Most future-proof small business ideas you can start today 

Do you have the itch to create your own business? Are you dreaming about being your own boss and leaving a legacy? For some, it all starts with a great idea. But what to do when you have the determination, but don’t know what type of startup is right for you?

If you go onto YouTube, there are thousands of scammy people telling you how to earn ‘big money’ with no effort. But let’s get real. A genuine business takes hard work and perseverance to make it in the long run. And just as importantly, it also needs to fill market demand.

This guide explains the most proven and future-proof business ideas for you to explore. These niches are consistently in demand, so they offer the best potential for long term success, if you’re willing to put the effort in.

What not to do

Before we dive in, we’ll first clarify the small business ideas that are not worth trying, because AI can do them more efficiently.

But don’t let that make your heart sink, because the bottom line is this shift with AI assisting us will put a growing emphasis on business ideas that rely on human-centered skills, creativity, nuance, and emotional intelligence. Basically, the fun stuff.

These are the services going the way of the dinosaur:

• Basic Bookkeeping — AI accounting tools can handle tasks like invoice management, expense tracking, and even tax filing. But there will still be demand for companies that have more complex needs.
  
  
• Data Entry — data extraction, entry, and organization and now be automated. This was a mind-numbingly dull activity anyway, much more suited to machines. 
  
  
• Entry Level Copywriting — AI can do a better job at writing blogs than those lazy hacks that earned a living writing waffle, as well as beginners who don’t have experience or skill. But creativity, expertise, a more human word-flow that people resonate with, and a unique point of view are all things that will continue to be in high demand. In fact more so as the internet fills up with generic AI driven continent.
  
  So if you have a passion for writing and want to turn it into a business, be sure to take courses and get lots of practice to gain experience. And above all, be authentic in your writing style. AI can be a great help for saving time on research, but only a skilled writer can turn that info into something original and lively.

• Basic Graphic Design — design tools like Canva, Midjourney, and Adobe’s AI suite let users to create logos, social media posts and much more. As with writing, if you want to be a graphic designer now, you’ll need to become very skilled and experienced, super creative and original.
  
  
• Customer Support — chatbots can handle many customer support roles now, especially common questions. That said, there will still be a demand for human services to handle more nuanced issues and provide a warmer experience, for companies willing to pay a little more.
  
  
• Translation — translation tools are rapidly improving. Although complex translations and nuanced cultural adaptations are still best done by humans. Time will tell if this changes.
  
  
• Market Research — AI can sift through vast amounts of data to provide market insights, consumer trends, and competitive analysis. Qualitative research using 1-2-1 interviews will still be needed, but not by the average small business.
  
  
• App & Website Testing — automated testing tools and AI-driven quality assurance software can handle many aspects of product testing, especially for simpler platforms. Small businesses specializing in testing services will find it challenging to compete.

These businesses listed are being phased out in their basic, mechanistic form. But this is not to say that if you take the time to find a niche angle, or have more complex skills, that you can’t still find a way to make them work. 

After all, many people are still happy to pay more for artisan, hand-crafted products, or services that have the personal touch. So don’t be intimidated by AI, there will always be a place for genuine, caring, creative, innovative businesses in most sectors. 

Best business ideas for solopreneurs

Most people don’t have a big nest egg set aside so they can drop everything and fully focus on starting a new business, as well as hiring full-time employees. It’s often the case that you’ll need to keep your usual job, but begin building a separate revenue on the side.

It may also be the case that you’re not sure whether you’re cut out to be your own boss, taking all that responsibility on board and dealing with lots of new challenges. 

That’s why we’ve put together a list of small business ideas that let you dip your toe in to start building leadership skills. These options also offer flexible working hours, and are easily accessible i.e. you don’t need lots of money, or a steep learning curve with learning new skills.

If you enjoy one of these avenues, it can be fairly easily turned into a full-time business, that has the potential for major growth. So let’s dive in, to see what floats your boat:

Virtual Assistant (VA)

Multi-tasking is a myth. These days businesses and entrepreneurs are realizing the need for help with a variety of tasks, like scheduling, email management, and customer support. These things seem small, but added together they easily eat up too much time, so it’s best to outsource them.

Some entrepreneurs are also looking to outsource things like graphic design and social media management, but without paying for full time personnel.

All of these factors mean virtual assistants are in high demand, and not replaceable by AI, because you need the human touch to navigate them well. If you have a knack for organization, becoming a VA could be the perfect fit.

Tips for success:

• Skills & Niche — by becoming a specialist, you could charge more. But in any case, you may have a number of skills that you do in your daily life which people are looking for help with. You could also easily get skills by watching free YouTube videos.
  
