Looking for a Way to Earn Extra Income?
Find a small business that fits your skills, schedule, and budget—with 100 practical home-based and local business ideas, step-by-step guides, and ready-to-use tools to help you get started.
$199 $149 Introductory Price · One payment · 12 months · No auto-renewal
- One payment · 12 months · No auto-renewal
- 12 months of website access
- No business experience needed to explore the ideas
100 business ideas to compare in one place
and many more ideas to explore in the full library.
Compare estimated tool costs, example workloads, useful skills, and ways to charge. Build a complete budget before choosing a business.
Explore Home Businesses and Local Services That Fit Your Life.
If you are looking for extra income, start by comparing the work involved. You might prefer working from home, visiting customers locally, or offering a service a few hours a week. Use the blueprints to check the skills, time and costs before choosing.
A little more income for your retirement.
Retired or planning for retirement? Explore ways to supplement your retirement income and help cover everyday expenses, with business ideas you can choose to fit your experience, energy, and schedule.
You don’t need business experience to explore your options.
Start with a clear plan and check what the work requires.
Inside Your Blueprint
- Business overviewWhat you do, who it suits, and options for working from home.
- Step-by-step setup planA clear checklist to take you from idea to launch.
- Startup budget & toolsEquipment, software, startup expenses, and ongoing costs to plan for.
- Pricing & service packagesExamples of what to offer and charge, with expenses to consider before estimating what is left.
- Marketing planWho to target, where to reach them, and how to promote your business.
- First-customer action planPractical steps for outreach, referrals, and finding your first clients.
- Ready-to-customize templatesSample outreach messages, promotional copy, and business checklists.
- Day-to-day operating guideSimple workflows for managing clients, delivering your service, and encouraging repeat business.
- Real business website inspirationEach blueprint links to a real, live business. Explore its services, website organization, and customer communication as you create your own original content and branding.
One payment · 12 months · No auto-renewal. Access to all 100 step-by-step business guides for 12 months from purchase.
How to Choose a Small Business Idea
The right starting point is the work you can do well, the customers you can reach, and the money you can afford to put at risk. Compare these factors before buying equipment or committing to a launch.
Your budget
Look beyond the initial tools. Add insurance, permits, software, transport, marketing, and ongoing expenses. A low-cost business still needs a complete budget.
Your time and location
Home-based work may suit you if you prefer a computer-based service. Local businesses such as home watch or garden maintenance involve travel and work at customers’ properties. Include sales and administration in your schedule.
Your first customers
Identify who would pay, what problem you would solve, and how you would reach them. Talk to potential customers and check local competition before assuming an idea will sell.
Compare all 100 small business ideas · Explore the Business Setup Center · Preview a free business blueprint
Find a Business That Fits Your Next Chapter
Start with the goal that matters to you. Each guide helps you think through the time, budget, and customer needs before you choose an idea.
100 Step-by-Step Business Guides
Explore your options and choose the business that fits your life—with self-guided plans, forms, and marketing resources in one place.
- 12 months of access to all 100 business blueprints
- Step-by-step plans, startup guidance, and operating tools
- Ready-to-customize forms and marketing materials
- A link to a real, live business website in each blueprint for inspiration
Website access lasts 12 months from purchase. No automatic renewal. Keep resources you download for use in your own business. Personal coaching is not included.
All sales final, except where law requires a refund. Educational resources only; no earnings guarantee. Read the Terms of Use, Refund Policy, Earnings Disclaimer, and Privacy Policy before purchasing.
AI Is Changing the Future of Work.
What Could That Mean for You?
A CHANGING WORLD OF WORK · THE RESEARCH
Jobs projected to be displaced globally by 2030 across major economic and technological trends.
World Economic Forum · 2025Of U.S. work hours could be automated by 2030 in a 2023 projection accelerated by generative AI.
McKinsey Global Institute · 2023Employers anticipate reducing their workforce where AI can automate tasks.
World Economic Forum · 2025Of workers’ existing skills are expected to change or become outdated between 2025 and 2030.
World Economic Forum · 2025Projections, not individual predictions. WEF also projects 170 million new jobs and 78 million net job growth. Sources: WEF 2025 · McKinsey 2023.
Build on skills that need a human presence.
AI can help with planning and paperwork. Hands-on services still need someone to show up, do the work, and earn a customer’s trust. Our blueprints include Home Watch, Pet Sitting, Home Organizing, and Garden Maintenance—practical options built around in-person service and local relationships.
Explore the startup steps, tools, pricing guidance, and customer outreach materials to see which service fits your skills and community. No business is immune to change, but you can explore options where your presence and personal service are central to the work.
Explore the Home Watch Sample Blueprint →Why We Created 100 Business Blueprints
Work is changing, and many people are looking for new ways to earn income and create more choices for their future. We created 100 Business Blueprints to make exploring those possibilities simpler—with practical ideas, clear steps, and tools to help you get started.
Read Our Story →Business news & consumer resources
Independent publications to explore. No affiliation or endorsement is implied.