Searching for the best business idea to start in 2024?
There is no better time than the present to do it!
The world economy today boasts many exciting and thrilling opportunities for the everyday lady and gent who want to turn a passion or dream into a small business idea. Furthermore, new digital technologies are leading the way to ease the process of starting up a small business, removing the obstacles our forebears had to deal with, such as marketing, digitization, and connectivity to buyers and sellers.
Today, you don’t have to focus only on your local community; technology has simplified the process to distribute and ship your products (services) to anywhere in the world.
So, if you’ve been thinking about turning your excellent small business idea into reality in 2020, do not delay any further. Do it already!
Related: How to Find the Inspiration You Need to Start a Business
The list of best small business ideas
Pet Hotel
Do you love furry, purring, nuzzling cute animals?
Starting a pet hotel might then be just the thing for you!
A pet hotel can be set up in a matter of days, even at your own home. The concept is quite simple; a safe and secure facility is made available to traveling pet owners. This mimics the care and love a pet would receive from its respective owner(s) at home.
Additionally, some individuals or families travel with pets and who have to stay over in your town. Most accommodations don’t allow pets; therefore, pet owners often seek out a pet hotel to overnight their furry family members.
Startup Investment: $1,000 – $5,000
Experience Needed: None
Custom Furniture Shop
Most everyone loves creating a home and living space that suits their unique traits and character. To do that, though, it’s no fun having to settle for standard furniture. Instead, many homeowners seek the services of a carpenter to create custom furniture pieces. This is where your impressive talent with carpentry tools and wood materials come in to save the day!
Alternatively, there is a shortage of skilled professionals in the modern age of predominant online work, which opens up the opportunity to make good money from offering custom services. Simply put, your business won’t have a lot of competition.
Startup Investment: $1,000 – $3,000
Experience Needed: Carpentry
Pet Grooming
Pet grooming is a trending small business model and will continue to grow in popularity in 2020. Most pet owners love spoiling their furry friends to a proper wash and groom and are willing to pay good money for it. The most popular and in-demand services for pets are haircuts, pedicures, massages, washing, and grooming.
If you lack pet grooming skills, simply enroll for a short course. Purchase the necessary equipment such as scissors, wash buckets, blankets, dryers, and clippers. Set up an area in your home, and start advertising your business to friends, family, and colleagues.
Startup Investment: $2,000 – $5,000
Experience Needed: Pet Grooming Skills
Phone & Computer Repairs
In our digital age, almost everyone has several gadgets at their disposal. From mobile phones, smartphones, laptops, or computers, name it – we have it!
All of these devices are expendable, and we usually switch them for new ones in two to three years. However, this doesn’t mean phones and computers don’t break or malfunction. There is huge potential in offering repair services for these devices. So, don’t delay. Get your phone and computer repair shop setup.
Startup Investment: $500
Experience Needed: Computer Technician /PC Repair Skills
Second-Hand Store
Second-hand stores are an excellent way to ensure one man’s trash becomes another man’s treasure. The business concept is pretty straight forward. Invest in someone else’s pre-loved items and resell them at affordable prices.
Every day, thousands of people clear out clutter, so you will never have a shortage of stock. Bonus? Recycling used items is good for our environment.
Starting Investment: $1000
Experience Needed: None
Antique Store
If you love antique items, turn your passion into a small business.
Large upfront investments are not required since you can start with a couple of items and sell them online. You can also set up shop at home or in your garage to cater to locals so that you benefit from both local and online sales.
PRO TIP: Most antiquarians specialize in a specific niche. Some prefer an old rug, others’ furniture. Whichever niche interests you, start with that.
The most important thing to remember when starting an antique store is that you will need to be knowledgeable about each item. Find the unique story and history attached to each item, which in turn will help you put together the selling points to retail it to potential customers.
Startup Investment: $500 – $5,000
Experience Needed: None
Daycare Center
A, B, C, D, EEEEE – Tiny tots on the move!
With the busy and fast-paced lifestyles of most modern-day parents, starting a day-care center might just be the thing for you if you love taking care of adorable, giggling little humans. And, it’s not that difficult either. If you lack the funds to rent a space, start a daycare center at your home and slowly grow it into something larger.
PRO TIP: When it comes to marketing, daycare centers rely mostly on word of mouth. Connect with friends, family, and community members at events, church or local get-together, and tell them about your new daycare center. Print flyers and leave these all over your neighborhood, such as at libraries, primary schools, or supermarket advert boards.
Startup Investment: $500 – $10,000
Experience Needed: None
Catering Business
If you love cooking, why not turn your passion into a flourishing catering business? There is always a demand for food and snack catering for events, companies, or individuals parties.
What’s great about this idea is that you can expand your business or keep it small. All you need to get started is the ingredients for food since you can start by using your kitchen, cutlery, and cookware.
Startup Investment: $1,000 – $3,000
Experience Needed: Cooking
Custom Smartphone Case Production
Did you know that there are already more mobile phones than people in the world?
Yes, it’s true! The current smartphone market is expanding rapidly each year, which is excellent news for small business owners interested in the smartphone market.
A great way to get a foot in the door in the market is by customizing and selling phone cases. Most people purchase a phone case for their new or existing phone, which means there is most often always a market to sell to.
