35 Best Business Ideas to be Your Own Boss (One Person Business Ideas 2024 Guide)

If you are looking forward to attaining financial freedom and generating more revenue, then you need to start your business. In today’s era, there are several one-man business ideas you could begin with.

Whether you are a techy or crafty individual, possess a unique skill, are a professional in a field or have a product idea, there is a lot you could explore. In this guide, we will explain the 35 best one-person business ideas to be your own boss in 2024.

1. Social Media Management

One of the most cogent ways many businesses use to attract an audience and gain customers is through social media. As such, the need for social media managers who could handle the business online platforms is usually on the rise.

Beyond that, social media managers are required to help engage followers and possibly turn them into customers, create meaningful written and video content, create content calendars for each month, help build the business fans and lots more.

All of these activities, most times, are geared towards helping the brand create more awareness and attract more clients. If you understand how social media platforms work and can help businesses generate more revenue through them, then this is a business idea to begin in 2024. Start by obtaining some certifications, building a portfolio and partnering with businesses.

2. Writing

Writing skill is one important digital skill you can never go wrong with. There are several types of writing and you can start by focusing on one. There are many companies out there that need content writers, copywriters, ghostwriters, business proposal writers and lots more.

While there are many aspects you can focus on, you would need to learn and understand how each works before rendering it as a service. With content writing skills, you would be required to help businesses compose write-ups like articles, blog posts, product descriptions and many more. With copywriting skills, you would need to learn how to write effective sales copy, ads copy and so on.

3. Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistant service is another business you could start right from the comfort of your home. With so many busy professionals out there, the need for virtual assistants who can manage simple business tasks is high.

Your activities as a virtual assistant would revolve around carrying out administrative tasks, booking appointments, data entry, sending and responding to emails and lots more.

With that, you could simply decide on the number of clients you want to work with, set your charges per hour, reach out to potential clients through social media and freelancing platforms and so on.

4. Website Designing

Many businesses today require the service of a website designer who can design functional websites for their brand. With this, you can easily render this service to start-ups or help already existing businesses who wish to restore their website. You would be required to learn this skill before rendering it as a service. Moreover, you would also need to market the service in order to attract customers.

5. Dog Walking and grooming

With dog walking and grooming services, you would be able to help dog owners take care of their pets. Having a special love for dogs is important. Moreover, you'd need to choose the breed of dogs you want to work with and source for clients accordingly.

Your activities would revolve around feeding, bathing, trimming their hair, cutting their nails and caring for and being a companion to them. You would also be required to help walk the dogs around.

6. Graphic Designing

Graphic designing service is another digital business you can start if you have prior knowledge and skill sets in it. Many businesses, individuals and authors need visuals to promote their products and services. With that, you can always render this service and get paid for it.

While there are many aspects of graphic design you can render and earn, you should try to be competent and be an expert in a selected area. You can design flyers, book covers, logos, templates and lots more. Beyond that, you could also offer branding services to businesses and provide basic branding consulting services to them.

7. E-commerce Business

E-commerce is another business idea many people are venturing into today. While this kind of business requires investing more capital, you can even get started just with a few dollars. You can decide to sell different crafts if you have a passion for them.

Beyond that, you can sell several unique products based on trends. You would need to source for suppliers or manufacturers for your goods. While you could stock your products, you could simply partner with suppliers and let them make deliveries to your customers when you have orders. Moreso, you would need a functional website and social media handles to market your products.

8. Blogging

This is a highly paying business enterprise you can also start. To get started with blogging, you would need to decide on the specific niche you want to focus on. This could be in finance, business, health, travel, marketing and lots more.

You would be required to own a website where you would publish your blog content. This content should preferably be an error-free, unplagiarized, grammatically correct one. Beyond that, earning through blogging involves putting a lot of strategies in place, and as such, you would need to learn SEO practices and other tactics to monetise your blog.

