15 Best Businesses to Start with $10K in 2023

by Timothy Ronaldson

Updated

If you’re looking to start a new venture with not a lot of upfront capital, you’re in luck. There are a lot of option for a business to start with 10k.

If you’re looking for a business you can start under 10k, you’ll have a lot of choices when it comes to the industry and how you can go about starting it.

Following are 15 of the best businesses you can start with $10K in 2022.

1. Blog

A blog is simply a website that is focused on a particular topic.

This can really be anything of your choosing, but make sure it’s something that you are not only interested in but can provide a unique view on — since there are so many blogs out there today.

This is a great way to use your writing and marketing chops to make some money without a big investment, and can actually even be a business idea to start today without money.

Potential Income: After you’ve built up an audience, you could make a few thousand dollars each month from a blog, just through affiliate links and ads on your site. (The Savvy Couple)

Estimated time investment per job: Depending on how well you know the topic and how fast of a writer you are, you should expect to spend a few hours writing each new blog, as well as an hour or two posting it to social media sites and marketing it.

Potential Customers: Your potential customers here are really limitless for this small business for under 10k.

Depending on the topic of your blog, your customers could be people looking to learn a new skill, parents looking for advice or people just looking to be entertained.

How to get started: The first step in starting a blog is to get your website created.

starting-a-blog-pros-and-cons

There are many great do-it-yourself platforms out there such as Wix and WordPress, or you can opt to pay a web designer to do it for you.

Then, make sure you pick a great blog name and get social media pages, too.

Tactic for Success

Marketing will be a key to success if you want to start a blog. You could be the greatest writer in the world, but if people don’t know you’re out there, you’ll never make any money. So, make sure to dedicate the proper time and resources to SEO and social media.

2. Virtual Bookkeeper

If you have experience handling finances for businesses, or have a degree in accounting, you could start your own virtual bookkeeper business.

With the right skills, this is an easy business to start from home.

Many small businesses are looking for a part-time bookkeeper to handle their finances.

You could cobble together multiple clients to make a full-time job out of it, while working from the comfort of your home.

Potential Income: The average hourly salary could start around $60, while it could increase to as much as $100 per hour. (OutandBeyond)

Estimated time investment per job: Expect to dedicate about 5-10 hours per week per customer, depending on how complicated their business is.

Potential Customers: Small businesses will be your primary customers. This could be retail businesses, service businesses and even other at-home businesses.

How to get started: The first thing you’ll need is the proper technical equipment, including a good computer, solid internet connection and accounting software such as QuickBooks.

Then, you’ll need to market yourself online and through social media. Or, you could apply for jobs on freelancing marketplaces.

Trend on the Rise

Businesses everywhere are looking to save money, and they’re doing so by hiring virtual bookkeepers. It’s great for businesses, too, because they don’t have to rely on just local firms. So, if you’re looking for a good business to start, this is a solid one, since it’s in an emerging industry.

3. Custom Clothes

Creative people could find a nice niche creating custom clothes. The great part about this today is that you don’t even need to make the shirts yourself or have a manufacturing facility.

You can find an on-demand manufacturer that will print your clothes after you receive orders, lowering your investment, especially if you are working at a startup.

Potential Income: You could earn as much as $68,000 per year with this small business. (ZipRecruiter)

Estimated time investment per job: Depending on your design, it may take an hour or so to create each new design.

Potential Customers: Potential customers could include everyday people, but also businesses, sports leagues and non-profit organizations.

How to get started: You’ll want to have a good software program to help you design your creations, such as Illustrator or Photoshop.

Then, you’ll need to create a partnership with a printer to create your clothes. Finally, you’ll want to set up a shop to sell your designs, on sites such as Etsy or Shopify.

Tactic for Success

If you want to sell your designs, you’re going to have to create some examples. So, start with a few good ideas that are generic enough to appeal to the masses. Then, print them out, take photos of them and post them as examples on your site.

4. Writer

books-in-library

If you have a knack for writing and a solid background in the industry, you could create a freelance writing business.

You could land some big clients and handle all their content marketing. Or, you could attract multiple clients to create one impressive full-time business.

If your business becomes successful enough, you can even follow these tips to sell your business and help maximize your payout.

Potential Income: The average pay for a freelance writer in the United States is a little more than $30 per hour. (ZipRecruiter)

Estimated time investment per job: Each job should take you a few hours, at least, depending on the length and complexity of the topic.

Potential Customers: Again, your potential clients could be limitless. Small businesses will be a primary potential customer.

Other customers could be owners of websites and marketing agencies.

