2024 is the year that side hustles become main hustles. So many of us have already started pouring energy into second jobs and passion projects, with the goal being to make a name for ourselves beyond the basics. Entrepreneurialism is a brilliant virtue, which could lead you to greatness if you follow it in the right direction. What small businesses could you be starting this year to get ahead of the pack?
Influencer/Social Media Strategist
The golden career path for self-made entrepreneurs in 2024 lies, of course, within the realms of social media. Social media platforms have governed cultural conversations for decades now – and show no signs of letting up, with TikTok having broken 1 billion users worldwide.
There are ample opportunities to start a business within this sphere, the most coveted of which is to become an influencer. If you have a gift for making socials content, you could bag yourself lucrative sponsorship deals simply for being a well-liked talking head. If you are less inclined for the limelight, your business could be helping other influencers guide their strategy.
Dog Walker
Dog-walking has become something of a ‘meme role’ in recent years, earning enough visibility to become a key plot point in many Hollywood productions about, well, Hollywood. But the fact of the matter is that dog-walking is an excellent small business idea to consider; it fulfils a major need that many working Americans struggle with, while doing so at a much lower price point than established doggy daycare centers in the US.
A pair of joggers and a big carabiner for attaching leashes is all you need – the rest can be handled with digital calendars and automated payment processes. In return, you get to get out of the house each day and meet some amazing pets in the process.
Electrical Repairs
While may of us aren’t quite old enough to remember the days of the TV repairman, we’ll nonetheless remember something of the golden days of electronics – when parts were easily sourced and appliances easily fixed. In today’s world of planned obsolescence and complex, IoT-enabled machinery, the ability to simply have a broken thing fixed doesn’t feel quite as accessible as it once did.
This could be considered a ‘need’ that many want fulfilled – and a need you could meet with the right knowledge and training. If you are electronically minded, whether through an education in Electrical Engineering or a career path in tech, you are well-poised to start your own business repairing devices from smartphones to microwaves.
You can source your parts wholesale from a continental supplier like RS Americas, taking jobs according to your specific interest or niche. Simple smartphone fixes can add up to a significant dollar amount each day, while the repair of older and rarer equipment like studio gear or old tube amps can earn you a pretty penny.
Craft Seller
Starting a small business doesn’t have to mean fulfilling a need, though – sometimes people want for things instead of needing them, creating opportunities for you to make money doing something altogether more fun. Online seller platforms like Etsy have made it incredibly easy for people to sell items of their own making, giving you the chance to monetize a hobby and feel as if you’ll never work another day in your life.