40 Easy Business Ideas for Beginners to Start from Home

Last Updated on November 2, 2022 by HR Editorial Team

Are you tired of working for someone else? Are you ready to start a much more varied, interesting and challenging life that allows you to follow your passion? Are you self-motivated, organised and good at working independently? It sounds like it might be time to start your own business! Even though the idea of going out on your own may seem intimidating at first, it’s not necessarily as hard as it sounds. It’s just a matter of choosing the right concept – one that you care about and one that employs a skill set that you enjoy. Read on to get inspired by forty easy startup business ideas.

1. Selling Your Photos Online

If you spend every spare minute thinking about close-ups and contemplating composition, then why not make a living by selling your images online? Turn your hobby into your dream job. Even though there was a time when only professional photographers could consider making financial gain from their art, the Internet has changed all that.

These days, there are platforms for everyone – from hobbyists to pros – to showcase their work, develop their own clientele and make money. These include microsites where you sell each image as a digital file, making a small profit from each download, like Shutterstock and Fotofolia, and sites where you can sell photographic prints, such as Etsy and Red Bubble. If you opt for the former, you can run a small business selling photos wherever there’s an Internet connection. For the latter, you’ll need facilities for the creation of prints – either at home or in an office.

Learn more: Selling Your Photos Online

2. Starting a Youtube channel to Make Money

Making money on YouTube is one way of turning your passion, talent or excellent filmmaking skills into a business. Whether you’re a musician with a song that you want to share, a dancer who longs to spend all day developing new routines, a comedian with the power to make the world laugh or a keen documenter of life on the streets, you can turn your idea into a reality via online video.

Drawing attention on YouTube might seem like an incredibly difficult task, but it’s not as hard as it looks. The trick is to know what kind of content to make, how to make it and what to do with it. Plus, one of the amazing advantages of starting your own YouTube business is that you don’t even have to leave your lounge room. All you need is a camera and an Internet connection.

Learn more: Start a YouTube Channel and Make Money

3. Start a Transcription Services Business

For anyone who’s quick at typing, passionate about attention to detail and self-motivated, a transcription services business can provide a flexible way of making money. There’s an abundance of demand for transcription, particularly in the medical field. If you already have years of experience behind you and feel confident that you would be able to access a broad client base, you can get started straight away.

If you’re new to the field, qualifications can be gained quickly and easily – either online or at a local community college. Running a transcription business gives you the freedom to work your own hours, decide on your own employment conditions and negotiate pay rates on a job-by-job basis. Most transcription businesses are run from a particular office, but, as long as you can access a quiet space, a set of headphones and a reliable computer, you can work anywhere.

Learn more: Start a Translation Business

4. Start a Proofreading Business

For those who love the English language, a proofreading business is an excellent idea. It is all about ensuring correct use of grammar, spelling and punctuation, and assisting clients to express themselves as clearly, logically or poetically as possible – depending on the job. In fact, one of proofreading’s major attractions is that it offers so much variety. One day, you might be working on an academic journal article; the next you might be reading a brand new fantasy novel from an aspiring author.

Going out on your own gives you the flexibility to choose which tasks to take on and which not to – you can even decide to become an expert in a particular area and build up clientele accordingly. Plus, if you have writing projects of your own on the boil, it’s the perfect way to supplement your income. You can proofread from anywhere – be it your lounge room or your local cafe.

Learn more: Start a Proofreading Business

5. Start a Party Supplies and Costume Rental Business

One of the most appealing aspects of starting up a party supplies and costume rentals business is that it’s one sure-fire way of injecting a steady stream of fun into your life. When you spend every day helping people to make parties happen, you’re engaging with plenty of positive energy and excitement. It’s the perfect job for anyone who’s passionate about socialising, meeting new people and delivering excellent customer service.

What’s more, it’s highly likely that there’ll be no shortage of work. The ‘party industry’ is worth billions and billions of dollars. That’s mainly because people just love putting on special events – be they birthdays, anniversaries or farewells – and spending money on them. You can run your own party supplies and costume rental business either online or via a shop – the only necessity is that, wherever you are, you’ll need plenty of space to store stock!

