Top 15 Small Business Opportunities For 2021

What have we learned after a year of great difficulties and economic upheaval? We all want to know more about what small businesses have learned from the past and how we will implement those lessons in the future

The biggest problem in 2020 was not COVID; it was the chaos that COVID generated. We also saw civil unrest, explosions, hurricanes, and a turbulent political climate. This turbulence has made it challenging for companies to foresee what will happen next, and uncertainty is difficult and makes people wary.

Despite the uncertainty, many companies performed better than expected. Many small businesses succeeded as they took advantage of the e-commerce and payment versatility offered by the entire industry and ecosystem.

Physical offices are becoming less relevant

The ability to work from home is now a requirement for most businesses. Working from home will become a standard employee perk for many businesses, large and small. Small companies that fail to understand this and return to their old practices will lose out on recruiting healthy, skilled employees because people will expect work from home options, including health care and retirement.

There will be a new influx of entrepreneurs who will take advantage of the lower commercial rents now available. People will take risks because they do not have the same financial pressure when starting a company as they did previously. While there might not be the same amount of people racing through the street, quality over quantity will be the new slogan.

New opportunities for startups 

The entry barriers have almost certainly never been smaller than they are now. Compared to a few years ago, it is thousands of times cheaper to start a company today. This is fueled by the migration of the front, center, and back offices to the cloud.

It is also being driven by open-source, device connectivity, and a variety of other factors. The funding climate is good, which is expected to continue at least until 2022, if not longer. That is great news for startups, and these small companies will be more adaptable and flexible from the outset.

Challenges and opportunities can emerge as a result of logistics. A recent survey asked one of the questions on the pivot to e-commerce from a distribution standpoint in a study of business leaders’ perspectives. According to two figures, about 12% of them have switched to a full e-commerce sales delivery model, with another 14% planning to do so next year.

The future appears to be optimistic. Small companies are a tough bunch. Many have discovered that they can adapt quicker than they ever imagined. With so many business ideas to choose from in 2021, it can be challenging to know which ones are worth pursuing. 

Although following a new trend can be dangerous, it can also be gratifying. You will note that many of the suggestions on this list have only recently gained popularity. Others have a long history of popularity, which makes them more competitive but less risky.

Top small business opportunities for 2021

1. App Development

Mobile accounts for more than half of all online traffic. While it is competitive, if you have the requisite skills, you can make money to create and distribute your app or develop apps for others.

2. Selling in Amazon

Though Amazon’s own employees’ working conditions are often criticized, there are numerous ways to profit from Amazon without working for the company.

It is easier than you would imagine selling items from home, thanks to services like Amazon Delivery, which will pick, store, and deliver your orders for you. You might also be able to import and export outside of your home country using this app.

Self-publishing ebooks and affiliate marketing are two other choices. Affiliate marketing includes linking to Amazon goods from the website and receiving a fee if a connection is clicked and a purchase is made.

3. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is an eCommerce business model that eliminates the need to handle physical goods.

All you have to do is spend time researching since you can use dropshipping apps like Oberlo to discover great items to sell. The most appealing aspect of dropshipping is that you do not have to keep inventory. If keeping inventory is not a problem for you, consider buying wholesale.

Small business owners can utilize online marketplaces to search for high-quality items and form long-term relationships with suppliers. If you already know what you want to offer, it is worth looking into a supplement to dropshipping.

4. Course Creation

Courses you produce can be marketed and sold on sites like Udemy and Coursera. Few of the courses are approved, but the price students pay reflects this.

5. Selling using Etsy

Etsy is a website where you can sell items like art, crafts, jewelry, and more. Etsy is the place to go if you’re looking for something handmade, antique, or just a little different.

6. Print On Demand

Print on demand is when you sell your own custom designs on phone cases, mugs, and t-shirts but do not print the artwork. You work with vendors who will print your template on the product and box and send it to your customers, so you do not have to think about logistics. You are paid only after the items have been sold. Creating a Shopify store and installing a POD app like Printify is one of the easiest ways to get started. Collaborating with influencers on Instagram to promote your POD products is a great way to target viewers when marketing.

7.) Translation

Translators are still in demand. Consider starting a small business if you can speak more than one language to capitalize on your abilities. Look for clients on Upwork and Flexjobs and develop your portfolio over time. Marketing your company on social media platforms is also a smart idea because it will attract a larger audience.

8. Virtual Assistance

Everyone – from large corporations to sole proprietors – need assistance with day-to-day operations. You can relieve some of their stress by using your excellent organizational skills. Of course, you will be compensated for the time and effort spent responding to emails, arranging meetings, and other administrative tasks.

9. Website Flipping

It entails purchasing an existing website, enhancing its design and content, and reselling it for a profit. There are a variety of locations where you can profitably buy and sell websites. For example, Shopify’s Exchange marketplace allows you to purchase eCommerce websites that you can boost through content marketing, SEO, and other strategies. This works by listing your site for sale on the marketplace once it starts producing more sales than when you first purchased it.

10. Influencer Marketing on Social Media

Getting a broad and active social following is enough to make a lot of money for many people.

Sure, it isn’t for everybody, and being good takes time. Making money online with your social power is a real possibility if you have the right attitude and patience.

11. Freelance Writing

You can place yourself in front of clients who need text created for their websites or other collateral as the digital content market grows. The most famous freelance opportunities are in the following fields:

• Writing article content to generate traffic is known as content writing.
• Writing sales copy to increase conversions and revenue is known as copywriting.

Furthermore, you can specialize even further within those roles.

12. Home-Based Catering

This one is possible only if you are interested in cooking and view it as a creative outlet. The size of the setup largely determines the initial expenditure. For example, you can start your business for less if you start with smaller events that you can handle on your own. Most home-based caterers begin by building a website, experimenting with local food markets, or joining platforms that allow culinary experts to benefit from their expertise.

13. Professional Consulting

Many that have an enviable track record of starting or growing companies have easily transferable skills that they can use to operate from home. Promote yourself as a professional consultant who helps others create and develop successful companies using the internet. Alternatively, you might have in-person appointments, either by going out to meet clients on their turf or by having them come to your home or office.

14. Home-Based Child Care

Childcare is and will always be necessary for many families. Daycare facilities are not cheap, and they pose health risks to families with immune-compromised or at-risk children or family members. Why not make a little extra money by undercutting the “pros” and offering childcare to friends and neighbors, too, if you are already spending the day keeping an eye on your children?

It can be a good option for parents who need childcare but do not want to deal with the issues that come with big groups or high prices at daycares.

15. Online Tutoring

You can start an online tutoring business if you are an expert in art, math, or another topic. A bachelor’s degree in the subject you want to teach is a must, so make sure you have one before you begin. Sites like Skooli and Tutor.com will help you find online tutoring clients. 

Teach only subjects that contribute to your area of expertise for the best results, and you will be able to share your skills and constructive information and help your students learn more. Online tutoring is one of the most straightforward online businesses to start because you can deliver lectures and connect with your students via Skype.

Conclusion

As governments around the world struggle to keep their economies afloat, it will be up to its people to chart their own destinies. These small business opportunities can hopefully bring back to life each nation’s economy, and bring us all back to the way we were, or even better than before the pandemic.