Being self-employed is the dream of countless people and fortunately, nowadays, it’s easier than ever before. With the internet and technology, you can start a business from anywhere at any schedule that fits your needs.
Depending on your expertise, you can start a business on the side to complement your primary income or one day turn it into a full-time income.
In this blog, we’ll explore 10+ profitable businesses that you can start today and do on the side from wherever you want. We’ll also go through some tips that will help you choose the right one for you.
Contents
Things to consider before starting a part time business
Types of part-time businesses
First, let’s look at the different types of businesses you can start. Mainly, you have two options based on what you offer: product-based or service-based. Product-based businesses involve creating or selling tangible items while service-based businesses involve providing a service to clients or customers. The latter will need minimal investments as compared to the former.
When considering a part-time business, it’s worth noting whether you prefer an online or offline model. An online part-time business requires minimal resources and has a vast potential for reaching customers. If you decide to go for offline mode, we recommend you use online modes for lead generation and marketing.
Related read: How to take your offline business online
Time commitment
Generally speaking, a part-time business can require anywhere from a 3-4 hours per week to several hours per day, depending on the scope of the business.
You need to consider if the idea fits your current schedule. Try to calculate the amount of time you can realistically dedicate to a part-time business, including the hours you need to put in for production, marketing, packaging, and customer support. Choose an idea that aligns with the amount of time you are ready to commit.
Make sure the idea does not interfere with the current job you are doing or other responsibilities you have.
Aligns with your skills and passion
Based on your skills, experience, and interests to come up with a part-time business idea that has the potential to make money. It should be something you are passionate about and have some knowledge in.
Are there any hobbies you can monetize? What skills are you willing to learn that can help build your business? Remember, whichever business you start, you’ll have to step out of your comfort zone and learn new things to run your business.
Financial resources
Starting a business will definitely take some amount of investment, even if it is part-time. Before you settle on a business idea, determine the cost of setting up: equipment, supplies, marketing expenses, and any other costs. Create a realistic budget and decide if you can afford the expenses.
You can start a side hustle with little to no investment. In the next sections, we’ll talk about part-time business ideas that you can start immediately without high costs.
Best part-time business ideas
We have sorted the list of business ideas into two groups: Product-based and service-based.
Product-based part-time business ideas to start
These types of businesses involve selling physical items. We’ll explore a range of products that you can sell and offer a flexible way to earn extra income while pursuing your interests.
1. Handmade crafts and decor
Many hobbyists started small businesses out of what they’re interested in making. This can be anything from crafting and painting to carpentry and knitting. They can serve as a foundation for many excellent part-time business ideas.
The best aspect of starting a handmade business is that it will be much easier to stand out as compared to selling mass-manufactured products.
Related read: Unique Indian products to sell online
Many business owners build their brand around values such as sustainability and supporting traditional crafts. An example of this is Oddtrunk, a handmade home decor business. They sell adorable fridge magnets and other unique crafts on their Instamojo online store:
2. T-shirt business
Selling t-shirts online can be a profitable and affordable part-time business idea, especially for first-time entrepreneurs. The best way to start is to decide which niche you want to focus on: hobbies, jobs, movies, etc.
You can go all in and start a t-shirt business with all equipment like a printer, but you can also make it low-cost by sourcing t-shirts or giving orders to a print-on-demand business.
To know more about selling t-shirts online, here’s a blog to get you started.
3. Home-made food
Starting a part-time business around homemade food can be a great idea, especially if you have a passion for cooking. This is a great idea if you live in the city where lots of working professionals and students stay. You can start an on-demand tiffin service.
Related read: How to sell food online in India
Once you decide on what type of food you want to sell, create a menu and start a group on channels like WhatsApp and Telegram. Those who are in need of your services can easily contact you and you can get it delivered.
4. Natural skincare products
With the proper skills, you can make natural skin and hair care products at home and sell it under your label. This is a great part-time business idea because it’s a niche that is gaining popularity.
Related read: How to sell cosmetics online in India
One Pour Tree, a homemade skincare brand started by Fizaah Fayaaz from her home caters to the conscious customer. She marketed her business by creating awareness on the ingredients used in wellness products. Read more about her story here.
5. Scented candles
Scented candles have been gaining popularity recently, especially during the holiday season. If you have a passion for making things, scented candles is a great product. You can find candle-making tutorials on YouTube or take a course on platforms like Skillshare.
Selling candles can be relatively low cost compared to other types of businesses and the products have a longer shelf life. All you need is a good quality candle-making kit, aroma oils, containers, colours, and packaging materials to get started.