Learn more: Start a Party Supply Business

6. Start a Graphic Design Business

Running your own graphic design business offers flexible hours and the opportunity to negotiate working conditions according to your own needs and lifestyle. Rather than having to turn up to a nine to five job and do whatever you’re asked to do, you have the freedom to choose between assignments and work for clients who appeal to you.

What’s more, you can use your creativity to design every aspect of your business according to your vision – from your website to your office (if you have one, that is!). It also gives you the chance to focus on a particular field – rather than having to design for an engineering company one day and a government body the next, you can source all your clients from one area, such as music or education. A graphic design business can be run from anywhere with an Internet connection, as long as you have a sufficiently powerful computer and an appropriate variety of software.

Learn more: Start a Graphic Design Business

7. Start a Data Recovery Business

For IT experts, starting a data recovery business is an exciting prospect. One of its most rewarding aspects is that you get to deliver much-needed assistance to people who really need it. After all, losing data can be incredibly traumatic – for some businesses, it spells absolute disaster. It’s also a challenging and varied job, which enables you to meet people in a variety of circumstances and across a range of industries.

You can choose whether you want to focus on domestic jobs or invest in the equipment and training necessary to working in the commercial sector. Once you’ve built up an extensive clientele and developed a reputation for reliability and excellence, you’ll be able to pick and choose between jobs and follow a flexible schedule to suit your lifestyle. To run a data recovery business, you’ll need a vehicle so that you can make your way to your clients’ homes and commercial premises, as well as appropriate equipment. Whether you work from home or in an office is up to you.

8. Make Money Blogging

If you love to write, then making money from your blog is one of the best ways to make a living. You get to write about the topics that interest and excite you – be they travel or food or fashion – and don’t have to take time off to work a day job. It’s also the ultimate in flexibility. Successful bloggers boast about sleeping in, working from bed and not having to get out of their pyjamas until they’re absolutely ready to!

What’s more, writing your own blog enables complete creative expression. Rather than having to answer to an editor’s demands or the rules of a particular publication, you can come up with content that you’re passionate about. You can blog from pretty much anywhere in the world – be it a ferry in the middle of Sydney Harbour, a penthouse in Paris or a café in downtown Rome. All you need is a good mind, an Internet connection and a way with words.

9. Starting a Wedding Videography Business

Becoming a wedding videographer can be a lot of fun. Basically, you get to spend your professional life at parties where people are energetic, positive and excited. You also get to engage with the challenge of turning one of the most important events in someone’s life into a visual souvenir that they’ll be happy to watch over and over again.

If you’re a videographer who’s passionate about pursuing your own creative ideas, starting a wedding business can be an excellent way of earning some money while avoiding taking on the commitment of a day job. In fact, most weddings happen on the weekend, which means that you’ll have time during the week for art. To make a wedding videography business successful, you’ll need a vehicle so that you can travel freely, as well as the space and equipment necessary to editing – either at home or, if you choose, in an office or studio.

10. Starting a Wedding Planning Business

Are you super-organised? Do you love starting with an idea, turning it into a concept and transforming it into a reality? Are you an excellent communicator? Wedding planning might be the perfect occupation for you and what better way to do it than by starting your own business? That way, you’ll have creative control – from go to woah! You can decide how to build positive relationships with clients, how to choose your favourite partners (from florists to caterers to musicians) and how to market your business.

Rather than having to sacrifice your own ideas for a boss, you’ll be in charge of what happens, every step of the way. You also get to enjoy the satisfaction of having helped people to create the event of their dreams – one that they might have been thinking about for years and years. You can easily run a wedding planning business from home, though do keep in mind that you’ll need access to appropriate meeting places, be they stylish cafes or sophisticated restaurants.

11. Sell Handmade Items on Etsy

If you’re a creative type, who loves nothing more than painting, drawing, sculpting or sewing, one way of making your passion financially viable is by setting up an Etsy account. You’ll be able to reach millions of potential customers who are visiting the site specifically because they’re interested in independent artists and handcrafted goods.

