30+ Small Business Ideas That Are Profitable In 2022 And Beyond (Online)

Simple small business ideas that can be profitable are sometimes hard to come by, especially when you’re just starting out.

Also, you might think that starting a small business means you’ll be left behind in the race to financial success, but that doesn’t have to be the case! As you will soon find out

While any business can be profitable, some types of businesses do seem to have a better chance of success than others when it comes to small business ideas. If you’re planning on starting your own small business and want to make sure that it’s going to succeed, this post is meant specially for you

In this post, I will be sharing with you over 30 small business ideas that are profitable, low-cost, and online-based.

That’s not all.

I will also be giving you tips on how to start and succeed with each of these small business ideas

So If you’re really serious about starting your own profitable small business and want to know what’s likely to pay off, give these ideas some consideration.

And when you follow these 30+ small business ideas that are profitable, you can build your own business from the ground up without breaking the bank and still turn a tidy profit.

So let’s go

30+ Small Business Ideas That Are Profitable

1) Kindle Publishing

Many people have grown a small business idea of merely publishing ebooks on Amazon into a huge enterprise that pays up to six figures.

So, if you have a story to tell, or have expertise in business, technology, creativity, or another field. Kindle e-book publishing is one of the most profitable small business ideas and maybe a terrific way to generate money online while reaching millions of prospective readers.

It is a low-cost business model with a high-profit margin.

All you need do is sign up on the platform, do your proper research, write on your research topic, upload the platform, watch sales come in.

Rinse and repeat. Boom! you have built for yourself one of the best creative small business ideas and a great passive income stream

The beauty of this small business model is: You really don’t have to even be a great writer, once you research a great topic with the potential to sell, you can outsource the writing job to freelancers in Upwork and Fiverr

The best part: Amazon already sells books to millions of customers over so there is an audience for you! There is no worry about marketing especially if you’re just beginning since they take care of that for you.

Another more intriguing is the fact that Amazon Kdp has made it possible for anyone to launch a profitable book publishing business without even writing a single sentence.

Yes! Yes, you read that correctly.

Make money without writing by doing Kdp publishing. In Amazon, this is referred to as “No/Low Content Publishing.” It is one of the most popular new business ideas for generating steady passive income. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do kdp low Content Publishing

2) Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a popular business model for those with a site or audience. It is one of the best small business ideas that are profitable as it has low entry-barrier.

Basically, the affiliate marketer makes money by driving traffic to other companies’ websites and earning a commission off of any sales, leads, or subscriptions they generate. 

If you have an established website or audience or can build one quickly (learn how to do that here), it’s one of the best ways to monetize your following. 

Although to succeed at it, you will have to understand the business model properly and follow proven strategies to make good from it

Here is how you can start an affiliate marketing program from the scratch

3) eCommerce Site

Launching an ecommerce site is one of the best small business ideas that are profitable.

It simply involves creating an e-commerce site (i.e., selling products online) that can help you turn your small business idea into a full-time job or profitable side gig. 

Selling everything from jewelry to clothes to homemade dog treats on Etsy is a popular way to make money online, but there are many more markets you can tap into for creative ways to make money with a physical product. 

You can even sell on consignment by visiting local craft fairs and setting up a shop to peddle your wares; take direct orders if you have enough inventory. 

Also, you can sell your creations on sites like eBay and Amazon

4) Membership Site

Another fantastic small idea that is highly profitable and low cost too is running a membership site

Starting a membership site for your target niche is not only a great way to make money but also a great way to connect with your audience. 

For example, if you have an eCommerce shop that sells all things fitness, you could create a membership site around Fitness Facts and provide training guides, weight loss tips, healthy recipes, etc. 

This would give you much more in-depth knowledge of your audience while also allowing people to engage on social media with you more often. 

This gives them much more reason to continue their membership as well, instead of just checking out once they’ve purchased something. In a little while, this unique small business idea could turn into something very huge

If you plan it correctly, these memberships can be extremely profitable and fun at the same time! Just keep in mind to set reasonable prices and avoid paywall content that requires users to pay high membership fees to access valuable information. 

Try joining other sites that already utilize paid member systems such as The Creative Entrepreneur Membership, where you will gain access to hundreds of resources including monthly webinars, weekly videos, podcasts, and much more!

For example, I learned that blogging is a great way to communicate with my readers and share ideas. I could start a food-related recipe and health-related posts for people looking to improve their health and diet. 

In addition, it would be a fun way to connect with other bloggers. I love cooking so working on recipes would be an enjoyable task. It’s also more of an individual activity that would give me time away from work projects, phone calls, and emails.

5) Consulting

Many professionals don’t realize that they can set up a consulting business relatively small and easily.

If you have years of experience in a specialized area, such as software development or graphic design, there are people out there who would love to pay you for your expertise. This is one of the coolest small business ideas that are profitable if you ask me

Thanks to new platforms like Clarity, you can now offer your services to local businesses and make good money by making use of skills you already have. 

It’s one of my favorite side hustles because you can run this business model from anywhere—It allows me to work from home on personal projects without distracting me from my family time 

So If you have any type of skill that could be useful to others, turn it into a service and sell at an hourly rate on sites like Fiverr. 

Also, check out online freelance marketplaces like Upwork; you might find something really rewarding. 

Finally, if you’re not afraid to ask strangers for help via social media, try Facebook Marketplace or Reddit Job Market. You never know what kind of opportunities could lead from interesting conversations with strangers!

6) Drop Shipping

This is one of the most popular small profitable business ideas of 2022 with a really staightforward concept.

Dropshipping simply allows you to sell goods online without having to maintain any inventory or worry about fulfilling orders. 

