50 BUSINESS IDEAS WITH GREAT INCOMES

50 Profitable Small Business ideas. 

Do you live in a small town, village or rural area and you want to know the best business to start? If YES, here are 50 highly profitable small business ideas for small towns in 2017.
When it comes to starting a business, there are loads of factors that are expected to put into consideration before going ahead to invest in any business. Amongst the factors that needed to be considered before starting a new business is the size / population of the city town you intending starting the business, the level of competitions you are likely going to face, and of course the availability of market for you services or products.

What is a Small Town or Rural Area from an Entrepreneur’s Perspective?

The definition of a small town varies, but on the average, a small town is a town that has people in hundreds or thousands but less than a million. Usually business activities and social life in a small town is always on the low and interestingly, you are likely going to find more of older folks say 50 years and above in small towns than you are going to find youths.
No doubt, there are businesses that can do pretty well only in bigger cities so also there are businesses that can thrive pretty well in small towns. So if you are resided in small towns or if you intend traveling to a small town to start your business, then you will find this article very useful.
Here are 50 business ideas that an aspiring entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in a small town should consider starting;

50 Highly Profitable Small Business ideas for Small Towns 

1. Open a Grocery Store

A grocery store is a good picture of what it means to run a business in a small town. If you are looking for an ideal business to start – a mom and pop style of business that requires low start – up capital to set – up, then you should consider opening a grocery store in an ideal location in your community. People visit grocery stores to re – stock their homes from time to time.
This type of business is simple to set up and it is indeed a profitable business. You might not make huge profits from this type of business, but you are sure of maintaining steady cash flow on a daily basis. If you choose to start this type of business, ensure that you conduct market survey in order to know the types of products to stock your store with. The truth is that if you stock your store with what the people around do not need, you will struggle to make sales.

2. Water Refill Station

If you live in a small town where people find it difficult to access clean and portable water, then you should consider opening a water refill station. Water refill station is of course a business that can do pretty well in a small town; it requires low running cost and it is indeed a profitable business.

3. Sale of Call Cards and Data Bundles

Selling of call cards and data for different networks is another easy to start business that an entrepreneur can successfully start in a small town. Aside from people that subscribe to post – paid packages for their mobile phones / GSM, most people buy call cards and data on a regular basis.
Depending on the country you reside, there are several telecommunications companies that you can deal in their call cards and data bundles. Selling call cards and data bundles is a simple, easy to establish retail business that does not require any skills. As a matter of fact, this type of business can thrive in any location as long as there are people who make use of mobile telecommunication and the internet.

4. Start a Gourmet Business

Gourmet business is another typical retailing business that can do pretty well in a small town. If you are looking for a simple but highly thriving small business to start, then you need to consider starting a gourmet retailing business. It is indeed a profitable business and if you want to make the best out of this type of business, then position your gourmet outlet around a cinema, football viewing center, sports center and outdoors event centers.

5. Drinks and Table Water Retailing Business

Drinks and table water retailing business is yet another viable and profitable business that any serious minded entrepreneur can successfully launch in a small town. Once you start the retailing of minerals, soft drinks, wines, beer, other alcoholic drinks and table water, you are sure going to make good sales if the business is well located. Just ensure that you have a fridge to always keep the drinks and water chill. You can run this type of business from your home.

6. Open an Ice Cream Shop

Ice cream shop is another cool retailing business that any serious minded entrepreneur can successfully start in a small town. It is a business that requires little training and skills to set – up and managed. If you are looking towards starting this type of business, and you don’t have the skills, you can quickly learn the skills, it is likely not going to take you more than a week to learn how to make different flavor of ice creams.
There would be the need to go acquire the training of making ice-creams. This is very vital and means that you will need to arm yourself with the knowledge of how to make different types of ice-creams flavors.
Even if you don’t have the required capital to rent and equip a shop, you can operate a mobile ice cream shop. Mobile ice cream shop will give you the opportunity to change location per time and to go to places where you know you are likely going to generate sales.