So half the battle will be done for you already! Because you have direct contact with your clients, there are opportunities to build long-lasting relationships and, thereby, develop a loyal fan base for your work. It is easy to create a link between your Etsy page and other promotional sites, such as social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, so you can expand your online presence more quickly.

You can sell handmade items on Etsy anywhere in the world – as long as you have the equipment and resources to create according to your clients’ orders.

12. Start a Resume Writing Business

Do you have a way with words? Are you a good communicator? Are you savvy when it comes to knowing what employers might be looking for? Have you thought about starting a resume writing business? If you have excellent English skills, it’s a great way of putting them to good use.

You’ll be helping people who aren’t necessarily sure of how to sell themselves to employers to find their dream jobs, so it’s incredibly rewarding. You can decide whether you want to work in a particular niche, such as arts careers or new job seekers, or you can take a broader approach and meet people from all walks of life. It’s really easy to get started – all you need is some low cost equipment and a large dose of self-motivation. You can run your business wherever there’s an Internet connection.

13. Start a Wedding Favor Business

If you’re a creative ‘people person’, selling wedding favors is an excellent small business idea. Unlike other industries, the financial viability of which tend to ebb and flow depending on the economic climate, the wedding industry is always in fashion. In fact, the average Australian wedding costs around $36,000. So, once you’ve established a loyal client base, you’re likely to have a steady stream of work. It’s also the perfect job for anyone who enjoys meeting people, playing a part in the organisation of special events and bringing a touch of creativity to their job.

What’s more, it’s an occupation that offers plenty of flexibility – you can decide whether you want to focus on a particular theme or niche market that interests you or take a more general approach. A wedding favor business can be run online, from a home office or through a bricks and mortar shop front.

14. Start a Candy Buffet Business

For people who love socialising and experimenting with food, starting a candy buffet business is an appealing option. It’s all about bringing some extra magic to special events, including birthdays, wedding and charity parties, by delivering what everybody loves – candy. You can tailor your business to appeal to a niche market, be it high-end private gatherings or childrens’ picnics, or take a more general approach.

It’s merely a matter of determining what you’re most passionate about. Getting started requires only a small amount of investment – wholesale candy is available for reasonable prices and you can use second-hand equipment if you’re short on cash. A candy buffet business can be run online or you can consider establishing a shop front. You will need a vehicle so that you can reach venues with ease and convenience.

15. Start a Gourmet Popcorn Business

Do you love coming up with new culinary ideas and sharing them with the world? Are you excited about the prospect of a varied, flexible occupation that will enable you to travel and work in a range of contexts? A gourmet popcorn business could well be the right move for you. First up, it’s one of the most fun jobs in the world. You get to come up with exciting flavours and ideas for selling a product that’s already popular.

Plus you get to decide exactly how you want to run your business. You can work entirely online, selling your products to individuals and retail outlets (just as long as you can access a commercial kitchen to create your products), or you can purchase a mobile cooking machine, enabling you to visit markets and festivals, or you can set up shop in a small, low-rent kiosk.

16. Start a Cupcake Business

If your ideal way of spending a rainy day is hanging inside the kitchen, near the warm oven, whipping up a baking storm, then running a cupcake business should be right up your alley. First of all, you get to turn one of your favourite hobbies into an occupation, meaning that you’ll be able to do it all day long – and get paid! Second, you get to exercise your creative powers to come up with cupcakes that are original, unusual and, hopefully, popular!

Third, you spend most of your time making people happy – whether you’re selling them something special for morning tea or creating a cupcake mountain that’ll serve as the centrepiece for their wedding or birthday party. You can run a cupcake business from home, as long as your oven is big enough to meet demand, hire some space in a commercial kitchen or you set up your very own shop front.

17. Start a Frozen Yoghurt Business

To take advantage of a trend that’s been clocking up loads of sales in recent years, think about starting a frozen yoghurt business. You’ll get to enjoy the feeling that you’re encouraging healthy eating habits; work in a fun environment, where the focus is on bringing pleasure to people; and contribute to a sense of community.

It’s a pleasurable occupation to which you can bring creative flair – whether you establish your own boutique style shop or take on the selling power and appeal of a well-known, well-respected franchise.

