With thoughts of uncertainty and despondency very much in our minds right now, it can be hard to remain focused on our big dreams and ambitions. However, if you dream of starting or expanding your own small business in 2021, then we want to help you to be successful.
A significant part of establishing a successful business is choosing a business which is right for the times. Keeping up with the latest business ideas and trends is always a sensible idea.
We have written this article to help anyone who is determined to make 2021 the year that they start working for themselves. You’ll find the small business ideas which can make that happen.
Key things to consider when you are coming up with a business idea are:
- Where is the demand?
- What am I knowledgeable about?
- What am I good at?
- What am I passionate about?
- What else would I want to learn how to do?
- How much time and money can I invest in it straight away?
- How much income do I need it to generate?
- How quickly will I need my business to be up and running?
- Where is there most/ least competition?
- Where can I stand out?
Due to the COVID-19 and global warming crises, unlike previous years, we have further factors to consider nowadays. This brings up many questions for those who are hoping to start their own small businesses, such as:
- Will I need to be able to work remotely?
- Will this business be essential?
- Will this business be relevant?
- Will this business help people?
- Will this business be sustainable?
While we can’t predict the future, we can make suggestions based on our knowledge and experience, about which ideas for small businesses are likely to be successful over the coming years.
20 great ideas for small businesses
If you are ready to become a small business owner, but don’t yet know what you want to do, here are the 20 top small business trends that we expect to see booming in 2021.
1. Consultant
For people who have built up a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience in a particular industry or about a particular topic, then becoming an independent consultant can be both satisfying and lucrative. As a consultant, you will get to work for yourself and teach people about something you are passionate about. Whether it’s in the field of sustainability, marketing, human resources, social media, leadership or personal development, there are plenty of opportunities out there for skilled individuals who wish to share their secrets to success with others. One key area right now is in providing businesses with Brexit support to adjust to the new post-transition rules.
Read more: 6 opportunities for British business post-Brexit
2. Online reseller
The online reseller business is thriving, particularly amongst the younger demographic. Thanks to the resurgence of vintage fashion and sustainable thinking, reselling clothes (regardless of the time era they are from) has become an easy way for many people to make a bit of extra money on the side or to start their own small businesses. You can even use pre-existing apps like Depop and Vinted to make your resales, meaning that you will have extremely low start-up costs.
Read more: How to start a business on eBay and Amazon
Read more: Buy cheap, sell cheap: easy items to flip for cash
3. Online teaching
With our current global crisis having created an increased demand for online resources, online education has a larger-than-ever audience. If you have in-depth knowledge, excellent inter-personal skills and bags of confidence, then turning your hand at online tutoring for students or hosting your own online training course on a topic you are knowledgeable on could be a great idea for a business in 2021.
4. Online bookkeeping
Since bookkeeping already relies on technology and isn’t really something which usually necessitates person to person contact, it is easily translatable to the remote digital sphere. Thus, if you are a qualified accountant or bookkeeper, why not make the break to work for yourself from home?
Read more: How to become an accountant
5. Medical courier service
Since the healthcare industry is currently expanding, setting up a medical courier service business could help you to assist people in your local community who need to receive prescriptions and equipment, but who aren’t leaving the house. If you’re a responsible driver with a clean record and your own suitable vehicle then becoming any kind of courier is always an option.
6. App developer
Even if you have only dabbled in app development before, if you are knowledgeable about the technology, then why not consider setting up your own small business as an app developer? We can’t imagine that smartphones will be going anywhere soon, so app development is still a strongly viable career. You could create your own apps, or market yourself to people who have the ideas, but not the skills.
Read more: How to develop a successful mobile app
7. Transcription service
If you have excellent typing skills and a good ear, then starting your own transcription businesses could be for you. Offering your services as a transcriber will allow you to make money from home with the flexibility to work at times that suit you. If you do decide to take this on as an idea for a small business, then we do recommend getting yourself some sort of online qualification and choosing a field to specialise in, as this will help to improve your business prospects.
8. Professional organizer
Since Marie Kondo first emerged on the popular media scene, minimalism and hyper-organization have become increasingly popular home trends. If you love keeping your own home clean and organized, it might sound strange that someone could be willing to pay you to do it; however many people really struggle to declutter their own spaces, finding it hard to let go of possessions. If you are a someone who is highly organized, personable and fanatic abut folding, then you might just find your niche as a professional organizer.
9. Cleaning service
If you enjoy cleaning, you could easily turn this into a viable business in 2021. Depending on your ambitions, you might find that you get enough work to start with just through word of mouth in your local community. Alternatively, you might choose to invest in a few of your own cleaning supplies, a little bit of advertising, and even an employee or two, to take this idea for a business to the next level. To be competitive and stand out from other companies, consider offering additional specialist cleaning services such as exterior power washing.
10. Freelance copywriter
If you are a confident and flexible writer with some knowledge of marketing strategies, then you could find work as a freelance copywriter. As long as you have a good internet connection, and loquacious leanings, you will have the flexibility to work from anywhere – at home on your sofa or in a café in Barbados. In order to up-skill, you might even consider leaning about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This would help you to increase your value in the digital marketing sphere.
Read more: How to become a freelance copywriter