7. Open a Restaurant

Another food related retailing business that an entrepreneur who is serious about making money should consider starting in small town is to open a restaurant. It is fact that the restaurant business all over the globe is one business that generates huge income annually and can comfortably stand the test of time if well managed.
Any business person who gets involved in the food industry is sure to get good returns on investment if the business is well positioned. One good thing about the restaurant business is that an owner has the sole right to determine the price they want to sell their menu irrespective of what others around them might – especially if they are good with the delicacies they whip up.
There are various kinds of restaurants you can choose to start if you are interested in opening a restaurant. Here are a few examples; we have fast food restaurants, intercontinental restaurants, local restaurants, family style cafeterias, casual dining restaurants, and fast casual restaurants, amongst others.

8. Open a Vegetable and Fruits Mart

If you are looking towards starting a retailing business as an entrepreneur and you live in a community where you can easily have access to fresh vegetable and fruits, then you should consider opening a vegetable and fruits mart. It is indeed a simple business that requires little start – up capital and as a matter of fact, any serious minded entrepreneur can successfully run this type of business.
This type of business does not require any special skills to run and it is important to state that if you stock your mart with varieties of fruits and vegetables, you can easily attract customers. You have to however, have good business acumen.

9. Retailing of Frozen Food Mart

Frozen food mart is another typical retailing business and it is indeed a thriving and profitable business venture. Frozen foods such as fish, chickens, turkeys et al are generally consumes worldwide. So if you are looking for a business to start in a small town; a business that is not capital intensive and simple to manage, then you need to consider setting – up a frozen food mart.
It is important to state that the location you choose to start this type of business will go a long way to determine if the business will become successful. The ideal place to locate this type of business is market place or residential estates et al.

10. Open a Meat Mart

Another business that an entrepreneur can successfully start in a small town is to open a meat mart. Aside from vegetarians and a couple of people, meats are generally consumed in all the parts of the world hence it is a viable and profitable business to start. Just like most retailing business, the location you choose to start this type of business will go a long way to determine the success of the business. The ideal places to locate this type of business are food market and residential estates if the law of your community permits it.

11. Retailing of Food Stuffs

You can open a store where food stuffs such as rice, beans, spaghetti, macaroni, maize, yams, potatoes, and grains et al can be retailed to consumers. When it comes to retailing food stuffs, you can decide to repackage them in smaller quantities that can make easier for people with little income to purchase. Food is an essential commodity in any part of the world and there is a large market for food.
As a matter of fact, one of the retailing businesses that you can start that is likely going to thrive with little or no effort on your part is food retailing business. This is so because food is considered as the number one need in the Maslow hierarchy of human needs.

12. Open a Bookshop

If you are considering starting a business in a small town, then one of your options is to open a bookshop; a store where books of different genre from different authors are sold. There is a large market for books especially if you have done your homework before stocking your bookshop with books.

If you are considering starting this type of business, aside from the fact that you will be operating your bookshop from a facility (brick and mortar store) it will be to your advantage to also maintain an online book shop. It will give the online community an opportunity to patronize your bookshop.

13. Open a Retail Pharmacy Store

Another ideal retailing business where products (drugs and medical supplies) from different manufacturers are retailed is a retail pharmacy store. If you are a licensed pharmacy and you looking towards starting your own business as against working for someone, then you should consider opening a retail pharmacy store. This type of business is highly profitable and thriving of well located.
Pharmacy retailing business is one of the few retailing businesses that are highly regulated. Before you can start this type of business, you will be required to secure permits and license from the regulatory bodies in your country or city.

14. Retailing of Bread

Bread is a stable food that people eat in all parts of the world and it is easier to find entrepreneur retailing bread. If you are looking for a business to start in a small town, a business that requires little capital to get started, then you should consider retailing bread. All you need to do is to secure deliveries of breads from different bakeries and then display them in your store. It is a cool way of making money but you must ensure that you sell them all as fast as you can because breads have short shelf lifespan.

15. Open a Hospital /Medical Centre

Some of the first business options that readily come to mind when it comes to starting a business in a small town is to open a hospital. But before you establish your hospital, you must conduct your market survey and feasibility studies to be sure that there are no hospital in the community where you intend opening your hospital. Hospitals are indeed needed in small towns.

