The Ultimate List of Small Business Ideas
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Whether you've always dreamed of starting a business of your own, or you've become frustrated after a long and unsuccessful job hunt and decided to go independent, deciding what kind of small business to start is the first and one of the most important decisions you must make.
When deciding what small business is right for you, a few questions to consider include:
- What are my marketable skills and interests?
- What marketable skills could I learn or improve?
- Is there a market for my product or service?
- How much money will my small business cost to start?
- How long before I can expect to see profit?
- Does this business idea suit my preferred lifestyle?
- Will this business idea help me achieve my goals?
This list of small business ideas was created to offer inspiration to would-be small entrepreneurs. It focuses primarily on business opportunities with low start up costs that can be started easily from home by anyone with the skill and motivation to succeed.
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List of Small Business Ideas for Crafters
One of the best home based business ideas is a craft business. Talented crafters with a good head for marketing can develop extremely successful craft businesses with few start up expenses, thanks to popular websites such as Etsy.com.
Cool craft business ideas include:
- upcycled jewelry
- handmade wooden toys
- personalized dog sweaters
- beeswax candles
- vintage furniture restoration
For a more complete list of craft business ideas, check out:
- List of Small Business Ideas For Crafters
Many crafters dream of turning their hobby into a business. Craft businesses generally have low start up costs and are easy to run from home. They are a perfect choice for work at home moms and dads. If you...
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List of Small Business Ideas For Cooks and Food Lovers
Depending on local regulations in your area, starting a home-based food business can be easy or complicated, but if you love food and cooking, the red tape may be worth it!
There are hundreds of niches for a small business selling specialty foods. Here is a sampling:
- artisan breads
- dried fruit
- gluten-free baked goods
- vegan cupcakes
- barbecue sauce
- meal delivery service
- ethnic foods
For a more complete list of small business ideas for food lovers, check out:
- List of Small Business Ideas For Cooks and Foodies
If you love good food and cooking, consider starting a small home-based food business to earn extra money. From specialty pasta sauce to baked goods to catering - the possibilities are almost endless! This...
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List of Small Business Ideas For People Who Love Children
For many people, one of the first jobs they ever get paid for is babysitting a neighbor or family friend's children. If you remember your babysitting days fondly, there are dozens of great small business ideas that will allow you to work with children while making money doing something you love!
Here is a sample of some unique small business ideas for people who love working with children and teens:
- baby footprint bronzing
- child proofing service
- doula
- game arcade
- home day care
- music lessons
- organic baby food
- storyteller
- teen dance club
For a more complete list of small business ideas for people who love working with children, check out:
- List of Small Business Ideas For People Who Love Children
The average US family has about 2 children and will spend an average of $120,000 - 240,000 each to raise them to the age of 18. Many parents are constantly searching for ways to save money while providing a...
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List of Small Business Ideas for Pet Lovers
Many animal lovers dream of starting a small business working with animals in some way, and with the pet industry surpassing $45 billion dollars per year in the United States alone, it is certainly a lucrative market!
There are many fun small business ideas that will allow you to make money and indulge your love of animals at the same time. Here is a sampling:
- homemade pet toys
- designer dog houses
- breeding exotic fish
- pet photography
- raw food for dogs
- therapy animals
For a more complete list, check out:
- List of Small Business Ideas for Pet Lovers
Americans love pets, and there are more than 150 million owned dogs and cats alone in this country. In 2009, Americans spent about $45.5 billion dollars on pets, food, supplies, boarding, training, grooming,...
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List of Small Business Ideas For Farmers and Gardeners
Many people ignore agricultural enterprises when considering possible small business ideas because they believe you need a lot of land to successfully make money growing crops or raising livestock. While it's true that you can't keep a dairy cow in a suburban backyard, some entrepreneurs have had amazing success even in tiny areas. For example, the Dervaes family runs a successful produce business on 1/10th of an acre in urban Pasadena, California! SPIN farming is another system suitable both for urban areas and more traditional farms.
