17 Min. Read

20 Service Business Ideas for 2024

November 13, 2024

A service business can be defined as any business that provides personal services, expertise, or skilled labor, as opposed to a product-based business that sells or produces a physical product. Marketing services, a windshield repair business, content marketing, personal shopping services, transportation, or childcare facilities are some examples of service businesses you might run into in your community.

Starting a service business can be lucrative because It takes less time to start a service-based company once you come up with a profitable idea, and it takes less startup capital than a product-based company would. They are also more flexible, as you can tailor your services to best suit your clientele. For example, if you run a house cleaning business, you may offer various rates depending on the level of cleaning your clients require.

In this article, we’ll explore a few business ideas that may just provide the inspiration you need to start your own service business.

Table of Contents

Landscaper
Virtual Assistant
Event Planner
Bookkeeper
Graphic Designer
Management Consulting
Tutor
Handyman
Interior Design
Mobile Pet Grooming
Photography
Life Coach
Real Estate
Social Media Management
Cleaning Services
Personal Chef
Personal Trainer
Makeup Artist
Pool Maintenance
House Painter and Decorator
Grow Your Business With FreshBooks

Landscaper

Countless businesses and homeowners with green spaces, lawns, and gardens need consistent tending. Becoming a self-employed landscaper is one of the best business ideas for anyone with a green thumb who is knowledgeable in lawn care, pest control, irrigation techniques, and landscape aesthetics.

The landscaping market in the U.S. is huge and is expected to reach $182.76 billion this year 1,growing from $154 billion in 2023 2. While you may need to invest some money in tools and equipment, the profitability is undeniable.

Virtual Assistant

Becoming a virtual assistant is one of the more unique service business ideas on our list, but it’s not as risky an endeavor as it might sound. The market for online help is growing consistently and has been projected to reach $8.6 billion by 2028. 3

A virtual assistant’s job is to help busy executives, celebrities, company owners, and others save time and mental space by taking care of administrative tasks, project management, and any other non-essential tasks that can be outsourced.

Because virtual assistants are often freelance workers who don’t need office space and are only paid for the work they do, this service-based business can save companies up to 78% in operating costs 4. If you’re detail-oriented and self-motivated and are looking for a job with flexible work arrangements, this might be a feasible option for you.

Event Planner

Event planning can mean anything from running a children’s party planning business to wedding planning, or even corporate event organization. This may be the best service business to start if you’re an extroverted and creative person who enjoys bringing other peoples’ visions to life.

It’s a niche industry, but there are currently over 40,150 event planners employed in the U.S. 5, and roughly 132,000 people worked in the industry in 2022 6, including those hired by planners, like caterers and decorators.

Event planners assist clients and bring people together to create unique experiences, and, with the right clients, can earn big doing so.

Bookkeeper

A bookkeeper is the person who tracks and records an organization’s financial transactions, pays bills, and processes payroll, amongst other financial services.

There are over 991,000 bookkeepers currently employed in the U.S., 7 and the market size is $73.5 billion as of 2024. 8

Becoming a bookkeeper is likely one of the safer business ideas on our list because it can be profitable if you’re connected with the right companies. Licensing and education requirements vary for U.S. bookkeepers depending on the state.

Graphic Designer

If you have computer skills, understand graphic design fundamentals and color theory, and have a degree or diploma in illustration, fine art, or graphic design, you could start your own graphic design business and produce content for small local businesses, digital marketing agencies, entertainment studios, or advertising agencies.

Even without formal training, those who have spent a lot of time studying the craft and working in the most current illustration and design software can run a successful small business doing digital marketing and creative work.

There are 265,000 graphic designers employed in the U.S. today 9 and the industry had a market value of $14.1 billion in 2022 10, making it the right service business idea for anyone interested in the industry.

Management Consulting

Starting a management consulting business means offering your specialized services to organizations, helping them identify problem areas, and offering solutions.

This might include assessing their business plan and strategies, implementing new technology, or changing their billing system to improve their financial and operational health.