You simply offer a variety of products for sale through your website and enjoy a commission on sales. When a customer places an order, you purchase that item from a wholesaler (which could be yourself if you’re in enough demand) and have it shipped directly to your customer. 

Dropshipping necessitates rigorous record-keeping, including information about each product ordered and where it was transported. There are few things more rewarding than handing products off at clients’ doorsteps while earning money once you’ve found a firm you can trust.

Customers return not only because they liked their purchase, but also because they recognize the amount of work and effort that went into finding them exactly what they needed.

Customers who know that their orders matter create repeat buyers who can sustain even small businesses with relatively narrow margins over time. 

Start by looking up suppliers on Alibaba; with hundreds of thousands of companies around the world selling their wares wholesale, you should be able to find something worth stocking on your store.

If you don’t yet have an e-commerce platform in place

Shopify is one tool available for small business owners looking to start a small profitable business such as Dropshipping

It simplifies online selling immensely. Pick an item you’d like to start with (such as t-shirts), set a price, upload some images, and get started! 

Alternatively, if your small business caters to b2b clients specifically, skip setting up an e-commerce store entirely—use your website instead to build relationships with potential partners or current ones.

For example, if you work in marketing services, establish yourself as a thought leader by posting insightful articles and videos that speak directly to marketers working in fields relevant to yours. 

On your contact page, make sure to include links to all of these pieces along with easy ways for readers to share them via social media; building connections on LinkedIn is especially important here. 

If interested readers want more information about partnering with you or hiring your firm outright, direct them toward a special contact us section of your site that clearly lists out costs and expectations, again making referrals easy so others can pass along information about you.

This may seem to you like a lot of works but it’s something you can really start in the comfort of your room and scale.

7) Content Writing

Content

It’s easier than ever to write content for your business. If you can string a sentence together, you can put something on paper that will help people and attract customers. 

Trust me, it’s enough to start a small business that is highly profitable around content writing

Just make sure your writing is good—and  you will find tons of ways to make money running a content writing business from home in your own time

You could be hired to write blogs or other forms of content for companies or individuals.

You could start your own blog, fill it with high-quality content, and monetize it.

You may open a Facebook account and continue to write on the platform to establish a readership, which eventually leads to money.

You might sell your skills on Upwork, Fiverr, and other freelance marketplaces.

Overall, have someone proofread your work to improve your skills. Create an internet presence so that people can learn more about who you are, what you do, and how you do it.

Keep writing about topics related to your small business idea, and stay consistent over time. This is how you build trust with readers and increase your chances of them becoming paying customers! 

8) Online Courses

Building and selling online courses is another great idea on our list of small business ideas that are profitable.

So if you have a skill or are knowledgeable about a particular topic that others are genuinely interested in and also wants to learn about, you can create an online course and sell it on platforms like Udemy. 

Think about all of those successful YouTube stars who are earning money for teaching people how to cook, create apps, edit photos, or whatever else; that’s a perfect way to understand if there’s a market for your business idea. 

One way to succeed faster with this hot small business idea is to have grown an audience who already knows what you do and trust you do it well. This makes marketing your course a lot easier

The best part about this hot online business, it creates a passive income stream that can make you money for life. This is to stay, if you have other small profitable business ideas, you can still focus on them while you still make your money

9) Become Translator

A Translator lets you translate text from one language to another. Use Google Translate for instant translations. 

A visit to other freelance marketplaces will show you how building a small business around this idea can be very profitable. 

How best can you cash in on this hot small business idea?

You can create a marketplace for translators in order to scale your own business idea further.

For example, if you were doing English-Spanish translations for small businesses, you could take it a step further and become a lead generation website (using opt-in forms) that gives other small businesses access to professional Spanish translators at an affordable price. Great, isn’t it?

Further down the line, your business idea could turn into translating different content types like marketing material, resumes, or legal documents (just an example). 

Before going any further with scaling though, I’d recommend testing on Facebook Ads and see how well it converts! 

Please note that these are just some examples of what you could do – there’s no right or wrong when it comes to entrepreneurship and taking action is all that matters. 🙂 Good luck!

9) Become a Videographer

Another lucrative small business idea is starting your own video production company. 

As technology has progressed, so have cameras and software—not to mention how quickly everything can be shared online these days.

If you’re interested in a small business idea that’s both creative and entrepreneurial, videography is worth a look. 

You don’t need to go all out with professional equipment if you don’t want to, but a little bit of investment up front can go a long way. 

The Profit from Turning Your Hobby Into a Small Side Hustle is the sweetest thing

With just an afternoon or two each week, plus a little creativity and persistence (and maybe just some elbow grease), anyone can make extra money working their hobby into something more profitable. 

Why not turn your part-time videography passion project into some full-time cash and see how much you can make from this small business idea

10) Become a Photographer

Chances are, you’ve seen plenty of terrible photos over your lifetime. Maybe you’ve taken a few of them yourself.

If so, imagine what it would be like to run a small business that’s entirely based on photography—not just taking pictures, but delivering a professional product every time out. That’s what becoming a photographer is all about.

To become a successful one, however, you have to focus your efforts toward helping customers achieve their goals—whether that means capturing lasting memories or celebrating an important occasion. 

You also need to build strong working relationships with clients; otherwise, getting quality work from you won’t happen. 

On top of all that, prices for quality work will vary widely depending on where your potential clients live and how much they value those photographs. 

It’s tough work at times but when someone hires you for a job, it feels good knowing you were able to help them get exactly what they wanted and make a little bit of money while doing it! This is another case of turning your hobby into small business ideas that are profitable

Here are some ways you can start honing your craft: Learn by watching local photographers: The best way to learn how to shoot great images (and not turn off prospective clients) is by watching other experienced photographers in action. 

