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20 Ideas for Starting Your Own Small Business

It’s a new year, so it’s time to branch out and try something you’ve always wanted to. For those of you who’ve dreamed of becoming entrepreneurs or having a small business of your very own, 2022 might just be the perfect time to launch it.

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Starting a small business has so many different benefits from becoming financially independent to choosing your own lifestyle and work hours, and so many more perks in between––making entrepreneurship seem all the more appealing to those suffering behind a nine to five. If you’re looking to become your own boss this year, but don’t exactly have the inspiration yet, here are 20 different ideas to help you start your own small business.

Personal Trainer 💪

Sporty by nature? Well, becoming a personal trainer might be the perfect venture for you. Personal trainers have flexible hours, and can either work inside of a gym, at a client’s home, or in their own home providing tailored services to fit someone else's fitness needs. Services can also include personalized nutrition advice or boot camps. Additionally, personal trainers can easily promote their business on social media due to high interest in fitness and wellness on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. With flexible hours, an ever-changing schedule, and a chance to make “exercising” your actual job, a personal trainer could be a fun and sporty way to start your own business.

Life Coach 🙌

Are you personable? Cool in a crisis? Are you good at helping people with everyday problems? Well, then a life coach could be a valid option. Life Coaches aid people in handling career, social and personal transitions successfully. They serve as mentors offering intimate and a very hands-on approach to navigating life without the need for a psychology degree. Usually, people trust life experience and charisma. So if you’ve had a nice enough career already and If you’re up for the pressure of having the fate of someone’s job or marriage in your hands, then you could be in luck! People will usually pay top dollar for a good life coach.

Freelance Developer 🧑‍💻

Web development is in high demand as of 2022, and due to the world’s current climate freelance means ample opportunity to work from home. This career path could be good for the tech-savvy individual that likes to stay in or travel about. Freelance development allows you to create websites or offer technical support from anywhere in the world… as long as you have a computer handy. Additionally, as a freelance developer, you can teach seminars on the subject or train others. Work on your own time all the while earning a decent living. Freelance development really is a win-win solution to an office job.

Florist 🌼

Don’t underestimate the importance of a green thumb! Bringing joy to others can be as simple and as easy as putting together a nice bouquet. Florists are an underappreciated, yet necessary bunch that provides a great sense of beauty and life to the world around us. As a florist, you can always be assured to have business as long as Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and birthdays exist in the world. Plants will always be a quick and easy gift for any occasion, and as another plus owning a floral shop is incredibly easy to market on social media or otherwise!

Baker 🧁

If floral shops are easy to market on social media, well then bakeries take the cake (no pun intended ;) ) In fact nothing beats seeing a warm croissant or a tasty kanelbulle or your timeline. Sweet treats are sure-thing when it comes to likes on Instagram or customers at your door. Where guilty pleasures are created human beings will follow, making bakeries a fun and delicious option for starting your own business, as long as you are pretty decent in the kitchen.

Translator 💬

If you have a knack for languages, becoming a translator could be a very valued and rewarding job to have. Translators are needed in so many different aspects of society from politics to business, or anything else working on a global level. Translators are usually tasked with interpreting real-time conversations, creating subtitles for videos, movies, or television shows, and translating official documents or emails. It is recommended to take a class or have a degree in translation or a specific language before starting this venture, but it is not a necessity! So as long as you are fluent in a few different languages, this could be a viable option for people wanting to branch out on their own this year.

Landscaper 🍁

Landscapers and Florists go pretty hand-in-hand, both are needed to make the world more beautiful, and both require somewhat of a green thumb. However, Landscapers work different hours from Florists. Usually being a Landscaper can be a bit more flexible, and doesn’t require the need for a venue or office space, They visit clients at their own home, work the hours that suit them best, and are only really responsible for the equipment. So if you like working with flowers or plants and would prefer to work on your own time, then becoming a landscaper might be a fun job to start.

Photographer/Videographer 📸

Being handy with a camera is always a valuable skill…especially in a society built on social media. Photographers and Videographers are high-valued in today’s day and age, being needed for vloggers, bloggers, and social media influencers alike. As well as, high fashion, weddings, and events, for journalistic purposes. Photography and Videography is a fun and creative way to make a living and allows you to come up with your own hours. However, working a camera is usually not the only skill you need! Most videographers and photographers also require some knowledge in photoshop or editing software to enhance photos and clip-down videos. It would be recommended to look into different platforms and software before venturing into this new profession.

Massage Therapist 💆

How good are you with your hands? While this profession can take a bit more work than others… it is recommended to take a class prior and to have at least a rolling bed to use in clients’ homes or on your own. Despite the work, however, it could be quite rewarding to soothe and heal others’ aches and pains all the while, promoting a sense of peace and spirituality through massage therapy.

Yoga Instructor 🧘

Speaking of spirituality… If you have a love for yoga and meditation then why not become a yoga instructor? Yoga instructors can work either at home, in a studio, at a park, or personally attend a client’s home to provide their services. It’s not necessary to have a degree or certificate in yoga before starting up your business and it’s very flexible in terms of work hours. Yoga is also very easy to promote on social media, which can drive a lot of business and make it an exciting and engaging way to make a living.

