13 Small Business Ideas for Men

As today’s job market becomes more unpredictable, more people than ever are turning to self-employment as their new career. The idea of being one’s own boss, not having to answer to anyone but yourself is intriguing and liberating. While working for yourself often means putting in 50, 60, or 70 hours per week on the job, for many people it doesn’t even feel like work.

Making a living pursuing your passion is a dream come true for those who do it, and once they achieve a small taste of success at self-employment they never want to return to working for others. As layoffs have impacted many workers, particularly men, many are looking at ideas for small businesses that combine their interests and skills into money-making ventures.

1. Personal Stylist

Everybody would love to have their own personal shopper and stylist, even men. Having someone to help in selecting the right clothing, hairstyle, furniture, and more would be a great help to most guys who either don’t have the time or motivation to figure out what works best for them.

This is an easy business to start on a part-time basis, working at it on evenings and weekends. Wives would be very interested in hiring the services of a personal shopper and stylist for their husbands, hoping to upgrade the looks of their men.

2. Barbershop

If you have a knack for cutting hair, opening a barbershop is a great option. Also, a business that could be easily started on a part-time basis, it’s a virtually recession-proof business. You can specialize in men only, or expand to women and kids to offer service to the entire family. Once you get a few clients and get some word-of-mouth advertising going, this is a business that can quickly expand into a full-time venture.

3. Internet Marketing

Internet services such as freelance writing, blogging, website development, and others can make a great business for someone with a knowledge of computers and some creativity. One of the fastest-growing internet businesses is having an e-commerce store or selling products on sites such as eBay. There are a wealth of freelance writing sites online, offering would-be authors the chance to make a living while doing what they love. Easily started part-time, these businesses offer chances to make a full-time income while working part-time hours.

If you’re just starting out, approach every purchase as an investment in yourself and your own education. Most people fail because they chase ‘shiny objects’ hoping for that ‘big breakthrough’ instead of mastering one skill that others will pay for.”

4. Pet Sitting

If you love animals, you can get paid to spend time with your favorite creatures. The global pet sitting market is currently worth 2.6 billion USD. You can follow individualized pet routines with a high level of autonomy to keep the pets happy and healthy.

5. Home Repair Handyman

Becoming a Home Handyman, doing repairs for homeowners and rental properties can be very lucrative. Many of these jack-of-all-trades charge $50 per hour or more, leading to lots of money in a relatively short period of time.

Another aspect of this business is a lawn care and landscaping, providing a service to those who can’t mow their yards or those who just want someone else to do so. Once again, word-of-mouth works wonders with this business, often leading to more work than one can handle.

6. Freelance Writing Business

It has become fairly easy to become a freelance worker in the industry today and it is one of the simplest online businesses to start. All that s required is a good internet connection and a computer. You do not require any official journalism or literature degree to get started in this field.

7. Beef Jerky

Making and selling beef jerky can be an unusual and interesting way to make a living. As more people are wanting to purchase local foods from local people, selling beef jerky at farmer’s markets, fairs and local stores can be very lucrative. Using some creative marketing along with being willing to ask stores to stock your goodies can lead to big orders and big money.

8. Automotive Detailing

A nice-looking car is something everyone wants, so starting an automotive detailing business can become very popular very quickly. If you love giving a car that new-car look and feel, this could be the business for you. An easy business to start with a handful of car-cleaning supplies, putting up a few fliers around town at gas stations, grocery stores and garages can start the customers heading your way.

9. Cooking

You should begin learning to cook and sharing your knowledge with others so that they can enjoy the taste of homemade food. Furthermore, on websites, you can get inexpensive second-hand kitchen appliances. Bonus point: you can earn a substantial sum of money while also assisting others.

10. Restaurant Owner or Personal Chef

If you love to cook and entertain, opening up your own restaurant or becoming a personal chef to families can be a fun and profitable way to earn a living. However, opening a restaurant costs lots of money and takes a tremendous amount of time, and they have some of the highest failure rates of any small business.

Being a personal chef, starting a grocery delivery service, or operating a food stand at a local outdoor market can be a fun way to capitalize on turning a hobby into a business. Another small business idea for men that’s relevant to the food industry would be to start your own brewery.

11. T-Shirt Store

One profitable and popular business idea among men is opening up an online T-shirt store. This is by no means something new; you’ll see thousands of such small businesses, but not all of them are profitable.

The key is to design fashion-forward T-shirts that will get eyes rolling. In this regard, it’s critical to research the current interests of your target market and develop your tees accordingly. For instance, if you cater to young adults, you might find, through research, that they love music-related T-shirts.

So if you design T-shirts of famous bands and artists and market them right, you might witness your sales go through the roof!

12. Fitness Coach or Personal Trainer

With America’s obsession with weight and fitness, becoming a personal trainer or selling health products can be very lucrative. Busy moms who want to get back in shape, athletes needing some individualized attention, or guys who have a beer belly all are potential customers.

The sessions can be conducted at a local gym or at the client’s home if they have the necessary equipment. Selling vitamins, fitness books and other products online can bring in a nice sideline income while still maintaining a full-time job, or even become a full-time venture all to itself. Whatever business is chosen, the opportunity to be one’s own boss is simply too good to pass up.

13. Homemade Crafting

You can produce almost anything these days in your own home thanks to speedy shipping and easy access to raw materials online. For instance, you could get started in leatherworking, and make hand-crafted briefcases and travel bags for men.

Leatherworking does require a strenuous amount of hours, however, it’s worth noting that these handmade goods seem to always sell for a premium price. Although note quite homemade, another similar idea to leatherworking would be shoe repair.