Startup businesses and enterprises have witnessed a boost in the last few years, with women playing a significant role in this aspect as well, and several data-backed surveys suggest the same. According to the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), 42% of all enterprises in the US are owned by women, which amounts to almost 13 million businesses. Surveys have also suggested that women-owned businesses in the US have increased by 114% in the last two decades. It is evident that there’s never been a better time to start the entrepreneurial journey, and in this blog, I will suggest some business ideas for women that you can explore.
Things to Consider Before Starting Your Business
When women set their minds on something, they can definitely achieve it! However, having a game plan and considering some necessary factors before starting your business will help you set realistic goals and expectations. Here are certain things you must consider before getting started with your own business:
- Weigh the Pros and Cons
- Assess your Skills, Likings, and Preferences
- Perform Market Research
- Get an Estimate of Costs
- Research Laws and Regulations
Remember that having your own business will let you be your own Boss. So do what you love, work very hard, and get ready to live a life of financial independence!
Now, let us explore the most popular business ideas for women.
Online Business Ideas for Women
The digital world can be a haven for women who wish to start their own businesses from the comfort of their homes. From running online courses and tutorial classes to taking up professional remote jobs, the internet is an oyster for ambitious women.
1. Online Tutoring and Courses
If you are passionate about teaching and want to make this a source of income, then you should give it a go! It is quite easy to start and definitely one of the most popular business ideas for women. First, you must choose the subject you love, grasp well, and want to share your knowledge with other young minds. Several online tutoring platforms are looking for teachers every day, so you can get in touch with the one that suits you best and get started on your journey. However, you must read the rules, regulations, and clauses properly before joining a tutoring platform.
Pro Tip: You can teach a language or an instrument that you play exceptionally well or tutor young students on certain subjects
The average hourly pay for online tutoring in the US starts from $18-21.
2. Start a Dropshipping Store
If you are looking for a business idea that requires very low upfront and overhead charges, then starting a dropshipping business might be a good choice. It is easy to get started, requires very low investment, and you can sell your products from the comfort of your home. Therefore, it is one of the most lucrative business ideas for women.
Several online stores and brands, including Shopify and Alidropship, allow dropshipping. This is a preferred option for many new entrepreneurs as it involves less risk and requires no stock handling. You can promote and sell the products through the brand website and receive profits for each sale. The brand itself will handle the fulfillment and delivery of orders. No wonder it is one of the go-to business ideas for women.
Pro Tip: To start your dropshipping journey, you must first choose your product category and niche, such as women’s clothing. Then, look for a reputed supplier and set up your storefront. Promote your products on social media, messenger groups, and friend circles, and kickstart your dropshipping business!
You can earn a profit margin ranging from 10% to 30% with each sale and start earning decent revenue from your first year of business.
3. Virtual Assistant Jobs
If organizing, great communication, and time management skills are something you boast of, then you can try your hand at Virtual Assistant jobs. VAs offer remote administrative and technical support to clients and companies on a full-time, part-time, and freelance basis. This will not only allow you enough flexibility and work-life balance, but you can also try diverse types of jobs, so there is always a bright moment. It is quite easy to start and definitely one of the most popular business ideas for women.
VAs usually manage a wide range of tasks like accepting and directing calls, monitoring emails, bookkeeping, calendar and schedule management, managing accounts, maintaining records, and much more. You can work full-time or part-time with big and small businesses, reach out to brands personally, and work freelance. The flexible working hours and freedom to choose your tasks are the reasons why this is one of the best business ideas for women.
According to indeed.com, Virtual Assistants in the US receive an average salary of $24.85/hour.
4. Social Media Manager
As a social media manager, you will be responsible for scheduling social media posts and managing the activities of your employer’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, etc. While you need some work experience to get started, it is still one of the most successful business ideas for women. Your employer can be an online business, agency, or even a public figure. Social media managers have to perform various tasks like strategy development, content creation, scheduling posts, tracking campaign performance, answering queries, and more.
Pro Tip: If you want to start working as a social media manager, I would suggest you first complete a certification course from a reputed institute and then start working for some small businesses or do some internships. Once you have gained enough experience, you can take on bigger projects, and work with big brands and personalities. It is quite easy to start, and definitely one of the most popular business ideas for women.
According to Glassdoor, Social media managers get $54k-$98k per year.
5. Online Boutique
If you are a fashion enthusiast and always dreamed of owning your brand, then now is the time to start your own online boutique! You can choose a product category or niche like women’s clothing, footwear, jewelry, skincare, cosmetics, and much more, and start small with a few products. No wonder it is a popular business idea for women. Once you start promoting and selling your products in the market, you will understand what your clients like and their preferences from their reviews. Then, you can develop them and eventually introduce new launches.
