101 new business ideas to inspire you to start a business

Coming up with a business idea is the first step in starting a business. But how do you come up with a business idea that is right for you?

If you are looking for a small business idea (or even a micro business) to kickstart your path to entrepreneurship, you are in the right place. This list of 101 small business ideas includes everything from personal services, to retail opportunities, to environmental services, to pet-related ideas, to technology businesses.

Use this list to identify the business idea that is perfect for your situation.

1. Air Duct Cleaner

2. Antique Furniture Sales

3. App Developer

4. Appliance Repair Technician

5. Aquarium Maintenance

6. Basement Remodeler

7. Blog Consultant

8. Bookkeeper

9. Business Consultant

10. Candle Maker

11. Candy Maker

12. Carpenter

13. Catering Service

14. Childproofing Expert

15. Cloth Diaper Service

16. Composting

17. Computer Repair and Maintenance

18. Computer Trainer

19. Construction Cleanup

20. Customer Service Professional

21. Data Entry Service

22. Desktop Publishing

23. Direct Mail Marketing Service

24. Disaster Planning and Prevention Service

25. Dog Trainer

26. Dog Treat Baker

27. Dog Waste Remover (Pooper Scooper)

28. Doula

29. eBay Consultant

30. eBay Seller

31. Florist

32. Freelance Writer

33. Furniture Mover

34. Gardener

35. Genealogist

36. Grant Writer

37. Green Cleaner

38. Green Consultant

39. Gutter Cleaner

40. Hair Salon Owner

41. Handmade Crafter

42. Handyman

43. Hauling Services

44. Holiday Decorator

45. Home-Based Child Care Provider

46. Home Stager

47. Home Theater Designer

48. Home Weatherization Professional

49. House Painter

50. Ice Cream Shop Business

51. Image Consultant

52. Ink and Toner Cartridge Refilling

53. Interior Designer

54. Internet Researcher

55. Jewelry Maker

56. Laundry Service

57. Life Coach

58. Locksmith

59. Marketing Copywriter

60. Massage Therapist

61. Medical Transcriptionist

62. Motivational Speaker

63. Nutritionist

64. Organic Hair Care Products Seller

65. Organic Lawn Care Provider

66. Party Planner

67. Personal Chef

68. Personal Concierge

69. Personal Trainer

70. Pest Control Professional

71. Pet Couture Designer/Seller

72. Pet Groomer

73. Pet Sitter

74. Photo Restoration Service

75. Photographer

76. Pizza Parlor

77. Pool Cleaning and Maintenance Provider

78. Private Tutor

79. Professional Organizer

80. Project Manager

81. Proofreader

82. Public Relations Agency

83. Resume Writer

84. Sales Consultant

85. Scrapbooker for Hire

86. Senior Care Provider

87. SEO Consultant

88. Snow and Ice Removal Service

89. Soap Maker

90. Social Media Consultant

91. Speech Writer

92. Tax Accountant

93. Translation Service Provider

94. Tree Farmer

95. Video Producer

96. Virtual Assistant

97. Virtual Call Center

98. Voice-Over Professional

99. Web Designer

100. Wedding Planner

101. Yoga Instructor

Now that you have a few business ideas in mind, you’ve completed the first step of starting a business: you’re inspired! It’s time to take the next step, and evaluate the business ideas that made it to the top of your list. Doing this research at the beginning of the process is vital to avoid wasting time and money on a business idea that flops.

Once you have confirmed there is a market for your business idea, follow along with this step-by-step small business startup guide to work on each of the remaining steps in the small business startup process, and you’ll be on your way to starting a new business in no time.