The Most Profitable Businesses to Start in 2024


April 18, 2024

The Most Profitable Businesses to Start in 2024

You want your time to be used wisely when you start your own business. That means you should know the most profitable businesses to start with the time, education, resources, and connections you currently have.

What’s considered “profitable” is always changing, of course, and that’s why we continually update our rankings. Every year the most profitable businesses will change slightly as our economy evolves, products become obsolete, and technology advances.

What follows is a freshly updated ranking of the most profitable small businesses, plus the info and resources you need to get started.

Industries With the Most Profitable Business Ideas

Bearded man at a laptop holding fans of hundred dollar bills and surrounded by stacks of cash

First, some context. We took a look at financial reports from early 2024 to ensure relatively recent data. When you consider industries with the most profitable businesses in demand, you’ll find:

  1. Financials: The monetary sector leads the most profitable companies, with over 30% net income and gross profits for banks nearing 100%.
  2. Oil & Gas: The oil and gas energy still has high net profits with 28.26% and a gross profit of 58.75%
  3. Tobacco Companies: Selling addictive products pays off with a 27.52 net profit and 61.25% gross profit. If you could start growing and selling your own tobacco, you’d probably make a killing!
  4. Transportation Companies: Railroads aren’t making as much as previous years, but they still have a 23.52% average net profit. Ship makers also have been making a great living.
  5. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs): Real estate investment trusts are a big winner this year. They moved up from ninth place last year. Players in this industry can expect to earn 23.32% net profit and nearly 78% gross margins.
  6. Software: Entertainment and system applications software companies are doing well with 20% net margins. Entertainment software has gross margins of 63%, while systems and applications have around 72% gross margins.
  7. Investments and Asset Management: Managing other people’s money is an easy startup business. People with the right qualifications can tap into 19.82% net income and 67% gross margins.
  8. Water Utilities: Providing water to municipalities can earn a sweet 19.34% net margin and 56% gross margin.
  9. Semiconductors: Producing parts for electronic equipment can earn 17.94% net profits.
  10. Computers: Computer and peripherals companies have a slightly less profitable business than the semiconductor companies that provide much of their technology, but they still have 17.47% profits.

Many of the most profitable businesses aren’t practical for people who want successful small business ideas for business owners.

Most of us don’t have access to venture capitalists or the ability to run a business for 10 years before it starts making money. So, we’re constraining our list to the most profitable and best small businesses to start.

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What Small Business is Good to Start?

Concept of a casually dressed young man using a laptop to research small business ideas with a graphical storefront and question mark hovering over his shoulder

A good small business to start will normally have high growth opportunities and low barriers of entry, work well as a home-based business, and provide great profit margins. We’ve handpicked some of the most profitable small business ideas for you. Check out our picks for best profitable businesses 2024 below.

1. Cupcake Business

Average Annual Revenue: $1.95M
Average Profit Margins: 5.4%
Startup Costs: $100-$3M
Time To Revenue: 1-6 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1%
Best For: Cooks, chefs, bakers, or foodies with customer service, leadership, and marketing skills

Does your baking prowess receive rave reviews?

Consider exploring that talent! The cake industry is anticipated to see 3.3% growth, bringing it to $94.7 billion globally in 2028. Small specialty shops are poised to reap the majority of the profits.

A cupcake business emerges as a feasible option for individuals with limited resources. Launching this potential home-based venture requires only an oven and basic baking supplies.

As sales pick up, there’s room for expansion to larger formats. Initially, you might sell cupcakes in a display case at a local shop, progress to a food truck, and eventually establish a standalone brick-and-mortar store.

Before diving in, thoroughly research the laws in your state governing the licenses, permits, and standards applicable to your budding bakery business.

Find out how Mignon Francois started the Cupcake Collection with just $5 and built a $10 million cupcake empire.

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2. Sports Memorabilia Shop

• Average Annual Revenue: $453,257
• Average Profit Margins: 6.7%
• Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M
• Time To Revenue: 6-18 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.5%
• Best For: Sports and pop culture experts, customer- and community-focused entrepreneurs, collectors

The current valuation of the sports memorabilia market is $26.1 billion—and it’s expected to grow to $227.2 billion by 2032 according to a report by Market Decipher.

This projection suggests significant annual profits for brick-and-mortar sports memorabilia shops. The essence of this small business concept lies in acquiring genuine or replica memorabilia and reselling it at a markup.

Procure memorabilia through various channels, including wholesalers, auctions, estate sales, advertisements, and online platforms like eBay. Make sure to confirm the authenticity of any signed memorabilia by autograph authenticators.

As you become proficient in authenticating pieces, you can generate additional income by authenticating memorabilia brought to your shop by customers.

Find out how Jim Sears makes $750K a year selling sports cards.

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3. Bridal Gowns and Accessories

Average Annual Revenue: $114K+
Average Profit Margins: 10.3%
Startup Costs: $500-$250K
Time To Revenue: 3+ months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 2.0%
Best For: Designers, artists, and fashion experts with strong marketing and customer service skills

The bridal industry is expected to grow to $79.8 billion by 2027, which is a compound annual growth rate of 4.4%. According to BusinessWire, nearly 85% of bridal shopping is still done in retail stores.

Pro Tip: Note that bridal shops may cost $250,000 or more to get started because of all the gowns, veils, and accessories you’ll have to stock for your customers.

4. Consignment Shop

Average Annual Revenue: $60K-$120K
Average Profit Margins: 5-15%
Startup Costs: $100-$10K
Time To Revenue: 30-90 days
Annual Market Growth Rate: -9.3%
• Best For: Fashion and style experts who are excellent negotiators and communicators

The projected growth of the secondhand market in the U.S. is astonishing. According to GlobalData and thredUP, the resale clothing market is expected to more than double its current value. With a growth rate that’s 16x faster than the overall retail clothing market, the resale clothing industry will reach a value of $82 billion by 2026.

A consignment shop is the ideal business model for entrepreneurs with limited funds. Entrepreneurs can participate in the profits without purchasing inventory by showcasing other people’s used products, including clothing, antiques, collectibles, and memorabilia.

Additionally, selling items on online marketplaces like Poshmark, Mercari, and eBay creates additional profitable opportunities by expanding to a national or even global market.

Primary consignment shop expenses are:

  • Business formation as an LLC
  • Storefront rental
  • Licenses and insurance
  • Inventory
  • Point-of-sale (POS) system
  • Hiring (if needed)

Overall, the growth in the secondhand market presents a promising opportunity for entrepreneurs interested in the consignment business model.

5. Food Truck

Food truck in the foreground and a screenshot of UpFlip’s How to start a food truck business blog post in the background

• Average Annual Revenue: $41K+
• Average Profit Margins: 6.4%
• Startup Cost: $1K-$100K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2%
• Best For: Foodies, chefs, cooks, bakers, and other food service veterans

Many people start food trucks because they are more profitable than owning a restaurant. You can save money by:

  • Holding off on hiring employees
  • Avoiding the costs associated with a building
  • Offering a more focused menu

Kyle Gourlie, the owner of Vet Chef, told us:

To get started, it cost me around $41,200. Today, I am making $417K a year and aim to keep my food costs under 35%.

Check out our interview with him below to learn how to start a profitable food truck business.

Keep reading for more of our top small business ideas that will make for the most profitable, best businesses in 2024.

6. Bed and Breakfast (B&B)

• Average Annual Revenue: $263K+
• Average Profit Margins: 10.1%
• Startup Cost: $100K-$3.5M
• Time to Revenue: 6-18 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.3%
• Best For: Property owners who are service industry pros with a passion for entertaining and hosting

If you happen to own a charming, rustic, or historically significant home, a bed and breakfast could serve as an excellent starter business.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. bed and breakfast (B&B) industry is presently valued at $2 billion. While it faced a slowdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, its typical growth rate stands at 3.8% annually.

One notable advantage is you’ll live in the business, which cuts down the costs of accommodations. Customers normally expect:

  • Personalized customer service
  • Unique travel experience
  • Home-cooked meals
  • Grocery stores nearby
  • Personal advice about local attractions

Pro Tip: It’s important to invest in home insurance, a food handling permit, and potentially a license to sell alcohol, if applicable. Additionally, if you plan to convert a traditional home into a B&B business, collaborating with your local planning commission may be necessary.

7. Party Rental Business

Laptop displaying Research and Markets article on the party rental business

• Average Annual Revenue: $444K+
• Average Profit Margins: 35-40%
• Startup Cost: $100-$3.5M
• Time to Revenue: 6-18 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: -0.8%
• Best For: People who own rentable assets, collectors, great networkers

The party rental industry boasts a valuation of $5.9 billion and is experiencing a steady annual growth of 4.3% as indicated by Research and Markets.

A business in party rentals involves leasing various products for events, including tables, tents, caterers, sound equipment, and stages. The venture holds significant profit potential, and your business could cater to a range of events, from nonprofit fundraisers to upscale galas.

While the potential earnings are promising, it’s crucial to make a substantial upfront investment in equipment before expecting to see profits. The strategy involves recovering these costs through repeated equipment rentals.

When setting up your business’s inventory, you can consider the option of renting a storage facility to potentially save costs. Then maximize community awareness of your offerings by engaging in robust marketing efforts. Establish a physical location as early as possible to build brand credibility and reap long-term savings.

8. Sewing and Alterations Shop

• Average Annual Revenue: $27K+
• Average Profit Margins: 8.3%
• Startup Cost: $500-$250K
• Time to Revenue: 3+ months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.6%
• Best For: Detail-focused entrepreneurs, fashion and clothing experts who excel at listening and communication

Tailoring and alterations earn $9.4 billion, and the industry is anticipated to experience 4.7% year-over-year growth according to a report by Polaris Market Research.

The beauty of venturing into this type of business lies in its scalability, plus it will help you expand your skill set. Tasks like sewing simple hems and replacing buttons might evolve into dressmaking and design as your knowledge and experience grow.

I actually have an acquaintance who designed costumes for Cirque de Soleil before opening her own small business. With that experience in altering and customizing high-end garments, she opened a brick-and-mortar shop and gets asked to design work for businesses and live performances throughout the country.

During the initial stages, it is entirely respectable to launch your operation in a clean, smoke- and pet-free space within your home.

Pro Tip: Begin by making gradual investments in a commercial-grade sewing machine, a variety of fabrics, backup equipment, and a point-of-sale (POS) system. The costs can range from $150 for an entry-level sewing machine to $10,000 or more for a top-of-the-line model.

9. Gently Used Maternity Clothing Shop

Average Annual Revenue: $60K-$120K
Average Profit Margins: 5-15%
Startup Costs: $100-$10K
Time To Revenue: 30-90 days
Annual Market Growth Rate: -9.3%
• Best For: Fashion and style experts who are excellent negotiators and communicators

In 2021, the maternity wear industry held a valuation of $12.2 billion, and projections from Research and Markets indicate a growth to $16.5 billion by 2028, featuring a 4.4% year-over-year increase.

The demand for formal business women’s maternity attire is notably driven by the nearly 57% female composition of the U.S. workforce, as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Following their pregnancies, many women opt to pass their maternity clothing on to others in need. You can play a role in facilitating this by establishing a shop specializing in gently used maternity attire and other pregnancy supplies.

