Service Businesses — page 2

People with a green thumb who want recurring B2B contracts and a calm, route-based service business

Startup cost

$700 – $8,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $9,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Methodical, hands-on people who enjoy mastering a craft and building recurring commercial route accounts

Startup cost

$800 – $12,000

Monthly earnings

$800 – $7,000 / mo

First income

2 to 4 weeks

Creatively inclined, hands-on people who love the holidays and can earn most of a year's income in an intense two-to-three-month window

Startup cost

$800 – $8,000

Monthly earnings

$0 – $12,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Patient, organized, tech-comfortable people who like long-term projects and working closely with families on something personal

Startup cost

$800 – $8,000

Monthly earnings

$800 – $5,500 / mo

First income

3 to 8 weeks

Detail-oriented people who want stable, recurring route revenue and are willing to learn pool chemistry and equipment rather than chase one-off jobs

Startup cost

$1,000 – $8,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $10,000 / mo

First income

2 to 6 weeks

People who want predictable recurring revenue and are willing to do nightly work early and shift into bidding, hiring, and managing crews

Startup cost

$1,000 – $10,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $14,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

People in snowy regions who can handle odd hours, physical work, and income that swings with the weather

Startup cost

$1,000 – $25,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $15,000 / mo

First income

Within the first snowfall (often days to weeks)

People who want B2B recurring work, can manage dusty physical jobs and small crews, and can build trust with builders and general contractors

Startup cost

$1,000 – $8,000

Monthly earnings

$2,500 – $14,000 / mo

First income

2 to 6 weeks

Detail-oriented, handy people who measure carefully and enjoy a mix of in-home sales and clean installation work

Startup cost

$1,000 – $8,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $9,000 / mo

First income

2 to 6 weeks

Comfortable-on-roofs, safety-minded people who want a recurring service riding the growth of solar adoption

Startup cost

$1,000 – $8,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $8,000 / mo

First income

2 to 4 weeks

Trustworthy, detail-oriented people in or near a seasonal or vacation-home market who want flexible, recurring, relationship-based work

Startup cost

$1,000 – $6,000

Monthly earnings

$1,000 – $7,000 / mo

First income

2 to 6 weeks

Hands-on people who like recurring routes, are comfortable with water chemistry, and can learn basic equipment repair

Startup cost

$1,200 – $9,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $8,500 / mo

First income

2 to 4 weeks

Physically capable people who want a low-barrier service business with fast first income and a clear path to adding trucks and crews

Startup cost

$1,500 – $12,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $12,000 / mo

First income

1 to 2 weeks

People who want active outdoor work, recurring weekly income, and a clear path from mowing into higher-margin landscaping

Startup cost

$1,500 – $12,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $10,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 weeks

People comfortable working at heights who want to earn a large chunk of income in a short, intense seasonal push

Startup cost

$1,500 – $12,000

Monthly earnings

$4,000 – $20,000 / mo

First income

1 to 2 months

People comfortable with chemical safety and B2B/government sales who want recurring contract revenue rather than one-off residential jobs

Startup cost

$1,500 – $15,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $11,000 / mo

First income

3 to 8 weeks

Hands-on people who like diagnostic problem-solving and want recurring seasonal service revenue rather than one-off jobs

Startup cost

$1,500 – $15,000

Monthly earnings

$2,500 – $12,000 / mo

First income

3 to 6 weeks

Detail-oriented people who like hands-on outdoor work, live near water, and want higher per-job tickets than car detailing

Startup cost

$1,500 – $9,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $12,000 / mo

First income

2 to 4 weeks

Patient, empathetic, highly organized people who can guide older adults and families through an emotional, logistics-heavy transition

Startup cost

$1,500 – $12,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $10,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Detail-oriented, personable people who can handle background-check sensitivity, build B2B volume accounts, and navigate state and channeler enrollment paperwork

Startup cost

$1,500 – $25,000

Monthly earnings

$800 – $9,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Physically strong, reliable people who want a high-demand service with per-job pricing and a clear path to crews

Startup cost

$2,000 – $20,000

Monthly earnings

$3,000 – $14,000 / mo

First income

2 to 4 weeks

People who want a recurring-subscription route business and are willing to grind for the customer density that makes it profitable

Startup cost

$2,000 – $30,000

Monthly earnings

$800 – $6,000 / mo

First income

2 to 6 weeks

Empathetic, organized people with an eye for valuing secondhand goods who can earn families' trust during emotional transitions

Startup cost

$2,000 – $15,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $10,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Detail-oriented, patient people who can master a hands-on craft where the skill — not the equipment — is what customers pay for

Startup cost

$2,000 – $30,000

Monthly earnings

$2,500 – $12,000 / mo

First income

3 to 8 weeks