25 Business Ideas for Students in 2024
Are you a student trying to make additional money or develop important business skills? Look no further! We’ll explore 25 business ideas in this article that students can launch and operate while balancing their social lives and academic obligations.
There’s something for everyone, whether you want to start your own business, freelance, or do creative side projects. School and university might take up a lot of your time, but if you stay organized and make the most of your time, you’ll be able to study while also running your business. So, get a cup of coffee, and let’s explore 25 exciting business ideas for student.
1. Flip Websites
You buy profitable websites at a minimal cost, grow them over 6 months to 2 years, and then sell them for a large profit. People who work full-time on this generate a lot of money yearly from their websites.
The goal here is to get a high-quality website for a low fee. There is a wealth of information available on what to consider and check before doing so.
2. Hair Stylist Business
For students that have a strong interest in hair and beauty, opening a hair styling business can be a fulfilling and profitable endeavor. Working with clients to obtain their desired hairstyles will allow you to express your creativity as a hair stylist. You must first obtain the necessary training and experience, such as by finishing an apprenticeship. Before starting your own business, think about gaining experience and growing your customers by working at a salon or spa.
In addition to working in salons or spas, students have the option of working directly with clients in their homes. Developing a loyal customer base and gaining more scheduling autonomy can be accomplished in this way. You will need to make an investment in a portable kit that contains all the tools and products required to offer in-home hair styling services.
3. Writing Services
Create a website where businesses and students can order various types of writing services. It could be writing essays, academic papers, SEO material, sales and marketing copy, or even just basic proofreading.
There are already a lot of reliable services available online, so it’s a good idea to work as a professional essay writer for a reputable website before launching your own writing business. You can start your own essay-writing service once you have some good experience doing this.
4. Babysitting
A traditional business idea for students who enjoy working with children is babysitting. Working as a babysitter will provide you the chance to hone critical abilities like organization, patience, and responsibility. Start by extending an offer of your babysitting services to friends and relatives who have small children. Additionally, you can promote your services on websites like SitterCity and Care.com.
To establish a solid reputation and draw in repeat business, it is important to establish a reasonable hourly rate early on and to deliver top-notch service.
5. Pet Sitting
If you’re an animal lover, pet sitting can be a fulfilling and enjoyable way to boost your income. Taking care of people’s pets while they are away can involve feeding, walking, brushing, and playing with the pets. This is known as pet sitting. There are two primary approaches to this business concept. Taking pets for daily or every other day walks lasting one or two hours is the most popular one. The second would be to look after the pets of people who are on vacation for a duration of one to four weeks.
Start by pitching your services to friends and relatives who own dogs. Additionally, you can promote your services through social media, local groups, and pet sitting websites like Wag and Rover. Being a pet sitter requires you to be dependable, trustworthy, and at ease with a range of animal companions.
6. Barbing
Barbing might be a fantastic business possibility if you’re a student interested in hair cutting. Working as a barber, you’ll cut hair and groom customers in a salon, barbershop, or even from your own house. You’ll need to spend money on the essential equipment and supplies, such as scissors, clippers, and hairspray, to get started. Additionally, you’ll need to improve your abilities by practicing on loved ones and friends, enrolling in lessons, or doing an apprenticeship under a licenced barber.
7. Design Services
There are design tasks in all types of enterprises. Hence, you can create a website that specializes in local companies or even other students launching their own startups, and offers a variety of design services, including logo creation, packaging, flyers, and even websites. For students, this is a fantastic business concept that they could charge by the hour or by the project.
It can be challenging to gain businesses’ trust when you are a student. However, you can accomplish this in a number of ways, like by introducing them to past clients, giving them a sample project, and showcasing your prior, excellent work.
8. Digital Marketing Services
With its fast expansion, the field of digital marketing presents several chances for students to launch their own companies. With the rise of internet and eCommerce companies. Businesses who fail to digitize and neglect to improve their online presence and profile are losing out on a significant portion of their customer base.
