Ideas

Cool Business Ideas for College Students to Start in University

If you are a college student, free time may feel like it is hard to come by. With class, extracurriculars, study sessions, and social life, there is not even much time to sleep, let alone explore options as a student entrepreneur. However, starting a business while in college can be an exceptionally profitable enterprise for a couple of reasons.

List of business ideas for college student startups

Some cool new business ideas and jobs students can start pursuing while in university include:

Blogging
Service Provider
Event Promotion
Social Media Influencer
App Developer

First, many college side hustles are a very low investment in terms of start-up costs (more of my low startup costs business ideas here) and can be undertaken using many of the same materials used for a class.

Second, the social network on a college campus is immense, which means you can create a built-in client base that can follow you after graduation.

23 Business Ideas for College Students

The following is a list of 23 business ideas that can be started in university.

#1 – Blogging

Online advertising is where the money is these days. All you have to do is pick a niche, create a blog to help people in that niche, and collect the royalties as your readers follow links on your blog and make purchases.

Blogging offers extreme flexibility to make your own schedule. As a college student, you are uniquely positioned to offer helpful insight in a variety of niches related to university life.

#2 – Housesitting

In college, life is all about multitasking and juggling responsibilities. Housesitting is a creative way to multitask work and school, as you are likely to have ample free time to study and do homework while you are watching someone’s house for the weekend.

This is a particularly attractive option for college students because there is virtually no investment, and homeowners in college towns may be more likely to seek housesitting services as a precaution against weekend shenanigans.

#3 – Social Media Influencer

In the social media era, even middle schoolers know how to monetize their accounts. However, university students are in a unique position to quickly build their followings, with the chance to meet thousands of potential followers each semester. Combine your newfound following with the knowledge you acquire in digital marketing to see a nice stream of passive income.

Learn more ways to earn money via the internet on my list of online business ideas

#4 – Tutor

This is another business idea with a built-in clientele that can fill multitasking purposes. If there is a subject you are particularly strong in, you can enhance your study efforts by offering your tutoring services to students who need extra help.

#5 – Resume Writer

Resume writing has become a big business, with many experienced HR professionals charging over four figures for professional resumes. As a college student, you are uniquely positioned to be in contact with hundreds, if not thousands of young people entering the job market, so becoming adept in the area of resumes could be quite lucrative.

#6 – Personal Trainer

All college students are afraid of the “freshman 15,” the dreaded weight gain that comes with unlimited access to the cafeteria and lack of sleep due to all-nighters.

If you are a physically inclined person, this can be a great way to help fellow students, make a little money, and ensure that you stay in shape, as well.

#7 – Laundry Service Provider

One of the common narratives of college lore is of the student who takes his or her laundry home on the weekends to have mom do it.

Whether it be due to lack of time or lack of laundry knowhow, there are likely many college students who would pay you a fee to take care of their laundry needs.

Check out my list of the best laundry business name ideas here

#8 – Musician

The challenge for many musicians is finding an audience for whom to play. In a college community, you are likely to find yourself in an appropriate environment for the arts than in the general society.

If you are musically inclined, start a business as a gigging musician, as you are likely to have plenty of opportunities to play for school performances or local functions.

How to make money with your talents – my list of entertainment business ideas

#9 – Baker

College students consume mass quantities of caffeine to get through their study sessions. If you enjoy baking, provide students with yummy morsels to pair with their cups of coffee and make those study sessions more enjoyable.

Learn the costs to start a bakery in my comprehensive bakery startup cost guide here

#10 – Tech Support Provider

In a world of increasingly online education, the need for high-functioning computers and tablets is of utmost importance. If you are tech-savvy, there is likely to be no shortage of business coming your way, especially if you can open shop outside of the university’s regular IT hours.

#11 – Ecommerce Reseller

Textbooks, backpacks, and other college supplies and memorabilia can come into and out of fashion very quickly on a university campus. As a reseller, you can make some money selling items that some students are trying to get rid of, and other students are trying to get at a discount.

Where to find wholesale products to sell online – My best sources

#12 – eBook Author

This is a great idea, especially if you are in an English-related major. There are several eBook platforms that allow you to publish your books and collect royalties from the downloads, eliminating the costs associated with traditional printing.

#13 – App Developer

If you are inclined with mobile devices, designing apps can be a lucrative enterprise, as many apps gain a lot of downloads quickly and move up the app store ranks due to popularity on college campuses.

#14 – Residential Cleaning Service

With thousands of college students moving into and out of apartment complexes and houses with great regularity, there is sure to be demand for quality cleaners near any college campus.

Name your cleaning business with one of my catchy name ideas

#15 – Moving Service

Along the lines of a cleaning service, a college start-up in moving services is sure to lead to a steady flow of business. If you have access to a truck, you are especially likely to get all of the work you can handle.

#16 – Babysitting

This is a classic side hustle for college students and another great way to multitask work and school responsibilities, taking care of your homework after you put the kids to bed for the evening.

#17 – Event Promoter

There is no shortage of concerts, shows, and sporting events coming to college campuses on a regular basis. If you are skilled in marketing and promotion, you can start a business that helps visiting groups with their advertising and logistic needs.

