Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
For decades, the U.S. economy has seen steady growth in businesses that don’t sell goods but services, anything from cybersecurity to lawn care to event planning. These businesses can cater to individuals — personal service businesses may target homeowners, tourists and families — or businesses that hire consultants, advisors and subject-matter experts. Service businesses also account for more than 75% of the country’s gross domestic product, and they’re especially attractive for entrepreneurs looking to start a new venture. The cost of entry and overhead is generally low, and there’s room to scale. That means more flexibility and higher profit margins for business owners.
But what type of service businesses should you start? Begin with an honest assessment of your skills. Do you have a former (or current) career you could parlay into a personal business? What hobbies do you have? Does your personality lend itself to certain lines of work, like childcare (easygoing, playful) or website design (meticulous, creative)? Lean on your existing skills and traits and explore potential roles that align with them. Below, you’ll find 85 service business ideas to get you started.
Personal Services
Business Services
Marketing and Sales
Home Services
Computers and Technology
Children’s Services
Event Services
Personal Services
1. Mobile Pet Grooming
Snip, clip and brush your way to success as a mobile pet groomer. The global mobile pet care market is valued at more than $640 million, and pet owners are always looking for ways to streamline messy tasks like bath time. Fido and his owner will both appreciate the convenience of a “doorstep” doggie grooming service. If you’re not trained, enlist in courses from the National Dog Groomers Association of America and get certified to perform professional services. With the proper training and experience, a van and some grooming tools, start barking up the right tree by marketing your pet business in your neighborhood and others.
Read this: Start Your Own Pet Business by The Staff of Entrepreneur Media and Rich Mintzer | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
2. Niche Collecting
If your niche interests include rare collectibles or trinkets, turn that passion into income by becoming a collectibles searcher — carefully canvasing thrift stores, auctions, flea markets and garage sales and collecting objets d’art for clients. Whether your niche is antique lunch boxes or grandfather clocks, advertise your services in collectibles stores and hobbyist publications, engage with relevant Reddit communities and build a following on social media platforms. Soon, you’ll be taking up a collection of your own.
Read this: Ultimate Guide to eBay for Business by Christopher Matthew Spencer | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
3. Diaper Delivery
Who said cloth diapers couldn’t be convenient — and user-friendly? Velcro diaper “wraps” replace awkward pins, and pickup and delivery take the dirty work out of diapering. Equipped with a “clean,” propane-fueled delivery truck and some washing machines, you can provide an environmentally friendly alternative to disposables. Talk about a change for the better!
4. Dry Cleaning Pickup and Delivery
Dry cleaning is an essential service for many blue- and white-collar professionals, but those without cars or access to public transit might have a harder time finding a storefront. That’s the void you can fill. Form a relationship with a nearby dry cleaner, and look for the types of customers most likely to use your service: college students, busy professionals, frequent travelers, elderly or disabled people. Consider starting small, with one apartment building or complex, and grow from there.
5. Mobile Locksmith
The margins for mobile locksmiths are lucrative as long as you’re willing to be on call 24 hours a day. Community colleges and vocational schools can provide affordable training, and you can be up and running with a few essential pieces of equipment. The industry is largely recession-proof (people always need locks), and when interest rates drop, home purchases rise — meaning a higher demand for services such as rekeying and consultation.
6. Graffiti Removal & Abatement
Equipped with some paint, a power washer and other preventive treatments, you’re set to serve residential as well as commercial clients with your own graffiti removal business. City governments, schools and businesses want nothing to do with unsightly graffiti, and you can provide swift and spotless removals for them — no special training required.
7. Self-Defense Instructor
Self-defense skills are valuable for people of all ages, and a background in martial arts can be a great starting point for instructors. No matter your specialty — karate, taekwondo, judo, mixed martial arts, boxing — the discipline and basic safety-awareness skills will serve your clientele. Start by advertising your services to larger groups (fraternities/sororities, identity-based organizations, seniors, corporate clients) and earn goodwill by providing the occasional free class for at-risk groups.
