20 Business Ideas to Go from Employee to Entrepreneur

entrepreneurship female entrepreneur Dec 21, 2021

Are you ready for a change? Thinking about leaving your 9-5 and starting something on your own? This idea can be exciting and daunting in equal measures. If you have a great idea and just need to take that big leap, then you are in a fun and exciting position. However, if you are just fed up with your current job, want more time with your family, and perhaps more money in the bank but are not sure where to start, this post is for you! Read on to find out what business ideas will take you from being an employee to becoming your own boss.  

 

1. Consulting and Coaching

Unless you’re fresh out of school with minimal life experience, chances are you’ve learned a thing or two others haven’t in a specific area. Maybe your mum skills have made you a pro at time management, or you’ve spent years perfecting your approach to fitness? Regardless of what it is, if you’re experienced enough to be an authority on the subject, you can start a consulting or coaching business online.

 

2. Digital Marketing

Looking to have a well-paid career without leaving your home life behind? Try digital marketing. Once you learn the ins and outs of getting content in front of the right demographic at the right time, you can start lending your skills to companies around the world. Businesses ALWAYS need marketing help, there’s plenty of work to go around for people of all skill levels. The startup cost is also minimum. You just need an office computer and an internet connection; things you likely already have.

 

3. Virtual Assistant

If you've ever been a secretary or office assistant, and you have a bit of modern tech know-how, you can take your skills directly to high-paying clients without leaving your house. As a virtual assistant, you'll manage schedules, emails, and social media activity just like you would in person, but you can work for clients from any number of industries all over the world. Anyone, from published authors to startup CEOs, is hiring virtual assistants, nowadays.

 

4. Graphic Design

An artistic streak and a little skill with computers can let you take your creative skills to the professional level with nothing more than a computer, some free or low-cost software such as Canva, and an internet connection. Companies need visual material for advertising, indie writers need book covers, site owners need visual aids for their webpages, and so much more. Positioning yourself as their go-to graphic designer will let you use your art skills at home while getting paid for it.

  

5. Copywriter

If you have a bit of a way with words, you can start your own solopreneur copywriting business from home. CEOs and business owners are talented, but expertly weaving words into engaging content either isn’t their strong suit, or they simply don’t have the time to do it. So, they hire copywriters to write everything from blog posts to homepages and marketing emails. You just need a computer, the internet, a word processor, and a grammar checker like Grammarly to get started.

 

6. Editing and Transcribing

Don't want to write from scratch? Maybe you do, but you want to expand your prospects a bit? Editing previously written work or transcribing video into a text format are perfect additions to copywriting services, and they hold up on their own, too. This is great for busy mums, ladies looking for a diverse first business venture, and word lovers.

 

7. Social Media Ad Manager

Social media opened up tons of advertising doors for businesses. Now, it’s an industry worth billions. Luckily for you, it also opened some online business opportunities for ad-savvy women. If you can spend a few hours figuring out how Facebook and Instagram ads work, you can start managing the social media ad campaigns of massive, well-paying, companies. You'll need some experience to get the big clients, but there are plenty of well-paying smaller opportunities.

 

8. Photography

Copywriting is necessary for every business, and each piece of content created needs high-quality photos to match it. If you’re good with a camera, you can start providing stock photos, or you can work directly with clients to provide exactly what they want for a premium fee. However, you will need to invest in professional photography equipment and have the skills necessary to impress high-profile clients.

 

9. Tutoring

Academic performance is more important now than ever, and parents are more than happy to hire high-quality tutors to help their children perform well. You can freelance with this endeavor, or use one of the many well-known tutoring platforms. However, you will need to be highly experienced in a topic, and you will need education on some platforms.

 

10. Small Business Accounting

While you’re unlikely to land an accounting job for a major corporation, the influx of entrepreneurs and small business startups means there are ample opportunities on a smaller scale. If you’re organized and meticulous with math, this can be an easy way to start a business with a massive potential client base. Expect to prove your skills, though.

 

11. Blogging

Blogging takes time and commitment, but it can be a valid business venture. Simply take a hobby you're experienced with, and then write about it consistently. Building your own website or finding a viable platform helps, and it will take time to build an audience. However, you can score affiliate marketing and advertising deals that pay your bills while you handle your home life and write about what you love.

12. Pet Care

If you’re the proud mum of a furry baby, you know how much people love their pets. Well, did you know they love them enough to pay you to do basic pet care tasks? Dog walkers and sitters can earn reliable income handling simple, no-training-required pet care tasks. If you’re exceptionally good, you might even consider training services.

 

13. Lawn and Garden Care

If you love being outdoors, and you don’t have to worry about children at home, starting a lawn and garden service can earn real income. Simple things such as mowing, weed removal, and plant watering are all things average people are willing to pay for instead of doing themselves. However, you will need to invest in proper lawn care equipment and a vehicle suitable for transporting it.

 

14. Professional Organizer

It’s no secret that the majority of people hate cleaning. If you’re a particularly organized gal like Marie Kondo, and you don’t mind the tedious work, starting a business organizing other people’s clutter is a good idea. All you need to do is market yourself to people with a lot of clutter they need to handle. It can be odd going to others’ houses, and some jobs may be more than just clutter. So, make sure you have great social skills for this.

 

15. Interior Designer 

Maybe you're known for having a well-put-together house that impresses all your friends? Why not make money helping others achieve that? This one might require a simple online training course to prove your skills, but it is an in-demand field that will put your design skills to good use. You can help with everything from simple paint and décor themes to full-fledged renovation planning.

 

16. Real Estate Investing

This one might not be accessible, but if you have some capital to get started with, real estate investments are seen as some of the safest investment opportunities around. You simply buy a house and rent it out. This takes a lot of startup capital, but it’s a surefire way to make mostly passive income, and it’s infinitely expandable.

 

17. Handcrafted Goods

With Facebook Live, Etsy, and TikTok providing ways for creative people to show off their art in creative ways, creating handcrafted goods is no longer a difficult way to make money. Simply hosting a live show of you making the products and offering special deals can net major income quickly, and you get to do something you already love.

 

18. Reselling Amazon

Through the Fulfilled by Amazon program, you can build a thriving retail business without any storage or shipping concerns. You just order discounted products and have them shipped to an Amazon warehouse. Once there, you list them for more than you paid for them, and Amazon handles everything else. This is the easiest way to get into retail, and you don’t have to worry about all the micromanaging.

 

19. Voice Acting

If you have a clear speaking voice and love to act, you can get into voice acting from the comfort of home. YouTubers and companies always need voice actors to read scripts for their videos, and game developers are always looking for voice actors to bring their characters to life. Even authors will hire voice actors for their audiobooks. You will need professional recording equipment, though.

 

20. Modeling

With Instagram allowing you to take center stage in front of millions, being a model is a lot more accessible than it used to be, and no, you don’t have to model for fashion or “other” reasons. Companies need photogenic actresses for product placement pictures, video marketing content, and more. Buy a high-quality camera, learn to take professional photos, and upload your pictures to market yourself.

 

Hopefully, these options are giving you some ideas to get started. You can always start a side-hustle, experiment, do some market research, consider your strengths and opportunities on the market you want to operate in, and get started slowly. You do not have to have everything figured out from the start. Entrepreneurship and owning your business allow you to experiment as you go and grow your business as it fits you the most. If you need more directions or help with finding what would be the best option, feel free to reach out to us!

 If you found this post helpful, make sure you share it with others! You can also read about  How To Start An Online Business and How To Develop Your Digital Marketing Strategy In 4 Easy Steps