Since the beginning days of the tech boom, there has been a steady movement toward businesses operating from home. Because of this massive shift in thinking, there is no shortage of home-based business ideas to choose from.
Along with the technology came the introduction of companies like Upwork and Freelancer.com, making it easier than ever to offer services to small and large businesses looking for supplemental workers. And if you are into physical products there’s opportunity there too. Alibaba, Amazon, and other logistic companies have completely changed the game for small businesses.
There are also a host of different online tools to help start your business efficiently from home. Anything from the basic setup of your company, to complex Customer Relationship Management (CRM) can be easily found at affordable prices.
Related: Best LLC Formation Services
Table of Contents
Technology Business Ideas
Software Developer
How much do they make: $72,790
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Ummm… we know this one’s a no brainer, but it’s an amazing way to earn money these days from home.
Just take a trip over to Upwork.com, create an account, and you can get a small look into what some freelance developers are making. If you have the skillset, this is definitely one of the top home-based business ideas you can come up with.
This is especially friendly to working from home since the pandemic forced so many companies to move to this model.
All you need is a computer, some programming skills, and a good internet connection to do this job.
Related: Best home-based franchise
Website Designer
How much they make: $74,222
Education: Associate’s degree
This one has been around for a long time, and because of that, there’s no shortage of competition. But they are still needed, especially if you have experience with some of the larger Content Management Systems (CMS).
If you are a great WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, or Magento developer with the experience to prove it, this is a great home-based business idea.
Most business people just don’t have the experience to create or update websites on their own. But at the same time, they are a requirement for doing business. Even most CMS’s are something the average Joe doesn’t have the time to understand.
So if you’re a great designer with some coding skills and a comfy spot at home, then you might have found your new office.
Cyber-Security Consultant
How much they make:
Education: Bachelor’s degree: $120,000
This one has huge demand, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Any home-based business ideas you have that involve cyber-security have the chance to be lucrative.
Unless you’ve been living in a box, you’ve heard of the many high-profile security breaches that have occurred over the last few years. Those breaches have created a panic environment with businesses trying to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to them.
The cost of dealing with these problems is so high, that investing in great experts on the front-end makes all the sense.
Also, keep in mind the growing trend for people to attend cybersecurity bootcamps rather than a traditional university degree. That means your path to earning money with this career could be much shorter. A BootCamp is only going to take 4-6 months on average to complete and have you ready for an entry-level position.
Mobile Developer
How much they make: $92,974
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Everyone wants an app these days, and that’s why this skill set will net you great hourly rates. Mobile developers are needed across every industry in today’s world, so you won’t have any problems with demand.
It’s also a great home-based business idea because you really just need a computer and internet connection.
If you’re just starting out, chances are more likely you’ll need to spend some time in the office learning the ropes. But if you’re an experienced mobile developer, you’re the perfect candidate for a permanent or freelance work-from-home scenario.
Marketing Business Ideas
Content Writer
If you did great in your writing classes in school, you may find those skills are in high demand. Businesses are starting to realize the importance of delivering high quality content on their websites. And they understand that search engines like Google are rewarding for it with higher search rankings. Creating unique quality content is something many companies are willing to pay a premium for and can easily be done from home.
Copy Editor
The other end of content writer is the editor. If have a lot of experience in the area of writing or journalism, and can prove your talents, editor might be a job for you. Companies who produce great content, typically have a great editor making sure that’s what comes out of the newsroom so-to-speak.
Search Engine Optimization
So writing and editing are one thing, but making sure it is optimized for search engines is a little different. There’s a science, and an entire industry that is driven by rankings on search engines. Entire companies are devoted to this science, and companies can pay big bucks for their services. Those who don’t have the coin to pay a large SEO company will always be on the lookout for a good freelancer.
Social Media Consultant
If social media is your niche, it can be a great home based business. No question that social media is an important aspect of most companies branding and advertising efforts. At the same time, it doesn’t always require a full time resource on staff for the amount of work required. For that reason, a savvy social media consultant can add significant value to many businesses. In today’s world, even if a business isn’t using social media, they no doubt are aware of its potential. That can make it an easier business case to sell when trying to close the deal.