You’ll get the chance to plan and execute novel business activities, such as giveaways and special events, and meet people from all walks of life. A frozen yoghurt business can be run as a mobile operation, from a van or truck, or set up in a bricks and mortar shop front. It depends on what kind of lifestyle suits you best.

18. Start a Gourmet Ice Cream Business

Running a gourmet ice cream business enables you to combine a flexible lifestyle with a passion for good food. It’s also an opportunity to bring some serious fun into your working day. Ice cream makes pretty much everyone happy, so making a living out of it is a good way to guarantee some positive experiences in your regular schedule!

It also offers the kind of flexibility that other businesses don’t. You can choose to operate your own gourmet ice cream van, travelling from one market, street fair or festival to another; you can focus on acting as a supplier to restaurants and cafes where premium products are appreciated; or you can set up your very own shop. It depends on how much money you want to invest and, ultimately, on how you want to live.

19. Start a Herb Garden Business

If you love getting your hands dirty and have a talent for gardening, think about starting a herb garden business. Why spend every day stuck behind an office desk, slaving for the boss, when you could be outside, where you want to be, doing what you love to do? You’ll get the chance to experiment with various gardening and culinary techniques, from growing organics to drying out herbs to making teas, while encouraging people to buy fresh, local produce. So it’s a win all-round!

Getting started requires minimal investment – all you’ll need is a patch of earth where you can grow your herbs and a place to sell them. You can adopt a sales method to suit your lifestyle – whether you want to take the flexible, mobile approach and travel from one farmers’ market to another, or run your business online from your backyard.

20. Start an Indoor Inflatable Business

Running an indoor inflatable business is possibly one of the most enjoyable jobs on the planet. After all, it’s all about having fun: your entire mission is to give people a good time. There’s nothing quite like putting a smile on children’s faces – and giving their parents a break (!) – every single day.

You can run your business just how you’d like to, whether that involves setting up a few small bouncing castles in one room, or establishing an enormous, multi-roomed inflatable complex, where kids can jump, slide and throw themselves about to their heart’s content.

You also get to enjoy becoming an important part of your community and getting to know local families on a first-name basis. To run a successful indoor inflatables business, you’ll need access to appropriate premises offering ease of access and complying with safety regulations, as well as a comprehensive insurance plan.

21. Start an Indoor Soccer Business

Are you passionate about sport? Are you enthusiastic about promoting fitness, teamwork and good health? Are you organised, self-motivated and interested in taking on new challenges? Running an indoor soccer provides an opportunity to become a key player in your local community by encouraging people to exercise and develop new skills.

You can tailor your enterprise to meet your particular interests and lifestyle – whether you want to offer lessons with specialised coaches, run district or regional tournaments where teams can compete in a positive environment, provide a space for local schools to send their students or hire out your facilities for casual matches and social events.

To run an indoor soccer business, you’ll need to be able to rent or purchase premises that are sufficiently big, well-equipped and located in a convenient area, where it won’t be difficult to attract a steady stream of clients.

22. Start a Paintball Business Indoors

Of all the alternative sports available in the US, paintball is the third most popular. Through a study conducted in 2006, American Sports Data discovered that more than ten million people played it at least once and that nearly two million played it more than fifteen times during the year.

So, if you’re looking for a startup with a ready-made clientele, an indoor paintball business is an excellent idea. It’s suitable to anyone who’s passionate about sport and good at communicating with people. Unlike other sports-related businesses, which can be seasonal, indoor paintball offers year-round profits, as well as opportunities to make extra money through merchandising and hospitality.

To get started, you’ll need to be able to access the money and resources necessary to setting up. You’ll require a space that’s appropriately located to attract a steady stream of customers and big enough to house sufficient facilities – at least two fields, as well as storage space and so on.

23. Start an Indoor Golf Business

If golf is your favourite sport, but you haven’t quite managed to make a living on the professional circuit, another way of turning it into an occupation is by opening an indoor golf business. Every day, you’ll get to watch people in action, improving their skills and having fun along the way.