  
• Online Presence — showcase your VA skills in a portfolio, then make sure it gets seen with a dedicated LinkedIn profile. Ask friends for your first client testimonials.
  
  
• Job Platforms — Upwork, Fiverr, and Indeed are just some of the platforms people use to find VAs. Do your research and register with them. Facebook groups and LinkedIn can also be helpful for networking.
  
  
• Efficient Workflows — VAs often manage multiple clients, so you’ll want to create organized workflows using tools like Trello, Asana, or Google Workspace.
  
  
• Certification — there are online platforms which offer certifications. While this is entirely optional, it could be good to boost your portfolio and builds trust, especially at the beginning when you don’t have many client testimonials.

What to charge:

You’ll want to settle on a fee that’s competitive, but pays the market rate for your level of skills and experience. It’s a good idea to charge hourly for one-offs, but also offer package rates to encourage long-term customers.

VA rates can vary widely based on your experience, location, and services. But these are the typical market rates:

• Entry-Level — $10 to $20 per hour. You offer basic admin tasks, like email management and scheduling.
  
  
• Intermediate — $20 to $40 per hour. You have some experience in specific areas, like basic bookkeeping, social media management, or customer service.
  
  
• Experienced/ Specialized — $40 to $75 per hour. You’re skilled in niche areas like advanced bookkeeping, digital marketing, project management, or technical support.
  
  
• Executive-Level/ Highly Specialized — $75 to $100+ per hour. You’re experienced at  supporting high-level executives, or have expertise in complex tasks like business consulting, content strategy, or advanced SEO.

Here’s a free web class to get some more insider information from an experienced VA, and there’s lots more on YouTube.

In summary, being a VA offers lots of flexibility and diverse opportunities, but you’ll need to be strong on self-motivation, client management, and financial planning to juggle jobs.

Dropshipping & Print On Demand

Both drop shipping and print on demand involve setting set up an eCommerce platform, and partnering with suppliers who handle the product inventory and shipping for you. That means you only have to worry about having an appealing site, and the marketing to drive people towards it.

Drop shipping is about reselling ready-made products under your own brand. With print on demand, you’ll create your own visual designs, that the PoD company will then add to whatever merchandise people choose to buy, from cups to clothing. You can even use PoD to sell your own books. 

Tips for success:

• Find Your Niche —  the key to success is finding a niche that has a passionate fanbase, because if you go too broad with what you sell, you’ll never be able to compete with big name brands. To find your niche, ask yourself what you enjoy, because enthusiasm is contagious, and will also give you a better understanding of your audience.
  
  That said, avoid extremely saturated and competitive areas, like tech gadgets or mainstream fashion. You’ll never be able to compete with large brands.
  
  Use platforms like Google Trends, Statista or Trend Hunter to see what people are searching for. Once you chose your niche, make sure your branding and marketing is built around that theme.
  
  
• Streamline — a common mistake that drop shipping newbies make is listing too many products. It’s a much better strategy to start small with 5 to 10 products, so you can iron out all the creases and make sure customers have a good experience. 
  Once these are selling well, with no major shipping problems, expand into complementary products to encourage higher value orders.
  
  
• Reliable Suppliers — your chosen suppliers can make or break your business. A supplier may have cheap and appealing products, but if they’re constantly making your customers angry with poor quality or unreliable shipping, there’s no point.
  
  Platforms like AliExpress show supplier ratings based on feedback and order history. You’ll also want to look for suppliers with a long track record of satisfied buyers.
  
  Next, order some samples from suppliers to check the quality and delivery speed your customers will be experiencing.
  You may want to use platforms like SaleHoo and Doba, which vet suppliers for reliability before listing them. While these directories may come with membership fees, it could save you a lot of headaches in the long run.
  
  
• Product Display — it will boost your sales immensely if your product listing descriptions are clear and useful. Likewise with having appealing product images that show people exactly what they’re getting.
  
  So instead of copy-pasting supplier descriptions that are sketchy and may be used on multiple websites, take the time to create unique product descriptions that focus on customer benefits and solving their pain points. Also include the specs, like measurements. This will save you a lot of hassle with returns.
  
  Also use clear, high-resolution images that show different angles and details of each product.This significantly boosts sales.
  
  Another tip tip is to build social proof. People increasingly rely on customer feedback and ratings when deciding on purchases. User-generated content (UGC) boosts conversions. See the Tools & guides section below for help with getting more five start reviews.
  
   
• Personal Touch — try to work with suppliers who allow you to use custom packaging or insert thank-you notes. This professionalism and care will make your brand more memorable to customers.
  
