13 great small business ideas to get you started today!

Many people want to start their own business but don’t even know where to start. If this is your case, you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we’ve listed the best 13 small business ideas to get started today!

The question that many people still have is about how much they’ll need to invest in order to start their own business. 

We know that few people have a lot of capital to get started, but yes, it’s completely possible to start a business with little money and with specific strategies.

Therefore, carefully read and study all of the ideas below in order to make your small business take off! Shall we get started?

The 13 best small business ideas

1. Alternative food

The food industry is known for being quite profitable. But alternative food is one area this is still little explored.

Vegetarian food, which is a growing trend, already has seen a 350% rise in the number of vegans in the population in the UK, according to this survey. 

The same survey also showed a greater interest of the population in vegan products (food free of any animal ingredients). Think about it: how many businesses do you know that are geared towards vegetarians and vegans?

Many vegetarians and vegans have a hard time finding a variety of options. Those who invest in alternative food can explore other sub-niches, such as frozen meals, vegan sweets, ready-made sauces, etc.

The same goes for other niches, such as food for people with celiac disease (gluten restrictions), diabetics, hypertension, etc.

Since we’re dealing with food, you should probably start in your own town. In order to reach the localized audience, you need to study about geomarketing!

2. E-commerce

E-commerce is one of the best-known businesses. Its growth has opened doors to explore several niches and has considerably reduced the cost of maintaining an online store.

For example, Facebook has its own marketplace, where you can buy and sell products directly. 

Other social media with similar features is Instagram Shopping and WhatsApp Business, which have a catalog for small businesses.

There are different types of e-commerce, the best known being the B2C (business to consumer) model, which sells directly to the final consumer. You can find other models and everything you need to know about e-commerce in this complete guide.

3. Online consulting

Consulting is one of the best ways to start a small business. If you think that there’s no more room for consulting in the market, you are very mistaken! Nowadays, many people and companies are looking for these professionals to help them get on the right track.

In addition, it’s possible to work as a consultant in virtually all areas. There are fashion, marketing, financial, nutritional, and fitness consultants, among others.

You basically need to pick the subject you master the most and define which area you will cover. With this defined, you need to define your consulting package, which should be tailored to each client’s needs.

• How many meetings will you hold per month or week?
• Will there be any extra material?
• Which tools will be used?
• Will there be any onsite meetings?

All of these issues must be pre-established with your client from the start so that there is no confusion.

4. The creation and sale of digital products

Digital products are products created, sold and consumed exclusively online. The most common formats are e-books, infographics, live training programs, video courses, etc.

Digital producers are the professionals who create and sell digital products, sharing their knowledge on a given area in which they are experts. 

For example, if you work with nutrition, you can create an online course with recipes and tips for maintaining a healthy diet by cooking at home. In order to build customer loyalty, you can go beyond and offer a weekly meal plan as a bonus.

The advantage of selling digital products is that their cost is much lower when compared to selling physical products on e-commerce, for example. 

If with a virtual store you have think about the delivery logistics in addition to having the product; with digital products, your main concern is with the content.

Some of the most sought-after industries are:

• Wedding and party organization
• Health and well-being
• Entrepreneurship
• Gastronomy
• Languages
• Career
• Sports
• Economics
  

5. Online dance instructor

With our busy schedules, many people look for alternatives to exercise at home. After all, reconciling time between work, family and leisure is getting more complicated. Therefore, it is necessary to think of solutions to serve this group of people, which keeps growing.

There are several dance styles, such as Zumba, Waltz, contemporary dance, for beginners, etc.

As a strategy to promote the course, you can do several things, such as demonstrations of lessons on a YouTube channel, rich materials and articles on the benefits of dancing for one’s health, among others.

6. The production and sale of handicraft products

The production of manual products has always been a great opportunity for those who wish to undertake. In addition to being able to sell your products on your own website, you can also take advantage of social media, such as Facebook and Instagram.

