In this article, we will be looking at 30 small-scale business ideas for ladies. These are just a handful of the many entrepreneurship opportunities women can pursue to achieve financial independence.
The best part is, you don’t need an MBA or any other degree to do these businesses- all you need is some hard work and determination!
If you’re a woman who’s been dreaming about becoming your boss but haven’t found the right opportunity yet, this list may be exactly what you’ve been waiting for.
Please note that the ideas are not listed in any particular order.
30 Small Scale Business Ideas for Ladies
1. Start a Photography Business
The world of photography is changing fast, but this industry remains popular among consumers. Why not start making money with your camera if you have a good eye? Besides weddings and event photography, there’s also demand for maternity & baby photos, newborn pictures, pictures of couples, and more.
You can start a business as a Professional Photographer with very little capital. All you need is your camera and some good editing software.
First of all, come up with a catchy name for your business- may be something like ‘Sean’s Photography.’ Next, open a Facebook and Instagram account to upload your images and display your services to the public.
2. Open an Online Store
Online stores are popular among women because they can reach clients outside your geographical area, increasing clientele.
If you have a talent for knitting, sewing, or designing clothes, why not start an online store? You can easily create your website with WordPress or put up an Etsy Shop where buyers all over the world can purchase your creations!
So, what should you sell? Well, there’s no right or wrong answer to that- think about what you enjoy doing and what’s had experience with.
3. Start a Personal Blog.
This one falls under the same category as starting an online store: blogging is trendy, and hundreds of thousands of women make a full-time living from blogging!
All you need is an idea, some basic knowledge of WordPress, and time to market your blog.
Think about something people are interested in buying, e.g., fashion, travel, fitness, etc. Create a catchy title for your blog and start writing valuable and informative content.
If you’re passionate about fitness, for example, publish articles on your blog that teach people how to lose weight or build muscles.
Make sure you work with affiliate partners who are willing to promote your products- this way, you’ll make money even when you don’t have any visitors on your site. If you start generating some good traffic, your blog will become profitable in no time flat.
4. Start a Creative Business
If you’re not particularly artistically inclined but still like to create, there are other (and equally creative) ways of making money online.
For example, one popular option is starting your fashion blog to post photos of yourself wearing the latest trends. You need to format them nicely and link them to the original website where the clothes were purchased from.
If you love arts & crafts, you can easily set up a blog or a website dedicated to showcasing your talent and teaching others how to create similar items.
For example, if you’re good at baking, design your cake recipes and post the instructions on your YouTube Channel, Website, or Instagram.
5. Start a Social Media Consulting Business
Social media is one of the most effective ways to market products & services in today’s world; however, many people lack the time or know-how to create their accounts or make sure they’re using the most effective hashtags.
Start a business that focuses on social media management and marketing- you can either do this part-time while still working a full-time job or put up your website where clients from all over the world can hire you to manage their accounts.
6. Develop your products to sell online
If you have a talent for designing, drawing, or sculpting, then there’s no reason why you can’t start selling your products online! Etsy is full of people who make a good living selling artwork and other handmade items on their website.
All you need to do is design or create something, take some high-quality photos of your product(s), and upload them on Etsy.
7. Start a boutique business
Have you ever fancied owning your storefront? Now is the perfect time to follow that dream! Opening a boutique isn’t as difficult as it seems- what’s important is coming up with a unique selling point that will attract customers to your store.
Many boutiques are based around a specific theme or product- think about something you’re particularly passionate about, e.g., fashion for dogs, and sell products related to the niche.
8. Catering/Food Service
The food industry is one of the most popular female entrepreneurs to start a small business.
You don’t necessarily need experience- all you need is a unique idea, plenty of passion, and hard work! You can either sell prepared meals from home or set up a store that sells items such as cake pops or gluten-free cookies.
To make your store successful, make sure you hire an experienced baker who knows how to create tasty recipes. Also, take high-quality photos before selling any food products online or offline, so customers are attracted to your bakery’s unique selling point.
9. Interior Design
Do you know how to pick out the perfect paint color? Or which furniture pieces work well together? If so, this might be the career path for you.
Your interior design business must have a unique selling point- what can you do differently than other designers in your area?
How will your services benefit clients? Do some research to answer before putting any money into creating a website or marketing materials.
You might also consider partnering with an online retailer specializing in home decor items such as floor lamps and table lamps.
10. Become an online tutor
Are you good at teaching others? If so, there are many ways to share your knowledge and skills with people eager to learn.
One common way to teach classes is through a video conference platform like Skype or Google Hangouts (where you can host lessons in real-time).
You can also create a website that serves as an online classroom and invites people from all over the world to join your class for free!
11. Start an Etsy shop
Etsy is the perfect place for people looking to start their own business but don’t have enough money to open up a brick-and-mortar store.
All you need to do is develop some unique products or crafts, take high-quality photos of your items, and set up an Etsy shop! If you’d like, you can also offer custom products to your customers.
12. Teach English as a second language
If you’ve always wanted to teach overseas, now is the perfect time to take advantage of online teaching platforms like VIPKID! All you need to do is sign up with them and start taking on students (who are eager to learn English).
13. Become a freelance writer
If you have excellent English writing skills, there are many ways to make money online. One way is by becoming a freelance writer!
