For many, the dawn of a new year means the chance to start afresh. But, while a number of resolutions involve self-control and cutting back (dry January, anyone?), what if 2023 became more about letting go and focusing more on what you could gain, rather than reduce?
For the tempted entrepreneur, could 2023 be the year you decide to make the leap into business ownership? Or start a side hustle, and see how it fares?
If you aren’t sure which route to go down, here are some of the best business ideas for 2023 that are growing in popularity as we enter the New Year.
Cleaning
Cleaning continues to rise in popularity, with new niches starting to form – all centred around customer convenience and the environment.
Some cleaning companies now offer a car valeting service at a customer’s home or workplace. Other companies target specific cleaning pain points such as blind cleaning, pressure washing and carpet cleaning. Whether you offer specialist packages within your broader cleaning business or dedicate your cleaning company to a specific niche, make sure to consider customer convenience within your business plan.
A business idea that will also continue to grow is green cleaning – where you use cleaning products and methods that are safer for humans and environmental health. Again, keep this in mind when planning out your offering.
Pet Care
With 59% of UK households owning pets in 2020-2022 – working out as 17 million households! – it’s easy to see why the pet care industry is booming.
We’re undeniably a nation of animal lovers, with lockdown solidifying our love of pets more than ever. Dogs are the most popular pets, with 12.5 million in UK households in 2022. But, with lockdown restrictions lifted and more owners going back to office working (or hybrid working), the demand for services such as dog walking continues to soar, with dog grooming and training also in high demand. If these ideas don’t sound like your cup of tea, there are many other pet care business opportunities available, such as pet/house sitting, behaviourist training, and even more product-based businesses such as selling pet accessories, food, or toys.
- Read more: How to open a doggy daycare business
Digital Marketing
The pandemic pushed more and more businesses into the digital age, however many business owners don’t enjoy, have the expertise – or have time for it! – digital marketing. If you have strong skills in this area and have a way with words, setting up your own digital marketing business could be just the ticket.
Try upskilling and learn how to design and build websites to further your profit margin. There are a number of user-friendly platforms you can use such as Squarespace, Wix and WordPress. Offering the full umbrella of digital marketing expertise will give your new business the best opportunity for success.
Dropshipping
Starting up your own e-commerce business via a dropshipping model is a popular move in the digital age, as it doesn’t require a big investment to get going, and you don’t have to stock any products at home or in a warehouse!
You only purchase a product when you receive an order from a customer. Simply find a supplier (generally found on AliExpress or Alibaba), create your e-commerce website (e.g. Shopify) then simply list what you’d like to sell from your supplier. Promote your website through social media and ads, and begin receiving orders. Once an order is received, place your order with your supplier, who then sends it to your customer’s address. The way you make a profit depends on the margin between your supplier’s price and the price you’re selling, so think carefully about your price points before launching.
Online learning and courses
Perhaps the most marketable commodity you have is your knowledge and insight. Sharing this knowledge in the form of an online course could be extremely lucrative, with very low startup costs.
Digital learning has become one of the most important ways people in the UK teach and learn new skills in the 2020s. While the social distancing measures brought about by the coronavirus pandemic certainly accelerated the growth of digital learning, recent technological advances and increasing connectivity were already making digital education more widespread amongst Britons.
According to Statista, between 2007 and 2019, the percentage of people who said that they had taken an online course grew from 4% to 17%, with 25 to 34 year olds the most likely age group to have used an online course.
It seems the BBC is already aware of this growing trend, launching BBC Maestro – a subscription-based streaming platform – in 2020. Designed to educate and inspire people to explore their creativity through pre-recorded lessons and detailed course notes, subscribers can learn about comedy from Sir Billy Connolly, discover how to write children’s picture books from Julia Donaldson, while learning how to cook from Marco Pierre White (and more!).