Here is a selection of small-scale agricultural enterprises suitable for anyone with a backyard:
- gourmet salad greens
- heirloom tomatoes
- worm farming
- organic eggs
- aquaponics
- homemade potpourri
- herbal teas
For a more complete list of agricultural enterprises, including everything from bison ranching to breeding rabbits, bamboo to broccoli, check out:
- List of Small Business Ideas for Farmers and Gardeners
Small farmers, homesteaders, acreage owners, and even suburban gardeners can make extra money at home with small businesses raising vegetables, fruits, flowers, small livestock, and other specialty products...
List of Small Business Ideas for Romantics
A business in the wedding or romance industry may be a profitable and highly enjoyable choice for anyone who loves to celebrate love and romance in all their forms:
- carriage rentals
- wedding planning
- ballroom dancing instruction
- romance novelist
- bridal consignment shop
For a more complete list of small business ideas for romantics, check out:
- List of Small Business Opportunities for Romantics
In the Spring, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love, and so should a would-be entrepreneur's. Many people know that the wedding industry brings in tens of billions of dollars of pure profit...
List of Small Business Ideas For Car and Transportation Lovers
If you have a gift with engines and gears, there are many small business opportunities available in the automotive and transportation industries. Here are just a few:
- antique car rentals
- valet service
- custom car art
- car sharing service
- bicycle repair
- guided kayaking tours
- hayrack rides
For a more complete list of small business ideas with cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, bikes, draft animals, and more, check out:
- List of Small Business Ideas for Auto Enthusiasts, Bikers, Boaters, and Other Vehicle Lovers
If you love cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, ATVs, bikes, carriages, or other vehicles, there are many small business opportunities you can start to make money doing something you love. Whether you've always...
List of Small Green Business Ideas
For many years, the concepts of "sustainable" and "profitable" were considered to be contradictory, not complementary, but as energy costs rise and concerns over environmental degradation grow around the world, green businesses have exploded in both popularity and profitability.
Here is a selection of cool green business ideas:
- car sharing service
- architectural salvage yard
- home energy audit service
- solar panel installation
- green wedding planner
- eco hair salon
- organic pest control service
For a more complete list of small green business ideas, check out:
- List of Green Business Ideas
Environmental problems such as global climate change, loss of biodiversity, and water scarcity are expected to have a major impact on the business community in the coming century, and many businesses are not...
List of Seasonal Small Business Ideas
Seasonal businesses are a great opportunity for entrepreneurs who need flexibility, as they can be combined with other seasonal enterprises to create year round income or taken up only part of the year, to leave the rest open to pursue other opportunities.
Some sample seasonal business ideas include:
- lawn mowing
- leaf raking
- haunted house
- holiday decorating service
- gift wrapping
- Easter lambs
For a more complete list of seasonal business ideas, check out:
- List of Seasonal Small Business Ideas
Starting a seasonal small business is a flexible way to earn extra money when you need it. You can run a business a few months of the year and take the rest of the year off to to relax or pursue other career...
More Great Small Business Ideas
- accounting
- event planning
- virtual assistant
- giving lessons
- web design
- book indexer
- house sitting
- local tour guide
- home day care
- carpet cleaning
- delivery service
- pool cleaner
- house painter
- gift baskets
- personal shopper
- home organizing
- proofreader
- flea market
- graphic design
- makeup artist
- office plant care and rental
- piano tuner
- tarot reader
- interior decorator
- tool rental
- used bookstore
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- Five Ways To Make Money When You Can't Find a Job
If you've been fired and can't find a new job, or are a recent graduate who's never had a job in the first place, you may be feeling increasingly desperate the longer your job search drags on. Even if you're... - Jobless Benefits Expired? How To Make Money With No Job
If you are one of the millions affected by expiring jobless benefits, here are some tips to help you make extra money at home.
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Nice hub! Great business ideas for many ages. I did the "Gift Basket" business in the 90's and it worked out well. You have given me new ideas!
Thank you for your helpful ideas.
Nice job I have tried so many different businesses. Its been a great adventure!
Great list of ideas for entrepreneurs to get started. Keep on hubbing
This is a really great article, some really good information and tips. Thanks for sharing!