#18 – Jewelry Maker

You do not need to be a professional to make money selling jewelry. Thanks to the increasing popularity of websites like Etsy, those who are artistically inclined or enjoy craft making can make money selling their creations online.

#19 – Delivery Service

Whether it be through partnering with one of the many rideshare and delivery platforms currently on the market or starting your own service and marketing it to the campus community, those with reliable transportation are likely to see plenty of business delivering late-night eats to college dormitories.

Be sure to read my checklist when starting a trucking business here

#20 – Virtual Assistant

Many businesses do not have time to take care of all of their office tasks but do not want to hire a full-time secretary. By starting your own virtual assistant business, you can handle companies’ email and social media accounts from the comfort of your own dorm or apartment.

#21 – Podcaster

Like blogging, podcasting has really taken off in recent years. By developing a personality and talking on a specific niche, you can generate revenue through advertising and sponsorships of your podcast.

#22 – Dog Walker

This is an especially attractive idea for those animal lovers at school, as they have likely been forced to leave their pets back home. Dog walking can be a quick way to make some money by helping out busy professionals during your downtime between classes.

#23 – Event Photography

Finally, with no shortage of events on college campuses, use your skills with the camera to help you start a photography business. Concerts, parties, and sporting events are among a few of the ideas for which your photography services may be in demand.

More of my best profitable photography business ideas here

Business Ideas for Teenage Entrepreneurs to Learn & Earn

Making money as a teenager can be a little difficult. When you subtract the time you spend at high school, clubs, and other social activities, you’re only left with a couple of hours to spare each week. And, maybe you’re just not looking to settle for the typical minimum wage job.

You don’t need to work a part-time job to make money as a teen. Here are the best business ideas for teenage entrepreneurs to start:

You can show you’re tech-savvy by selling 3D printed items or becoming an internet influencer.
You can build a client base by running a lawn care, pet sitting, or tutoring business.
Or, you can sell crafts or artwork of your own to local customers or online

The business idea you choose to start as a teen has to be based on something you truly enjoy doing. But, you might have a lot of different interests in your life right now. So, here are six of the best business ideas for teen entrepreneurs to get you started on your startup journey.

Influencer Marketing

If you have a decent camera, laptop, and smartphone, you might as well put them to good use!

Social media influencers are chosen by sponsors to advertise products. This can be through just about any social media platform, including Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

That means you’ll need to build quite the following first. After all, a company wants to be sure that its products are being seen by as many authentic users in its target population as possible. So, it helps if your current posts already get a ton of likes and comments naturally.

Once a company recognizes your popularity, all you have to do is post videos and pictures advertising their products to your followers.

But, keep in mind that not everybody is cut out to be a social media influencer. When it comes to posting videos, you need to be charismatic and entertaining.

A skilled influencer can make thousands of dollars for every post. Check out my list of the best niches for affiliate marketing as an influencer.

3D Printing

If you’re more of the creative type, 3D printing might be quite a lucrative business idea!

First off, your options are practically limitless when you have a 3D printer at home. Not only does it allow you to create and sell items for extremely cheap, but you also have complete control over how the items turn out.

You’ll want to focus on products that are useful to a lot of people right now. That might include a cable organizer, a pop socket for a smartphone, or even tiny knick-knacks that make for terrific room decor.

Better yet, you can make 3D printed items based on customer requests.

But, just how you sell these products depends on your reach. If you have a lot of people in your inner circle, you might want to start selling to your friends first and allow your name to get around via word of mouth.

Otherwise, websites like Etsy and eBay might allow you to reach an even wider audience.

Here are more of my business ideas for small scale manufacturing to startup

Tutoring

If education is important to you and you excel in school, pay it forward!

Starting a tutoring business is a great way to make some money while also helping the kids that are struggling with their education in your local community. But, the best part is just how much freedom you have.

If you choose to work with the younger crew, you’ll need to have great knowledge of basically every subject area. But, you can also choose to work with middle school or high school students and choose a specific subject area that you enjoy, like math.

Be sure to choose subjects that you’ve taken honors or AP courses in, if possible.

When it comes to tutoring as a high school student, the income is practically unmatched. As a high school student, you might be able to bring in at least $30 an hour. That means you can squeeze in a few hours a week and take home a good chunk of change.

Tutoring is a great mobile business idea because you do not need to have a dedicated school location. Here are more of my best mobile business ideas for you to consider starting up to make extra cash.

Lawn Care Services

If you live in the suburbs and have some lawn care equipment, you know the deal!

Recent reports have suggested that over 40% of Americans hire landscapers to clean up their yard. At the same time, lawn care services tend to be a little expensive for the average family. That’s where you come in!

You can offer your services at lower prices than the professionals in the area. And, you can offer services at all times of the year. That means you can advertise snow removal services come winter (if you have a snowblower or a shovel) and lawn mowing services in the summer.

But, just how much money you make will depend on how large of a client base you can build up and how efficiently you work. It’s not unheard of to be able to cut ten or more lawns in a day.