Starting an online boutique can be daunting, but it allows you space to make a profession out of your passion and gives you creative space to work on your unique state. It is also a wholesome experience when you put all the love and effort into creating and delivering your products, and your customers send you happy and satisfied reviews. It might take some effort and investment to start with, but it is still an excellent business idea for women.
Pro Tip: In addition to online operations, you can also sign up for offline flea markets, fairs, and exhibitions to interact with customers face-to-face. These interactions will help you better understand their preferences and suggestions and build a better relationship with them.
As an online boutique owner, your revenue will depend on the product niche you choose, customer acquisition, marketing, and your ability to scale. On average, online boutique owners in the US can earn around $3500 per month.
Home-based Business Ideas for Women
Are you a stay-at-home mom or housewife seeking to start earning from home? We have the perfect options for you that will not only help you earn but also lean toward your areas of interest and liking. These business ideas for women will consider your skills and interests and hone them to start your own business. As they say, make a profession out of your passion!
6. Start Your Cloud Kitchen
If culinary expertise and passion are straight up your alley, then you can start a cloud kitchen from your home. You can start with a small number of dishes and cuisines, things that would be easy for you to manage. Promote your business through social media or word-of-mouth, and get your business up and running as the orders start pouring in! It is quite easy to start and definitely one of the most successful business ideas for women.
Pro Tip: Get ready to click some tempting pictures of your delicious cuisines, make video content like recording behind-the-scenes and recipe process videos, and get some food safety certifications. These will help you build trust and reliability among your potential customers.
ZipRecruiter suggests that an up-and-running cloud kitchen business in the US can earn more than $50,000 per year.
7. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a type of advertising through which you promote a brand or enterprise’s products through a link, and when people buy through that link, it helps you earn a small commission. So, if you think people take your recommendations seriously, affiliate marketing is something you can try. It is pretty easy to start and definitely one of the most popular business ideas for women.
While it is not a full-fledged business idea, it is more of a side hustle, but this can help you earn some extra bucks with no prior investment or overhead charges. You also do not have to work full-time or part-time for this, and there are no ridiculous sales figures to chase! Once you build a follower base that takes your recommendations seriously and trusts them, you can witness steady growth in your earnings. You also do not have to stick to a particular product. From clothes, makeup, and footwear to video games and electronic gadgets, you can promote any product you love and want others to try.
Pro Tip: You can work on short and crisp content as well as long product reviews and tutorials to keep your clients engaged.
According to Glassdoor, the average affiliate marketing salary in the US is $39.43 per hour.
8. Offer Freelance Writing and Editing Services
If you are proficient or experienced in content writing, editing, and proofreading, then you can start working as a freelancer. There is high demand for these services, and you can always find freelance gigs on various platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, and more. It is one of the hassle-free business ideas for women.
Getting started with freelance writing and editing jobs is relatively easy. Select one or more platforms where you want to work, and remember to read and review their terms and conditions, user reviews, payment options, etc. Then, set up your profile with details and preferably a portfolio of your previous works. This will allow you to explore the gigs offered by clients worldwide, write impressive bids to attract them, and before you know it, freelance work will pour in. With consistent and remarkable work, you can fetch good reviews for your profile and thus get a chance to work on more significant projects and clients.
Pro Tip: You can learn other skills like SEO, Copywriting, etc., on the side to make your content more engaging and provide better services to clients.
According to Glassdoor, Freelance writers can earn up to $61k-$110k per year.
9. Start a Home Bakery
Do you find your baking hobby fetching lots of compliments every time? Do you find it so therapeutic that you can do it forever? Then, it is time to make it your full-time profession! It is straightforward and also among the most favored business ideas for women.
You can bake cakes, pastries, different varieties of bread, and savory items and sell them to local retailers, restaurants, farmer markets, and even to on-demand clients. From birthdays to weddings, festivals to celebrations, cakes are a major requirement. Store-bought cakes do not add the personalized touch that customized bakeries do, so you already have an added advantage in your bag. No wonder it is one of the most sought-after business ideas for women.
Pro Tip: There is usually a high demand for cakes during the festive season, like Halloween and Christmas, so keep your baking apron ready during the festive rush!
As a home baker, you can earn up to $1000 per month and more once the big event orders start pouring in.
10. Sell Digital Products
Selling digital products can be done conveniently from the comfort of your home, which is why it is one of the best business ideas for women. What digital products do I suggest? They can be a lot of things, like online courses, online e-books, paintings, music, and a lot more. Explore your unique skills and your passion for things, and if you figure that might be helpful for people, give it a go! It is one of the most popular business ideas for women since it is relatively easy to start.
