30 Best Side Business Ideas for Women in 2024

As a woman, if you wonder if you can start and run your own business while keeping a full-time job, especially with the number of businesses that already exist worldwide, the answer is a resounding YES!

There’s an abundance of side business ideas for women that make it easy for you to make extra money, whether you are employed or a stay-at-home wife. Keep in mind that each of these opportunities requires dedication and consistency to become a success.

Choosing the perfect business idea for you is the key to starting a successful business. Pick a side hustle that you are passionate about. Use your skills and resources as the benchmark for the type of business you want to start.

Best Side Business Ideas for Women & Working Ladies

From becoming an interior designer to virtual assisting, these are the 30 best side business ideas for women in 2022:

• Freelance Content Writing
• Social Media Manager
• Travel Agent
• Interior Designer
• Graphic Designer
• Web Designer
• Virtual Assistant
• Food Truck
• E-Commerce Store
• Photographer
• Blogging
• Makeup Artist
• Personal Trainer
• Pet Sitting/Training
• Daycare Center
• Digital Marketing
• Podcasting
• Affiliate Sales and Marketing
• Fashion Stylist
• Event Planning
• Baby Equipment Rental Business
• Brand Ambassador
• Start a Youtube Channel
• Translator
• Music Instructor
• Ghostwriting
• Car Washing And Detailing
• Caregiving
• Freelance Customer Service
• Voice-Over Artist

1. Freelance Content Writing

Freelance writing is an excellent way for you to make more money while working from home. An organization essentially hires you to write articles on their topic of choice.

Freelance writers can have different clients or just one client that provides steady work.

You can work as a generalist and cover different topics from automobiles to culinary arts or choose to specialize in one area. Bear in mind that specialists tend to earn more than generalists and get more assignments.

There are multiple ways to launch a freelance writing business. Some people leave full-time jobs knowing they have enough money to live off and clients from their previous job. Other writers start by finding small writing jobs online while holding on to their 9 to 5.

2. Social Media Manager

As a social media manager, your job is to optimize your client's social media presence through your understanding of the relevant social media platforms.

While social media itself seems to be all fun and games on the surface, the job of the consultant behind the page is not.

Social media marketing requires you to understand project management, SEO principles, and content marketing in addition to the creativity you may already possess before you can earn money from this side hustle.

The best way to start is to build your own social media page, then you can look into working on other pages for free before scoring your first job. Like many other profitable business ideas, this is a great way to make money online.

3. Travel Agent

If you enjoy scanning flights and hotel rewards points and are a fervent traveler, then a good business idea for you might be a travel agency.

To become a travel agent, you don't need a specific educational or employment background. Your knowledge of destinations, sales, itinerary planning, and booking software is crucial for your career and getting your license.

While choosing a niche in this viable business option is not a requirement, you should choose one. With that, all that’s left to do is build your client base but remember, slow and steady wins the race.

4. Interior Designer

Most interior designers begin their journey with a relevant degree, but you can flourish in this career without one. To get started, you need to conduct adequate market research on which online course you should prioritize and the licenses you will need.

As an interior designer, your eye for detail and creativity level increases with experience so you need to focus on building a credible portfolio in order to turn this great business idea into a money-making business.

You can gather experience as a contractor or work for an expert. The experience you gather from each of these routes will help you determine the type of service you want to provide.

5. Graphic Designer

While some graphic designers can brag about a college degree in graphic designing, it’s not a requirement. Many companies hire entry-level designers based solely on their portfolio and experience rather than their bachelor’s degree.

With that in mind, you will need a few things as a graphic designer without a degree: some raw creative talent, the dedication to learn critical skills, and an impressive portfolio that will convince employers to choose you.

The last is perhaps the most important in the job-hunting process: you must have a portfolio of work to demonstrate your creativity and design skills, so potential employers have something concrete to base a hiring decision on.

6. Web Designer

Unlike web developers that build the skeletal framework of a website, a web designer improves the look and feel of a website using colors, fonts, and graphics that appeal to the eye. You can also choose to learn both skills.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when building a career in web design. No matter the route you take, you must first learn the necessary skills like visual design, HTML, UI/UX, and everything in between.

As a woman entrepreneur, you’ll have to invest in the tools for designing, focus on your niche, start designing even without a job, and build your portfolio before you can turn your idea into a profitable business.