Start your used maternity clothing venture by selecting and legally formalizing your business structure.

Then, get a seller’s permit and source inventory from social media, consignment shops, and thrift stores. Promote your business within the community, expressing your interest in purchasing used maternity clothing. Finally, ensure profitability by selling the clothing at prices that exceed your purchase cost.

10. Cleaning Service

Chris Mondragon putting on a cleaning glove in the foreground and a screenshot of one of his UpFlip YouTube videos in the background

Average Annual Revenue: $74K+
Average Profit Margins: 6.7%
Startup Costs: $1K-$30K
Time to Revenue: 1-6 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2%
Best For: Self-motivated, independent, and detail-oriented entrepreneurs

Cleaning businesses are virtually gold mines. They’re easy to start, and they have high success rates. Our friend Chris Mondragon pulls in over $125K monthly with his company, Queen Bee Cleaning! In his words:

As you start out, your margins are 40-50%.

Forty to fifty percent! Seasoned business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs know how significant that is! With only 13 weekly cleaning contracts, you can rake in $7,800—not in revenue, but pure profit! Now imagine signing 20 or 30 of these high-paying contracts.

Cleaning is a business built to scale. But be careful: You can’t scale to millions of dollars just anywhere. There’s a tried-and-true calculation that reveals the earning potential in your area. If the numbers line up, you can scale to seven figures.

If you’re curious about how to use the calculation and want to know how to start your cleaning business from scratch—no franchise required—check out this free masterclass with Chris Mondragon.

You can read Chris’s incredible story here or watch our exclusive interview below.

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11. Virtual Assistant

• Average Annual Revenue: $35K-$50K
• Average Profit Margins: 10.5%
• Startup Costs: $100-$200
• Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9%
• Best For: People with strong organization and communication skills, those who want to work from home and set their own hours

Becoming a virtual assistant for clients you choose is a profitable business to start. Some of the top virtual assistants on Upwork make $85 an hour. That’s up to $152K per year for doing things like scheduling appointments, sending emails, completing research, and other jobs you can do remotely.

Like other jobs that use a knowledge-based business model, the main startup costs are licensing and software. If you want to make more than that, you can start a VA agency and hire other people to help with this small business idea.

12. Social Media Management

Average Annual Revenue: $817K
Average Profit Margins: 6.9%
Startup Costs: $100-$10K
Time to Revenue: 1-6 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.3%
Best For: Social media experts, writers and content creators, people with search engine optimization (SEO) expertise

Social media marketing is a vast industry. According to Statista, it is a $153.7 billion industry. And all you need is a computer, some software, and to find some clients.

Jason Yormark of Socialistics told us:

You can expect each client to be around $2,000-5,000 per month and require 20-40 man-hours to give them proper service.

That means a single person can make up to $40K monthly from home without investing in inventory. Find out how Jason turned his company into a $500K-a-year social media marketing agency:

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Pro Tip: You can also learn from our blog on how to start a marketing agency.

13. Accounting and Bookkeeping

Screenshot of an article on SOC 2 criteria

• Average Annual Revenue: $244K per employee
• Average Profit Margins: 18%
• Startup Cost: $500-$2.5K
• Time To Revenue: 3-12 months (plus accounting degree)
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 1%
• Best For: Certified accountants, entrepreneurs with strong math and financial skills

To become a certified public accountant, you will need 150 hours of education in accounting. That’s a bachelor’s degree and passing the CPA exam, which is a test for proficiency created by the American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

Once you have a CPA license, you can start a company and make a great living. There are only 40,000 AICPA members and over 80 million tax returns filed annually by tax professionals, so there’s plenty of work.

Granted, tax prep services do some of those, but CPAs do the big ones. Even at the low end of $100 per tax return, that’s still $8 billion in revenue, and that’s just part of what CPAs do.

Add in payroll, quarterly minimum filing, certifying businesses for SOC 2 compliance, managing business sales tax payments, and other business finances, and it’s obvious why working as a CPA is one of the most lucrative business ideas in 2022.

14. Consulting

• Average Annual Revenue: $364K
• Average Profit Margins: 6.4%
• Startup Costs: $1K-$3.5M
• Time To Revenue: 6-18 months
• Annual Market Growth Rate: 2.2%
• Best For: Executives and business leaders, entrepreneurs with management or business expertise, people with strong analytic, problem-solving, and communication skills

A consulting business is focused on helping other business owners solve their problems. You can choose a niche if you have a specific area in which you are an expert, or you can be an all-in-one solution.

When I initially started my consulting business, I was consulting on everything. One day I’d analyze payment processors, and the next, I would look for good influencers for a brand. I eventually gravitated to writing about business and technology because it makes it easier to pass knowledge on to thousands of people per month.

Business consultants can make anywhere from several hundred per day to billions per year. Consultants who specialize in mergers and acquisitions can earn huge commissions.

Check out this interview with Ryan Gromfin, who makes $35K a month with his consulting business:

Least Profitable Industries

Dismayed-looking business owner holding a laptop and a smart phone in front of a red background with a downward-trending arrow

There are some industries that are really struggling right now. You might want to avoid these industries if you want to make a profit fast.

Industry Net Income
 Entertainment  -0.23%
 Telecom Services  -0.28%
 Chemical (Diversified)  -1.01%
 Broadcasting  -1.41%
 Furniture & Home Furnishings  -2.24%
 Rubber & Tires  -2.53%
 Electronics (Consumer & Office)  -3.05%
 Real Estate (Operations & Services)  -3.14%
 Precious Metals  -4.26%
 Drugs (Biotechnology)  -11.88%
 Software (Internet)  -14.32%
 Real Estate (Development)  -16.35%

Most of these industries are tied to big purchases. You’re seeing losses tied to inflation of expenses like materials and wages, combined with people cutting back on making new purchases. This is expected when discretionary income decreases.

Pro Tip: Assuming wage growth continues and outpaces inflation, we should see these return to profitability in a few years. Until then, our blog on recession-proof businesses can provide even more inspiration for getting started in a bad (or questionable) economy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the top five most profitable businesses in the world?

According to CompaniesMarketCap.com on December 11, 2023, the five most profitable businesses were

  1. Apple (valued at $2.99 trillion)
  2. Microsoft (valued at $2.741 trillion)
  3. Saudi Aramco (valued at $2.139 trillion)
  4. Alphabet (Google, valued at $1.665 trillion)
  5. Amazon (valued at $1.503 trillion).

Note that the values of these companies fluctuate daily.

What are the easiest businesses to start?

Dog walking, house cleaning, and sewing businesses are the easiest to start because they have low startup costs and low barriers when it comes to getting licenses and permits.

What businesses are in high demand?

IBISWorld states that fruit and nut farming, solar power, online gambling services, hybrid and electric vehicle manufacturing, and 3D printing and prototyping are the fastest-growing businesses in 2024.

So What Are the Most Profitable Businesses to Start?

We’ve discussed the most profitable business ideas from multiple vantage points. Some are easy businesses to start from home, and some are not as easy to get into because of education requirements or other barriers to entry.

When it comes down to it, the most profitable business for you to start is one you have knowledge in, you know how to find customers for, and you want to spend the rest of your life exploring and working with.

You can make any of your favorite 2024 business ideas one of the most profitable and successful business ideas if you:

  1. Create a business plan: Read our guide if you’ve never created one.
  2. Provide excellent customer service: Check out HelpScout’s blog on what makes great customer service.
  3. Educate yourself on the industry: Follow our blogs and YouTube.
  4. Don’t give up: Many business owners give up right before they hit exponential growth. Learn how to run a business.

What other profitable and successful small business ideas are you thinking about starting?


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You don’t have to hire employees to be a business owner. Many people start working for themselves just because they want the freedom to be their own boss and set their own hours. Get ready! We’re going to share some of the best self-employment ideas for new business owners.

[su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]We’ve compiled a list of the best self-employed jobs you can find today. Click on any of the links below to jump straight to the section that interests you!

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12 Unique Business Ideas for Self-Employment

#1. Phone or Electronics Repair

Average Annual Revenue: $560,320
Average Profit Margins: 5.7%
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.4%
Best for: Detail- and systems-focused entrepreneurs, electronics and repair experts

Check out our video on how Joe Pilat, of Joe’s Gaming & Electronics, started his business from scratch by repairing and refurbishing broken gadgets and electronics.

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqce8NAZWYw&ab_channel=UpFlip"]

Cell phone repair alone was a $1.3 billion industry in 2022, and it makes sense why–97% of Americans own a cellphone, and 66% of them have damaged their phones in the past year. 

Best for people considering self-employed jobs, 70% of cellphone repair shops are opened by local business owners with no prior industry experience. 

You don’t need to open a brick-and-mortar storefront to start your own repair business, either. A mobile repair business, or one with pick-up and drop-off service, is even more convenient for customers and saves you the expense of a physical location.

#2. Grocery Delivery Service

man carying a box of grocery deliveries

Average Annual Revenue: $340,600
Average Profit Margins: 6.7%
Startup Cost: $500-$250K
Time To Revenue: 3+ months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 3.6%
Best for: Drivers, those that like to socialize and meet new people, those with networks with other business owners

Demand for last-mile grocery delivery soared during the pandemic, with online grocery sales exceeding $85 billion in 2022, more than double pre-pandemic figures. 

At the same time, many grocery stores don’t have the staff, infrastructure, or capability to offer delivery in-house. This opens the door for self-employed entrepreneurs seeking a profitable business opportunity. 

Starting a delivery service also lets you support other local small businesses while you gain financial freedom. That was one of Adam Haber’s main goals when he started Trellus, a same-day local delivery market. You can hear his advice on how to start a delivery business in this podcast interview: 

#3. Project Management Services

man showing a project plan on a white board

Average Annual Revenue: $363,300
Average Profit Margins: 10.3%
Startup Cost: $1K-$100K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.8%
Best for: People with an expertise in organizing and delegating tasks, taking responsibility for managing the work of other people, and people with strong leadership and communication skills

The number of project managers in the workforce hasn’t kept up with the demand for them in recent years. That talent gap leaves space for those with project management skills to start a self-employed business and work for companies on a freelance basis. 

As a freelance project manager, you get more freedom over when you work and the projects that you take on than when you work full-time for a company. There’s also a wide variety of work available, from software and IT projects to marketing and PR campaigns, construction projects, or just about any other industry you can name.

You can also make more money. Freelance project managers earn $451 per work day on average, which equates to roughly $117,000 a year, far higher than the $85,662 salary average reported for project managers on Indeed.

#4. Career Coaching and Resume Writing Service

Average Annual Revenue: $234K
Average Profit Margins: 5.8% 
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1%
Best for: People that enjoy managing, mentoring, and coaching other people, and those that are detail-oriented and independent entrepreneurs with good interpersonal skills

A career coach helps other professionals make career progress. This often starts by helping them map out their career path. A career coach also often offers services like resume or cover letter writing, interview preparation, and offer negotiation advice. 

People with a background in recruiting or HR are ideally suited to become self-employed as career coaches. This is also a great business idea for former executives and managers who have first-hand insights into what businesses look for in applicants. 