  
• Industry Know-How — to learn more about drop shipping, subscribe to newsletters from platforms like eCommerceFuel and Oberlo. There are also dropshipping communities on Facebook and Reddit where you can ask questions. 
  
  For print on demand, sign up for newsletters from the Top 3 most popular platforms, which are Gelato, Printify, and Printful. 

Check out the Tools & guides section at the end of this article, to learn more about creating a great website and getting the word out.

Affiliate Marketing

As an affiliate, you’ll promote the products or services of companies that run programs that pay commissions for every sale your website sends their way.

As with drop shipping and print on demand, affiliate marketing is about building an appealing platform and sending people (traffic) to it with effective marketing. You can do this by writing quality articles, making YouTube videos, using social media channels, or a combo of these three.

Affiliate marketing has the benefit of low startup costs and your time is entirely your own, but to make it profitable you’ll need to consistency spend time driving traffic to your sales pages.

Tips for success:

• Target High Ticket — the most well paying niches are:Software, High-End Electronics & Tech, Finance, Luxury Travel, Real Estate, Online Courses & Certifications, Health, and Luxury Vehicles.
  
  
• Go Niche — to stand out from a sea of noise, it’s best to tailor your content to specific buyer personas. For example, instead of a heading like ‘Great project management tools’, get more targeted with something like ’Best project management tools for small marketing agencies’.
  
  
• Practice Discernment — you don’t want to spend time and advertising budget only to get a poor return on investment. Before signing up to a program, carefully look at the commission structure, cookie duration (how long you’ll be credited with a sale after a customer clicks on your link), and payout thresholds (minimum amount of commission you’ll need to earn before the affiliate company pays you), and recurring commissions (where you continue getting paid as long as the customer remains a subscriber).
  
  High-ticket does not just mean the initial commission, often they are big earners because they offer recurring commissions, and or longer cookie durations (60 to 90 days).
  
  
• Build Trust — the most successful affiliates chose their niche because they’re interested in it, so they become experts. Because you’re asking people to part with more money, to sell high-ticket items you’ll need to come across as a trusted expert in what you’re recommending. Make sure to create high quality content, and display testimonials. See the Tools section fro help with social proof.
  
  
• Evergreen — closely related to building trust, evergreen means content that doesn’t get dated and keeps delivering a good return. The beauty of quality affiliate content is that once it’s created, it will continue to gain value because people will share it which will tell the search engines that it’s worth ranking higher in search results.
  
  For this reason you’ll want to update your articles as new, relevant information comes in, or date articles clearly in the heading and do a new version each year.
  
  
• Focus on SEO — make sure your content is both high quality for more views, and has the most relevant keywords that people are searching for, will get you ranking higher in search results. This organic traffic will also lower your ad spend. See the Tools section to make SEO easy.

Earning expectations:

The income you earn from affiliate marketing will depend on your chosen niche, marketing strategy, and experience. Here’s a general breakdown:

• Beginner — it takes time to build a credible reputation, so don’t expect to earn a lot from the get go. In the first year, typical earnings are around $100 to $1,000 per month. 
  
  
• Intermediate — once you gain experience and build a loyal audience, you can earn $1,000 to $10,000 per month. On the higher end, you’ll need a strong email list, be good at social media marketing, have an SEO-optimized website, and know which affiliate programs to target.
  
  
• Professional — top-tier affiliates, usually those with large audiences or expertise in high-ticket niches, can make over $10,000 per month. Some even earn six or seven figures annually, by expanding across multiple niches, and continuously optimizing conversions.

In general, an affiliate commission is considered ‘good’ when you get a strong return relative to the effort you put in, and don’t have huge competition in that niche. Here are some commission guidelines:

• Physical Products  — between 1-10% (average), and 10-20%+ (good)
  
  
• Digital Products — between 20-30% (average), and 30-50%+ (good)
  
  
• Subscription-Based — between 10-20% one-time or 5-10% recurring (average), and 30-50% one-time or 20-30% recurring (good)
  
  
• High-Ticket Items — between $50-500 flat or 5-10% (average), and $500-1,500+ flat or 10-20% (good)
  
  
• Financial Services — between $25-100 per lead (average), and $100-1,000+ per lead  (good)
  
  
• Travel & Hospitality — between 2-5% of booking price (average), and 5-10% of booking price (good).

Steps to find high ticket programs:

If high ticket products and services were as abundant as low hanging fruit on trees, everyone would be making bundles on money. Finding these lucrative affiliate programs involves a mix of targeted research, networking, and gaining experience in evaluating potential for high commissions. 