It’s a job suited to a people person who’s passionate about facilitating positive, healthy social interaction. By opting for an indoor business model, you’ll avoid the ups and downs (and potential profit loss) of unpredictable weather patterns, as well as be open to opportunities like hosting parties and nighttime golf sessions. Running your own business gives you the chance to design your facility according to your creative vision and target the market in which you’re most interested.

To get started, you’ll need access to a facility that’s appropriately located to your potential client base, and the money necessary to setting up.

24. Start an Indoor Fish Farming Business

A fish farming business enables you to promote environmentally friendly farming techniques while providing people with local, healthy, chemical-free food. More and more people are opting to farm inside. Rather than having to face the pests, pollution and unpredictable conditions associated with the outdoors, farmers can now use sophisticated technologies to create an ideal breeding environment.

This translates to a steady supply of healthy, nutritious fish. So once you’ve established a regular clientele, you’ll never have to disappoint them. You also have the choice of breeding either freshwater species or saltwater species, and if the prospect of running an entire farm is intimidating, you have the option of starting off small and gradually building up your output. To start an indoor fish farm, you’ll need a space where you can control temperature and light levels, and some basic equipment.

25. Start a Babysitting Business

Do you love children? Do you have a talent for building great relationships with them? Are you looking for a job that offers flexible hours, plenty of human contact and a lot of fun? Why not start your very own baby sitting business? For people who’ve never run their own enterprise before, babysitting is an excellent option because it’s easy to get into action. The chances are that you know someone with a child who could do with some help, so your first job probably isn’t too far away.

You can choose how much and when you want to work, which children you will and won’t take on and how to spend your time – whether that’s reading books with your little customers, taking them for walks or hanging out at the playground. You can run a babysitting business from home – all you need is an online presence and fliers and business cards to spread the word.

26. Start a Tutoring Business

If you’re a high-achieving university student looking for an enjoyable, stimulating job, or an experienced teacher interested in career diversification, a tutoring business is the way to go. Rather than having to work within the confines of the traditional education system, you can teach on your own terms, developing close working relationships with students and determining your hours according to what suits you. You’ll have the freedom to take on as much work as you can handle (or as little as you like!) and to pick and choose between clients.

You can focus on the subject with which you’re best acquainted or diversify and employ other tutors to share the load. What’s more, a tutoring business can be run in your own home, by travelling from one student’s house to another or at commercial premises, such as an office space or rented room – it’s up to you.

27. Start a Florist Business

Are you a creative type who loves working with people and expressing yourself artistically? Can you imagine yourself surrounded by beautiful flowers all day, every day, spending every minute arranging them into beautiful creations? Have you thought about starting a florist? One of the loveliest aspects of running a florist is that its primary concern is to bring happiness and/or emotional support to people.

Whether you’re taking care of a grieving family by arranging flowers for a funeral or dealing with an excited bride, discussing her dream wedding, you get the chance to develop important relationships with your clients. Rather than following the boss’s rules, you can organise your business according to your own vision, while enjoying the challenge of making it stand out from the crowd. To run a florist, you’ll need an accessible storage facility, where flowers can be stored, as well as a sales avenue – be it online, at a market stall or at a retail outlet.

28. Start a Fishing Charter Business

So, you’re an expert fisher person who dreams of spending all day out in the open air, rather than stuck behind a desk working for ‘the man’. Have you thought about making a big life change and starting your very own fishing charter business? It might sound like nothing more than a dream, but, with some passion and persistence, there’s every chance you’ll be able to turn it into a viable reality. Running a fishing charter business gives you the opportunity to spend all day every day out at sea, while making a decent income and sharing your enthusiasm with other people.

It’s also a great excuse to buy a beautiful boat that you’ll be able to enjoy maintaining and using for years and years. To run a fishing charter business, you’ll need considerable experience in fishing and driving a boat, as well as the resources to invest in a large, reliable watercraft.

29. Start a Landscape Business

Starting a landscape business is simple. All you need is a sturdy set of tools, a willingness to work and a terrific imagination. It needn’t cost you much at all. Of course, as you become more and more successful, you’ll have the option of branching out, taking on bigger assignments and investing in more sophisticated equipment. If you love being outdoors and bringing your creative powers to the resources provided by nature, it’s the perfect job.