#5. Tax Preparation

screenshot of beccome a tax preparer from thomsonreuters website

Average Annual Revenue: $1.57M
Average Profit Margins: 18%
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months (not including time training as a CPA)
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.7%
Best for: CPAs, finance experts, entrepreneurs with strong math skills

Tax preparation is one of the few self-employment job ideas with a built-in demand. Every individual and business needs to file taxes, and that means tons of potential clients. 

While you do need professional certification to start a tax prep business, it’s not hard to get, and there’s no fee to obtain one. Aside from this certification, all you’ll need is an understanding of the tax code and a few clients to start building your reputation and customer trust. 

#6. Catering Business

Average Annual Revenue: $124,410
Average Profit Margins: 5.5%
Startup Cost: $1K-$100K
Time To Revenue: 6-18 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1%
Best for: Chefs, cooks, bakers, and other food experts

For chefs, bakers, and other food service workers who want to become self-employed, a catering business is one of the most affordable ways to go about it. 

Watch the video below on how Kyle Gourlie, the owner of Vet Chef, built a successful food truck business.

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCnE13BaQlk&ab_channel=UpFlip"]

This can also be an ideal business plan for a home cook or baker who wants to break into the food industry without starting from the bottom of the hierarchy in a restaurant. 

One reason for this is that you don’t need a storefront to start catering. Many use clients’ kitchens to prepare the food, or they rent a commercial kitchen when they need it. You can also easily scale a catering business by opening a food truck, cafe, or restaurant as you grow. 

#7. Airbnb Hosting

Average Annual Revenue: $201K
Average Profit Margins: 8.1% 
Startup Cost: $100K-$3.5M
Time To Revenue: 6-18 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 2.2%
Best for: Homeowners, frequent travelers, people with hospitality experience

If you’re looking for self-employed jobs from home, why not turn your home into a source of income? As an Airbnb host, you can rent out unused rooms, buy and fix up properties to rent, or convert a shed or garage into a mini-apartment.

The unique and varied properties available for rent are one of the biggest appeals of Airbnb for travelers, and unique places to stay often do quite well on the site. 

However you go about it, Airbnb hosting can be a very lucrative business. Nicasa started from a single property in 2009 and has now grown to 22 properties that bring in $3 million in annual revenue. Hear how the business started in this YouTube interview:

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m-MosXlpOE"]

#8. Tutoring 

Average Annual Revenue: $18,170
Average Profit Margins: 13.1%
Startup Cost: $100-$1K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 8.5%
Best for: Teachers, educators, professors, and experts in a particular skill or knowledge area

Tutoring is among the top self-employed business ideas for recent graduates and a common way for college students to make a bit of extra cash. 

You don’t need to be close to your school years to make a good living as a tutor, either. It’s also an excellent self-employed job for teachers, professors, and other education professionals who want to branch out on their own. 

The trickiest part of starting a tutoring business for many is where to connect with students. The Tutor Resource’s guide to finding students is a great place to start. You can also grow your reputation online by posting how-to videos, informative blog posts, and other educational content that demonstrates your knowledge. 

#9. Car Wrapping

man installing an orange sticker to a car

Average Annual Revenue: $241,230
Average Profit Margins: 16.1%
Startup Cost: $1K-$100K
Time To Revenue: 1-6 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.8%
Best for: Car enthusiasts, detail-oriented entrepreneurs, and those that enjoy working with their hands

People keep their cars longer than in the past, with the average age of a car on the road increasing by 44% since 1995. Protective car wrapping helps cars and trucks look like new for longer. Offering that service is one of the best small business ideas for people who love cars. 

Car wrapping can be a creative pursuit, too. A car can be wrapped in graphics just to change the look or for marketing and branding of company cars or driving billboards. 

Between these two uses, there’s a high demand for car wrapping. Fred Roman started WrapCo in 2012 and has grown it to $70,000 in monthly revenue. See how in this YouTube interview:

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM1wFesfapQ&list=PLaU6uY9Yy7XkECNQPPT_LNAxEghhffqv7&index=11"]

#10. Notary Public

Average Annual Revenue: $552,900
Average Profit Margins: 9.4%
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: -0.5%
Best for: People interested in legislative and legal topics, and those who have excellent reading and writing skills

Notaries are basically professional witnesses, verifying people’s identities when they sign contracts, give oaths, or other legally-binding agreements. 

Some notaries work for other businesses, but many are working for yourself jobs. A self-employed business as a notary public can be very profitable, too. Roughly 33% of all mobile notaries earn more than $4,000 a month, and it’s double that figure for notaries with at least 3 years of experience. 

While you do need a license to work as a notary, the process for getting licensed isn’t complicated. You can see the regulations state-by-state on the American Society of Notaries website.

#11. Be a Tour Guide

Average Annual Revenue: $995,900
Average Profit Margins: 6.6%
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 3.5%
Best for: Those with a love for local history and attractions, those who like to socialize and meet new people, and those who like to educate

If you live in a place that gets a lot of visitors, giving tours can be a fun and profitable business venture. The types of tours you give can depend on your location and interests. For example, a foodie could give a tour of local restaurants, or you could give haunted history tours if you’re into the supernatural. 

The most difficult part of starting a tour guide business is often finding customers, especially since your target market tends to be people who don’t live near you. Having your own website and a strong online presence can help.

#12. Tailoring or Clothing Alterations

woman with scissors designing a dress

Average Annual Revenue: $27,825
Average Profit Margins: 8.3%
Startup Cost: $500-$250K
Time To Revenue: 3+ months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.6%
Best for: Those that like to work with their hands, those that enjoy sewing and handicraft, fashionistas tuned into fashion trends

Tailoring is among the best home business ideas for fashionistas who love to sew. Depending on your skills and interests, you can focus on a niche like formalwear alterations or hand-made custom clothes, or provide a range of services to maximize your revenue.

Top 10 Work-for-Yourself Jobs

#1. Real Estate Agent

Average Annual Revenue: $298,870
Average Profit Margins: 44.6%
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: -0.3%
Best for: Strong salespeople and negotiators, entrepreneurs who want a passive income

A realtor or real estate agent works on behalf of property buyers or sellers to help them get what they want out of the deal. If you’re an active listener with strong sales, organization, and negotiation skills, real estate can be a great business idea. 

Now, you do need a license to become a real estate agent. The licensing requirements vary by state and usually involve around 60-120 hours of coursework followed by an exam. None require a degree beyond a high school diploma, so while you will need specific knowledge to excel in this field, that doesn’t need to be a barrier to entry.

Do you want to know how to become a successful real estate agent? Highly successful real estate agents can earn upwards of $500,000 a year! But, to make it into the highest tier of earners, you need to be aware of certain insider information which details the best path for how to become a successful real estate agent. Watch our video to uncover these secrets!

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzgxxq_FYHY"]

Do you want to know how to be a real estate agent–and one that doesn’t fail in their first 5 years, like 87% of new agents? Santino Filipelli is the principal broker and owner of the $175K/month firm Modern Realty, and he’s sharing his tips and insight in this episode. 

#2. Web Designer

Average Annual Revenue: $239K+
Average Profit Margins: 5.3%
Startup Cost: $100-$1K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.4%
Best for: Designers, programmers, or anyone with website building skills

Freelance web design is a profitable self-employment idea for people with strong visual design and computer skills. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 23% increase in demand for website designers through 2031, making this a potentially lucrative business venture with a lot of opportunities. 

You don’t need to be a tech expert to start your own business designing websites, either. While a basic understanding of HTML and other coding languages is helpful, people with expertise in WordPress templates, search engine optimization, and user experience can build a successful small business as a web designer.

#3. Freelance Writing

woman working on a laptop outside the office

Average Annual Revenue: $712K/employee
Average Profit Margins: 14.6%
Startup Cost: $100-$200
Time To Revenue: 1 month to 3 years
Annual Market Growth Rate: -1.5%
Best for: Creative entrepreneurs with strong communication skills

Despite the doom and gloom predictions that AI will eliminate writing jobs, these tools still have major limitations and freelance writers are as in-demand as ever. 

As a self-employed freelance writer, you can take on a huge variety of work. Some focus on online content like news articles and blogs, while others ghostwrite novels, memoirs, and other books for clients. 

Freelance writing can also be combined with other skills to boost your self-employment income. For example, technical writing is a profitable option for tech industry experts, while those with healthcare experience can turn that into a career as a medical writer.

#4. Graphic Designer

Average Annual Revenue: $123,240
Average Profit Margins: 13.5%
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 3+ months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 2%
Best for: Visual artists, creative entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurs with web design, user interface, or similar tech skills

Another creative profession that’s a great self-employment idea is graphic design. Just like with writing, there are a lot of ways you can earn money if you have these skills. 

Some graphic designers work closely with web designers, creating the images that enhance this online content. Others create images for ads and marketing materials, design logos for companies, or upload their designs to print-on-demand sites like Redbubble.

Another great business opportunity for graphic designers is to open your own online shop through a site like Etsy. Vlad Kuksenko combined his graphic design expertise with his love of animals to start TagPup, now the site’s #1 pet products store. 

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dqHBHA4AmU"]

#5. Affiliate Marketing

Average Annual Revenue: $60K-$160K
Average Profit Margins: 8%
Startup Cost: $500-$2K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 10.5%
Best for: Bloggers, YouTubers, those with a large social media presence

If you have a substantial social media presence, affiliate marketing could be the right business idea for you. It’s also a good home business idea for bloggers, copywriters, and experts in search rankings, SEO, and other digital marketing skills.

Affiliate marketers promote products and services to earn money on commission from each sale made through their site. This can bring in a big income with a small time commitment if you’re able to generate a lot of traffic.

To make even more money, you can scale your business into a marketing agency. Affiliate marketer Matt Diggity started his own firm and now makes about $400,000 in monthly revenue:

The best part about affiliate marketing for many is that you work completely for yourself, not for clients. This gives you full control to set your own hours and pick what products you promote. 

#6. Photography

Average Annual Revenue: $50K
Average Profit Margins: 7.3%
Startup Cost: $1K-$10K
Time To Revenue: 1-6 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.3%
Best for: Photographers and visual artists with strong customer service, communication, and organization skills

Photography is another of those self-employed businesses that can take a lot of forms. You can open a portrait studio, photograph events like weddings, or sell your pictures as stock photos through sites like Shutterstock or Getty Images, just to name a few options.

Another great way to make money as a photographer is to partner with other businesses. Mile High Productions specializes in drone photography and videography for real estate agents, commercial marketing, and similar clients, and makes upward of $35,000 a month doing it. Hear more advice from them in this YouTube interview:

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUcv1HAAbns"]

Katelyn James Photography has grown into the premier online destination for photography education. The business’s revenue has grown along with its reputation, generating more than $200,000 every month. That’s way beyond the $24,000 a month goal Katelyn made starting a photography business in college. 

#7. Direct Sales Consultant

Average Annual Revenue: $68,310
Average Profit Margins: 6.8%
Startup Cost: $1K-$100K
Time To Revenue: 3+ months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.5%
Best for: Salespeople, those with marketing skills, those that like to travel and socialize with other people

The classic door-to-door salesman is a type of direct sales consultant, though today, many connect with customers online or over the phone as well as face-to-face.

Being a direct sales consultant is similar to affiliate marketing in that you earn a commission for selling other people’s products to customers. The commission is higher in direct sales, though, usually around 20%-40%, so you can make money fast if you have strong sales skills. 