If you’re charging $20 a lawn, that can be huge. Learn the best way to start your lawn care business by reading my guide here

Selling Artwork or Crafts

If you’re an artist of any kind, getting your name out there now is the perfect start to your career!

In recent years, there’s been a newfound appreciation for homemade goods and artwork. That’s exactly why art marketplaces like Etsy have become so popular in the last few years.

The best part is that there’s a market for everything in the art world. If you like to paint or draw, you can easily create a Facebook or Instagram page to show off your best work. You can then commission jobs from those in your inner circle.

But, the options are just about limitless. You can also make products like beaded or knitted bracelets, tye-dye shirts, or even stained glass.

It’s definitely difficult being an artist, especially when the outside world doesn’t entirely understand just how much time and effort goes into creating a single piece. It’s important that you stick to your rates and avoid doing projects for “exposure.”

Get 99 profitable art business ideas on my list here

Pet Sitting

If you’re an animal lover with a little time to spare, pet sitting might be in your future.

This is the perfect business idea if you’re looking to pursue a career as a vet or a vet tech. Or, maybe you just enjoy being around animals more than humans.

Just keep in mind that there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with taking care of somebody else’s pet. That obviously includes feedings and providing water. But, it also factors in litter changes for cats and daily walks for dogs.

So, make sure you’re ready to care for animals.

As a pet sitter, you can charge by the day (for daycare) and add on additional fees for overnight stays. That means you’re looking at between $20 and $85 per night, per pet (depending on the rates that you set).

But, you will have to set a cap on how many animals you can care for at once. After all, the last thing you want is tons of animals running your home or starting brawls with one another in your living room.

Get inspiration for naming your pet business from my list of names here

Conclusion

Starting a business as a teenager is definitely a little tricky for first-timers. After all, the amount of success you see will depend on the time you put in, your personality type, and your level of commitment.

That’s why it’s important to choose a business idea based on your interests, not simply based on how much money you might be able to make. If you’re still undecided on a strategy, create a list of things you enjoy and the talents you have. Then, narrow down your list to your favorites.

Sources

56 Delicious Food Business Ideas for Food Lovers to Start Today!

Food business ideas are among the most profitable small businesses to start with low investment costs.

To help aspiring food entrepreneurs I’ve created this list of the best food business ideas to launch today including new ways to make money in restaurants, food trucks, e-commerce, importing, food products, and cooking instruction.

Let’s cook up some tasty profits…

Idea #1 – Bakery Business

There’s lots of sweet success to be had in the baking business. 🙂 Consider launching your own bakery store, sweet shop, or home bakery business.

The profit margins are high and the startup investment is low if you use your home kitchen to launch your cake business.

Learn more about how much it cost to start a bakery in my detailed article here

Get inspired by reading my big list of bakery name ideas that are available here

how much it costs to start a bakery home, online or commercial

Idea #2 – Subscription box snacks

The subscription business model is booming. Capitalize on the opportunity by creating a subscription snack box customized to specific dietary needs such as diabetic, low calorie, low fat, or vegan.

Idea #3 -Restaurant design

The layout design of a restaurant is an important part of attracting customers. If you have a knack for design and understand space planning offer your services to new restaurants to help them design a winning decor.

Idea #4 -Food Brand Marketing and PR

Launch an advertising agency that specializes in promoting food products, restaurants, and food brands.

Idea #5 – Food Photography & Stylist

Food photography is a lucrative profession. There is also demand for food stylist to design the props and arrange the food for the best photos.

These are my best photography business name ideas

Assess my list of ways you can make money with your camera here

Idea #6 – Trade shows & tasting events

Put together a trade show for food suppliers to present their products to grocery store buyers or consider a consumer tasting event. A successful company in my area regularly stages food tasting “fairs” for chocolate, cheese, and beer.

These events make money by charging admission to tasters and also by getting fees from the vendors who are supplying the food and beverages for tasting.

Idea #7 -Cookbook Author

If you are a foodie and like to experiment in the kitchen you could become a cookbook author, recipe developer or tester.

Idea #8 -Specialty beverages

The trend towards specialty beverages such as bottled water, health drinks, and energy tonics is projected to continue strongly. How about developing your own formula drink to sell.

Idea #9 – Juice and smoothie bar

Healthy juices and smoothies could be your next business venture. You can set up your juice bar in a food truck, mall kiosk, or a counter in a gym or yoga studio. Consider expanding your juice bar into a casual restaurant by serving additional healthy fare such as salads and vegan dishes.

Idea #10 -Bartender service

If you know how to mix cocktails then you could use your bartending skills to make money and earn tips as a side hustle. Or you could start a bartender agency with many bartenders that you can hire out to catering firms for large events.

Idea #11 -Brewery pub

Craft beer pubs are hot now. Open a brewery pub serving craft beers, both local brews, and international varieties. Think about brewing your own beer and serve it at your pub.

Idea #12 -Catering

Instead of being tied down to one restaurant location consider being a mobile catering company. You can offer food services for events such as business conferences, weddings, and parties.

Here’s my best advice on how to start your own catering firm

Idea #13 -Food truck

The food truck industry has expanded dramatically over the past five years and is reported as one of the best performing segments in the foodservice sector.