Your local community may offer workshops as well if there aren’t any other established photographers nearby who want to mentor others in their field.

11) Become a Public Speaker

If you enjoy talking and connecting with people, then you may be interested in becoming a public speaker. As a public speaker, you’ll speak to different groups (such as motivational seminars) about your knowledge of your subject or field. Good public speakers are charismatic and engaging and can hold an audience’s attention for long periods of time. 

If you are passionate about education or even just turning your experiences into a learning opportunity for others, then being a public speaker might be right for you.

You can also do online speaking too if it is more convenient for you. The pay is great as most professional speakers get paid $50-100 per hour, but the really good ones make well over $100 per hour! Great places to find gigs include Elance, Upwork, Guru, and Freelancer. 

With this, it is clear that public speaking is one of the best small business ideas that are profitable.

12) Become an Online Tutor

 

With technology quickly evolving, there are many ways you can profit by leveraging its power. One way to do so is to become an online tutor. If you have an advanced degree or special skills, you can use tools like Skype and screen sharing software to connect with students in your own home office.

This allows you to increase your earning potential without risking a lot of money. 

Creating a tutoring company around educating children in certain areas, such as math and science, has several benefits. 

You don’t need to hire teachers since you’re doing all of it yourself—making it affordable because you’re not paying any overhead costs such as rent or additional staff members’ salaries. 

Another great benefit of providing tutoring online is that parents get to see how good (or bad) their kids’ grades are compared to others. They might also get insight into what exactly they may be struggling with and how they can improve them.

This is one of the small business ideas that are profitable and has become even more popular with Covid Pandemic!

Alot of people are now making a standard living using this profitable small business model

13) Freelance Writer

Everyone needs written material for their business—it doesn’t matter if it’s marketing materials or magazine articles—the demand for content will always be there. 

And with many companies outsourcing their writing services, you could be missing out on a significant source of income that requires little startup capital and limited hours spent on it each week. 

14)  Start a Blog

When I say blogging, I’m not talking about simply sharing a few quick updates on your Facebook page or posting cute Instagram photos. No, blogging is more than just social media. It’s providing content that other people in your niche find useful. 

As your brand establishes itself and becomes more well-known, you can build multiple income streams by monetizing your content with affiliate marketing and/or sponsored posts. 

If you’re looking for a cost-effective small business idea, consider starting a profitable blog.

All you need is a basic understanding of blogs and access to low-cost web hosting and domain registration. 

Once your site is live and bringing in quality traffic, you can try earning money with Google AdSense or through affiliate sales. If you can market your site effectively to interested parties (such as bloggers), it should bring in ad revenue—or at least be able to support itself while you work on other projects. 

Even if it isn’t profitable right away, blogging can be an excellent way to get your name out there while honing your writing skills. The real key to blogging success? Just be honest about what you know and what you don’t. 

Aim for quality posts and interesting offer interesting read to your audience

Who knows? Maybe people will actually like what they read! And that means new opportunities may follow. So why not give it a shot? At worst, you’ll have an archive of your thoughts from when you were still figuring things out.

14) Start a YouTube Channel

Starting a YouTube Channel on your choiced niche is a one of the popular and best small business ideas that are profitable.

Creating a YouTube channel is free for anyone and this qualifies it as the best small lucrative online business to start

There are so many great, easy ways to make money off YouTube: You can become an affiliate marketer and promote other companies’ products in your videos; you can become a social media influencer and get paid for sponsored posts; you can sell your course and even earn money with Google AdSense

The passive income from ads on your video will depend on several factors, including how much traffic you generate and what others decide to advertise alongside your content.

Plus, getting started on YouTube is relatively easy: You can post videos from your computer or phone and start connecting with people today. Just remember that success on YouTube comes from quality—not quantity—so think about what makes your company unique and showcase it in short how-to videos. 

Also be sure to invite feedback by adding a comments section to each video where customers can ask questions or leave positive feedback.

15) Become a video Editor

If you’re a creative sort, then running your own video editing business could be an interesting way to fill your downtime and make some money at home. 

You will of course need decent equipment, some technical skills and preferably an understanding of copyright and fair use laws, but with a little effort and imagination, you could easily start your own video editing company even in your home

There are lots of other small business ideas that are profitable that revolve around video too – one example is teaching people how to shoot professional-looking videos on their smartphones. 

Be warned though: don’t expect to just jump into shooting weddings or commercials if you have no experience or training; there are strict rules governing who can film what when it comes to weddings and commercial shoots – so read up!

One of my favorite small business ideas is to work as a video editor for online content creators. 

This is an excellent opportunity for students, professionals, and anyone else who knows a little about video editing. You can find opportunities on freelance sites like Upwork, Freelancer and Fiverr. 

To get started, I recommend finding popular YouTube channels or Facebook groups that are looking for editors on those platforms to be able to help them with their needs

16) Become a Voice Over Artist

V

The freelance nature of voice-over work means you can work anywhere. And since there’s no studio or location needed, you can fit it in between other projects—even while watching Netflix. 

The demand for voice-overs has increased rapidly as online video has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry and so one of the best small business ideas that are profitable. Depending on your type of voice, you could earn anywhere from $5 to $150 per hour—it just depends on how in-demand your skills are. 

(Hint: Oddly enough, a southern accent commands more money than any other.) 

However, keep in mind that being a professional voice-over artist takes skill and training. There’s an art to voice acting that goes beyond just speaking another language—and most who attempt it fail. 

