20 Lucrative Business Ideas

1. Online reselling

Launching an online resale business could be a viable option if you have a passion for fashion and retail. Although it requires patience, commitment, and a keen sense of style, you can start by operating it as a part-time enterprise and eventually transform it into a full-time one.

You can begin by utilizing established online stores and then gradually build your resale website. To increase the variety of your inventory, consider scouting estate sales and flea markets for hidden treasures that you can purchase at a low cost and sell online for a profit.

With diligence and strategic searching, you can accumulate a vast collection of good-quality items at a low overhead cost.

2. T-shirt printing

If you possess a flair for fashion or humour, starting a T-shirt printing business may be an enjoyable endeavour for you. You can opt to license pre-existing designs and screenprint them onto plain T-shirts or create your own designs.

You can easily obtain the necessary equipment to commence your business if you have sufficient space for a T-shirt printing setup. Setting up an e-commerce T-shirt printing business can be a lucrative option.

You can provide your customers with the facility to place online orders and buy T-shirts in large quantities. This can widen your reach to customers in your vicinity and across the globe.

3. Cleaning service

If you like to clean, you can easily turn that into a business. With a few staff members, a host of cleaning supplies and transportation, you can offer cleaning services to homeowners, apartment complexes and commercial properties.

Cleaning services are straightforward businesses that require relatively little overhead; you need planning, dedication and marketing to attract customers. To stand out from other cleaning services, you may consider providing premium services such as floor waxing or exterior power washing for an extra charge.

These additional services could be the key factor in setting your cleaning service apart from well-established companies that may not be able to offer such specialized cleaning options due to their large client base.

4. Online teaching

Entrepreneurs have been presented with opportunities due to the increased demand for online education. As it is an online enterprise, you can select any subject you know and teach a course, regardless of your location.

If you lack advanced expertise in a specific subject, you may want to consider teaching English as a foreign language online to students who are based overseas.

5. Consulting

Consulting can be lucrative if you are knowledgeable and passionate about a specific topic like business, social media, marketing, human resources, leadership or communication. You can start a consulting business independently, then grow your business and hire other consultants over time.

6. Medical courier service

If you possess a dependable automobile and efficient time-management abilities, you may contemplate starting your own courier business, specifically a medical courier service. As a driver, you would be accountable for conveying medical items such as laboratory specimens, prescription medication, and equipment.

You could commence your courier enterprise independently or employ additional drivers to work with you. The growth of the healthcare sector is a positive indication of the stability of medical courier service jobs. Your business can cater to diverse clients, such as hospitals, nursing homes, labs, and private practices.

7. App development

If you have expertise and know-how in the technological field, app development could be a promising career path to explore. With smartphones being ubiquitous and widely used by Americans, the demand for mobile apps has increased significantly.

Additionally, a growing interest in virtual reality software has created a demand for VR app development.

8. Transcription service

You can consider working from home by offering transcription services if you possess accurate listening and fast typing skills. With the rise of voice recognition technology for healthcare providers’ dictation, medical transcription services are in high demand.

You can accept as many or as few transcription jobs as per your preference and availability. This flexibility can be advantageous if you’re not ready to start a full-time transcription business or want to keep your day job.

You can become a certified transcriptionist specialising in a few areas to increase your business opportunities and charge higher rates. Although it is not mandatory, having a medical transcription certification can give your business an edge over competitors and open up opportunities to work with larger companies.

Certain clients may even require their transcriptionists to have completed a certified program. Obtaining a license can expand your customer base and make your services more desirable to potential clients.

9. Freelance copywriting 

If you have a talent for writing and some understanding of marketing, you can build a career as a freelance writer for companies that need copywriting or content creation services. You can offer your skills to write various types of content, such as blog posts, web content, and press releases.

You can enhance your value to clients by utilizing SEO knowledge to assist them in creating a plan that includes keywords that their target audience already uses in their online searches. This can help your clients’ content rank higher on search engine results pages.

Running a freelance copywriting business has various benefits, such as working from anywhere with an internet connection, including your home or while travelling. With a vast network and satisfied clients, you can even turn freelance writing into a full-time job.

10. Home care service

Having a care and hospitality background is highly beneficial for providing in-home care to housebound seniors. This service is in high demand, and its need is expected to increase significantly. The global population of centenarians (people over age 100), which is currently close to 600,000, will frequently require care and assistance in their homes.

Fortunately, a healthcare background is not a requirement for assisting seniors and building a thriving business simultaneously. Nonetheless, such skills will still be sought after. Numerous seniors require assistance with various activities, such as running errands or fixing things in their homes.

If you have some prior experience, you may want to consider expanding your business to help seniors move from their homes to assisted living facilities. This could involve providing services like packing, moving, setting up, or storing their belongings and furniture.

11. Translation service

IBISWorld’s research indicates that the translation services industry experienced a decline in 2020, along with many other sectors. However, the research firm predicts a significant increase in the industry over the next five years.