Using a range of digital channels, including social media, email marketing, and content marketing, you can assist companies in promoting their goods and services online as a digital marketer. Consider starting a portfolio website to display your qualifications and experience. You may also begin advertising your services on gig marketplaces like Fiverr or Upwork.
9. Cleaning Services
Students who want to assist others maintain their homes and offices tidy and organized while making extra money should consider providing cleaning services. Among the duties you’ll have as a cleaning service provider are dusting, mopping, vacuuming, and organizing. To get started, think about pitching your cleaning services to friends and family or posting job ads on websites like TaskRabbit or Angie’s List. It is important for a cleaning service provider to be dependable, effective, and meticulous.
10. Pool Cleaning Services
An alternative to the previously suggested business idea of cleaning neighbors’ houses is to clean pools. It’s not as simple as it seems, since you have the technical knowhow. To be able to complete the task, there is a small amount of equipment and product investment needed, but the good thing is, there is a good probability of making excellent money, despite the difficulty and investment concerns.
11. Transcription Services
Businesses, the legal system, the medical industry, and many more fields all require transcription services. It also doesn’t call for a lot of skills or set hours. You should be able to choose the transcription speciality that appeals to you because there are numerous transcription options available on the side, such as video podcasts and lecture recordings.
Transcribing services does not require any kind of specialized training. The ability to listen well, understand English grammar rules well, and type quickly would be ideal for producing high-quality work quickly.
12. Photography Services
If you enjoy taking pictures, you can turn your passion and skill into a freelance photography business. Your services may be required by both local businesses and students, who may want to advertise their just launched items or simply want to update their Tinder profiles.
You can begin by providing a wide range of services at first, but as your company expands, you’ll undoubtedly discover that there is fierce competition and that, in order to stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to specialize and concentrate on a single market or type of photography service.
The expense of the photography equipment is the main problem for this kind of business because there is a tendency of destruction while moving from one spot to another.
13. Food Delivery Services
Provide a platform for the delivery of quick foods produced locally, such as smoothies and sandwiches. Begin by focusing on companies that employ younger workers, who often take their lunch breaks to go out and eat. This is a gold mine! This might actually be a problem solver for the companies, with possibilities to plan delivery to arrive at lunchtime.
Go one step farther and create these from scratch as well. In this manner, relying on several third-party services is not required. There will be a personal touch to the service and delicious, authentic food.
14. Blogging
Are there any topics that you truly love to discuss? Are those around you sick of hearing you talk about it all the time?
Launch a blog on the subject, gain readers, and make money from it by selling sponsored posts and advertising. Nowadays, launching a blog only costs a few pounds (for a domain) and the knowledge needed to develop one can be found for free online. Be advised that developing a huge following may take years. Lastly, blogging requires consistency.
15. Tutor
Tutors are present wherever there are students. If you excel in a certain subject, you can definitely help someone else who finds it difficult to understand. Maths is a subject usually causes problems, but there are also lots of maths tutors available.
Academic institutions and instructors usually provide assistance to students launching tutoring operations. Be Mindful to see if your school arrange for tutors because some schools even have databases of tutored students. The revenue model would be hourly; fees might range from £10 to £100, based on the topic, complexity of the concepts taught, etc.
16. Event Organizer
Many students love to socialize and attend parties, so why not capitalize on it? If you enjoy organizing and preparing events, event planning could be an enjoyable and profitable business endeavor for you. You will be in charge of organizing every facet of an event as an event planner, from budget creation and vendor management to venue selection and catering. Start by pitching your services to local companies or student organizations that require assistance with event preparation.
17. Bookkeeping
Managing the bookkeeping records of a small firm can be done without a degree in finance. To get started, an online course or even just a few videos on YouTube would be more than sufficient. It should not be too difficult for you to locate your first clients, because this type of work is necessary for all organizations.