#8. Landlord or Property Manager

Average Annual Revenue: $372,940
Average Profit Margins: 10.1%
Startup Cost: $100K-$3.5M
Time To Revenue: 6-18 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.3%
Best for: Those that are interested in real estate investing, home repair, and maintenance

You can become a landlord by investing in real estate and renting it to tenants, or managing properties on behalf of others if you don’t have the cash on hand to invest.

Property management is among the most profitable self-employment ideas, too. Thach Nguyen averages $800,000 every month from his properties. Hear his advice and strategies in this YouTube interview:

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWCzwn3R78A"]

#9. Social Media Consultant

Average Annual Revenue: $817K 
Average Profit Margins: 6.9%
Startup Cost: $100-$10K
Time To Revenue: 1-6 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.3%
Best for: Social media experts, writers, and content creators, people with search engine optimization (SEO) expertise

In the interview below, we talk to the CEO and founder of Socialistics, learning how he turned a side hustle into a mid-six-figure business.

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb1czTEK8f8&ab_channel=UpFlip"]

A strong presence on social media platforms is a must-have for many businesses today, but not every business owner is skilled with these platforms. If you are, self-employment as a social media consultant could be the right business idea for you.

Growth potential is one of the main advantages of starting a social media consulting business. It can be easily scaled into a digital marketing agency, as Eric Berman did with Brandetize. You can learn how he built his business in this podcast interview:

#10. Event Planning

beautiful woman carying a laptop at the event

Average Annual Revenue: $34,380
Average Profit Margins: 12.2%
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 3+ months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1%
Best for: Strong networkers, great party planners, outgoing and social entrepreneurs

An event planner does exactly what it sounds like: helps people and businesses put together big gatherings. These could be corporate events for companies or private events like weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, family reunions, or birthday and anniversary parties. 

How much you can expect to earn as an event planner depends on what niche you focus on. The average salary of a corporate event planner in the US is around $63,000 a year, while wedding planners earn an average annual revenue of $112,000.

Self-Employed Jobs with No Qualifications

#1. Start an Online Store

Average Annual Revenue: $60K-$120K
Average Profit Margins: 5-15%
Startup Cost: $100-$10K
Time To Revenue: 30-90 days
Annual Market Growth Rate: -9.3%
Best for: Thrifters, collectors, hobbyists, and craftsmen

You can make money selling just about anything with an e-commerce business. For makers and artists, it’s a way to sell your wares to customers all over the world. You could also resell things like vintage clothes, collectibles, rare books, or whatever else tickles your fancy.

Whatever you decide to sell with your e-commerce business, you’ll need customers to buy it. This is why people with strong marketing skills tend to do the best with an e-commerce business. 

Portland Razor Company built a community around their brand to grow their sales to $7,500 a month. You can hear how they did it in this YouTube interview: 

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXWiqmePZe0&list=PLaU6uY9Yy7XmTcFZcez2SJipVSL_iC_J8"]

E-commerce was still a fairly new industry when Unique Vintage started 22 years ago. The company has grown with the industry, earning accolades like being one of Inc 5000’s fastest-growing private companies in 2020 and Newsweek’s Best Online Shop for 2020/2021. In our interview with her, Unique Vintage founder Katie Echeverry explains how she started and grew this thriving online clothing store. 

#2. Be a Virtual Assistant

Average Annual Revenue: $35K-$50K
Average Profit Margins: 10.5%
Startup Cost: $100-$200
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9%
Best for: Outgoing and social entrepreneurs; those with strong scheduling, time management, and problem-solving skills

A virtual assistant business is one of the easiest to start from home. All you need is a reliable internet connection and a few clients who need help planning or organizing their life or business.

The type of work you do as a virtual assistant depends on your clients. It often involves things like replying to emails, making travel or dinner reservations, and other planning and logistic things. 

The site 24/7 Virtual Assistants is a great place to find work if you’re thinking of starting this type of business. 

#3. Start a Cleaning Service

young man with a screenshot mockup of cleaning course from upflip website

Average Annual Revenue: $74,880
Average Profit Margins: 6.7%
Startup Cost: $1K-$30K
Time To Revenue: 1-6 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2%
Best for: Self-motivated, independent, and detail-oriented entrepreneurs

Life is messy–and that’s why cleaning services exist. Like other options on this list, there are a variety of niches you can go into, from residential home cleaning to janitorial services to outdoor work like window or gutter cleaning. 

The 7-Figure Cleaning Business Blueprint is an excellent resource for anyone who’s considering self-employment in home cleaning services.

A cleaning business is a great option for a first-time entrepreneur because start-up costs are low and you don’t need special training to get started. Just ask Chris Mondragon. He and his wife started Queen Bee Cleaning Service in 2015 with just $5,000. Five years later, they’ve grown to a staff of 25 and earned a revenue of $1.5 million in 2021, with more than $3.2 million in cumulative sales. 

If you’re more interested in something like power washing or roof cleaning, this interview with Northwest Pro Wash founder Spencer Claeys can give you some helpful insights.

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lTDQb4HJH0&list=PLaU6uY9Yy7XmmBfiLC1KpSMZ3-Ms0vGtc&index=4"]

#4. Be a Child Care Provider

Average Annual Revenue: $143,110
Average Profit Margins: 0.9%
Startup Cost: $0-$1K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 51.7%
Best for: Those that enjoy childcare and like children

Busy parents need people they can trust to keep their kids safe and healthy when they’re not home. You can provide this service while being your own boss by starting a child care business. 

The simplest and most affordable way to start is with nanny or babysitting services right in clients’ homes. If you want to scale, you can open your own daycare center, either out of your home or in a commercial space. 

#5. Be a Personal Trainer

Average Annual Revenue: $16,867
Average Profit Margins: 10.9%
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 1-6 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.6%
Best for: Fitness buffs, exercise experts, people who excel at motivating others

Personal trainers work one-on-one with clients to help them lose weight, recover from injuries, prepare for athletic events, or simply improve their overall health. It’s one of the best self-employed business ideas for people who love to exercise and stay active on the job.

The average salary for a personal trainer in the US is $65,790 a year, but in truth, there’s no upper limit on what you can earn. Personal training is a big part of Bedros Keuilian’s multi-million dollar empire. You can hear how he built it in this YouTube interview:

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXdFpkfXvGA"]

Self-Employment Ideas for Over 50

#1. Life Coach

Average Annual Revenue: $63,400
Average Profit Margins: 10.5%
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.5%
Best for: Therapists, productivity experts, people who love helping others

Being self-employed as a life coach can be a very rewarding job, helping other people to improve their personal life, mental health, relationships, career progress, or whatever else they struggle with.

People come to life coaches for their experience and wisdom, making this one self-employed job where being over 50 gives you an advantage over younger entrepreneurs. 

#2. Personal Finance Consultant

screenshot of cpa exam scholarship from thiswaytocpa.com website

Average Annual Revenue: $1,810,230
Average Profit Margins: 36.1%
Startup Cost: $500-$5K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 8.2%
Best for: Accountants and financial experts

This is another excellent way to leverage a lifetime of experience managing your personal finances into a self-employed job. People look to finance consultants to help them plan for retirement, save for their kids’ college, or prepare for a large purchase like a home or new business. 

Bankers and accountants are especially well-suited to this type of work, and you’ll have the easiest time landing clients and earning their trust if you have certification like a CPA.

#3. Reselling

Average Annual Revenue: $60K-$120K
Average Profit Margins: 5-15%
Startup Cost: $100-$1K
Time To Revenue: 30-90 days
Annual Market Growth Rate: -9.3%
Best for: Shoppers and collectors, thrifters and collectors

If you have an eye for spotting valuable items at garage sales, thrift stores, or storage unit auctions, you can make self-employment income selling these items for a profit. 

Life-long collectors may not even need to buy inventory to resell if they have items around their home they’re willing to part with. You can also find free inventory on sites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace to get started with no investment. 

You can turn your passion for collecting valuable items into a lucrative business, just like how Tia discovered when she was reselling clothes and sneakers. Check out the video below on how she managed.

[su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJryzKeGwtU&ab_channel=UpFlip"]

An eBay shop or similar online store is the fastest and most affordable way to start reselling. That’s what Mike Wilson did to start Golden State Picker, a $30,000-a-month reselling business:

If you’d rather stay analog, you can open a storefront or rent a booth at a flea market or similar venue. 

#4. Professional Organizer

Average Annual Revenue: $168,360
Average Profit Margins: 10.6%
Startup Cost: $1K-$100K
Time To Revenue: 1-3 months
Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2%
Best for: Highly organized entrepreneurs, strong planners, communicators, and collaborators, creative problem-solvers

Professional organizers help people bring order to the chaos of daily life. It’s among the top self-employment ideas for seniors with high analytical reasoning, high empathy, and strong communication skills.  

As an organizer, the main thing you bring to the table is your knowledge and guidance, so this is a very affordable business to start. There also isn’t too much physical work involved. While you may help move items, much of the work is helping people decide what to keep or dispose of and giving them strategies they can use to maintain the order you’ve created.

FAQs about Self-Employment Jobs Ideas

What are the 4 types of self employment?

The most common types of self-employment include:

  • Freelancing - Also known as independent contractors, freelancers perform services for clients but control when and how they work.
  • Gig work - This includes jobs like rideshare and delivery drivers. Gig workers choose which jobs they take on, but usually have less control over when and how they work than freelancers. However, these terms are often used interchangeably.
  • Sole proprietor - A sole proprietor owns their own business selling a product or service. They may be a solo entrepreneur or have a team of employees.
  • Partnership - This is when you own your own business along with a business partner. 

Can I do self-employed business ideas from home?

For those wondering what kind of business I can start from home, you can start any of these self-employment business ideas from home.

What is the cheapest, most profitable business to start?

This depends on what skills and knowledge you bring to the table. However, on average, the businesses with low upfront costs that have the highest profit margins include affiliate marketing, Airbnb hosting, and digital marketing. 

What are some self-employment ideas for nurses?

Having medical credentials opens up a lot of options for RNs, LPNs, or other nursing professionals. One option is to become a traveling nurse or nurse consultant who works in healthcare facilities as a contractor.

If you’d rather work with people in their homes, working as a personal trainer, nutritionist, or wellness consultant might be up your alley. 

Senior care is a growing home health segment that opens up self-employment jobs for trained nurses. 

What kind of business can I start from home?

Many of the business ideas listed here can be started easily out of a private home without needing a brick-and-mortar space. Any service-based business falls into this category, including things like event planning, cleaning, tutoring, writing, or any kind of coaching. Online stores can also be easily run from home. 

What are some easy self-employment ideas for ladies?

Any of the self-business ideas listed in this article can be a great way for people of any gender to set their own hours and be their own boss. 

The most popular self-employment ideas for women in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are professional services (such as accounting or consulting), education, health, and retail. 

What are good self-employment ideas to earn passive income

Being a landlord or Airbnb host can generate a large, mostly-passive income stream, and can be fully passive income if you hire someone to work with guests or tenants. 

Are you ready to start your own business and make your own hours?

We’ve provided you with dozens of self employment ideas for you to try. 

Using this list is just the beginning. We aim to create content that helps people the most. 

