America is often referred to as the place of the entrepreneurial. The United States has 32.5 million small businesses operating in the U.S., according to the Small Business Administration – and 81% of these are solo businesses without employees.
With the internet allowing instant access to a wide range of potential customers, launching an enterprise of any size can be done faster than ever before whether you’re in search of an extra income or for a career shift in the future.
Table of Contents
1. Consultative
Consulting businesses can take a variety of forms. Consultants can work with companies or individuals in various fields, from how to create social media brand names to leadership development as well as financial planning and many more. Consultants typically draw on their own strengths and expertise. Like other freelancers, new consultants might decide to offer free or low-cost consultations in order to build clients and build their competence. The benefit for new consultants is a low costs of overhead – they may require only their own expertise and an internet connection to begin.
The positions of management analyst and consultant are expected to increase 11% by 2031. This is more than the estimated 5% employment growth across all occupations as per the BLS. Certain consulting positions require qualifications. Companies seeking financial experts for instance, could require applicants to hold certifications such as Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
2. Personal Training
Fitness for personal is a vast and expanding area. Personal trainers provide the flexibility many fitness-oriented clients require, including gathering at parks, gyms and community centers, in-home or on the internet. Personal trainers can expand their businesses by providing one-on-one or group classes which are priced according to what the number of people in the group. Due to the wide range of products and services that are described as fitness related, private trainers need to concentrate their offerings and the way they promote their company on the specific fitness areas that they are experts in.
For example, a fitness instructor who’s routine requires equipment could join a gym or a trainer that is proficient with technology could make multimedia experiences like fitness videos, online meetings or partnerships with nutrition-focused apps.
The certifications are offered to personal trainers. Some gyms require trainers with particular credentials, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and an automated external defibrillator (CPR/AED) accreditation. Anyone with a knowledge of fitness with a camera and the ability to access a shared area can begin their fitness business with no significant initial costs. As the business expands and expands, leasing a gym or purchasing equipment, or hiring additional trainers can result in higher income and better earnings. The BLS estimates growth of 19% of fitness instructors between 2021-2031, making this a lucrative industry with plenty of potential for entrepreneurs who are health conscious.
3. E-Commerce
eCommerce accounts for 14.6 percent of sales in America as per the 2022 U.S. Census data. The types of stores that sell online range from tiny, online stores offering handmade products from an unfinished garage to big distributors. Certain entrepreneurs earn all of their revenue by participating in online marketplaces such as Amazon, Etsy or eBay. With the growth of e-commerce numerous entrepreneurs are expanding into brick-and-mortar stores that offer “buy online, pick up in store” as well as traditional shopping in-person. A lot of online stores are specialized in selling off items that hold some value after use such as books, collectibles or even fashion items.
For opening an online store businesses often use web hosting services to create and manage websites for a monthly cost. These services can be flexible, meaning that small businesses could increase the number of website capacity and resources when their business expands.
4. Online lecturing and training
Online tutoring and home-based education companies have seen a surge recently. In 2021 they had a global market worth $7.69 billion, with an anticipated annual rise of 14.9 percent from 2023 until 2030, as per Grand View Research.
Online education may go beyond teaching teens and children. Many entrepreneurs provide online classes for adults who wish to know everything from cooking to business techniques. Entrepreneurs can instruct using one-on-one instruction, whole classes, or recorded lectures that are able to continuously bring in revenue. In courses that emphasize the life-skills, teachers might have to come up with innovative marketing strategies that show prospective customers their expertise and gain the trust of their customers.
In order to begin teaching online, you must to choose the best way to teach your classes. Video recordings can be placed behind a paywall for your website, or be used to generate advertising revenues on video websites. Classes that require hands-on instruction can use videoconferencing at no cost or for a low cost, and screen-sharing software, or an application designed specifically to teach online. Businesses that offer online tutoring and teaching must consider using tools that complement their teaching methods and the materials they use like interactive whiteboards to teach math or scans of high quality for art history.
5. Cleaning Administrations
Cleaning companies have the capacity to generate high-profits due to their ability to grow massive if they’re managed well. A lot of cleaners begin with a couple of employees and a van packed with cleaning products. As they expand their customer number and staff, many extend their services to specialized ones like carpet cleaning, or bigger cleaning tasks for offices of corporate clients as well as apartment communities.
When a business builds an excellent image, it may incorporate premium features like floor waxing or power washing to increase the amount of revenue it earns. Before launching the cleaning business is advisable to conduct market research to determine the needs for cleaning that have not been met in the market. Since cleaning companies are simple to begin and there are likely to be numerous competitors. However, when they’re not well-known an experienced and reliable cleaning service may be able to sweep away the competition.
6. Accounting
Accountants require years of specialized education and certificates to offer services such as payroll. Businesses also require precisely record all financial transactions. Making sure that transactions are recorded and balanced in the books does not require the same qualifications that accounting positions, even though certified accountants typically oversee the bookkeeping functions.
Bookkeepers who are trained by experts or are self-taught they need to be able adapt to the accounting software their clients employ. “Bookkeeping-as-a-service” companies often help small businesses transition from home-made, rudimentary accounting documentation to standardized accounting books the bookkeeper manages. A lot of bookkeeping software providers have their own certifications and training for bookkeepers who want to make use of their products. They may also provide affiliate programs to their users and pay a commission on referrals in the form of bonuses or ongoing income.
7. Mobile Application Advancement
Mobile app development is frequently on lists of small businesses that are profitable as well as the BLS forecasting a that there will be a 25% increase in jobs for software developers in the 2021-2031 timeframe. App development could be less expensive to start than other small business concepts, but it does require a lot of knowledge and experience. App developers who do not have a background in programming can attend classes and learn the most popular programming languages, such as Java, Python, or C++ in order to build a successful business.
If you’ve an idea to create an app, and the necessary skills to build it, you could sell your app through the app store earning money through apps transactions, app purchases and ads. If you’re a skilled programmer but don’t have the concepts the majority of developers contract the services of app developers to firms or small-scale businesses who may be looking to develop applications of their own, for example an eatery in your area seeking to develop an online ordering application.
8. Real Estate
There are a myriad of options to get into the real estate industry however, three popular small-business real estate strategies are renting, flipping and selling through an agent – each of which has its own advantages and dangers. purchasing cheap properties, repairing or remodeling them, and then selling the properties at a higher price is a viable option, but it requires the money to purchase the property and the expertise to perform the work.
Renting properties for either housing or for vacation rentals – could create a steady and stable income, but it also requires a capital investment to purchase and maintain the property. Selling as an broker or agent is a popular option for those who are just beginning to venture into real estate. It will require less initial capital than the other options, principally for licensing classes and the associated fees. It’s a good business idea, particularly for those who have extensive personal networks.
The Takeaway
The idea of starting a small-scale business can be a great opportunity to earn extra cash or to begin a new long-term career. These eight ideas can help start you on the path to running your own successful small business.