1. Preference — do some initial research to see which high ticket niches you find most interesting. Why spend most of your time promoting stuff that bores you?
   
   
2. Direct Search — do an online search for affiliate programs in your target niche. Include keywords like ‘high ticket affiliate programs’ and ‘best [niche] affiliate programs’. You’ll also find bloggers that post updated lists of programs, saving you time.
   
   
3. Affiliate Lists & Networks — these are platforms that act as middlemen, they do the research to find and list a range of affiliate programs, including high-ticket options. Some popular networks for you to explore are: CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction), ClickBank, Rakuten, and ShareASale.
   
   
4. Brand Search — get more targeted by searching for high ticket industry brand names, with related keywords. So for example if you’ve decided you want to promote luxury goods, you’d search for something like ‘luxury watch affiliate program’.
   
   Many software and SaaS companies offer high-ticket affiliate programs that have a recurring revenue model as long as the referred customer continues their subscription Examples are: HubSpot, ClickFunnels, SEMrush, and Shopify.
   
   
   Communities & Forums — online affiliate groups are great places to discover high-ticket programs that affiliates are already using successfully. Plus you’ll get lots of insider tips. Examples are: AffiliateFix, Warrior Forum, and Facebook groups.
   
   
5. Direct Contact — especially if you’ve chosen a specific niche, try reaching out to leading companies in that sector to see if they’re be interested in a partnership. This is more for experienced affiliates, who can entice companies by demonstrating they already have a large audience. 

Handmade Retail

For creative people, selling handmade products like art, jewelry, art, or crafts can be both fulfilling and profitable. It’s also easier than ever before, with platforms like Etsy giving you a ready-made audience.

The global handicrafts market reached $830 billion in 2023, and is expected to reach
$1,864 billion by 2032. There are a couple of reasons for this growing popularity:

• Demand — people are increasingly keen on artisanal products that have authenticity and uniqueness. It’s more special to buy something that someone has taken time and care over, instead of mass-produced items. It may also be that this is the counterbalance to the rise in AI, there’s a new appreciation for human connection and creativity. 
  
  
• Sustainability — there's a growing consumer demand for more sustainable, eco-friendly products that don’t harm the planet through mass production.
  
  
• Reach — more eCommerce platforms are popping up to met the demand, offering creatives access to a large global audience.
  
  
• Support — with governments looking to become more sustainable, they’re launching initiatives that promote local craftsmanship through grants, training, and exhibitions.

Once you build up a good amount of stock, and take appealing photos to showcase each item to its fullest, go ahead and sign up to Etsy and other artisan platforms, and away you go.

If your business takes off, you could scale up by spending more on marketing to reach a wider audience, and hire people to help you make more stock.

Online Tutoring & Language Coaching

If you’re skilled at a specific subject or language, this is a flexible, low-cost business that you can do either part-time or full-time to see if you like it.

Use platforms like Wyzant or iTalki to connect with students when you’re starting out, then if it’s working for you, create a website and start marketing it as your own branded business.

Tips for success:

• Specialization & Positioning — as with most successful small businesses, it’s key to carve out a niche to stand out from the crowd. So, instead of offering generalized language coaching, target specific demographics or needs, like ‘Conversational Mandarin for Business Professionals’.
  
  That way you can also charge higher fees, as well as rank higher in search results that would otherwise see you hidden by bigger, more established companies.
  
  
• Client-Centered Programs — customers in this sector are looking for flexibility around their lifestyle, so you’ll want to create modules with different levels of commitment, like one-offs, packages of 5 to10 sessions, and ongoing monthly subscriptions.

By doing this, clients can increase their investment of time and money as they grow more comfortable. Use tools like Google Classroom or Moodle to help you create these types of programs. Also offer free on-demand resources, like recorded sessions and email support, so people feel they’re getting good value.

What to charge:

Hourly rates can range from $20 to $100+ per hour, depending on your experience, skills, and specialization. Monthly subscriptions are popular, as many clients understand that consistent progress is the way forward. These tend to be priced between $200 and $800 per month, depending on frequency and session duration.

It’s also a good idea to add discounted packages to your offering, like 5 sessions at $45/hour instead of the standard $50. Industry rates for packages vary from $200 ato $500 for 5 to 10 sessions.

Essential Services 

Last but definitely not least, there will always be demand for hands-on businesses, like building, cleaning, repairs, and plumbing. These services may not be glamorous, but they will always be high value, because everyone needs them.  

If you’re willing to put in the work to create a professional service and grow a loyal client base, you could build a team and even end up franchising. For those who like to work with their hands and enjoy solving problems, this could be a fulfilling and profitable business idea.