9. Video Editing

With so many businesses seeking social media presence and attention, the need for video editors is usually on the rise. As a video editor, your business activities would revolve around editing video, adding effects, colours, transitions, etc., to generate visually appealing content that attracts the audience's attention and helps them take action.

Beyond social media advertising, video contents are needed in several aspects of a business. You would, therefore, need to be conversant with software like Adobe Premiere Pro, Canva, Capcut, Inshot, DaVinci Resolve, and lots more to get started. While you don’t necessarily need qualifications to get started, you should be proficient, ready to network, build a strong portfolio, etc, to attract clients.

10. Translating

Translating services is another business idea you can start today. Apart from your native language and English language, you might have to learn and understand another popular language. This could be Spanish, Mandarin, German, Arabic and many more. Your activities would revolve around converting written or spoken words from one language to another.

While this is quite a straightforward business you could start if you have prior language experience, you might need to learn how to use Translating software and tools and also build a portfolio. With the use of social media handles and freelancing platforms, you'd be able to get some clients.

11. Drop shipping

With a little start-up capital, you can start a drop shipping business as you aren’t required to keep stocks of goods in order to sell. You would mainly be focused on the marketing and customer service aspects of the business.

You would, however, need to partner with suppliers who can fulfil customers’ orders on your behalf. To get started, identify the kind of products you want to sell and get a reliable supplier for them.

Next is to design a simple e-commerce website and start marketing the product through paid social media ads. Once you are able to get customers, you would need to send their order details to your supplier so they can fulfil the shipment.

12. Photography

As long as individuals and businesses organise events and parties, there would usually be the need for expert photographers. You could, therefore, focus on helping them cover business events, graduation, weddings and many more.

By creating a unique and attractive portfolio, you would be able to attract a lot of customers. Besides, you can always decide on the number of customers to work with, the type of client to work for and develop your unique photography style.

13. Content Creation

As a content creator, you would need to gather followers on social media platforms and regularly engage them. You would also need to decide on the type of content to dish to your audience. Some of the niches you can focus on include travel, lifestyle, automobile, business and many more.

The more you gain an authentic audience with this kind of business, the more the chances of generating high revenue. Once you can gather a large audience who are interested in your topic, you can start influencing other business owners still within the niche.

As such if you choose an automobile niche, then you can partner with brands selling cars and advertise for them while you get paid. Beyond that, you could learn the monetisation of the platform you are using or sell a product or service directly to your audience. In Fact, there is a lot you could do with content creation, however, gathering a genuine audience and engaging them with valuable content is key.

14. Bookkeeping

While you will find many enterprises with accountants, there is usually a need for bookkeepers, too, who could work on a freelance basis.

Your duty as a bookkeeper involves keeping and maintaining financial records and statements, recording expenses and revenue, ensuring compliance with accounting principles, collaborating with the accountant and lots more.

To get started, you might want to obtain some bookkeeping certifications, familiarise yourself with accounting and bookkeeping principles, learn how to use basic bookkeeping software and tools and so on.

15. Massage therapist

Massage therapy is another one-man business idea you could begin in 2024. Here, you would help clients live a healthy lifestyle by providing relaxation therapy, helping them reduce stress and tension and so on. You would need to acquire the necessary certifications and licences to get started.

You would also need to identify the type of massage therapy you want to focus on, like  aromatherapy, Acupressure, Thai massage, Cupping therapy, Shiatsu, deep tissue massage and so on.

You would need to set up an inviting and welcoming environment to offer your services. You might also need to partner with some local Spa around and advertise through social media and your community to attract clients.

16. Online event planning

Online event planning is a one-man business you could begin from the comfort of your home. Just like we have a regular event planner, your duties would include organising virtual events, creating awareness about the events, communicating event time and venue to participants, ensuring all logistics are put in place and a lot more.

As an online event planner, your activity starts from when an event is planned till when it is successfully carried out. You would need to obtain the necessary certifications, partner with business owners, and advertise your business across several channels to get started.