Read this: Start Your Own Personal Training Business by The Staff of Entrepreneur Media and Cheryl Kimball | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
8. Adventure Tours
We travel to escape, but we also travel to experience, be it exploring South American caves or touring English teahouses. Turn your passion for travel into a career by doing the footwork first — coordinating transportation, food and lodging. Promote your excursions with enticing social media posts, and build relationships with local travel guides, businesses and restaurants. Your clients only need to worry about one thing: having fun.
Read this: Start Your Own Travel Business by Entrepreneur Press and Rich Mintzer | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
9. Pet Sitting
When it comes to creature comforts, most canines would choose a backyard over a kennel any day. Pet sitters, who take care of pets while their owners are out of town or busy, can provide this comfort for our furry friends. Start on a service like Rover or Wag!, and move off the apps once you have an established client base to avoid fees that cut into your profits.
Read this: Start Your Own Pet Business by The Staff of Entrepreneur Media and Rich Mintzer | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
10. Mobile Massage Service
Massage therapy training can be expensive — anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000 for certification, according to the American Institute of Alternative Medicine — but the opportunities bring plenty of financial upside. Advertise your stress-relieving services at local workout clubs, spas and physical therapists’ offices, and build a roster of clients to fill your schedule. Then, bring your trained hands — and a portable massage table — to their homes or places of work.
11. Court Paper Serving
You can’t beat the legal system … as a great resource for business, that is. Private attorneys, who barely have time to do their own invoicing and none for serving summonses to elusive people, often turn to registered court paper processors. Come judgment day, you’ll be courting success.
12. Mobile Mechanic
If you’re the type who grew up fixing your own car, consider turning that passion into a career. With a background in an auto shop or proper training, you can start with neighbors and friends, eventually growing along with your referrals. Research pricing at local body shops and bring in new customers with special deals. Your relationship with clients depends on trust, so make a point to explain every cost and service — no surprise fees!
13. Personal Chef
Are you a talented line cook looking to start your own hustle? A culinary school grad searching for flexibility? An epicure hoping to professionalize a passion? Those with culinary competence can likely find a hungry clientele among the ranks of America’s busy working families, especially wealthy ones (think: local professional athletes and Fortune 500 C-suiters). Clients may also hire you out for special occasions when they prefer to dine in — complete with restaurant-quality food and service.
Read this: Start Your Own Restaurant and More by The Staff at Entrepreneur Media and Rich Mintzer | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
14. Seamstress / Tailoring
With quality fabric scissors, a proper sewing machine and plenty of pins, needles and skill (be it through years of practice or specialized training), you can start a seamstress or tailoring business with friends and family. Then, spread the word at local boutiques and dry cleaners. Build a reliable client base and watch your work pile up.
15. Porcelain Repairing
Fixing unsightly chips and cracks in porcelain accessories can be lucrative for self-starting entrepreneurs. And although it’s a niche market, porcelain repair of rare objects can bring in big profits. To succeed, you need to be calm, steady-handed and knowledgeable about the materials you work with. With a porcelain-repair kit in hand, you can transform those chipped pieces into something that looks brand new.
16. Cover Letter/Resume Service
Not everyone knows how to look good on paper. With your editing and basic layout skills, a laser printer and some high-quality stationery, you’re set to start showing clients how to put their best foot forward in their resumes and cover letters — and how to get in the door of potential employers’ businesses for an interview.
17. Career or Life Coach
If you have a background in hiring, you can help clients showcase their skills when applying for jobs. In addition to advising on job applications, brainstorm with your clients about possible career shifts. As a coach, you can lead them to make the best decisions in times of transition.
Read this: Start Your Own Consulting Business by The Staff of Entrepreneur Media and Terry Rice | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
18. Mystery Shopping
With a background in market research and a love of shopping, you can get paid to help companies improve customer experience. Rate local retail stores’ employees on attitude, friendliness and overall quality of service, then report back to managers about the experience. The Mystery Shopping Providers Association can connect you to research groups and brands looking for shoppers.