Top Two future-proof industries

Unsure about what business industry to choose that will be in high demand over the long run? These are your best bet – retailing eco-friendly products, and health coaching. 

These two sectors will continue to boom, because they’re grounded in sustainability, technology integration, location flexibility, and health. In other words, they’re always going to be very popular because they match the trends of human evolution.

Eco-Friendly eCommerce

As environmental consciousness becomes increasingly important to people around the world, consumers are looking for sustainable alternatives for every type of product.

A 2024 research report showed that 85% of people polled are shifting toward eco-friendly choices, and 60% said they’re willing to pay a premium for sustainable products.

Tips for success:

• Demand — start with one category, like sustainable kitchenware, and expand into other areas based on customer feedback. See the Tools & guides section below for help with understanding what people want.
  
  
• Targeting — ‘eco-friendly products’ is much too broad a category for newbies to stand out. So first identify a specific type of audience and win their loyalty. For example, are they eco-conscious millennials and Gen Z, or families that want to reduce waste, or businesses looking to have a greener footprint?
  
  
• Supplier Relationships — take time to find suppliers that operate smoothly, and ideally have quality products that are not to be found everywhere. Look to build long term relationships with them.
  
  Also search for brands that have responsibly sourced materials, fair labor practices, and sustainable production methods. All of these factors will add to your brand appeal.
  
  
• Trust — eco-conscious people tend to do their research; they’re happy to pay more for quality products they can trust. So look for products that have certification credibility, like Fair Trade, B Corp, USDA Organic, and Cruelty-Free.
  
  
• Subscriptions — curated monthly boxes of sustainable products are a good idea, as they introduce customers to new items and give you recurring revenue.
  
  
• Branding — use earthy tones, simple design, and minimal packaging for a sustainable  look and feel.
  
  
• Packaging — eco-friendly consumers won’t be happy if they see lots of plastic use. Try as much as possible to minimize waste, by using recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable materials for shipping. It’s also a good idea to add a note to the parcel explaining your choice of eco-friendly packaging for added appeal.
  
  
• Marketing — focus on building an engaged community around people’s love of ethical consumerism. Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are great for showcasing pictures of your products. Also share stories about your suppliers, and give your followers sustainability tips. Be sure to encourage feedback from your customers.

Collaborate with influencers and Green brands to help your reach a wider audience. Another idea to raise your profile and build credibility is to donate a percentage of sales to eco projects like reforestation, or local clean-up efforts.

• Loyalty Program — by rewarding repeat customers, friend referrals, and refills (if applicable), you’ll build connection. You could offer discounts, gifts, exclusive products, or charitable donations in their name.
  
  
• Pricing Strategy — since sustainable products often cost more to produce, explain this to customers, and describe how their purchase supports positive change.
  
  
• Adaptability — keep your ear to the ground for new changes and innovations in the sustainability sector, so you can educate your customers and update your product lines.
  
  The most successful eco businesses also regularly ask their customers for feedback on what they want, and refine their products accordingly.
  
  
• Community Reach — once you’re making steady revenue from online sales, consider doing a market stall or pop-up: This gives you the opportunity to build relationships with customers, and hear their feedback. Plus many people like to feel and test products before they buy them, so this would be good for a more high end product line. 

Check out the Tools & guides section at the end of this article, to learn more about creating a great website and getting the word out.

Niche ideas:

As mentioned, it’s best to start off with a niche product line and build a reputation for quality, before adding more products. Here are some niche ideas to help you stand out from the crowd: 

• Reusable Household Items — goods like eco-friendly kitchenware, reusable bags, bamboo utensils, and glass storage containers are becoming very popular.
  
  
• Sustainable Fashion — clothing made from organic cotton, recycled fibers, and natural dyes is growing in popularity, not only to support less chemical pollution, but also for health.
  
  Thrifting is also growing in popularity, with the secondhand clothing market growing by 12% per year, and on track to reach $350 billion by 2028. If you have a good eye and like to hunt around for bargains, this can be a profitable business.
  
  
• Eco-Friendly Beauty — increasingly, women are looking for beauty without guilt, through makeup that is zero-waste or has biodegradable packaging. Women are also becoming more educated about the toxic chemicals in many traditional brands, so the demand for organic makeup and personal care items is booming.
  
  
• Green Cleaning — people are increasingly keen on plant-based, non-toxic items with refillable containers to maintain their homes.
  
  
• Zero-Waste Kits —  these packages of reusable or biodegradable alternatives to everyday items are very on trend, to reduce plastic and chemical pollution. Personal care kits would include bamboo toothbrushes, compostable floss, metal razors, and shampoo bars.
  