16. Open a Maternity Center

In rural community most especially, there are loads of pregnant women who can afford standard hospital for the delivery of their children which is why they opt for maternity center or enroll under a midwife / Duala. So if you are midwife and you are interested in starting a business in a small town, then one of your options is to open a maternity center; a rural area might be the most thriving location for this type of business.
It is important that you would need a license from the required medical regulatory authority before you can legally operate a private maternity center in the United States and in most countries of the world.

17. Open a Veterinary Clinic

Another thriving and profitable business that an entrepreneur who wants to start a business in a small town should consider starting is to open a veterinary clinic. As a matter of fact, if you are a veterinary doctor, this is the most suitable business that you can successfully start in a small town. Just ensure that you locate your vet clinic close to a place where there are loads of pet owners, animal farms and cattle ranches et al. These are your target market and it is wise to take your business to your market.

18. Elderly Care Business

Another thriving and profitable business that a medical professional preferably a qualified nurse who is interested in starting a business in a small town should consider starting is to go into elderly care business. It is a business that takes care of the elderly and of course there will always be the aged among us who would need this type of services from time to time.
So if you are thinking of starting this type of business, then it will pay you to conduct a thorough feasibility studies and market survey before choosing a location for this type of business. Demography matters a lot when it comes to position this type of business. Of course a small town that is populated with retirees and aging people are most suitable for this type of business.

19. Auto Repair Garage

Auto repair business is amongst the highly thriving and profitable easy to setup auto services related business idea an entrepreneur can successfully start in a small town. All over the world, car repairs is one business that never goes into extinction. This is because daily, fleets of cars are being added to the garages of people and so whether it is a brand new car or a fairly used one, you can be sure that sometime in the future car repair would be inevitable.
As long as people use their cars and trucks regularly, there will always be reasons for them to visit an auto workshop if indeed they want these vehicles to continue to ply the roads. This is because you can never rule out wear and tear when a machine is in use. People visit auto garages for different reasons; it could be for routine servicing, major repair works, or for refurbishing their cars. For whatever reasons; auto repair garage will always translate to money for the owner of the repair garage.

20. Car Wash Business

Another easy to establish but highly thriving and profitable business an entrepreneur who is all out to make money should consider starting in a small town is to open a car wash. The market for car wash is driven by the purchase of cars and the increase in consumers’ spending – in essence, as the general economy of a country grows, more people will buy cars and more people will patronize the services of car wash on a regular basis especially if their driving habits encourages them to do so.

21. Sale of Auto Spare Parts

As long as people still use automobile on our roads, the need for auto spare parts will continue to be in demand. Auto spare parts business is indeed a profitable business because the replacement of damaged or worn – out auto parts is compulsory if you want your vehicle to continue to be on the road and serve the purpose you bought it for.
If you are looking for a business to start in a small town and you have interest in the automobile industry, then you should consider starting your own auto spare parts sale business. Although you don’t need a college degree to establish your own auto spare parts store, but you would need some form of informal training, you might have to work as an apprentice with someone who owns an auto spare parts store.
It makes it easier for you to learn the ropes and how to manage your own auto spare parts stores. It is important to point out that auto spare parts business is one the businesses that can’t go out of fashion simply because of the role it plays in the auto industry.

22. Start an Adult Education Center

There are men and women out there who for one reason or the other did not attend formal schools hence they can’t read and write. Good enough this set of people have the opportunities to go back to school; many thanks to adult education. If you are in the education sector or you are interested starting a business in a small town, one of your option is to start an adult education school. If you intend awarding recognized certificates / diplomas in your adult education center, then you should apply for accreditation and license from the education board in your country.

23. Fish Farming Business

Another highly thriving and profitable business venture an entrepreneur who is interested in making money from the agriculture industry should consider starting is to go into fish farming. Fish are consumed in all parts of the world hence there is a large market for fish.
Over the years, quite a few people have made fortunes from fish farming, as the population is swelling and protein needs are far outstripping the available supply. Before now, people find it easier to rear only catfish, but in recent time fish farmers can comfortably rear tilapias, trout and salmons fish et al. All you need to get started is a space, tanks or ponds, fingerlings and fish feeds et al.