The opportunities are endless: soap, personalized boxes, vases, paintings, plates, glasses, homemade skin creams and essences are a few examples of handicraft products you can sell.

The major unique feature of this business is the production of personalized kits for example, which is a common choice for gifts. The initial investment is low and the chances of good returns are considerable!

7. Online thrift shop

The demand for shared economy solutions and conscious consumption has boosted online thrift shops. Websites such as Poshmark and Craigslist are good examples of marketplaces that encourage the purchase and sale of second hand products.

The idea is simple: you buy secondhand clothes in good state of conservation and sell them to other people. To get started, you can set aside some of your own clothes and/or those of family members and friends.

In order to help your customers find value in the pieces, you need to learn about negotiation techniques (in order to buy the product at a lower price and have a profit margin) and invest in personalization in order to attract more attention.

8. Personalized subscription boxes

Personalized boxes are a subscription service that has been gaining space in the market.

You can find personalized boxes of virtually anything: from beauty products and cosmetics to organic food. Customers subscribe to the service and receive a box once or twice a month.

For example, let’s suppose that someone really enjoys cooking. They are probably someone who is also looking for new ingredients and spices to try out. But for several reasons are unable to purchase these products.

There’s a huge potential for this type of audience to be interested in a box containing different spices, which they will receive every two weeks in order to improve their dishes.

In other words, they receive the solution from the comfort of their homes. For those who wish to open their own business, taking a closer look at recurring subscription services is worthwhile!

9. Furniture restoration

Another aspect of sustainable consumption is the restoration of furniture. 

In addition to adding a vintage touch to decor, it’s a great way of reducing the environmental impact caused by the incorrect disposal of furniture.

Even home appliances can be restored and gain a fresh look. There are several tutorials online teaching these techniques, which you can use to open your own business in this segment!

10. Writing and proofreading services

Relevant content is something that other companies and entrepreneurs need. If you have good writing skills and have a good command of the English language or other languages, writing texts and proofreading them is a great opportunity!

In order to offer these services, you need to go beyond writing well. Understanding SEO techniques and good practices are key for a successful blog.

11. Clipping services

Another service that companies are constantly seeking is clipping. This work is the continuous process of monitoring, analyzing and filing the mentions about certain companies or people in the offline and online press.

Several tools do this, but because they are more expensive and require a person handling this full time, companies resort to remote professionals dedicated to this work.

It’s very important work, because it helps in maintaining branding and brand health.

12. Remote travel agent

If you travel often, you probably know how hard it is to organize and travel itinerary. In addition to choosing which tours to take, you also have to include the necessary attention to certain details, such as documents, nearby hospitals, what to do in case of emergency, etc.

Many details might be overlooked and the travel agent’s role is to handle all of them.

Thanks to online solutions, you can do this remotely and provide customer assistance by phone, WhatsApp, Hangouts, email, etc.

Setting up a small agency, and offering remote travel services, is a great way to start your small business. You can become specialized in niches, such as honeymoon travel itineraries or exchange student programs for young people!

13. Digital product affiliate

Becoming an affiliate is one of the best ways to undertake and the most recommended for those who wish to sell digital products without having to create them.

But what is an affiliate? Affiliates are people who promote third-party products and receive a commission every time someone makes a purchase through your promotional link. In order to advertise your work, you can use social media, blogs, paid advertising, email marketing, etc.

For example, if you have a blog about children’s parties, you can become affiliated with related products and promote them. You can also participate in various affiliate programs and choose different niches if you wish.

Start your own business right now!

As you can see from the ideas above, starting a profitable small business at home is possible. But nothing happens as if by magic. You need to study and learn about marketing and sales strategies.

In order to structure your business and generate organic traffic, you should do the following:

• Create a website and blog
• Create a presence on social media
• Have good landing pages and rich materials
• Learn copywriting techniques in order to sell more
• Understand mental triggers and persuasion techniques

Would you like more small business options? Check out these 30 amazing ideas!