There’s never been a perfect time to start a side hustle than now. The digital world has made it easier for you to make extra cash on the go and even earn supplementary income from the comfort of your couch without needing a second physical job.
Boosted by new content monetization policies, software, apps, and AI, there are countless stories of individuals who have quit their 8-5 jobs to go all-in as their business idea turns into money-making success.
Surprisingly, many professionals taking side hustles are even discovering that they no longer need to work a job they don’t enjoy.
5 Side Hustles and Business Ideas You Can Start Today
Here are just a few side hustle business ideas to inspire you and get your heels turning
1. Print-on-demand
With printing on demand, you earn a commission for each sale of items such as t-shirts, tops, hoodies, notebooks, and mugs.
The exciting part of printing on demand as a business is that it requires no inventory, meaning you don’t need storage space to start with, and you don’t need to spend upfront costs on purchasing any inventory.
Not only does printing on demand save you money and space, but it also protects the planet, reducing disposable waste.
You can also set up your online store and engage people who will handle the printing and shipping for you.
How to start today: Decide on a niche and have fun as you start designing graphics for your POD side hustle.
2. Virtual Event Planner
As a virtual event planner, you would be coordinating specific events within the main event to administering tech setup and hosting, while being alert to manage any technical issues throughout the entire process. You may also offer your services to co-host the event. You can charge an hourly rate or create a package fee.
Prior experience in using remote work tools in project management, planning, and corporate events coordination will certainly help.
Since the COVID-19 period, online events (and hybrid events) have remained in demand, as they offer a convenient way for more people to attend seminars, training programs, and other private and corporate functions — at a fraction of the cost incurred for in-person meetings.
How to start today: Build a portfolio, create a relationship with small businesses offer your services pro bono to begin with, and create a profile on a freelance marketplace like Upwork or Fiverr. Virtual event planners on, Fiverr can make upwards of about $60 an hour.
3. Personal Training/Virtual Exercise Classes
The health and fitness industry is expected to surpass the $6 billion mark by 2027. You can choose to offer personalized coaching and provide fitness plans online. This allows you to train clients from all over the world, not limited by geographical location.
The fitness and personal training market is highly competitive, therefore, be prepared to work on identifying what makes you and your training programs stand out, and have strong results to show for it.
You can teach live classes on Zoom, or pre-record workouts and upload the videos to fitness apps.
How to start today: If you’re already a certified trainer, start by offering free classes. Build some traction and interest in your sessions then begin to charge by adding extra value and upgrades, such as premium access for membership subscriptions.
4. Sell Soaps and Candles
Handmade/homemade soaps and candles have a personal artisan appeal and make for great gifts, especially during birthdays, Christmas, and special events. You may notice that at certain seasons of the year, there might be a peak demand for gifts, such as Valentine’s Day.
The best thing about making handmade soaps and candles is the low start-up cost and some of the ingredients might be found in your kitchen or bathroom.
You could even decide to tap into niche markets such as aromatherapy for massage therapists, or organic products since they can be designed to be eco-friendly, resonating with those who share these values.
Once your product is ready, you can sell it on social media, e-commerce sites like Jiji and Amazon, or your website.
How to start today: Research and experiment dozen recipes and allow your creativity and imagination to expand. You can use ChatGPT to help brainstorm different ideas to ensure your product is sustainable, profitable, and has strong demand.
5. E-commerce Chatbot Development
As more people continue to shop online, e-commerce chatbot Development is another lucrative business idea that you can do as a side hustle, and develop custom chatbots for ecommerce businesses.
If you are a tech enthusiast and have coding experience or knowledge that can use a no-code chatbot-building platform, this skill can be a profitable venture that can earn you solid cash in dollars.
Many small businesses are working to make their operations efficient and improve their customer experience by offering chatbots that answer customer questions, provide support, and automate customer service.
How to start today: Target small or medium-sized e-commerce companies, you can use freelance platforms such as LinkedIn to approach them.
Presently, there are endless opportunities to make money from home, from using tech to help businesses grow, to event planning and creating digital products, now is the time to turn your skills and passion into a profitable money-minting business. Use the suggestions in this article to get your side hustle idea started today.