6. Ebooks
Creating and selling ebooks has minimal overhead costs and can also be a good source of passive income, making it a great part-time business idea. You also won’t have to worry about shipping or fulfiment, allowing you to have a customer base across the world.
You can write ebooks based on your expertise and design them using tools like Canva. Once the ebooks are ready, you can put them out on an online store or any other platforms you prefer and start making money. This means that selling ebooks online is also a low-cost business idea.
Grammar Ganga sells ebooks and other digital content about spoken English on the Instamojo online store.
7. Thrifting business
If you like combing through thrift stores in your local stores, this is a great part time business idea. Many people love to shop upcycled clothes, but don’t want to take the trouble of digging through old stuff to get what they need.
You can start a thrift store online by collecting the best thrifted items from local thrift markets and setting up categories. This will let shoppers find what they need easily. Position yourself as a trustworthy curator who can find hidden gems and present amazing vintage pieces for others
Carols shop on Instgarm sells vintage clothing and accessories. They have a unique curation of upcycled products.
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You can learn more about how to start an online thrift store with this guide.
Service-based part-time business ideas
These include businesses you can start by offering services part-time. You can choose both offline and online modes. They have lower costs as compared to product-based ideas. Some of these will require professional-level skills.
8. Freelance
Freelancing is a great way to earn some money on the side without spending a lot of hours
There are many services you can offer as a freelancer, based on your skillsets. The most popular ones include writing, marketing, graphic designing, and coding.
Related read: How to calculate your freelance rates
To start as a part-time freelancer, you will need to find clients. You can do this via cold pitching or through freelance platforms like Upwork. With practice, the right skills, and good clients, you can earn good money as a freelancer because you can have a client base based in abroad, making your earning potential greater.
9. Coaching
If you have good experience in your field of work, you can make a considerable amount of money by offering coaching classes and consultation. For example, if you know how to speak English well, you can offer spoken English classes.
Other popular coaching businesses include life coach, motivation coaching, and career guidance coaching.
Related read: How to start an online coaching business
This is a great part-time business idea if you have expert-level knowledge on a subject and are confident that you can provide mentorship and actionable tips. You will have to build credibility online as an expert in your field and create a community to start a successful coaching business.
LiveFromALounge is a blog that help people know more about the miles program benefits. They host the MileageMentor masterclass regularly to help people know about the best ways to maximise flyer miles and credit rewards with the help of a landing page created with Instamojo:
10. Events planner
Do you have a creative flair and love organizing activities? Event and party planning can be the right part-time business idea for you.
As an event planner, your job would be to plan and coordinate events ranging from birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, gender reveal parties, and even corporate events. Once you get a few clients, you can use the photos from those events to capture your next clients.
Event planning is a business idea that you can start by yourself and then gradually turn into a full-scale business with a team.
Looking to start a part-time service business? Start getting clients and collect payments easily with the help of Instamojo Smart Pages. You get a professional landing page where you can showcase your services, portfolio, and testimonials.
11. Interior designing
To start an interior business, you will need to have a string background or education in design principles and material selection. Consider taking courses online and working under a mentor to gain experience.
You can get started as a part-time interior designer by taking on small projects from family and friends, and build your portfolio.
12. Henna artist
Henna is an inevitable part of Indian weddings. So, if you have a talent of making beautiful henna designs, this is a great part-time business idea! Most weddings are on weekends and in the evenings. With such a time frame, you can easily make henna art your side hustle. Collect bookings from friends and famile. Also get on social media to get clients from around your town or city, and get business rolling.
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Social media is a great place to market your henna artist business and get clients around your locality
13. Pet care
Pet care can be a fulfilling and enjoyable side hustle for those who love animals and are willing to care for them. Pet care services include dog walking, pet sitting, grooming, and training. It can be done on a flexible schedule, making it a good side hustle for those who have other commitments like a job.
What’s best is you can get your fist customer by advertising around your own neighbourhood. This makes pet care a flexible and enjoyable source of income.
14. Online tuition
Online tuition is gaining popularity in today’s digital age where remote learning is becoming more common. Online tuition allows you to get students from anywhere in the world. You can use video conferencing apps, online whiteboards, and educational software to deliver your lessons.
Build a strong online presence and community to get more students. You can also reach out to your network and promote your services on education forums and online marketplaces.
Go part-time and gain extra income
Whichever business idea you go for, it’s all about learning and gaining new experiences. Starting and managing your own business is much different than working a job or studying a course. You will see the world and your goals from a different perspective, change your mindset, and set higher goals.
To make your online part-time business easier, take the help of the right tools and technology. If you need a tool to collect payments, start a landing page, or a website, try out Instamojo, a platform trusted by 20 lakh+ business owners.