Some cool business ideas to help people get started, but I always suggest people start looking into industries they already have knowledge in or a passion for.
This article has actually helped me chose a path to follow. Thanks for the great info!
This is a nice list of business ideas. I've always thought that a dried fruit business could be very profitable. A small bag of dried fruit sells for a pretty high price at grocery stores.
I'm working on becoming a clown!
gift baskets is a great one. i love making crafts, maybe one day ill actually do it! great hub
Nice work on putting together a very interesting hub. Fabulous ideas and very helpful information. Well thought out and well written.
Great hub,I'll be backs to read it again,!
Great ideas here thanks for putting in the time
I have been thinking on such opportunities for a long time. Your hub helped me a lot!
If you Look at successful trends! the Number 1.presently
must be Coupons, think!! Groupon..in just under 3yrs.
Now estimated at over £6.Billion..They even turned down an Offer from Google!!
gr8 man very realistic ideas and very helpful hub love it thankx for providing such a valuable information
Yea, as soon as I have money I will try your ideas!
Thank you for the hub, except I disagree that web designer or a graphic designer a great small business if you're not very good at it.
Good ideas to start you thinking! My advice is find something you like to do and you will be successful because you will get the skills to do it well.
This is just fantastic! It definitely sets alot of people into thinking about what they can venture into.
Thanks for sharing!
Very helpful information. Quite encouraging for those seeking to go out on their own. Thank you.
Awesome list of ideas, thanks.
Wow, this list should inspire more people to take action and start their own business. Great job.
Some great suggestions there! I'm always looking for new ideas.
Thanks for ideas!
terrific hub with a lot of great info
Very nice and useful hub! Thanks for sharing
really useful hub for all the starter entrepreneurs. Keep writing such hubs.
These types of hubs are the ones that help to keep the spirt up and people believing they can make a go of it with perseverence. Keep up the good work.
Good information! Thanks for sharing!
You have a good lost of small businesses.I have started my own,But you don't have it listed.My business would be better if I only had the money to advertise
I enjoyed your information and your format.
Great list! Voted up and bookmarked ;-)
Some different ideas here, I like the idea of giving others ideas! Good hub, thanks. Voted up and useful.
Good business hub thanks!
Some incredible resources Kerry! Thanks for sharing. I voted it up! :-)
Many thanks for giving numbers of ideas regarding own business. I am thinking of to start my own business.
Thanks for sharing.
thanks for the ideas man, they are really worth trying
good stuff! thanks for sharing it. If you want, I'd love to share some information about marketing online as well. Please feel free to visit my profile and comment on it. Thanks
Great source you have compiled here. We appreciate the effort and time put into compiling a small biz list such as this.
Great article. Being a small business developer and marketer myself, I especially appreciate this contribution to the cause for entrepreneurship. Thank you for such a comprehensive list of ideas. So many people are 'out of work', need to reinvent themselves and never even thought of going in this direction. This is a great road map for them.
With social media gaining so much steam it adds to the ease of testing a market without investing everything in brick and mortar.
WOW, what a comprehensive list. Makes for very interesting reading not to mention a very valuable resource.
wow thats a great idea u offer....its a really nice and usefull hub. thanks
Nowadays many people plan for small business to earn more. I know few people who are working in a company plus planning for any business.
It is good to think bigger.
WOW that is a lot of ideas bro
most of these I never even heard of. This is a great hub Alot of information but more importantly easy to read the way eveything is layout
This really is an ultimate guide - masses of ideas for earning some money in these tough economic times. But I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has actually made their fortune in any of these types of business.
If you want to make it big - think bigger IMHO
I have a hub listing hobbies which can often turn into small businesses. See http://hubpages.com/hub/Great-Hobbies-For-Anyone
Great hub, very informative! Thank you for all the tips and ideas!
Great list. I think all the entrepreneurs I know would find this useful.
Some really good ideas here. Well written.
Thanks for these great ideas... ideas that can generate other ideas!
Thank you for great ideas.An idea can bring the change and that change can bring a revolution.This has always been the myth of revolution in history.So ideas are most important thing in this world.
