Top Unique Business Ideas For Students: Here are some great business ideas that students can use to make some extra money while going to school, in addition to their day jobs. In fact, these business ideas can be started with no money and very little investment of time or energy.
Top Unique Business Ideas For Students
So there’s really no reason not to get started today! See below for more details on how to start your own business from home without any startup costs, and then move forward from there!
Become a Tutor
Tutoring provides a way to make money at your own schedule and has flexible hours that fit your lifestyle. If you’re looking for business ideas for students, tutoring is an excellent option. Not only are you helping others learn in their free time, but you’re also developing skills in both tutoring and teaching—and building a reputation as someone with knowledge to offer.
Start an Etsy Store
Starting an Etsy store is a creative way to bring in some extra cash and help you make your hobbies profitable. Check out these options for selling products online, like on Etsy: Market Stall – If you have crafty or artistic skills, then opening up a market stall might be right for you.
You can sell whatever you’re making at local markets or craft fairs. Online Marketplace – Make some money off your old stuff by listing it on an online marketplace like Craigslist or eBay. You can also build custom websites to sell merchandise online—whether it’s vintage t-shirts, handcrafted jewelry, or even gourmet baking mixes.
Freelance Writing/Editing – If you enjoy writing or editing, consider freelancing as a side business idea. There are tons of freelance writing jobs available on sites like Upwork and Freelancer that pay anywhere from $5-$25 per hour. Just remember that freelancing isn’t always steady work—you may find yourself with long dry spells between gigs if you don’t network well.
Virtual Assistant – Do you love to organize? Or do you prefer social media? Look into becoming a virtual assistant who helps other businesses stay organized and keep their social media profiles updated with fresh content.
Create a Vlog
The market is cluttered with YouTube vloggers and you’re going to have to work hard to create a name for yourself. But it’s totally possible! Vlogging has been around for almost ten years, but only in recent years has it become a super-popular way to earn money online.
You can make money from your YouTube channel through advertising, or through affiliate marketing, where you earn a commission when someone clicks on one of your links and makes a purchase. As long as there’s always new content being created, you should be able to find an audience willing to pay up for access.
Sell Homemade Chocolate Treats
The profit margins on homemade chocolate treats are incredibly high—but you can’t serve them at a traditional job or go on a business trip without packing them in your carry-on. These six business ideas require you to be in (or near) one place, which is an ideal setup for students who don’t like being stuck behind a desk all day. (Need more inspiration?
Here are 50 jobs you can do from home.) #1: Tutoring: If you have expertise in a certain subject, tutoring might be just what you need to earn some extra cash and gain valuable experience. As with any other business idea, there are many variables that affect whether tutoring will work out as planned—including your skill level and area of expertise, as well as where and how often you tutor.
But if these factors line up right, tutoring could help pay off student loans while also providing some fun opportunities for learning outside of class. Plus, when people learn something new they often feel great about themselves! That alone makes it worth considering becoming a tutor.
Rent Out Your Room/House on Airbnb
If you live near a college town or tourist destination, consider renting out your house while you’re out of town. Airbnb can help you find short-term renters, and all transactions are handled electronically—no cash ever changes hands.
If your property is eligible for vacation rental status, that means potential guests can use sites like Expedia and Orbitz to book their stay. And if they want a refund after they check in? No problem—Airbnb has a $1 million guarantee to cover costs if something goes wrong with their reservation. —T.C. Worley
Draw Creative Things On The Sidewalk With Chalk
A unique business idea that is also a fun weekend activity is to draw pictures on sidewalks with chalk. You can do chalk art in a town, at an event, or in front of a local store. If you pick a good location, people will drive past and see your artwork as they’re going about their daily activities. It’s an excellent way to be noticed and bring more people into your store!
Some very large chalk drawings have even been featured on television (such as Dr. Seuss in San Diego). If you want to start drawing on sidewalks, but aren’t sure where to begin or what designs are popular, take some time online and check out various YouTube channels dedicated to drawing with chalk. There are hundreds of videos showing how to draw everything from flowers to famous characters like SpongeBob SquarePants.
Buy Things At A Yard Sale And Then Sell Them Online
If you’re a thrifty person who doesn’t mind doing a little work, turning things around and making a profit is a great way to earn some extra money. On any given weekend, you can find yard sales going on in every neighborhood.
Next time you’re out driving around and see one, just stop by and take a look at what’s for sale; there are always items that may be interesting to sell online if they haven’t already been snatched up. The key here is to remember that if it’s not selling at a yard sale for $1, chances are no one will buy it online for $5. So choose your purchases wisely!
Offer Private Lessons On Your Subject Of Expertise
There are two basic ways to monetize your knowledge and experience. The first is by sharing that information for free. This requires a large audience, which you can build through blogging and other content creation efforts. However, building and maintaining a massive following requires a lot of work and dedication – it’s not easy.
But if you have an interesting story or valuable information that appeals to enough people, it may be worth doing. The second way is to offer private instruction on your subject of expertise. Once again, you’ll need a large base of interested students (preferably located in your town) before hiring yourself out as an expert is worthwhile.
If you do decide to go down that route, make sure you’re skilled at teaching others what you know so they don’t end up learning from someone with less experience than them. It could also help to see if there are any local colleges offering classes on whatever it is you want to teach; some will even pay their professors!
Start An Online Store For Your Interest or Passion
There are lots of ways to earn money as a virtual assistant, but one of our favorites is through time tracking. Many business owners don’t have time to log their hours on every project they take on and so they end up having to pay someone else—you—to do it for them. This way, your earnings (most likely) reflect their success. Another perk?
As a virtual assistant, you can start with projects that you’re interested in and can grow your business around your skills and interests. Be mindful about being choosy here, though: Are you going to find enough work doing social media for retailers? Probably not. But if you want to be a freelance writer or editor, taking on some client projects will do just fine. Here’s how to get started.
Be a Virtual Assistant (VA)
Virtual assistants can help keep your business organized from day to day. Some VAs specialize in administrative work, such as organizing phone messages and tracking appointments; others focus on marketing projects, for example, by creating landing pages for your website or building out a social media presence. VAs can also help with writing or editing work.
If you’re interested in hiring a VA to grow your business, here are some questions to ask when interviewing candidates: What’s your relevant experience? How do you plan to get tasks done efficiently? What tools will you use? How often do you provide updates on projects? Will there be regular check-ins with clients (if so, how often)? Are you able to work on weekends or evenings?
Do you have any certifications that might make you more marketable? Can I see samples of your work? What types of clients have you worked with before? Do they have references I can contact? What is your hourly rate and payment schedule (hourly, daily, per project)? Do you offer a retainer package or other discounts for long-term projects?
Do you offer free consultations to potential clients who aren’t sure if they need your services yet but want to learn more about what virtual assistance entails? How many hours per week are available for new client work? Can I reach out at any time if an urgent question comes up that needs answering right away—even if it’s outside of normal working hours or over a weekend/holiday period?
Also Read: Unique Business Ideas For Ladies
Conclusion
Although you’re still in school, there are some business ideas you can still pursue while completing your degree. Consider consulting, freelance writing, and even turning your passion into a money-making opportunity.
And as long as your grades don’t suffer (and if they do, it might be time to reconsider), you can use your free time to work on side projects that could someday blossom into full-fledged enterprises. Read below for an overview of just a few unique business ideas for students.