19. College Admissions Counseling
From editing essays to advising on best Common App practices, private college admissions counseling has become big business in the U.S. Counselors help students put their best foot forward when submitting applications, which might mean incorporating standardized test prep (SAT, ACT) for students.
Read this: Start Your Own Tutoring and Test Prep Business by The Staff of Entrepreneur Media and Rich Mintzer | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
20. Tax-Form Preparation
The demand for tax-preparers is constant. Each spring, businesses and individuals alike need help preparing tax forms and understanding the latest regulations. Equipped with preparation software, you can start building your career as a tax-preparer. And be sure to get a Preparer Tax Identification Number from the IRS before you start submitting.
Read this: What Your CPA Isn’t Telling You: Life-Changing Tax Strategies by Mark J. Kohler | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
21. Mobile Car Wash and Detailing
With the right equipment and a little elbow grease, you can quickly start up a dynamic mobile car wash business. At the very least, you’ll want a pressure washer, vacuum cleaner, generator, soap, brushes and waxing supplies, in addition to your own vehicle and trailer to carry them. Build your business by marketing your services to car dealers, rental fleet owners and corporations.
22. Used-Car Inspection
Steer clients away from lemons by inspecting and evaluating used cars. With a background in mechanics and a keen attention to detail, you can start building a client base that will rely on your expertise when making purchasing decisions. Lean on referrals and encourage clients to leave positive reviews online.
23. Professional Organizing
Marie Kondo helped the role of professional organizer and declutterer become mainstream in 2019, and demand has only risen in the years since. If you’ve got a knack for neatness, why not help the organizationally challenged? Messy closets, home offices and commercial offices could all benefit from a more efficient setup, so put some order into other people’s lives.
24. Golf-Club Cleaning
If you’re a regular at the course — as a caddy or a player — consider offering club-cleaning services for the most ardent golfers. Not only will you be offering them a clean edge to improve their game, but you’re also protecting their investment from the rusting, pitting and discoloration of dirty clubs. Reach out to local courses and country clubs to advertise your services.
25. Tutoring
Thought your proficiency in high school algebra was all for naught? Think again. As a tutor, you can help students excel in the classroom, be it in reading, writing, math, science or history. Tutors can also parlay the work to support students with college applications — essays and standardized test prep, for example. With ample possibilities for referrals (siblings, friends, classmates), tutors can quickly build a profitable and consistent client base.
Read this: Start Your Own Tutoring and Test Prep Business by Entrepreneur Press and Rich Mintzer | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
26. Power Washing
Oily driveways, mud-caked semi trucks or barnacle-ridden boats — you name it, and entrepreneurs equipped with specialized power-washing equipment can probably clean it. For spotless results, target commercial as well as residential customers. Marketing your services is essential, so diversify your public-facing image: Advertise at local auto shops, purchase Google ads and post regularly on social media — ideally, videos of power washing, which have the tendency to go viral.
27. Windshield Repairing
To find potential clients for your windshield-repair business, canvas local parking and used-car lots for cars with cracked or chipped windshields. Set up a website with an online booking service (such as Calendly) and grab yourself a professional repair kit with all the essentials: sealant, resin, curing strips, razors, syringes, brushes and a drill. This offers clients a better — and cheaper — alternative to costly glass replacement.
28. Private Investigating
Are you sly, intuitive, curious and diligent? Consider putting those skills to use as a private investigator. Clients include attorneys gathering evidence for a case or collecting payment or individuals seeking information about a significant other. If you have a clean criminal record and the proper licensing (this depends on your state), you can start getting paid for your private eye services.
29. Travel Agency
Provide clients with lifelong memories and take the friction out of travel by running your own agency — setting up flights, itineraries, hotel stays and daily excursions for travelers. Travel agents are organized, adventurous and love working with people, and you’ll need to connect with guides all around the world. By helping clients manage frequent flier miles, book low-price tickets and keep expense records, your successful business will expand with every successful trip.