Get busy making and serving food that is unique and gourmet at reasonable prices in your food truck.

Check out my big list of food truck name ideas that get customers lining up here

example of food business idea mobile food cart

Idea #14 – Chocolate making

Start a chocolate making business of candy, bars, and sweet treats. Creating chocolate requires specific skills and equipment. Watching chocolate being made is interesting and can be a customer magnet to come into your chocolate manufacturing store.

Idea #15 – Ethnic Grocery Store

Open a grocery store with an ethnic focus. To compete with major grocery chains offer specialty items. Think about opening an Italian pork store, an Asian market or Spanish bodega. There is a successful Polish grocery store in my area.

Idea #16 – Coffee shop

The coffee shop industry is projected to grow by 4% to over 60 billion in the US. In addition to opening a coffee focused shop consider expanding into bagels, sandwiches, and yogurt. Your best customers are going to be 25 to 45 years old, affluent and well-educated.

Idea #17 – Commercial coffee service

Consider selling bulk coffee, tea, and brewing equipment to commercial locations and offices.

Idea #18 – Coffee roasters and importers

Coffee gets its distinctive flavor from the roasting processes and its place of origin. Start a venture of importing coffee and roasting it for delicious results to distribute under your brand name.

Idea #19 – Dining guide map and app

Create and publish a dining guide – map or app – for your local area or of a tourist destination. You could distribute your map free of charge and make money by selling advertisements to featured restaurants or you could sell your guide to consumers if you include discount coupons to listed restaurants.

Idea #20 – Cookie Fruit arrangements

Food gifts are money makers. Create interesting gifts using cookies, fruit, and gourmet products. Sell online for shipment to customers or offer local delivery.

Idea #21 – Gift baskets

Sell custom food gift baskets to corporations for client gifts. Customize your gift baskets by printing your client’s logo items included.

Idea #22 – Cooking classes

If you love to cook use your passion to teach others how to cook. You could teach classes in your home kitchen for local students or you could film the cooking classes and sell them online as a course.

A woman in my neighborhood makes a full-time salary with her in-home cooking classes for up to 8 people. She charges a fee for the class that includes a full dinner tasting and a copy of her printed cookbook.

Idea #23 – Cotton candy stand

Buy a cotton candy machine and use it to make money in a variety of ways. Set up a cotton candy stand at a fair or sporting event, or rent it out for parties, or make cotton candy and package it for sale at local stores.

Idea #24 – Popcorn cart

Gourmet popcorn is gaining in popularity! You could set up a popcorn cart or create your own flavored popcorn treats. How about opening a gourmet popcorn retail shop or online site featuring unusual flavorings such as eggnog, taco and burgundy wine popcorn.

Idea #25 – Farmers market

Open a farmer’s market in your community to help both your local farmers to sell their crops and your neighbors to get access to fresh healthy produce at reasonable prices.

Idea #26 – Vendor Market

Open a stall at an established farmers (or flea) market and sell fresh produce, baked goods, preserved items, flowers, and handmade crafts.

Idea #27 – Pasta making

Invest in pasta making equipment and create fresh pasta to sell to restaurants and gourmet shops.

Idea #28 – Ice cream and yogurt shop

We all scream for ice cream! I know I do. 🙂 Think about opening an ice cream shop. The best locations will be in tourist towns and on beaches.

Idea #29 – Delivery only restaurant

With the increase of consumers’ preference for take-out meals, a new type of restaurant called a virtual restaurant has been created.

This is a restaurant with no physical location to eat a meal but instead only a preparation kitchen where all meals are delivered or picked up for take away.

Idea #30 -Grocery delivery service

Today’s busy families often and don’t have time to go grocery shopping. How about launching a grocery delivery service in your area to help busy moms, elderly and disabled shut-ins get food.

Idea #31 -Hot dog cart

A good old fashioned hot dog cart can be a great money maker. Your mobile cart or food trucks can drive to where hungry customers are – music festivals, food truck events, and parks.

Get a great name for your food cart from my list of ideas here

Idea #32 -Inventor of kitchen gadgets

Millions of dollars have been made with innovative kitchen items.

Industry leader, OXO started when their founder Sam Farber created a peeler for his wife Betsey who had arthritis in her hand. His innovative ergonomic form and non-slip grip launched his successful enterprise.

Idea #33 -Handcrafted Wood cutting boards

Use your woodworking talents to create artistic and functional items for the kitchen such as wooden cutting boards, spoons, and cookbook stands.

Get more of my bestselling woodworking business ideas here

Idea #34 – Recipe blog

Get online and create a blog with your recipes and profit from advertising, affiliate marketing, and e-book sales.

Learn about the best affiliate marketing niches in my article here

Idea #35 – Vlog youtube channel

Film informative videos showing cooking techniques, recipes, and ways to store and can food.

Idea #36 -Healthy Nutrition guidance

Become a healthy eating counselor to help people with specific medical issues to develop menu plans to help treat their diabetes, heart disease and IBS irritable bowel syndrome.

