Starting a small business is more accessible today than ever, thanks to the evolving digital landscape and several low-cost tools that make $100 business ideas ideal for you to start your entrepreneurial journey in 2024.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for 99.9% of all U.S. businesses, highlighting their crucial role in the economy.
More so, trends in remote work (32.6 million Americans will work remotely by 2025) and freelancing (freelancers contributed $1.27 trillion to the US economy last year) have opened up new opportunities for budding entrepreneurs.
Here are 23 $100 business ideas you can explore to find what works for you.
1. Affiliate Marketing
Online shopping is a big deal now; hence, businesses seek affiliates to drive traffic and sales. The companies offering these opportunities also benefit from paying only for results (sales or leads).
You can drive traffic and generate affiliate commissions by focusing on a specific niche.
2. Airbnb Host
You must have noticed a continuous demand for travel accommodations if you live in a tourist-heavy area. Even in regular urban centers, there is always a constant demand for accommodation.
For this, you can offer your home or a room as a more affordable lodging option than traditional hotels.
3. Blogging
The advantage of blogging is that there are several opportunities to generate revenue. These include ads, sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, selling digital products, etc.
More so, there is a proliferation of poor-quality content in several niches; many people could use more highly informative sources on topics such as lifestyle, fashion, finance, health, etc.
4. Catering
What if you turned your existing kitchen into a catering service?
Endless demand exists in catering for events, parties, corporate functions, weddings, etc. Not to mention the growing need for catering to specialized diets, such as vegan, gluten-free, athletes, etc.
The market is ripe for specialized services, and with a modest investment in catering skills, ingredients, and marketing, you can start serving clients quickly.
5. Computer Repair and Maintenance
Even though computers are everywhere nowadays, many people need more knowledge or confidence to troubleshoot even the most common computer problems.
By acquiring technical expertise to fix and maintain computers, you can gain an edge by offering friends and family to help restore their computers.
There are many free online resources for learning basic computer repairs.
6. Concert/Show Promotion
Show business is significant, and much of this connects entertainers (artists, comedians, actors, and other celebrities) with audiences and generates excitement for events.
You can begin by promoting local, small-scale events through social media, local listings, flyers, knocking on doors, etc.
7. Creating Online Courses and Resources
People seek convenient ways to learn new skills or solve problems in various areas. Specifically, they are looking for easy-to-consume, affordable knowledge on specific topics.
If you have specialized knowledge, consider creating content around your expertise. This may be through an ebook, video courses, blogs, etc.
Many online publishing platforms will allow you to distribute your content for free or charge a small fee for the sales you make.
8. Direct Sales Representative
Many direct sales companies have low or no upfront costs to hand you their kit and undergo the necessary training. And you can quickly get started by reaching potential customers through social media.
9. Freelancing
What’s booming now is the gig economy. There’s a growing trend of businesses outsourcing specific tasks to skilled professionals without the burden of hiring full-time employees.
On your part, this comes with a lot of flexibility and a high income potential. Freelance marketplaces such as Fiverr and Upwork allow you to create a business profile for free and promote your services to potential clients.
10. Laundry Service
In this age of busyness, many individuals and families could use convenience and time-saving solutions like laundry services. This is exceptionally high in demand in urban areas.
Consider offering pick-up and drop-off laundry services if you have a laundry machine. Alternatively, you could partner with local laundromats and cut a good deal.
11. Life Coach/Mentor
There is no shortage of life improvement advice, but many people often need personalized guidance and support for personal and professional development.
If you have experience in a very niche area, this is one of the business ideas you can easily set up as a side hustle or even transform it into your primary job. Offering coaching sessions based on your expertise is the way to go.
12. Menu Planning
Food is a vital topic. And indeed, many people would like healthier, more nutritious meals. They may need specialized diet planning.
Otherwise, someone may need more budget-friendly meals within their income. Busy individuals and families too often need help with meal planning.
Even if you are not an expert in this area, it doesn’t take much time to learn everything you need concerning nutrition to start offering professional services to clients.
13. Personal Concierge
This person functions like a personal assistant, helping with errands, scheduling, and various lifestyle tasks for busy individuals. It involves many running around, but services are also tailored to specific clients.
You can easily set up a business with excellent organizational skills and earn an income.
14. Personal Trainer
Do you consider yourself very fit? Then, consider offering guidance and motivation to people to achieve their fitness goals.
So many people need more knowledge or motivation to exercise effectively and you can close that gap with this service.
Some online certifications offer basic training knowledge you can get started with. Also, you can prove this service virtually.
15. Pet-sitter
Several pet owners need reliable care for their pets while they are away. And there’s usually a preference for trusted, personalized care over kennels.
You can build trust and experience with clients by offering these services from home or through house visits.
16. Product/App Tester or Reviewer
Feedback and insights are helpful to companies developing products. They often require unbiased user experiences to improve their offerings and refine products before launch.
Getting started with this is relatively easy. You can sign up for websites/apps that connect users with testing opportunities. The more detailed and constructive feedback you can provide, the better.
17. Resume-Writing and Editing
Suppose you have strong writing and editing skills. In that case, consider helping people craft and refine their professional resumes and cover letters to stand out in the competitive job market.
Many people will take whatever opportunity they find to improve their job search prospects. More so, many of these resources are provided online already, especially endless free templates.
18. Social Media Management
Almost everyone is on social media today and has a good understanding of how social media works. Even if you’re not a professional social media manager, you can improve your skills by taking free social media management courses online. They will teach you to develop expertise in creating engaging content, managing online brand presence, community engagement, and campaign management.
19. Translator
If you are bilingual, you are in luck because you can channel your proficiency in multiple languages to take advantage of globalization, which drives the need for accurate and culturally sensitive translations in various industries.
With no significant upfront costs, you can start offering your language skills to businesses and individuals needing translation services, even online.
20. Tutoring
Students need additional support to succeed academically, and there’s a high demand for test preparation and specialized subject tutoring.
To this end, tutoring is a rewarding business that helps students achieve their educational goals. With minimal marketing costs, you can attract clients and positively impact their academic success.
21. Virtual Assistance
As the trend towards remote work grows, virtual assistants provide administrative support services remotely, handling tasks like email management, scheduling, and data entry.
This is a flexible business that supports busy professionals and small businesses. If you don’t know where to start, consider taking a few courses online.
22. Vlogging
Vlogging is a creative way to share your passions and expertise. With free platforms and existing equipment, you can start producing content and building an audience without significant investment.
You can create video content on a specific topic or niche and share it on platforms like YouTube. Opportunities to earn money here come mainly through sponsored ads as your channel grows.
23. Voiceover Artist
Do you have a great voice? Then, consider investing in a quality microphone, put your voice to work, and build a portfolio.
Professional voiceover services are being demanded in e-learning, audiobooks, advertising, video content creation markets, etc.
Of course, there is more to getting started, but you can adapt as you go with flexible classes if you start with local gigs.
Kickstart Your New Venture from this List of $100 Business Ideas
Each of these $100 business ideas addresses specific market needs and leverages current trends. By focusing on low-cost entry points, utilizing free tools and resources, and relying on your skills and network, you can successfully start and grow a small business with just under $100.
Check out resources from the business tools category, and tips from the business insights category to get started.
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