Marketing Consultant
We talked about SEO earlier, and while this can be part of a marketing consultants job, there’s a much larger opportunity. Obviously marketing encompasses much more than just the online nature of a business. If you have experience getting brands out there in different forums such as billboards or TV, there’s work out there for you.
Blogger
This one seems to be the poster child for home based business ideas over the last fifteen years. If you just love to write, and have a passion, or point of view on a topic, then blogging might be for you. Let’s not dance around the fact that this one is a difficult way to generate money with alone. Most bloggers who can make enough money this way, took years before the blog was self sufficient. That said, it’s something that can be started on the side, and easily done based from home. If you do this with the intention of making it a money making enterprise, become well versed in how to make money from a blog.
Email Marketer
If you haven’t noticed, there are a lot of different marketing opportunities out there. Email marketing has been, and still is a huge thing for companies. Great marketing organizations have realized email is one of the best ways to get access to their customers quickly and directly. If you’re just starting out, you’ll realize quickly that it’s much less costly to keep an existing customer than get a new one. E-mail marketing allows businesses to communicate things like new products and discounts. This can quickly lead to sales, and increased bottom line numbers, meaning companies will pay for the expertise.
Content Marketer
Ok, this is the last one… promise. Content marketing is what you get when you marry a great SEO professional, with a great writer. We discussed the importance of quality of content, and this is a content marketers specialty. Not only that, but they can help companies understand where best to position this content for maximum returns. Companies know their conversion rates will drive the success of online sales initiatives. Because of this fact, a good content marketer is very valuable to many businesses.
Financial Business Ideas
Accounting
Every good company should have a good accountant, and that’s why there is a robust market for independent accountants. Most small businesses can’t afford to have a full time account on staff. Hence, most will end up hiring out those services, and having just a handful of good clients could net some good income.
Quickbooks Advisor
Yep, this one can be separate from an account. Most people looking for a Quickbooks advisor will probably prefer you have an accounting degree, but it’s not absolutely necessary. At the end of the day, Quickbooks is a very powerful piece of software that allow companies to handle virtually all accounting transactions. Many companies, both small and large use it, and having someone who understands its inner workings is critical.
Tax Professional
Most of us hate taxes, so you if you’re one of the few who does not, take advantage. Obviously this one has most of its demand at certain times of year. But if you are good at what you do, and can work for businesses as well as individuals, this can work out great for you.
Creative Business Ideas
Graphic Designer
This is another one that gets a lot of attention on the freelance websites. A lot of companies these days have a need for graphic designers. Whether it be for their website designs, or product packaging, there’s no shortage of things a graphic designer can help with in most businesses.
Photographer
Have you paid a photographer lately? If so, you know there’s money to be made in this business. As far as home based business ideas go, this is one of the best. The amount couples pay for wedding and other event photos these days is incredible. And while some clients are looking for a studio shot with their family, many are comfortable with outdoor photos, or other locations that don’t require much overhead. And a great photographer who can capture the moment with a great photo is something people are willing to pay for.
Professional Services Business Ideas
Attorney
When you think attorney, you think about someone in suit and tie at a big office building. Sure, that’s true for most, but it is possible to this job from home. In fact, many small businesses and individuals can’t afford high priced law firms. By getting your name out there as an attorney with good expertise at decent prices, you can land a good chunk of business from your home office.
Project Manager
Project managers are often very well aligned to a business that is based out of the home. In today’s world of remote teams scattered across the globe, location is less important. Especially project managers with a lot of experience and/or professional certifications such as a PMP are going to be in high demand. And with Skype and other visual meeting technologies out there, you can essentially meet with team members in person if need as well.
Contracting Business Ideas
Management Consultant
This one takes a lot of experience in whatever type of business it is you mean to consult. That said, there are countless home based independent management consultants out there making a lot of money. Now, because of the high pay, it’s pretty frequent for your clients to want to see you every now and again. That’s understandable, so be prepared to do a fair amount of traveling with most management consulting jobs. This probably isn’t news to most of you who are considering this one, so we’ll just stop there.