Idea #37 – Diet weight loss coach

Help people plan healthy menus and learn how to cook food that is low-calorie and low-fat to lose weight. In addition to helping people lose weight, you could also offer food guidance services for athletes to build muscle.

Idea #38 – Online seafood store

Many towns lack quality seafood stores. So supply their seafood needs with an online seafood store. Set up a dropship website to sell fresh seafood directly from the harbor to your customer’s door.

Get inspired by my big list of seafood business names here

Idea #39 – Specialty food products

Got a great recipe for hot sauce or pickles? Start a business by creating these products and selling them to gourmet markets, grocery stores, and online.

Idea #40 – Herb and spice collections

Import spices in bulk and package them attractively as your branded spice collection. Sell online on your own website or offer wholesale to other websites and grocery stores.

Idea #41 – Personal chef

Busy professionals often don’t have time to cook their own meals and want to hire personal chefs. You could create meals on a weekly basis which your clients heat up at their convenience or you could hire out your chef services for special events and parties.

Idea #42 – Produce store

Communities that do not have a dedicated produce store or farmers market would be the perfect location to open a produce store specializing in fresh fruits and vegetables.

Idea #43 – Wine club

Wine enthusiasts enjoy tasting different types of wine from diverse regions. Thus you could start a wine club featuring a subscription service along with educational material about each wine and the winery.

Idea #44 – Health food store

One of the most successful stores is in my neighborhood is a health food store. They sell a full selection of vitamins, organic produce, and healthy snacks. In addition to groceries, they have a food counter where they sell sandwiches, soups baked goods and coffee.

Idea #45 – Snack vending machines

People get hungry everywhere. Think about starting a snack vending machine business. Make your vending machine stand out by offering different types of snacks such as healthy, organic, low calorie, or diabetic friendly. Install your vending machines in hospitals, schools, offices, and malls.

Idea #46 – Restaurant supply

Instead of opening your own restaurant help others open their restaurants by selling supplies and equipment. Your company could offer kitchen equipment, cookware, silverware, tables, and chairs.

Idea #47 -Tea importer

The tea business is growing rapidly. Seriously consider the idea of importing specialty tea and creating your own brand for distribution.

Idea #48 -Wedding cakes & cake decoration

Profit from your cake artistry skills by selling custom made wedding cakes and decorating cakes for birthday, retirement, and graduation parties.

Idea #49 – Catering equipment rental

Make money by renting equipment to food caterers such as silverware, tablecloths, tables, and chairs.

Here are lots more of my best rental business ideas.

Idea #50 – Olive oil store

Specialty high-quality olive oils are a growing culinary trend. Open a retail store or online website selling garlic, lemon and herb infused oils and specialty vinegar.

Idea #51 -Farming

Grow your own profits by becoming a farmer. Review my best small-scale agricultural ideas here.

Idea #52 – Mushroom growing

Gourmet mushrooms are easy to grow indoors. Learn how to grow mushrooms commercially in my guide here.

Idea #53 – Cheesemaking

Make unique cheeses with cow’s, goat’s or sheep milk to sell at farmers markets and gourmet stores. Or you could make vegan cheese to sell at health food stores or online at vegan marketplaces.

Idea #54 – Fish farm

Start a side hustle by becoming a fish farmer. My neighbor in Hawaii started a fish farm in his backyard that became very successful.

Idea #55 – Candy store

Open a candy store selling nostalgic sweets and international favorites. You could also make and sell your own fudge and chocolate confections.

Idea #56 -Baby food business

Fortunes have been made in the baby food business by creating lines using organic fresh ingredients.

Read more in my article of business ideas aimed at babies here.

Author: Marsha Kelly

She is a serial entrepreneur and consultant for small business owners. She left the corporate grind with an arsenal of business strategies and the resolve to create her own opportunity. As it happened, she started, grew, and sold her first small business for more than $1,000,000.

Now with several successful businesses under her belt, she focuses on sharing her business advice on her blog: Best4Businesses.com.

Read more about Marsha Kelly here…

Couple Business Ideas to Start Together – Successfully!

Wondering if as a couple you should go into business together and what type of business should you start?

Here are my best couple business ideas for partners (married couples, husband & wife, boyfriend & girlfriend, or lovers) with tips to maximize success and minimize relationship issues. Yes, entrepreneurs romance and business can mix.

As a startup consultant who also founded a small business with my husband, I know how to start a business with your spouse, make money, and stay happily married too!

Couples often make good business partners. The key to success is to select a business idea of which both of you are interested. Then carefully divide (and keep separate) tasks that are best suited to each person’s strengths.

Online Business Ideas

Affiliate Marketing Blog

Launching a money-making website as a team is an excellent idea.

Because one of you could focus on the technical aspects of site development and content creation. The other partner can focus on the business aspects of SEO search engine optimization, negotiating affiliate relationships, and creating monetization strategies.

Video YouTube channel

Together you can create a Vlog – video YouTube channel – about a topic of mutual interest and passion.

One or both of you could be the on-camera person. The other spouse could be the video editor and/or the marketer director. Marketing directors negotiate profitable brand sponsorships and create online courses to sell.