24. Poultry Farming Business

Hens, various birds, quails, guinea fowls, ducks et al are all birds that can be comfortably reared in a poultry. Chicken and birds are widely consumed in all parts of the world hence there is a large market for poultry farmers. If you are looking towards starting a business in a small town, then one of your options is to settle for poultry farming. Poultry farming is a highly thriving and profitable business venture. Aside from the fact that people consume birds and chickens et al, supply of eggs is also a major source of revenue generation for poultry farmers.

25. Open a Consignment Store

Opening a consignment store is yet another profitable and thriving business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in a small town can successfully launched with little start – up capital. Consignment business is all about selling used stuffs such as electronics, shoes, clothes, caps, bags and kitchen wares et al. So if you are looking towards starting a business in a small town, then one of your options is to open a consignment store. It is a cool means of earning money.

26. Start a Landscaping Business

Another thriving and profitable easy to start business in a small town is landscaping business. Landscape architecture is all about the art, planning, designing, management, preservation and rehabilitation of the land and the design of a large man – made construct; it beautifies our environment.
Landscaping business just like Lawn care business is not one of those businesses that someone can start and make big money from without truly working pretty hard and smart. Any entrepreneur who intends starting his or her own landscaping business and making huge profits from it must be very creative and must be ready to go the extra mile to convince clients that he or she can deliver an excellent job and he or she must prove beyond every reasonable doubt that they are competent.

27. Offer Lawn Care Services

A lawn care service is one of the businesses that an aspiring entrepreneur can successfully start in a small town. It is a business that is easy to start and manage; the basic equipment needed to start this time of business are lawn mower, shovel, rake, wheelbarrow and shearer et al.
It is important to state that Lawn care and maintenance business falls in the category of seasonal businesses; the industry experience downtime during the winter period and in most states in the US. In general, the demand for lawn care services is usually at its peak in the spring and generally between April and October. Which is why lawn care company are always everywhere sourcing for lawn care business deals within this period of the year.

28. Start a Plumbing Business

In recent time, it appears that plumbers are difficult to come by; the plumbers that are available in most communities are not enough to service the community. So if you are looking for a home improvement business to start in a small town, then one of your options is to start a plumbing business. It is important to state that you would need to acquire a plumbing skill is you intend starting a plumbing business. This type of business is a business that you can successfully run alone or with one or more employees.

29. Go into Home Painting Business

Home painting business is yet another highly lucrative and profitable home improvement business that an entrepreneur who is interested in making money should consider starting in a small town. One of the easiest way of improving the appearance of your home is first to paint your house. This goes to show that there are indeed loads of business opportunities for professional painters.
So if you are looking towards starting a business in small town, a business that requires very minimal start – up capital and a business that you can successfully operate alone or with one or more employees, then one of your options is to go into home painting business. It is important to state that you would be required to acquire training as a painter before you can successfully launch this type of business.

30. Start Repairing Computers

Repairing of computers (laptops and desktops) is yet another thriving and profitable info tech business idea that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in a small town can successfully start. All you need to do to get this business going is to acquire computer repair skills, purchase the required repair tools and then rent a shop in a good location. There is indeed a large market for this type of business.

31. Start Repairing Smart Phones

Another Info tech business idea that an entrepreneur can launch in a small town is to open a smart phone repair shop; a place where people can repair their smart phones, tablets and pads. The truth is that if you can successfully secure a nice location to open this type of business, you will attract loads of clients simply because of the large numbers of people that owns smart phones, tablets and pads et al. So if you are techie inclined, then with little training you can open your own smart phone repair shop.

32. Start a Community Vigilante Group

Community vigilante group is one of the security related businesses that an entrepreneur who has experience and training in the security should consider starting in a small town. The main duty of community vigilante groups is to provide security for a specific community especially at night. So if you are looking towards starting a business in a small town, then one of your options is to start a community vigilante group. Please note that you would have to apply and obtain permits and license before your vigilante group can start carrying arms legally.