  A go-kit example would be the combination of mug, stainless steel water bottle and straw, large tote bag, reusable cutlery in a pouch, and one or two silicone storge bags.
  
  
• Babies & Kids — what mother doesn’t want earth-loving, non-toxic products for their little ones? From organic cotton baby clothes and reusable diapers, to eco-friendly toys and biodegradable wipes, parents are willing to invest in their children’s health and future.
  
  
• Pets — as people cotton onto non-toxic and eco-friendly products for themselves and their children, they want the same for their fur babies. Examples are compostable dog waste bags, pet toys made from recycled materials, organic pet shampoos, and organic pet foods.
  
  
• Home Decor —  think reclaimed wood, recycled metal, or repurposed glass. This is a niche for creative people who think outside the box, like furniture made from upcycled pallets, candle holders from repurposed wine bottles, or artwork created with recycled materials.
  
  
• Travel — you could combine a blog about traveling with a shop that sells products like biodegradable toiletries, refillable bottles, reusable utensils, and sustainable luggage made from recycled materials.
  
  Then there’s eco-conscious campers, looking for reusable fire-starters, biodegradable soaps, bamboo camping utensils, and sleeping bags made from recycled materials.
  
  
• Gardening Kits —  another on trend idea is catering to urban gardeners who want simple ways to grow their own pesticide-free food, with organic seed kits, compostable pots, and eco-friendly fertilizers. Kits could focus on specific themes, like herb gardens, pollinator-friendly plants, or vegetables for small spaces.
  
  
• Office Supplies  — recycled paper notebooks, bamboo pens, biodegradable packing tape, and refillable markers would appeal to earth loving companies.
  
  
• Yoga Gear — many people are happy to pay a premium for natural rubber or cork yoga mats, eco-friendly blocks, and organic cotton straps.
  
  
• Jewelry — who knew vintage would become even more trendy? People are also keen on jewelry made from recycled metals, and ethically sourced gemstones to avoid supporting mining practices that harm the environment.
  
  
• Craft Kits — another kit idea is to offer plastic-free items for crafting hobbyists. Think natural, organic, and biodegradable materials, like chemical-free dye kits for fabrics, compostable modeling clay, and stainless steel knitting needles.

Online health & wellness coaching

This market is projected to reach approximately $17.37 billion in 2024, with a continued expected annual growth rate of 8.91%.

Services include mental health support, nutrition coaching, fitness guidance, chronic illness management, and lifestyle optimisation. general wellness. People are enjoying adaptable solutions for their wellness needs. 

There are a number of reasons for this surge of popularity:

• Advancement of technology, such as virtual group programs, wellness app integrations, and digital health tools that track sleep, glucose levels, and a variety of other health markers.
  
  
• Increasing awareness of how the medicine and pharmaceutical industries tend to focus on profit instead of making people healthy.
  
  
• Growing interest in a more holistic approach to health, since the current system of specialization and over medication has only worsened rates of chronic illness in America over the past twenty years, rather than improving it.
  
  
• Rise in demand for more personalized, affordable, and flexible health solutions.
  
  
• Increasing focus on prevention, and quality of life as people age.

Many people who have gone through difficult life experiences and come out stronger on the other side are turning their knowledge into lucrative coaching businesses that help people experiencing similar challenges.

Tips for success:

• Clarify Your Niche — as with most small businesses, to stand out from the crowd and compete with large brands, it’s important to identify and hone your area of treatment, with a supporting brand story surrounding it. Also do extensive research to under stand your audience types and their pain points.
  
  
• Certification — these will give you more credibility, especially when you’re just starting out and don’t have patient testimonials. See the section below this for options.
  
  
• Online Presence & Marketing — in this industry, it’s particularly important for you to establish yourself as a leader by publishing helpful free content, like blogs and YouTube videos. See the Tools & guides section for a dedicated guide on how to market your business and build a website that appeals to people.
  
  
• Coaching Framework — define a step-by-step process so people clearly understand what they’re paying for. For example, patients book a free 121 call for an initial assessment, a second call for goal setting, then get a tailored plan to achieve those goals, plus regular progress reviews.
  
  If applicable, you could also use digital tools like MyFitnessPal, Trainerize, or Wellness Living to manage and track each client’s progress.
  
  
• Flexible Options — offer a range of packages to suit different budgets, like premium 1-2-1 sessions using Zoom or similar platforms, group coaching, and self-paced resources like online courses and eBooks.
  
  
• Community Building —  this is key. Your customer retention will be much, much higher if people feel a sense of belonging and ongoing support from your platform. To do this, regularly post and reply on social media, create helpful free content, and host live group calls.
  