Online Store with Handmade Crafts

Combine forces with your spouse and open an e-commerce store selling the handmade crafts that she/he creates. The other spouse could be the more tech-savvy one who builds the website, uploads online sale listings, and handles the financial aspects. The artistic one creates the art and photographs them for sale, then packs and ships them for customer orders.

Want more ways to make money online?
Check out my big list of profitable online business ideas here

Manufacturing Business Ideas

Product Manufacturing

This is the business type that I started with my husband. I was the business and marketing manager while he was the factory and shipping director. This worked out well because each of us had our own specific areas of responsibility which complimented our skill set.

Get more of my best manufacturing business ideas here

Farming and Plant Nursery

Let Mother Nature be your business partner! Start a farm or plant nursery with your lover and grow your own green profits!

A couple friend of ours, husband and wife, run a very successful plant propagation business. The husband manages the greenhouses & farm Workers while the wife is the salesperson and business accountant.

Here are more of my best green business ideas that are profitable and sustainable.

Perhaps you don’t have land but you the two of you want to start a farming business then consider my articles – growing mushrooms commercially and how to start a worm farm indoors.

Check out my list of the best agricultural business ideas here

Restaurants & Food Business Ideas

Restaurants both local and franchisees are often successful when run by a married couple together.

Typically the division of labor is separated between the front and back of the house. The “front” deals with customer service, managing wait staff and planning advertising campaigns. The “back” of the house handles the preparation of food, ordering of supplies and kitchen design.

Food Truck

One partner could be the chef and handle food preparation while the other could plan social media ads, promotions, and bookkeeping.

Coffee Shop

One of you could be the Barista coffee expert while the other could focus on preparing other foodstuffs such as baked goods and sandwiches.

Alternatively, you could hire a chef for food production so that one of you can be the business manager who will do the accounting and advertising tasks.

Here is my best naming inspiration for your restaurant names and logo

Services

Landscaping and Lawn Care

This is a good business to start as a couple where one focuses on the physical aspects of gardening and lawn maintenance while the other focuses on the artistic garden design and business-focused marketing campaigns. Or one of you could design garden installations such as paths, and patios while the other builds these items.

Here are my best list of landscaping business names that are available here

Tutoring and Teaching

Couples start a tutoring business together so they can cover multiple subjects. Perhaps one of you is better at teaching math and other tutoring languages. Alternatively, you could double your student customers by teaming up together.

Consulting

I know of a few successful business consulting teams comprised of spouses. Each spouse takes one aspect of the business for their consulting focus.

In one company I know the husband focuses on the financial advice for the business owner while the wife focuses on the human resources and personnel issues of the company.

Alternatively, you could have your spouse focus on the company’s production methods, and ways to streamline them, while you helped their marketing department improve their advertising campaigns.

Gym and Fitness Classes

Love to work out, run or do yoga? Use your passions to help others get in shape and stay healthy.

The two of you could double the number of classes you can have as a team. Or you can be personal trainers, wives focus on female clients, and husbands help men lift weights.

Cleaning Business

Mop up profits in the cleaning industry!

Couples make good partners in cleaning businesses because they can divide the tasks into those which require more physical strength for husbands who may be stronger and taller, and wives can do the more delicate cleaning jobs – or vice versa.

Another way to work as a couple is to divide your cleaning company into residential and commercial cleaning, one partner for each industry.

Alternatively, one spouse could be the cleaning service provider while the other is the sales manager who gets the contracts, collects the payments, and does the accounting.

Check out my list of the best cleaning company names here

Pet Sitting and Animal Care

How about starting an animal care business together as a couple? The two of you can double the number of pets you can watch, walk, and take care of as a team.

Or you can divide your business into your girlfriend who does the pet sitting at people’s homes for indoor animals while you the boyfriend focuses on animals that require strenuous outdoor walking, playing and training – or switch roles.

Another way to divide the labor is to create a pet care business where one of you focuses on pet grooming and the other on pet walking and training. Get inspiration with my dog grooming business name ideas.

Consider going into dog breeding as a couple. Learn which are the most profitable dogs to breed and sell in my article here

Real Estate

Broker Sales Agency

Many successful real estate sales agencies are run by married couples. That is because one spouse can focus on getting listings and the other can focus on selling properties.

Another idea could be that one partner focuses entirely on real estate buying and selling while the other focuses on marketing listings and managing the business’s finances.

An advantage of having a couple in the real estate business is that most homes are purchased by married partners and as a couple business owners you can create strong customer connections, wives to wives and husbands to husbands, for positive interactions.

House Flipping

This business idea is one where you purchase real estate, renovate it, and resell it at a profit. We all know the successful real estate couple, The Gaines who divide the labor into her design skills and his construction skills.

Another way to divide the business is for one of you to focus on scouting properties, negotiating the price, and ultimately selling the property while the other spouse is responsible for the renovation, purchasing materials, and hiring tradesman.

Stores Retail

Fashion Boutique

One of my marketing clients, are married couple entrepreneurs, own and operate a chain of fashion boutiques. The husband manages the business aspect of accounting, payroll, and shipping ecommerce orders, while his wife, who is the more creative Fashionista, devotes her time to sourcing interesting fashions to feature in their boutiques and also develops their advertising campaigns.

