Future Business Ideas for 2021 and On
In today’s world, it can be a struggle to feel like you are getting anywhere in life. Maybe all you want to do is have the freedom to pursue your own interests on your time without having a 9-5 job get in the way.
You might be transitioning to life as a stay-at-home parent or caretaker and need a way to keep cash flowing in from home.
Or a nomad at heart who is itching to travel the world and work from your laptop.
No matter what you are looking for in life, there’s an entrepreneurial path for you. (1) All you need to do is go out and find it.
Table of Contents
The future comes quickly, and there are ways, under careful management, to make your future business ideas happen in quick order. In this article from IBuyIReview, you’ll explore several future business ideas 2021 and on, giving you ideas for your new business whether you plan to start today or next year.
Best Future Business Ideas 2021 and On (With and Without a Degree)
There are so many ideas that can help fuel your
in a world where technology is becoming more predominant even if you’re not a business type. Your knowledge, view, and personal drive hold the key to an innovation that someone else may find astounding. (2) Being an entrepreneur is all about personal management and making it work for you: driving forward with an idea that helps you live the life you want to live at its source.
1. Digital Marketing (TOP PICK)
If you have read anything about me at all, then you know I’m a huge fan of high value digital marketing.
Not just any digital marketing image, though – it has to be sustainable, provide you with a reliable income, and not leave you with any nasty surprises. This is why I’m not a huge fan of popular digital marketing methods of making money like dropshipping or Amazon FBA, because they rely on other people providing you with a service, and they have no incentive to keep you on if they discontinue a product or lower commission rates.
Google ads, however, can be tweaked and perfected through your own research and understanding, allowing you to put your clients in front of anyone online. If your client is a landscaper, for example, you can put your lead funnel in front of people actively looking for a landscaper in their service area – BAM, highly-targeted, qualified leads, just like that.
Want the deets on how to do this? I’ve got you covered:
2. Business Coach
If you’re good at business, then you have a valuable skill that a lot of people need in today’s world. More people are setting up their own businesses and trying to get into the entrepreneurial world, but not everyone understands business. Clients hide from the idea that they need more than a bare-bones marketing service or a blog that hosts stock website content, or fail to see the importance of accounting.
If you can provide coaching or consulting services as a business coach, you can charge high-dollar hourly rates, obtaining a lifestyle you want to live, and simultaneously helping new business owners thrive in competitive markets. It’s a win-win for everyone, and you can provide any type of business consulting that you are most comfortable with.
3. 3D Home Modeling
3D modeling is a skill that is becoming more in-demand as time goes on, especially with those with 3D printers. If you can digitally render a home floor plan, constructing details from the top to bottom, outside to inside, then you have a skill that a lot of home planners and construction companies would jump for.
This type of rendering would give any company a competitive advantage as it allows their customers to see the home in miniature dimensions before it is ever built, giving them a much better idea of what the outcome will be before they agree to a contract.
4. Wind Energy
Do you have some extra room on your lot that you can spare or an innovative solution for producing wind energy in a small area? You can sell the extra wind energy you generate to the government or local energy companies. Wind and solar energy can provide you with incentives and cash benefits if you play your cards right, and it’s expected to only get more profitable as time goes on.
5. Cyber Security
This is an excellent idea for an internet-based agency that doesn’t rely on selling digital marketing services if that’s not your thing. If you are a little more technically minded, you can start a cybersecurity company. The industry is already a multi-billion dollar industry and is only expected to grow with our continued reliance on the internet.
These companies provide services like DDoS attack prevention, app management, traffic re-routing, security infrastructure components, and cloud-based and dedicated server hosting.
6. Visual Interior Design Consultant
At the core of interior design, you are an artist. The business is all about aesthetics, décor placement, and transforming a simple space into something comfortable and full of personality. On the plus side, if you’re active on social media, you’ll have an easy time advertising it, too.
Better yet – with the right tools, this can all be done virtually, allowing you to work from home. Create mock-ups for your clients, provide consulting services on colors and décor types, and recommend professional services in the area for a kickback.
7. Virtual Event Planning
Especially as the pandemic has forced many of us to reconsider life without in-person events, virtual event planning is a business idea that is on the horizon, ready to bloom with life.
Already, tools are available and being refined to offer virtual events, where users can explore everything they love about conferences, from vendor rooms to lounges, activities, and speaker panels, all from their computer.
Still, hosts need help planning their event and keeping everything organized right up until the day of. Embracing a virtual world early on will help you get in before the trend is the new norm.