7. Virtual Assistant

Working as a virtual assistant is a great business venture for any aspiring woman entrepreneur because you work on your own hours, its high demand rate, and the low start-up effort it takes to start the business.

Once you have invested in the necessary tools for the job, a good laptop, you can take courses related to virtual assistants. The great thing is that many of these online courses are free and even provide certificates.

Bear in mind that virtual assistants do more than provide administrative support. After doing your research, list the type of services you can offer. While you decide which freelance app to upload your profile to, don’t forget to upload your status to your social media pages.

8. Food Truck

A food truck is one of the best small business ideas for women. While the mobile food business is not as expensive as starting a full fledge restaurant, it will still cost you a coin. The first step is conceptualizing your menu and the type of food you want to serve.

Draw out a complete business model that contains all the details of your prospective business especially if you want to take out a loan to purchase your food truck and obtain the necessary licenses.

The minimum license requirement for a food truck business is a food service permit and business license but bear in mind that the requirements are different for each state.

9. E-commerce store

Creating an online store is top of the list when discussing women-owned businesses. The sales of ecommerce stores worldwide reached nearly $5 trillion in 2021.

Finding the right product to sell is instrumental to the success of your online business, so you can research the products that make the most money, are easier to get, and has the least amount of competition.

You can create your own website, but it is better to use ecommerce platforms like Shopify to reduce the cost of starting the business. Once you’ve started your business the hard work of marketing your products to gain customer attention begins.

10. Photographer

The rise of digital photography has led to a massive increase in photography, both as a form of creative art and a full-time career.

To start your photography business, you have to buy the basic equipment, learn the concept of photography from multiple free online classes on photography, start practicing and improving your photography skills, and find the niche you can focus on.

Though it sounds simple, it is not easy. Photography is a competitive field that requires talent, discipline, and marketing insight to set your own photography business apart from other photographers.

11. Blogging

One of the misconceptions about starting a blog is that you must be a great writer first. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. People go to blog sites to get their perspectives on subjects, so many bloggers write in a laid-back and conversational style.

With this format, most successful bloggers write about different related topics on the same blog. In addition, you don’t need to be an expert on any topics you write about to have a successful blog.

For Instance, visitors of a cooking blog don’t want to read a long, boring article but the experiences of someone who has experience with cooking real meals, giving an account of the mistakes and all.

12. Makeup Artist

The best way to truly master the art of makeup is with an education. The fastest option is called a cosmetology school. You learn the skills and techniques you will need to succeed in the beauty industry.

Like any other artist, your cosmetology portfolio must highlight your talent and creativity. Use engaging pictures to showcase your skills. Build your portfolio early and upload it to social media.

The key to successful businesses in the beauty industry is who you know. Most of your clients and work will come from referrals, so building your network is crucial. The more connections you make, your chances of landing a job are higher.

13. Personal Trainer

Personal trainers are passionate about the health and fitness of their clients. They create workout plans, assist with their clients’ workout routines and advise them about their health, nutrition, and lifestyle.

You have to earn the certifications you need to work with clients. Most personal trainers need cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) certifications to aid clients in an emergency. These certifications usually require taking a one-day class in person and passing a test.

You’ll also need communication and customer service skills. After developing your skills, you can begin applying for personal trainer jobs. You should craft a resume highlighting your education, professional certification, and relevant work experience.

14. Pet Sitting/Training

Pet sitters are babysitters for animals in that they provide daily care for pets while their owners are away on vacation, business trips, or even while at work.

This is not an online business because you typically visit clients’ homes to do this, though some also host pets in their own homes.

Pet sitting goes beyond having a love of animals. A pet sitter requires a unique and diverse skillset to succeed on the job.

Pet sitting is a physically demanding job, as you will spend your day moving from house to house and dog walking around neighborhoods.

15. Day Care Center

If you’re a teacher, a former teacher, or simply have years of experience caring for children — and an entrepreneurial spirit — you might have considered starting your own daycare center, either from home or in a dedicated facility.

As is the case starting a business in any industry, however, your passion for your craft alone isn’t quite enough to ensure that your daycare business is copacetic, either financially or legally.

