Along with dropshipping, creating digital courses, and a myriad more freelancing options, there are many solo business ventures to try in 2025. That being the case, it’s important to learn how to recognize an opportunity and take that first step to starting your own business.
It’s also essential to apply laser focus to your venture, so that an idea with solid potential that aligns with your skills and passion finds success.
In this article, we go through our top ideas for your next venture, from starting an online business to setting up a small brick-and-mortar concept, and share a few tips on how to get started.
Online business opportunities
Open a dropshipping business
One of the top online business opportunities is dropshipping. Dropshipping is a business model where you sell products created by manufacturers. They handle the production, packaging, and shipping, so you don't have to manage inventory.
You can offer items in a wide range of niches like fashion, beauty, home goods, or pet supplies. It's also possible to focus on a single product if you prefer. Top product categories have included electronics, fashion items, food and beverage products, and DIY hardware.
If you’re interested in starting a dropshipping business, our detailed guide is a good first step.
Buy and flip websites
If you’ve ever visited an underperforming site and thought, “this has so much growth potential,” then you’re not alone. Others have had the same thought and built an actual business model for buying, growing, and selling sites. It’s called “website flipping.”
Despite Shopify Exchange shutting its doors in 2024, there are still many ways to find sites to flip, such as platforms like Empire Flippers and manual searching online or via LLM tools.
After identifying and buying a site, you can improve its earning potential with better SEO/GEO tactics and other marketing strategies. Once the site starts generating more revenue, you can sell it for a profit.
With sites available for as low as $100, this can be a potentially lucrative opportunity for people with limited capital.
Freelance online
Another online business opportunity to consider is freelancing. In freelancing, you use your skills to undertake work for businesses that need your expertise but may not be hiring full-time staff. It’s a great way to bring in extra income or make a living while working from home or in entirely different geographies.
With freelancing, you get to manage your own schedule and work on your terms. Popular freelance specialties include content writing for websites, copywriting for sales materials, proofreading and editing services, strategic consulting, as well as technical skills like web design and app development.
You can also hire freelancers yourself once you have enough business, allowing your personal ventures to scale while picking and choosing the projects that excite you most.
Become an online recruiter
Online recruiting involves matching companies with suitable candidates. If you're good at spotting talent and understanding what employers need, you can create a lucrative service-based business.
Many companies without dedicated human resources or people teams, or in-house recruiters, hire third-party recruitment services or independent agents to save time.
You can use sites like ZipRecruiter, Indeed, and Glassdoor to find candidates that businesses may not have the time or bandwidth to seek out, and connect them with perfect people for their open positions. Plus, there are various job fairs and networking events you can attend to find top talent and expand your candidate pool.
Consult on SEO and GEO
If you know your way around search engine algorithms and can spot trends, you can start an SEO (search engine optimization) consultancy business.
As an SEO consultant, you'll advise clients on improving their search rankings through keyword research, content optimizations, and other creative, data-driven solutions. Two places to start learning the SEO ropes are Ahrefs and Semrush, tools that you’ll use often as an SEO consultant.
Keep in mind that algorithms change often, so you'll need to stay updated and continuously refine your approach. Additionally, you'll need to create detailed reports that track performance and be able to simplify that data to guide clients on making adjustments and experimenting.
Crucially, SEO is only a single pillar in a company’s digital marketing strategy. To stay competitive, you will have to learn generative engine optimization (GEO) tactics as well, especially as more businesses try to catch the attention of major LLM tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
If you stay on top of SEO and GEO trends and can apply research and technical knowledge to your clients’ marketing challenges, then you’ll be an asset for many companies.
Print products on demand
With print on demand, you design your products, and a manufacturer prints, packages, and ships products to customers for you on your behalf. The creative freedom and hands-off shipping make it one of the best business opportunities in the ecommerce space.
The critical difference between print on demand and dropshipping is that with print on demand, you're selling one-of-a-kind products. While this can make benchmarking a bit more challenging, there are many benefits from being the only seller of your kind around.