Plus the husband manages their online store while his wife sets up and directs the fashion photoshoots for the online store listings.

Transportation

Delivery Trucking Service

Couples can start a delivery service trucking where one is the driver and the other handles logistics, financesand marketing.

Before you get started read my checklist on starting a trucking business here

75 Fashion Business Ideas for Stylish Entrepreneurs

Fashionistas – want to make money in your own fashion business? I can help you as a marketing consultant, proud FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) graduate, and fellow fashion lover.

Get inspired by this list of creative and profitable fashion business ideas including new businesses; fashion designing, starting a clothing line, styling, media, retailing, and online options too!

SHOPIFY – Sell Your Clothing Line Online – Start for Free

Naming Tips: How to Come Up with a Catchy Business Name

List of Fashion Business Ideas

Fashion Designer Women’s Apparel – Use your creative fashionista style to design and sell your own clothing line. The fashion business can be profitable for designers of sportswear, separates, dresses, and suits for women.
Children’s Clothing Designer – Opportunities abound in children’s clothing designs. The global children’s wear market is worth over $300 billion dollars and 6 billion for high-end designer kidswear.
Baby Clothes Designer – Little babies are big business! The baby apparel market worldwide earns over $135 billion annually. Check out my list of business ideas aimed at babies here.
Handmade Fashions – The handmade market is booming. Fashion entrepreneurs are creating handmade, and sustainable apparel and selling online sites such as Etsy, Amazon Handmade, and Facebook Marketplace.
Bridal Wedding Dress Designer – Wedding wear earned over $59 billion last year. Capitalize on this opportunity by designing custom wedding gowns, veils, footwear, bridesmaid dresses, wedding favors, and jewelry. Also, you could create a wedding fashion for men and boys.
Knitwear and Sweater Designer – The knitted fabric market is one of the fastest-growing in the fashion sector. As such, consider designing knitwear, sweaters, hosiery, leggings, and socks as a career.
Eyewear and Sunglasses – Designer sunglasses are a lucrative and growing market.
Fashion Illustrator – Use your artistic talents to draw fashion images for advertisements, packaging, store signage and websites.
Fashion Author – If you have a flair for writing, you could be a fashion author penning books that are biographies of famous designers and photographers.
Magazine Publisher – Combine fashion writing and imagery into a printed publication for distribution.
Fashion Blogger – The average monthly salary for online fashion bloggers is $1,000 with a few earning millions! Fashionista magazine details the top earners here
Fashion Vlogger YouTube Channel – Make videos of style tutorials, clothing brand reviews, and outfit suggestions.
Fashion Podcasts – Love to talk about fashion? Explore starting a fashion podcast such as these voted best fashion podcasters by Harpers Bazaar.
Fashion TV Show – My guilty secret is fashion TV shows – especially Project Runway. Use new media such as Instagram Lives to air your own fashion TV show. Get inspired by this list of top fashion TV shows at Bustle.com
Fashion Journalist – Become a fashion reporter and write for magazines, websites, and television. Having a degree in fashion media, communication or journalism can be an advantage.
Pattern Maker – Create patterns from fashion designers’ sketches or existing outfits for seamstresses to produce. Alternatively, you could design and sell patterns to home sewers. It requires skill and patience.
Custom Made Clothing – Create couture outfits, made to measure for individuals.
Sewing Store – Make money with sewing by becoming a teacher, creating a website, selling sewing supplies, books, and patterns.
Fashion Photography – Fashion photographers are among the highest-paid in the industry. Start your business by exploring options locally such as taking photos for independent designers and boutique shops to post on their websites and social media. Here are hundreds of my creative photography business name ideas
Sleepwear Designer – Designer sleepwear is a lucrative market.
Lingerie & Bra Designer – Create and sell lingerie fashions including bras, shapewear, hosiery and socks.
Activewear Designer – Athleisure is a huge trend in women’s apparel market. Good looking comfortable wear is no longer just for exercise class. Learn how to launch your own activewear brand in 5 steps at Syletica.com
Fashion Event Producer – Stage runway fashion shows and trade shows to promote designers collections.
Fashion Business Coach – Help fashion companies with their branding, advertising and business operations including financing and production advice.
Fashion Graphic Artist – You can specializing in fashion advertising, and also offer photo retouching for fashion images.
Photo Stylist – Style models and actors for photos, videos and films as a wardrobe consultant or costume designer.
Personal Stylist – Celebrities, politicians and other professionals need fashion experts to dress them for important appearances.
Image consultant – Both men and women hire fashion professionals to help advise them on the best silhouettes and styles for their skin color and physique. Designing capsule – mini collections – are trending now.
Personal Shopper and Wardrobe Consultant – Help busy people buy the right fashions for their wardrobe by becoming a personal shopper. Expand your profits by offering closet organization services.
Travel Wardrobe Expert – Frequent travelers have specific clothing needs. Design and sell travel clothes and packing guidance.
