141 Business Ideas (Under $50K) in Urban Areas

Local Newsletter with Vertically Integrated Side Business

Build a local newsletter audience then launch a complementary physical business serving that same community. Example: Na…

$5,000-$20,000/month

Idea Fair / Idea Conference

A one-day conference event where entrepreneurs pay to present their business ideas (around $500 ticket) and attendees pa…

$10000-$50000/event

Local Kitchen Multi-Brand Restaurant

License the names, recipes, and top menu items from popular local and regional restaurants, then serve them all from a s…

$15000-$50000/month

Custom Concerts / Live Request Events

Organize live music events where a talented cover band plays song requests from the audience via a bidding/payment syste…

$5000-$50000/month

Perfume Vending Machine Placement Operator

Purchase perfume vending machines (~$3,000 each) and place them in high-traffic locations like nightclubs, bars, hotels,…

$1000-$5000/month

Low-Cost Mattress Retail Store

Open a physical mattress store selling high-quality mattresses at significantly lower prices than big-box retailers like…

$20000-30000/month

Drop-Off Laundry Service

Add a drop-off laundry service to an existing laundromat targeting upper middle class customers and busy families who wa…

$5000/month

Commercial Laundry Service

Offer commercial laundry services to local businesses (hotels, restaurants, gyms) as a B2B add-on to an existing laundro…

$8000/month

Hands-On Skills Fantasy Camp for Adults

Run weekend workshops teaching millennials and Gen Z practical hands-on skills like welding, woodworking, plumbing, elec…

$5,000-$20,000/month

Composting Business from Grocery Store Waste

Collect organic produce waste from grocery stores (who pay you to haul it away), compost it with sawdust in a warehouse,…

iPhone and electronics repair store

Open a physical electronics repair store near a college campus or high-traffic area, focusing on iPhone and smartphone r…

Tech-enabled roofing company

Start a modern roofing company that leverages AI and technology to outcompete legacy operators. Use AI to search county …

$20000-$100000/month

Phone/electronics repair shop

Open a retail store specializing in iPhone and smartphone screen repairs. Source replacement parts from Chinese supplier…

$10000-30000/month

AI-powered AR/mixed reality app development for enterprise

Build augmented reality applications for factory floors, warehouses, and industrial settings using XR glasses. Companies…

Autonomous vehicle fleet management and consulting

As autonomous cars from Tesla, Waymo, and others rapidly improve, there is a growing need for businesses to understand a…

Real-time language translation service using AR glasses

Scoble demonstrates AR glasses (Even Realities) that can display translations in real-time from one language to English.…

$5000-$20000/month

Healthcare provider GPO for insurance rate negotiation

Organize independent healthcare providers (dentists, physical therapists, family physicians) in a geographic region into…

Buy an existing local business (Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition)

Instead of starting from scratch, buy a small local business that is already profitable but may be struggling or the own…

$5000-$20000/month

Third-party logistics (3PL) e-commerce fulfillment

Run a third-party logistics company where e-commerce brands outsource their order fulfillment operations to you. You war…

$5000-$30000/month

Mobile vehicle services marketplace app

Build a marketplace app that starts with fuel delivery but expands to offer additional mobile vehicle services like oil …

$50000+/month

Quiet room rental service for studying and remote work

Rent a commercial space (around 1,000 sq ft) and build out soundproofed private rooms (8x8 ft each, roughly 10 rooms) th…

$25000/month

Pet cremation courier and logistics service

Start a pet cremation business without owning incinerators by partnering with existing cremation facilities as a logisti…

$15000/month

Floating golf green hole-in-one challenge

Set up a floating golf green (like the one in New Zealand) and charge people to attempt a hole-in-one for a large cash p…

$40000/month

Commercial kitchen equipment rental for events

Buy commercial kitchen equipment (convection ovens, ranges, fryers) and rent them to caterers for weddings, festivals, a…

$28000/month

Commercial kitchen equipment maintenance and repair

Offer maintenance and repair services for commercial kitchen equipment used by restaurants and catering companies. Train…