Sell handmade goods
If you're skilled at making handmade items, you can start a successful business selling your creations online. Popular marketplaces for makers like Etsy can give you an idea of what succeeds, helping you understand what sort of crafts to offer and how to price and market them.
One best practice we can recommend is showing your product listings similar dedication to the craft itself. To ensure your products sell, you should take high-quality photographs and create compelling descriptions.
You can sell your items directly through your own store as well as partner with influencers or affiliates to reach a wider audience.
Develop e-learning products
The e-learning sector continues to expand, offering huge potential for digital product creators that have expertise to impart on others. These digital products can include online courses, e-books, and instructional videos available outside of full course packages.
The beauty of this business model lies in its scalability. You can create e-learning products once and sell them repeatedly without restocking concerns or supplier negotiations.
Whether you package expertise into premium courses or offer subscription-based learning content, digital products provide multiple revenue streams. Your content can generate income long after its initial creation, making this an attractive option for entrepreneurs seeking sustainable income sources.
Self-publish your own work
If you have expertise and the bandwidth to write a book about it, you can bypass traditional publishing routes and self-publish.
Self-publishing allows authors to keep higher profit margins while reaching readers directly. You can distribute through print-on-demand services, establish your own online bookstore, or list titles on major platforms like Amazon.
Beyond traditional books, consider expanding into audiobook production or digital-only releases. This approach gives you freedom to set pricing, control marketing strategies, and build direct relationships with your audience.
Join Amazon’s FBA
Amazon's fulfillment program connects your products with millions of potential buyers through its platform.
For a monthly fee, Amazon handles storage, packaging, shipping, returns, and customer service for your items. This system lets you tap into Amazon's customer base without managing complex logistics yourself, giving you access to billions of potential buyers across the global platform.
One of the key benefits is that you maintain control over product selection and pricing while Amazon manages the operational complexities.
Remote business opportunities
Start blogging
Blogging is a popular way to earn additional income or generate engagement and revenue for another business.
As a blogger, you can make money from affiliate marketing, ads, information products, physical products, influencer marketing, sponsorships, and gated premium content. It's even possible to earn passive income by publishing articles upfront and placing ads within the content so that you earn whenever a reader clicks on an advertisement.
With so many potential income sources, bloggers focus on creating and marketing their content to build their website traffic. They promote via search engine optimization (SEO), generative engine optimization (GEO) and social media to gain new website visitors.
Become an affiliate marketer
Small business opportunities, like affiliate marketing, are pretty common. You can become an affiliate of many top brands. An affiliate marketer earns a commission on every sale they win for a given brand.
Some brands like Amazon pay a small percentage of sales for every product an affiliate brings in. Shopify actually pays up to $58 for every customer an affiliate brings in.
You can build a blog, create posts on social media, or run ads with your affiliate link to generate sales for the brand you're promoting.
Build your own apps
Now that generative AI tools are widespread, it’s easier than it’s ever been to develop your own app and build a small business around it, from mobile games to productivity apps like a to-do list.
You still need to have some creative and technical skills as a developer for iOS or Android to be successful, but you can always outsource certain tasks to a more experienced developer.
If you want to go solo, you can take online app development courses and learn how to build for mobile from scratch. Once you’ve built a working app, you can do media outreach, create a blog, and develop a backlinking strategy to find an audience.
Open a customer support service
Many companies out there require help in assisting their customers. So why not create a business by opening your own customer support firm?
You can offer to handle queries on behalf of a company via chat, email, and phone. Using help desk software will allow you to manage customer interactions from one central location. If a lot of companies show interest in your services, you can hire remote chat specialists to expand your resources.
As your business scales, it might even be possible to set up a remote-friendly customer support business where your staff members work from their homes.
Plan virtual events
The virtual event industry has experienced significant growth over the past several years, creating excellent opportunities for organized professionals. As a virtual event planner, you can help organize a variety of events like online weddings, digital baby showers, or virtual birthday parties.
Your responsibilities might include sending out digital invites, setting up virtual meeting rooms, and planning the event schedule.
