their online presence. To start and run this business successfully, you will need a strong understanding of website design and development and a portfolio of your work to showcase to potential clients.

Additionally, you will need a strong marketing strategy to reach potential customers and showcase your skills. This may involve creating a website or social media presence to showcase your work and attract new clients.

Running a website theme development business also requires strong project management skills to ensure that projects are completed on time and to the satisfaction of your clients. Good communication skills are also essential, as you will need to work closely with clients to understand their vision and ensure that you are creating a theme that meets their needs.

Overall, starting a website theme development business requires a combination of creative skills and business acumen. This can be a rewarding and successful business venture with the right tools and strategies.

How much you can make: $40,000 — $250,000/month

How long does it take to build: 95 days (?)

This business isn't easy, but it's definitely doable, as Darrel proves.

27. Become a business coach ($55K/month)

Are you thinking of starting a career as a business coach?

Becoming a business coach can be a great way to help aspiring entrepreneurs while earning a healthy income. You may want to consider becoming a coach if you have skills in specialized business fields such as marketing, e-commerce, stress management, or leadership.

Many small-business owners are finding it hard to get started, grow, and succeed. As a business coach, your job will be to help entrepreneurs identify new opportunities and take advantage of the ones they already have.

How much you can make: $3,500 — $400,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,749 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

If you want to become a business coach, you must first have some experience. And then you have to watch this great video:

28. Start a cooking class

Online cooking classes can be a great side hustle for seasoned chefs or cooking enthusiasts looking for a way to earn some extra cash. You can create content and teach your audience how to prepare meals.

Consider creating members-only content to earn more from your cooking class side hustle. Alternatively, you can sell recipes for a small fee as well. To grow your reach, consider offering some free content on your social media pages as a way to build curiosity among potential audiences. You can charge your audiences a subscription fee so they can have exclusive access to your content.

To start cooking classes , choose a niche and follow your passion. Create a website and maintain an active social media presence. Apart from online cooking classes or live sessions you can also offer exclusive offline weekend classes to give your audience a hands-on personal experience.

How much you can make: $100,000/month

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

Starting a cooking class business sounds probably more difficult than it really is. Steven has something to tell you about it:

29. Start a moving company ($1M/month)

Moving companies help people move their belongings from one location to another. The services can involve packing and shipping household items to physically moving them from one place to another. The moving can include anything from local moves to long-distance relocations.

Moving companies typically charge by the hour or job, so you’ll need to price your services accordingly. You’ll also need to invest in moving equipment, such as trucks and dollies.

How much you can make: $60,000 — $2,500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Learn exactly how to start a moving company:

30. Start an idea management software ($254K/month)

Idea management software is designed to help businesses and teams collaborate and track their ideas. The act of managing ideas can heavily influence the outcome of teams and projects, which can mean the difference between success and failure for a company.

You'll need to ensure that you have a solid foundation of coding and prototyping to build this kind of software. On top of that, you'll want to have good sales and marketing skills to sell this software to companies and executives.

How much you can make: $66,000 — $750,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Here is a great example of idea management software:

31. Start a graphic design app ($27.6K/month)

A graphic design application is a SaaS application that allows users create online graphics. Examples of graphic design applications include Snappa, adobe Photoshop, and GIMP.

Modern businesses need digital branding, holograms, and poster designs, to maximize the customer reach abilities. Therefore, graphic designers are becoming the most in-demand professionals.

The high demand is a good basis for choosing graphic design applications as one of the best app business ideas in 2022. Before you kick start the graphics design app business idea, here are technical skills you may consider:

  • Design principles
  • Idea generation
  • Branding skills
  • Typography
  • Print designing
  • UX and UI Design

While coding skills and cross-platform development skills are important to start developing applications, you can hire developers online.

How much you can make: $100 — $83,500/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

In the following video, you can find an idea of such graphic design apps:

32. Start a job board ($328K/month)

Starting a job board can be a lucrative way to make money online with little to no start-up costs. The global online job board market size was $28.68B in 2019 and is projected to reach $43.39B by 2027.

It's no secret that finding a job can be tough. In today's job market, it can be tempting to give up on job hunting, but here's another option: start your own job board.

How much you can make: $1,500 — $1,500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $297 (?)

How long does it take to build: 80 days (?)

Here is how to start your very own job board!

33. Start a web development business ($91.1K/month)

A web development business is a company that builds and takes care of websites. They typically use coding and design skills to create online spaces that meet the needs of individuals or businesses.

These businesses help ensure websites work well and look good, playing a key role in the online presence of their clients.

