Best Small Business Ideas 2024: It is important to pick the right business idea if you are ready to be an entrepreneur. So that you do not have to, we have compiled a list of hundreds of the most popular business ideas for 2024. It is easy to start a business once you have found the perfect business idea.
Popular Small Business Ideas
It can be difficult to find the right business idea for your business. It is an important decision. Take your time to look at the options. Our site features more than 1001 business concepts to help you find the right idea. The most popular small business ideas currently on our site include:
Grocery Store
Drive-In Movie Theater
Bank
Clothing Boutique
Car Repair Shop
Tow Truck Business
Candle Making
Nightclub
Car dealer
Bottled water
Security Guard
Convenience Store
Car Rental
Shoe Store
Micro-Lending Company
Start a Small Business Today
Step 1.
Finding the right type of business to start is the first step in starting a business. It is important to find a business idea that matches your interests, goals, and capabilities. This will help you stay motivated, increase your chances of success, and keep you motivated.
The free Business Idea Generator can help you find businesses that fit your interests and lifestyle.
Step 2. Plan Your Business
Successful businesses are built on planning. Analyze your idea and develop a game plan before you spend a lot of time and money on your business. Here are some steps to remember:
Select a business name
Name your business is an important step in starting your business. Names are not only important for branding but also must be available for wide use.
To help you get started, our Business Name Generator will help you find the right brand name for your company. GoDaddy can be used to search for your business name and web domain.
Register a Domain
Find your perfect domain
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We recommend that you choose a business phone system after you have registered a domain. This will allow you to improve your customer service. Nextiva offers a top-quality phone service that can be integrated with all devices. Nextiva is a great option.
Locate a Business
A location is essential for any business, even if it is your own home. The type of licenses, permits, growth potential, and other requirements your business will require depends on where it is located.
Conduct market research
Before you can write a business plan, it is important to consider the market. You can do surveys, learn about search engine optimization (SEO), or gather focus groups.
Understanding your target market and your competition is key to making your business plan work.
Create a business plan
A business plan will help you organize your business and make it easier to start one. A business plan can help you get funding and plan for important milestones.
The business plan must include many topics such as product development and sales, marketing, partnerships, and financial planning. We are here to help if this all seems overwhelming. Check out our Business Plan Generator and start creating your plan.
Step 3.
Companies always require money to cover startup expenses. But there are many things to be aware of before you start your search.
Before you apply for funding, make sure to calculate the cost of your business. This will inform you of the type of funding that you should be seeking. There are many options to get funding for your small business, including friends and family, bootstrapping, small business grants, and small-business loans.
Our guide to Small Business Finance teaches you how to plan, raise and manage funds.
Step 4.
There are many legal structures that you can use to help your business, both formal and informal.
As it is easy to start and manage, we recommend that small businesses create a limited liability corporation (LLC). An LLC will help you protect your assets and increase your business’s credibility.
Either you can create your LLC by following our guide or ZenBusiness can do it for you.
Step 5.
The next step after you have created a business structure is to form your company. This will depend on the structure of your business.
Name your business
Choose a registered agent — An individual or entity that accepts tax documents and legal documents for your business.
Obtaining an Employer Identification Number, (EIN), a number that is assigned by the Internal Revenue Service to identify businesses for tax purposes.
Filling out formation documents with your state
You may need additional or fewer formation requirements depending on the type of business structure you choose and your state.
Use our nonprofit, corporation, and LLC guides to get started in forming your business. You can also use professional formation services to assist you.
Step 6.
Separating personal and business assets is the first step in business banking. This will help you protect your business against being sued. This is known as “piercing your corporate veil” in business law.
These are some ways to protect your business:
To make tax filing and accounting easier, open a bank account for your business. You can also separate your personal and business assets.
A small business credit card can be used to build credit for your company, which will help you later raise capital.
To track your business’ performance and make tax filing easy, set up business accounting. A business accountant can be hired to assist with understanding all of your business accounts, from payroll to sales taxes.
Step 7.
Small business insurance can help you manage risk while allowing you to concentrate on your business. These are the best types of insurance to protect small businesses.
General Liability Insurance
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Professional Liability Insurance
We recommend that small businesses, even those that are home-based, have a general liability insurance policy. It covers many key areas such as property damage, injury, and death.
Step 8.
You will need to adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local regulations for your business to be legally operated. This may involve obtaining one or more licenses and/or permits. A restaurant may need to obtain permits for health, building, signage, and other permits.
To obtain the required licenses, use a professional service
Step 9. Hire Employees
Building a team is crucial for any business, except if you are the sole employee. It is not about hiring the right people. You also need to comply with legal requirements when hiring employees. You must also register with the IRS to pay employee taxes.