Want to get started? Try VoiceBunny, which connects buyers and sellers directly so you don’t have to deal with recruitment agencies.

You set your price (with minimums), record your demo reel, then upload where talent buyers can listen to samples of your work. If they like what they hear, they reach out directly with contracts—no middlemen necessary.

Once you start working with a buyer, they pay VoiceBunny directly—not through you—so you avoid paying fees altogether if that’s something important to you. Ready to give it a try?  Why not!

17) Become a Travel Planner

Many people wish to relocate, but only a select handful are able to accomplish it. See if there are any gaps in the industry that you can cover if you’re passionate about traveling and want to do it as a small business.

CoPilot is a popular trip planning program that assists users in finding low-cost flights or just getting from point A to point B.

Consider whether your service is a better or less priced alternative to what is now available. Before you start your shop, make sure you’ve done your homework, but don’t be scared to branch out!

Users who offered new ideas that they wanted us to research inspired some of Copilot’s best features, for example. So, even if you can’t come up with a completely unique idea on your own, ask around to see what you can uncover to differentiate your business from the competitors.

This could aid you in recognizing the untapped potential for growth (and prevent someone else from taking them first). In many respects, a small business is still a startup: gaining a fresh perspective can help you see things differently and spot opportunities where others have failed.

As David Ogilvy said: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Get creative—don’t limit yourself to traditional small businesses.

Another great one-person company we know started as an Airbnb host and eventually grew into something much bigger.

If you enjoy traveling, why not use that passion to start a small business? If you’re good at planning trips for friends and family, consider making it your full-time gig. 

Plan every aspect of your clients’ trips: transportation, lodging, activities, and more. Depending on where you live and how much demand there is in your area, you could start by offering travel plans as a service—and then progress to selling packages. 

You could also team up with tour operators to help them market their products. Just be sure to have expertise in whatever country or region that you choose; competition will be fierce if you offer services related to top travel destinations like Italy or Thailand. 

Bottom line: 

There’s always room for new faces when it comes to helping people plan their dream vacations! This idea won’t net you millions overnight, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile. Many people prefer to plan their own trips but still want someone who can provide recommendations when they’re confused about a particular destination or activity.

And small businesses with loyal customers almost always succeed. So think through what appeals to you most about international travel and come up with a pitch for others who would appreciate the same benefits from your experience.

Then see if you have time to work on developing your business idea further without sacrificing other areas of life that are important to you—most small businesses require long hours and evenings spent strategizing, managing teams, etc., which makes getting ahead in school or finding time for other pursuits difficult.

18) Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants can work remotely and choose their own hours, making it a dream job for moms. If you’re looking to build your income from small business ideas that are profitable, you can start building and managing a virtual assistant team on sites like Assistant Match or Zirtual.

Virtual assistants are there to make life easier for other people (i.e., whatever needs doing around your house that doesn’t require your physical presence), so all you have to do is set up tasks and delegate jobs as they come in.

Virtual assistants don’t need degrees or technical expertise; they just need to be well-organized, tech-savvy, prompt, friendly, and honest. 

This means you can hire them if you aren’t great at these skills yourself—and that makes it more likely to get done. It’s easy!

To grow your new virtual assistant small business ideas, consider applying for VA opportunities on Upwork and Fancy Hands, which are both popular outsourcing websites. 

This will help you expand your client base outside of friends and family while also broadening out word-of-mouth recommendations from current clients into professional connections with large companies that outsource some of their work. 

These jobs can pay more than $10 an hour. If there’s a high demand for a task you’re particularly skilled at, like video editing or graphic design, then you might even consider setting up a shop on Fiverr and Etsy to sell your services as needed—without having to get a formal job in that industry!

During a tough economy when lots of small businesses fail every day many people are looking for ways to earn extra money by starting their own profitable home-based business.

19) Digital Marketing

You can make money online by building an internet marketing agency that offers SEO services or run ad campaigns in PPC (Pay Per Click) networks like Google Adwords. 

The profits may not be consistent but if you stick it out long enough they can add up fast! I know what you’re thinking: But isn’t there just too much competition? Well, no actually! I’m going to reveal some crazy stats that will blow your mind later on down below. Ready?

20) Become a Social Media Manager

If you’re interested in starting your own business, but you don’t want to deal with actually selling anything, try becoming a social media manager. 

Open positions for these gigs can be hard to find—and are likely filled with applicants—but if you can get your foot in the door, it’s possible to earn up to $100 an hour managing different clients and projects. 

What’s so exciting is that social media managers can help build up brands just by posting information online through different websites like Facebook and Twitter. You’ll have to prove yourself before being hired full-time by meeting certain qualifications. 

For example, potential employers will often look at how many followers or likes you already have on social networks and ask about past experience. Because of its flexibility, there are a variety of opportunities out there for aspiring social media managers—just make sure to do plenty of research so you know what exactly will be expected of you once employed.

Social media is a great platform for small businesses looking to expand their marketing reach. It’s free, it’s easy to track, and it’s always visible. If you want to use social media as a marketing tool for your business, be sure to start with having a dedicated social media manager—someone who has time and focus every day on managing these profiles.

 If you can make it work, it is an incredibly powerful way to build brand awareness and grow an audience that trusts you enough to keep coming back for more. Here are eight small business ideas that are profitable

As more and more companies expand their online presence, there’s a growing need for social media managers to handle all of those accounts. 

In fact, a LinkedIn survey found that 66 percent of small business owners believed that developing content marketing strategies was their top social media objective in 2016. 

In order to effectively manage your company’s or clients’ social accounts, you’ll want to develop skills in search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising (PPC) and analytics. Be sure to check out HubSpot Academy, which offers free social media training via webinars and blogs. 