$10000/month

$1000-2000/month per machine

Perfume vending machine business

Purchase and place perfume vending machines in high-traffic locations like malls and airports. Machines can generate $50…

Podcast and video studio rental business in office buildings

Lease a small room in a commercial office building and outfit it as a professional podcast and video recording studio av…

Sandbox-as-a-service installation business

Instead of opening your own coffee shop, build a B2B service that installs and manages experiential sandbox setups for e…

$5000-15000/month

Mobile niche bookstore

Convert a vehicle into a mobile bookstore specializing in a specific niche like romance novels or business books, then r…

$3000-10000/month

Interactive fish vending machine for pet stores

Deploy claw-machine-style fish scooping vending machines at pet stores and family-oriented venues where kids can scoop l…

$2000-8000/month

Scratch and Dent Appliance Reselling

Buy scratch and dent appliances from Costco or directly from manufacturers like GE at roughly 10 cents on the dollar. It…

$5000-15000/month

Bin Store (Amazon Returns Retail)

Open a physical retail store selling Amazon return pallets to consumers. Buy pallets of returned items at roughly $1 per…

$10000-30000/month

Piano Moving Service

Start a niche piano moving company with a descriptive domain name like PianoMoving.com. The presenter used this as an ex…

$5000-$20000+/month

Apartment Complex Appliance Rental Contracts

Target apartment complexes that have washer/dryer hookups but no included appliances. A single complex with 256 units at…

$15000+/month

Pet Cremation Logistics Service

Provide logistics services for veterinarians who need pets cremated, acting as a middleman between vet clinics and crema…

Perfume and Cologne Vending Machine

A compact vending machine about the size of a large mailbox with a glass display holding 5 bottles of cologne/perfume, a…

Urinal Gaming and Advertising Device

An interactive device installed in bar urinals that measures the strength and volume of a user's pee stream, ranks them …

$2000+/month

iPhone Repair Store Chain

Open a phone repair store near a college campus fixing iPhones and other devices. Chris Kerner started Phone Restore as …

$30000+/month

Viral Product Pop-Up Shop (Modern Brookstone)

A physical retail pop-up store (under 1000 sq ft) in malls or high-traffic retail areas that stocks 20-30 viral products…

$15000+/month

Mall Showroom Conversion Business

Convert empty mall retail spaces into no-inventory showrooms where online sellers can display products for customers to …

Vending Machine Business (Snack & Drink)

Buy vending machines (new or used from Craigslist) and place them in high-traffic locations like apartment buildings, of…

ATM Business

Place ATMs in hotels, dispensaries, strip clubs, and casinos. Charge a $5 surcharge per transaction, keeping about $2.50…

$4000+/month

Smart Cooler / Micro-Market Vending

Set up smart coolers where customers swipe a credit card, open the cooler, grab items, and get auto-charged. These work …

Perfume Vending Machine

A European concept where machines dispense perfume sprays for about $1 per spray with approximately 90% margins. Machine…

$2000+/month

Massage Chair Business

Place credit card-operated massage chairs in public venues like malls, airports, and hotels for passive income. Customer…

$1500+/month

Jukebox Business

Place jukeboxes equipped with credit card readers in bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Customers pay to selec…

$1000+/month

Window Cleaning Business

Start a residential and commercial window cleaning company in a large metro area. Johnny Robinson built Orange Window Cl…

$50000-$70000/month

Epoxy Flooring Business

Start a garage and residential epoxy flooring installation business. Multiple people in the home services space report t…

iPhone/Phone Repair Shop

Open a physical retail phone repair store near a college campus or busy intersection. Buy LCD screens from eBay for $15,…

Pet Cremation Service

A pet cremation business (called Sunbeam Paws in the video) that picks up deceased pets from veterinary clinics and crem…

Commercial Kitchen Cleaning

A commercial kitchen and appliance cleaning business servicing restaurants and food establishments. This includes hood c…