What’s more, it presents the opportunity for plenty of variety and adventure. You might find yourself working in a pensioner’s cottage garden one day and on a vast acreage the next. You get to take on the challenge of continually developing your skills and the pleasure of seeing people enjoying their new surroundings. You can run a landscaping business from home, building up business via the Internet and word-of-mouth, though you will need a vehicle to reach out-of-the-way clients.

30. Start a Green Cleaning Business

There’s never been a better time to start a green cleaning business. With the media full of talk about the dangers of harsh chemicals and the need to take much better care of our natural surroundings, more and more people are looking for green options in every area of their lives – from cleaning to eating. By starting a green cleaning business, you’ll be tapping into a rapidly growing market, at the same time embracing a new movement towards healthy living. You’ll be able to feel good about contributing to a happier, healthier and, ultimately, longer lasting world.

Going out on your own gives you plenty of flexibility and variety. You can pick and choose which clients you work with, when and where, and organise your hours to suit your lifestyle. To get a green cleaning business into action, you’ll need some basic equipment and some high-quality products that have proven to be efficacious. You can run your business online, as long as you have a vehicle to travel from one client to another.

31. Start a Handyman Business

If you’re an all-round clever type who knows how to fix a tap, mow a lawn to the point of perfection, mend a broken chair and touch up a paint job, you should consider turning your versatility into an enterprise. Given that tradespeople have become increasingly expensive, more and more people are turning to handy people for a cheaper alternative. So it’s a great time to go into business. One of its most attractive aspects is that it offers so much variety.

One day you might find yourself fixing up every single problem in a one-hundred year old house, the next you might be repairing antique furniture for an eccentric, obsessive collector. When you’re your own boss, you can choose when, where and with whom you work. You can run a handyman business from home, but you will need appropriate tools and a reliable vehicle.

32. Start an Upholstery Cleaning Business

High quality upholstery cleaning services are always in demand. The average family home must cope with a constant barrage of attacks on the furniture – from clumsy, tomato sauce-covered hands to party disasters – and an urgent response is often necessary. So if you’re looking to start a business that has every chance of proving lucrative down the track, upholstery cleaning is a good choice. It’s suitable to anyone who’s not afraid of hard work, maintaining excellent standards and impressing clients with outstanding customer service.

Once you’ve established yourself, you’ll be able to enjoy the luxury of organising your working hours to best suit your lifestyle. You can run an upholstery cleaning business from home, using your website as a point of contact, but you will need high quality equipment and a vehicle on which you can rely, or you can establish a shop front.

33. Start a Plumbing Business

Are you an experienced plumber? Are you self-motivated, organised and a good leader? Do you like the idea of building up your very own clientele, based on your reliability and outstanding performance? How about starting a plumbing business?

The demand for plumbing certainly won’t be decreasing anytime soon, so now could be a very good time to go out on your own. Once you’ve done the ground work and created a strong reputation, you’ll be able to choose which clients to work with, and, in the long run, employ others to do all the hard work.

You can decide whether you work only in the residential sector, or delve into the commercial side of things, too – it’s really a matter of what size projects you want to embrace and how much responsibility you’d like to take on. You can run a plumbing business from home, as long as you have a reliable vehicle, or you can opt to set up in a commercial shop front.

34. Start a Kids’ Entertainment Business

Working in kids’ entertainment is one of the most enjoyable jobs in the world! In fact, it’s not even like working. It’s more like having ridiculous amounts of fun and getting paid for it. If you’ve got a talent in an area that might appeal to children – be it dancing, acting, playing music, telling stories, drawing or being an all-round goof – you should definitely consider it.

Moreover, if you take your art seriously but aren’t able to live off it full-time, running a kids’ entertainment business is an excellent way of earning an income without having to resort to a more tedious job. You get to meet people from all walks of life and enjoy an immense amount of variety every day – whether you’re heading into a school or turning up at a five year old’s fancy dress party.

You can run a kids’ entertainment business from home, as long as you’re happy to travel from venue to venue, or you can work out of a shop front.