How much you can make: $3,000 — $700,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

If you need some help with a web development business, this video is for you:

34. Start a pet store ($559K/month)

Pet stores are retail businesses that sell animals and pet supplies. They are a leading industry category with sales of approximately $4.5B U.S dollars and positive sales growth of 2.7%.

You can set up a pet store in many places, like supermarkets, malls, or pet supply stores.

The first thing to do is to find a location for your store. A good place would be an area with many residential buildings, schools, and colleges as this will give you access to many customers. It would help if you also looked for a location near public transport as it will make it easier for people to come and visit your store.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,833,333/month

How long does it take to build: 238 days (?)

If you want to learn how to start a pet store, here is how:

35. Start a dating website ($219K/month)

A dating website is a great way to connect people who are looking for love. It is a platform that helps people to find and connect with potential romantic partners. This service offers a variety of features, including a profile creation tool, a search engine, and a messaging system.

If you are interested in starting a business that helps people find love, then starting a dating website could be a great option for you. This business is growing in popularity as more people are looking for ways to meet partners online.

Tinder has taken over the world! It is so popular that it brings in revenues of $1.4B per year.

Some recent trends that are making dating websites more popular include the growth of the online dating market, the rise of mobile dating apps, and the increasing acceptance of online dating.

How much you can make: $1,300 — $833,333/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 45 days (?)

Dating is a huge industry but also quite competitive. If you want to start your own dating website, you probably would need some help. Thank god Oliver created this video:

36. Start a property flipping business

Are you thinking about getting into the property flipping business?

Flipping houses (or homes) involves buyers purchasing distressed properties, fixing them up, and then reselling them for a good profit. The trick is to find a house that you can buy below market value and then turn around, sell it, and make money on it.

Learn how to start such business yourself:

37. Become an Upwork freelancer

There are thousands of categories available to offer your services. Upwork has become a huge platform, attracting millions of people that search for reliable freelancers to work with. Take a moment to go through all the categories and then analyze the profiles of the best-rated users on the ones you're interested. A good tip to start is to offer low prices, in the beginning, to get more reviews quickly and thus climb through the ranks. Once you got a reputation and a track record, you'll be able to charge more.

How much you can make: $3,500/month

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

Here is a great video for beginners how to make money on Upwork in 2024.

38. Start a food startup ($185K/month)

Starting a food business can involve opening your own restaurant, bakery, food truck, cake shop, or even starting a business or blog online.

Other kinds of food businesses include manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Food businesses prepare a wide range of foods such as snacks, sweets, and meals to sell directly to consumers and also include cafeterias at workplaces and similar facilities.

If you have a passion for food, starting a food business can be an extremely fun, challenging, and rewarding business venture.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $3,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 135 days (?)

Learn how to start your own food startup now!

39. Sell leather accessories ($33.9K/month)

The leather industry is among the oldest manufacturing industries in history. It is no surprise that the leather goods market will surpass $623.44 in the next few years.

The leather business is a lucrative idea for entrepreneurs targeting the elite consumer. Just as we know, the rich love antique leather collections ranging from shoes, clothes, purses, accessories, and bags.

If you are targeting the leather market, you can begin as the manufacturer, retailer, or distributor.

As a manufacturer, you will be responsible for the designs and ensuring that the end product suits the end user's purpose. Distributors or retailers work with the manufacturers to make sure the customer gets the products best suited for them.

How much you can make: $515 — $100,000/month

How long does it take to build: 400 days (?)

Learn how to start your own leathergoods business and make money quickly!

40. 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

If you need basics on how to sell on eBay, we got you covered!

41. Start a natural beauty product business ($66.8K/month)

Natural beauty products include aloe vera, honey, or cocoa butter. They contain no chemical or synthetic elements.

The global natural skin care products market size was valued at $6.7 billion in 2021.

Thinking about launching a beauty product line? What’s holding you back? Check out our case studies below to see how others have done it!

How much you can make: $300 — $658,333/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

Learn how to start your own natural beauty product business at home!

42. Start an online t-shirt business ($82.9K/month)

Running a t-shirt business is an opportunity many entrepreneurs are looking into as a side hustle or even a full-time business opportunity. While having your own physical store is possible, online businesses are becoming extremely popular in this field.

Launching your own successful online t-shirt business may feel daunting, but with the guidance & insights from people who are already pioneering this industry, it’s simpler than you may think. You can start with selling customized quotes t-shirts, tie-dye prints/screen printing t-shirts, or solid color t-shirts. The opportunities for this industry are endless.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $275,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 7 days (?)