Read this: Start Your Own Travel Business by Entrepreneur Press and Rich Mintzer | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
30. Carpet Dyeing
For a fraction of the cost of replacing unsightly or stained carpeting, carpet-dyeing professionals provide hotels, community centers, nursing homes and other businesses an attractive alternative. Online courses can teach the basics of the work, and you can get an Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification so clients know to trust your services.
31. Hospital Bill Auditing
One of the few things worse than a hospital stay is the pile of confusing bills that follow. The remedy? Hospital bill auditors, who — thanks to their billing savvy and attention to detail — make way for their clients’ smooth recovery. If you’ve worked within the healthcare industry or in hospital billing, your expertise could help save clients thousands.
Read this: Start Your Own Medical Claims Billing Service by The Staff at Entrepreneur Media and Charlene Davis | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
32. Solar Panel Installation
As more companies and individuals transitioned to clean energy sources over the past decade, solar panel sales and installations have skyrocketed. At the end of 2023, the Solar Energy Industries Association reported that domestic solar capacity in the U.S. was great enough to power 33 million homes. It’s not too late to get in on the profits. With a desire to break into the industry and a little formal training, you can connect with solar sales reps to install panels on clients’ homes.
33. Translating
The rise of online translation tools can never replace the quality and expertise of a human translator. With fluency in foreign language(s) under your belt, you can serve as a real-time translator (think: international business, international relations, immigration services) or work as a textual translator, helping businesses, writers and individuals do anything from publishing a manuscript to applying for a visa. You can also get certifications from groups like the American Translator Association to bolster your resume.
Read this: Money-Smart Solopreneur by Laura D. Adams | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
34. Home Staging
Move in on the housing market with some basic painting, caulking, scrubbing and — most importantly — decorating skills. When homes go up for sale, agents want them to look perfect for the open house: nice furniture, decorations and lighting, in addition to a sparkling space. With an eye for design and connections with rental companies and real estate agents, you can help home sellers make their space shine.
35. Catering
With a commercially approved kitchen and quality chef skills, you can cook up profits as a professional caterer. Create tasty meals for weddings, holiday parties, birthdays and other festive gatherings, and ask early clients to leave positive online reviews on sites like Google and Yelp. Word-of-mouth will go far, but so will corporate connections, a history of delicious events and an easy-to-work-with demeanor.
Read this: Start Your Own Restaurant and More by The Staff at Entrepreneur Media and Rich Mintzer | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
36. Seminar Promotion
If there’s one thing consumers can never get enough of, it’s information. Connect with corporate and educational clients to plan seminars on any number of topics. You don’t need to be an expert yourself; just schedule the speakers, reserve a location, promote the event and watch as your profits grow. A background in event planning or management is a solid foundation to start.
Read this: Start Your Own Event Planning Business by The Staff at Entrepreneur Media and Cheryl Kimball | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
37. Valet Parking
Many fancy restaurants, country clubs, theaters and classy establishments offer valet parking, and with equipment like a cabinet for keys and nice uniforms, your company could land the next contract. Having your own team of drivers is essential to keeping clients’ customers — and their cars — safe and on the move.
Business Services
38. Mortgage/Debt-Reduction Service
By explaining alternative payment structures to clients (which can result in a smaller total payment in a shorter period of time), mortgage and debt-reduction service professionals are helping to relieve Americans’ debts. You must have expertise in financial planning, and be sure to check with your state’s finance office to see if you need special accreditation.
39. Debt-Collection Service
With your knowledge of debt-collection law and some persistence, you can collect debts for clients. Track down delinquent debtors and get paid when you deliver for your clients. Cast a wide net by advertising to law firms, banks, hospitals and credit card companies. Your state may require special licenses or permits, so check out local regulations.
40. Wind Farm Consulting
Wind energy is a growing sector of the green economy; it provided 10% of total nationwide electricity in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. With a background in running or working on wind farms, your expertise will be in demand for new projects. Advise on anything from land use rights to building codes, and help spur a more eco-friendly energy revolution.
