30+ Small Business Ideas that use your current Skills
30+ BIZ IDEAS: 1) F/L Writing, 2) Proof-Reading, 3) Translating, 4) Tutoring, 5) Teaching, 6) Pers Trng, 7) Life-Coach’g, 8) Café, 9) Bakery, 10) Bar, 11) Food Stand, 12) Photog, 13) Art, 14) Tatoo, 15) F.Make-up, 16) Masseuse, 17) Salon, 18) Barber, 19) O/L Selling, 20) Web, 21) Handyman, 22) Gardening, 23) Landscaping, 24) Dog Walking, 25) Pet Sitting, 26) Electrician, 27) House Painter, 28) Construction, 29) Event Plan’g, 30) Personal Asst, 31) House Rent’g 32) Garage Renting, 33) Console Rent’g.
Intro: If you are looking for a job, tired of your present one or simply want to be your own boss there are lots of options out there for you.
It all begins with a idea which then transforms into something Gr8 and giving you the opportunity to do the job that you like and also have a good source of income.
No matter how much you earn now, or how much you want to earn in the future, it’s always a true blessing to do what you like & enjoy it.
It not only gives you that satisfaction every person strives for, but also motivates you to go out and do what you want to do and be who you want to be !!!
Of course, some small businesses do need some investments in order for you to start working and some don’t need any investments at all.
Nonetheless, we will list both types of businesses, so you can get an overall idea of what suits you the best.
LETTER BY LETTER
1. Freelance Writing
If you’re a good writer and are confident in your writing skills, there are lots of sites where you can apply for all kind of writing jobs such as copyright, technical writing, content writing or writing for trade publications.
It’s fun and very rewarding and also a great thing is that you can work anywhere you want with your laptop.
2. Proof-Reading . . .
and editing are similar to freelance writing, but instead of writing your own text, you’re basically checking if there are any mistakes in the text which need correction or you rewrite some part of the text which seems a bit off.
As with freelance writing, editing and proof-reading services are always in demand.
You can always start from freelance work and you can later work your way up to having your own Proofreading business which can pay off a lot in the end.
3. Translating
If you know another language to that extent that you’re confident with your knowledge, there are lots of freelance jobs requiring translations of various texts in all kinds of languages and you will surely find work in no time.
The more languages you know the better also this is one of the best ways to even improve your knowledge of a certain language.
What’s great about translating is that similar to proof-reading you can start small, then later have your own translating business.
HAVE SKILLS? SHARE THEM.
4. Tutoring
If you have particular knowledge in a certain subject from school, know multiple languages or know how to teach someone something very quickly, you can consider starting a Tutoring business.
There are lots of sites, for example where you can teach foreign students who want to learn English online and it’s very profitable & easy.
Not only that, but there are also various sites where you can prepare students for tests depending on the subject they need, and you can specialize in a particular area depending on the skill set you have.
5. Teaching your Skill Set
Similar to tutoring, if you have a certain skill, for example, you play a musical instrument, dance or even do pottery there are lots of sites where you can share those skills too.
What’s so different about this as opposed to tutoring is that some skills are highly requested the more specific and unique they are.
MOTIVATE OTHERS
6. Personal Fitness Training
If you’re fit and excel at certain sports or calisthenics, you can become a personal trainer to help & motivate people to be fit & train hard.
You can be a Fitness coach, instructor or a Personal trainer which are all highly profitable jobs that will surely even allow you to later open your own small Gym making your small business idea not so small in the end.
7. Life Coaching . . .
takes a certain set of skills and traits in order to master, but if you already have those skills, you can think about starting this business.
If you know how to navigate people through difficult situations or help them cope with certain problems this job is for you.
It takes some experience in motivating and coaching people, but if you know what helped you get out of a rut or a difficult situation in life, then it won’t be hard for you to help people with their problems.
This job is a bit tiring, but highly rewarding – not just because it is profitable, but also for knowing that you’ve given motivation to so many people to move forward in life.
FOOD & DRINKS BUSINESS
8. Opening a Café
Anyone can open a Café and serve people that delightfully smelling coffee in the morning along with other drinks & beverages.
There isn’t really much to it when opening a Café – other than some investments and a good location, maybe near a school or a busy street to attract more customers.
Every café has its own story. You can make whatever story you want with yours – as long as you are patient enough for your biz to grow.
Quick Tip – It’s always a good idea to maybe grind your own coffee, because if you think about it what better way to attract coffee-lovers than with the smell of freshly ground coffee.