$15000+/month

Stadium Events Business

Renting professional sports stadiums during off-hours to host activities like golf ($80 per round), fitness challenges, …

Boot Camp / Master Class Licensing Business

License existing successful in-person boot camps and master classes (like SMB Boot Camp for business acquisition) and ho…

Hyrox-Adjacent Businesses

Build businesses around the fast-growing Hyrox fitness competition (a standardized indoor fitness race combining running…

$5000-$100000+/month

Subscription Barber Shop

Launch or convert a barber shop to an unlimited monthly subscription model where customers pay a flat monthly fee for un…

$10000-$50000+/month

Perfume Vending Machine Business

Sell perfume through vending machines placed in strategic locations. The speaker mentions this started from a short form…

We Buy Ugly Businesses - Distressed Business Brokerage

Apply the proven 'We Buy Ugly Houses' marketing concept to business acquisitions. Use bandit signs, targeted local adver…

Pickleball Club

Start a pickleball club with court booking, leaderboards, and merch sales. Use an AI website builder to save $3,000-$5,0…

Juice Pulp Recycling into Fertilizer

Collect leftover pulp from cold press juice shops for free (they currently throw it away) and convert it into fertilizer…

Junk Removal & Moving Company

Start a junk removal and residential/commercial moving business. One caller started with $2,500 and grew to nearly $1M r…

$80000+/month

Airbnb Arbitrage - Finding Underpriced Listings

Use ChatGPT Operator to analyze Airbnb listings in specific cities to find underpriced properties for rental arbitrage o…

Live Local Music Events Business

Organize live music events in your local area inspired by the Nashville music scene model. Book local musicians, secure …

$1000+/month per 3 machines scaling to $72000+/month at scale

ATM Route Operation

Buy and operate ATM machines placed in retail locations like convenience stores. Revenue comes from surcharge fees (typi…

ATM Route Building and Flipping

Build ATM routes by cold calling or placing new machines in locations, then sell the established routes at a 3x annual p…

Tree Business Boot Camp

In-person and virtual boot camp teaching others how to start a tree trimming business by outsourcing all work to subcont…

$20000+/event

Pet Cremation Logistics Service

Sunbeam Paws - a pet cremation logistics business in the DFW area that picks up deceased animals (dogs, cats, hamsters) …

Bin Store (Amazon/Retail Returns Store)

Open a physical retail store selling Amazon, Target, Costco, and other retailer returns at declining daily prices ($7 on…

$10K-$100K+/month depending on market size

Local Tree Trimming Service

Start a tree trimming company in a metro area. Use Google Maps scraping via Outscraper to find subcontractors and compet…

$50K-$5M+/year. 67 Water sold tens of thousands of units and beca

Meme-Based Consumer Brand (67 Water Model)

Build a consumer product brand by capitalizing on a viral cultural moment or meme. Overtime created 67 Water from a meme…

Custom Concerts - Live Request-Based Music Events

Organize live music events where a talented cover band plays songs requested by the audience via a bidding/payment syste…

$5000-50000/month

$1M+ per year in a single metro area

Home Insulation Removal and Replacement Business

Remove old cellulose insulation from attics, seal air leaks, and install new blown fiberglass insulation (R49+). Average…

$200K-$500K per year standalone, more with upsells

Duct Cleaning Business

Clean residential and commercial duct systems using brush-and-vac ($4-6K equipment) or negative air machines ($8-12K equ…

$1M+ net profit per year in one metro

Home Performance Subcontractor Model

Run a home services business (insulation, duct sealing, duct cleaning, air scrubbers) using 100% subcontracted labor. Fo…

Full-Service Duct Work Business

Start with duct cleaning as a low-barrier entry point, then expand into duct replacement, adding returns, new builds, an…

$500K-$1M+ per year

$500,000-$2,000,000/year with recurring contract revenue

Concrete Leveling as a Service (Subscription Model)

Offer concrete leveling as an annualized subscription service to commercial property managers, new home builders, and re…

Candlelight Concert Events

Organize candlelight concert experiences in rented venue spaces. Use fake candles, hire contract musicians, sell tickets…

