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We all have the same number of hours in each day, but we’re still able to use them to achieve different things. While some people may use their hours to go to work and make money, others may use their hours to start a small business and earn even more money. But how do you go about starting a business? Where do you even get the ideas for your business?
In this article, I will share with you 7 different business ideas that you can start today, or get you started on this new year. Whether you are looking for new business ideas or simply want to get some inspiration, I hope that you can find these 7 creative and profitable business ideas useful.
Home-Based Cooking Delivery Service
Cooking delivery services allow you to make a profit by selling healthy, freshly prepared meals from the comfort of your home without having to invest in expensive restaurant equipment. Although these businesses have been in operation for some time now, new entrepreneurs are jumping on the opportunity by using their own unique recipes to cook unique dishes and provide convenient delivery options for busy customers.
Considering your individual tastes and preferences, there are a variety of ways that you can begin your own home-based cooking delivery service. You even have the option of using pre-prepared meals as a starting point and adding a special finishing touch in a sort of “supermarket outsourcing”, which can make work easier when you have lots of orders.
With more people wanting convenient meal solutions and looking for ways to save money, this type of business offers an ideal opportunity for entrepreneurs who are passionate about food. When your business takes off and you need more room or equipment, you could look into working from a ghost kitchen or leasing a kitchen from another business by hours.
Mobile Hair Cutting Services
Mobile hair cutting services are an up-and-coming business idea that offer clients a convenient, low stress way to get their hair done. These services can travel to people’s homes or other locations and provide haircuts for busy professionals or those who may not have the time or transportation to visit a salon. Offering competitive rates, mobile haircuts can be an ideal service for entrepreneurs looking to start their own business.
Although, keep in mind that many places require hair stylists to go through some type of training before being able to work as hair stylists, so that is something that you have to look into. But, if you are into fashion and styling or if the certification is something that you already have, then this is the ideal business for you.
To set up a mobile hair cutting service, you could first contact local salons and barbershops and ask them for referrals in exchange for a discount on the services. This is an easy way to get your first few customers. To attract more clients, mobile hair cutting services should make sure to have a very professional online presence through a website for business and social media accounts.
Similarly to this, you can also offer styling and grooming services for pets. Although the requirements are a bit different compared to working with people, the business concept still works the same: look for clients by offering your services online or through referrals, and provide the services in the customer’s home.
Personal Assistant Services
Personal assistant services are becoming more and more popular as busy professionals are looking for ways to keep their lives organized. For you, the entrepreneur, personal assistant services are a lucrative business opportunity. By providing helpful services such as grocery shopping, meal prep, and errand running, knowledgeable PAs can become the go-to person for busy clients.
The goal in this idea is to make your client’s life as easy as possible by doing all the repetitive and undesirable work for them. Once you have a few clients and get used to the tasks assigned, you can put systems in place to automate as much of the work as possible, allowing you to handle more and more clients.
Another option would be to focus on a specific type of activity, for example, vacation planning and arrangement or event planning. Focusing on offering these services or specific bundles would allow you to scale your business. Furthermore, these are some of the activities that wealthy individuals tend to outsource more often than not, which would allow you to upsell extra services at premium price tags.
Custom Handcrafted Product Maker
This is a great time for people with hobbies to get creative. For creative entrepreneurs, custom handcrafted products are a great business idea. By offering unique, handmade items such as jewelry, leather goods, home decor, and fashion accessories, you can build a loyal following of customers who appreciate your craftsmanship and top-notch customer service.
You can even create an online store to reach customers all over the world, or sign up for local consignment shops to increase your exposure. Whatever route you choose to take, creating unique items that stand out from competitors is sure to generate long-term success.
With technological innovations making it easier to manufacture and sell handmade products, you no longer have to work in isolation. There are tools to create Print-On-Demand items like Printful or Printify, which can print your designs on many different products. There’s also Etsy, a platform dedicated to handcrafts and independent sellers. You can sell your creations through Etsy and also other platforms like Amazon or eBay.
Home Decor and Furniture Upcycling Business
The old saying “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” couldn’t be more accurate than in the creation of unique furniture and home decor. If you’re passionate about giving old furniture and home decor a new look, then starting a upcycling business may be the perfect venture for you.
You can offer to refinish, reupholster, repaint, or redesign furniture to create unique pieces that your customers will love. From vintage dressers to mid-century modern couches, upcycling is an easy way to give older items a fresh and creative makeover—and fit into any budget!
To get started, you can look for used furniture in garage sales, where you’re most likely to get a bang for your buck. After renovating it, you can then post it in Facebook’s Marketplace or apps like OfferUp and people will start messaging you with offers. Etsy once again comes in handy here, also allowing you to place your items for people to see.
Personalized Gift-Giving Service
Everyone loves receiving gifts, but not everyone has the time to shop for them. That’s where you come in! With a personalized gift-giving service, you can do the shopping for your clients and help take the stress out of gift-giving.
This is a classic business idea that requires little startup capital, but you will need some basic skills in order to run it effectively. You can deliver your services in-person or online.
To get started, you’ll want to survey your clients to find out their hobbies and interests. Use this information to gather gift ideas that suit each client’s profile. Then, visit nearby stores or online marketplaces and make purchases for the client. The more gifts you give, the more people will get to know your services and more clients that you can have later on.
Professional pet caretaker
With more people going back to the office now after the pandemic, that means more pets that stay home after getting used to being with the owners all they. If you have a knack with animals, then this is a lucrative opportunity for you to pursue.
The professional pet caretaker is someone who is hired to care for pets that are not under the direct care of their owner. You can offer pet sitting and care taking services for people in your neighborhood or in your city. In this business, you will be responsible for feeding, playing, bathing, and walking pets, as well as monitoring their health, all depending on the plans and services you plan to offer.
This could also be directly in each owner’s home, or you could arrange to take the pets to your house, depending on how much space you have available. To find clients, you can once again look to promoting through social media, or placing an ad in your local newspapers with your services. Handing out flyers in your neighborhood with your contact information is also a good idea, since people can contact you directly instead of having to look around.
Conclusion
There are countless other types of businesses to start and things to do to earn money, and now in 2023 it is easier than ever to start with all the tools and help available online, at low costs or in some cases free (like this blog). If you feel like you have decided on your business idea but don’t know how or where to start, check out some essential tips for starting a small business here. Look through my blog for more helpful information that you can use.
As they say, the best time to act on your idea was ten years ago, the second-best time is now. So, let me know how it goes in the comments below or through my Instagram account. Happy New Years, and may this be your most successful year yet!
