22 Exciting Small Business Ideas For Women

This is a list of small business ideas for women, but that doesn’t mean that a man can’t use this list to find something too. Many women find that they have it rough when it comes to trying to start a business.

In many cases, they’ll need to juggle home and family along with the other challenges they face on a daily basis–and that can make getting a business off the ground a little tricky!

Starting your own small business is a great way to increase your income streams and make it easier to tackle many of the financial challenges that will appear along the way, but it’s not always easy.

If you’re a woman with an entrepreneurial spirit, however, don’t let your opportunities be dampened by the obstacles you might face along the way. Instead, try some of these fantastic ideas for starting a small home-based business of your own.

1. Baking

Does everyone always rave when the time comes to try your cookies at the bake sale? Have friends and family members been in awe of your cakes for years?

If you have a talent for baking, make the most of it! In many cases, you can start a baking business out of your home, putting together cakes, cookies, and other delicious treats for paying customers.

Take your talent beyond potlucks and classroom parties, show off your decorating expertise, and learn how you can make extra money doing something you love as you put together your home baking business.

Make sure that you check your state’s cottage laws to discover what is necessary in order to turn your home kitchen into a productive home-based business.

2. Crafts

You love putting together crafts, whether it’s sewing, knitting, crocheting, or painting.

If you have a home littered with crafts or you’re struggling to figure out what to do with them all–or if you have a craft closet stuffed full of supplies that you never get to use–consider turning that crafting business into extra spending money.

You can set up at local craft fairs to sell your wares or put together an online shop to help expand your reach and discover just how many people will fall in love with your products.

Make sure to do some market research, especially if you’re going to be selling online.

Are there enough buyers to support your plans and make it worth your hourly wage? These simple questions can help you find the right corner of the market for you.

3. Pictures

Photo by Lilly Rum on Unsplash

One of my favorite small business ideas for women is taking pictures. You have the best kid pictures in your friend group.

People are always asking you how you get your kids in such great poses, but to you, it’s just intuitive! Perhaps you have a gift for seeing something through the eye of your camera that others fail to notice.

Whatever the case, consider how you can turn that talent into a productive home-based business. Do some kids’ or family photography, or take your talents beyond that and try shooting weddings, graduation photos, or other important life events!

Related: The 9 Best Apps To Sell Your Photos

4. Tutoring

You’ve helped your kids through some of those complicated math problems that no one else seems to understand–including explaining Common Core with ease. Perhaps you have a gift for teaching kids how to write, or for editing teens’ papers in a way that helps them better understand the writing process.

If you’re a good teacher, consider a home-based business in tutoring! A couple of hours a day after school can help rake in some serious cash, especially as you start to form a solid client base.

You can tutor from home or try a local library or other public space, depending on your clients and your personal needs.

Related: 12 Easy Ways To Earn Extra Money On The Side

5. Childcare

Maybe the best home business for moms is childcare. You’re already at home with your kids during the day. Why not take advantage of that and bring in some built-in friends for a playdate at the same time?

Offer childcare to a friend or family member who has to work–or start an entire daycare business out of your home. You’ll be able to keep having fun with your kids and add a few more to the mix at the same time. Even better, they’ll never complain about being bored again!

6. Eldercare

Not everyone is suited for interacting with other people’s children. Do you enjoy working with the elderly and listening to their stories? Consider being a caregiver for the elderly. In some cases, you may be able to bring the kids with you.

They’ll light up an elderly person’s day and gain an extra “grandparent” to spoil them in the process.

7. Fitness Trainer

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

Have you put a lot of effort into learning how to do yoga or tightening your body through aerobics? Have you worked with a specific program or learned a ton about overall fitness, especially if you were struggling to adapt to your new post-baby body?

Becoming a fitness trainer is a great way to work with a wide range of clients to help them reach their goals, which is a new fitness high in and of itself. Not only that, it’s a surefire way to increase the odds that you’ll get your workout in each day!

8. Event Planning

Do you put together amazing bashes that everyone can’t wait to attend? Are your kids’ birthday parties the talk of the town? Try putting together a home based business in event planning. In many cases, other busy parents can’t wait to pay you for those services.

Not only will you get to plan amazing parties on someone else’s budget, but you’ll also be able to make little extra money on the side–and you’ll get some even more incredible ideas for your kids’ next parties.

9. Proofreading

You’ve always had an eye for detail in other people’s writing. Why not turn it into a home based business? From college students who are eager to turn in the perfect paper to would-be writers who need an extra eye on their new books, there is a wide range of proofreading clients out there.