PRO TIP: You don’t have to invest money in product development and manufacturing since there is always the option to connect with a dropship company. Dropshipping requires very little upfront money. The only thing you’ll need to do is create awesome designs for phone covers. Then place your order with your drop shipper and have them do the heavy lifting of printing and distributing your products as customers order from you.
If dropshipping phone cases are not the way to go for you, purchase a phone case making machine — one cost around $5,000+.
Startup Investment: $5,000
Experience Needed: None
Customized Jewelry Line
Beautiful pearls interlaced with rubies, clear glass beads for a wedding dress, or a quartz crystal wristband with a silver nametag, the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating custom jewelry pieces.
Consider starting a jewelry business if custom jewelry tingles your creative nerves and excites you. It’s easy too! All you need is materials of your choice to create your custom jewelry, such as beads and gemstones, and a platform to sell your items from. This can be online, trading from home, or both.
Startup Investment: $500 – $5000
Experience Needed: None
Content Writer & Content Marketing Agent
Content marketing is one of the most critical practices today. All companies need to have an online presence and hire content writers and marketers to help them manage their content presence.
Why?
Companies use content to engage with potential customers, spread brand messages, advertise promotions, or add value to their customer’s life. As a content marketing agent, you will work closely with the company’s PR and content team to develop content that will help drive the company’s sales.
Basic knowledge of content writing and marketing, as well as sales savvy, will be needed to get started as a content marketing agent. Apart from that, little investment is needed. Use your personal PC and Internet to get started. Contact companies or local businesses to establish connections that can later result in a content marketing contract with them.
Startup Investment: $10 – $500
Experience Needed: General Writing, Sales & Marketing Skills
Ice Cream Shop
Sometimes, the business idea you need is as simple as can be. If you know of a lively neighborhood without an ice cream shop, consider opening one. Everyone loves ice cream! – Small kids, teenagers, and all the way up to grandma and grandpa.
Running an ice cream store doesn’t require any significant investments or knowledge.
Still, you need to make sure that you offer your customers flavors that they will love. Do your research and see what people like the most.
Startup Investment: $2,000 – $5,000
Experience Needed: None
Landscaping Business
Landscapers are people who understand landscape design and have the skills to use gardening tools. A lot of people want to make their yard or garden look special. Start a landscaping business from your home, catering to your local neighborhood.
No landscaping skills? Enroll for a landscaping course. There are many out there.
Startup Investment: $1,000
Experience Needed: Landscaping Experience/Courses
Wedding Photography
Wedding photography is a lucrative niche if you’re a photographer who loves being part of a couples’ special day. Though it’s not all that difficult, it does take some time to get into the wedding photography market, as well as an upfront investment.
Professional photography doesn’t come cheaply. Acquire a proper camera, equipment, and invest in learning the ins and outs of wedding photography via a wedding photography course.
Startup Investment: $3,000 – $10,000
Experience Needed: Photography
Organic Farming
Everyone needs to eat, that is just a fact of life. Moreover, with the movement towards living healthier, organic farming on a small- or large scale is becoming more and more prominent in local societies. If you have a property of your own where you can build a small farm, you might have just hit the jackpot!
Organic food is in high demand today, with few providers. At the same time, organic produce is cheaper to produce but can fetch a higher price tag than commercially farmed products.
Startup Investment: $2,000 – $5,000
Experience Needed: None
House Painting
The art of painting a house is not known to a lot of people. This is why a lot of them don’t know how to do it properly, even though it’s easy. House painting is often outsourced to local painting teams or small companies.
Check if there is a gap in your local market for house painting services, and start your house painting small business in 2020 with little upfront investment.
Get a team together to help you, and teach them how to clean, shave, and paint a home property.
Startup Investment: $500
Experience Needed: None
Social Media Marketing Agency
Social media is used by almost everyone that has an Internet connection. However, a lot of us miss out on the fact that we can easily use these networks to make money. At the same time, the demand for digital marketing services are continually growing, and there aren’t enough businesses offering these services.
You only need to find a couple of people with experience in social media and slowly start offering your services. While they will do the work, you can actively look for other small businesses that might need your assistance.
Startup Investment: $3,000
Experience Needed: General Internet Knowledge
Massage Salon
Massage therapists don’t need a real salon to do their jobs. If you have additional space at home, you can simply buy massage tables and hire people to work for you.
Some countries require massage therapy professionals to be certified while others don’t. Make sure to check this before you start creating your business plan.
Startup Investment: $1,000
Experience Needed: Massage Course
Errand Service
A lot of people don’t have the time to run errands. On the other hand, some people are merely old or have severe health conditions that prevent them from finishing their chores. This idea might sound too simple, but some people need this kind of help and are willing to pay for it.
Qualification is not required; anyone can run errands!
Startup Investment: $500
Experience Needed: None
Event Planning Business
One, two, three . . . get all the bells and whistles ready and let the party begin!
If you love organizing events and parties and are talented at putting a theme and plan into action, start an event planning business.
Most hosts lack the time or creative genius to sort out all the nitty and gritty of event planning. Offer your services to local businesses, organizations, schools, women’s groups, or individuals who want to outsource event planning.
Startup Investment: $2’000
Experience Needed: None
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20 small business ideas for 2024 – Wrap Up
Twenty awesome small business ideas to get you all inspired and motivated in 2024. If you need additional inspiration, you can also check out The best new business ideas for 2024.
Which idea did you like the most? Ready to turn it into reality?
Great stuff! It’s now a good time to get your business plan in place.
Good luck!
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