17. Fitness training

If you’re passionate about fitness and a healthy lifestyle, then you could venture into the fitness training program. Here, you’ll be concerned about helping people live a healthy life by planning out fitness programs, organising classes and designing a fitness curriculum that meets the needs of each client.

You would need to invest in some fitness equipment and then market your business to a target audience. While you could have a physical fitness location, you can also organise your classes from home and offer a virtual service. Obtaining the necessary certifications and qualifications before getting started is also important.

18. Business Consulting

As a business consultant, your services would revolve around providing business advice to several start-ups and established businesses. To offer this kind of service, you must be specifically experienced with business operations and strategies. You would also be required to help businesses with their financial planning and analysis, marketing and operations.

With just a few dollars, you would be able to start this business. You could simply create a website to market your services. Through the use of social media handles and freelancing platforms, you would be able to get more clients.

19. Tutoring

There are several aspects of online tutoring you can focus on depending on your skills. This could be a school subject, language, music, digital skill and so on. With this type of skill, you'd need to identify your target audience, set up lesson plans and design classes that suit their needs.

While you could offer offline classes within your local community, you could also set up virtual ones in order to attract an audience from different locations.

Beyond the skills mentioned above, you might also want to focus your teaching on helping elderly people understand the use of tech, software and tools. Overall, understanding the specific audience you want to serve and identifying how to reach them is key.

20. Handyman

Handyman services involve providing a range of repair and installation services to homes and business environments. If you are looking forward to offering this kind of service, then you must be exceptionally good in carpentry, electrical or mechanical work, plumbing and so on.

Once you've decided on the particular one to go for, you would want to obtain relevant certifications to get started. Beyond that, you would need to invest in tools and machines that are needed, determine a pricing structure, advertise within the community and neighbouring town and so on.

21. Travel planning

Travel planning involves helping individuals and businesses organise their travel while also ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience. It encompasses the process of booking flights, securing accommodations, arranging the places to visit and so on. To get started, you would need to obtain the necessary certifications.

Beyond that, you should familiarise yourself with tourist attractions and fun places your clients could visit, get acquainted with various visa requirements and how to obtain them, research several airlines, hotels, etc, build your online presence and be ready to deal with people from different cultural backgrounds. While this is a great business to start, you would need to gather lots of knowledge to get started.

22. Life Coaching

If you have the zeal to help others achieve their personal and career goals, then you could start a life coaching business. You would need some form of certification and licence to get started.

Your activities would revolve around guiding individuals with their decision-making, providing enlightenment on the career path to choose, providing insights into real life and practical problems and offering solutions, creating an avenue for self-development, helping people attain a healthy work-life balance and lots more.

While you could offer physical sessions, you can also meet with your clients online. By providing empathetic guidance and helping individuals live a fulfilling life, you would be able to attract several customers.

23. Pet Sitting

As a pet lover, pet sitting is a business you can start. With just a few dollars, you can begin this business. You would, however, need to connect with pet owners within your immediate community.

You might also want to consider using social media platforms to reach pet owners around. Your activities would revolve around caring, bathing, feeding and being a companion for pets. While you can offer this service from your home, you could also offer it from clients' homes.

24. Stock trading

If you understand how stock trading works or you are willing to learn, then you could start this as a business. You would basically need to buy and sell stock in order to generate revenue.

You would also need to study the stock market and understand when to buy and sell at a higher price to make more money. While this kind of business can be combined with other ventures, you would be able to generate a lot of money if you have a huge capital to start and understand how it works.

25. Data Entry Services

As a data entry business owner, you will be required to help businesses and researchers enter and organise data. Ability to pay attention to details, familiarity with data entry software, and access to reliable internet are some of the requirements of this business.

Just like every other freelancing business, you can always work from the comfort of your home, decide on your pricing, source for clients through freelancing platforms and so on.

