35 Small Business Ideas to Start at Home

Want to start a small business but aren’t sure what kind of business you want to start? Check out these 35 small business ideas to start at home. You are sure to find a good idea!

Do you dream of being your own boss and having your own business? It’s a dream I have had since I was a kid. I started my first business as a teenager. I did web design for my church and a few businesses.

I had a lot of fun and it started me on a journey that would lead me to where I am now. I’m running a successful digital content creation business that continues to grow every year. Last year I was able to increase my income by more than 50%.

Having my own business allows me to work from home and follow my passions. It also has been helpful as I have some chronic health issues that can make working in a normal work environment harder.

If you know you want to be an entrepreneur and create your own small business but are really sure what kind of business you want these ideas can help you decide. And none of these ideas are multi-level marketing.

Small Business Ideas

1. Start a Blog

Blogging is the biggest piece of my small business. It’s a business that requires very little upfront cost and can help you share any kind of passion. While blogging is something you can learn while you do it, it’s not a get rich quick scheme and is hard work.

The truth is most blogs fail. You can’t just start a blog without knowing what you are doing and without a plan and expect to make six-figures in a year. But if you work hard at it and stay consistent it can be a great small business.

Read How to Start a Blog to get started today!

2. Become a Virtual Assistant

Being a VA can be a simple side hustle to bring in some extra cash or you can make it a fulltime business by bringing in a lot of clients for different tasks or doing many tasks for one client fulltime.

Virtual assistants can specialize in a number of different areas. Often they work with bloggers to do things like scheduling social media posts, answering emails, and other simple tasks.

Read How to Become a Virtual Assistant to learn more.

3. Proofreader

If your grammar and spelling skills are top-notch this can be a great business for you. Business owners, writers, bloggers, and other professionals often need help proofreading their content and copy.

4. Freelance Writing

Magazines, blogs, businesses and other industries are always looking for freelance writers. If you are a skilled writer and good at meeting deadlines this can be a great business for you.

It can take some time to build up a portfolio to help you get bigger jobs but if you are good and stick with it you can have a very profitable business.

5. Etsy Shop Owner

If you make crafts or other goods that you’d like to sell to people Etsy is a much easier option than opening a shop and it allows you to have a wider base to sell to.

You can even sell digital goods on Etsy. The options are basically endless. Etsy also takes care of a lot of the business side of things making it an easy business to start.

6. Photography

More and more photographers are ditching the traditional study and doing on-location photography only. This is an industry that is pretty flooded in some areas so you want to make sure you can stand out and that your skills are good enough to charge people for your photography.

The equipment costs for photography can be pretty high but high-quality photos can also bring in a lot of profit. If you do a good job you can often count on repeat clients.

7. Graphic Designer

With so much being done online now graphic designers are in high demand. You can start pretty small and offer services on a site like Fiverr and once you have a good portfolio you can create your own site to bring in clients.

You can do custom design or even sell pre-made designs. To have a more diversified income you can do some of both and sell your services multiple places.

8. In-Home Child Care

Good child care is always needed. If you love children and have the space setting up in-home daycare can be very rewarding. You can even just care for one child if you don’t want to start a full daycare.

There are different rules and regulations on how to do this in different areas so it can take time to get started. You want to make sure to research all of the legal requirements very well but there are a lot of great resources out there to help you get started.

Read How to Start a Home Daycare Business to get started.

9. In-Home or Online Tutoring

There are many great virtual tutoring companies you can work for or you can start your own service. You can help tutor kids or adults on any subject. This is a business that can be very quick to set up and requires minimal upfront costs.

In-home tutoring is also a great option. Kids can come over to your house for you to give them one-on-one tutoring or you can provide group tutoring. This is something you can even pair with the daycare or after school care.

10. Grant Writer

Non-profit organizations are often funded by grants. Getting these grants can be time-consuming and difficult. Because of this many organizations choose to hire someone that specializes in grant writing.

A well-written grant can make all the difference for a non-profit. Being a grant writer is not only profitable but it’s also a really rewarding line of work.

You will need a proven track record of getting the grants though. Often volunteering to help write some can be good practice and help you build up a portfolio.

Even More Small Business Ideas

• Petting Sitting
• Interior Designer
• Makeup Artist/Hair Stylist
• Farmer
• Social Media Marketer
• Event Planner
• Wedding Planner
• Travel Planner
• Fitness Trainer
• Dog Walker
• Resume Writer
• Bookkeeper
• Voiceover Artist
• Audiobook Reader
• Course Creator

These are just a few of the ideas for small businesses you can start. Let these ideas spark creative ideas for your own perfect small business. There are a lot of small businesses out there so you want to make sure yours is creative and that your personality and passions shine through.

More Resources for Starting a Small Business

• 10 Steps to Start Your Business
• The Complete, 12-Step Guide to Starting a Business
• How to Start a Small Business For Less Than $1,000