The U.S. management consulting services market is expected to reach $82.28 billion by 2029 11, making it one of the best service business ideas for anyone with the right skill set and experience.

Tutor

Do you know everything about grammar? Are you bilingual? Does high-level math come easy to you? Then you might want to consider starting your own tutoring business.

As far as small service business ideas go, tutoring is one of the easiest to get into and can be very lucrative if you’re able to amass multiple clients.

Parents in the U.S. spend $375 per month on average for tutoring services 12 , and with an industry market size totaling $8.4 billion in 2022 13, it’s not likely going anywhere soon.

Handyman

In the U.S., the average hourly rate for handyman services runs somewhere between $60 to $85, making it a very profitable service-based business. It’s a growing industry, expected to reach a market size of $6.4 billion by 2025 14.

This business is also fairly recession-proof, as no matter what issues the economy faces, homeowners are always going to run into unexpected problems or come up with projects they don’t have the skills to take care of on their own.

The more experienced you are, and the more formal training and licensing you have when it comes to plumbing, construction, machinery maintenance, and home care, the more you can earn.

Interior Design

The 2024 interior design market size has been estimated to be at $137.93 billion 15 with the median annual wage for interior designers sitting at $62,510 16.

This is one of the top service-based business ideas for anybody who has a background in design, with knowledge of construction, community needs, local licensing requirements, and building codes.

Interior designers enhance both decorative and spatial elements of an environment to improve living conditions. If you have the drive and the right knowledge, starting your own service-based business focused on interior design could be a good move.

Mobile Pet Grooming

While starting your own mobile pet grooming company is one of the more unique ideas on our list, it’s not as out there as it may sound.

You can count on the mobile pet care market to grow over the next decade, as pet owners become busier, and convenience-based service business plans become more popular.

The global market for mobile pet grooming is projected to grow by around 8%, reaching more than $379 million in the US alone by the year 2030 17.

Those with veterinary licensing may even want to take this idea a step further and start their own mobile veterinary services company. Of course, this would require more in-depth education and knowledge.

Photography

A photography business can be a small side gig or a full-time job, depending on the path you choose. If you’re considering starting your own photography business, you’re not alone.

The U.S. market size was valued at $27.9 billion in 2023 18, and there are over 29,586 photographers employed in the U.S. 19 in varying industries, including marketing, art photography, portrait photography, event photography, and more.

It can be a fun way to express your creative side and earn money, especially if you understand key marketing strategies and use social media to your advantage to attract prospective clients and gain a fanbase.

Life Coach

A life coach is a great business idea if you love to help people, are flexible, and have excellent people skills.

Although it’s a much easier route if you have a background in counseling or psychology, this career path doesn’t require any specific schooling or degree, so you can get started right away, giving your clients a sense of purpose while helping them manage their stress as they learn to follow their passions.

With a projected annual growth rate of 4.85% from 2023 to 2030 20, as long as you stay motivated and work hard, you’ll have a good chance of monetary success.

Real Estate

Real estate is a profitable service business for people with good communication and organizational skills. Real estate agents show homes for sale, negotiate prices and sales terms, and update property listings on their websites, among other services. Certification is required and differs by state.

Networking and negotiation skills are crucial to running a successful small business in the industry, which is expected to reach $2.80 trillion in the U.S. alone by 2028 21.

A good real estate business owner can earn big. Understanding each unique client and attending to their needs will help you create the most successful small business possible.

Sometimes something as simple as a viral video or a well-placed photo post can net a business tons of attention.

Social media platforms are often ignored by business owners, losing prospective customers who might be used to companies maintaining their social media engagement numbers.

These platforms are free or low-cost marketing areas that can improve brand identities, promote new products, and bring in new customers, especially with the help of someone who understands social media management and fast-moving online meme culture.

The global social media consultant and management market has huge growth potential as our society migrates further online. It was valued at $23.50 billion in 2023, with projections to reach $134.07 billion by 2032 22.

Getting in now is like getting in on the ground floor of one of the most profitable business ideas today. Start your online business in social media management today, and watch it grow.