Since you can ask the company owner to provide you with the necessary tools, the start-up costs are really minimal. In terms of income, the majority of bookkeepers bill by the hour, with rates ranging from £30 to £100 or more depending on the difficulty of the work.
18. Jewelry Business
Starting a jewelry business can be a terrific way for students who have an eye for design and a creative flair to express their talents while making some additional money. First, you must choose the kind of jewelry you wish to create: beaded jewelry, recycled materials jewelry, or handmade jewelry.
The fact that creating jewelry isn’t as difficult as it seems makes this a fantastic business venture for students. YouTube tutorials and online courses are great ways to learn about it. After that, you’ll need to practise a lot before you start seeing amazing outcomes. When you produce a product that looks good, profit margins can be extremely high.
19. Baking Business
Students can also establish a business by selling baked items such as cakes, cookies, and bread. Placing flyers around your school or running an internet advertisement will be good for marketing. Also, if you satisfy one customer, you will gain three more as the food industry relies heavily on word-of-mouth marketing.
You may make money off of this in two main ways. First, the goods would be prepared in accordance with customer preferences. Another possible course of action would be to make one hundred cookies, rent a bike, and scour the neighborhood and university for customers. .
20. YouTuber
It appears that being a YouTuber is a simple and successful career. Because you can create videos on a subject you’re interested in and monetize them with sponsorships and adverts, it’s widely regarded as an excellent business plan idea for students.
However, the truth is that becoming a well-known YouTuber is a difficult task. Every well-known person has a difficult, drawn-out path of hard effort behind them. Begin by producing content, then continue to iterate with the support of your audience. You won’t see success right away, but if you persevere, you’ll get incredible outcomes.
21. Social Media Management
Because social media management is a flexible, remote job that lets you work from any location with an internet connection, it might be an excellent opportunity for students. Since many jobs in social media management are contract- or freelance-based, you can choose your own hours and fit them around your academic schedule.
For companies and people looking to establish their brand and interact with their audience on social media, social media management is a highly sought-after service. You will be in charge of maintaining several social media accounts, developing and implementing social media strategies, and examining data and insights as a social media manager.
To begin, you’ll need to be conversant with and knowledgeable about widely used social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
22. Nail Tech
Students can express their creativity and make money in the beauty sector by opening a nail technician business. Giving customers manicures, pedicures, and nail art is your job as a nail technician.
To begin, you must finish an apprenticeship or programme for nail technicians to acquire the requisite knowledge and abilities. Additionally, you’ll need to spend money on the supplies and equipment that you’ll need, like manicure polish, files, and a UV lamp for gel nails. After obtaining the required certifications and supplies, you can begin providing your services from your home or in a nearby salon.
Some clients also require home service, so buy a kit that you can conveniently carry around.
23. Virtual Assistant
As more companies and people go online, there is a growing demand for virtual assistant (VA) services. As a virtual assistant (VA), you will work remotely to help clients with administrative chores like email management, appointment scheduling, information research, and other activities as needed. Start by thinking about building a website for your portfolio that highlights your qualifications and experience.
Additionally, you can promote your services on websites like Fiverr or Upwork. Being a virtual assistant (VA) requires you to have outstanding communication and organizational abilities in addition to being adept in a wide range of software programmes, including Google Drive and Microsoft Office.
24. Uber or Lyft
For students seeking flexible work that works around their busy schedules, driving for ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft can be a great alternative. As a driver, you will pick up and drop off people in your neighborhood using your own vehicle, getting paid according to the duration and distance of each journey.
You must first meet the minimum age and driving experience criteria, as well as have a current driving licence and a spotless driving record, in order to begin. Additionally, you’ll need to register as a driver and download the Uber or Lyft app. After being accepted, you can begin taking rides and getting paid.
25. Social Media Influencer
For students who wish to gain popularity and earn money from their content, becoming a social media influencer is a popular business option. In order to establish yourself as an influencer, you must produce original content for social media sites like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. You must also cultivate a fan base of interested and involved individuals. As your fan base expands, you could make money off of your content by selling your own goods or services, doing affiliate marketing, or doing sponsored articles. Pick a niche, like fashion, beauty, or travel, to get started.