Crafter 🌳

If you’ve always been aces at arts and crafts this could be an interesting idea for starting a new business. Crafters have the liberty to make money off of anything from crocheted scarves to Christmas ornaments, jewelry, and literally anything else in between. Starting up a crafting business is as easy as creating an account on Etsy or showing up to your community’s local flea market. Since it’s such a versatile business and so accessible, one can start right away! So get crafting ;)

Owner of a Bed and Breakfast 🛏️

Owning a bed and breakfast can be a very rewarding and fun way to make money. If you have a large house, creating a quaint and special experience for guests visiting your hometown could be a great idea for starting your own business. It also helps if you have some culinary skills to keep those hungry guests satisfied. However, if you’re in Sweden to start up any kind of hotel or bed and breakfast you’ll need a permit from the Swedish Police Authority. You can find the forms here.

Interior Designer 🏠

All the money in the world can’t buy someone good style, and while you might have the skills to put together a beautiful home not everyone else does. Utilizing your good taste and creativity by becoming an interior designer could be a fun and ever-changing job opportunity that allows flexible work hours, and the chance to always use your imagination.

Tutor 🧑‍🏫

Whether you're proficient in another language, stellar at history, or simply a master on the guitar there’s a way for everyone to become a tutor. Tutoring is a business that will always be needed as long as there’s someone else looking to improve or learn a new skill! Tutors can work their own hours and can advertise their services at schools, community centers, or just online.

Owner of a Clothing/Jewellery Boutique 💍

Are you a fashionista by nature? Well, then a clothing or jewelry boutique might just be the perfect first step in running your own fashion empire. You can build buzz with unique and original pieces, showcasing your own personal style. Clothing and jewelry shops have a versatile market, and can easily be advertised on social media. Upload content based on your products and make sure to keep up with heavy engagement!

Wedding Planner 🎉

Weddings are a booming business! And if you’re a relatively organized person with a good eye for detail this could be the perfect job for you. Planning a wedding is a long and rather grueling process for the average, clueless bride so they will pay top dollar for someone with experience, and someone who can keep a cool head on their big day. The benefit of planning a wedding is that you can also offer your services for the other events leading up such as the bachelor/bachelorette party, the rehearsal dinner, or the official engagement party as well as assist in the planning of the honeymoon!

Owner of a Food Truck 🥡

Are you a culinary whiz or have you always dreamed of owning your very own restaurant but weren’t quite ready for the real deal (financially or otherwise)? Well, owning a food truck could be the first step in pursuing your culinary dreams. Food trucks are easier to manage, require less staff, and are low-cost compared to restaurants. They also allow flexibility, giving you the opportunity to travel wherever your heart desires, as well as give you the ability to choose your own hours. You are the master of your own domain with a food truck, and it’s a great way to get both community and country-wide recognition for your work.

Dog Walker, Groomer or Trainer 🐕

Dogs are man’s best friend, and so pet owners will always be desperate to have someone properly take care of their animals especially when they’re away. Becoming a dog walker, groomer or even a trainer can be a fun and very furry business idea. If you like working with canines, and maybe have a knack for picking up poop, cutting hair, or even just disciplining them then any of these options could be a great career move this year!

Freelance Graphic Designer 🧑‍💻

Similar to freelance developers, graphic designers get to plan out their own work schedules. Primarily creating graphics or advertisements for specific projects or for short time contracts, a freelance graphic designer has the opportunity to work from anywhere in the world. So if you’re in the mood for more travel this 2022, and are a natural creative, this might be the perfect opportunity for you.

Freelance Writer ✍️

Having good writing skills is something that will never be taken for granted. Whether someone needs a copywriter for their ads, someone to create Instagram captions, or even write for their newspaper or e-book, a freelance writer will always have opportunities out there. Just make sure that before you start branching out on your own to have a decent build-up of work to present as a portfolio to potential clients and bosses. Freelance writers have the flexibility to work wherever they want and the privilege of planning their own work schedule. So if you have decent penmanship, then perhaps this could be the right venture for you.

Surfpay for Everyone!

No matter what business you decide to start this year, Surfpay has got you covered. Interested in owning a flower shop, or want to test your flexibility by becoming a yoga instructor? Looking to tutor the next Beethoven? Well, all of these business ideas and more can be enriched by the Surfpay app.

Surfpay is a downloadable payment terminal capable of accepting all types of credit-, and debit cards including e-wallets, and swish transactions from the convenience of your own Android mobile device. Whether your customer is paying for a semla or a yoga class, Surfpay is the best option for you to receive in-person customer payments without the need for any additional hardware. Just open the app, type in the amount owed, and then finally have the customer tap their card or preferred payment method to the back of your phone and Presto! A completed transaction. Surfpay guarantees an easy, cost-efficient, and fast way to accept payments for small business owners everywhere!

Want more information? Well, check out all of Surfpay’s radical features here ». And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin & Twitter.

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