Top 5 Small Businesses That You Can Start From Home in 2022
If you are curious about what some of the top small businesses you can start from home in 2022 are, keep reading. Remote work and home-based businesses have grown in popularity over the past decade. Prior to the pandemic, 4.7 million people in the USA were already working from home. Currently, in the United States, millions of self-employed individuals have acted upon home business ideas and are successful at earning a living from their homes.
There are lots of compelling reasons to want the flexibility that working from home or having a home-based business can offer. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s JOLTS report, nearly 4.3 million people quit their jobs in January 2022. With so many people leaving the traditional employment landscape, now couldn’t be a better time to consider starting a small business from home. Half of all small businesses start that way. The U.S. Small Business Association reports that 60 percent of all businesses without staff are home-based. With 32.5 million small businesses, that means about 19 million are home-based.
If a lifestyle change is what you’re after, then you’ll want to take a close look at your skills, interests, and desired lifestyle to figure out which of the many work-from-home business models best suits you. To help you in your exploration, we’ve gathered a list of the top 5 small businesses that you can start from home in 2022.
#1 Dropshipping
Gone are the days when starting a retail business means ridiculous amounts of inventory, high start-up costs, and a brick-and-mortar location catering to a limited radius of traffic. Online shopping has been on a steady climb over the last decade. In the US alone, the market is expected to have 300 million online shoppers by 2023.
Dropshipping makes it easy for you to start your own online retail business or what is commonly referred to as an e-commerce store, with minimum overhead costs. You’re not required to buy inventory, package, or ship your products because the supplier handles all of it. The key here would be finding a supplier that offers high-quality products that match what you want to sell. Sites like alibaba.com and dhgate.com make it easy to comb through thousands of products and suppliers.
Keep in mind that eCommerce sales account for 14.1% of retail purchases worldwide with an expected rise to 22% in 2023. If you’re inclined toward a product-based business model, dropshipping may be a great option for you.
#2 Freelance Writing
Have a knack for story-telling? Or do you have a way of converting complicated ideas into simple, easy-to-digest content? Perhaps you have a natural talent for writing or you’re actually a skilled copywriter. All you need to start a small business as a freelance writer is a computer, internet connection, and talent.
Great ways to get started are by registering your service on existing freelancer platforms like Freelancer and Upwork, using your social media to join freelancer groups, or by sending out proposals to target clients. All of which you can do from the comfort of your own home.
You can specialize in a particular industry or on specific topics, or choose a style of writing you prefer (ie. Whitepapers, Email Marketing, Sales Scripts, Production Scripts, Blog Posts, etc.). Freelance writing provides a great deal of flexibility and it’s also very lucrative with hourly rates ranging from $30 per hour upwards of $70 per hour.
#3 Virtual Assistant
Let’s say you’re not that great at writing, but you have a keen eye for detail, you’re organized and very efficient. If you’re very comfortable with administrative work then starting a small business as a virtual assistant may be worth considering.
Similar to that of a freelance writer, you’ll be entering the “gig economy” as a freelance virtual assistant. That is unless you decide to offer your services to a single client versus multiple clients. As a virtual assistant, you can offer a broad range of services to improve the productivity of your clients. However, the more streamlined your expertise is – or the more valuable your specialty skill is – the more you earn.
#4 Online Instructor
Many persons transitioning from the corporate work environment to starting small businesses from home are taking with them in-demand skills, knowledge, and information that could easily be shared via online classes or courses.
Starting a small business as an online instructor is limitless as almost anything can be taught in a virtual environment. Just look at the booming e-learning industry as an indicator of the potential that exists within this market. Whether you’re trained as a teacher and want to transition out of the classroom into a virtual classroom, or if you’re brand new to teaching and want to create a new course for your area of expertise, the digital landscape makes it achievable.
Sites like Teachable and Udemy make it easy to set up your program and host live or pre-recorded sessions.
#5 Service Business
Service businesses are one of the most common ways to start a small business from home. You can provide virtual services, in-person services, services as a product, and so on. Again what you decide to do is highly influenced by your expertise, and your interests (if you’re learning and adapting new skills) and don’t forget the lifestyle you want to achieve with time and money freedom.
A few ideas of service businesses you can start from home include:
- Tutoring
- Babysitting
- Pet Sitting
- Graphic Designer
- Photographer
- Network Marketer
- Meal Prep Assistant
- Social Media/ YouTube Influencer
- Social Media Manager
- Hair Braider/ Stylist
- Digital Marketer
- Web Designer
- Interior Designer
- Fitness Coach
- Life Coach
- Wellness Coach
This list could go on and on. Whatever you decide, do your due diligence to learn about the market and industry. Market research will help you determine where (and if) to start and how to uniquely position yourself as a new small business.
Keep this in mind
If you’re exploring small businesses that you can start from home in 2022, we hope this post was valuable to you. Even if your idea didn’t make the top 5 list, it doesn’t mean it’s not viable or worth pursuing. As we just mentioned, market research is key to making informed decisions with your new small business.
Take the time to learn the legal requirements for starting your home-based business, as they vary from country to country, state to state. We recommend Zen Business for expert support with formally registering your small, home-based business. Because yes, it’s important to treat your small business like a big one and be diligent about crossing those “T’s” and dotting those “I’s”.
The market for working from home and home-based businesses continues to grow, especially in small communities and niche markets. If you’re intent on shifting to a home-based career, then, the opportunity is out there to start, sustain and even grow your own small business. It’s not just a trend, research shows, it’s a better way to work.
– Aisha A., EBS Founder
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