Oodles of small business ideas are hidden behind every nook and cranny.

Yet, how do you know which idea is best for you?

Well, the right business idea focuses on your personal skills, preferences, and values.

Something with a proven track record doesn’t hurt either.

If only there were a post that narrows down the thousands of small business ideas out there and presents them in an easily digestible list…

Turns out, we have such a list.

Let’s get to it!

36 Top Small Business Ideas That’ll Bring Out Your Inner Entrepreneur

Welcome to the only small business idea list you’ll need for 2023 (and beyond)!

1. Eco-Friendly Cleaning Service

Cleaning is a mighty superpower and you can rescue those who don’t have the time or the will to clean.

Plus, the global cleaning services market grew to 69.8 billion in 2022 and its expected to reach 101.28 billion by 2028.

So, there’s no better time to start.

Great for People Who:

• Need low startup costs
• Want minimal overhead
• Value growth opportunities (when certified)

Quickstart Guides:

2. B2B Freelance Writer

Whether you’re a plumber, teacher, CPA, pilot, mechanic or musician, companies value your specialized knowledge.

The market demand for B2B freelance writers is at an all-time high with companies growing their online presence.

Great for People Who:

• Love anything (tech, marketing, health, and more)
• Can write for the web
• Want to work from anywhere

Quickstart Guides:

3. Amazon Kindle Publishing

However niche your writing is, whether fiction or nonfiction, there’s a market for you on Kindle.

The US ebook sales generated a staggering $2.12 billion in 2020 and it’s only continuing to grow larger.

Great for People Who:

• Self-start
• Love to write
• Want to build passive income

Quickstart Guides:

4. Mobile Pet Grooming

Would you rather be around animals than people?

If so, pet grooming is a brilliant business because pet owners pay big bucks for a groomer who’ll travel to them.

Great for People Who:

• Love animals
• Don’t mind driving
• Can swing the startup cost for supplies

Quickstart Guides:

5. Event Photography

At $100-$250 per hour, professional photography is a lucrative small business idea.

Companies of all sizes need event photography to give their business credibility and exposure.

Great for People Who:

• Are artistic and can capture the moment
• Like to work their own hours
• Have an eye for photography

Quickstart Guides:

6. Blogging

Blogging is lucrative. It’s nearly free to start. And you can tap into just about any interest you want.

With a low barrier to entry, there are many ways to monetize a blog such as affiliate, course offerings and online communities.

Great for People Who:

• Love to write
• Can write for the web
• Want very low startup costs

Quickstart Guides:

7. Local Delivery Service

Got a car and have spare time?

A local delivery service is a great way to make a solid income to help busy parents, business owners, and professionals.

Great for People Who:

• Value local community
• Want to help connect local businesses to customers
• Has flexible hours

Quickstart Guides:

8. Virtual Assistant Services for SaaS Companies

Software as a service (“SaaS”) companies are remote and often require virtual assistance services.

This specialized growing market has tons of opportunities from managing emails, typing documents, managing spreadsheets, and workflows.

Most likely, you already have all the skills.

Great for People Who:

• Love to work remotely
• Enjoy computer work
• Are team focused with attention to detail

Quickstart Guides:

9. UI/UX Agency

What do SaaS companies, manufacturing, e-learning, and travel have in common?

They all need visually appealing products and websites. That’s where a user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design agency can help.

With a low barrier to entry, and UX skills shortage, freedom to work remotely, there’s no better time to explore this business idea.

Great for People Who:

• Have an eye for graphic design
• Enjoy learning software programs
• Want to be a small business owner

Quickstart Guides:

10. Social Media Management/Consultant

In a survey, it was found that 43% of small business owners spend approximately six hours per week on social media.

There is lots of opportunity for a manager or consultant that can free up their time so they can focus on their own business.

Great for People Who:

• Are organized
• Are results-oriented
• Truly understands social

Quickstart Guides:

11. Online Course Consultant

The global e-learning market reached an eye-popping US$ 253 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow 9.9% a year.

So if you’ve ever taught, wanted to teach, or even thought about teaching online, you have a major online course consulting opportunity.

Great for People Who:

• Like to teach
• Have online class experience
• Want an online business

Quickstart Guides:

12. Affiliate Marketing (With a Niche Website)

Did you know 80% of brands worldwide use affiliate marketing?

With little to no investment to get started, it’s a passive business that you can start that makes money when you’re sleeping, partying or eating.

