.png)
Starting a business takes confidence, hard work and a big dream. Successful entrepreneurs benefit from greater independence and flexibility, and small businesses are the major source of innovation and niche products and services.
With more people online more than ever, now is a good time for online start-ups. Here are five of the most promising online business opportunities for 2021 and beyond.
1: eCommerce and drop-shipping
Ecommerce is an online store where you sell products. This can take many forms, such as reselling, selling art or stock photos, and on demand printing (for like t-shirts, banners and so forth). Reselling has even gotten more popular with drop-shipping, another great business opportunity.
Drop-shipping is becoming more common as more people start ecommerce businesses. It allows you to sell products that are stored by a third party, usually a wholesaler or retailer, with a warehouse and shipping services.
2: Create and sell online courses
This can be a lucrative passive income opportunity. If you are good at something and have some teaching skills, this may be a great option for you. No experience or formal qualifications necessary. Just make sure you really do know what you are talking about and that you are offering real value.
3: Affiliate marketing
Another lucrative business idea that requires very little funding to start. Start a blog, or vlog, and get businesses to pay you to sell their products. They create all the marketing materials you will need so all you need to do is find ways to get people to follow you, by creating useful and high quality content and building a list. This is easy to start from home and earning power could be in the millions.
4: Start an online agency or consultancy
If you are somewhat of an expert in a particular topic or service, this could be a good fit for you. Some types of agencies may need some initial funding to set up, but most can easily be done from home with very little investment. Ideas for business to business agencies include: SEO services, social media marketing, digital marketing, HR services, graphics design, copywriting, content creation, website tester, WordPress support, online bookkeeping, subscription box curator, and more.
5: Coaching service
If you are already a coach or a counsellor, why not start your own coaching business online? This is the best way to earn money working only 4-5 hours per week. You can have sessions for groups or individuals and offer support services via voice calls, text or emails.
A great platform to look for clients is coach.me for those who are just starting out. Or you could create great a blog, or vlog, to attract followers and build your own list of potential clients.
Subscribe to our newsletter for more tips and trends.
About the Author
Taneallea Feddis
Founder/Managing Director, BlackWall Consultants
She is an educator, website designer and content marketer.​ She helps entrepreneurs develop their business through coaching and developing their digital strategy. She is passionate about teaching new skills to others, and her goal is to encourage and assist Caribbean businesses with their digital transformation and sharing in their success stories. Click here to learn more about Taneallea Feddis.