I’m going to tell you the best business ideas for women based on my female friends and colleagues who have absolutely crushed it.
If you’re looking for some stupid list like “bake cookies!” get out of here. This is a realistic list of business ideas for women who are looking to make serious money. Or, you’re seeking a lifestyle business that makes enough money to be comfortable yet also gives you control over your schedule.
The latest data from the US Census Bureau and US Small Business Administration (SBA) indicates there are 12,001,410 women-owned businesses in the US with $1.8 trillion in sales. (1) So yeah, you can totally do this.
As I write this, I’m thinking of my niece. She’s a kid who loves dancing and has won awards in competitions. I can see her one day dancing in a Broadway play or perhaps opening her own dance studio or being a dance teacher online.
In fact, teaching lessons on a platform like Teachable or Thinkific is one of my favorite business ideas for women – or anyone for that matter.
What’s great is you can teach whatever you’re passionate about in whatever way is comfortable for you. You can make videos if you like being in front of the camera. Or you can record podcasts. Or, you can write instructional articles instead. Or all of the above!
Table of Contents
Business Ideas for Women
Blogging
Blogging is one of the best business ideas for women because you have total control over your schedule, you can work remotely, and, if you want, you can even do it anonymously.
I worked for a husband and wife who sold their travel topic blog for millions of dollars. Ever wonder what flips? You can flip your blog to a corporation like they did and retire early.
My site, touchdownmoney.com, is an example of a blog. I write articles that teach people how to build an online business.
I’ve worked for other blogs that taught people how to do things such as travel the world on a budget and how to make money with side hustles. Your blog can be about something you love, such as teaching people about improving their relationships, or about nutrition, or jewelry making, or how to run an Airbnb, or how to cook, or how to race snowmobiles in the beautiful nation of Bhutan.
How do you make money blogging?
- You can sell a course on a platform like Thinkific , Teachable , or Skillshare to your audience of fans.
- You can review and recommend tools. When your audience buys those items, you get paid a commission.
- You can get paid for showing advertisements to your audience.
To get started, choose from the best managed Wordpress hosting or best web hosting services. You can easily make a site by choosing the best website builder for your business.
If you look at hobbies to make money, you’ll see blogging. I suggest treating blogging like a business from day one. Choose a topic (also called your business niche), get good email marketing software, and get started.
| Pros | Cons |
| Super easy to start | It’s not “passive income.” Blogging requires updates and new articles. However, if you make a course or book, you can sell the same book or video course while you sleep for YEARS. Really. I know people who do this. |
| Creates a community and that feels really good | It’s competitive. If you plan to write crappy articles, please don’t. The internet is full of junk. Make your blog awesome by being 100% you. Showcase your personality and knowledge. Hint: If there are lots of blogs on your topic, that’s actually a good thing. That means it’s a popular topic. Your challenge is to have a new angle. For example, let’s say your topic is nutrition. Your angle could be nutrition for moms who don't have a lot of free time. Or it could be nutrition for women who work as a nurse during the day and fight crime with a Lasso of Truth during nights and weekends. |
| Make your own schedule | |
| Work remotely | |
| You can make millions of dollars blogging. I personally know bloggers who’ve made millions and others who make $100,000+ per year blogging. These are regular people, not corporations. Hint: They’re passionate about their topic and they didn’t give up too early! |
2 – Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is one of the best business ideas for women because you can work from home or while traveling.
What is affiliate marketing? It’s when you promote products or services to your audience. You get paid a commission for each sale.
For instance, say you love to travel, and you start a travel blog. You might have a list of your favorite travel products. By recommending these products, you can make money each time someone buys one of your recommendations.
The easiest way to get started is to post your content on social media and then encourage people to sign-up for your email list using professional email marketing software such as ConvertKit.
With emails to your audience, promote your affiliates using referral programs. Here’s how to earn $20 per referral. And here’s my list of best referral bonus apps.
| Pros | Cons |
| Very easy to start | Too many people promote affiliates that only pay $1 per sale. Be smarter. You’ll only make money that way if you have a huge audience |
| Make your own schedule | You have to be passionate and knowledgeable about the category of products you promote. It’s hard to be successful promoting skin care affiliates if you’re the person who washes their face by splashing with cold water and wiping off with their forearm. Hint: This is why I don’t personally promote skin care. |
| Work remotely | |
| You might sometimes get free stuff from companies that want you to promote their products. | |
| It’s realistic to make $25,000 to $100,000 per month, depending on which affiliate products you promote. |
3 – Freelance Writing
I absolutely love freelance writing as a business idea for women. I’ve hired many smart ladies as freelance writers.