If you are self employed, we want to know what you think are the best self-employed jobs. What is your favorite business idea?

Building a brand identity is one of the best things you can do for your business. According to the CFA Institute, 9.2% of the S&P 500 was “Goodwill,” the accounting term for how favorably a brand is viewed. That's over $3.5 trillion! That shows the importance of brand building and makes it one of the most valuable assets for existing business owners. As a small business, you need to focus on brand building. We talked with Mike Andes, the 27-year-old owner of Augusta Lawn Care Services. His unique advice on how to build a brand has made Augusta one of the Top 500 franchising organizations in just three years! He’s going to share his brand-building strategies with you. By the time you’re done with this blog, you’ll be ready to build a more successful brand.

What is brand building in marketing?

Two person working on a business brand Brand building is the process of creating a reputation. Branding strategies should span across all aspects of the business, including:
  • Social media
  • Paid advertising
  • Website
  • Content creation
  • Logos
  • Pricing and loyalty programs 
  • Employee uniforms and training
Mike told us: [su_quote]“The goal of branding is to bring your customer acquisition costs down as low as possible over the long term.”[/su_quote]

How to create a successful brand?

You’ll want to use successful brand-building strategies to help your company stand out. To create an outstanding reputation, Mike told us: [su_quote]“You are building a relationship. A brand needs to help the customer know, like, and trust you.”[/su_quote] That means you’ll have five basic steps to brand building.

What are the five steps of brand building?

Person working on a computer Everyone considers the steps of brand building a little differently, but we’re going to define them as follows: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  1. Perform market research
  2. Define your brand identity
  3. Create a brand strategy
  4. Implement your brand strategy
  5. Evolve the brand strategy
[/su_note] We’ll look at each of these to help you create a brand that resonates with your customer base.

Step 1. Perform Market Research

To build a brand people love, you have to understand your market and what niche you are trying to fill. Your market research should be focused on three key aspects:
  • How are competitors branding?
  • How can you be different?
  • Who is your target market? 

Identify how your competitors are branding themselves

In this step, you’ll identify how successful companies in your industry are branding themselves. You’ll need to gather the following information: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  • Competitors to consider: I’d suggest three to ten, depending on how much data you want before creating your brand identity.
  • Competitors’ marketing channels: Search for them on all social media platforms and follow them to stay up-to-date. Don’t forget YouTube and your competitors' websites because there might be valuable content there.
  • How channels are being used:
    • Frequency of posting
    • Logos
    • Fonts
    • Subject matters
    • Colors
    • Video, imaging, text formats, and lengths
  • What they do well or poorly: After researching several brands, you’ll notice that there are things every brand does, things that only some do, and some that they don’t do. 
[/su_note] If you want to differentiate yourself from the competition, you have to be different. This is the first step. To help you get started, I have created a competitor research spreadsheet with over 7,000 publicly held US companies sorted by industry group. It is an abbreviated version of the full list downloaded from NYU Sterns' much larger database. Just make a copy, and you can use it while gathering data.

How can I differentiate my brand?

Colored paper bulb idea concept

Brand Identity Examples

You’ll want to create a strong brand identity to help differentiate your company from the rest of the competitors. There are a variety of ways to create brand value, including: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  • Industry Innovator: The company pushing the industry ahead.
  • Best Customer Service: The company that goes above and beyond to improve the customer experience.
  • Low-Cost Provider: A company like Walmart wins by focusing on offering a lower cost.
  • Luxury Provider: Create a brand reputation that justifies paying higher prices through better service, environment, or quality of products.
  • Socially Conscious: If you have social interests that your brand stands for, you can promote those to create loyalty among similarly minded people.
  • Purchasing Differentiation: Offering more channels to purchase than competitors or offering different ways to pay can bring in customers looking for a specific payment method.
[/su_note]
Branding Branding We've Seen!
How you combine a mix of each of these leads to a distinct brand that should be conveyed through your marketing campaigns to help create your brand identity. For instance, Mike explained some of the thoughts that went into the branding for Augusta Lawn Care: [su_quote]“I wanted to invoke a brand image that reminded people of the Augusta National Golf Course.”[/su_quote] He also warned people to be careful when creating a brand‘s identity because what works well on paper doesn’t always work in the real world. [su_quote]“The biggest mistake I made was using perfectly white jumpsuits like the ones the caddies at the Masters' Tournament use. They had the employee's name on the back. It was a great branding idea, but horrible for business because white gets destroyed while landscaping.”[/su_quote] Watch the rest of the interview below. [su_youtube url="https://youtu.be/C8MyjkibCxk?t=1098"] Make sure to write down what strategies you want to focus on.

How do I identify my target market?

Before you focus on building your brand, you’ll need to identify your target market. Make sure to dig as deep as possible as you identify the key behaviors and lifestyles of your target audience. You want to know: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  • Age
  • Sex
  • Location
  • Spending habits 
  • How they prefer shopping
  • Marital status
  • Number of kids
  • Jobs
  • Hobbies
  • Their favorite social media channels
  • Whether they rent or own
[/su_note] Facebook has 23 high-level ways of targeting and lots of options inside each one. Check out the picture below to see the high-level options. Meta facebook illustrationYou may want to create a brand persona or cheat sheet to help keep the target audience and brand voice in focus during the brand building process

Step 2. Define Your Brand Identity

A brand identity is how you want the customer to perceive your company. Mike described the difference between brand identity and a brand as: [su_quote]“Brand identity is the identifying marks, colors, and fonts, while the brand is the personality.”[/su_quote] These should look familiar because you researched them in the first step. You’ll want to make sure the following elements are consistent and unique.
  • Logo: A logo is the combination of your brand name, a visual representation you want to be associated with the brand, colors, and potentially a slogan. This will be what everybody associates with your company. You can choose a digitally designed or handmade logo. Try our free name generator.
  • Colors: Different colors communicate different concepts and create varying emotions. Hubspot has a great article on the psychology of color.
  • Icons: What your company uses to represent something. For instance, which phone icon below would you want to use?
  • Print Materials
  • Messaging
  • Fonts
  • Slogans
  Mcdonald slogan
  • Patterns
  • Collateral
  • Web design
  • Content
  • Packaging
Mike warns not to spend a lot of time and money on these when starting a business because they will often evolve as the business grows and the market changes. He suggests: [su_quote]“You’ll need to start by advertising and selling to get immediate sales and build out branding long-term. You have to think about both the long term and short term.”[/su_quote] Let's look at each of the items next.

Logo

A logo is the combination of your brand name, a visual representation you want to be associated with the brand, colors, and potentially a slogan. This will be what everybody associates with your company. You can choose a digitally designed or handmade logo. Try our free name generator.

Colors

Different colors communicate different concepts and create varying emotions. Hubspot has a great article on the psychology of color.

Icons

What your company uses to represent something. For instance, which phone icon below would you want to use?

Print Materials

Different kinds of materials can communicate different priorities to different people. For instance, using recycled paper may be meaningful to some and not to others. Also, whether they follow the brand guidelines matters.

Messaging 

The tones and words you use matter. For instance, UpFlip blogs are usually a mix of friendly, confident, and optimistic, according to Grammarly.

Fonts

The size and style of the font impact readability and can help or hinder the business. Try to stick with easily readable fonts like those specified in the APA guidelines.

Slogans

 Phrases that communicate what your business is about should be trademarked. For instance, McDonald’s trademarked: “I’M LOVIN’ IT.” File a trademark application on the USPTO.

Patterns

Pattern design can create a different feel toward a product based on the packaging, print materials, websites, and in stores. Check out 99designs blog about pattern design.

Collateral

 Assets like business cards, presentation decks, and uniforms that keep the structure of the brand the same. This pre-interview questionnaire would be an example of our collateral.

Web design

 The way web assets are structured can make them easy to use for the customers. Apple and Google both provide specifications of best practices for their devices. 

Content

Relevancy is the key to good brand content. If it doesn’t match the users' needs, it won’t help. We use SurferSEO and ahrefs to keep our brand content meeting your needs.

Packaging

 The packaging needs to align with the differentiation strategy and brand colors. For instance, black and gold are often used to represent a premium product.

Step 3. Create Brand Building Strategies

Take all the information you have gathered from the previous steps and develop a plan that will help guide your company in creating the brand you want. The brand strategy document should include: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  • Brand message & story
  • Your brand’s mission, values, and goals
  • Your competitor research data
  • Your target market data
  • Your brand style guide
  • Channels for building branding
  • The marketing strategies to grow the brand
  • Promotional strategies to increase awareness
[/su_note] Let’s look at each of these in greater detail.

How to create a winning message and brand story

Your brand message is a crucial aspect of creating a great brand. You’ll want to include all the brand’s identity guidelines when communicating your value proposition.  The best marketing minds follow a similar branding strategy when they communicate. They follow this process: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  1. Why does it matter? Talk about why you are passionate about it and how it will change their lives.
  2. How will it change their lives? Differentiate yourself from direct competitors without mentioning other brands.
  3. What is this about anyways? Introduce potential customers to the brand or product.
[/su_note] This powerful brand messaging technique was dubbed the Golden Circle by Simon Sinek in the book Start with Why. You can get his books on Amazon in the ads below.

Define your brand mission statement, values, and goals

The mission statement, values, and goals explain why you do what you do. They are the part of branding your business that lets people know why they should trust you. Let’s look at each part.
Mission Statement: “Save Time. Save Hassle.” would be the mission of Augusta Lawn Care. Here, they are communicating that they exist to make homeowners’ lives easier through landscaping. Building brands that simplify life is always a huge selling point.
Values: Professionalism, efficiency, consistency, quality, and simplicity are values on which Mike’s brand focuses.
Goals: Two goals Mike has discussed in our interviews include:
[su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  1. Build a network of 1,000 franchises that operate under the company logo. 
  2. Expand franchise opportunities by providing different paths to franchise ownership. They currently have three entry models.
    1. Full franchise: For those who want to grow to become larger companies.
    2. 3F (Franchise Fee Forgiveness): For employees who wish to become owners.
    3. Single-member franchise: For those who just want to make a living and only have one truck.
[/su_note] The mission statement should support your brand story and help guide you in the process of building recognition for your brand’s name, brand logo, and services.

Include your competitor research data

This section of your brand strategy document should simply convey the information you learned about other brands in a simple way so that others can utilize the information when working with your brand. You’ll want to provide the raw data, plus your findings. Make it a specific point to include what opportunities you see for brand positioning and which differentiation strategies you will use in your brand building strategy.

Include your target niche audience data

Man on laptop working on marketing strategy You performed the research in the first step, but you’ll need to have it well documented for the rest of the branding process. Because the first stage of growth involves lots of marketing and advertisements to create revenue and brand recognition, you’ll want these to be easy to view. Whether you manage your marketing campaign yourself, hire a digital marketer, or outsource your digital marketing activities, you’ll need to refer back to this frequently.