Then use Google’s Keyword Planner tool to find popular phrases people are using across various social platforms. Create engaging content based on these keywords, share it widely on social media accounts and promote it on PPC networks.

You can also create branded images with links to original posts that include information about your client’s industry. Promote these images on Instagram with relevant hashtags like #smallbusiness or #entrepreneurialism.

And consider local networking: Join community organizations in your area to get started building up a list of potential clients who may be looking for someone like you! Additionally, keep an eye out for niche industry events where you can connect directly with potential customers—you might even meet potential clients at conferences such as WISE Business Women’s Summit 2016!

21) Become a Social Media Influencer

The best thing about starting a social media influencer business is that it requires no upfront investment. 

You don’t need fancy equipment or a brand new domain name. What you do need is a following and enough knowledge to get by. 

By using your social channels to promote products you love, you can earn money online by promoting small businesses or sharing affiliate links and landing pages for digital products like e-books, videos, and online classes. 

Here are some tips on how to become an influencer: Set yourself apart from other social media users. When most people log onto Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat they use them to connect with friends and family; be different. 

Be professional on every platform you use so when someone sees something from you they recognize your voice as belonging to an expert in their field. Find your niche. 

Do you have any unique abilities? Sharing helpful information (without being overly salesy) gains respect and confidence, and can even assist in converting new followers into clients. Disseminate material that is pertinent to your target audience. Coupons, contests, and giveaways are all things that people care about.

Encourage participation by swiftly replying to comments and inquiries, even if it’s simply to say thank you! Begin slowly. Before you publish anything to any of your accounts, make sure everything has a purpose—set up protocols so you can scale things up quickly once more followers start flowing in. Multiple accounts can be managed at the same time. 

If you have multiple social media profiles, manage them all separately. For example, Twitter is perfect for short updates while Pinterest encourages images—don’t mix these up or you’ll confuse your audience. Don’t overspend on apps or tools until necessary. 

Many free applications allow you to schedule posts and analyze demographics – only consider paying for third-party tools after becoming accustomed to what’s out there already.

The term social media influencer might sound like a snobby way to say internet celebrity, but it’s really just someone who knows how to play their cards right. This person knows their target audience and knows what makes them tick.

They also know how to contact those individuals. Simply put, social media influencers are in demand because of their exceptional ability to build businesses through social media channels and platforms.

Why pay hundreds of dollars for advertising when an influencer can spread your message for free? Influencers recognize that if you’re going to pay money for a product or service, you’ll want them on your team because that same firm is likely to have additional products or services that you’ll be interested in.

It’s not at all uncommon for an influencer to make six figures (or more) from a single campaign with some companies. It sounds crazy, but it’s true: All you need is one sponsor willing to give up a big pile of cash in exchange for some social media exposure, and bam – you’ve got yourself a full-time job! 

And before anyone goes giving me free advertisement flak, let me clarify something: Sponsors aren’t exactly begging these folks to work with them. These brands aren’t sponsoring anything without expecting at least 5x their investment back (they can do that math). So how do small business owners get these highly sought-after individuals on board?

They pay up! If there were two similar products sitting side by side on a shelf, one $20 and one $50, which would you choose? I’m sure most readers would lean towards option #2 because it saves them 40% off of the retail price. 

Being able to provide savings is what attracts influencers and gets businesses results. Back to my earlier point about sponsors wanting five times their initial investment in return… How much money does an average agency spend per client?

22) T-shirt Print On Demand

The DIY printing industry has become incredibly popular in recent years and it’s no wonder why. More people are looking to make a few bucks on the side of their regular job, or maybe they simply have an idea for a unique clothing line that they’d like to pursue.

This has made T-shirts popular items to sell online, as you may have observed. There’s a reason for that: they’re popular! They can also make you money. If you already have a print-on-demand account with a company like CafePress or Spreadshirt, you can leverage those talents to sell bespoke T-shirts from your own website.

So T-shirt printing is a great way to get started with your own brand and make some extra cash. It can also be an excellent hobby if you want to learn more about design, layout, and so on—or just have something creative to do as you sit around watching TV at night!

With Printful, you can create your own clothing line. It’s perfect for artists, musicians, bloggers, and influencers of all kinds. The best part? Once you’ve designed a product, customers place their orders online and Printful will handle everything from production to shipping—all without charging you extra fees or taking a large portion of your sales like other drop-shipping companies. 

With Printful’s integrated shopping cart feature, you can create a whole store to sell your designs (and others). If you get stuck, there are free training videos and a support center that will coach you through each step until your Shopify store is up and running.

When it comes to small business ideas that are profitable in 2022, Printful offers a chance to break into fashion. Earnings potential: up to $10 per item sold when used as a dropshipper and anywhere from $5 to $12 when used as an online retailer yourself using Shopify fulfillment ($100/mo profit per 100 shirts sold x 12 months = $1,200/year).

T-shirts are a popular item to sell online, as you may have observed. There’s a reason for that: they’re popular! They can also make you money. If you already have a print-on-demand account with a company like CafePress or Spreadshirt, you can leverage those talents to sell bespoke T-shirts from your own website

Look into how much it would cost to fulfill your orders yourself before deciding whether or not to outsource fulfillment through companies like Printful and Shipstation.

Printful handles printing, packing, and shipping. Shipstation helps manage inventory and sales funnels so you don’t waste time fulfilling each order separately (they also give discounts to The Muse readers). 

Click here for more information about using Printful and here for information about using Shipstation. If a drop-shipping company takes care of fulfillment rather than leaving it up to you, they handle customer service and returns too.

