Looking for a way to make more money on the side? Or do you want to start transitioning into becoming self-employed? Starting a business doesn’t have to be complicated or costly. Sometimes, all it takes is marketing your unique skill set or hobby and putting a price tag on them. If you’re ready to take the leap, here are 10 small business ideas you can try this year:
1. Open a Store on Etsy
If you’re into vintage or unique items, you can turn your passion into an Etsy store. Opening a store on the site is free, so you can easily get started. Aside from offering great and one-of-a-kind products, you will need to optimize your shop for search results. To help you with drafting marketing materials, you can utilize AI tools like CF Spark Writer. This one in particular has a suite of AI writing tools designed specifically to craft your store bio, product titles, and product descriptions based on your keywords.
If you’re considering starting a small business in 2023, an Etsy business that utilizes Gelato’s print-on-demand services could be a great option. With a wide range of customizable products and easy-to-use tools, it makes it simple to create and sell unique products on Etsy, helping your small business thrive.
2. Offer House-cleaning Services
Are you a clean freak or are obsessed with organizing your home? You can make money off that by offering your cleaning and organizing services. You can start within your neighborhood by distributing flyers. You can also post your services for hire on Facebook community pages.
3. Be a Graphic Designer for Hire
If you’re a graphic designer or creative looking for some extra cash, put up your profile on freelancing websites like Fiverr or Upwork. Just starting out and need to beef up your portfolio? Try out your different concepts and ideas using an AI image generator like CF Spark Art which uses your text prompt to generate AI images. It’s a great tool to have in handy, especially if you need your concepts approved within a limited timeframe.
4. Offer Tutoring or Online Classes
If you love teaching and have particular expertise, you can use these talents as the foundation of your business. You can either offer personal one-on-one tutoring or produce an online class to sell online. If you’re a language teacher, you can offer your teaching services on websites like Preply or ITalki.
5. Sell Handmade or Personalized Designs
Is crafting a big hobby of yours? Why not make money off your designs? You can sell your handmade crafts or designs on your own online store, or you can participate in pop-ups, fairs, and conventions. To keep your products fresh and updated, you can integrate fonts and graphics from Creative Fabrica. An All-Access subscription to the website gives you unlimited access to these elements plus a commercial license that allows you to sell your designs.
6. Serve Food for Private Events
If you love hosting and cooking for people, why not start your own catering business? You can start small by hosting small private events for 10 to 30 people. Have a set menu of dishes that you’re particularly good at, and advertise your services on social media. Be sure to take mouthwatering pictures of your food, and share positive feedback from customers to market your business. And if you’re planning to sell liquor, make sure to obtain necessary documents like liquor licensing.
7. Plan Events
Did you plan your own wedding, or do you love to organize parties and events? That’s an in-demand skill you can make a business out of. To start, offer your services to close family and friends, and from there, build your portfolio. To advertise your business, join wedding fairs and conventions, where you can also meet with suppliers to collaborate with.
8. Sell with Print-on-demand Sites
Another way for graphic designers to turn their skills into a business is to sell their designs with print-on-demand or POD sites. These sites will help you produce and ship your design. No risk of over-production because they will only print your products when a buyer places an order. To make sure you’re using graphic elements and fonts with the right license for selling, download them from websites like Creative Fabrica, which has a dedicated library for POD fonts and graphics.
9. Be a Fitness Trainer
If you’re a fitness enthusiast, take some certification classes so you can start your own personal trainer business. You can either rent a studio to offer in-person classes or online classes. You can even develop your own fitness app, where people can get personalized training on their mobile devices. To market your services, consider starting a YouTube channel where you can show your expertise and attract paying customers.
10. Offer At-home Spa Services
Everyone loves a good massage. If you’re a big spa enthusiast and would like to start your own spa one day, you can start small by training as a physical therapist or masseuse. You can then invest in home spa goods (or develop your own) and a massage bed that you can bring during home visits.
There are many small business ideas you can try without spending too much money. But to make them work and eventually turn them into viable income generators, you’ll have to invest your time and effort. Play to your strengths, consistently improve your skills, and be ready to do some self-promotion, so you can eventually turn your small business into a full-time career.