19 Set Want to become an entrepreneur? Here are 29 small businesses you can start today
Are you a millennial stuck in a job you hate? Got kids but not earning enough to make ends meet? Still haven’t paid off that student loan? Maybe it’s time to start your own small business. I’ve got 29 great business ideas for those of you over 29 – and one business idea to avoid.
Millennials, especially, have advantages in starting up: digitally native, comfortable with tech and in tune with what appeals to other people in that highly coveted demographic.
The 29 businesses I’ve listed all require little money to start, though some may require training and all will require time and effort.
1. Instagram marketing: Good with Instagram and snapping pics and videos? Help other companies’ Instagram feeds full.
2. IT support specialist: You’ll need some training. Complete Google’s IT Support Professional Certificate in eight months. If you’re a veteran, you may qualify for a scholarship. https://www.uso.org/google
3. Remote teacher: Have you mastered yoga? Cake decorating? Financial planning? Teach via Skype, FaceTime or WhatsApp.
4. Brewer: Craft beer is hot. The difficulty level may be high, but the coolness factor is, too.
5. Adventure tour leader: Love adventure and the outdoors? Travel while running your company.
6. Doula: You may not deliver celebrity babies like Latham Thomas, founder of @MamaGlow, but you’ll find work as a birthing coach rewarding.
More: What’s popular? 10 brands that wouldn’t exist without millennials
More: Women entrepreneurs: You’ve been short-changed for way too long
More: Save time, save money: Run your small business from your smartphone
7. Doggy day camp: Love dogs? Have space? Make money looking after Fido and Fifi. Find clients on Rover.com and Wag!
8. Bookkeeping program adviser: If you’re good at numbers, get some training and master a bookkeeping program such as Quickbooks, Xero or FreshBooks,
9. IT for seniors: The internet is a lifeline for shut-in seniors, but they need help setting up their iPads and Netflix accounts.
10. College loan counselor: Help students saddled with debt come up with a repayment plan and help entering students figure out how to reduce debt.
11. Social media marketing consultant: A lot of companies need help, especially with their LinkedIn and Facebook presence.
12. Beekeeper: Start in your backyard and sell your honey at farmers markets and in stores.
13. Gardener/landscape design: Have a green thumb and a good eye for design?
14. Graphic designer: If you’ve got a good eye and design sense, master some online design tools and create graphics for other small businesses.
15. Farmer: The world needs you! Start small – rent land and sell at farmers markets.
Companies have a vested interest in keeping their employees happy. Studies show that employee satisfaction is linked to performance, which permeates through every aspect of a business and can mean the difference between success and failure. While employee satisfaction should be the cornerstone of every serious company’s business model, only a handful of businesses excel at maintaining high employee morale. Based on employee reviews posted on Glassdoor, an online platform for former and current employees to review companies, 24/7 Wall St. identified the best American companies to work for. Out of a universe of hundreds, only 18 large companies received a score of more than 4 out of 5 stars. In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., Sarah Stoddard, community expert with Glassdoor, listed the factors that have the greatest impact on employee satisfaction. “Glassdoor research has found the top three indicators of employee satisfaction are career opportunities, trust in senior leadership, as well as culture and values,” Stoddard said. In keeping with those findings, employee testimony suggests most companies on this list offer growth and development opportunities, have trusted and respected chief executives, and cultures described as fun, motivating, and supportive. Half of the companies on this list are technology and software firms based on the West Coast. The remaining companies include staffing agencies, management consulting firms, and grocery stores. This is not a Glassdoor commissioned report.
16. Realtor: Evening and weekend hours make this a great choice as a side gig or if you’ve got a 9-to-5 spouse to watch the kids.
17. Copy editing: You excelled in your English class, so market your services on a site such as Reedsy or Editorial Freelancers Association.
18. Personal chef or caterer: People want to eat healthy, home-cooked meals but don’t have time to cook.
19. Digital media conversion: Yes, people out there still have video on VHS.
20. Tutoring: Specialize in a subject, the SATs or college-level courses.
21. Patient advocacy: Help people manage their elderly parents from afar and deal with insurance.
22. Personal trainer: Already living at the gym? Start training others.
23. Micro-infuencer/brand ambassador: Already have a large social media following? Get paid to plug your favorite products.
24. Sustainability consultant: Help organizations reduce their footprint and prepare for climate change.
25. Sell on Etsy: Do your friends and family admire your handiwork? Sell it on Esty.
26. Online dating consultant/profile writer: Have a knack for writing? Help someone find the love of their life – or their love for a night.
27. WordPress website builder: Thirty-one percent of the web is built on WordPress. Learn to master it with a course from Udemy, www.udemy.com
28. Fundraiser: Every nonprofit and good cause needs people to help raise money.
29. DJ: If you love music, electronics and hanging out at clubs until 4 a.m., this is the job for you.
The business to avoid: Any business structured as multilevel marketing or “network marketing,” where you’re encouraged to inveigle others to sell the same products. Statistically, you have very little chance of actually making a profit.
Rhonda Abrams is the author of Six-Week Start Up, just released in its fourth edition. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter through the handle @RhondaAbrams. Register for her free business tips newsletter at PlanningShop.com.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.
Rhonda Abrams – Special to USA TODAY
You can see all article here -> https://eu.usatoday.com/story/money/usaandmain/2018/09/12/abrams-29-small-business-ideas/1270655002/
No Comments