Did you know that half of all businesses are started from home? Working from home allows you to run various kinds of businesses, ranging from a solo-operated online store to larger ventures involving physical locations and employees.

In this guide, explore 15 practical home business ideas to launch your entrepreneurial journey, complete with tips on how to make them successful.

15 Home Business Ideas

1. Buy Products in Bulk and Sell Them Online

Starting your first home business doesn’t mean you have to create something new from scratch. A proven strategy is buying popular products in bulk from wholesalers and reselling them for a profit.

To succeed, choose products that customers already want. Research trends on social media, explore popular foreign markets, or focus on niche products. Once you’ve selected your products, create an online store to showcase them.

Some entrepreneurs even use their homes as showrooms. Milicent Armstrong of Artemis Design Co. began her home business by inviting customers to browse products in her living room, making her first sales directly at home.

2. Sell Homemade Products

If you enjoy crafting, consider turning your passion into a business. Handmade items such as jewelry, candles, soaps, and artwork can become popular products with the right branding.

Peg and Awl, for example, began as a husband-and-wife team selling reclaimed-material goods. Today, their online store features items ranging from journals to home décor, all created in their home workshop.

3. Start a Dropshipping Store

Dropshipping allows you to sell products without needing to store inventory. You partner with a supplier who handles storage and shipping, while you earn a commission for sales.

Focus on a niche market to stand out. Subtle Asian Treats, for instance, specializes in “cute and kawaii” products. Tools like Shopify’s dropshipping apps make it easy to connect with suppliers and add products to your store.

4. Launch a Print-on-Demand Business

Print-on-demand services let you customize and sell products like clothing, mugs, or phone cases without managing inventory.

Businesses like The Outrage, a women’s rights apparel brand, use print-on-demand to create unique, branded items. They also incorporate social causes, donating proceeds to nonprofits, which helps connect with like-minded customers.

5. Offer Online Services

Leverage your skills to offer services such as freelance writing, virtual assistance, graphic design, or web development. Service-based businesses are simpler to start since there’s no inventory to manage.

A few loyal clients can provide consistent income, especially if your services are in demand.

6. Teach Online Classes

If you have expertise in a subject, consider creating and selling online courses. Platforms like YouTube or dedicated websites make it easy to share skills in areas like marketing, photography, or home repairs.

For example, If I Made offers video classes for creative professionals, combining instruction with tools and templates for added value.

7. Monetize Your Expertise

Turn your knowledge into a sellable product by creating courses, ebooks, templates, or digital designs. For example, Gabriella and Andrew Morrison share tiny-home expertise through downloadable plans and courses, building their business from home.

8. Build an Audience You Can Monetize

Start a blog, YouTube channel, or podcast to grow a following around a topic you love. Once you’ve built an audience, monetize it by offering merchandise, memberships, or sponsored content.

Jordan Ferney turned her blog, Oh Happy Day, into an ecommerce business, while podcasters Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark monetized their following with paid memberships and merchandise.

9. Buy an Existing Small Business

Skip the start-up phase by purchasing an established business. Some businesses are already profitable, while others may need revitalization but come with valuable assets like customer lists or inventory.

10. Start a Subscription Box Business

Subscription boxes are growing in popularity, providing customers with curated products delivered regularly. Ashley Reynolds of Cloth & Paper started her subscription box service by bundling surplus products into themed packages, selling them online.

11. Turn Your Pet Into an Influencer

Pets with unique personalities can attract large social media followings. Collaborate with brands to promote products, as Bodhi, the Menswear Dog, has done with companies like Spotify and Booking.com.

12. Sell Used Items

Thrift and resell secondhand goods to cater to eco-conscious shoppers. Platforms like eBay, Poshmark, and Facebook Marketplace are great for selling vintage or unwanted items.

13. Make Money Playing Video Games

Video games are now a legitimate way to earn income. Options include competitive esports, live streaming on Twitch, or creating gaming-related content. Some streamers even partner with developers or sell their own merchandise.

14. Sell Your Art

Artists can turn their work into a business by selling paintings, sculptures, or music. Online stores and marketplaces like Saatchi Art help creators reach buyers worldwide.

Helen Levi, a ceramic artist, successfully built a home business by selling pottery online and promoting her work through social media.

15. Become a Virtual Event Planner

As virtual events grow in popularity, there’s demand for planners to coordinate meetings, webinars, and online conferences. Focus on a specific niche, like corporate events or personal celebrations, and use event platforms like RingCentral or Whova to streamline the process.

Starting a home-based business offers flexibility and the chance to turn your passions into income. With the right strategy and dedication, your home office could become the headquarters for your next big venture.