23) Domain Flipping

If you haven’t heard of domain flipping before. Here’s how it works: You buy undervalued domains, build them up to rank well in search engines, then sell them at a profit.

You can even flip existing websites by using platforms like Flippa or Sedo to buy and sell sites on demand. If you’re new to domain names, here’s how to make money with domains 

Many online business owners make their money by flipping domains. This simply means they find expired domains that match a certain keyword, and then buy them before someone else does. 

They then build out a site with either an affiliate link or their own products on it and sell it for profit to others once it’s been built out (usually for around $100)0-$3000).

This is considered one of the most profitable ways to start an online business since you don’t need a huge initial investment in inventory or products. If you have a web hosting already set up with your domain name, you can even get started today! 

The riskiest part about domain flipping though is buying expired domains that no longer bring in traffic. 

Make sure you look into recent searches made related to your keywords. An easy way to check if a domain was profitable recently is using SEMrush. Look at which pages brought in traffic and how much revenue they generated during each month of their existence. 

On average, it takes 5 months for domains to start ranking again in search engines if ranking previously, so be careful.

A domain name can be purchased for roughly $10 and then sold for thousands of dollars a few years later. To do so, use a popular word that hasn’t already been taken. People are flipping domains to make large money online, and it’s as simple as it sounds (and is).

There’s no reason you can’t be one of them, either! It all begins with locating an open domain name, setting up a website, and waiting for a buyer.

24) Become An App Developer

If you have some coding skills, start developing apps and publishing them to Apple’s App Store or Google Play. 

Obviously, if you’re into programming you can make a great living doing it. But regardless of your skill level, one of your first business ideas should be to build mobile apps — especially now that building a web app is easier than ever before. 

Both Apple and Google offer free tools for native app development: iOS SDK for iOS devices like iPhone and iPad, Android SDK for Android mobile development, and Unity3D for cross-platform capability. 

Additionally, there are other tools such as PhoneGap, Sencha Touch, Appcelerator Titanium, Titanium Mobile, and others. All of these will allow you to develop an app in just a few hours from scratch using their templates and easy-to-use integrated development environments (IDEs).

Take advantage of these free resources and develop at least 1 small app as early on in your new business journey as possible. 

It’ll help familiarize you with what goes into making an app and get you excited about taking on bigger projects down the road.

In addition to creating entirely new apps within days/weeks/months – whether for fun or profit – creating new functionality for existing apps is also profitable; just look at how many times Uber has iterated their original concept over time! 

If you’re comfortable working with APIs and submitting calls & requests to various services through code, even establishing custom URLs for third-party integrations is something you could capitalize on.

So, if you’re looking for a method to turn your coding passion into extra cash or maybe a full-time job, designing applications could be the answer.

As I previously stated, there are numerous tools accessible online nowadays to assist you in developing an app, even if you have no prior expertise with mobile programming.

In fact, building mobile apps is one area where amateurs can expect real success—it takes years of training and experience before someone becomes truly proficient in web development. 

You don’t need to know how to code to build a successful app, but it sure doesn’t hurt! The secret lies in doing market research beforehand so you know what people want most from their apps. 

Read blogs about other developers’ challenges and successes related to making money from their work so you can avoid some common pitfalls. 

And above all else, enjoy yourself—you’re creating something new! But remember: 

The best time spent figuring out how much time it’s going to take is up front; once you start actually building an app, things usually go pretty quickly.

Look at competitors’ prices so that yours isn’t too high or too low compared with what people are willing (and able) to pay for similar products/services — especially when it comes time to launch your app! 

Finally, it never hurts to put together a pitch document describing why others should be interested in downloading your app. Try presenting it as a live slideshow or via recorded video.

Consider asking friends or family who would likely download such an app to see how they react. Be open-minded to their suggestions, think critically about any potential criticisms, and then make changes accordingly—this process will only make your finished product better! 

Once you’ve got everything figured out and think your plan is viable, create budget projections so you’ll know whether or not you’ll profit by releasing your creation into the world. If there’s no profit potential, rethink some elements of your plans until there is one!

25) Become an Interior Designer

If you have an eye for color and design, look into becoming an interior designer. 

Your best bet is to look for small business ideas that are profitable and channel this skill into it…For someone like this, becoming an interior designer is a sure bet

From home design periodicals to online degrees and certification courses, there are many ways to turn your enthusiasm for all things visual into a profession in interior design.

Consider providing your skills on sites like Behance or LinkedIn to assist expand your professional network if you’re interested in starting a profitable small business around it. You might also work as a freelancer, starting with little assignments and progressing as you get experience working with clients.

To learn more about what it takes to become an interior designer, Read our post on How to Become an Interior Designer . The sky is truly the limit when it comes to a career in interior design, as anyone can make their mark by making spaces beautiful.

For example, West Elm’s success as one of today’s most recognized furniture brands is largely due to their commitment to using bright colors and bold patterns that give their products that extra something special we love so much! 

Whether your own style falls along those lines or not, don’t be afraid to express yourself through furniture; no matter how you express yourself and style each room, though, remember that great interior design is just as much about function as form!

Keep up with interior design trends

Staying on top of trends is important for any designer hoping to stay relevant but especially important if you’re thinking about launching your own business. Be aware of what people want from designers because knowing what consumers expect will allow you to deliver better service.

So if you’re looking for small business ideas that are profitable, then you should consider becoming an interior designer. As an interior designer, it’s possible to earn up to $100 per hour of work and more than that on some projects. 

Whether it’s rearranging furniture or creating a new bathroom from the ground up, people will pay top dollar for expert guidance from someone who understands what they’re doing.