8. Vertical Farming
For many people, going back to basics and living a simple life can have a strong appeal. This isn’t a dream that is often pursued, however, because of the small spaces we live in.
Vertical farming has changed the name of the game for many city and suburban residents. This concept has allowed many people to start small and large farms alike, utilizing their small spaces to grow food, sometimes for their whole neighborhood.
The techniques in this method can be used both indoors and outdoors, and presents a great business opportunity for new, small space local farmers to sell specialty and local goods to restaurants and residents – something that has been in demand with the growing awareness of the damage industrial farming is having on our environment.
9. 3D Printing
3D printing is still on a rise in popularity despite having been functional for several years, making it a prime business opportunity with nearly endless possibilities.
Have a 3D printer? You might be surprised at the types of products that are in demand, from miniature figurines to home building materials.
You can even start a business renting your printers out, keeping cash coming in for assets you already have. Host a few workshops and events, and you’re fueling a new generation of interest in 3D printing technology.
10. Smart Apparel
Smart apparel is a new trend emerging in the entrepreneurial space. Jackets with charging ports, hats with solar power, shoes that absorb shock and generate energy… You name it.
This type of apparel is what you get when you cross novelty with true, innovative functionality. No wonder it has taken the world by storm. The possibilities are wide open, and if you have an innovative idea, the industry is ripe for development.
11. Promotional Printing
Every small business needs some sort of apparel or novelty item printed to help their brand awareness. If you have the knowledge and tools to make it happen, you can start a small business providing promotional printing services.
If you find a good enough deal, you could white-label someone else’s services (with their permission, of course) and market it to brands you know could use the help.
12. Online Tutoring
The online world has opened up plenty of new opportunities for learning, and students all across the world are seeking tutors to help give them a voice and gain a better education beyond what schools and other programs can provide, furthering their future careers and educational prospects.
If you are knowledgeable in something or want to use your bachelor degree (or higher) for something a little more practical, online tutoring gives you an easy way to make cash from the comfort of your home, all while improving someone’s life. It’s the type of work that gives meaning to the day.
13. Solar Power
Solar power is becoming more popular as people become more conscious of their electrical footprint. If you have the ability to produce solar energy, there are a lot of small business opportunities that are available to you. For example, you might be able to sell any excess energy, or rent out solar panels to local businesses and residents who want to give it a try.
A little more technically minded? Developing new and more efficient solar tech is always in demand, and chances are, you can rent a research lab and get an application for federal grants to do the work.
14. Mobile App Development and Testing
We use apps every single day for everything from checking our social media, to peeking at our bank account, to ordering food. Apps are small and easier to access than internet browsers and frustrating mobile websites, so it’s no wonder that many companies are looking for development opportunities to test their own apps.
If you aren’t technically minded, you can still become an app tester, downloading apps pre-launch and giving feedback on the user interaction and experience the app provides. Companies find this type of thing extremely valuable as it allows them to launch with a finalized and polished product.
15. Development of Plastic Alternatives
If you want to contribute to the ecological awareness of our planet and aid the development of plastic alternatives, you can start a business selling sustainable and secondhand products, donating a portion of the proceeds to organizations that are researching these alternatives.
Likewise, researchers are always looking for space to develop and test new alternatives, so any extra space that you might have can benefit this research, and you can get paid for the researcher’s use of the land.
16. IT Management and Support
Do you have an IT background, or are you knowledgeable in IT systems? As we grow more reliant on internet technology, companies and individuals alike need more IT support. Large IT companies may not always be accessible, so providing a local consultancy service to these individuals and small businesses can prove to be rather lucrative.
IT support is also easy to scale, as all you need are more knowledgeable people behind the screen, providing services to your company’s standard. Customers will appreciate the structured approach and you’ll have repeat clients any time they need help.
17. Phone Charging Stations
Everyone has had their phone run out of juice while they’re out and about running errands. Phone charging stations are a great way to drum up some extra cash while providing a service that not a lot of people are thinking about currently.
Set up a kiosk in the mall or in popular shopping plazas and you can rent the use of high-efficiency charging stations that you provide. Many people who have done this have chosen to also provide secure holding of phones while the customers shop for an hourly fee, keeping their devices safe.
18. Digital Library
By purchasing licenses to share virtual copies of texts, or purchasing DRM-free copies, you can provide a digital library where you host each publication on a website and rent use of these files to researchers and students looking for an inexpensive way to access virtual textbooks, studies, and literature.