$200K-$1M+/year

Niche Experiential Events (e.g., Bingo Loco, Murder Mystery)

Create unique experiential events for millennials like themed bingo nights with strobe lights and alcohol, murder myster…

$100K-$500K+/year

Scratch and Dent Appliance Reselling

Buy scratch and dent appliances from liquidation sources and resell locally with same-day delivery. Requires a warehouse…

$50K-$300K/year

$5K-$20K/month with high foot traffic location

Private Jet Photo Studio

Build a fake private jet interior in a shipping container where people pay $40-$200 per session to take photos for socia…

$2K-$8K/month depending on event frequency

Inflatable Wall Rental for Events

Rent out large inflatable walls (25ft x 25ft x 9ft) for events, weddings, and conventions. Research the supply chain by …

$5K-$20K/month depending on location and traffic

Portable Shipping Container Escape Room

Build an escape room inside a 40ft shipping container that can be moved to different locations. Place it in walkable out…

After-Hours Co-Working Space Enablement Platform

A startup that sells keypad access and camera kits to coffee shops and restaurants enabling them to operate as unstaffed…

Restaurant Plastic Waste Recycling Service

A recycling service focused on collecting and repurposing plastic waste from restaurants and coffee shops, especially in…

Food Waste Composting Business

Collect food waste like expired produce, juice pulp, and coffee grounds from grocery stores, juice bars, and restaurants…

Phone Repair Store Chain with Corporate Partnerships

Open phone repair stores and pursue strategic partnerships with large retailers. The host ran Phone Restore with four iP…

$200-300 per job, 4-6 jobs per day, $150k-$400k annually

Mobile Wheel Repair

Mobile service that repairs curb rash and cosmetic wheel damage on-site at customers' homes or workplaces. Technician dr…

$500-$2000/month per machine

Vending Machine Business

Operating vending machines in high-traffic locations. Discussed in the context of whether any business can be oversatura…

High - $20-40K per month per location

iPhone Repair Shop Chain

Opening retail locations to repair cracked iPhone screens and other phone issues. Parts cost $15, charge $60+ per repair…

Moderate - six figures revenue but thin margins

Concierge Car Buying Service

Becoming a licensed dealer to access wholesale auto auctions, then buying cars on behalf of customers for a finder's fee…

Moderate - scales with number of cleaners

On-Demand Home Cleaning Service

Uber-style home cleaning platform connecting cleaners with customers, primarily serving real estate agents who need list…

IV Hydration and Vitamin Therapy

Mobile or clinic-based IV hydration and vitamin therapy service targeting gymgoers, health enthusiasts, hangover recover…

$120-$350 per session

$200-$600 per hour with 65-80% profit margins

Mobile Botox Therapy

Mobile Botox and injectable aesthetics service. Host Botox parties and offer mobile treatments. Average ticket $400-$900…

Multi-million dollar potential. Jacob grew to 400 employees, sugg

Commercial Cleaning Company

Start a commercial cleaning business servicing offices and commercial properties. Jacob started this in 2015 with seed c…

Car Flipping via Cross-Platform Scraping

Scrape Craigslist car listings filtered by owner (not dealer) and posted today, use AI (ChatGPT) to identify mispriced v…

$2000-$10000/month

$50K-$300K/year varies by franchise

Low-Cost Service Franchise

Buy a low-cost franchise for around $50K that is growing rapidly with strong unit economics. Research franchises on entr…

$100K-$300K/year per location

iPhone Repair Store

Open a phone and electronics repair store. The host started this business 15 years ago using the same market research me…

$40M+ potential at scale capturing 1% of stadium-goers nationally

Automated Locker/Pod Storage at Stadiums and Events

Place automated storage pods and lockers at sports stadiums, concerts, airports, and other venues with bag restrictions.…

$6,000-$10,000+/month with 100+ units at $60-85/month each, scala

Washer and Dryer Rental Business

Buy new or used washer and dryer sets and rent them month-to-month to apartment tenants who lack in-unit laundry. Charge…