In addition to hefty compensation, many interior designers receive free clothing and other benefits in exchange for working on specific projects. Of course, to satisfy these types of customers, you’ll need an excellent eye for design, but that can be learned quickly with minimal experience.

Many aspiring interior designers don’t go through school; instead, they learn how to be interior designers by simply talking with experts in the field or reading as much information as possible online. 

This method takes longer but doesn’t cost nearly as much money over time either. 

26) Become A Graphic Designer

Starting a graphic design Freelancing or agency holds a strong position in the list of our small business ideas that are profitable. If you enjoy design, have an eye for creativity, and think you have what it takes to create effective graphics, becoming a graphic designer could be your ticket to earning money online.

While there are many graphic design firms that you can freelance for, designing for yourself allows you to set your own rates and create relationships with clients in person. 

Doing so also gives you more freedom of expression, which helps make your work stand out from competitors. 

There’s no doubt that graphic design is a lucrative profession. According to one study, designers can make upwards of $100 per hour in some areas (though obviously there are other factors that come into play, like experience and location).

When you’re getting started in your career as a designer, however, it can be difficult to figure out what kind of small business ideas you should pursue.

Remember that if you don’t have any actual experience in design—or any related field—it will be harder to convince clients to work with you. If you’re a real beginner, consider taking online courses or finding some cheaper alternatives before setting up shop on your own.

Apart from the graphic design skills needed to really succeed here, marketing experience will be crucial for landing new clients. Make sure that’s something you know how to do before 

If you’re smart, creative and work hard, you can make a lot of money as a graphic designer. 

Freelancing is also flexible in that you can determine your own hours. Best of all, clients love to come back for more because they trust you to do a great job for them. 

If starting from scratch seems overwhelming, look for local design firms or larger companies looking to outsource projects on websites like Elance or 99Designs . 

Even though starting from scratch sounds daunting, once you have an understanding of how design works and a portfolio of previous projects under your belt there are plenty of opportunities available to designers with varying levels of experience.

Here are some tips on how to become a successful freelance graphic designer

• 1) Do all of your research. 

• 2) Network with others who can help promote your business. 

• 3) Update your skill set by enrolling in advanced workshops or classes that can expand your knowledge base. 

• 4) Build up both local and national connections with businesses and individuals who might benefit from hiring you for specific projects that need to be done right away. 

• 5) Work hard to get noticed by major players in your field (like Google and Apple). Becoming one of these trusted connections can offer HUGE benefits down the road, such as more free advertising, more visibility among potential clients/customers, larger jobs at better pay rates, etc. 

• 6) Learn about basic SEO practices so you can optimize your website for organic search engine rankings. This will provide a sustainable increase in traffic flow over time rather than depending solely on paid ad campaigns to attract new leads. 

• 7) Set realistic financial goals; while freelancing doesn’t always mean big cash up front, if you work hard and do everything right it’s entirely possible to grow your income significantly every single month. 

• 8) Finally, decide whether to register as a Sole Proprietorship or incorporate yourself into an LLC / Corporation / Partnership depending on what legal structure makes sense given your personal situation (i.e., do you live alone? Will friends/family be helping out? Is there any possibility of conflict with another firm?).

27) Become a Scriptwriter

Who says a Scriptwriters can’t make a living? Scripts are always in high demand in the film industry, which is a multibillion-dollar industry.

You can try your hand at screenwriting if you think you have an aptitude for writing, particularly creative writing.

Scriptwriters make up a large portion of the film and television industry. If you don’t have any prior experience, that’s fine—you can learn about screenwriting software and tactics or speak with screenwriters to learn more about how they make money, and then turn it into a tiny lucrative business.

Once you’ve figured out what works (and what doesn’t), have it read by an agent; if it turns out to be something worth developing into a film or television show, you might make a lot of money with very little risk. Alternatively, you may compose scripts based on your own life experiences.

You can also team up with some of the most renowned social media content creators today and develop short scripts for their material.

As your business grows, you’ll be able to earn a lot of money, making screenwriting one of the most profitable small business ideas for creatives.

The purpose of a business plan is to lay out not only what you want to do but also why you’re doing it and how you’ll go about doing it. It includes details such as expected start-up costs, equipment needs, operating expenses and other factors both financial and cultural. 

The marketing section gives specific information about target markets including pricing strategy, consumer demographics and competitive analysis.

28) Become a UI/UX Designer

UI/UX design has a lot of potential for profit, which is why it’s one of my favorite profitable small business ideas today.

Everything is now done through web and mobile apps, from streaming TV to online banking.

Designers who can create a faultless user experience may make a lot of money, and landing your first job is easier than you would think. What is the most enjoyable aspect? You don’t need any coding abilities or a sophisticated computer science degree to take the first step toward becoming a UX designer.

Many firms are eager to hire you based only on your portfolio and sales copy, as we’ll see shortly (which means no graphic design knowledge is required).

The ability to create a user interface (UI) and a user experience (UX) is incredibly valuable. These abilities will not only help you interact with developers more efficiently, but they will also boost user engagement on your website or app.

Starting a small design agency focusing on UI/UX with like-minded people is one of the most profitable small business ideas.

29) Become a Copywriter

If you’re a writer looking to make a bigger splash in your field, becoming a copywriter might be exactly what you need. When you’re working on landing pages, sales emails, and ads for other people’s products and services, it can feel like more of an art than a science (at least at first). 

But with practice comes great copy—and with great copy comes greater demand and higher paychecks. 

If you want to become a better writer and kickstart your career as a copywriter, 

Working as a copywriter allows you to use your writing skills to help others by marketing their products and services. In many cases, you’ll work for an advertising agency or directly with businesses that need help selling a product or service online.