Public Relations Representative – Use your creative writing and business marketing skills to become a PR agent for fashion brands to promote their lines in the media.
Modeling Agency – Open an agency teaching people how to be models then offer their services to photographers.
Fashion Model – Today’s fashion brands want to hire models of all ages, sizes, and ethnicities.
Import and Export Clothing – Facilitate the buying and selling of clothing internationally by distributing foreign brands and exporting your countries fashions.
Fitting Alterations and Repair – There is lots of money to be made in properly fitting and repairing designer outfits, wedding gowns, and suits.
Bathing Suits & Swimwear – Create fashionable and unique swimwear (and coverups) for beach and poolside for women, men, and children
Maternity Designer – Pregnant ladies need a special wardrobe and multiple sizes range throughout their pregnancy. Supply their needs by designing, opening a retail store, or online boutique selling maternity clothing.
Sports Performance Wear – Develop specific garments for functionality for runners, hikers, and bikers
Team Uniforms & Medical Scrubs – Sports teams, both professional and amateur, want sharp looking uniforms. You could also design and sell medical scrubs for doctors and nurses.
Shoe Designer – Designing and selling shoes is a huge moneymaker that is growing steadily. Learn how to start a shoe line from the experts at Italian Shoe Factory.
Sneaker Designer – One of today’s hottest shoe styles are sneakers. Create your own line or customize popular brands with laces and accessories. Since styles change rapidly consider opening a sneaker consignment store – here’s how.
Silk Scarf and Mens Tie Designer – Tap your artistic talents and design silk scarves or ties. You could create one of a kind works of art and sell on handmade marketplaces such as Etsy.
Leather Belt and Buckles – Custom leather designs of belts, buckles and other leather goods to sell in your own leather shop.
Handbags and Purse – Design and retail your handbag creations, or resell designer – new or vintage handbags and purses. Here is how to start your handbag business from home from the experts at Crystal Clutch.
Luggage Designer – Retail your creations for luggage, briefcases and carry-on cases.
Restorer of Vintage Designer Handbags – As an appreciation for vintage designer bags increases so does the need for restoration services.
Jewelry Designer – Express your artistic side by designing jewelry either fine (diamonds and gold) or costume fashion jewelry. Or sell established lines of direct sales companies – here is a list of firms from Work at Home Woman
Watches and Time Pieces – Sell, resell, or design custom timepieces.
Perfumes and Cosmetics – Fragrance is a part of fashion. Here are my most profitable beauty business ideas
Hair Accessories – Sell hair combs, barrettes and headbands. Get tips from successful hair bow entrepreneur here
Ethnic and Native Outfits – Create special fashion with traditional styles for dance performances and special events.
Window Display Merchandiser – Create eye-catching storefront displays and design store layouts
Web Designer Online Fashion Boutiques – Design and build fully functioning online eCommerce shops for fashion designers to sell their collections.
Western and Equestrian Wear – Sell cowboy wear, boots, and horse riding costumes and gear.
Hats and Millinery – Start a hat or cap business. Get professional startup tips from the headwear experts at Acme.
Evening Wear – Formalwear, gowns, and tuxedos – design, create, sell, or rent.
Fashion Design School – Teach aspiring designers on how to design apparel and start their careers in Fashion.
Custom Made Jeans – Custom denim clothing is in demand. Start an online custom blue jean company – more info at Entrepreneur.
Promotional Wear – Produce apparel (t-shirts, aprons, jackets) with company logo imprints for business trade shows
Fashion Boutique – Open a brick and mortar fashion boutique.
Lingerie Shop – Open a retail or online lingerie business and offer bra fittings and custom made bras. Get tips from lingerie designer Tracey Reed.
Menswear Store – Custom made suits and shirts
Children’s Clothing Store – Brick and mortar, online, and consignment options.
Baby Store – Open a shop devoted to baby fashion and home decor for babies. Here is my list of more business ideas aimed at babies.
Consignment Store – Brick and mortar or online. Check out my list of catchy thrift shop name ideas here
Reseller – Flea market vendor or online at fashion sites such as Poshmark and Thredup. Sell imported collections.
Vintage & Thrift Clothing – Physical or online.
Costume Shop – Create and sell costumes for theatrical productions and entertainment.
Plus Size Clothing Store – Stock fashions for Women’s sizes
Petite Women Store – Many smaller women find it hard to buy age-appropriate clothing in their size.
Big and Tall Men’s Shops – Sell larger clothing, suits, belts and shoes for tall and big men
Franchise and Direct Sales Fashion – Buy a franchise from this list of the best fashion franchises at Franchise Chatter
E-Commerce Store – Online boutique and dropshipping. Here are my tips and sources to find wholesale products to sell online.
Learn from the pros at Oberlo – a division of industry leader Shopify.
Print on demand T-shirts – Graphic tees are in demand and you can open an online store where customers pick a design and you print shirts for each order. I recommend Shopify easy to use affordable store designs.
Speciality Adaptive Clothing – Design and sell clothing that is accessible for disabled, seniors and elderly which is easy to get on and off and comfortable to wear. Get inspired by this successful online adaptive clothing retailer

Let your love of fashion be your livelihood. There are tons of opportunities for creative entrepreneurs to succeed in the fashion industry.