Mobile Sauna and Cold Plunge Rental

Operate mobile sauna and cold plunge units that you drive around, drop off, and rent out for hourly, daily, or weekend u…

$4500-$10000/month

Mobile Wellness Experience Business

Build a custom trailer with cold plunges, sauna, compression boots, and create branded wellness events combining workout…

$30000-$60000/month

$300+ per machine per month with 90%+ margins plus ad revenue and

Perfume/Cologne Vending Machine

Wall-mounted or pedestal vending machine with glass display holding 5 bottles of cologne/perfume. Customers swipe credit…

Revenue from per-use fees and advertising; unproven market in the

Urinal Gamification and Ad Display

Device installed in bar/restaurant urinals that measures pee strength and volume, ranks users on a leaderboard display a…

WeWork for Personal Trainers (Gym Space Marketplace)

A ClassPass-style marketplace connecting personal trainers with gyms that have unused capacity during off-peak hours (10…

$10M+/year

Local Moving Company

Start a local moving business with a truck and trailer. Began accidentally by renting out a 5x8 trailer and grew to a fu…

$275K-$10M/year at scale

Weekly rental income per vehicle ($150-$300/week per car). Scalab

Car Rental Fleet for DoorDash Drivers

Buy older, inexpensive cars and rent them out to DoorDash drivers who have bad credit or no cash to buy their own vehicl…

Varies - growth strategy applicable to any business

Geo-Targeted City Domination Marketing

Pick a small/medium city and completely saturate it with your brand through geo-fenced digital ads across all platforms …

$500-$5000 profit per car flip

Buying and Flipping Cars from Craigslist

Buy undervalued cars on Craigslist and resell them for profit. Use keyboard shortcuts and templates to rapidly contact s…

$650K-$700K annual revenue with $250K take-home; potential to gro

Niche Print Shop Specializing in Wedding and Event Invitations

Run a specialty print shop focused exclusively on wedding, Bar Mitzvah, and event invitations. Differentiate from generi…

Restaurant & Coffee Shop Supply Distribution

Distribute consumable supplies like syrups to coffee shops or straws, napkins, and disposable goods to restaurants. Thes…

$100K-$500K/year gross

$2000-$10000/month depending on volume and market

Flipping Trailers on Facebook Marketplace

Research supply and demand for trailers in comparable sister cities using Facebook Marketplace. Message every trailer li…

Mobile Private Jet Photo Studio

Build a fake private jet interior inside a Sprinter van shell. Park at malls, shopping areas, and events. People pay $80…

$100k-$200k/year

Mobile Barber Shop (Box Truck)

Retrofit a box truck or Sprinter van as a barber shop. Drive to large corporate campuses Monday through Friday, parking …

$150k-$300k/year

Mobile Podcast Studio (Box Truck)

Put a full podcast recording setup (cameras, mics, lighting) in a box truck. Charge $150-$200/hr for recording, then ups…

$180k-$300k/year

Mobile Golf Simulator (Box Truck)

Put a golf simulator in a box truck and take it to festivals, corporate events, and high-traffic areas. Charge $10 for 1…

$80k-$150k/year

Car Customization for Turo Rentals

Retrofit rental cars (Teslas, Cybertrucks, Hummers) with LED lighting, starlight roofs, custom wraps, and other visual u…

$100k-$300k/year

$20K-$80K/year per property depending on location and seasonality

Airbnb / Short-Term Rental in Puerto Rico

Purchase or rent properties in Puerto Rico with separate living units and list them on Airbnb. Properties outside the me…

iPhone / Phone Repair Store

Open a retail store that repairs broken iPhone screens and other phone issues. Charge around $80 per screen repair. You …

$5000-20000/month

In-Person Trade School

Open a brick-and-mortar trade school teaching hands-on trades like CDL truck driving, welding, masonry, or appliance rep…

$200K-$2M+/year

Dog Grooming School

Start a dog grooming school that qualifies for government workforce grants because dog groomers fall under vet technicia…

