9 Hot Startup Businesses In 2017

By Ben Robinson

Here are 9 startup business ideas to start in 2017. These business opportunities have been in the news in 2016 with a huge following in this new year. Now, it’s time for them to emerge. Here is some information about 9 hot startup small businesses to look out for in 2017. The ever changing online […]

hot-businesses-to-start-in-2017

Here are 9 startup business ideas to start in 2017. These business opportunities have been in the news in 2016 with a huge following in this new year. Now, it’s time for them to emerge. Here is some information about 9 hot startup small businesses to look out for in 2017.

The ever changing online world of social media, SEO, and digital marketing have allowed people to create businesses for themselves out of thin air…just by paying attention to the opportunities and taking action.

Here are 9 new startup businesses that just recently emerged, and how you can get started.

9 Startup Businesses to Start in 2017

Here are 9 new startup businesses that just recently emerged, and how you can get started.

1. Online Consignment Store

You can virtually sell anything online now. From used items to pre-owned and vintage collections, the internet has a wide range of platforms where you can set up your store, bid your items, and earn money from it in real-time.

“With the emergence of online and mobile players, resale is attracting consumers from all economic levels,” according to ThredUP.

Online consignment is estimated to be a $34 billion industry with 10% annual growth.

Read: How To Start An Online Clothing Business

Minimalism is a huge trend to look out for this year in all aspects of life: de-cluttering, tiny houses, furniture, only keeping what makes you happy. People are getting rid of the excess in their lives, and that’s why consignment businesses are going to soar. As the saying goes: “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.”

As a customer, consignment stores are amazing because of the amazing prices for brand name goods. This business is a win-win for everyone.

If you turn your consignment business into an online store? Well, then you’ve got yourself a low-overhead, high return business. Just check out Material World’s business model.

2. Instagram Consultant

Companies and personalities have taken to Instagram to increase their online presence, push their branding, and increase their outreach through beautiful, Instagram-worthy photos.

The problem is, the ones that actually make money off Instagram are few and far between. The photos aren’t just random phone photos..the ones that make it follow their own themes for filters, it has a unique voice and stance, and one related quality among the top Instagrammers? Their photos, their food, their settings…all enviable.

If you have a knack for photography, social media marketing, and content writing, then becoming an Instagram consultant is a big income-generating idea for you. Just make sure you have the goods to back it up.

3. Food Truck Business

Food trucks have EXPLODED in the last few years and there’s no sign of them slowing down now.

More and more food trucks have broken through the glass ceiling of mobile kitchens, and have settled into their concrete, brick and mortar homes.

In the last year, the food truck business has almost changed into a stepping stone to break into the restaurant space. After all, as a food truck, you do everything that a restaurant does: even serving. Due to parking and permit restrictions that have popped up (some due to angry brick and mortar restaurant committees) more food truck parks have opened in the US last year than ever. See for yourself: Google “Food Truck Park” and see all the clusters of food trucks parked in empty lots.

Going back to the stepping stone, the food truck biz is challenged with creating cult followings with its customers. Just read about Roy Choi and his story of the cult craze Korean Taco Truck: Kogi.

Related: How To Start A Food Truck Business

Kogi is the godfather of the food truck business. They started tweeting out their locations, creating millions of twitter followers overnight. There is NO shortage of taco joints in Los Angeles…but the Kogi truck created DEMAND out of thin air. That’s pretty impressive.

There is a dark side to this business… Food trucks fail more often than their metamorphosis into beautiful brick and mortar butterflies. However, the industry has yet to reach critical mass, and the opportunities of food trucks have only just begun to be realized. Market analysts said that food truck business is a $2.7 billion industry in 2016 alone, and it still growing.

Start realistic, try to make it easy on yourself.

Use a CULT recipe that you already have that all your friends and family say is your absolute specialty (like my eggplant rollatini).  Start small, grow big.

4. Affiliate Marketing Business

They say that easy money also comes through affiliate marketing. While this may be true, there’s no question about how much hard work goes into actually making a profit being an affiliate marketer.

You need to build a substantial audience to even stand a chance. Audience building isn’t rocket science, but it is a tremendous amount of work.

Once you do have an audience, that’s when affiliate marketers shine. They don’t need to pay for shipping, they don’t even need to stock products or source items from china…all of that is done from the vendors, and all you have to do is sell it.

Easier said than done right? Absolutely. HOWEVER, it is very possible and there is a boatload of resources available to the aspiring affiliate marketer. Check out:

  • Clickbank University – this is a top digital product affiliate platform where you can find the right digital products that are related to your audiences. Some of these vendors pay up to 75% commissions per sale!
  • Rakuten – great place to find physical goods to earn commissions against. Bear in mind, physical goods pay significantly less commissions per sale than digital goods due to obvious reasons.
  • Share-A-Sale – fantastic source for all kinds of products to sell to your audiences. I like Share-A-Sale for their banner libraries available for use, and product selections.

5. Employee Monitoring Service Consultant

As more telecommute or ‘work from home’ employees emerge, the need for monitoring their activities and throughput has also emerged. Employee monitoring services help companies track the performance of workers to ensure that they are actually doing what they say they are doing.

Certainly not the sexiest of professions to be in, but fascinating none-the-less. Some employers have even gone as far as paying thousands a month for keystroke detection to ensure that people are actually working when they say.

Consultants for this business is something that we here at Startup Jungle foresee on the rise. These consultants will check in with employees through multiple means, and check that the work they are submitting is acceptable to the amount of time spent.

If I was at the receiving end of this policy, I’d want to start my own business as well…

6. Web Design Business

You don’t have to be a web designer to start a web design business.

What?

Indeed. Now there are SO MANY resources for finding affordable, high caliber web designers and developers to do the work for you.

Just check out these, just to name a few:

There are, however, wayyyyy more bad designers than there are good ones. Make sure you can distinguish between good and bad design before venturing into this space as a business.

Study up on the following areas of design and stay on top of new best practices constantly:

  • User Interface (UI)
  • User Experience (UX)
  • Mobile responsiveness
  • Web site performance and optimization

If you don’t know these aspects of the business, you won’t be able to provide meaningful, credible feedback to your designers and developers. So study up.

7. E-book Author

Mobile phones and laptops give rise to e-books. As more people are into mobile reading, e-book writers are also in demand. Publishing your books online with a minimal fee will not only boost your income but also your literary gift.

“As the global market for eBooks continues to rise, authors will go wide with their distribution and make more of their income from countries outside of the USA,” said author and blog publisher Joanna Penn of The Creative Penn.

8. Women’s Health Platforms

Women empowerment is on the rise. This gives an income opportunity to you while promoting their advocacies—from women’s health and entrepreneurship to rights and innovations–through your online platform.

9. Health Club

Revenue, health club membership and the total number of clubs all rose from 2014 to 2015, according to International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association in its 2016 global report.

The industry think-tank added that health club revenue increased from $24.2 billion in 2014 to $25.8 billion in 2015, while membership improved from 54.1 million to 55.3 million over the same period. This leads to the growing number of clubs from 34,460 locations to 36,180 sites in the U.S.

As people are more conscious about their health and fitness nowadays, opening a health club gives you a great return on investment.

Enjoyed what you read? Have any questions? Let us know in the comments below, and make sure you sign up for the 21 point business startup checklist.

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