  
• Legalities — be sure to research other people in your industry to understand how to provide a clear and strong client agreement form that customers sign before starting one of your programs. This clarifies expectations for your customers, and protects you against legal liabilities.
  
  To learn more about legal compliance, read:  How to Legally Protect Your Health Coaching Business.
  
  
• Strategic Partnerships — look for a good fit with other wellness or healthcare professionals, for cross-referrals and joint workshops. For example, a mental health coach could team up with a nutritionist to more comprehensively tackle stress-related eating habits.
  
  
• Loyalty Programs — encourage longer term subscriptions and bulk bookings with discount packages. Incentivise client referrals with free sessions.
  
  
• Keep In Contact — build relationships with your patients by sending them wellness check-in emails, newsletters, discounts, and exclusive invites to online events.

Niche ideas:

• Mental Health —  popular areas include anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, mindfulness, and resilience.
  
  
• Chronic Disease —  conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular health. You could focus on lifestyle changes, and symptom management.
  
  
• Nutrition — there’s a major rise in demand for nutrition advice as a natural, less expensive, and less risky way to tackle chronic health conditions. Nutrition for sustainable weight management is also very popular.
  
  
• Fitness — popular coaching specialisms include setting and maintaining exercise goals, strength training, and mobility improvement.
  
  
• Women's Health & Hormonal Wellness —  areas like prenatal and postnatal coaching, balancing hormones, menopause management, and reproductive health are rapidly growing niches.
  
  
• Stress & Burnout —  there is rising awareness of the need for work-life balance, stress management, and burnout prevention coaching amongst professionals.
  
  
• Sleep Coaching — modern life is fuelling this mainstream problem. You could focus on sleep techniques, or sleep disorders.
  
  
• Digital Detox —  this emerging niche focuses on managing screen time, reducing digital overload, and promoting healthier tech habits.

Certification options:

Accreditations can boost your credibility with potential customers. These programs also give you insights on how to come across professionally.

Here are some of the most popular certification companies to have a look at:

• ACE Fitness— recognized globally, this program focuses on behavior change science, nutrition, and fitness integration.
  
  
• Integrative Nutrition — they offer a holistic program covering nutrition, lifestyle, and coaching psychology. Perfect for those interested in mind-body wellness.
  
  
• NASM — a good choice for those looking to integrate wellness coaching with fitness training.
  
  
• Precision Nutrition — a science-based program focusing on nutrition and behavior change.
  
  
• NBHWC — considered by many to be gold standard certification for its rigor and evidence-based approach to behavior change science as well as motivational interviewing techniques. This would be a good one if you’re looking for a corporate client base.
  
  
• Dr. Sears Wellness Institute — this program focuses on family and child health, including seniors, and pregnancy.
  
  
• Wellcoaches — their approach integrates health, wellness, and life coaching, offering growth and transformation for both you and your clients.
  
  
• Holistic Coach Academy — for those looking to integrate emotional, spiritual, and physical health in their coaching.

Guides & tools to make things easier

To learn more about how get customers for your new business, read: Need-to-know marketing strategies for small business startups.

And if you’re feeling a bit daunted by starting a new business, here are some affordable tools that do most of the heavy lifting for you. They’re designed to simplify things:

• Not sure what to call your business? Use the free, Business Name Generator. Ideally get a matching website domain.
  
  
• Want a stand-out logo but not great at design? The free Logo Maker let’s you create something great, no experience needed.
  
  
• Wondering what website platform to choose? Site Maker gets you up and running in minutes, with a free trial.
  
  But if you want a more advanced website for eCommerce, we recommend Managed Wordpress, where you get the most popular platform in the world with a variety of plugins to customise and scale, but without the security hassles. Also check out their EasyWP Blog for lots of plain-speak, useful guidance.
  
  
• If you want protection against cybercrime so there’s no risk of your website going offline, SiteLock is hands-free and affordable. It also gives you a real-time Trust Badge to show customers they’re safe spending money on your platform.
  
  
• For a range of easy design tools so you don’t need to pay an expert, check out the Visual suite. From fonts and images to business cards, they have you covered.
  
  
• To monitor what people are saying about your brand online, and see what your competitors are up to, RelateRadar is a handy tool.
  
  
• Want to get more customers on social media? Check out RelateSocial, which even writes posts and let’s you auto-schedule them to go out whenever you choose.
  
  
• Need help with getting positive reviews to build trust in your brand? RelateReviews puts all customer feedback in one Dashboard so you’re always on to of your brand reputation, and also creates fast customer replies.
  