Create a style guide (if you haven’t already)

A style guide describes your standard operating procedures for the use of brand assets, including: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  • Sizing, coloring, and placement of the brand logo in marketing materials.
  • Color palette specifications using HEX, RGB, and HSL color codes. Alternatively, use a program like Canva and create a brand kit
  • Header and font specifications, including the size, type of font, and other variations.
  • Standards for icons, including pixel size and file size for both print and web usage.
  • Standards for using photographs and graphics, including pixels, file size, file type, and style.
  • Standards for metadata and page sizes.
  • Standards for writing and other communications. 
  • Email templates.
  • Signature blocks with the company name.
  • Presentation slide templates.
[/su_note]

Specify the channels you will use to generate awareness

The next part of the document will focus on how to create a brand using each channel to get you in front of new and existing customers. We’ll be discussing the following marketing channels and tools.  [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  • Website UI/UX 
  • Customer relationship management
  • Data analytics software
  • Search engine optimization
  • Content marketing
  • Social media marketing
  • Email marketing
  • Paid ads
  • Physical marketing practices
  • Pricing and loyalty programs
[/su_note] Good branding recognizes it can’t be everything to everyone. It would be prohibitively expensive if you tried to market on all the channels. As you wonder how to start a brand, start small and build your way up to more avenues and more sophisticated branding methods. Let’s look at how to create a brand identity using website UI/UX.

Website UI/UX 

Laptop, desktop and tablet mockup Most brands will want to create a website immediately. It is the one digital media platform you can fully control as you build brand awareness. A website has several essential characteristics that make them crucial to your brand.
  1. Sales on your website will normally have higher margins because any platform you sell on takes a percentage.
  2. Any data you collect, you own. When someone makes a purchase, you collect emails, addresses, and other information that you can then use to remarket to them. Remarketing can create more loyal customers and higher revenue per customer relationship.
  3. Censorship has become a major topic, and tech companies are notorious for it. They can take away your access to their platform because they disagree with you. If you haven’t been collecting customer data, you’ve lost every customer you got from that sales channel.
We use WordPress for our site but are also partnered with Shopify. Either of these web platforms is an excellent tool for creating a brand.  WordPress has two different ways of building a website. [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  1. Wordpress.com: A website builder that you can start for free and upgrade as you go. It is the easier of the WordPress options. 
  2. Wordpress.org: For more advanced users. Typically reserved for companies that have their own servers.
[/su_note] Read our blog about how to create a website for more information. This brings us to the next element of a great digital brand strategy, customer relationship management (CRM).

Customer Relationship Management

If you’ve ever tried to set up a good CRM program, you probably already know you should have done it earlier. Aside from a website, this is the tool I think is the most important for managing your own brand. Here’s why. Prosperity Media has an interesting article on email statistics, and the average business employee receives 121 emails per day. How are you supposed to keep up with all the different interactions without a good way to manage them? Worse yet, how difficult will it be to organize all of the emails when you finally get a CRM after operating for several years? You’ll have 100,000 interactions to classify as clients, prospective clients, partners, or hard passes. Those statistics are just for one marketing channel. What happens when you have 10? Make sure to get a CRM as early as possible. In a recent Google Trends search about business software, Monday was trending for CRM, project management, and workforce software. They also have a 4.3 TrustPilot rating with over 2,800 reviews. It’s practically an all-in-one brand-building software company. Once you have a website and CRM software, you’ll want to connect some data analytics software.

How to Make a Brand Shine with Data Analytics

Data analytics is focused on collecting and analyzing information. It’s how you measure if your brand story resonates with your brand’s target audience. The proof is as easy as looking at the world's wealthiest people and companies. Of the top 10 companies and top 10 individuals by net worth, 70% of the companies collect massive amounts of user data and use it to improve their products. NOTE FROM AUTHOR:  The link to the 10 companies, actually lists the top 20. I think it's good to see that 11-20 are all much older companies that still hold their own, but are not innovating like the current top 10 which are younger on average. If you really want to be different, you need to get the data analysis right. You’ll be connecting it to every single platform you have. There are plenty of analytics software options you can use, but the two that almost everyone uses are Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel. These can be a little complicated to set up, so I’d recommend finding a suitable freelancer on Fiverr or Upwork to help you set them up.

Building a Brand through SEO 

Young woman and floating clip arts SEO is the art of making your web assets meet users' specific requests better than everyone else. It is the key to reaching the first page of Google without spending on paid advertising. Each search engine uses a variety of ranking factors, but the largest is Google. Search Engine Journal has a great article about Google ranking considerations. This is a long game, though. Don’t spend a lot of money on it right away. You’ll need that money for advertising.

Use Content Creation to Let Customers Know Your Brand Exists

It doesn’t cost anything to do some videos on your phone, and you can add them to Youtube for free. A blog can be written pretty easily too. If you aren’t a great writer, you can hire a freelancer or use AI software. I personally like rytr.me better than Jasper, even though Jasper has more functionality. You’ll need to plan out your blog or video development taking into consideration: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  • The difficulty of keyword ranking
  • The volume of search results
  • Frequency of posting
  • How to attract readers or viewers
  • Time to create. 
[/su_note] FYI our videos cost around $1,500 each, and our blogs can cost up to $400- $1,000 after everything is included. That’s why Mike suggests focusing on tasks that generate more immediate income first.

Social Media Marketing

Social media advertising spending soared past $250B in 2023, according to Statista. That figure doesn't include what businesses spend on organic marketing efforts. You need to understand how to interact with your audience on each platform. Remember to observe multiple brand building examples while working on your target market research, but you want to consider: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  • What content should I be posting?
  • How can I tie it to current events?
  • When is the best time to engage with my community?
  • How much can I afford to spend on ads, and is it worth it?
[/su_note] Social media is one of the best ways for brands to connect with most communities. Try them all in small doses and see which ones work best. Even with excellent brand values, the brand’s logo, your message, and great products, most people are unlikely to buy on the first ad. They’ll go through the marketing funnel, which we should discuss real quick.

Email Marketing

Person holding an email clip art infront of laptop Did you know building an email list early in brand creation can have huge payoffs? In fact, Lyfe Marketing estimates 72% of people prefer business communication via email. It gets better! Mail Chimp says that for every $1 spent on email, businesses receive $52 in revenue! The mail marketing process includes: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  • Choosing your email marketing software
  • Creating an email list
  • Importing your contacts
  • Writing a welcome email
  • Creating a brand template
  • Writing an offer email with a personalized subject line
  • Using A|B testing 
  • Sending a test email before sending bulk messages
  • Sending emails on:
    • Tuesdays through Thursdays
    •  Between 9:30 a.m. and 9:55 a.m. or
    •  Between 12:30 p.m. and 12:55 p.m.
    • Read this Super Office blog to understand why
  • Adjusting your campaigns based on the data
[/su_note]

Paid Advertising

Brands should be spending between 6% and 10% of their desired revenue on marketing, of which up to half might be paid ads. A digital marketer will typically use three styles of ads:
  1. Pay-per-view: Also called cost per 1,000 impressions (CPM). This is focused on getting in front of as many people as possible.
  2. Pay-per-click (PPC): You pay each time a viewer clicks on the ad. They then go to your web page or social media, where you can develop more of a relationship.
  3. Pay-per-action (PPA): This type of ad has the most control over costs, but most people won’t buy from you the first type they see your ads. They have to develop trust. These are great when combined with remarketing because you are trying to convert someone who is already aware of your brand to a buyer.
Learn more about advertising agencies.
What does a customer journey look like?
Google estimates people need seven touchpoints before they’ll do business with new brands. Often, the process looks like this: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]
  1. See the CPM ad several times on different channels
  2. Click on one
  3. Look at the site
  4. Follow your brands, subscribe to a mailing list, or even create a cart
  5. Abandon the cart
  6. Get a reminder via remarketing
  7. Eventually buy
  8. They decide whether they like your value
  9. You successfully meet their needs
  10. The relationship grows
  11. Customer becomes an ambassador
[/su_note]
How to Create a Paid Marketing Campaign
Google Ads, Meta, and Amazon are the big three for PPC. To achieve great results, you need:
  • Define goals and budgets for each ad type. Here’s how I estimate my acceptable costs
  • Find keywords that meet your goals and budget.
  • Create responsive designs.
  • Create a campaign.
  • Use A|B testing.
  • Track the results.
  • Revise, Improve, and Remarket.
Don’t forget ads are expensive. Start small and revise. Be careful with automated Google or Facebook ads. Watch the video below to understand why: [su_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBA3GhMUVNU"]

Don’t Forget Brand-Building Services Help Offline, too

Branding applies outside of a computer screen too. You’ll also need to consider the visual identity in your store or office. Mike explained the challenges he saw: [su_quote]“Consistency over geographic areas is really challenging. The yellow trucks can stay consistent, but you need to use (pictures of) landscape that’s consistent with your region for marketing. When we first started franchising, we discovered the trucks were an unexpected challenge to keep consistent across the brand. Augusta truck car decals When a franchisor got a yellow truck that wasn't the yellow we were expecting, we started sending the color spec colors with a paint match square. That solved the problem, but then we found the decals came out different, so we developed brand kits. Now, we send the color guide and decals to our franchisors to maintain consistency.”[/su_quote] A lot of creatives love Moo for business cards and marketing materials because the quality offers a premium feel. In case you need large format prints for storefronts, I tend to like ProDPI.  For packaging, I would recommend researching print shops in your location to remove risks associated with supply chain disruptions. Employees are also the brand ambassadors to your target audience. You’ll want to make sure they represent your brand well. Mike told us: [su_quote]“Front-line employees are the 1st point of contact. They have to match the branding. The goal and the vision have to stay the same. You can change [the] pay structure or uniforms, but if the goal changes employees won’t get on board.”[/su_quote]

Pricing and Loyalty Programs Should Match Brand Marketing

One of the mistakes that people make a lot of the time is creating a brand that works for everyone. It doesn’t work. Choose where you can make a profit and keep your brand promise, then focus on rewarding customer loyalty.  Once you find the right customers through brand building, company efforts should be made to increase the value of those relationships through communication, rewarding loyalty, and encouraging customers to refer others. Make it a point to document where you want to be priced in the market and how you want to reward customer loyalty. Now that you’ve documented the important elements of brand building, it’s time to implement your strategy.

Step 4. Implement Your Brand Strategy

Implement the systems you specified in your strategy, create content that communicates your company’s mission using your brand voice, spend money on marketing, and delight your target customers. Do these with consistency, and your brand voice will resonate with people. Mike told us: [su_quote]“The best part of being a business owner is the ability to impact others' lives, You are building a relationship. A brand needs to help the customer know, like, and trust you.”[/su_quote] Be grateful for this opportunity; you have worked hard for it. Gratitude is one of the primary drivers of happiness. 