Once you identify your skill and decide to market and sell it, and if it becomes popular among people, it can emerge as a passive income for you.
Pro Tip: You can take some courses or training to sell digital products, which might be helpful if you are a beginner. For example, if you are selling a digital e-book, you can get trained in formatting, editing, designing, or marketing an e-book.
The average income for this venture is variable depending on the product you are selling and how well you can market it.
Passion-to-Profession Business Ideas for Women
What can be better than pursuing something you love that pays the bills? It is 2024, and it is time to get yourself out there with the world brimming with amazing business ideas for women. Doing what you love and following your passion is not big talk anymore because you have ample resources to make it happen. While many of us do not like to do business out of our hobbies, it can still be one of your best decisions. So here are some exciting passion-to-profession business ideas for women you can explore.
11. Fashion Blogging
If you have a unique sense of fashion and dressing and think it can be interesting, then you can try fashion blogging. You can create unique lookbooks, styling tips, and other fashion content and also share it on your social media platforms and YouTube. Nowadays, makeup and skincare content are also in high demand, so if your skills can turn many heads, give it a go! It might take some time to make it big, but it is still one of the exciting business ideas for women.
Once your content goes viral and you start gaining more followers and views, it will open up many paid opportunities for you. Famous fashion bloggers receive sponsorships and other work proposals from big brands and events, so if you think you can shine in the glamor world, start with your fashion blog today!
Pro Tip: You must consider several factors like quality content creation, building a follower base, and receiving good sponsorships from brands take some time. So stay consistent, work hard, and be patient to reach your goal.
While beginner bloggers can earn up to $10 to $30 per hour, you can start earning more once you build a decent follower base.
12. Event Management
Are you good at planning and managing events like birthday parties and weddings like a pro? Then its high time you should start charging for them! Many people are usually not organized enough to plan these events smoothly or just lack the time. In this case, your services can help them out to plan and celebrate the perfect events for their loved ones or even their office. This is why event management is one of the fabulous business ideas for women.
There are usually two markets for an event management business: corporate and social. Several factors need to be managed in an event, like venue, food and catering, decoration, and other activities. You can manage some local small parties and then build on them for bigger projects. No wonder it is one of the successful business ideas for women. You may also consider getting an event management degree or certification from a local university, and that would help people trust you better.
Pro Tip: Do set up your own professional website and social media accounts to help your clients find you. Remember to document your success stories and put up reviews from satisfied clients to boost your business.
13. Freelance Photography
If you are proficient in taking breathtaking pictures and have the proper equipment, then you can start your freelance photography business. It is one of the exciting business ideas for women. Choose your niche wisely, as there’s a huge market for photography, like fashion, architecture, wildlife, commercial, portrait, photojournalism, product photography, and much more. It is quite easy to start and definitely one of the most popular business ideas for women.
If you do not have a portfolio yet, you can start on one by taking some small gigs. For example, if you love to cover events, then you can start with a small wedding or birthday party where you click stunning pictures. You can post them on your website or social media so that more people can witness them and recommend your work to others.
Pro Tip: I would suggest you look up courses online on Udemy and other platforms that help beginners set up and manage their freelance photography business.
The average income of freelance photographers in the US is up to $45 per hour.
14. Graphic Designing
If you like creating stunning graphic designs and art, consider making a business out of it. You can start your own brand, curating designer merchandise like t-shirts, coffee mugs, wall art, and more. Or you can work full-time or freelance with other big brands for graphic design projects. This is one of the most lucrative business ideas for women, and you can pursue it both from home and from an office setting.
Pro-Tip: You can upskill and get some course certifications about similar stuff like animation, 3D designing, and more to increase your scope for growth.
According to Indeed, Graphic Designers can earn an average of $20-$30 per hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start a business from scratch?Yes, you can start your business from scratch, and in this blog, I have suggested many such business ideas for women. Businesses like running a home bakery or cloud kitchen can be started from very basic ingredients and very less investment. You can also start a dropshipping store, try affiliate marketing, and blogging as they require little to no investment and can be done from home.
What are some of the best business ideas for homemakers?In this blog, I have suggested many home-based business ideas for women that they can pursue from the comfort of their homes. Some examples are starting a cloud kitchen, a home bakery, trying affiliate marketing, selling digital products, and offering freelance writing services.
Final Thoughts
Where there is a will, there is a way! Once you decide to take a step towards financial independence and follow your passion, you must not look back. Work very hard and give your heart and soul to pursuing your dream, and you will surely succeed. I hope this blog on business ideas for women will help you pick your path and pursue it consistently. Happy Hustling!