$200K-$500K/year

Blue-Collar Staffing Company

Start a staffing company focused on blue-collar and trade workers. There is massive demand for technicians across all tr…

$500K-$2M+/year

Nursing and Medical Training School

Start a nursing or medical training school offering CNA certification, medical assisting, phlebotomy, and medical front …

$500K-$1.8M/year

Plasma Transfusion Middleman Service

Act as a middleman connecting dialysis clinics (which have the equipment, staff, and licenses) with med spas and longevi…

$10K-$100K/month

$50K-$200K+/year depending on location and volume of repairs

Phone Repair Shop

Open a brick-and-mortar phone and iPad repair shop. The host (Kerner) started this as his first business with a 2,000 sq…

$2.7M average annual revenue with 12-22% net margins ($324K-$594K

Pre-Sale Home Improvement Services Franchise

Home services platform franchise that helps home sellers prep their house for sale. You coordinate light renovations lik…

$2M+ average annual revenue with $300-400K annual profit

Artificial Turf Installation Franchise

Franchise installing artificial turf for residential and commercial properties. Growing demand driven by homeowners tire…

$1.26M average annual revenue with potential $150-300K owner inco

Commercial and Residential Cleaning Franchise

Office cleaning, commercial cleaning, and short-term rental (Airbnb) turnover cleaning franchise. Very accessible entry …

$50K-$150K/year depending on event volume

Espresso catering business (acquisition)

Acquiring an existing 32-year-old mobile espresso catering business that serves offices, schools, and events. Charges ar…

$100K-$1M+ per event depending on scale

In-Person Events and Conferences Business

Organize in-person events, conferences, detox retreats, or community experiences. As AI makes digital interactions more …

Healthcare / Fitness / Gym Business

Invest in or start businesses centered on healthcare, gyms, or fitness. These prioritize human interaction and fundament…

$100K-$1M+/year

$1,000/day potential at full capacity ($25/person x 6-8 people x

Mobile Interactive Floor Tile Games

Buy interactive light-up floor tiles (similar to Activate Games) for under $15,000 and run a mobile or fixed-location ga…

AdvancedOnlineUnder $50K

Pro In Your Pocket (Home Services Marketplace App)

A Thumbtack/Angie's List competitor - a marketplace app connecting homeowners with local service professionals. Requires…

Transaction fees or subscription revenue from service providers,

$30K-$60K/month in sales with ~50% profit margins

Reselling Retail Returns from Physical Storefront

Buy pallets of returned merchandise from big box stores like Costco via liquidation platforms like Bstock, then sell ite…

$5K-$20K/month with strong margins

Used Restaurant Equipment Reselling

Buy used commercial restaurant equipment from closing restaurants and government auction sites like Gov Deals, then rese…

Per-use fees from each booth across multiple locations, scalable

Old-Timey Photo Booths in Bars and Venues

Buy old-timey photo booths (vintage-style with film/Polaroid prints) from China and place them in bars, malls, and other…

$2000-$20000/week profit at scale depending on volume and number

Costco Gold Bar Flipping

Buy 1oz gold bars from Costco at near or below spot price, then resell them online through marketplaces like CollectPure…

$120,000+ in first 3 months; 60-70% net margins on events; $5,000

Mobile Popup Roller Rink

A mobile business that sets up temporary roller skating rinks in mall common areas, mall parking lots, or other high-tra…

$200K-$1M+/year from booth fees, merchandise, and corporate spons

Kids Entrepreneurship Farmers Markets (Nonprofit)

Nonprofit organization that hosts farmers-market-style events in hundreds of US cities where children set up booths and …

Cold Plunge & Sauna Business Inside a Gym

Rent unused space inside an existing gym and place cold plunges and saunas there. Low buildout cost (~$5K per cold plung…

$100K-$500K annually

Perfume Vending Machine Placement Business

Place perfume vending machines in high-traffic venues like malls, gas stations, med spas, and other retail locations. Te…

$50K-$300K annually