Editor’s note: This article was first published in April 2022, at the peak of the metaverse and NFT hype. Ideas 13 to 19 and the claim that a lot of money is going into the metaverse reflect that moment, as do its unsourced statements about health spending and bicycles.
Once again we review the most profitable businesses entrepreneurs can start by following market trends: the industries where consumer interest lies and where money is gravitating. It’s a matter of grabbing a slice of the pie, in many cases using both creativity and simplicity.
As an entrepreneur, you should ask yourself: where are consumers spending the most money? On what kinds of products or services do they open their wallets most easily, without worrying so much about spending?
Let’s look at the industries money is gravitating towards to come up with some business ideas, ideally ones that don’t require investing a lot of money.
- 20 small business ideas for entrepreneurs who want to run their own business
- 41 ways to make extra money from home
- How to start a business with no money
25 profitable business ideas to start in 2022
See also: 8 business ideas that don’t exist yet and that you could start
Which sector is moving hundreds of billions right now? First of all, if we look at social media and consumer data, people show great concern for health, beauty and anti-ageing. Yes, people are spending far more money on these products than in any other historical cycle.
Business ideas related to health, beauty and wellness
In this industry you can make money in three ways:
- By creating your own product or service.
- By selling other people’s products as an intermediary.
- Without selling any product at all (here we mean creating online content on these topics and earning income from advertising, but that isn’t among the business ideas we want to cover today).
1. Bad-habit detox camps
This is a business idea that is gaining some popularity. Even boot camps have appeared, where people spend weeks (using part of their holidays) under the strict supervision of personal trainers and nutritionists.
These camps attract people ranging from those who want to lose weight or quit smoking to people who simply need that extra external willpower to bring discipline into their lives. They do it through exercise and diet.
You need a property (rented, in many cases), ideally on the outskirts of the city in a quiet spot. Clients pay a fee for their stay.
All of this depends on the approach we want to take as entrepreneurs, because sometimes it also becomes a way for people to meet others with similar interests. Simply put, a somewhat different holiday for the customers. And without a doubt, it can be a profitable business.
Needless to say, this can also be applied to spiritual, meditation and yoga retreats, hosting your guests for days or weeks.
We already covered this and other ideas when we published our article with 17 businesses you can set up in small villages.
2. Paintball is a good business
Along the same lines, paintball has recently become a much sought-after form of entertainment. As with the previous business idea, you need an open space or an industrial unit where participants can have their obstacles and courses. We would include this both among entertainment businesses and among health businesses.
3. Healthy food
Clearly, people’s concern for their health is making them spend more money on all kinds of more natural products and supplements.
This is where you can make your own organic, healthy products. Many entrepreneurs are doing business selling ready-made natural smoothies or home-cooked meals made to order (high-protein, gluten-free, vegan and so on).
The other option, if you don’t want to make your own products, is to partner with a supplier of these products and sell them in a shop or online.
Finally, you can create a website and use affiliate programmes to earn a small commission on the sale of each product you send to the seller’s page.
We go into this in more depth in our article: Business trends in health and wellness.
Remember that it’s up to you how much creativity you put into making this kind of business as profitable as possible.
Profitable anti-ageing businesses
Along the same lines, cosmetic surgery clinics, as well as centres offering all kinds of treatments that promise to make us look younger, are clearly among the most profitable industries today.
4. Independent partner: the middleman business
If you’re a people person with lots of contacts, or simply have sales skills, some entrepreneurs are starting to earn a lot of money as intermediaries between clinics offering all kinds of treatments and the end customer.
Becoming an intermediary is one of the most profitable businesses for one simple reason: you make no investment at all. If you know someone who wants to rejuvenate their skin, get rid of crow’s feet or even have a hair transplant, and you refer them to a clinic that specialises in these things, you can earn quite a lot of money in commissions.
Tip: don’t sell for the sake of selling, or recommend for the sake of recommending. Work with a reliable company and always be honest with the customer.
5. Small profitable businesses: selling your own health and wellness products
There’s a broad market for products such as:
- Homemade scented candles. How to make homemade candles (in Spanish).
- Natural remedies for certain ailments or for personal care.
- Homemade baby food. See the woman who became a millionaire making organic baby food.
- Homemade soap. How to make homemade soap (in Spanish).
- Homemade detergents. How to make homemade detergent (in Spanish).
Other profitable ventures you can start without investing anything
6. Wardrobe and etiquette adviser
Here we could include personal shopping services. To make yourself known, you can use the means within your reach, whether by creating your own website, Instagram or your own YouTube channel.
7. Yoga instructor or meditation therapies
The good thing about this kind of venture is that you can start it in your own home.
8. Innovative or unusual massages
As we explained in a previous article, massages are evolving towards complete escapism. It’s no longer just the typical relaxing or sports massage. Now real experiences are on offer, such as tickle therapy, Tibetan singing bowl massages and so on. Offer something that sets you apart and it will translate into more novelty and more interest from the people who go for these therapies.
9. 24/7 home beauty services
Twenty-four hours may be an exaggeration, but sometimes beauty services are needed on a Sunday because of a wedding or an event on the Saturday. And it’s hard to find beauty services on those days, when in fact offering them at the weekend can be more profitable than doing so from Monday to Friday.
10. The mental health problem
People will have more and more mental health problems because of the isolation they suffer in this technological age, the insecurities caused by social media, unstable jobs and unstable relationships. Any service focused on improving mental health will be well received in the coming years.