You could also select digital party favors, arrange for a virtual group photo or video, and help set up online gift registries. If you're organized and enjoy connecting people, this could be a fun and profitable small business idea to pursue.
To try your hand at virtual events, you can start by setting up a webinar and learning how to handle attendees and the technology involved.
Become a virtual assistant
Businesses increasingly rely on virtual assistants (VAs) to handle routine tasks cost-effectively. Rather than hiring full-time employees, many companies prefer paying for specific services as needed.
Virtual assistant work typically requires basic education and strong attention to detail.
Popular platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and specialized VA services help connect you with potential clients. You can choose which tasks to accept and set your own schedule, making this an ideal flexible business opportunity for those seeking work-life balance.
Join the gig economy
The gig economy has become a massive marketplace, offering numerous opportunities for part-time work.
Various platforms connect workers with quick tasks ranging from simple errands to specialized services. You can often set your own rates and hours, providing flexibility that traditional employment may lack. Some gigs require specific qualifications or licenses, while others simply need reliability and willingness to help.
This model works well for those wanting to supplement income or test business ideas.
New business opportunities
Join the cybersecurity market as an ethical hacker
Cybersecurity as a sub-industry within IT is growing more prominent, especially as it solves one of the biggest challenges people have living mostly online. Scams and other cybersecurity threats are increasing, and they’re getting harder to spot.
That being the case, information security spending is projected to reach massive levels, reflecting the critical importance of this field.
Ethical hacking is one of the many opportunities available for people who want to get into cybersecurity. Learning how to be an ethical hacker can make you an asset for companies hoping to prevent cyberattacks.
Those who invest in starting a cybersecurity business will likely realize it's a prominent business opportunity.
Learn the AI ropes
Artificial intelligence (AI) has shaken up many industries, with many fearing potential job losses and other disruptions, while others celebrate the many new business opportunities that AI tools open up.
What’s clear is that businesses that explore AI and find ways to adapt to this fast-moving technology will stay ahead of the curve. There are already tons of ways to integrate AI tools into the ecommerce business model, making it easier for online sellers to stay relevant and in business.
Many companies and industries are figuring out how to work with AI already, but we’re only a few years into the commercially available evolution of the technology, making this an exciting business opportunity to explore.
Currently, AI applications include content creation assistance, customer support automation, personalized shopping recommendations, and media generation services, with more to come as large language models (LLMs) evolve.
Become an automation expert
One of the new business opportunities you can jump on is automation. We've seen automation-focused businesses grow substantially.
Whether you're automating retargeting ads or a repetitive task, automation tools can help save you time and money. And that's why people end up becoming customers. It solves a significant problem. And those are the best business opportunities to go after.
3D print products and prototypes
3D printing is another exciting technology that is generating business opportunities left and right. You can buy a few 3D printers (new or second hand, depending on your budget) and offer various services to different companies.
One popular service is developing prototypes, where you print a product model so that the client can just test the waters with its features. You can attract small businesses by providing such services, since they need to test product quality while keeping costs low. The 3D printing market shows strong growth potential, and printer costs have made this venture much more accessible.
Services can include custom jewelry creation, costume pieces, artistic designs, prototype development, and even equipment rental.
Business opportunities for entrepreneurs
Invest in real estate
Real estate can be tricky, as housing prices don't always go up. We've also seen a major real estate market crash happen in our lifetime.
However, the money you make from owning several rental properties can be enough to help you live a comfortable life. As the properties get paid off by the renters, you can choose to sell the properties if the value goes up. To save on taxes, you can also reinvest the money earned into buying a bigger property, such as a duplex or condo.
Become an environmental consultant
If you have a background in environmental science or sustainability management, you can become a consultant for businesses looking to reach loftier ESG goals or better track their ecological impact.
You can provide services like impact assessments for new projects or sustainability strategy consulting.
This field also provides opportunities to take on government contracts for public initiatives. These might include water quality improvement or waste management. With your expertise, you can run a successful consulting business and do some good for the planet.