Cleaning Services

Busy families, homeowners, and companies of all sizes are often more than willing to pay good money for regular cleaning services, making it one of the most stable and profitable business service ideas on this list.

Not only will cleaning jobs never run dry as long as you maintain a good reputation, but the industry is expected to grow at a rate of 6.6% from 2023 to 2030 23.

Starting your own cleaning business has low overhead costs and high long-term profits, especially if you plan on providing specialized services like floor waxing or hoarding cleanup.

Personal Chef

Everyone needs to eat, including busy professionals and families on the go, which is why becoming a personal chef can be one of the more profitable service business ideas.

If you’re culinary inclined and enjoy spending time in the kitchen, or are as passionate about creating restaurant-quality dishes as you are about running your business, then working as a wealthy client’s home chef might be for you.

Best of all, the demand for this valuable service is high and is projected to grow 15% by the year 2028 24, making it a profitable service-based business idea.

Personal Trainer

Are you a gym rat who understands muscle groups, cardio, and gym safety? Are you a good teacher, and an outgoing person? Do you have training or certification in physical fitness or physical therapy?

If so, you might want to offer services like personal training and fitness coaching. These are profitable service businesses, with a U.S. market size of about $14 billion in 2023 25.

There are currently more than 90,600 personal fitness trainers employed in the country 26, teaching their clients proper exercise techniques, and providing much-needed motivation and support on their exercise journey.

Makeup Artist

When most people think of service business ideas, cosmetics rarely come to mind, but makeup artists are working hard throughout the nation to transform their clients, enhance appearances, and create specialized looks on movie sets, photo shoots, or special days.

Depending on your skill set, you could bring a story to life, or help a bridal party shine. If you’re looking to start your own business and have a knack for aesthetics, becoming a makeup artist might be for you.

The industry has been projected to continue growing from 2024 to 2029 27, and if you continue to upgrade your skills and learn new techniques, the sky’s the limit.

Pool Maintenance

Owning a swimming pool can be a hassle for busy homeowners. From testing the water to skimming the surface to changing filters, adding algaecide, and balancing the pH, there are an abundance of tasks that need to be done regularly.

Taking all that into consideration, it makes sense that there are nearly 90,000 U.S.-based swimming pool cleaning companies currently in operation 28.

If you want to start a service business and don’t mind hard work, this career path might be right for you. Amassing several regular clients can give you a steady workload and will ensure your company stays profitable.

House Painter and Decorator

As long as there are houses, hotels, and restaurants, there’ll be a need for painters and decorating contractors, as evidenced by the $24.2 billion U.S. market size as of 2024. 29.

If you have an eye for detail and want to start a service business, becoming a painter and decorator is a good option.

You can create the look your client wants using paint, window treatments, textiles, decor, furniture, and accessories, making the space of their dreams while staying within their budget.

What’s next?

Do you have a business idea but need a catchy name before you get started? FreshBooks has a fun free business name generator that can help you find the perfect name for all in-person or online businesses.

Grow Your Business with FreshBooks

Running your own business comes with unique challenges, from finding clientele to learning to efficiently manage your day-to-day operations. FreshBooks offers robust features and easy integration designed to save you time, so you can focus on running and growing your organization.

To find out more about our Lite, Plus, Premium, and Select tiers and the costs involved, check out the FreshBooks pricing page.

The FreshBooks all-in-one online software solution includes accounting software and invoicing software, along with expense tracking, with a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to streamline your business processes at any budget.

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Michelle Payne, CPA

About the author

Michelle Payne has 15 years of experience as a Certified Public Accountant with a strong background in audit, tax, and consulting services. Michelle earned a Bachelor’s of Science and Accounting from Minnesota State University and has provided accounting support across a variety of industries, including retail, manufacturing, higher education, and professional services. She has more than five years of experience working with non-profit organizations in a finance capacity. Keep up with Michelle’s CPA career — and ultramarathoning endeavors — on LinkedIn.