41. Office Management Consulting
It’s one thing to spend a day at the office and another altogether to run the office. As a professional office management consultant, oversee responsibilities such as insurance, supply restocks, office cleanings, calendar management and data entry for small offices housing lawyers, doctors and other specialists. Let them handle their professional work while you take away the headaches of actually running an office.
Read this: Start Your Own Consulting Business by Entrepreneur Press and Eileen F. Sandlin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
42. Business Consulting
Not only is a business plan crucial when obtaining bank financing, but it’s an invaluable tool for anticipating — and tackling — a business’s inevitable ups and downs. Take an honest assessment of your professional background. Is there an industry you know inside out? Show clients how to present and execute their best-laid plans with your specific expertise.
43. Office Plant Maintenance
Set your roots in the growing business of office plant management. Regular watering, light pruning and fertilizing are all in a day’s work, and the growth prospects are positive: The indoor plants market is worth some $18 billion, according to Data Bridge Market Research, and it’s only growing. A green thumb and passion for plants are essential for this work.
44. Executive Search Services
As an executive search specialist, help busy clients make the best hire for important C-suite roles. Your job involves tapping into your executive network, conducting interviews to screen potential employees and advising clients on how to court and land the best prospects. A deep Rolodex of business connections can be your make-or-break differentiator.
45. Specialized Staffing
Helping clients meet their workforce needs is a matter of finding a niche and filling it. Are you a “connector,” someone with relationships with professionals across industries? Tap into it for a profit. Work your way up in the industry by developing a reliable roster of skilled workers, then use your people skills, word of mouth and positive reviews to build your business.
46. Bookkeeping
Though today’s software makes keeping your own books easier, it can still be a time-consuming venture. That’s why, for business owners with no time to spare, a third-party bookkeeper can be a huge asset. Your accounting or finance background will pay dividends, but you’ll also want to obtain certification from the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers, which will bolster your credibility and demonstrate professionalism to clients.
Marketing and Sales Services
47. Sales Lead Generating
Are you a dedicated and dynamic salesperson with a knack for finding big spenders? Consider specializing in sales leads for clients across a variety of industries. Some phone calls, market research and a spidey sense for buyers will set you on the path to compiling potential customer lists. Negotiate contracts where you get a small cut of each sale, and watch as your hard work pays dividends.
48. Corporate Video and Audio Production
Companies and brands are always producing content, be it short films, ads, internal communications, podcasts, promos or online posts. With the right skills (expertise in the Adobe Creative Suite will do wonders), you can use your creativity to make branded content for social media, conferences and corporate events. Create a personal website highlighting your best work, and reach out to local businesses to get your production company off the ground.
49. Public Relations Agency
A way with words, creativity, enthusiasm and persistence are all necessary in this competitive business. Your job is to positively position and elevate your clients’ image, whether through interviews, media mentions or publicity campaigns. Prior relationships with local reporters and editors are a tremendous help, as you’ll be pitching them stories and topics to cover.
50. Copyediting and Proofreading Service
Nothing breaks a reader’s trust like typos, and you can be the stopgap between clean text and sloppy copy. Writers who ensure promotional copy is both catchy and fault-free might not win any Pulitzers, but they will have some profits to write home about. Your clients’ needs may vary based on the week, so be sure to build a deep roster of customers.
Read this: Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business by The Staff of Entrepreneur Media and Laura Pennington Briggs | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
51. Social Media Consulting
One Instagram post or TikTok can turn around a business’s entire prospects, and local brands are always on the hunt for social media management. Can you write pithy promotional posts? Film and edit a video with the potential to go viral? Offer to run the social media accounts of local businesses — connecting with potential customers, building brand identities and creating content to draw in new business. This is also a great role for young people who grew up with smartphones and understand the various platforms and their users’ personalities.
Read this: Ultimate Guide to Instagram for Business, 2nd ed. by Kim Walsh Phillips | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
52. Custom Design Studio
From birth announcements to wedding invites, custom designs can elevate and aestheticize big events. With a scanner and your artistic skills, you can set up a shop on Etsy and create a roster of logos and designs for stationery, napkins, plastic cups, posters or framed art — all customizable for individual clients.