Or a financial consultant
Another lucrative industry where you can work as a consultant is finance. With many companies needing budget management and individuals seeking help with their personal finances, you won't have to work hard to attract customers.
As a financial consultant, you can charge by the hour or work with clients on a monthly retainer. Get things started by setting up a website and networking with potential clients.
Walk dogs or become a petsitter
As you figure out what kind of business you want to create, you can give your spare time to pets. The pet industry is massive, from boutique pet food brands and dog walking sites like Rover, so it’s safe to assume that there are many owners in your area looking for assistance.
With so many people owning dogs, we've seen the rise in dog walking businesses in particular. Dog walking is a business opportunity that works well in major cities. You can choose to walk packs of five or fewer dogs of the same size.
This business opportunity has already proven to be popular, so it's a worthwhile one to start if you're passionate about dogs.
You can also offer your services as a pet sitter for pet owners who travel frequently or have longer vacations planned. Cat sitting in particular has become popular for freelancers who want to earn some extra income while also working on their own projects while watching a feline or two.
Become a cleaner or housekeeper
In major cities, people continuously search for housekeepers and cleaners to keep their homes tidy while they're at work.
Housekeeping poses a potential business opportunity for a savvy marketer. If you know how to find potential customers, you can hire cleaners to clean those customers' homes. You'll pay the cleaners an hourly fee. However, you can earn a sizable income from the rate you charge your customers. And at scale, the dollars add up.
Tutor students online
Business opportunities are common in the education space. So many people want to learn. That's why tutoring businesses are popular.
However, if you're looking to own the business as opposed to being a private tutor, you can hire teachers to join your venture.
You'll simply need to find customers for online teaching. The more customers you have, the bigger your business will grow. You can rent out office space for a couple of hours in the evening instead of investing in your own office space to cut costs. This can help you build a sustainable business.
Get in the influencer game
One of the most modern business opportunities involves influencer marketing. If you have a sizable social media following, especially in a specialized market, you can partner with other businesses to promote their products to your audience.
When starting out, you might partner with affiliate programs to see how well your audience grows. And as your audience scales, more business opportunities come your way. You can focus on building various accounts. Maybe one where you build yourself or a pet as an influencer. Then perhaps another where you build fan pages for a specific topic or niche.
Photograph events and sell stock images
Despite the advent of LLM-based image generators, there are still many opportunities for you to create a sustainable photography business.
To succeed in this field, make sure to focus on a niche that’s in high demand. Wedding photography is popular because many grooms and brides want to capture the events and moments on their big day. But even if you're not interested in weddings, there's no shortage of areas to specialize in.
Photography opportunities extend beyond traditional services. You can sell images through stock photo websites, create multiple income streams, and build social media followings around your work. Want to gain more attention for your work? You can contribute to the Burst library, a stock image website helping entrepreneurs find images to use for their business.
Livestream video games
If you love gaming, you can create a business around it, and the options aren’t limited to developing games or building a new studio.
You can livestream on Twitch or create a YouTube channel around your gaming, offering playthroughs, tutorials, or other types of content that may even lead to partnerships with studios or gaming brands.
The gaming industry shows tremendous growth potential, making this an exciting field for passionate gamers to explore.
Get into the coffee business
Coffee remains one of the world's most beloved beverages, creating endless opportunities for entrepreneurs. You can sell anything from premium beans and roasting equipment to brewing accessories and coffee-themed merchandise.
The beauty of this business lies in having a pre-existing customer base. Coffee lovers are always seeking new products and experiences. Success comes from understanding your target audience and finding unique ways to service their caffeine needs.
Create a security service
Security needs span virtually every industry, from protecting private properties to serving corporate clients. Businesses require security solutions for office buildings, retail locations, warehouses, and special events. You can offer on-site guard services, mobile patrol options, or advanced surveillance system installations.
Small security firms often succeed by specializing in specific niches like high-end residential protection, technology-focused surveillance, or customized safety consulting for businesses seeking improved internal protocols.
Build and renovate properties
The construction industry offers numerous business opportunities, from residential and commercial building projects to specialized services like environmentally friendly construction and renovation work.