  
• RelateSEO gets rid of the usual complexity and guesswork, so your website gets found online. It gives you a personalized list of optimization tasks, and walks you through them with step-by-step guides.
  
  
• Are you nervous of paid ads because of the risk of losing large sums of money? RelateAds writes your advertising content, while giving you both flexibility and transparency in how much you spend.
  
  
• Do you want to setup a physical store or office? RelateLocal gives you an all-in-one toolkit to bring foot traffic through your doors, from online business directory listings to  tracking your competition.
  
  
• Cyber Insurance keeps your covered if your business suffers IT infrastructure breakdown, systems failure, unpreventable cyber attacks, and liability costs.
  
  
• When you’re ready to establish your business for the long run, you can get a free LLC, with none of the usual bureaucratic hassles that usually go with business formation.  

If you want more of a steer on the right tools for you, including a short Quiz that offers recommendations based on what stage your business is at, check out the Build & Grow Hub.

Wrap up

Many people dream of building their own business, but never get started because it’s a big commitment. They’re not sure what direction to go in.

In this guide, we’ve done our best to remove this obstacle, with a comprehensive list of the most in-demand ideas. These have also been chosen because they’re accessible, you can try them out around your other responsibilities, to see if it’s a good fit before spending larger amounts of money.

We’ve also explored the two ost in-demand industrie, with no slowing down in sight. You can’t go wrong with creating a website selling eco-friendly products, because who doesn’t want to show love for our planet? Or, if you’re a people person, there’s never going to be a loss of interest in services that help us feel well, so we can live our best life.

Both industries hold the potential for both a highly profitable business, and a meaningful one that makes the world a better place.

Lastly, if you think it’s all doom and gloom with AI taking jobs, our main takeaway is to understand that it can never replace human warmth, originality, and creativity. So if you focus on these strengths, there will always be a space for you to offer value.

Frequently asked questions

What are some easy small business ideas?

No-matter how much influencers hype up ‘easy business ideas that give you a six figure income fast’, the fact is if this were true, there would be no world poverty. Any successful business is going to take discipline, commitment, and consistency.
Even if you start a dog walking business, there will still be days when the weather is bad or an unco-operative dog, or various other challenges. And you will still need to find ways to market your business to find customers, no matter how simple your business is.

That said, the easiest business will involve something you’re interested in or have skill in. Basing a business around this will give you the most potential for success. Have a look at the options in this article to see which idea is a good fit. 

What are the best startup business ideas?

This guide has been designed to give you the best business ideas, with high demand in the marketplace, both now and in the future. We’ve also made sure these ideas are accessible to everyone, so you can try them out around your current job. Take a look at the options listed above to see which idea will be the optimal fit for your individual tastes

What side-hustles pay the most?

This question is impossible to answer, because it all depends on your individual circumstances, like your experience, skills, and how much time you’ll have to dedicate to your business.

Any business, whether a side-hustle or a full time, will give back what you put in. Anyone selling a get-rich-quick scheme is not being genuine.

Also know that any business takes time to get off the ground, unless you have a large existing fanbase who would instantly want to buy what you’re selling. It takes time to build trust and establish yourself in the market.

How to create a successful small business?

The success of a business ultimately comes down to your marketing, because that’s what brings in customers. This guide walks you through the know-how: Need-to-know marketing strategies for small business startups.

Another key factor is to use tools that will simplify your marketing and do much of the heavy lifting for you. For help with this, check out the Build & Grow Hub.

What to sell as a small business?

If you’re looking for ideas on what you could sell if you become a business owner, the two most in-demand industries are wellness and sustainability. Within these two main categories, the possibilities are endless, from heath supplements to organic cosmetics.

This article covers a range of options to help you narrow down your choices. Be sure to start with one or two products that you specialize in, rather than trying to cover too big a range. This will help you stand out, and you can add new products to your range once you build a customer base.

What is digital health and wellness?

This simply means selling health and wellness products or services online, from a website and YouTube information, to paid ads on social media and Google.

What is telehealth?

Telehealth is an umbrella term for the use of electronic technologies to offer health care services remotely. It can include: 

• Teleconsultations – receive advice from specialists online or over the phone.
  
  
• Remote patient monitoring (RPM) – patients collect and transmit their data to health professionals 
  
  
• Health-related education – patients and professionals receiving health-related education 
  
  
• Health administration – collecting and storing health data on servers.

How to use telehealth?

This generally involves either buying a wearable health device that transmits your information, and/or setting up a call with a health specialist. A call would generally involve you making a booking on their website, and the practitioner sending you a link for the call at the agreed time.