33. Open a Carpentry Shop

Another thriving and profitable business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in a small town should consider starting is to open a carpentry shop. Of course there is hardly any small town where you won’t find at least a handful of carpentry shops. This is so because the services of carpenters are needed in most communities. So if you are a carpenter and you are looking towards starting a business in a small town, then one of your best options is to open a carpentry shop.

34. Start a Roof Maintenance and Restoration Business

Roof maintenance and restoration business is yet another profitable and thriving construction related business that an aspiring entrepreneur can successfully start in a small town. No doubt roofs are subjected to wear and tear due to the exposure to hash climatic conditions which is why after a period of time you will find out that a roof is leaking when it rains.
It is the duty of roof maintenance and restoration companies to help fix leakages in roofs and also to replace worn out roofs with new ones. So if you are looking for a construction related business to start in a small town, then one of your options is to start a roof maintenance and restoration business. It is safe to classify this type of business as post construction maintenance business.

35. Become a Forex Trader

Forex trading just like most online business is one business that you can start in any location of the world as long as you have internet facility; you can successfully start this type of business in a small town. Trading currencies online could be a risky venture but it is indeed a very rewarding online business. If you have good analytic skills and you have sound knowledge on cash flow and the exchange market, you can do well as a forex trader. You can Google forex trading platforms and tutorials to learn how to become a professional forex trader.

36. Freelance Writing Jobs

Freelance writing is yet another easy to launch business that anybody can successfully run in a small town. If you are a skilled and creative writer and you have enough time at your disposal, then you can earn good income from freelance writing business. There are loads of websites you can secure high paying writing jobs. Some of the sites where you can bid for freelance writing jobs are freelancer.com, upwork.com, guru.com and elance.com et al. From these sites you can get writing jobs that can comfortable pay your bills while you are still schooling.

37. Open a Cosmetic Shop

Cosmetic shop is yet another thriving and profitable business that an entrepreneur can start in a small town. There is a large market for cosmetics and good enough the cosmetic business is not meant for women alone but all genders. If you are looking towards starting a retail business in a small town, then you should consider opening a cosmetic shop.
Just like any other retail business, location is an important factor that determines the success of the business. So before making a choice as regards where to rent or lease a shop to start your cosmetic retailing business; ensure that you conduct thorough market survey and feasibility studies.

38. Motel and Lodge

Of course it is a must for visitors to look for places to lodge when they visit any town, except when they have a host who is ready to accommodate them for the duration they stay for. So, motel and lodge is a very vital business that is needed in small towns.
As a matter of fact, before tourists visit a tourist town, part of their findings will be how to locate the nearest hotel and lodge in the town. The truth is that if a small town lacks standard hotels and lodge, they are likely to attract fewer visitors. So as an investor, if you are looking towards starting a business in a small town, then one of your options is to invest in hotels and lodge.

39. Photography Business

Photography business is yet another business venture that an entrepreneur can successfully start in a small town. Of course as a photographer with a good studio, you will not only attract people to your photo studio, but you will also have the opportunity to cover events such as wedding ceremonies, birthday parties, concerts et al. So if you are a professional photographer, you can consider opening your own photography business in a small town.

40. Organize Carnivals and Other Related Events in Your Community

Another interesting means of earning money from a small town is to start organizing carnivals and other related events in your community especially if your community attracts tourists and visitors on a regular basis especially if you are good with organizing events. If your events are well packaged, you can successfully get financial support and sponsorship deals from your local government, corporate organizations that operate within your community and from individuals who are interested in the event you intend organizing.

41. Open a Barbing Saloon

Another business that is highly thriving and profitable in small towns is barbing saloon. If you are good at cutting hair and you know you have time to spare in the evening and weekends, then you should consider opening a barbing saloon. Just ensure that you locate your barbing saloon in a place that is easily accessible to people in your small community and you won’t struggle to attract customers on a regular basis.

42. Open a Beauty Salon

Beauty salon is yet another highly thriving and profitable business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in a small town should consider starting. Just like barbing saloon business, this type of business can be demanding and time consuming. Make sure you locate your beauty shop in a busy location in your small community so as to attract clients at all times.
It is worthy to note that if you do not know jack about the hair, that you can go acquire some trainings. This is so that you can be able to give your clients the very best.