As a bonus, you’ll be able to work from anywhere: take papers along with you to your kids’ lessons and classes, work on the commute to and from your primary job, or take them with you on vacation, if you so desire.

10. Design and Sell Products

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CNBC recently wrote about a website called Zazzle, a growing company that makes it easy for you to design and sell your own products.

You can sell clothes, jewelry, accessories, housewares, office products, art, food and much more. This site is not a listing site like eBay; you sell through a store you set up on their site or your website. The goods are made-to-order, cutting out the huge fees associated with inventory and fulfillment.

11. Temporary Tattoo Artist

Provide a fun and unique service at parties and community events with temporary tattoos. A tattoo artist is sure to be a hit by providing a way for customers to let loose and be creative. A significant advantage to this business is that you don’t need any specialized equipment to get started, this keeps your startup costs low.

You can learn how to apply them by watching Youtube videos. You can find inexpensive supplies at the Oriental Trading Company or create your own at Temporary Tattoos.

12. Professional Organizer

If you like working with people and love finding new ways to keep things organized, then it might be time to become a professional organizer. Help your clients bring order to their lives by creating a system that keeps everything in its place in their homes, offices, and filing systems. Wiki How has some useful tips for getting started in an organization business.

13. Run Errands

Busy moms, shift workers, sick or injured people, and people who work 9 to 5, they all need help from time to time getting things done. An easy business to start is running errands in your community.

14. Landscaping

Photo by Peter Žagar on Unsplash

Do you dream of working outdoors? If so, landscaping is one of the low-cost business ideas you might want to try. A pickup truck, lawn mower, weed eater, and some shovels may be all you need to get started. Offer to mow lawns, pull weeds, mulch flowers, or tend a vegetable garden.

15. Flea Market Flipper

Is bargain hunting your jam? If you can’t pass up a good yard sale and you know a good deal when you see one, flipping might be a good business for you.

16. Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant can make anywhere between $10 and $100 an hour depending on your level of expertise. Nowadays virtual assistants perform a wide variety of tasks, everything from simple data entry to social media management and website maintenance.

To start your own business, you’ll need to set up a website, a place where you can advertise your services. Ready to get started? I found this book on Amazon, The Bootstrap VA: The Go-Getter’s Guide to Becoming a Virtual Assistant, Getting and Keeping Clients, and More, it got excellent reviews.

Related: Get Paid To Write Articles At Home: 101 Sites That Pay You To Write

17. Car Detailing

Another easy business to start is car detailing. For about $400 you can buy all the supplies that you need to start washing vehicles. Depending on where you live, you might need a garage to work in.

18. Dog Groomer

Photo by Roberto Nickson (@g) on Unsplash

My friend Niki started a grooming business in her garage. Niki worked evenings and weekends to build up her clientele before she left her 9-5. Now my friend has a thriving business that employs several people. Working for a dog groomer is an excellent way to get the experience and connections that you need to start a grooming business.

19. Bookkeeper

One of the best small business ideas to work from home is bookkeeping. Get paid to help companies keep track of payroll and spending, and prepare financial reports. The average salary of a bookkeeper is about $40,000. Here are five steps you can take to become a bookkeeper.

20. Clean Houses or Businesses

Two of my friends are in the cleaning business; they work together so they can take on more clients. My friends charge a flat fee depending on the size of the house and the number of occupants. The scope of the work is covered with each new client before any work begins. 

The cleaning business offers a lot of flexibility; you can choose the days that you want to work as well as how many clients you want.

21. Bed and Breakfast

If you enjoy hosting guests, a bed and breakfast might be a perfect business for you. Build new friendships with your guests and increase your income at the same time.

22. Blogger

Making money as a blogger is the best thing ever. It’s a great way to get paid for being creative and sharing your ideas. To be honest, I spent a year and a half working on my blog and not making any money at all. I think the only people who were reading my blog was my husband and a couple of co-workers. 

But things have changed, recently I took the Create and Go course and rekindled my love for blogging. Now I get up every morning excited to see how many new viewers I’ve gained along with the increase in my income. I just wish I had taken the course when I first started blogging, I wasted a lot of time trying to figure things out on my own.

If you’re not ready to jump into blogging you might want to try creating YouTube videos to earn affiliate income. Here’s a guide to help you get started with your first video.

Starting your own business is a great way to increase your income while doing something that you genuinely enjoy. Not only that, it can create additional revenue that will help support your family if times get tough.

Need more small business ideas for women or help with how to launch your own home-based business? Read these passive income ideas or leave a comment below and let us know how we can help.