11. Making, selling and servicing bicycles
Whether for health or to save money, bicycles have become one of the most profitable businesses, from manufacturing and distribution to repair. A huge industry has also emerged in buying and selling second-hand bikes, and even in buying old bikes to repair and resell them. We go into this in more depth in our article: Setting up a custom bicycle business.
12. Profitable subscription-based businesses
The subscription model is here to stay. And it’s very profitable. From companies that charge a fee and send customers several shirts and accessories every month to new businesses with subscription models for cat litter and cat food.
The good thing about this kind of business is that, since you have a list of your customers, you already know roughly how much stock you’ll need to meet demand.
You can build a subscription business around any product that’s in demand: coffee, natural products, trousers, shirts and so on.
This business model is so profitable that you could say Amazon itself is trying it with its recurring purchase (“Subscribe & Save”) option. It’s a matter of finding your idea for this model, landing on the right product and knowing how to promote it. Ask yourself: what product would I be willing to pay a monthly fee for, to receive an order every month?
See also: 12 business trends for 2022
Profitable business ideas in the content creation industry and the metaverse
If money is gravitating in large amounts, most of it is undoubtedly circulating on the internet these days. People want to be seen, companies want to reach a wide audience and, most importantly, they want to create something innovative and original to sell more. A lot of money is now going into the metaverse project, which according to experts could be the future of business.
13. Internet and metaverse marketing
Marketing companies generate large sums of money. Companies pay to make their brand and products visible. Basically, to sell more. If the metaverse takes off, the battle will be won by the companies that pioneer marketing inside the metaverse, creating content and advertising within it.
All this will lead to business opportunities that were already profitable on the internet but can become even more so thanks to the metaverse. A much more immersive experience will now be required, so marketing will move to another level.
14. Teaching on the internet and in the metaverse
The future of education is continuous, never-ending learning. At the speed everything is moving, we need to keep training all the time.
15. Agents for buying and selling virtual spaces
In the metaverse you can buy and sell all kinds of virtual spaces and plots of land. It’s madness, but if people decide to lose their heads and you can benefit from that madness, it’s simply a matter of turning it into your own business.
16. Designing and selling virtual clothing
Many brands already sell NFT clothing, so with people wanting a great-looking avatar in the metaverse there will be a business opportunity around selling all kinds of NFTs.
17. A company specialising in product managers
As in many other physical, real-world industries, with the arrival of these virtual environments, companies that specialise in product managers will be able to make a lot of money. Product management here means nothing more than testing the experience or product and identifying and fixing bugs or defects in order to improve the end user’s experience.
For now, it’s one of the most in-demand jobs in building the metaverse. Over time, companies specialising in this area will be hired.
18. Storytelling specialist
As the name suggests, we’re going to “sell stories”. These people would create the stories or challenges behind the immersive experience in the metaverse or in games. It’s another of today’s most in-demand professions in the video game and metaverse industry, so there may be great business opportunities for these professionals.
19. The metaverse community manager
We don’t yet know what it will look like or what will change, but if the community manager has been one of the professions most in demand by companies for managing their brand and creating content on the internet, in the metaverse this professional could become indispensable for a company.
The same thing we described above applies here. At first, community management appeared as an opportunity for young people to earn extra money. Over time, specialised companies offering this service appeared, becoming businesses that bring in a lot of money. Well, the same will happen in the metaverse, and whoever gets there first has the best chance of winning.
Other more innovative profitable businesses
20. Private surveillance with drones
Some companies specialising in drone services for all kinds of purposes have already appeared. Some are part of private security for certain areas, where they can sweep the perimeter from the air, and in other cases they help search for missing people.
Remember that you need a permit to fly a drone. These devices have many uses, from aerial photography and original video production to security.
21. Pet businesses
For some reason, people spend a lot of money on their pets, so it has become a profitable sector that moves several billion every year: from pet clothes and pet toys to entertainment and fun for pets. Any business idea you can think of that you would buy as a pet owner can be a good business.
See also: 7 pet business ideas
22. Life and career coach
If you have experience with professional, personal and social transitions, make the most of that skill. Many people, especially nowadays, are looking for guidance about their future, above all on the professional side, in a changing market full of uncertainty.
Although this sector is in high demand in the United States, in Spanish-speaking countries there is still a long way to go in developing this profession. But if you’re an excellent professional in this area, you can build your own brand and create an excellent business around it.
23. Printing T-shirts and objects
If there’s one profitable business, it’s putting original phrases or images on clothing and objects such as mugs or wall decorations. Can you make 100 million selling T-shirts with slogans? Some entrepreneurs have already reached that milestone, so even if you may not make 100 million, settling for a bit less wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
Printing services can be outsourced, the initial clothing order can be very cheap if you know where to look, and selling can be done relatively easily thanks to social media and the channels available today. As long as it’s something original, that is.
24. Reselling products online
You can buy an old or broken product, repair and refurbish it and then sell it on platforms such as eBay, Wallapop (a Spanish second-hand marketplace) or similar. It takes time and patience, but you can build a great business around it.
25. Buy wholesale, sell retail
Another emerging, profitable business is buying products wholesale and selling them retail. You can even bring in products from China or India (directly from the manufacturer) to sell on your own website or distribute to physical shops. The good thing about this business idea is that you can start with a small test order and scale it up as the units sell.
We’re not talking about dropshipping. We’re talking about building a proper business in which, over time, you could even have your own product.
Once again, we’ve shared some realistic business ideas. Some can be started with little or no investment, while for others you’ll need to put up a bit more capital. If you’re looking for ways to make extra money, we have a complete article on ways to make extra money from home or online.
See also: 37 small businesses with low investment and high profits
Featured image: Alextredz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