43. Dog Breeding Business

Dogs breeding business is yet another profitable business that an aspiring entrepreneur can successfully start in a small town. Amongst domestic animals, dogs are considered to be one of the closest companions to human. Dogs breeding business is a lucrative business especially in countries where people value dogs. Dogs are used for hunting, for security as pets, for games and in some climes as a major source of protein. In essence there is a global market for dogs howbeit different breeds of dogs are used for different purposes.
If you are looking towards setting up your kennel, ensure that you source for dog breeds that are highly marketable in your area. It is important to state that it is easier to sell puppies than to sell adult dogs.

44. Fumigation Services

A typical agro allied related services business that an aspiring entrepreneur who is considering starting a business in a small town should consider starting. Fumigation is done to eliminate unwanted insects, and weeds et al. It is a highly thriving and profitable business venture that is easy to set – up and manage. If you looking towards starting a fumigation services business, then you need to apply to the appropriate authority in your country to secure the required chemical handling permits and license.

45. Baking and Selling of Cookies

Baking and selling of cookies is yet another thriving and profitable business that an aspiring entrepreneur who is interested in making money in a small town should consider starting; it is easier to learn how to bake cookies. All you need to do is to ensure that your cookies taste good and are well packaged. With that you are likely not going to struggle to sell your cookies. It is a business that anybody including a teenager can successfully start in small town.

46. Music, Movies, Computer Games and Apps Download Center.

If you are looking for an easy to setup business to establish in a small town, then one of your options is to open a center where people can pay to download music, movies, computer games, and apps. Basically what is needed to start this type of business is a laptop and the willingness to work; it is a business that can be successfully launched with very minimal start – capital. This type of business if well managed will surely yield good returns on your investment and you can actually run this type of business without renting a shop.

47. Buying and Sell On eBay

Buying and selling happens to be one of the easiest means of making money and one of the biggest online platforms that you can leverage on to make money buying and selling stuffs is eBay. EBay is an internet platform that you can sell your stuffs on. All you need to do is to sign up for their services, play by their rules in listing selling your products and be extra careful when dealing with your clients.
Just like most online business, your location as little or no influence on your business, so you can start this type of business in a small town. As an aspiring entrepreneur, you can successfully start this type of business with little cash and no experience in business. In test – running this type of business, you can start by buying and selling used books that are highly marketable.

48. Electronics Repair Shop

Opening an electronics repair shop is another money spinning business that an aspiring entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in a small town should consider starting. One good thing about this type of business is that you can learn the technical skills from someone who is already in the business or from a technical school.
All you need to do is to rent a shop in a good location in a small town and then setup your shop and advertise your electronics repair business. If you are lucky to be one of few electronic repair technicians in your community, you will sure make good money from this type of business.

49. Open a Microbrewery

Another thriving and profitable business venture that an aspiring entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in a small town should consider starting is to open a microbrewery. A microbrewery or craft brewery as it is called in some quarters is a brewery (plant) that produces a small amount of beer per time; it is indeed a small scale brewery that can’t be compared to the conventional brewery plants and it is usually owned independently.
In order words, any entrepreneur that has some cash and brewing technique can comfortably start his or her own microbrewery business. Generally, the selling point for microbrewery is characterized by their emphasis on their unique flavor, the quality of their beer and their brewing technique.

50. Open a Community Based Gym House

Lastly, community based gym house is yet another thriving and profitable business that an aspiring entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in a small town should consider starting. Gym business is gaining more grounds in recent times as it was in the 20th century. People are now more aware of the immeasurable benefits they stand to gain when they enroll in a gym. It is now obvious to the general public that they can stay healthy, improve their lifestyle and live longer if they exercise regularly.
It is true that starting a business in a small town can be   somewhat discouraging. This is none other than the fact that the level of competition might not really make one attract the number of clients they envisaged. So, you have to do some thorough homework to arrive at the best .Things like feasibility studies, mentor-ship with an expert or consultant all will help broaden your horizon.

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