35. Start an App Development Business

One of the biggest draw cards of the app development business is that, if you manage to create a ‘must-have’ app, you’ll make loads of money in no time. It’s a bit like writing a best selling novel or producing a hit single. So it’s an excellent prospect if you’re a tech expert who loves experimenting with new concepts and putting them into action.

That said, it’s not all about having a big breakthrough. You can also develop a successful app development business by coming up with a steady stream of reliable apps and gradually attracting a loyal following. Being in the app business gives you the chance to focus on your own unique ideas and spend plenty of time developing them to perfection. It’s an incredibly rewarding and challenging industry. You can work from home (or anywhere!), as long as you have a good computer and an Internet connection.

36. Start an Interior Design Business

Running your own interior design business certainly falls into the ‘dream job’ category. If you’re an arty type who’s experienced and qualified in design, then it makes perfect sense. Rather than having to follow the instructions laid down by a boss with whom you may not see eye-to-eye, you’ll be able to follow your own rules, presenting your very own artistic vision to each and every one of your clients.

You’ll also have the opportunity to become an expert in a particular aspect or type of interior design – be it contemporary offices, inner city studios or magnificent mansions – and become prominent in a niche market. You can run your own interior design business from either your own home or an office. It’s highly likely you’ll need a vehicle to access clients’ properties with ease.

37. Start a Warehouse Gym

Are you a fitness freak? Do you wish that you could turn your work out routine into your daily occupation? Would you like to encourage others to exercise more often and develop healthy habits? Have you thought about starting your very own warehouse gym? This startup gives you the chance to create a fitness and leisure business that represents your vision.

You can choose your favourite pieces of equipment, decide what kind of classes to hold and set the tone – whether you want your gym to be a place for pros or a centre for boot camp training. To get started, you’ll need a warehouse located in a convenient spot, and the money to invest in necessary equipment. Don’t forget, though, that you can start off fairly small and build up your business as you go.

38. Start an Online Pet Business

Do you know everything there is to know about cats, dogs and goldfish? Are you looking for a lucrative way to put your knowledge to good use? How about starting up your very own online pet business? You’ll get to spend every waking hour thinking, living and breathing pets!

You can decide exactly how you want to tailor your business – whether you want to provide high-quality, handpicked pet supplies to a niche market, or provide a range of services, such as pet-sitting. The great thing about going online is that you can organise your time and the scope of your business according to your lifestyle.

To run a successful online pet enterprise, you’ll need a space to store supplies, and an Internet connection. You can do it from home or choose to set up in an office space.

39. Start an Online Arts and Crafts Supplies Store

An online arts and crafts supplies store can prove to be a rather profitable business. If you source your products intelligently and strategically, you’ll be able to acquire them at affordable prices and then add considerable markups. But what’s even more important than that is, if you’re an art lover, you’ll be spending every day doing something you love.

You’ll get the chance to build up a loyal clientele of artists and craftspeople, while providing them with specially handpicked products. You can run your business however you wish – whether that means appealing to a niche market, such as expensive oil paints or premium quality water colours – or providing affordable items to students.

It’s possible to run an arts and crafts supplies store from home, as long as you have adequate storage space.

40. Start a Website Design and Development Business

Are you an expert in all things related to website design? Are you confident that you know how to set up incredible websites and develop them so that browsers will want to stop and check out their content?

Do you have a bunch of design techniques and secrets that will help your business to stand out from the rest? A website design and development business could be your next move. Giving that the number of websites is growing every day, it’s a burgeoning industry. If you play your cards right and do a great job, you should never be short of work.

To run a successful website design and development business, you’ll need plenty of knowledge and experience and a reliable Internet connection. One of its most appealing aspects is that you can do it from anywhere – the comfort of your lounge room or your local café!

Now that you’ve read through these forty ideas, are you feeling inspired? Are you just about ready to quit your job and jump into the exciting adventure of running your very own business, where you get to set the rules and the working hours?

Before taking the plunge, make sure that you’re well prepared! You’ll need to know exactly what steps to take to make your business a success, and perhaps some money behind you (or at least in reserve) so that you can get by in the short term. That said, there’s no point in putting it off any longer. There’s no time like the present.