9. Opening a Bakery
Similar things apply if you want to open your own Bakery. Just imagine the smell of freshly baked pastry and bread in the morning. It’s impossible not to create a queue in front of your place with people eager to get their hands on that crispy loaf of bread or delicious puff pastry.
Go and find your grandma’s Secret Recipes book to really spice up the selection of baked goods in your bakery and you’re surely be having your hands full of work.
10. Opening a Bar . . .
is a great idea if you like the ambience of late night parties and seeing people have a great time drinking & socializing.
The city always looks different at night mainly, because the streets aren’t as crowded, but bars certainly are.
On Fridays & Saturdays, you can expect a huge crowd of people in your bar because most people work during the week and want to have a great night out on the weekend.
And what better way to erase the stress of your job than to have a drink with your friends and colleagues at a bar.
Knowing this, you can open a bar with little or no experience at all as long as the ambience is pleasant and you have a wide variety of drinks & beverages and also the have good music playing in the background.
11. Food Stand
Anyone can open their own food stand and whether you sell ice cream, hotdogs, popcorn, and even cotton candy, people will surely come and buy from you.
Food Stands are popular at events such as Fairs & Concerts, but also – owning one in a busy street is also very profitable.
SHOW YOUR CREATIVITY
12. Photography
Taking photos of people, events, nature in ordinary & unordinary places and things are not only very fun and interesting, but can be very profitable too. All you need is a steady hand, a good camera, and some photography skills and you’re set.
Capturing an image frozen in time at just the right moment is basically considered to be art and if you play a little with the lenses along with some filters you can make quite unique photos for others to enjoy. You might even open a gallery one day for the photos to be displayed.
13. Any Art form will do
You don’t have to go to an Art School in order to create art. Assuming that you have a specific art talent, you can turn that talent into a business very quickly.
Art is about expressing yourself through various art forms such as painting, pottery, music, poems, sculpting etc.
Things like mural painting, making mosaics, & drawing, sculpting and even singing & writing poems can open so many doors for you in so many creative industries. The point is to start small and eventually make it big.
14. Tattoo Artist
If you are really confident in your drawing and painting skills you can try out Tattooing for a living just be really careful and patient because you are creating art which someone will wear on their body for the rest of their lives.
It takes some practice but Tattoo Artists are high in demand right now and if you use your art skills properly – just imagine the skin being a blank canvass and you’re just painting the client’s request on it.
BEAUTY INDUSTRY
15. Makeup Artist
Makeup artists have been on the rise for the past few years and they don’t just include women anymore, because lots of talented men also take part in this part of the beauty industry.
If you think about it, make-up can be a sort of art painted on a person’s face and is nowadays considered to be very popular which makes it a great business idea.
From starting your own Beauty Parlor to giving Makeup instructions online, there are lots of ways you can turn your skills into a profitable biz and knowing that it’s always high in demand, there is nothing stopping you from pursuing this kind of career.
16. Masseuse Therapist
Let’s be honest, being a masseuse therapist is a lot tiring for your hands, because one session can take from half an hour to even two hours, but if you have the will to go through some training in order to get a license and open your own Salon, it can all pay off soon enough.
People who work all day are in a great need for a nice and relaxing massage and sure there are a lot of massaging products on the market, but nothing can replace a firm pair of hands to relax the muscles & loosen the tension.
17. Beauty & Spa Salon
As with most branches of the beauty industry, you definitely will need a License in order to pursue a career as a Hairstylist, Esthetician or a Nail technician, but combining all these skills will help you open your own Beauty Salon.
Top that with being a Masseuse Therapist and you can even build your way up to opening a Spa Salon which offers all of these services in one place.
18. Barber / Hair Stylist
Being a Hairstylist particularly, might require some skill in order to know how to cut & stylize different lengths of hair, but being a Barber is in my opinion less harder, because men are used to shaving all the time and with a bit of practice with a straight razor and proper training to get your license you can open a Barber Shop in no time.
BUY & SELL
19. Selling Things Online
When it comes to selling things online you have a lot of options, for example: 1) selling your own things you don’t find useful anymore, 2) buying cheap products and reselling them at a bigger price or 3) going to a Thrift Store and buying things, then reselling them too – for a profit.
It does take some patience to find just the right product people will buy, but it can pay off in the long run. Who knows, maybe you find some-thing you’ve always wanted to have – in the process.
COMPUTER WIZARDRY
20. Web Design, Programming & More
If you have the particular skill of Web designing, programming or App developing – you are in a lucky spot, because those types of skills are in high demand in this digital era we live in.