How to get started: You’ll want to have a good computer with a fast internet connection and word processing software at least.

Then, you’ll want to set up profiles on multiple freelancing websites to get some jobs to start.

You also might consider creating an online portfolio for potential customers to check out your published work.

Trend on the Rise

Even some of the biggest companies in the world rely on freelancers today. Roughly 30% of Fortune 500 companies use freelancing platforms such as Upwork to hire talent. So, make sure you’re on these types of platforms.

5. Retail Resale

If you have a knack for finding really great deals, this could be a great business to start with 10k.

It involves finding great deals on certain products, then purchasing them and selling them for higher prices on sites such as eBay, Amazon or other marketplaces.

The key to success is finding great deals and buying in bulk.

If you would like to follow a business model that is already laid out, check out these franchises under 10k.

Potential Income: You could make up to $95,190 per year with this job. (ZipRecruiter)

Estimated time investment per job: You may spend hours and hours searching for great deals, so be patient.

Potential Customers: You’ll have a never-ending supply of customers. It could be parents, handymen or students — depending on what you’re re-selling.

How to get started: A great idea is to have a membership at a warehouse store such as Costco.

You could get some great deals there by buying in bulk. Then, set up shops on as many online marketplaces as possible to re-sell your goods.

6. Virtual Assistant

Along the same lines as a virtual bookkeeper, you could start a virtual assistant business.

In this role, you would serve as the personal assistant for multiple clients, helping them do everything from answer incoming calls and emails to setting up calendars.

It’s a great job to do from wherever you want.

Potential Income: The average virtual assistant will make a little more than $20 per hour. (Indeed)

Estimated time investment per job: You’ll typically need to dedicate at least 5 hours per week for each client, depending on the size of the client.

Potential Customers: Good potential customers include smaller businesses, busy executives and even non-profit organizations.

How to get started: You’ll need to make sure that you have good technology, including a smart phone, computer and good internet connection.

You also will need a quiet place to work, especially if you’re going to make or answer phone calls. Then, you can search for work on freelance marketplaces to start

7. Tutor

tutor-signup

If you have expertise in a particular subject, you could easily start a successful tutoring business.

You could do this with local students preparing for SAT tests, for example, and even branch out to paid courses you can create and sell online.

This is a great business for former teachers to start.

Potential Income: The average tutor will charge at least $25 per hour, depending on who their customer is and what they’re teaching. (TutorMe.com)

Estimated time investment per job: You’ll typically have one-hour sessions with each client, though you will spend more time than that preparing lessons and the such.

Potential Customers: Potential customers include high school students preparing for college, adults wanting to learn new skills or even teachers looking to improve their skills.

How to get started: You’ll want to market your services, and rely heavily on your past experiences.

Having a solid resume put together is a great document to have. Then, you could post ads online or even with local schools.

8. Social Media Management

Social media is an extremely powerful marketing tool. While it’s free for people to use, companies will pay a lot of money to hire people to run their pages for them.

If you know social media well, you could start a successful business handling pages for multiple clients.

Potential Income: The average salary for this job is $71,216 per year. (BuiltIn)

Estimated time investment per job: You should dedicate at least a few hours each week to each one of your clients.

Potential Customers: Small businesses are a primary potential customer for you.

You could also look toward bigger businesses that need help, as well as social media influencers who want to hand off their work.

How to get started: Make sure you have your own social media pages set up to show how many followers you have and the content you’re able to create.

Make sure you have all the latest technology, including a smartphone. Then, search around to find potential clients.

9. 3D Printing

3D printing isn’t a new technology anymore, but it’s still a technology that isn’t readily available to many.

This is a great business to start where you can either sell your own designs, or offer your 3D printing services to people and businesses.

Potential Income: You could earn up to $1,000 per job with this business. (3drific)

Estimated time investment per job: Expect to spend a few hours on the designs at least, and then a few more hours printing everything.

Potential Customers: Potential customers could include everyday consumers (if you’re designing products), or small businesses and organizations if you’re going to print the designs of others.

How to get started: You’ll obviously need a 3D printer to start. You’ll also want to be familiar with how it works and how to design.

Then, post your products for sale on online marketplaces, and offer up custom jobs as well.

10. Furniture Flipper

selling-antiques-in-store

Are you great at design and have a knack for identifying potential in old pieces of furniture?

Then, flipping furniture could be a great business to start. It’s very popular to buy old pieces of furniture today, making it a great option for a business.