You’ll need to pay due diligence when looking into how to start a daycare business, paying special attention to licensing requirements, and ensuring that your facility and program align with your state’s health and safety codes.

16. Digital Marketing

There are different facets to digital marketing, and general education in these different areas — from Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and email marketing to social media — is crucial if you must understand how each discipline works together to drive your business to success.

The good news is that you can learn the skills you need for digital marketing from home in your spare time, thanks to the multiple free online resources available.

The best form of education is actively practicing what you’ve learned. Once you’re confident with the study materials, take the associated certifications and qualifications to test your knowledge.

17. Podcasting

Podcasting is an exploding content medium that, unlike blogging or video-blogging, is less technical and solely relies on the knowledge you want to share with the world.

Since not many people are doing it around you, it’s a great opportunity for you to be the first to get started.

There are numerous podcasting tools that you can use to get the best sound quality for your podcast but don’t be afraid to start small. Once you have a good microphone and laptop, you're good to go.

Once you have recorded your podcast, hosting them on a podcast hosting service is next. These podcast hosting services will provide you with an RSS URL, enabling you to upload your podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Sticher, and other podcast services.

18. Affiliate Sales and Marketing

When learning affiliate marketing, knowing where to start is important. It’s all too easy to put the cart before the horse, and that metaphor covers a variety of scenarios.

Finding merchant partners, high commission affiliate programs, or affiliate marketing jobs that pay well and are consistent requires great up-front work before you’re ever in touch with a merchant.

Every affiliate marketer has a niche in which they try to influence their audience. But if you’re too greedy and try to speak to too many niches, you could risk overextending and making your efforts ineffective.

You’ll need to set up an account to create ads, which means you’ll need to use Google ads, Facebook ads, or even Bing ads depending on your audience.

19. Fashion Stylist

It is easy for small businesses in the fashion industry to go under with how cutthroat the industry is. Only those who excel at socializing can generate full-time income. As a stylist, you need a solid client base, a network with designers and other industry professionals, and an invitation to numerous industry events.

In terms of education, experience is the best teacher because when you’re pitching for a job, the topic of college may never come up. Years of experience in the industry will open more doors than a particular diploma.

20. Event Planning

The event planning business is great if you have gained experience working as an employee of a company that runs an event or wedding planning business. You should also complete programs hosted by trade schools to help you understand what to expect from your clients.

When looking for your first few clients, you want to start locally and only commit to planning social and corporate events that you can deliver on. Most clients request to see a portfolio of successful events that you’ve helped plan.

It’s crucial to market your experience and showcase your skills online and in person. As your event planning business grows, you’ll build a network and eventually a strong foundation for freelancing.

21. Baby Equipment Rental Business

This business is one of the numerous home business ideas that make it simple to earn more money – you lend baby items to parents who need them.

Parents who are traveling, babysitters in the area, and even small businesses may want to rent supplies anywhere from a day to several days or weeks.

You’ll charge a rental fee and list your things online, so people will know which items you have.

This is one of those profitable businesses that require a business plan and a lot of research.

You may also need to transport gear to renters and pick them up. However, this is a very flexible business where you can set your own hours and spend more time at home with your family.

22. Brand Ambassador

Brand ambassadors are spokespeople that attempt to influence a community to buy a company’s product or service. While celebrities were once the primary public brand ambassadors, today, it is possible for almost anyone to become an influencer and make money doing so.

Start looking for brands that represent your interests or relate to content that you already produce. If you already publicly support a company or brand, it may make it easier to become an official ambassador for them.

Being a brand ambassador is impossible if you do not have a decent amount of followers on social media. Build your followership and online personality to meet the standard of the brands you have in mind.

23. Start a YouTube Channel

YouTube stars are today’s self-made celebrities—people who have earned an audience by creating video content geared toward teaching, entertaining, reviewing, and being awesome on the web.

Since making money is the main goal of starting your YouTube channel, you have to create a channel and put out your content in your area of interest, so you don’t get burnt out. You do not need any education to start your channel.

Growing your audience is the key to unlocking your YouTube channel’s earning potential, similar to the case with Instagram influencers or bloggers. This is just the beginning because YouTube offers multiple revenue generation streams like Ads, the YouTube Partnership program, fan funding, and much more.