Step 5. Let the Brand Personality Evolve

All the brand guidelines, systems, and brand building processes are great in theory, but a business brand will evolve over time just like the target audience will. Create consistency, keep your brand voice, but don’t be afraid to build a brand that changes as the market evolves. Mike told us: [su_quote]“Your brand has to constantly evolve, or it dies.[/su_quote] If you look at Starbucks, they change all kinds of things: subscriptions, loyalty programs, social initiatives, and other things. All that's branding.” When you meet a goal, revisit your brand development plan, and set new goals. Periodically, go back and research competitors. Maybe they’ve changed strategies, or there’s a new business that is fast growing that you can buy or partner with to leverage growth. No one can tell you a sure-fire way to succeed in business because we’re all different. As Mike said: [su_quote]“You have to consider what you are trying to scale. Every change will be different. You can’t do the same thing to expand geographically as you would to expand locally. Nor can you do the same thing to make $1 million as you did to make $100,000.”[/su_quote]

The Brand Building Process Never Ends

When you look at each company, you find things you like and dislike about them. Your business will be the same way for some customers. Whether your pricing is just a little out of their price range or you have long lead times because everything is custom made, there will be something a customer wishes you could do better.  It’s natural to make mistakes. We learn and grow from them. Brand building is just specifying a learning process and strategies to help a brand identity grow through the mistakes that naturally occur. Make sure you acknowledge your mistakes and build loyalty even when you make a mistake. If you're just getting started in business, check out our blog how to start a business, then go through the rest of the business hub.  You just have to decide how to brand your business and keep your brand promise. If you keep your word, people will grow to love that they can always count on your business––over time. Which topics would you like us to discuss more in future blogs?

Candle company names are one of the core ways people recognize a candle brand. That’s why you have to find the best candle business names for your candle business.

There are two main naming conventions you need to think about when you start your own candle company:

  1. Candle business name ideas
  2. Names for candles or scents

[su_note note_color="#dbeafc"] We’ll discuss both of these types of candle company names to help you find an idea that works for you. You can jump to any of the sections by clicking the links below.

50 Candle Business Name Ideas

Rx Los Angeles owner in her warehouse pointing to a just-poured wax candle in a branded glass

Create a name that sets you apart and is something you’ll want to stick with for the long haul. There are many different types of names you can go with, but your candle business name should be true to your shop and what your offering is. What do you want people to think of when they hear your name?

1. Wick-edly Scent-sational
2. Whispering Wick
3. Glow and Behold Candles
4. Moonbeam & Ember
5. Wax Poetic Candles
6. The Fragrant Alchemist
7. Bright and Bubbly Candles
8. Candlelight Sanctuary
9. Flicker of Joy Candles
10. Enchanted Aroma
11. Scent-sational Serenity Candles
12. Glow Getter Candles
13. A Scentsational Journey
14. Waxing Euphoria Candles
15. Wildflower Glow Co.
16. Flame and Fortune Candles
17. Kissed by Fragrance
18. Twinkle in Time Candles
19. The Gilded Wick
20. Gleeful Glow Candles
21. The Cozy Candle Co.
22. Waxen Whimsy Candles
23. Flame & Fortune
24. Blissful Beams Candles
25. The Luminous Muse

26. Flame Frolics Candles
27. Waxing Poetic
28. Candlelit Capers Candles
29. Scentual Escape
30. Waxen Whoopee Candles
31. Mystic Bazaar
32. Lustrous Laughs Candles
33. Whisper of Aroma
34. Soothing Smiles Candles
35. Emberglow Lights
36. Dazzling Delights Candles
37. Moonlight & Jasmine
38. Twilight Titters Candles
39. Serene Flame
40. Luminary Larks Candles
41. The Unforgettable Flame
42. Radiant Revels Candles
43. The Scentualist
44. Luminous Larks Candles
45. Candleabra Tales
46. Wick Winks Candles
47. Bliss & Bloom
48. Gleaming Guffaws Candles
49. Enchanted Fireside
50. Wick Wit

Pro Tip: Make sure your candle business name sounds appealing and memorable. You want your customers to remember where to go when they need more fabulous scents.

50 Candle Company Name Ideas

Short or long, your name should tell the story of what your shop offers, who you are, where you’re from, or what kind of experience customers will have when they shop with you. Online or brick and mortar, your name is the first thing they’ll see and hopefully something they’ll remember.

1. Candle Sense
2. Glistening Glow Candle Creations
3. Wax and Relax
4. Waxen Wonderlands Candle Co.
5. Candle Magic
6. Flame Fables Candles
7. Glow and Grow
8. Illuminated Illusions Co.
9. Candle Delight
10. Luminous Lullabies Candles
11. Spark and Scent
12. Wick Wonders Candle Co.
13. Wax Art

14. Glistening Gardens Candles
15. Candle Lab
16. Candlelit Canopies Candles
17. Glow Time
18. Waxen Waterfalls Candles
19. Wax and Glow
20. Lustrous Lagoons Candles
21. Candle Dream
22. Twilight Truffles Candles
23. Spark and Splendor
24. Glowing Groves Candles
25. Wax Appeal

Pro Tip: Your business name will last the length of the business, unless you decide to change your DBA (doing business as name) or update your brand entirely. Make sure you love your name. Don’t settle for “okay”—you should love it!

48 Luxury Candle Business Names

Luxury candle business names can bring you high-end, bougie buyers who are willing to spend more money because your shop has the “wow factor.”

Consider some of these luxurious candle business name ideas perfect for selling expensive aromatherapy candles, scented candles, or even beeswax candles.

1. Aroma Path
2. Ember & Co.
3. Glow & Co.
4. Gilded Wick Candle Co.
5. Aroma Bloom
6. Moonlight Sonata
7. Zenith Candles
8. Amethyst Flame
9. Glow Haven
10. Silk & Sillage
11. Spark & Scent
12. Emberlight Alchemy
13. Lumena Ignite
14. Velvet Wick
15. Scent Fusion
16. Moonstone Muse
17. Pheroma Memento
18. Whispering Embers
19. Flame Fest
20. Starlight Sanctuary
21. Petal Glow
22. Opulent Glow
23. Scent Sation
24. Golden Nectar

25. Luxe Light
26. Clandestine Embers
27. Flame Bright
28. Seraph's Sconce
29. Zodiac Flames
30. Damask & Dusk Candle Co.
31. Glow Makers
32. Emberlit Soiree
33. Moonstone Candles
34. Whispers of Oud
35. Celestial Scents
36. Gilded Alchemy
37. Eco Flame
38. Starlit Lace Candle Co.
39. Glow & Grow
40. Velvet & Ember
41. Pure Illuminate
42. Luminous Indigo
43. Gilded Haven
44. Seraphim's Ember
45. Luxe Luminance Candle Co.
46. Enchanted Candle Company
47. Custom Candles by Coco
48. The Candle Maker

Pro Tip: Who is your target customer? A good luxury candle business name can help you to target a higher-paying demographic. It’s more appealing to those who have the money to spend. Regardless of whether you will have an Etsy store, Shopify site, or brick-and-mortar store, you need to identify your target customer before you finalize a name.

50 Catchy Names for Candle Business

"Catchy names for candle business" search on a laptop next to a white pillar candle

Make your candle business name sticky…so buyers come back time and again. Using catchy phrases or sayings can really help keep your name top of mind.

1. Wick’d Wonders Candles
2. Soy Much Fun Soy Wax Candles
3. Radiant Flames
4. Waxing Poetic
5. Fabulous Flame Candle Co.
6. Flick Candles
7. Aromatic Artistry
8. The Flickering Flamingo
9. The Illuminated Co.
10. Scentsational Shenanigans
11. Soothing Scentsations
12. Litty & Witty Candles
13. The Candle Connoisseur
14. The Wacky Wickery
15. Illuminated Atelier
16. Candle Capers
17. Candle Conservatory
18. Grin & Glow Candles
19. Illuminated Gallery
20. Laughing Flames Candle Company
21. Candle Emporium Co.
22. Flame On, Funny Bone
23. Candle Artisan Co.
24. The Illuminaughty
25. Illuminated Haven

26. Scents & Sensibility
27. Heavenly Candle Co
28. Wickid Good Scents
29. Scented Studio Co.
30. Wax On, Wax Off
31. Candle Artistry Studio
32. The Melty Misfits Candle Company
33. Illuminated Studio Candles
34. Wickology 101
35. The Scented Atelier
36. Wax Flame Candy Candle
37. Candleabracadabra
38. Illuminated Boutique
39. Sniff & Giggle Candle Co.
40. Candle Emporium Studio
41. Wick It or Quit It Candle Company
42. Illuminated Suite
43. Glow-rious Meetings
44. Scented Emporium Candle Company
45. The Illuminating Co.
46. Scent-sational Humor
47. Lights All the Way Candle Co.
48. Waxing Lyrical
49. Cute Candles, Inc.
50. Love & Life Candles

Pro Tip: What’s your favorite commercial? Is it funny and catchy? It’s obviously memorable! The catchier the name, the better. You want to be remembered—just like that commercial that came to mind for you—even if a customer has lost your web address, can’t find an emailed receipt, and no longer has their candle jar.

46 Unique Candle Business Names

What differentiates you from your competitors? Use those identifying factors when selecting your unique business name. You don’t want to sound like everyone else—you want your business name to be descriptive of who you are.

1. Candlelight Glow
2. Candle With Care
3. The Wick & Flame
4. Light My Fire
5. Waxing Poetic
6. Melt Your Heart
7. Sisters’ Soap & Candle Co.
8. Illuminate Creations
9. Glow and Tell Candle Company
10. Scentimental Memories
11. Candle in the Wind
12. Flaming Inspirations
13. Spark Joy Candle Company
14. The Candle Cove
15. Candle Crush
16. The Candle Lab
17. Glow Getter
18. Luminous Expressions
19. Scent From Heaven
20. The Candle Parlour
21. Candle Me Crazy
22. Flicker & Flame Candle Company
23. Ember & Muse

24. The Candle Bar
25. Flicker & Fable
26. The Aromatic Hearth
27. The Hushed Flame
28. The Candle Aisle
29. The Wax Alchemist Candle Company
30. The Candle Cottage
31. Cozy Flicker Co.
32. The Wickery
33. The Candle Conjurer
34. The Candelier
35. The Wandering Wick
36. Scented Wick
37. Flickering Folklore Candle Company
38. Whispers of Flame
39. Candlelight Concoctions
40. The Wickery Embers
41. The Wick Weaver
42. The Flickering Phoenix
43. Aromasmith & Co.
44. Emberlight Alchemy Candle Company
45. My Gentle Glow
46. Sillage Muse

Pro Tip: This is one time when you don’t want to follow the crowd. Be unique so you aren’t battling over a URL and 50 other eCommerce sites with a similar name.

78 Names for Candle Businesses

BLK Sunflower owner in her workshop holding a frosty black branded jar and a handful of wax flakes for candle making

Candle company names can be one or more words, and if you’re in doubt, add the word Candles, Company, or Shop to the end, and Bam! you have a business name!