Even things like Graphic designing, editing, Digital marketing and such are also requested by lots of individuals, companies & businesses.
Of course, some of these skills require lots of knowledge of certain programs and time spent on the computer, but you can acquire most of them as you work your way up.
21. Computer Hardware Handyman
There is no doubt that if you know how to program a computer using software that you also know the basic components of a computer and how to fix them.
I know that all computer lovers treat their beloved machines with delicate care and this skill will surely help you start your own business.
As computers and other digital devices tend to malfunction from time to time, simply replacing them isn’t always an option considering how expensive they can be and that’s where you come into place to fix any problem that might occur.
You can start as sort of a freelancer and then even open your store later.
IF YOU LOVE NATURE
22. Gardening
Starting a Gardening business is a great idea especially if know that many households have lots of plants, but these people just don’t have the time to take care of their plants.
With a little bit of practice with Gardening tools and knowing which kind of plant needs what kind of care, you can easily start your garden service.
23. Landscaping Business
Similar to Gardening, you can start a Landscape business by learning some basic skills such as mowing lawns and trimming bushes. Geo Bush’s
Once you learn the basics you can add on more service as you move along and eventually you will become Roberto the Experto !!!
ANIMAL LOVER
24. Dog Walking
If you like dogs as much as lots of people do, you could start a Dog walking biz by posting ads either online or around your neighborhood.
Be prepared for a lot of phone calls, because people simply don’t have the time to walk their dog every day – especially if they are working long hours.
25. Pet Sitting
If you feel comfortable around most animals, you should consider posting ads for a Pet Sitting service as well.
This small business could be a lot of fun – as you get to play with the animals and also earn a bit of extra $$$ too, just don’t get surprised if someone wants you to look after their strange pet critters. If they’re not in a cage, most of them are calm and lovable.
HANDYMEN
26. Electrician
If you know how to fix and/or install electrical wires and other components than you will surely have a lot of service offers – as most people have no clue how to fix stuff around the house – especially something that has to do with electricity as they’re afraid of getting zapped, melectrocuted or causing a short circuit.
27. House Painter
House painting is easy and most people can do it, but not all people know how to do it properly.
With a bit of practice and research, you can easily start a business by painting other peoples’ houses, because they either want it to be done by an expert or really don’t want their clothes and hands to get covered in paint.
28. Construction Business
Having all the skills necessary to start your own Construction business seems a bit hard to acquire, but if you’ve had experience in Construction work, you can start out as an Apprentice and later work up to having your own business – once you gather all the skills needed.
PLANNING
29. Event Planning
From planning Weddings & Parties to even planning Corporate Events, if you know how to plan & organize a formal or a less-than formal event – than this kind of business is the right one for you.
You don’t have to have any experience. Just use your imagination to the fullest extent and you will be amazed by how well you can plan out the whole entire event with ease – if you know what you’re doing.
30. Personal Assistant
Similar to Event Planning, if you’re great at keeping track and know how to get things done efficiently in an organized manner with a deadline, then you can also start a Personal Assistant business easily.
The more satisfied Clients you have – the better your reputation will be and maybe soon you’ll need a Personal Assistant yourself.
RENTING
31. House Renting
If you happen to have an empty house or a flat with all the facilities, you can rent it out for people like students who don’t have a place at the dorm or foreigners who came here to stay a few weeks.
The price of Hotels & Motels has been on the rise and if the price of your place is reasonable, it’s a great way to earn a lot of money with a minimum of work required.
32. Garage Renting
The same goes for Garages. If you’ve sold your car recently or don’t have a car, but instead have an empty garage, you keep your stuff in, you can rent it out – once you move your stuff someplace else.
And when you earn enough money you can even buy an empty Garage somewhere else, so you don’t have stranger’s cars in your own garage anymore.
33. Game Console Renting
You would be shocked how many people are prepared to give you money just so they can rent out your Xbox or your PlayStation – that you rarely use – so they can play games with their friends at the weekends.
Not all people have money to buy a console themselves, so they will rather rent one out for a fraction of the price than to save up for it.
FINAL WORD
As you can see, there are all kinds of business ideas you can try and see what works for you best for you – according to your Skills, etc.
Don’t get discouraged if your business fails, because all that means that you’ve either done something wrong which isn’t that big of a deal or something unexpected happened.
The good thing is that in the process of figuring out which business to start and actually trying it out, you are learning more and more skills which later might be useful for some other businesses.
Feel free to come up with your own business ideas as well – as these ideas are just a few – from thousands more waiting for you to find them and start your own small business.