If 2024 is the year that you plan to become self-employed, then you need some ideas to help you get started. For some, self-employment is an economic necessity, but for others it’s a way to pursue passions or compliment their existing income while not having to compromise on quality of time.
Whether you’re looking to develop new skills or earn extra cash, not every self-employment job will be a good fit for you. You have to consider your skill set, your goals, and what could work for you versus what could work for other people.
We’ve put together a list of the top 10 best self-employed ideas for 2024 that offer flexibility, income potential and independence. Take your pick.
Personal trainer
As a self-employment option, personal training is up there at the top of the list because of how versatile it is. Not only do you get to keep a flexible schedule, you’ll be able to set your hours and work around all of your commitments, so you can choose to add or take away from your clients as necessary. Personal trainers also have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships. The guidance they provide is personalized and they can offer support to those on a fitness journey. We are seeing a huge demand for health and Wellness services that is continuing to grow. So there is always a need for qualified trainers who are ready to do more for other people.
Copywriting
Do you have a knack for writing, and can you turn prose into something beautiful? Well, copywriting could be the right option for you. Businesses of all types are looking to expand their presence online, and copywriters are in demand. If you have a way with words and you know how to work to a deadline without too much stress, then you can speak to a range of agencies that could give you some opportunities. Once you’ve gotten your name on a few articles and you’ve proven yourself to a range of agencies and small business clients, your freelance career could take off.
Graphic design
Like we just said, there are plenty of digital and online businesses springing up all over the place, which means graphic designers are also in demand. There are huge new numbers of businesses that are looking to get started this year, and a small medium business is always looking for ways to create a visual brand if you are a gifted graphic designer and you could help them to create that visual brand identity that they’ve been looking to create.
Pet sitting
If you love dogs, or you love cats, or any kind of pet really, there are plenty of places that you can sign up to become a pet sitter or a dog Walker. There are three out of five households that have at least one pet, which means there is plenty of opportunity for you to start building your own business as a pet sitter or a dog Walker. These kinds of opportunities can’t be passed up!
Become a cleaner
With people working harder and for longer hours than ever before, there is a growing need for cleaners on a personal basis. Being able to market yourself as a self-employed cleaner who can go into people’s homes and get them spruced up ready for when they come home from work is going to allow you to earn good money. You get to choose your working hours and you can manage your own schedule appointments too. There are plenty of online booking systems that you can use to improve the way that you clean for other people, and you will find that you are offering a service that people really do appreciate.
Virtual Assisting
If you are a good administrator and you want to work from home, a virtual assistant career could be great for you. You can provide admin support for businesses that are struggling with the current workloads but don’t have the ability to hire somebody permanently in the house.
App development
Do you have a knack for apps? Most people haven’t considered whether they would be able to do it but if you’re a great coder and you are excellent at problem solving you might enjoy a very prosperous career with your own app development business. Most apps are developed by individuals and you can build yourself a reputation by leveraging social media to market what you can do.
Handyman
Well, handy person, really. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a man or a woman, if you can offer your services as somebody handy around the house, you should do it. There’s plenty of opportunity there for digital options but what about all the repairs and odd jobs? A great career option for those who love DIY and have outstanding problem solving skills could be to go and market themselves as a handy person.
Marketing Support
We’ve talked a lot about copywriting and graphic design, but if you can combine your skills to become a marketing consultant and work on a freelance basis, you can be valuable to a range of businesses of all sizes. Marketing support can be provided in a number of areas like social media, or pick up a job supporting businesses with Search engine optimization (SEO). There are lots of jobs available to pick up on a consultancy basis to support on SEO on Upwork, for example. If you have enough experience you could look for a job with an established SEO agency. Marketing consultants are in high demand right now, and there is a good reason for it. We need more people online. Being able to show others that their business is thriving and marketing assistance can help to do that.
Make your own candles
Just because we have electricity doesn’t mean that candles are going anywhere and the homemade candle business is still booming. With a warm glow and a subtle natural scent, homemade candles can add ambience to any home of any size. Unlike the mass-manufactured candles out there, homemade candles are often made with all natural ingredients, which make them a lucrative and exciting option for most people. The cost of the ingredients is pretty minimal and making the candles is an enjoyable process.
Each of these self-employed ideas can be implemented in 2024, just depending on what you want to do the most.