24. Translator

A fundamental ingredient to becoming a translator is properly understanding two languages. If you don’t have that might as well start learning another language or just throw in the towel right now.

Most people suggest you gather experience from a professional before starting on your own because being bi-lingual might not be enough. You either get experience or find a mentor to put you through. The great thing about this side hustle is that you don’t have to spend money to learn it.

To set yourself up for success, make sure you know the tools of the trade. Of course, the primary resource that a freelance translator needs is a working computer. Freelancers can and should take advantage of the many apps and websites designed as computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools.

25. Music Instructor

Even if you don’t have a degree in music, you can teach music privately but need to have had some form of musical training. The main requirement for this job is to have detailed musical knowledge since you can’t teach what you don’t know.

The pay for music tutors is quite nice; it starts at $30 per hour but could be more than that, depending on your experience. Of course, this side hustle is not all sunshine and rainbows.

While teaching music privately does not require a degree, you should possess excellent communication skills because teaching is no small fit, especially if you teach little children.

Getting a job as a music tutor is not particularly hard. You just have to ensure that your target audience knows the service you offer.

26. Ghostwriting

Ghostwriters play an important role in creating content, including books, blogs, articles, and scripts. Becoming a ghostwriter requires learning valuable writing and marketing skills.

Ghostwriting requires more skills than just being able to write well and create well-structured stories. If you're interested in joining this career field, it helps to know how to translate another person's words and ideas into writing.

You must first build a strong portfolio as a content writer who has written in various areas. You can get a job by posting your portfolio on job search websites or social media.

27. Car Washing and Detailing

It’s important to know the market landscape before starting a business. You want to be confident that when you start your auto detailing business, you will have enough customers in your area who want to purchase your services.

This will ensure that you can make money and stay in business. In your research, gather as much information as possible to understand the market's supply and demand, your competition, and your potential customers.

28. Caregiving

As a caregiver, you help with daily tasks such as grooming, household chores, cooking, and transportation. You often act as a companion for the client and assist them when they undergo activities at home or outside.

An independent contractor caregiver can work in a private home or for an assisted living facility.

The qualifications needed to work as an independent contractor caregiver include certification, a high school diploma or GED certificate, and general housework skills. You need a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record if you provide transportation.

Some clients seek applicants who are certified nursing assistants (CNAs) or home health aides (HHAs).

The requirements for these certifications vary by state, and training typically lasts a few weeks or months. Some clients only ask for certification in CPR and basic life-saving.

29. Freelance Customer Service

When starting your freelance customer service business, the first thing to do is to know your value. Knowing your market and what they are willing to pay is essential in determining how much you should charge.

Look for a job marketing platform that suits your demands Toptal and Upwork are great options to start with.

Believe it or not, putting customers first is easier than it sounds. The best way to start doing this is to make a professional and memorable first impression. A freelancer's first interaction with a customer will set the tone for the entire relationship, so getting this right will pay dividends far into the future.

30. Voice Over Artist

You don’t need a professional qualification to step into freelancing as a voice-over artist. Countless renowned voice artists have begun their careers as amateurs with just a good USB mic that have gone on to make a name for themselves in the industry, largely due to their hard work and experience.

As a voice artist, you are in charge of your own business. You can work in industries like music and film, gaming, advertisement, documentaries, and many others. Just make sure you do a lot of research about various industries.

This is a great business idea because you make all your money online and do not have to meet clients physically.

There are multiple freelance websites like Fiverr, Freelancer.com, Upwork, and others that connect you with many other prospective employers who need your voice-over services.

FAQ

Top Side Business Ideas for Ladies Uncovered

From consulting business, dog walking, babysitting services, virtual bookkeeping business, being a personal chef, laundry business, and many more business ideas that are not on the list, the business ideas for women that want to make extra money cannot be exhausted.

What’s important is that you are willing to take the online course, make the investment and commit the time to transform a few business ideas into a ticket to financial freedom. Take a look at our choice of top business opportunities ideas for women:

• Freelance Content Writing
• Social Media Manager
• Travel Agent
• Interior Designer
• Graphic Designer

Recommended Reading

To learn more about making money and growing your income, check out the following articles:

• How to make money blogging
• How to start a profitable online store
• Best ways to make money online
• Best small business ideas to make money online
• Legit ways to make money from home

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