1. Wick & Whimsy
2. Ember & Oak Co.
3. Radiant Flames
4. Luminescence Atelier
5. The Candle Collective
6. Candlemaker Scents & Pours
7. Wick & Wander Shop
8. The Candle Connoisseur
9. The Wax Emporium
10. Candle Artisan
11. The Gilded Flame Co.
12. The Illuminated Atelier
13. Moonlit Glow LLC
14. The Scented Salon
15. Whisper & Wisp Atelier
16. The Candle Artistry Co.
17. Cinder & Co.
18. The Candle Emporium Co.
19. The Flickering Muse Shop
20. Illuminated Haven Candle Co.
21. The Dancing Ember Atelier
22. The Scented Atelier
23. Nocturne Lumens Shop
24. The Candle Emporium Studio
25. The Alchemist's Candle Co.
26. The Scented Workshop
27. The Glimmering Grotto Shop
28. The Candle Conservatory StudioEmberlight
29. Apothecary Co.
30. The Scented Emporium Candle Company
31. Candlewick & Co.
32. Primitive Candle Company
33. The Flickering Lantern Emporium
34. Pure Light Candle Studios
35. Moonlit Muse Atelier
36. Fragrant Jewels Candle Company
37. The Candle Whisperer, LLC
38. Heaven Scent
39. Aurora Lumens Atelier

40. KC Candle Company
41. The Dancing Flame Emporium
42. Candleberry Studios
43. Candlewick & Whisper Shop
44. Darling Candles
45. Luminescence Alchemy Atelier
46. Enchanted Candle Atelier
47. The Glimmering Path
48. Homefront Candles House
49. Candle in the Wind Emporium
50. Berry Candles
51. Light My Fire, LLC
52. Decorative Candles
53. Scent of a Woman Atelier
54. Flaming Candle Co
55. Burn, Baby Burn Company
56. Country Candle Company
57. Rainbow Earth Gifts
58. Flame of Love Co.
59. None of Your Beeswax
60. Scents and Sensibility Atelier
61. Luxury Candles Co
62. Fire and Ice Co.
63. Scents Illuminated Candle Company
64. Scent From Heaven Atelier
65. Glorious Candles
66. Wick It Shop
67. The Candle Guy
68. Firefly Co.
69. Warwick Candles
70. Candle Magic, LLC
71. Ceremony Dreams Co.
72. Scent of the Sea Atelier
73. Fire Starter Co.
74. Candle Therapy, LLC
75. Wick and Mortar Shop
76. Mickey’s Creative Candles
77. Candleberry Candle Company
78. San Francisco Candle Making Collective

Pro Tip: Are you an LLC, S-Corp, or Sole Proprietorship? If you are an incorporation, you can include that in your name. For example, [Your Candle Business Name], LLC.

52 Unique Candle Names

If you’d want to eat it, make it, or serve it, it’s likely a good name for a candle. Especially if it’s a dessert, drink, or fruit-scented candle.

1. Almond Bark Chocolate
2. Bergamot Delight
3. Blueberries and Whipped Cream
4. Brown Sugar Sizzle
5. Buttercream Sausage
6. Toasted Campfire
7. Caramel Coffee Cookie
8. Musky Cedarwood
9. Chamomile Snooze
10. Chocolate Chip Pancakes
11. Clementine Orange Zest
12. Clove Spice Warmth
13. Cotton Candy Fantasy
14. Cucumber Melon Splash
15. Fig and Olive
16. Frangipani Tropical Flower
17. Just Cut Suburban Lawn
18. Gardenia White Blossom
19. Ginger Lime Fizz
20. Green Tea Jasmine
21. Hyacinth Spring Breeze
22. Key Lime Pie
23. Kiwi Strawberry Smoothie
24. Fragrant Jewels, Heaven Scent
25. Lavender Lemonade Relax
26. Macaron Sweet Treat

27. Magnolia Pink Petal
28. Marshmallow Vanilla Fluff
29. Mint Chocolate Chip
30. Mistletoe Holiday Cheer
31. Nutmeg Spice Cake
32. Oatmeal Double Raisin Cookie
33. Orange Blossom Citrus + Sea Salt
34. Patchouli Earth
35. Peach Cobbler Yum
36. Peony Floral Bouquet
37. Pina Colada Vacation
38. Plum Wine Sangria
39. Popcorn Movie Night
40. Rain Fresh Clean
41. Red Velvet Cupcake
42. Salted Caramel Swirl
43. Smoky Quartz Crystal
44. Sunflower Sunny Day
45. Toasted Marshmallow Cozy
46. Toffee Nut Crunch
47. Vanilla Orchid Exotic
48. Vetiver Woody Aroma
49. Violet Purple Passion
50. Waffle Breakfast Time
51. Walnut Brownie Delish
52. The Woodland Homestead

Pro Tip: Name your candle scents something fun and unique. If you’re an online retailer, the customer will rely on your naming conventions to decide if they’ll like the smell of the candle. So, be unique and descriptive!

46 Funny Candle Company Names

Two lit candles on a large table next to a model cityscape

Customers will appreciate your sense of humor and know they can expect good-natured customer service when you use a funny candle company name.

1. Wickety Wacky Wonders
2. Light My Fire
3. Scents So Silly, They're Snort-Worthy
4. The Aromatherapy Absurdity Co.
5. The Illuminated Improbability Shop
6. Hilarity & Hygge, LLC
7. Wick-edly Good Scents Atelier
8. The Scents of Wit
9. Sniff & Giggles Galore
10. Flame on, Funny Bone!
11. The Snicker & Sizzle Shop
12. Punny Sentiments
13. Aromas Gone Wild
14. The Wick-edly Creative Waxers
15. Flame On, Fun On!
16. The Candle Cauldron
17. Scents So Silly, They're Scandalous
18. The Illuminating Insanity Atelier
19. Scents That Make You Chuckle
20. The Giggle & Glow Glow-Up Co.
21. Punny Wick Emporium
22. Wick-edly Weird Waxes
23. Scented Silliness Galore Shop

24. Aromas of Absurdity Atelier
25. Burnt Out Candles
26. Scent-sational Candles
27. Candle-icious
28. Wax-tastic Candles
29. Flame Game
30. Candle-ry of the Odd
31. Wick-er Man Company
32. Wick-edly Good Candles
33. Waxing Philosophical
34. Waxing Lyrical Candles
35. Scentsational Silliness, LLC
36. The Humerus Fragrance Co.
37. The Light Chuckle Atelier
38. Scentsational Shenanigans Shop
39. Of Laughters and Illumination
40. You Light Me Up
41. Candle in the Sky
42. Scentsational Wickers
43. The Chuckle Wax
44. Sniff Me Good
45. The Wick-ed Atelier
46. The OG Candle Brand

Pro Tip: Humor is memorable and humor sells. Whether you’re naming your candle business or your candle scents, humor is almost always a good way to go.

50 Scent Name Ideas

Scent names can evoke tastes and smells for the buyer. Make it heavenly and delicious. Something you’d maybe want to eat, but definitely want to smell!

1. Cinnamon Swirl
2. Pumpkin Spice Latte
3. Caramel Apple
4. Cranberry Bliss
5. Peppermint Mocha
6. Gingerbread House
7. Winter Wonderland
8. Sugar Plum Fairy
9. Frosty the Snowman
10. Mistletoe Kisses
11. Candy Lane
12. Sleigh Ride
13. Fireside Chat
14. Warm and Cozy
15. Chestnuts Roasting
16. Mulled Wine
17. Spiced Cider
18. Hot Cocoa
19. Vanilla Bean
20. Lavender Fields
21. Tea Rose Garden
22. Jasmine Dreams
23. Sandalwood Serenade
24. Citrus Grove
25. Ocean Breeze

26. Rainforest Retreat
27. Mountain Air
28. Desert Oasis
29. Tropical Paradise
30. Island Escape
31. Crispy Autumn Leaves
32. Harvest Moon
33. Pumpkin Patch
34. Apple Orchard in Fall
35. Crisp Fall Air
36. Maple Butter and Syrup
37. Cedarwood Forest
38. Pine Needle Forest
39. Eucalyptus-y Mint
40. Peppermint Twist
41. Lemon Verbena
42. Grapefruit Grove
43. Cherry Blossom Farm
44. Magnolia Bloom
45. Honeysuckle Heaven
46. Wildflower Meadow
47. Butterfly Garden
48. Hummingbird Haven
49. Dragonfly Dreams
50. Ladybug Lane

Pro Tip: Most candles are scented, and scents need names to sell. Be creative and imagine what visuals and scents a person might imagine when they read your names.

50 Scented Candle Names

Rx Los Angeles owner in her warehouse pointing to two tables of empty branded jars and just-poured candles

Your candle labels will need to specify what scent you're selling. Think of feeling-invoking scents that will make your customers want to buy them as gifts or a treat for themselves.

1. Winter Wonderland
2. Cozy Cabin
3. Pumpkin Spiced Chai
4. Lavender Dreams
5. Appley Pear Orchard
6. Caramel Popcorn
7. Ocean Breeze
8. Decadent Chocolate Cake
9. Lemonade Stand
10. Woody Fire
11. Cotton Candy
12. Gingerbread House
13. Rose, No Thorns
14. Banana Bread
15. Tropical Vacation
16. Vanilla and Cream
17. Fresh Laundry
18. Mulled Wine
19. Birthday Cake and Sprinkles
20. Hazelnut Coffee Shop
21. Autumn Leaves with Clove
22. Strawberry Shortcake
23. Rainforest and Fern
24. Maple Syrup and Brown Sugar
25. Cucumber Melon Mint

26. Snickerdoodle Cookie
27. Cherry Blossom Spring
28. Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows
29. Sunflowers and Honey
30. Campfire and S’mores
31. Juicy Peach Cobbler
32. Soothing Jasmine Tea
33. Warm Cinnamon Roll
34. Honeycomb Summer
35. Sandalwood and Vanilla
36. Sweet Blueberry Muffin
37. Refreshing Eucalyptus and Mint
38. Apple Pie Crust
39. Luscious Lilac
40. Tropical Coconut Lime
41. Cozy Oatmeal Cookie
42. Gardenia and Jasmine
43. Cranberry Orange Spice
44. Almond Biscotti
45. Lemongrass and Basil
46. Pumpkin Pie Delight
47. Vanilla Orchid
48. Spicy Ginger Ale
49. Sugar Plum Fairy
50. Earl Grey AM

Pro Tip: Naming candles after food is always a hit because people can imagine what they will taste and smell like.

What to Do After Choosing a Candle Company Name

After you choose a candle company name, you’ll want to make sure it’s available according to the:

  • Secretary of State website
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

And as:

  • A domain name
  • Social media accounts

As long as the candle company names you are considering are available across the board, you are good to register your candle business name and start your business.

What candle business name ideas appeal to you?


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Brandon Boushy@ 2022-10-13 16:16:39

Hi Selena, We’re glad you enjoy our content! Unfortunately, we try to keep the comments clear of links that have not been approved. If you would like to share what you do, you can fill out a more extensive member profile or fill out our interview form: https://www.upflip.com/youtube-questionnaire

John@ 2022-09-15 21:51:26

Hello, perfect blog!! we can start Alcohol Delivery app as a business as huge profitable business with brand visibality.

Brandon Boushy@ 2022-10-13 16:33:12

John, Alcohol delivery is definitely something that is highly profitable. When I delivered UberEats and DoorDash, I would sometimes get alcohol runs. They were normally the most profitable runs. If you decide to start this business, I would recommend getting experience with the other delivery services to see what they do poorly and improve the service. There are extra considerations for starting any kind of business that involves the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives(ATF) or similar foreign agencies. If you are in the U.S, make sure to talk to the ATF, local health district, and state regulatory offices because 30+ states have 3rd party laws about alcohol sales. We'd love to hear more about your experience.

Sam@ 2022-08-26 21:43:07

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Brandon Boushy@ 2022-10-13 17:03:34

Sam, I'm not saying it's easy, but I can't ignore careers like lawyers and doctors that can make a great living. Some people love medicing and are willing to go through the years of school to become a doctor. I hope you found others that were more to your liking.

Kindalem Minasie@ 2022-08-09 07:11:38

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