Companies and property developers need skilled contractors for everything from new construction and remodeling to HVAC installation, roofing, and plumbing services. Small construction businesses can thrive by targeting niche markets like sustainable building materials, smart home installations, or custom renovation projects.
Perform maintenance on industrial and IT equipment
Equipment maintenance opportunities include IT servicing, HVAC repairs, elevator maintenance, vehicle fleet management, and commercial kitchen equipment repairs. Many companies prefer working with external maintenance providers through retainer agreements or long-term contracts, offering you stable, recurring income potential.
Tech-savvy entrepreneurs can focus on data center maintenance, cybersecurity infrastructure checks, and smart device repairs for growing market opportunities.
Local business opportunities
Become a rideshare driver
If you're looking for local business opportunities, you can become an Uber or Lyft driver. Keep in mind that this business opportunity is popular right now.
However, if you love capitalizing on business opportunities fast, you can start a driving service using Uber or Lyft to find clients. This is particularly helpful for limo drivers who are looking to earn more income beyond what they can earn from a limousine company. You can also sign up for multiple rideshare apps as a drive, maximizing your reach and client base.
Deliver food for restaurants and stores
If you don’t want to taxi people from one location to another but want a gig where you get to keep moving, then food delivery is a viable option. You can deliver for restaurants and cafes via platforms like UberEats or independently, or you can get hired as delivery drivers for online grocery stores like Instacart.
With more food and beverage businesses moving online in some way, becoming part of a delivery fleet can be a great source of cash.
Rent on Airbnb
If you have a spare bedroom or own commercial residential property, you can rent to short- and long-term travelers.
It can be challenging to find renters, which is partially why Airbnb has become so popular globally. Via Airbnb, you can broaden your audience of travelers seeking vacation or rental properties.
You can charge a price that's on par or close to the cost of a hotel's day rate. Thus, if you were booked up for the whole month, you would have made more overall than if you were renting out to a tenant the traditional way, as standards are different.
Open a food truck
Many entrepreneurs are passionate about food. That's why so many people aspire to open up a restaurant. However, opening a restaurant involves immense upfront costs, sky-high rents, and fierce competition. Most restaurants fail within two or three years.
Opening up a food truck is an excellent business opportunity for aspiring food entrepreneurs who want to see if their culinary concepts work without the staggering startup costs of a restaurant. It allows you to serve your own dishes but with a much lower risk.
Start a hair salon
Got a knack for styling hair? Starting a home salon could be perfect for you. You get to offer that personal touch people don't get at big salons.
First, check what permits and licenses your city and state need for home businesses.
Then, put together a business plan to help you secure any loans or funds for equipment and supplies. Once you're set up, spread the word through digital marketing and social media.
Your home salon could be a great way to control your schedule and potentially build a full-time career.
Become a personal shopper
If you have good knowledge of fashion or another retail market, you can become a personal shopper for people who are too busy or unable to shop for themselves for a variety of reasons.
Knowledge of what's trendy and what's outdated can help you stand out from other personal shoppers in your area. You can also go the extra mile by encouraging your clients to experiment with something you think would enhance their look and confidence.
Buy a turnkey business
Turnkey businesses are ready-to-go ventures where everything is set up for you. You just step in, get the keys, and start managing. Examples of turnkey businesses include laundromats, automated car washes, and storage units.
Although turnkey businesses come with an established setup, they may or may not have a solid customer base. If you find the right one, you can hit the ground running, but be prepared to market and build up clientele if necessary.
Sell secondhand clothing
The secondhand apparel market shows tremendous growth potential, making vintage clothing resale an attractive business opportunity. Digital technology and specialized apps make selling pre-owned fashion easier than ever.
You can source quality pieces from thrift stores, estate sales, or personal collections, then resell them through online platforms or local markets. This business model appeals to environmentally conscious consumers while offering profitable margins for entrepreneurs with an eye for fashion trends.