It can be a great way to get started freelancing and so it’s a profitable small business idea to consider 

Even if you don’t want to pursue copywriting as a career, it’s still good practice. Plus, it’ll give you experience working under deadlines (something every job requires)

30) Become A Business Plan Writer

 

If you have writing experience, an interest in business and a way with words, becoming a business plan writer might be a profitable small business idea and a great way to make money online 

Businesses of all types and sizes hire business plan writers to help create documents that will sell their product or service. Since these businesses don’t often write their own plans, they’re looking for professionals who can help lay out their ideas so that investors will fund them. 

If you want to get started as a business plan writer, you can find online courses that teach basics like marketing strategies, how to structure your thoughts so a reader will understand them and how to compile research. 

Working as a freelance writer is another option. Some businesses prefer hiring freelance writers over business plan writers; however, it may take longer for you to build up your portfolio. 

Whichever route you go, it always helps to have other people read what you’ve written before submitting it. It takes a lot of time to become proficient at writing business plans. 

You should expect to spend several hours every week studying different resources, learning new terms and honing your skills through practice exercises. Once you know enough about business and marketing, you can start thinking about getting paid for your work and a building a small business idea that is highly lucrative around it

So if you want to get into a business that doesn’t involve actually running a business or you are looking for small business ideas that are profitable then becoming a business plan writer might be your best bet. 

The idea is that you analyze others’ businesses and give them advice on how to improve their financial performance. 

There are loads of start-ups being created all over the world, meaning there’s plenty of demand for your services (which can also be outsourced). You should easily make $30/hour or more for writing plans for new businesses. 

However, it takes time to build up your business and clients, so don’t expect instant results from your efforts. 

Furthermore, fees vary depending on whether you write a plan for someone who already has an existing business (you may earn only between $10 and $20 per hour) or if they have no existing business model (you may earn as much as $200 per hour). 

Finally, keep in mind that not everyone will want to pay a fee—and sometimes they’ll offer extra incentives like free advertising in exchange for making small changes to your plan. 

It’s never wrong to negotiate; just try not to be greedy since most customers will walk away rather than pay full price.

31) Become A Resume Writer

Resume writing is one of the many small business ideas that are profitable. It’s especially suitable if you’re good at writing and proofreading. With it, you can make extra money as a freelance resume writer. 

Your work can help people secure new job opportunities by fine-tuning their resumes and cover letters. If you’re an exceptional writer, it might even lead to a full-time career in content creation, communications and editing. 

Some top rated resume writers made less than $30 per hour when they started out but today make even above $100 per hour. Just keep growing your business until you reach that number!

Writing resumes can be tough, especially if you don’t have much experience with it. However, if you’re working on your writing chops and just need a little more practice, why not offer your services as a resume writer to people who want to get their dream job? 

People are willing to pay for quality help these days, especially with how competitive most industries are becoming. 

If you do choose to go down that route, here are some tips: 

Make sure to read up on trends in hiring within your area (e.g., retail stores might look for cashiers who can also stock shelves) and study how employers typically format CVs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Small Businesses

1) What small business turns the most profit?

Running a small business doesn’t have to be all hustle and no reward. While you may choose to start your own business because you love what you do, chances are that profit is something that will also motivate you as an entrepreneur.

But, we know starting a new business isn’t easy and finding a way to make money is just part of it. So, which business has been proven to be profitable? Well, if you want to turn some serious cash with small business idea options or looking for a small business that brings in the most profit
consider some of these 30+ small business ideas listed above

2) What are the top 10 most profitable small businesses?

If your dream is to start a small business but you don’t have much cash on hand, consider these eight profitable small business ideas that don’t require much startup capital . With so many digital tools and resources available today, new entrepreneurs are finding it easier than ever to get started with a low budget. 

Plus, thanks to websites like YouTube, blogs and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, it’s never been easier to reach audiences worldwide. 

To create a profitable small business idea with limited funding or experience, look at one of these 8 profitable small business ideas perfect for non-business types! 

Here they are in no particular order: 

• Salesperson or Buyer 
• Customer Service Representative 
• Freelance Writer 
• Virtual Assistant 
• Paid Survey Taker 
•  Bookkeeper 
•  Copywriter 
• Content Creator 
• Blogging
• Vlogging

Each one requires minimal startup funds—which means making money quickly might just be within reach!

3) How can I start my own business with no money?

Yes, you can start a business with no money. It’s harder than starting a business with cash in hand, but it is possible. You just have to be willing to be creative and think outside of the box. You don’t have thousands of dollars sitting around for rent or supplies?

There are many ways to start a business without spending a fortune. The main thing is that you be willing to work hard. 

You have to find a business opportunity that excites you, and then make up your mind to get off your butt and go for it. 

Here are  things you can do to get your first business idea up and running with as little money as possible: 

Start an online business – not only are online businesses cheap and easy to set up, they’re also quite lucrative;

Start an online business that requires little or no inventory. If you have a knack for something (writing, graphics design), offer your services on Elance or oDesk. 

If you have high-speed internet access at home, there are many work-at-home jobs available on craigslist and other job boards: customer service representatives, virtual assistants and so on. 

Conclusion

Starting your own business can be an exciting and profitable way to earn extra income or even become financially independent. However, there are hundreds of small business ideas out there, and if you don’t know where to start, it can feel impossible to figure out which one will give you the best return on your investment of time and money. 

With these detailed list of small business ideas that are profitable in 2022 and beyond. There is no reason why you shouldn’t get started with a profitable online business of your own already.

I hope you enjoyed the article, found value and all set to swing into action. Goodluck