Great for people who:

• Are passionate about a niche
• Love to review products in a niche
• Like to craft niche-specific content

Quickstart Guides:

13. Online Math Tutor

With a part-time average salary of $17/hour, this small business idea is flexible and highly sought after.

Signup is simple to become an online math tutor. In fact, here’s a list of the 8 Best Online Math Tutoring Services.

Great for People Who:

• Love numbers
• Like to teach
• Want something super simple to get started with

Quickstart Guides:

14. YouTube Video Editor

Busy YouTubers don’t have time to edit every video. They just want someone to do it for them.

The barrier to entry is easy. There are lots of FREE classes on video editing that can get you started.

Great for People Who:

• Enjoy learning software programs
• Have an eye for video graphic design
• Enjoy making an impact for an audience

Quickstart Guides:

15. Teach English Online

Whether or not you’re bilingual, you can teach a language.

Nearly anyone can start immediately as a tutor, and growth options exist if you advance to a certified language teacher.

Great for People Who:

• Enjoy teaching
• Love language(s)
• Truly enjoy working with people

Quickstart Guides:

16. Virtual Event Planning

Most business relied on virtual events during the pandemic. Because they were so successful, businesses will continue to host virtual or hybrid events.

Starting a virtual event planning business is a great way to help these businesses out.

Great for People Who:

• Enjoy hosting people virtually
• Want an exciting new online field
• Love to plan and are detail-oriented

Quickstart Guides:

17. Podcasting

Podcast ad revenue is expected to grow to $1.33 billion in the USA and 78% of listeners don’t mind ads!

That means creating an ad-sponsored podcast can be a lucrative business. And getting started doesn’t require a lot of money.

Great for People Who:

• Enjoy a conversation
• Want a low startup commitment
• Have something to say

Quickstart Guides:

18. Dropshipping Niche Products

According to the latest studies, there are about 266 million digital shoppers in the United States, and it’s only growing to 291.2 million by 2025.

Dropshipping hard-to-find niche products is a great business idea to hop on this growing trend.

Great for People Who:

• Want a flexible work schedule
• Are familiar with dropshipping
• Want a profitable business with passive income

Quickstart Guides:

19. Sell Scented Candles

The global demand for candles is expected to grow at 8% during 2022 to 2027.

Take advantage of this trend and start a lucrative candle business right from the comfort of your home.

Great for People Who:

• Enjoy marketing
• Love delicious scents
• Have a (kitchen) area for candle creation

Quickstart Guides:

20. Online Personal Trainer

After the coronavirus pandemic, the global online/virtual fitness market exploded. In fact, it’s expected to continue it’s upward trajectory to reach $79 billion by 2026.

Offering fitness expertise remotely will gain you access to clientele from all over the world.

Great for People Who:

• Can become fitness certified
• Enjoy online marketing and sales
• Teach or coach

Quickstart Guides:

21. Mobile App Development

The global mobile app development market is expected to reach an alarming $44.3 trillion by 2027.

So, don’t pass up on this golden opportunity to innovate (and cash in)!

Great for People Who:

• Understand the mobile landscape
• Are logical and direct
• Want high investment/high reward

Quickstart Guides:

22. Landing Page Graphic Designer

Part graphic designer and part web developer, a landing page designer who can keep a visitor’s attention on a website is worth their weight in gold!

Great for People Who:

• Want to work from anywhere
• Understand graphic design
• Enjoy online marketing

Quickstart Guides:

23. Life/Career Coaching

There’s never been a better time to become a coach. The market size of life coaches in the US reached $1.4 billion in 2022.

Think of anything you’ve ever accomplished in life — sports, SATs, grad school, professional advancement — and think of where you were when you started.

You have some wisdom for those who are a few steps behind you, and they will gladly pay you handsomely for it.

Great for People Who:

• Value altruism
• Can market themselves
• Like to teach or coach

Quickstart Guides:

24. Resume Writing

Resume writers are basically alchemists: they transform their clients’ experiences into captivating resumes.

And the pay is good, especially with professional certification.

Great for People Who:

• Want to make money writing
• Want low startup cost
• Have professional communication skills and experience

Quickstart Guides:

25. Personal Chef

More Americans are looking to eat at home since the coronavirus pandemic hit the nation. It’s estimated that the restaurant industry lost $240 billion in sales and the decline continues to this day.

So, personal chefs are even more in demand.