19. Home Sharing
Have some extra space in your home and want to rent out a room? Home sharing is becoming more popular as people seek to host roommates and travelers through popular platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo.
This is an excellent business to get into so long as you are legal about it – staying up-to-date on tenant-landlord laws and purchasing the right kind of insurance is essential for a business like this.
20. Ride Sharing
Carpooling is becoming more popular with more attention on the emissions our vehicles create, but our roadways and city structures prevent a lot of people from moving to more efficient modes of transportation like bicycles and scooters.
Starting a ride sharing business can help you make some money while reducing your carbon footprint. You can often coordinate rides to get you into the center of town and catch others looking for a ride.
21. At-Home Care
Some people are home-bound and unable to work, which is why at-home care is so important. No matter the skill you have, this can be specialized to provide services in an area that you are comfortable with.
Whether you are a doctor or nurse looking to make house calls, or if you are looking for a few simple ways to help out around the house that doesn’t require a license, there’s always a demand for extra hands to take care of the daily chores.
22. Skincare and Spa
If you have a penchant for skincare and spa treatments, then you may want to consider opening a spa and skincare business. A lot of people are looking to cool off at the end of a hard week by getting a little me-time outside of the house, and this is the perfect solution.
There is some licensure that goes into this type of business, but once the paperwork is out of the way, you’ll see just how rewarding it is to see people de-stress after a tough day at work or just because.
23. Home Planning
Do you consider yourself an expert in planning spaces in a home and modifying them to suit the needs of families?
Since many of us are still trying to adjust to remote-work life, or pursuing it full-time after the pandemic has opened up new opportunities, this is a skill that is in demand. Couples and families are looking for ways to work around their living spaces – which are often small and cramped – while still getting the full enjoyment of their private space.
24. Influencer Marketing
Not everyone has the tenacity to become an influencer on social media websites like Instagram and Facebook, but you can make connections and utilize your new influencer network strategically. Many agencies are already taking advantage of the virtual trends, but I firmly believe that the ocean is large enough for two fishermen, especially in relatively unexplored territory.
All it takes is connecting the dots between small business websites who need influencer marketing and influencers. Be the go-between, figuring out all the details for clients. Discuss pricing, ad and video types, marketing messages, and incentives so the company doesn’t have to.
25. VR Live Events
Virtual reality is changing the way live events are seen with recent developments in technology. Now, people are embracing technological change, using it for more than just video games and fitness. Live virtual events are on the horizon, and VR can easily become a part of it, allowing patrons to walk around a virtual conference center and explore everything the event has to offer as if it were in real life.
26. Pet Sitting and Care
You were onto something that time when you tried to start a pet sitting company in middle school. Now, however, it’s much more openly sought out as people are looking for local ways to support their community and allow them to travel at the same time.
Now, it’s an entirely new game: you’re an adult with reliable transportation and new responsibilities, meaning you are more likely to be trusted with a stranger’s cat or dog. Starting a legitimate and legal business for pet sitting and care services, like grooming and nail clipping, can help you make a good handful of cash on the side if you know what you’re doing.
27. Cloud Migration Services
The web is a complicated place and a lot of companies need help migrating their data to the cloud safely. If you know a thing or two about cloud-based data management or cyber security, then this is an excellent idea to chew on for your next agency.
Cloud migration isn’t always a one-and-done service, either. A lot of companies need this management service periodically, giving you plenty of opportunities for repeat clients.
28. Subscription Boxes
Subscription boxes are popping up everywhere, with more and more people staying home and enjoying the luxury of auto-shipped goods at reliable frequencies. There are boxes available for everything under the sun, but packaging and presentation are everything. Best of all, it’s easy to set up with a shopify app or similar service. Other companies may even show interest in dropshipping if you business plan allows for that type of growth.
If your idea is noteworthy and you have an idea of how to make your product stand out, then subscription boxes may be a great way to make a splash in a new industry worth over a billion and rising.
Remember: You Don't Need to Have a Perfect Solution at the Start
You might be inclined to think otherwise, but no business owner has a perfect idea at the beginning. (3) Many big companies that you see today are crafted after years of perfecting a previously unrefined idea, convinced that it had worth, even when people around them laughed it off and told them it was a waste of time.
Getty images is now a household brand, but they had to fight the competition's marketing. Android made it big because of their application marketing. These are just a few examples of great companies that have made it.