Read this: Start Your Own Etsy Business by The Staff of Entrepreneur Media and Jason R. Rich | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
53. Mailing Services
Even in our digital-first economy, there’s a massive need for corporate postal services — anything from stuffing envelopes to bulk processing. Reach out to local stores and companies, ask about their mailing needs and advertise in local business journals and websites.
54. Sales Training
If you’ve mastered the art of sales, spread your expertise with paid training sessions. Companies big and small are always looking to improve employee performance, so position yourself as their solution. Starting out, the most important thing to sell is yourself. Build a website, highlight your career accomplishments and boost clients’ bottom line — and your own.
Home Services
55. Packing and Unpacking Service
If you’re organized and efficient and know how to make everything fit just right, you could excel at running a packing and unpacking company. Corporate offices, private homes, college dorms, small businesses — no matter the move, your time-saving services can reduce the hassle. It helps to be cool under pressure, as moves can be stressful endeavors.
56. Handyman Services
For homes and businesses, repairs are endless — leaky pipes, jammed doors, faulty buzzers, cracked walls — and the demand for handyman services is recession-proof. Pick your specialty and start advertising your services on Google, Yelp and Angie’s List. And if you’re looking to expand into slightly larger projects, it’s worthwhile to get a general contractor license from your local government.
57. Home Entertainment Installation
Consumers have a dizzying amount of options for surround sound, flat screens, projectors and home theaters, and configuring them as one seamless system can be a headache for non-experts. That’s where your electrical and wiring expertise comes in. Decide on your specific services, research price points to undercut the competition and create a few standard packages customers can choose from.
58. Pool Services
With proper cleaning equipment and a water test kit, you can start a lucrative business catering to pool owners. Reach out to homeowners’ associations, apartment complexes and individual residents to get started. In year-round markets like Arizona and Florida, brokers also sell pool routes — similar to a paper route but for pool cleaning — which can be a good starting point.
59. Lawn Care and Landscaping
Mowing, clipping, trimming, hedging and fertilizing yards is an always-in-demand service for both office complexes and residential clients. Competition is steep, though, so building a wide client base is essential before getting fully off the ground. Buy or build a trailer, and get the proper equipment to handle any lawn — leaving customers happy and your pockets full.
60. Home Inspection Service
A keen eye for structural detail — plus your ability to market yourself — paves the way for success in your home inspection service. Take online classes from the Inspection Certification Associates, then pass your National Home Inspector Examination. Soon, you’ll be assessing clients’ homes for problems such as structural damage and foundation abnormalities, then referring them to contractors who can help.
61. House Painting
Load up your truck with brushes, rollers and ladders and start painting the town. Advertise in local business publications and online for both interior and exterior services, and be an active presence in local online groups — offering deals to get your initial batch of customers. Wealthier locales — and those with significant population growth — are good areas to target.
62. Local Moving Service
With a van, some brawn and excellent packing techniques, you can make good cash helping neighbors with local moves. Starting out, much of the labor will be on you. Soon, though, customers will largely interface with employees — making good hires essential to success. Find strong, positive and easy-to-work-with laborers, and your services will always be in demand.
63. Junk Removal
Homes and businesses will always have excess trash, and those bulky, heavy items (which local trash services won’t handle) are a particular headache. With no special skills needed, you can start a junk removal service. Target areas with high relocation rates and a growing population, as it helps to have a large potential customer base — and always be marketing.
64. Home Decorating
The key to getting in the door of this business is decorating your own home. Show off your skills on Instagram, Pinterest and a well-designed website, then start working with local furniture and accessory stores, paint shops and carpet and drapery outlets to coordinate clients’ interiors. Consider reaching out to Airbnb and VRBO owners in the area, as many investment properties still need stylish decorations.
65. Custom Closet Systems
With a few hooks and shelves, plus a lot of creativity, you’ve got the skills to be a custom closet systems pro. New homeowners will be key to your early success, so find recent sales in your area and start knocking on doors. You’ll also want to show up at the top of Google searches, so create a Google Business Profile and ask early clients to leave positive reviews. Soon, your phone will be ringing with potential customers.