Great for People Who:

• Don’t want to work in a traditional restaurant
• Are open to education/certification
• Love helping people through nutrition

Quickstart Guides:

26. Drone Videographer

With 86% of marketing professionals surveyed saying they use video in their brand, the video market is red hot.

From mapping to real estate to inspections, drone videographer opportunities exist in many markets.

Plus, who doesn’t want to fly a mini helicopter around and get paid for it?

Great for People Who:

• Can afford the equipment and license
• Understand videography
• Can develop a drone niche

Quickstart Guides:

27. Local Tour Guide

Do you know the ins and outs of what makes your town special?

Of course you do!

Famous sites like New York are great, sure, but what about your town’s unique shopping, hiking, or history? Local tour guides help with all of those.

Great for People Who:

• Love their hometown or small town
• Enjoy being social
• Can market their services

Quickstart Guides:

28. Modern Office Interior Designer

Well-designed offices are better for employee engagement, collaboration, and reduction of costly distractions.

A modern office interior designer can assist and get paid on average $29 per hour.

Great for People Who:

• Have design skills
• Love furniture and decor
• Are open to an Associates Degree or Bachelor’s Degree

Quickstart Guides:

29. Vegan Catering Services

Anyone who eats specialty diets knows how big of a pain it is to find good food — especially when it comes to catering services.

So if you value animal cruelty and making nutritional tasty meals, vegan catering might be for you.

Growing at 6.4% year over year, it’s definitely a profitable business idea.

Great for People Who:

• Thrive under pressure
• Enjoy customer service
• Understand nutrition and menu preparation

Quickstart Guides:

30. Donut Food Truck

The US food truck industry is predicted to grow 3.4% a year and is currently worth around $1.2 billion.

But what better way than to bring donuts directly to the community?

Great for People Who:

• Enjoy running a small business
• Love to travel and make food
• Can swing the startup costs

Quickstart Guides:

31. Online Dating Consultant

Who doesn’t want a dating advantage?

With over 30% of Americans using a dating site or app and growing, there’s no shortage of clientele.

Helping those meet and develop relationships is a noble cause and developed into a rewarding, lucrative business over the course of the years.

Great for People Who:

• Have lots of empathy
• Want to help others
• Understand successful dating/relationships

Quickstart Guides:

32. YouTube Voiceover Artist

By 2025, the number of YouTube users is expected to reach 2.9 billion. That means there’s an enormous appetite for voiceover artists.

From animation to public service announcements to tech reviews, they all require a unique voice.

Why not yours?

Great for People Who:

• Self-start
• Can confidently speak
• Want to freelance

Quickstart Guides:

33. Small Business Incubator

Did you know that only 78.5% of small businesses survive their first year?

Starting a small business is definitely no easy task, and a small business incubator can help. Consulting, networking, regulation advice, marketing, social media management, office space, and more all need to come together for a business to succeed.

Great for People Who:

• Want to help businesses get off the ground
• Have previous startup business knowledge
• Can think creatively

Quickstart Guides:

34. Nano Brewery

You’ve dreamed about your own brewery for… well, forever. Until that is, you saw the price tag!

Enter the nano brewery.

Smaller than a microbrewery, nano breweries produce beer every other day, which is a low-effort commitment, and a great startup business idea.

We’re talking about enough suds for a small Friday/Saturday operation, which keeps the operating costs down, too.

Great for People Who:

• Enjoy bartending
• Can navigate permits, licenses, etc.
• And, you guessed it, love to brew beer

Quickstart Guides:

35. Become a Family Travel Planner

A successful family trip doesn’t happen by accident. Goal setting and planning and budgeting are all needed.

A travel planner is like an aspirin — a small purchase that makes the travel headache go away!

Great for People Who:

• Are detail-oriented
• Enjoy customer service and planning
• Love to travel

Quickstart Guides:

36. Offer Handyman Services

The ability to unclog a drain may as well be rocket science to some people.

But not you, handyperson!

Handyman services are projected to reach $1.65 billion by 2032, so now’s a great time to start a handyman business.

Great for People Who:

• You guessed it, are handy
• Enjoy customer service
• Can market themselves

Quickstart Guides:

Take a Few Small Business Ideas and Run With Them

Hopefully, with this meticulously curated list, you’ll find a few small business ideas that tickles your interest.

So pick a couple.

One or three or six.

And then go try them on for size.

Pretty soon you’ll look back at today, a successful business owner, and wonder why you took so long to get started.