However, it’s best to focus on one niche and write articles only about the topic to succeed. For example, let’s say that you love reading books- then your place could be writing book reviews.
14. Start a home-based bakery
Making and selling desserts is one of the most popular jobs for stay-at-home moms and retirees! If you’ve ever thought about starting your own business, now might be the best time to do so.
There are many benefits to creating and selling baked goods. For example, you’ll get to save on overhead costs because you can run your business out of your kitchen. You can also customize recipes to suit everyone’s special dietary needs or restrictions (e.g., low-carb desserts for diabetics).
15. Start an online thrift store
Using platforms like eBay and Etsy, you can create your online thrift store where you can sell other people’s gently-used items. This is great for stay-at-home moms looking for ways to make extra money without working outside the home.
16. Become a virtual assistant
Many companies are always looking for dependable individuals to help them with daily tasks and projects. And thanks to the internet, it’s never been easier to apply for and get hired as a virtual assistant.
Just make sure that you’re good at organizing, keeping track of important dates and details, communicating well with others (both in-person and online), performing essential administrative work, etc.
17. Sell handmade crafts
Making and selling unique crafts is another good way to earn money while working from home. Just be sure that you’re able to take clear, high-quality photos of your products and list them on shopping websites like Etsy and eBay.
18. Teach yoga classes
If you’ve ever done any yoga in the past, you know how much of a calming, meditative experience it can be. That’s why many yoga enthusiasts are always looking for great yoga instructors to teach them the basics (and more advanced poses).
You could do this through an online teaching platform or run your classes in your local area without paying too many overhead costs.
19. Become a fitness trainer
This is another excellent way to earn money from home. Many people want to prioritize fitness, but they need motivation and guidance.
Consider starting your own business as a personal trainer if you’re really into fitness. Not only can you help people lose weight and tone their muscles (which will make them look more beautiful), but it’s also a great way to stay in shape yourself!
20. Start a Digital Marketing Service
If you have a knack for all things tech, why not start your own digital marketing consulting service? As the world becomes more connected through social media, many businesses now need help with their online presence.
This is especially true if they mainly cater to locals- as it’s hard for them to compete against big businesses with larger advertising budgets.
21. Open an Event Planning business
If you have a good sense of style and an eye for detail, consider opening your own event planning business.
Or, if you prefer to run a small-scale operation from home, create a website where clients can hire you to plan special events such as weddings or baby showers.
22. Become a Life Coach
Becoming a life coach is another popular option that’s been around for a while but is still suitable for stay-at-home moms looking to make money from home.
This will help people resolve personal troubles and mental roadblocks. And since you’re working from home, it’ll be easy for you to teach courses online or hold classes in your local area.
23. Start an eCommerce website
If you have a knack for buying low and selling high, consider starting your eCommerce store where you can sell a wide range of goods (e.g., clothing, shoes, accessories).
The process doesn’t require much overhead either because you don’t need to buy wholesale products from other companies before reselling them at higher prices.
24. Sell handmade soaps
Another idea is by making and selling your homemade soaps. You can even use old clothes that you don’t wear anymore to create patterns for each soap you make, adding a unique touch to your brand.
Or you can craft small batches in your kitchen and sell them through a shopping website like Etsy.
25. Start a YouTube Channel
One of the most prominent players in online video today is YouTube. This site generates billions of views every month from people worldwide.
If you have a knack for creating videos that go viral, start your own YouTube channel and become an influencer that people look up to for great tips and advice.
26. Residential cleaning service
In today’s day and age, it seems like everyone is too busy to take care of their homes by themselves- especially since many women are now the primary breadwinners of their families.
This is an excellent opportunity to develop a valuable business idea. All you need to do is figure out how much it will cost clients to hire your residential cleaning service. You will need to create a website or marketing materials highlighting your unique selling point(s).
Alternatively, you can also become a freelance cleaner- all you need to do is sign up on websites such as Craigslist and Upwork, where homeowners from all over the world post jobs. You must provide quality work so potential clients will be eager to hire you for future cleanings.
27. Purse party business
If you already have a large social media following or excellent sales skills, this might be the business opportunity you’ve been looking for.
All you need to do is organize a purse party and invite some of your close friends over to help you sell purses at discounted rates- if done successfully, this could turn into a full-time business in no time! To make your signature event even more successful, try coming up with creative ways to market it online such as creating an advertising campaign on Facebook.
28. Open a Child Daycare Center
All work and no play is no good for anyone, especially kids. So if you have a knack for helping children learn new things, why not start your child daycare center?
Not only will this allow you to earn money from home (so you don’t have to share profits with outside landlords), but it’s also a great way to network with other mothers in your area.
Of course, similar to other businesses on this list, you must get any required paperwork sorted out before officially opening up shop.
30. Skincare and Beauty Consultant
Since skincare is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world right now, this might be the perfect business opportunity for you.
Not only does working as a consultant allow you to make money from home (so you don’t have to share profits with outside landlords), but it’s also an easy way to build long-lasting relationships with your clients. All you need to do is organize seminars or advertising campaigns on Facebook and Instagram where women can learn about all of the latest trends in beauty today.
In Summary:
Since the job market is becoming more and more competitive, you must find an innovative way to stand out from the crowd. While some of these small business ideas for women may not suit everyone, they’re great opportunities to look into if you want to make money while working on your terms.