66. Window Washing
There’s plenty of money to be made washing windows for high-end residences, so grab your bucket, squeegee and glass-cleaning solution. Corporate clients might be hard to come by at first, so focus initially on homes, especially larger ones with owners willing to invest in clean windows. Position yourself as reliable, friendly and eminently professional, and repeat customers will start lining up.
67. Residential Cleaning
For those tough-to-reach corners and heftier house cleaning projects, clients need a professional to leave their homes sparkling. Armed with mops, dusters, brooms, soap and plenty of cleaning solution, that could be you. Create a professional-looking brand and website, get some insurance, and don’t be afraid to cold call clients and knock on some doors. Your first batch of customers will be the hardest to land, but provide quality cleaning and word-of-mouth referrals will come.
Computers and Technology Services
68. Technology and Computer Repair
From 20th-century Windows desktops to the newest iPhone, computer hardware is finicky, delicate and complicated. If you’re the kind of person who grew up taking apart — and putting back together — these machines, why not fix them for profit? Cracked screens, broken cameras, faulty wiring, missing keys. Whatever the client’s issue, your expertise and solution-oriented approach is the answer. Pro tip: If you want to fix Apple products, you’ll want to enroll in the Apple Authorized Service Provider Program so customers know to trust you with valuable hardware.
69. IT Consulting
Most computer users have no idea how 99% of their systems function — from backend processing to memory space to fixing software bugs. With a background in information technology, ideally at a support desk, you can get your client’s systems back to running smoothly. This includes updating security software, clearing junk, removing bugs and making machines run longer and with more efficiency.
70. Cybersecurity Consulting
Cybercrime cost companies and individuals more than $8 trillion globally in 2023, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development, and criminals don’t just go after major companies. Dentist’s offices, school systems, shipping companies, hospitals — all have come under attack in recent years. With expertise in cybersecurity, you can save them the headache and hassle of intrusions by starting a consulting business. Shift money away from criminals and toward yourself.
71. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Consulting
The difference between a profitable company and a failed one can be as simple as its ranking in Google searches. Expertise in search engine optimization — and a track record of improved results — can help any company shoot to the top of the search giant’s rankings. Sell yourself with hard data from past projects, and the results will speak for themselves.
72. Website Design
With some creativity, coding skills and HTML know-how, creating websites can be easy. Small- and medium-sized businesses are constantly building and updating their websites, so scour the web and reach out to companies whose sites could use an update. And once you have existing clients, they’ll need help keeping websites up-to-date. On your own site, outline a variety of design packages with different price points.
Children’s Services
73. Children’s Party Planning
Do parents a favor and plan their next children’s party. From hiring Frozen character look-alikes to coordinating games, decorations and food, your work allows parents to relax and have fun, too. That’s why they’re paying you, after all. Be deliberate about your target market: To break even, you’ll likely need to cater to a wealthier clientele willing to spend big money on a child’s party.
74. Childcare
As a childcare provider, you’ll need a state license, plenty of babysitting experience and a lot of patience. Whether you “sit” at your place or theirs, you’ll find busy parents aren’t your only clients. Many office complexes, gyms, schools and other businesses need quality childcare, too.
Read this: Start Your Own Child-Care Service by The Staff at Entrepreneur Media and Jacquelyn Lynn | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
75. Children’s Fitness Services
One thing that never seems to run out is a kid’s supply of energy. Tap into that vast resource with a children’s fitness program, complete with individual and team competitions. With your knowledge of education and physical fitness for young people, you can rent a location and coordinate activities such as frisbee, dance and gymnastics, as well as team sports like soccer and kickball.
Read this: Start Your Own Personal Training Business by The Staff at Entrepreneur Media and Cheryl Kimball | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
76. Baby-Proofing
Stairs, cabinets, electrical cords and outlets — they’re all potential baby hazards. New parents, grandparents and even babysitters could all use a more kid-friendly house, so outfit their homes to be 100% baby-proof. Become a member of the International Association for Child Safety so potential clients can easily find you.