After you have built your team, we recommend that you use a payroll service to issue paychecks, track time, and simplify tax season.
Step 10.
A solid brand is essential to a memorable and successful business. Think about what your business stands up for and your core values when creating your brand. This will also help you earn trust from customers.
Once you have an understanding of your brand, use our Free Logo Generator to create your logo.
Step 11.
After you have created a brand and a logo for your company, it is now time to build a website.
It is important to create a separate website from your social media accounts. Although it might seem complicated, it does not need to be. Small businesses can reap the benefits of web design’s accessibility improvements.
To make it easy and painless, we recommend that you use a website builder tool. A website builder such as the GoDaddy Website Builder is very easy to use and eliminates the need for a web designer.
Step 12.
Once you have established your small business, it is time to spread the word to the public.
There are many ways to promote your business, but the following methods are our favorites:
Press releases
Press releases are a great way to promote your business. They can also be the most economical. These press releases provide publicity, help you establish your brand online, and improve your website’s SEO. It is a relatively inexpensive way to make a lasting impression.
Facebook allows you to easily and quickly interact with your community. Facebook has its limitations, however, it allows you to display your products and receive feedback from customers.
YouTube
YouTube is second in search engine popularity after Google and can be a boon for your business.
A YouTube channel can help your business advertise and improve its SEO. It allows you to build deeper relationships with your customers and community through sharing inside information about your business.
Google My Business
Google My Business allows businesses to control how their business appears in Google’s search engine results pages (SERP) or Google Maps. Businesses find this important because it allows them to manage critical information such as your address, phone number, reviews, and hours of operation. This increases your credibility, as the first impression people get of your business is often a quick Google search.
Business Ideas by Category
Are you still unsure what type of business you should start? Below are the top business ideas broken down by category to help you find the right one. These categories include business ideas for teens, low-cost business ideas, side hustles, and other interests.
Recessionproof Business Ideas
A few industries have recession-proof businesses which can survive and even thrive in economic downturns. Here are some of our favorite industries.
Walk-In Clinics
Convenience Store
Grocery Store
Daycare
Tutoring
White house with white toy car parked on a driveway. Captioned by ‘Shortest. Commute. Ever.’ In orange text
Home Business Ideas
You can start many businesses from your home.
Graphic Design
Photo editing
Web Design
Candlemaking
Woodworking
Ideas for low-cost businesses
This article will outline 40 of our best small business ideas that are low on startup costs. It is designed to help you identify a business idea that suits your needs and interests.
Art Lessons
Personal trainer
Project Management
Take the Test Prep
Affiliate Marketing
With the text “Work Anywhere” in the text, open the laptop on the entrepreneur’s lap. With anyone.
Ideas for Teen Business
The entrepreneurial spirit is not limited by age. Success does not depend on it. No matter your age, anyone can start a business. We have compiled our top teen business ideas.
Sewing Business
Live Streaming Business
Photography business
Makeup Artists Business
Babysitting Business
As a side hustle, a person walks happy dogs. Text below says: “Monetize all your spare time.”
Side hustle business ideas
Side hustles can make you more money and open up new opportunities. This article will share 40 of our favorite side hustle ideas to help you get started.
Etsy Store
Ecommerce Store
Music Lessons
Life Coaching
Freelance writing
The skyline of a city with virtual green-colored lines linking the buildings.
Online Business Ideas
You can build an online empire, or make a small income on the side. There is a business idea here that will help you achieve your goals.
Ebook Store
Illustration Business
Virtual Tour Business
Proofreading Services
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Get free resources for your small business
These are some resources that will help you start your small business.
Entrepreneurship Quiz
Generator of Business Names
Logo Maker
How to start a business
Franchise Opportunities
A franchise is a great choice if you are looking for a career in entrepreneurship but feel intimidated by the idea of starting your own business. You can read our Franchise Guide for more information, or look at some of the most popular franchises.
Coffee Shop
Coffee shops are great for people who like to build long-lasting relationships–customers tend to be regulars, with some even coming in daily. A coffee shop franchise can cost between $200,000 and $700,000. It takes a lot of work to get it up and running.
Daycare
A franchise daycare is a great option for those who are passionate about children and want to influence them. Entrepreneurs who are looking to open a stable business with regular customers and a steady demand for their services can also consider this option.
Laundromat
Entrepreneurs who are looking to open a laundromat can use them as a franchise. Laundromats can be set up and run in a short time.
Moving Company
Many people hire a professional moving company to take the hassle out of moving. A strong franchise will give you access to a wide range of customers if you live in densely populated areas.
Get Complete Guides for Small Business Ideas
You are ready to make coffee a business. But where do you start? Our guides are written by professionals in coffee and will guide you through the steps necessary to create your dream cafe.