Businesses You Can Start for Under $25,000 — page 19

Experienced cooks or food operators who understand unit economics and can run a tight, delivery-only menu

Startup cost

$8,000 – $60,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $15,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Licensed or near-licensed plumbers ready to run their own service or construction business and willing to carry the responsibility of a regulated trade

Startup cost

$8,000 – $50,000

Monthly earnings

$6,000 – $25,000 / mo

First income

4 to 6 years to license, then weeks to first job

Skilled welders who want high hourly rates and the freedom of bringing repair and fabrication work to the job site

Startup cost

$8,000 – $60,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $18,000 / mo

First income

2 to 6 weeks

Experienced finishers or laborers who can read a pour, manage a crew, and handle heavy, time-sensitive physical work

Startup cost

$8,000 – $60,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $25,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Marketers with capital and an existing audience who can navigate regulation and compete in a crowded, ad-driven market

Startup cost

$8,000 – $75,000

Monthly earnings

$0 – $20,000 / mo

First income

4 to 9 months

People committed to a multi-year licensed clinical career in Chinese medicine, not a quick start

Startup cost

$8,000 – $60,000

Monthly earnings

$2,500 – $12,000 / mo

First income

3 to 4 years (education and licensure first)

Hands-on people comfortable working at height who want a higher-margin install trade distinct from low-ticket gutter cleaning

Startup cost

$8,000 – $40,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $18,000 / mo

First income

4 to 8 weeks

Experienced, safety-disciplined tree workers who can handle dangerous physical work and high insurance costs

Startup cost

$8,000 – $120,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $25,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Physically capable people with construction or landscaping experience who want high-ticket project work and can manage a crew and demanding customers

Startup cost

$8,000 – $60,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $25,000 / mo

First income

2 to 4 months

Hardworking people who love physical outdoor work and accept thin margins, long days, and weather risk

Startup cost

$8,000 – $60,000

Monthly earnings

$0 – $5,000 / mo

First income

4 to 8 months

Experienced tradespeople or project managers who can coordinate subs, manage cash flow, and sell high-ticket jobs

Startup cost

$8,000 – $50,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $25,000 / mo

First income

2 to 4 months

Experienced investigators or security professionals with the rigor for evidence handling and the credibility to testify

Startup cost

$8,000 – $60,000

Monthly earnings

$0 – $25,000 / mo

First income

3 to 6 months

Experienced finishers or masons who can run a crew, read the weather, and deliver flawless wall finishes that customers see every day

Startup cost

$8,000 – $45,000

Monthly earnings

$6,000 – $30,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

People who genuinely understand food production and sales and accept that meat snacks face a federal regulatory barrier most food brands do not

Startup cost

$8,000 – $60,000

Monthly earnings

$0 – $9,000 / mo

First income

4 to 9 months

Polished, reliable drivers who enjoy people, premium service, and building repeat corporate and travel clients

Startup cost

$8,000 – $60,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $9,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Experienced trades or HVAC people who want a high-ticket, safety-critical niche with strong seasonal demand

Startup cost

$8,000 – $45,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $18,000 / mo

First income

2 to 4 months

Detail-oriented people comfortable with hazardous materials, certification, liability, and dealing with insurance and inspectors

Startup cost

$8,000 – $40,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $20,000 / mo

First income

2 to 4 months

Marketing-driven founders who can build a brand and tell an honest sustainability story while managing inventory and a crowded, premium-priced market

Startup cost

$8,000 – $80,000

Monthly earnings

$0 – $15,000 / mo

First income

3 to 8 months

Licensed electricians (or those who employ one) who want a focused, rebate-driven niche with growing demand

Startup cost

$8,000 – $55,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $22,000 / mo

First income

1 to 2 months

Hands-on people who enjoy both fabrication and install work and want a mix of residential and commercial storefront jobs

Startup cost

$8,000 – $60,000

Monthly earnings

$3,000 – $20,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Hands-on people who can handle heavy, careful two-person work and want to win recurring B2B contracts with retailers

Startup cost

$8,000 – $45,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $18,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Cat-knowledgeable people with suitable space who want a calmer alternative to dog boarding and steady recurring holiday demand

Startup cost

$8,000 – $120,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $9,000 / mo

First income

2 to 5 months

Experienced HVAC/R techs who can diagnose sealed systems and want recurring commercial accounts rather than residential service calls

Startup cost

$8,000 – $45,000

Monthly earnings

$6,000 – $22,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Experienced dance teachers who can build a loyal community of families and are ready to run a real, location-based small business with staff and rent

Startup cost

$8,000 – $90,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $14,000 / mo

First income

2 to 5 months