Open a daycare or childcare service
Home-based child care services provide valuable support to working parents while creating income opportunities for caregivers. If you enjoy working with children and can childproof your space appropriately, this could be an ideal business option. You'll need to research local zoning laws and state regulations to operate safely and legally.
This business model allows you to serve your community while maintaining flexible scheduling and working from home.
Rent your space for commercial use or storage
The self-storage industry offers excellent passive income opportunities through renting unused space. Instead of expensive storage facilities, customers can store belongings in your spare areas like garages, basements, or extra rooms.
Online platforms connect space owners with people needing storage solutions. This business model requires minimal active management while providing steady income from otherwise unused property areas.
Investment opportunities
Buy an existing business
For entrepreneurs with available capital who prefer avoiding startup challenges, purchasing established businesses offers immediate market entry. Online marketplaces help you find existing ecommerce operations, allowing you to buy proven business models with existing customer bases.
Geographic location becomes less important with digital businesses, enabling you to acquire and manage companies remotely. This approach provides a faster path to business ownership without the uncertainties of starting from scratch.
Open a franchise
Franchises provide brand recognition, established customer bases, and comprehensive support systems. You'll need to invest time and capital while following the franchise's operational guidelines, but you avoid the challenges of building a business from nothing.
Popular franchise options include eco-friendly cleaning services, pet care brands, and mobile fitness centers. The primary advantage lies in ongoing support, including training, marketing materials, and business guidance.
Just remember to carefully review franchise agreements for operational restrictions and fee structures before becoming a franchise owner.
Invest in startups
Investing in startups can be thrilling and potentially lucrative, though it carries significant risks. Research growing industries like generative AI, solar power, 3D printing, or social media for investment opportunities.
You can invest directly in individual startups or use platforms that facilitate equity purchases across multiple early-stage companies. Diversifying investments across several startups helps to reduce risk. Beyond financial investment, consider offering guidance if you have relevant experience, as many startups value investors who contribute expertise alongside capital.
Ways to find new business ideas
Here's how to find fresh ideas for starting a business:
- Stay updated on your industry: Keep up with what's happening by reading trade journals, joining industry groups, and following leaders in your field online.
- Check out the competition: See what your competitors are up to. Analyzing their strategies can show you market gaps or areas for improvement in your own business.
- Listen to customers: Pay close attention to what your customers are saying. Their feedback can reveal frustrations and needs that you can address with better products or services.
- Find a mentor: Look for someone with more experience in your industry. A mentor can offer advice and help you spot new opportunities you might not see on your own.
- Network and team up: Build connections with other businesses and professionals. Networking can give you insights into successful strategies and inspire new ideas.
- Keep an eye out: New business ideas can appear unexpectedly. Be prepared to seize opportunities as they arise.
Business opportunities FAQ
Is dropshipping a good way to earn extra money?
With the market set to reach $476.1 billion in 2026, dropshipping is a viable online business opportunity to consider now. Dropshipping is an ecommerce strategy where you sell products on your digital storefront without managing stock, delivery, or other aspects of the value chain.
Instead, when a customer places an order, you forward it to a supplier or manufacturer. They then ship the product to your customer, with you acting as an intermediary. Dropshipping is a great side venture because it doesn't demand as much operational capital as the traditional retail model. You don't have to open a brick-and-mortar store, hire employees, pay overhead, or stock products.
What are the best online businesses to start in 2025?
Online business owners have a ton of options nowadays, but some viable options for earning extra cash or even scaling into full-time work include dropshipping on a platform like Shopify, flipping websites, developing e-learning resources like ebooks and online courses, printing custom products on demand, and freelancing for other online business.
How do I know if my new business will be successful?
You can’t know for certain if your new venture will be successful, but there are ways to keep yourself ahead of the curve.
Keep up with your industry’s trends by reading trade journals, joining industry groups, and following leaders in your field. See what your competitors are up to. Analyzing their strategies can show you market gaps or areas for improvement in your own business. Most importantly, pay close attention to what your customers are saying. Their feedback can reveal frustrations and needs that you can address better than anyone else. Also, remember to never stop learning new skills to be a better business owner and entrepreneur.