How Can a Student Start a Business?
Being a student entrepreneur may be a thrilling and fulfilling experience. However, where do you even begin? Yes, starting a business as a student entails a number of processes. If you are studying business, you are probably aware of the procedures involved in establishing and starting a company. Nonetheless, because a diverse range of students check out this piece, the following are typical actions that you should take:
1. Decide on the Idea
You can’t work on every one of the list’s business ideas for students. Consider your strengths, interests, and activities that you would be prepared to continue even if they didn’t result in financial gain (or showed negative figures) when deciding which to prioritize.
To help you choose the one that best fits your requirements and abilities, we have put up a list of offline and online business ideas. We hope that we were able to provide you with some original starting business ideas that you haven’t thought of.
Don’t forget to take your original investment into account. Some of the business ideas on the list are low- or no-cost ventures for college students, while others will cost several hundred or thousands of dollars to launch..
2. Decide on the Niche
There are various different kinds and sizes of businesses these days. The process of creating one has gotten so simple that millions of videos are uploaded to YouTube every second, hundreds of businesses are founded every day, and the internet is flooded with websites. This indicates that fierce competition exists in every field. Focusing on a niche is the ideal option for students who lack the funds to establish a large factory or can't afford to give a significant discount in other to get customers.
Limiting your business’s target market to residents of your neighborhood or college campus could be a popular niche. Another would be to target individuals who share particular preferences and interests.
3. Choose a Name and a Brand Style
Making a good first impression on potential clients and building your brand identification both depend on selecting a simple, memorable, and reflective business name. The ideal name should represent your company’s values and the image you wish to convey, be memorable, and be simple to say.
Think about what appeals to your target market and best captures the essence of your company. Choosing the appropriate name can pave the way for your success and help you establish a solid reputation in the industry.
4. Launch the Business
This is the moment to launch your business by pushing the LIVE button. This must be completed as soon as possible in order to determine whether it is worthwhile to continue working on the company idea or whether it would be preferable to choose another one from the list of student entrepreneurship ideas above.
5. Advertise your Business
After launching your business, you should be concerned about making sales and clients. Do some advertising: knock on your neighbors’ doors, drop flyers outside your house, check out the creative business ideas for students at home above, send messages to prospective clients you’ve identified on Facebook groups, etc.
6. Make Sure your Customer is Happy
A lot of students company ideas rely on word-of-mouth and referrals to sell themselves. Making sure that every one of your clients is satisfied with the outcome is crucial for this reason. Engage with your clients, find out what they think you could improve for the next time, and offer a discount if any portions of the task were done improperly. Even if the service was expensive or the work wasn’t of the finest quality, there are still plenty of ways to satisfy your client.
7. Scale your Business
If your business is doing well, you’ll quickly have a lot of duties under your belt and limited time to do them in addition to your coursework and extracurricular activities. The last stage to starting a profitable student business is scaling it. This entails streamlining procedures and freeing up time for strategic planning and high-level decision-making through the use of automation and delegation.
You can concentrate on expanding your company and reaching your long-term objectives by automating chores and employing a staff to assist with specific duties. The ultimate objective is to develop a scalable business strategy that enables you to boost sales and access new markets without compromising on product quality or client happiness.
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Final Thoughts
In conclusion, students can launch and operate a variety of businesses while schooling at the same time. You can engage in businesses ranging from conventional choices like housekeeping and childcare to modern possibilities like influencer marketing and social media management. Don’t forget to devote the necessary time and effort to creating a profitable business, and pick a venture that fits your interests and talents.
You can make a successful business out of your passion with perseverance and hard work. Remember that creating a successful business requires time and work. Therefore, exercise patience, take responsibility for your actions, and never give up on your goals. Remember, you’ve got this!