77. Nanny Placement
If you have a deep well of nanny contacts, you can help busy parents find childcare support. Nanny placement agents screen applicants, check references, match personalities and set schedules — providing clients with vetted nannies without the headache. Before you start your business, consider the demand. This type of role will be coveted in growing cities with increasing numbers of young families.
78. New Mother/Infant Home Care
Make hospital homecomings less tiresome for parents by providing the in-home care and support they need. Preparing meals, diapering the baby, light housekeeping and taking care of nighttime feedings are all a great relief to proud — but occasionally exhausted — new parents. You’re not only an extra pair of hands, but your expertise in newborn care helps establish healthy routines for new parents.
Event Services
79. Photography
Wanting to memorialize special events — like weddings, birthdays and bar and bat mitzvahs — is only human nature, and your photography skills can create lasting mementos and plenty of profit. Be prepared to work weekends and evenings (when many clients will need your services), and consider hiring an assistant to help juggle the demands of each event. Your work should speak for itself, so build a website and a strong presence on social media to reach new clients.
Read this: Start Your Own Photography Business by Entrepreneur Press and Charlene Davis | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
80. Mobile Photo Booth Service
All you need is a backdrop, an iPad, a printer and a ring light, and you can start booking events as a photo booth operator. Come up with some fun print designs and start selling your services to both corporate and private clients — conferences, retreats, weddings, birthdays and reunions. After all, demand is only growing: Global Market Insights valued the photo booth market at more than $600 million in 2023.
81. Personal Shopping/Styling Services
Calling all shopaholics: Here’s one business where you can truly shop till you drop without spending a penny of your own. In addition to buying clothes for clients, personal shoppers and stylists are responsible for making sure clients have a wardrobe ready for any event. If you have an eye for fashion and know how to market yourself, you can find a wealthy clientele willing to pay for your services.
82. Videography
Family history videographers film personalized accounts of weddings, births, bar and bat mitzvahs and other memorable occasions. And although you might not win a producer of the year award, you’ll certainly earn the appreciation of your clients. Should a customer’s other family members enjoy your work, you may be looking at generations of customers.
83. Sustainable Event Planning
Corporate clients, especially Fortune 500 companies, are increasingly looking to make their big events a little more sustainable — less leftover junk and one-and-done resources. With a background in eco-friendly production and sustainability efforts, you can help plan events that don’t hurt the planet — and earn some green while you’re at it.
84. DJing
Know how to work a crowd and play just the right song at just the right time? If so, your DJ services will be in high demand. Birthdays, weddings, reunions, special events — good, affordable DJs are a must-have. The job requires some investment: You’ll want a powerful computer, soundboard and speaker system to get started.
85. Wedding Planning
Getting married isn’t always as simple as saying, “I do.” There’s a caterer to be contracted, a location to be rented, a DJ to be hired and flowers to be ordered. When it comes to making matrimony a more harmonious event, wedding planners are essential, so long as they’re organized, calm under pressure and solution-oriented. Plus, there’s plenty of money to be made in the more than $600 billion global wedding industry.
Read this: Start Your Own Wedding Consultant Business by The Staff of Entrepreneur Media and Eileen Figure Sandlin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
86. Event Planning
Separate from the more specialized wedding planner, event planners make sure everything is perfect for a variety of celebrations: birthdays, reunions, first communions, cotillion balls. Organize entertainment, book venues, hire caterers and make sure the entire event goes off without a hitch. With a few big events under your belt, use customer testimonials and online reviews to attract new business.
Read this: Start Your Own Event Planning Business by The Staff at Entrepreneur Media and Cheryl Kimball | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
87. Limousine Service
With a limo and some insurance, you can start booking clients for special events and regular services. Stretch your market by adding more drivers and cars to your fleet, but wait until the demand exceeds your ability to meet it. Get a start by reaching out to local hotels and venues that regularly field requests for limo services.