Potential Income: You could start by making as much as $500 per month, and then build more from there. (DontWorkAnotherDay.com)

Estimated time investment per job: You’ll likely spend a few hours at least finding good pieces to buy, and then another few hours at least refurbishing what you bought.

Potential Customers: Your potential customers could be direct-to-consumer, or you could sell to businesses for their office or storefronts who will re-sell your products.

How to get started: Start by having a place in your home (or a workshop) where you’ll be able to work on your pieces.

Then, search around yard sales, estate sales and even on the curb around town for pieces to refurbish. Once you’re done, post your completed items for sale online, or at antique stores.

11. Repair Computers

People spend a lot of money on computers nowadays, and unfortunately, they break from time to time.

At the same time, computer repair shops are few and far between today. This provides a nice opportunity for you to start a computer repair business.

Potential Income: You could make up to $80 per hour with this business. (Step by Step Business)

Estimated time investment per job: Expect to spend at least a few hours investigating problems and then a few more hours to fix them.

Potential Customers: Small businesses are a great potential customer, since they have so many computers.

You could also get local school districts or even direct-to-consumer sales.

How to get started: You’ll want to have a good set of tools that you can use on computers.

You’ll also want all the necessary accessories wires and an extra monitor or two.

Once you have all the equipment, you’ll want to market your services online, or even reach out directly to local businesses.

12. Soap Maker

People pay a lot of money for unique and homemade soaps today.

If you have a good idea for design and a good nose for scent, this could be a great work-from-home business you could create. It’s a very creative job that could be really rewarding, too.

Potential Income: The average soap maker will earn roughly $47,000 per year to start. (ZipRecruiter)

Estimated time investment per job: Once you have your scent mixes down and your molds, making soap should only take a few hours to make many bars.

Potential Customers: You could sell your soap online directly to consumers, at local flea markets and farmers markets, or even in local artisan shops.

How to get started: You’ll need to get all your supplies first, including molds for the soap, scents and the soap base.

Then, make a few test soaps to see how they smell and feel. Finally, try selling your products small and local at first, to see what the response is.

13. Personal Trainer

trainer

If fitness is your thing, you could help others reach their fitness goals by starting a personal training business.

You could do this in person today and then even branch out and create online courses. There are many possibilities in this field.

Potential Income: The average starting salary is about $27 per hour, though it can quickly go much higher than that. (Indeed)

Estimated time investment per job: Each session will last about an hour in person.

Potential Customers: Your customers could be members of a local gym, sports teams and even businesses.

How to get started: You’ll want to have membership at a local gym that allows you to use it for your clients.

Or, you could have an in-home gym set up where you’ll have clients come. Then, market your services at local gyms and other training facilities.

14. Masseuse

A lot of people are stressed out today and looking for ways to relax. Massages are a popular way that people do this today, and it’s also a great way to relieve muscle tension.

You could become a masseuse and set up a great personal business out of a studio or your home.

Potential Income: The median salary is about $45,000, though a full-fledged massage business with many clients will make much more. (Natural Healers)

Estimated time investment per job: Each session will last about 1-2 hours.

Potential Customers: Your customers could be everyday people, local sports teams, rehab facilities and even local businesses.

How to get started: You’ll first want to get your masseuse license so you can legally practice in your location.

Then, either set up your own business that you’ll market, or take a job at a local studio. This could help you gain experience and clients at first before you branch out on your own.

15. Photographer

People pay a lot of money today for photos of landscapes, or to hire someone to personally shoot a wedding, party or other special event.

If you are good with a camera, you could start a photography business. You could even expand your offerings by providing videography services, too.

Potential Income: You could make up to $130,000 per year with this business to start. (Chron)

Estimated time investment per job: Depending on the job, you should expect to spend at least a few hours at the event and then a few hours after editing everything.

Potential Customers: Potential customers could be couples getting married, families at reunions or even people buying your photographs at local festivals.

How to get started: You’ll obviously want a great camera, which will be where most of your investment money will go.

Then, you’ll need a good computer and great photo/video editing software.

Then, go out and shoot some events and landscapes on your own first so that you have a good stock pile of examples to show people.

Wrapping Up

There are many great businesses you could start with $10k today.

So, if you’re looking to start a new venture with not a lot of upfront capital, start with some of the ideas above.

+ posts

Tim is a classically-trained journalist who loves to share knowledge and information with others. In the past, he has worked in TV, online and print media, and currently works with companies to help design, create and strategize their messaging.

About the Author

Photo of author
Tim is a classically-trained journalist who loves to share knowledge and information with others. In the past, he has worked in TV, online and print media, and currently works with companies to help design, create and strategize their messaging.