Starting an online t-shirt business is one of the quickest way how to make some nice side-income and eventually replace your 9-5 job. Here is how to start:

43. Start a mobile florist business

Mobile florists, just like traditional florists, can deliver flowers to an array of special events, including weddings, birthdays, or anniversaries. People love their flowers fresh and delivered right to their doors.

Listed are the steps on how to start a mobile florist business.

  • Purchase on a reliable truck
  • Secure needed papers for your mobile flower shop
  • Organize your business flow
  • Outsource from flower suppliers
  • Promote your business

Here is how to start a mobile florist business by Coling and Meg.

44. Start a drive-thru laundromat business

A laundromat business provides self-service commercial washers and dryers within a retail space and customers pay for the usage of the machines.

Wanna learn more about a laundromat business and how to start one?

45. Start a VR escape room

Google searches for Escape Room VR has been growing globally. That means that awareness and demand for virtual reality escape rooms are increasing. Therefore, VR escape rooms have the potential for massive growth over the next few years.

To start a VR escape room business, create a business plan. A good business plan should help you track market trends and outline an operational strategy. Select the VR escape room you want to open and select the best location. Finally, select the VR escape room games and consider licensing requirements.

How much you can make: $1,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)

You can also start a VR escape room as a franchise:

46. Become a virtual assistant ($233K/month)

Virtual assistants support businesses, teams, or individuals by performing administrative tasks remotely. As businesses these days tend to outsource their tasks, the demand for virtual assistants is growing rapidly.

Becoming a virtual assistant is flexible, as you can choose a work schedule and location at your convenience. Many virtual assistants have a dedicated home office where they work in a quiet and distraction-free environment.

To become a virtual assistant, identify a niche you like and undertake any training. Then, figure out how much to charge your customers and create an online presence where you can apply for jobs. As a virtual assistant, you can define your work schedule depending on your availability.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

If you want to make money online, becoming a VA (virtual assistant) is probably the easiest way.

Learn how to do so:

47. Become a nutritionist ($74.6K/month)

As individuals seek to adopt healthier lifestyles, there is an increasing demand for professional nutritionists who can offer tailored advice.

A nutritionist offers personalized nutrition advice and guidance to individuals or groups, helping them achieve their health and wellness goals through dietary recommendations and education.

This may include creating meal plans, conducting assessments, and providing ongoing support to clients seeking to improve their nutritional habits.

To become a nutritionist, consider obtaining relevant certifications and gaining practical experience through internships or supervised practice.

How much you can make: $600 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 3 hours/week

If you want to learn how to become a nutritionist, this is a great video for you:

48. Start a publishing business ($492K/month)

Starting a publishing business can be a rewarding and lucrative endeavor for those with a passion for literature and strong business acumen. This type of business involves producing and distributing written materials such as books, magazines, and digital content.

To start a publishing business, you need a solid business plan outlining your goals and target market. You will also need to secure funding to cover the costs of printing and distributing your materials. This can include obtaining loans or seeking investors.

In addition to financial resources, you will need a team of professionals with expertise in editing, design, marketing, and sales. It’s important to build a diverse and skilled team to ensure the success of your business.

Success in the publishing industry requires a strong understanding of current trends and adapting to changing market conditions. Stay current on industry news and continually seek new opportunities to grow and expand your business.

Starting a publishing business requires hard work, dedication, and a willingness to take risks. But with the right team and strategy, it can be a fulfilling and profitable venture.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $2,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 105 days (?)

Learn how to start your own publishing business!

49. Start a catering business ($1.56M/month)

A catering business is responsible for providing food & beverage-related services for vast types of events.

Catering businesses are known to be more flexible than other businesses because they don’t have to worry about location or pricing and can even work 24/7. They can cater anywhere and offer any price point that they want.

However, starting a catering business requires a lot of planning.

To start a successful catering business , you'll need to plan and prepare menus, manage budgets, handle clients, and more.

In addition, catering allows you to meet more people and show off your cooking skills.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $6,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Catering business can be very profitable. Learn how to start your own with this great video:

50. Become a professional cuddler

Imagine being a professional cuddler for a living. Getting paid to snuggle your clients may sound strange, but this type of service has been in high demand over the last few years.

Think of 'snugglers' as a more personal therapist. They get paid for many services: hugging their clients, listening to their problems, coaching them, comforting & reducing stress, cooking and eating meals together and more.

How much you can make: $11,300/month

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

This idea is quite wild, but many people make their living this way! Learn more about this business:

meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.