There’s never been a better time to start a small business from home. Whether you invite clients to your residence or work remotely from a laptop, the opportunities to network and market your skills are endless.
At a time when so many jobs can be done remotely, the question becomes: what kind of startup would you like to run? Savvy entrepreneurs have started these small businesses from home – and you can, too!
Life Coach
Some people are able to weather personal and professional obstacles better than others. If you have proven your mettle by overcoming challenges, you might wish to help others do the same as a life coach. Career coaches are also becoming a legitimate work field, as job changes become more and more common. The average annual salary for these types of jobs is $60,510.
You’ll need to have great communication skills and a proven track record of success to excel in either of these fields. The life coach and career coach professions are becoming very popular, with countless certifications being offered for a price online. Beware of scammers and false enterprises.
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Bookkeeper
Companies are increasingly outsourcing their bookkeeping needs, which is great news for anyone looking to work from home. Number-crunching professionals can develop a home business specializing in financial, managerial, or cost accounting.
While it’s helpful to have prior bookkeeping experience, you can start your freelance business from scratch. However, you’ll need to file paperwork to form a limited liability company (LLC). Once you’ve finished that process, you can build a client list and make upwards of $41,166 per year.
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Online Boutique Owner
If fashion is your forté, why not open your very own clothing boutique? There’s no rush to open a brick and mortar shop when you can run a successful business from home. Having a keen eye for social media and marketing can help you build buzz around your clothing line.
It doesn’t matter if you make your own clothes or curate a hip collection of found threads. As long as you have faith in your fashion sense and find a marketplace platform that complements your brand, you can ship goods all over the world. On average, online boutique owners make $6,013 per month.
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Landscaper
Knowing how to trim, manicure, and chop greenspaces is a valuable skill set. If you take a lot of pride in your abilities, why not open a landscaping business? Many people in your community don’t have the time, talent, or equipment to showcase their yards, but they’re willing to pay someone to make it look great.
You can start with what you know and expand your services over time. Beginners tend to make around $27,300 per year, while accomplished landscapers can earn closer to $40,000 annually. Eventually, your landscaping service could include tree-cutting, mulching, and hand-pruning services. Formal training in some of these areas can help you land more selective clients.
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Daycare Owner
There’s a reason why home daycares have been around for, well, centuries: the demand for child care has never waned! Having said that, the responsibility for watching over children has drastically increased. This profession requires a lot more paperwork and startup costs. You’ll have to get certified in first aid and CPR, and licensed to run such a facility in your home.
All of that certification is worth it, however, as daycare owners make an average annual salary of $32,161. Granted, your salary will be reflected by how many children you can accommodate, as the top 10% earn $45,000 annually.
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NFT Seller
NFTs (or non-fungible tokens) are digital files that contain artwork and a unique token that proves the art’s authenticity. The trend is a modern way of selling and owning artwork because these tokens cut down on internet piracy and fraud. Better yet, you can get in on the action from home!
If you don’t know much about cryptocurrency or blockchain technology, this is a great opportunity to ask that friend who’s dying to chat about it. Most importantly, research the major NFT marketplaces (like Foundation, OpenSea, and SuperRare) to see how fellow artists are promoting their work.
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Print-On-Demand Owner
A print-on-demand service allows you to sell designs you’ve created on a variety of white label products. Once you partner up with a supplier, you can leave your mark on mugs, shoes, clothing, phone cases, blankets, and pillows!
This service is a popular choice among home business owners because you don’t have to worry about the inventory or shipping; much like drop shipping, that’s the supplier’s job. The key to success in a print-on-demand business is creating niche products for an underserved demographic. Work from home print-on-demand salaries range from $2,666 to $5,833 per month.
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Pet-Sitter
If the saying is true that “pets are the new kids”, why not focus your home business around your furry friends? Pet-sitting doesn’t earn a huge salary — approximately $25,000 per year — but animal lovers aren’t complaining about the perks.
Besides hanging out with dogs or cats all day, pet-sitters are expected to feed, groom, walk, and provide general care for their client’s pets. Having access to a yard as well as indoor space for a kennel will go a long way towards operating a successful home business.
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More Benefits Than Risks
There are pros and cons involved with any of the professions listed above. A home business might disrupt your private life in unexpected ways, or prove to be a lonesome venture. Having said that, the potential benefits of these small business plans outweigh the risks.
You can build your business without stressing about ridiculous overhead costs (like a commercial lease or warehousing fees). Plus, you may qualify for certain tax deductions by operating from home, especially if you have separate office space for your business. Finally, you can control how much time and effort you want to put into this venture, so it doesn’t intrude on your personal life. Following your passion could wind up providing you with the best job ever!
Shutterstock: Dragana Gordic