Data Analyst
Call all dorks (just kidding)… but if you love numbers, excel spreadsheets, and pivot tables, then we are talking to you. Data is one of the biggest money makers in business at the moment. Companies not only want consumers data, but they need to turn in into actionable information. An experienced data analyst can be worth their weight in gold by helping a company target potential customers.
Researcher
If you have a background in academia, or some other business that required a lot of research, there is some opportunity out there. Companies need research done for all manner of things, and with the right experience you might turn this into a money making gig.
Real Estate Agent
One of the oldest, and best ways to run a business from your home is in the real estate business. Not only can this job be very flexible, it can also be very lucrative. Now, most great realtors will tell you it’s no cake walk. The reality is the majority of realtors don’t make a ton of money. Often that’s because it’s just a way for someone to pick up some extra cash. But if you commit yourself to the job and put in the hours, there is some serious money to be made.
Customer Service Representative (CSR)
When’s the last time you called a company for customer service. We all know it’s impossible to figure out where they are physically located. Yes, these days many are located overseas, but many big brands still employ large CSR organizations here in the United States. And in an effort to reduce those costs, many have all or some of those employees working from home.
Dog Walking
Pet ownership stats are through the roof with about 60.2 million dog owners in the United States according to the Insurance Information Institute. As with the Home Daycare, the increase in families with both parents at work during the day, is driving an increased need for dog walkers. It’s not uncommon for those same families to also request overnight, and other special visits earning even more money.
Education Business Ideas
Online Educator
A very large market for online education of all kinds has developed over the last few years. Sometimes these materials are delivered live via video, and sometimes with set presentation of materials. In either case, an expert is needed to create or deliver that material. If you have a lot of knowledge in a particular field, or a background in education, you can probably find work as an online educator.
Tutor
The world of education for our kids before and during college is ultra-competitive these days. If kids aren’t stressing out about grades to get into college, their stressing about the SAT, ACT, LSAT, and many others. All these pressures leave students and their parents willing to pay large sums to tutors for assistance. If you have an expertise in a certain subject you can absolutely find paying customers. And if you happen to be a wiz kid at one of the many college admittance tests, well, there is a serious market for you talents.
Grant Writer
There are grants all over the place, for any manner of work, research, or products. In fact, many organizations may have grants available to them, but are completely unaware. But even if they do know about a grant, having the time to sit down and write out the application is often too burdensome. Some larger organizations may even have a full-time grant writer on staff. Smaller organizations, however, are likely to look for outside help, and depending on the size of the grant, may be willing to pay well for assistance.
Home Daycare
There are some hoops to jump through in getting set up for this type of business. That said, if you love kids, it may be just what you’re looking for, and there’s no shortage of demand. With the increase in number of families with multiple parents working, that trends isn’t changing. This is also a great idea if you have kids of your own, and want to earn some money while staying at home.
Products Business Ideas
Dropshipper
This one is first because we have direct experience in this industry. Dropshipping has become a very popular model as the ease of setting up E-commerce sites has become easier. This can be a good way to earn some side income, and can be a very effective part of a larger company. That said, be aware that running a successful business solely with this method can be tricky because margins can be low. Profit margins are critical to most small businesses. Because of this, make sure you fully understand your costs and the pricing you can get based on current competition in the marketplace.
Clothing/Furniture/Home Goods Maker
Think Etsy! This site is on the favorites list of a lot of people. That’s because when you can’t find something at your favorite retail store, sites like Etsy often have what you need. And if you have the skills to actually hand-craft something, you are even more valuable. Go take a quick look through some of the businesses, and you realize that many home based businesses are making good money using these marketplaces.
The Bottom Line
There are more opportunities out there than ever to start your own business. And because of technology, the number of home based business ideas is at an all-time high. Keep in mind if you are planning to start a business, they all will take and extraordinary amount of time. There really is no get rich quick business out there, but if you put in the time, these businesses all have the ability to provide a good income.