If you truly believe in your great business idea, take stock of the idea. Never let it pass you by. There is always a way forward, and an entrepreneur like you will find that way. Sometimes, it just happens to be through trial and error.
Just remember that, if you want to refine your business plan as time goes on, you need to be open to the idea of change so it is most helpful. Sometimes, fundamental parts of your idea can shift and change in this process. You, as a business owner, need to be open to that change and provide it the space to grow and come to fruition.
Once you have accepted the idea that your idea may change over time, and you’ve given it the structure necessary to grow – such as proper business filing and accounting services – then you’ll start to see your idea come to life in a very real, tangible way.
Give Your Business Opportunities the Best Chance at Success
Your business deserves the best chance at success, so you need to be willing to work at it before the idea has even come to life. (4) Your business will grow and change shape as time goes on, but it needs the proper structure to become successful.
Market Research First
First, if no one knows about your business or wants the solution you've come up with to a problem, then you'll struggle to get any momentum with your idea. You should always do your market research first before any other step. Who is your target audience, and in what geographical area? Do people in your target area want your product or service? Try to narrow these answers down as finely as possible through polling and questionnaires.
Find Your WhyWhat is the “Why” behind your business? Why is it valuable, why does it solve other people's problems, and why should people be interested in it?
Answering this will help you learn how to market your product, but it may also shape and change the product's final form.
Feedback Is King
Getting feedback as you develop your idea is also important because it can help shape your product or service before you launch. There is such a thing as being “too close” to a project to make objective decisions, so your personal network and potential customers are a great place to start to get a second pair of eyes on your idea.
Focus on the Pre-Launch…
The pre-launch is important. This is when you’ve developed your product or service and you may have a sample or prototype in front of you, but you haven’t quite launched. You do, however, need to drum up excitement and interest in your offering. Slap up a landing page and get to advertising, building up hype about this new product “coming soon.”
The pre-launch is the true test of any successful product. If people show interest before the product is even available, then you know you have some sales waiting to happen.
Remember the Presentation!
Even though the idea may be good, people are subject to their biases. If your product or service isn’t presented well, then people are less likely to be interested in it. We are bombarded with advertisement after advertisement in the modern world, so you need something big and bold to break through the noise.
If you have a product, good packaging and product design will make the cut in most cases. If you have a service, a good landing page online, professional uniforms, and clean-cut employees will make all the difference in the world.
Not only will good design and presentation make your product look and seem better, but it will also give you room to charge more. This is a great way to fix feedback of “it costs too much” during the initial planning stages.
No More Business Ideas... Just Want An Easy WIN?
If you’re like me, you were just looking for an easy win when you started searching for alternative sources of income online.
Your motivation might be different from the next person’s, but your goal is ultimately the same: put your eggs in a basket that isn’t super risky that you can make a meaningful, sustainable income from all while living with a certain level of freedom.
I was shocked the day I found a program that worked for me. After years of trying program after program, I was certain that there weren’t any good options available and living a high-income laptop lifestyle was impossible.
I was wrong.
Not only did I learn a great business model that continues to serve me well to this day, but I also learned a lot of other valuable skills that let me branch off to ventures outside of that model.
The training was so versatile, and it has gone through so many updates and new iterations that I know the owners are active in keeping everything working properly as the internet changes.
Likewise, their community is active, with over 5,000 members all sharing their experiences, wins, problems, and stories. The owners even host live streams weekly to ensure all their students, new and old alike, get the best chance at success.
If you want to give it a try, sample some of the training for free by clicking the link below. You’ll be directed to a landing page where you can access a demo video about the training.
References:
- Matthew McCreary, The Complete, 12-Step Guide to Starting a Business, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/297899
- Jodie Cook, 5 Ways to Come Up with Great Business Ideas, http://forbes.com/sites/jodiecook/2020/11/09/5-ways-to-come-up-with-great-business-ideas/?sh=31562778446d
- Kristin Wong, How to Grow Your Business, https://www.nytimes.com/guides/business/how-to-grow-your-business
- Young Entrepreneur Council, How Can You Make Sure Your Business Idea is Worth Pursuing?, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-can-you-make-sure-your-business-idea-is-worth_b_5a030635e4b02f3ab3377e94
I buy and review courses so you don’t have to. Sometimes, I even find courses that are legitimate and worthwhile; and that’s how I accidentally came across one that led me to building a 6-figure business in a little under 5 years. Now, I still review courses because it’s my favorite hobby. 🙂 Learn more about me here.