This growth is not unexpected, given that the internet has enabled entrepreneurs in non-English speaking countries to access English-speaking markets and vice versa. This trend has allowed multilingual individuals to provide specialized services, such as translating documents and website content into languages for use in other markets.

If you have fluency in multiple languages, you could establish a unique position in the translation services industry.

12. Digital marketing

The internet is becoming increasingly important for businesses, but it’s also becoming more challenging for them to stand out and promote themselves effectively. As a result, digital marketing services are consistently in demand.

However, many small and medium-sized businesses would rather outsource these services than establish an expensive in-house team. If you have expertise in SEO, content marketing, pay-per-click advertising, web development, or social media management, you could take advantage of a business opportunity that provides the flexibility to work from home.

Digital marketing is crucial in building any brand, so staying up-to-date with your clients’ marketing strategies is important. Social media management requires constant attention to comments and messages rather than just scheduling posts and forgetting about them.

If you enjoy creating and implementing marketing plans with great attention to detail, digital marketing might be your ideal business. Another option to consider is affiliate marketing, another form of digital marketing.

13. Rideshare driving

If starting your own business seems overwhelming or too risky, an alternative option is to become a rideshare driver using your car. Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft take on the responsibility and overhead of running the business, allowing you the freedom to work as much or as little as you wish.

This side hustle pays well and necessitates nothing more than a willingness to drive people to their destinations and engage in occasional friendly conversation.

Rideshare drivers have the independence of a small business owner without having to handle the behind-the-scenes logistics. If any of the other business ideas seem to require too much effort or upfront capital, ridesharing can be a great way to get started with entrepreneurship.

14. Real estate

Finding a suitable home at an affordable price can be a daunting task for many individuals. However, as a real estate agent, you can offer your services to aid people in their search for their ideal home.

In most states, you only need to complete a few months of classes and pass an exam to become certified as a real estate agent. However, it’s important to note that social skills are key to succeeding in this profession, so if you’re uncomfortable interacting with people, this may not be your best career choice.

15. Graphic design

All types of businesses, be they large corporations, small-scale enterprises, or individual owners, require visually appealing marketing materials. However, not everyone can create attractive designs.

If you possess artistic talent and can arrange content aesthetically pleasingly, consider starting your own graphic design business. You can offer services such as designing flyers, digital advertisements, posters, and other visually engaging materials.

The equipment required for graphic design is minimal, consisting only of a laptop and a desk.

16. Dropshipping

Drop-shipping is a business model that involves e-commerce site owners outsourcing the storage and fulfilment of their products to a third-party wholesaler or warehouse operator. This approach is ideal for entrepreneurs who don’t want to deal with the expenses and space requirements associated with storing inventory.

With drop-shipping, you can focus on marketing and selling products while leaving the logistics and shipping to your partner. This low-overhead business model is a great option for those looking to start a business with minimal costs.

17. Personal training

If you spend a lot of time at the gym and have knowledge of fitness, you could consider becoming a personal trainer and assisting others in achieving their fitness goals. You can offer personalized training sessions at the client’s home, taking into account their physical capabilities.

Additionally, you can help clients create customized meal plans that complement their fitness objectives. Social media platforms can be a great way to attract clients by showcasing your experience and sharing motivational quotes.

While being certified can help you gain more clients, starting a personal training business is not mandatory.

18. Resume writing

Individuals constantly apply for jobs, whether they seek to change careers, enhance their income, or switch to a different work environment. Job applications typically require candidates to submit resumes to summarize their professional experience.

As a resume writer, you can assist job seekers in making their resumes stand out from other applicants. Furthermore, you can aid your clients in creating cover letters and portfolios that showcase their best work.

No specialized education is required to become a resume writer, only fundamental organizational and proofreading skills. If you possess knowledge of what distinguishes a resume as professional and appealing to potential employers, you’re already on the right track.

19. Host a podcast

To begin a podcast, it’s important to have a consistent schedule, commitment to the project, and a basic comprehension of audio editing. To create a companion YouTube channel, you must know video editing.

One of the best parts of starting a podcast is that you can choose any subject that interests you, whether it’s business, history, pop culture, or anything else. Once you have established a significant audience for your podcast, you can sell advertising space or collaborate with companies to generate revenue.

As your brand grows, you may even be able to charge for public speaking engagements or moderating events related to the topics your podcast covers. However, to achieve this level of success, you must first develop a unique small business concept you are passionate about and ensure that it resonates with your intended audience.

20. Event catering

If you are passionate about cooking or baking, event catering could be a great business idea. There is always a demand for tasty food at events such as weddings, parties, family reunions, and fundraisers. If you enjoy serving food to guests and have a talent for cooking or baking, event catering could be a fun and profitable way to pursue your passion.

To begin, you will need to create a menu and price list and obtain any necessary permits and licenses. It’s a good idea to start small at first to promote your catering service, but once your food is well-received, you may find that your business grows rapidly through positive word-of-mouth advertising.