I am totally new to Hubpages and this is one of the first hubs I have checked out- very well written, informative and the layout was easy to follow. Thank you for the information.
The costs to start the business idea are the hardest to forecast.
Thanx for new ideas for self-employed people.
Thanks for the great ideas. Now all I need is the money.
This is a fabulous list. Thanks!
This write-up is educating and insightful
You've worked hard on this hub and it shows. I enjoyed every word. Thank you for the good info.
great list, i have some new ideas.
Great going.
Very informative hub, keep up the good work.
WOW this hub is an amazing resource!Thanks for sharing
You did a great job on this hub, keep up the good work.
Great information. Thanks for the great detail. It is very useful and put together perfectly.
welcome to my hub
Thanks for the info. Lots of ideas I didn't think of. I'll have to check out 'book indexer' :) Thanks again!
This is full of excellent ideas and information. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and advice. Awesome Hub!
Great hub! Full of useful information
Good business hub, I am impressed....
This article is sound full of good information and will help people brain storm and gather their ideas. However, no matter how good the research is without the commitment and hard word no business will be successful.
Best Regards
Very good and detailed!
Very comprehensive list Kerryg. I especially love the green ideas.
This is a good list, but you may be missing the writing aspect of small businesses such as ghost writers, article writers...
I used this link on a hub I just published. The article is written from the consumers perspective and includes an interview with a small business man that succeeds in bad times and good.
Thank you for the link!
b
This article will help me in my cafe business. Thank you
Great Ideas! This is the best list of business ideas I've seen on the web so far! Keep updating this is great!
Some good suggestions, thanks
Good insights in the opening of the article. A little self-introspection before jumping into an endeavor is mighty powerful.
Great Article! Funny you mention Etsy.com. My wife was just telling me about that site the other night. I guess she might be on to something.
Lots of information, definitely a great read.
This make me think. Nice read.
Great list of creative ideas!
Great Hub. These are some very creative ideas for people who are interested in starting their own business.
This article is really informative. Thanks!
But are these business ideas applicable for the people under 18 too?
This is a good article
great ideas in this hub. you've helped me...i won't tell you how, yet, but i will thank you...believe me :)
You have listed some very practical ideas. With all the different channels on the internet now such as ebay, amazon, etc..., there is tons of potential for creative people to make crafts and novelty items and sell them online.
This is a great hub, thanks for sharing and for the detailed information!
Great Hub!
Great list, very comprehensive -- thanks for the valuable information!
A very good job the economy needs this type of information now.
Well, I'll really consider those methods, after all we have to face the current economical problems lol
Thanks for those points..such a great help because I'm planning to have small business.
Good Hub,
I set up up a link to this hub from my hub:
http://wiseoldaccountant.hubpages.com/hub/nobsjust
Kerryg, I wonder if you would get more traffic from my hub if I put your picture next to the link. Do I have your permission to do that? This is good branding. The picture of the wolf is your brand.
None of these business ideas are in my areas of interest, but it is still a interesting look at the thought process that can go into building your own enterprise.
Whooaaa talk about a list of creative ideas for a small business. Some of these ideas I would have never dreamed of making a small business ouf of them. You have really showed that there is a way to make a living (and a decent one) even in an economy such we have today. Great job!
This is an excellent list. I'm working through the possibilities right now!
Great hub!
Thanks for all of the great ideas. This is a very thoughtful hub. With great gratitude.
Great stuff. People are always looking for ideas. Even if an idea isn't "perfect" I think people should try some out anyway just to gain experience and learn something.
Thanks for the link to SPIN farming. I found this to be invigorating and full of useful info. Thanks much. Voted up!
My God bless you for the good idea i have from you after school am going to start my own b'ness this year in june
Your article is very inspirational. It starts with a dream and passion :)
The idea of a haunted house as a small business caught my eye.
Might scare some loyal customers away ;)
You've put a lot of work into this hub and it's really interesting. Pet sitting is another small business. It's very popular in many states. People will pay $15 to $25 to have their dog stay at the sitter's house, happy and safe.
eculligan 18 months ago
Some really nice ideas for getting started on your first business. I think I'm going to get involved in the web design business for starting.