26. Personal Chef

With just a few dollars, you can start your personal chef business. With this you will be required to prepare meals for people in their homes, cook for occasions or cook in your home while also getting it delivered to customers. You would need to purchase basic cooking materials and more so market your service through social media to get customers. Beyond that, you could also get clients by reaching out to people within your immediate community.

27. Delivery services

Delivery service is another one man business you could begin to be your own boss in 2024. Here, you would need some form of transportation, including the use of a car, to get started. You would also need some form of certification and licence, depending on the state you are in. Once you’ve obtained that, start by partnering with small businesses around. You might also want to utilise social media to reach more customers.

28. Sell Courses Online

This type of business allows you to make income from the comfort of your home and with ease. By creating a one-time course, you would be able to market and sell to a wide number of audiences. With platforms like Udemy, Coursera and more, you would be able to sell to a lot of people from different parts of the world. You could sell courses that focus on several skills, subject matters and many more.

29. Transcription Service

Transcribing involves converting audio statements to written words. You would usually find many companies requiring experts to help convert their recordings to written words.

While this kind of business is quite easy to start, you would need active listening skills and writing skills, including the ability to write grammar-free words, use correct and proper punctuations and so on. You might also need to learn how to use basic transcribing tools that will aid in carrying out this service.

30. Digital Marketing services

As a digital marketer, your business activities would focus on helping companies and start-ups generate more revenue by strategizing the right marketing options.

This could involve anything from SEO marketing, social media marketing, content creation, email marketing and lots more. In fact, digital marketing is a broad concept, and as such, you might want to choose an area of focus when starting.

While you could charge your customers per project, you could also receive an hourly or monthly payment. Begin by going through extensive digital marketing courses and training. Once you’ve mastered the skill, getting clients in this area will be much easier.

31. App Development

Just as many businesses require a functional website, many are now in need of a mobile application to ease their business affairs. You could simply develop a mobile app and sell it to businesses. On the other hand, you could develop a unique app that meets the needs of specific businesses.

Beyond that, you could create apps that basically entertain some target audience while you earn money as they install and utilise your apps. By creating user-friendly apps that meet the needs of an audience, you would be able to build a customer base quickly.

32. Home and Office Organisation service

Home and office organisation is a business you can offer to individuals, families and businesses who are relocating or moving to a new environment. Your activities in this business would involve cleaning, organising and tidying up the environment.

While this is a good business you can start as a one-man business, you might need to hire more hands as the business grows and expands. You would need to purchase basic cleaning equipment and machines to get started. You might also need to invest in marketing to gain more customers.

33. Data Analysis

Data analysts are usually required by professionals, business owners, researchers and lots more. In fact, many industries today require the services of a data analyst. Your duties in this business would include collecting, organising and analysing data and generating meaningful information and outputs that are relevant to a business or individual's growth.

Many businesses need the service of a data analyst for a number of reasons. This could be due to a need to prove a hypothesis, gather meaningful information, test a new strategy, product or service, introduce a new marketing strategy and so on.

34. Voiceover Services

Just like video editors are also needed by businesses, they also require the service of a voiceover artist. If you are into music or have an appealing voice and would like to make money with that, then you should start this business.

You would be needed to provide voiceover sounds for video ads, podcasts, audio content and lots more. You could charge per project or hour. Start by building a strong portfolio, network with potential customers and build a personal website to market your service.

35. Affiliate marketing

With affiliate marketing, you do not need to own a product or provide a service before you can earn. You would simply be required to market other people's products or services to earn money. While this kind of business could seem simple, many individuals do it as a full-time business.

You could use your social media handles or create a website for product promotion. You would need to gather a lot of audience and strategize marketing options to earn with this business idea.

Conclusion

No matter the kind of skills you possess, there are a variety of one-person business ideas you could do to be your own boss in 2024. While it might not be so straightforward to succeed as a beginner, you should ensure you put the right marketing strategy in place, build a strong portfolio where needed and network within your industry.