Your freelance writing business puts you in control of your schedule. You decide which assignments to accept, what rate of pay you want, and which clients you want to work with.
The good news is you don’t need to be an amazing writer – at first. You can learn how to build a freelance writing business with a highly-rated course, like the Come Write With Us course taught by two professional, published authors who’ve written for Lifehacker, New York Times, National Geographic and more.
You do need to be good at researching online and organizing your thoughts. I will say that most freelance writers are somewhat introverted. If you need to constantly be around people, this probably isn’t the business idea for you.
You might be exploring a topic online and deep in your thoughts writing for a few hours at a time.
On the flip side, there’s a big community of female freelance writers. So there are plenty of opportunities to socialize online and in real life at conferences and meet-ups.
It’s also smart to make connections with business owners in general because almost every business needs content. They could be your next client!
A computer, internet, and your brain is how you can make 10k a month. Or if you’re already writing, this could be a hobby to make money for you.
Will AI make freelance writing obsolete? No. But AI is a tool you can use. You can check out AI writing tools such as ClosersCopy and Rytr.
| Pros | Cons |
| Very easy to start | Freelance writing is not the best business idea for women who are very extroverted. |
| Make your own schedule | You’ll be in front of computer screens a lot. If you’re already like this, no big deal. But if you’re a woman who is used to working outdoors as a physical therapist for aging ring-tail lemurs, this might be a big change for you. Although, freelancing writing about helping ring-tailed lemurs get back to, uh, lemuring, is a great subject. |
| Work remotely | |
| Requires almost no money to start this business idea | |
| I know female freelance writers who make $250,000 per year. More common is $100,00 per year. And I know part-time freelance writers who make $50,000 per year. |
4 – Open an Online Store
Sell, sell, sell stuff! You can sell your own products or products from other companies in your online store.
A brick and mortar store might require a small business loan, and there are local licenses and whatnot. Plus, you need to physically be at the store. One the other hand, your online store is open 24-7 and can make money while you sleep.
An online store can be a truly passive business idea, depending on what you sell.
Make your business idea a reality by opening an ecommerce store on Shopify. Or by making your own site by selecting the best website builder, such as Duda, and best web hosting service.
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple to start this business | You need to keep the attention of your shoppers, or they leave. |
| Make your own schedule like a true entrepreneur | You might have to keep inventory if you’re selling your own products. So you’ll need space. You can start by selling products for other companies instead to lower your business risk at first. |
| Remote work |
5 – Freelance Web Development
If you’re an entrepreneurial woman with technical skills, check out freelance web development as a business idea. Or if you like tech and want to learn more about web development, check out this web design course on Teachable. That could be the start of your web development business!
Today, depending on your client’s needs, you don't even have to be a coder. You could be snazzy woman who’s gotten really good at using best website builders, such as Duda.
Web developers in the US charge anywhere from $25 to $65 per hour, depending on your skills.
A company I worked for paid a web development business $50,000 to update its website with a new graphic design, user interface, and technical capabilities. This gives you an idea that there’s definitely money to be made as a web developer.
| Pros | Cons |
| Make your own schedule | This business idea might be best for introverts who enjoy quiet time coding or graphic design or user interface improvements. So if you’re a woman who likes to work outdoors planting heirloom tomatoes on a Tuesday afternoon, this isn’t the business idea for you. Save that awesome hobby for Saturdays! Make “da money” on Tuesdays. |
| Freelance web development can be a remote business for women | |
| Pays well! |
Common Questions About Business Ideas for Women
Small Business Ideas for Women?
- Blogging – Start on one of the best web hosting services, affordable!
- Affiliate Marketing – Start with the best referral bonus apps, monetize your audience
- Freelance Writing – Take a course on Teachable, great for introverts!
- Online Store – Sell on Shopify, fun!
- Freelance Web Development – learn from a Teachable course; women coders, this is for you!
Unique Business Ideas for Ladies?
- Blogging – Blog with Wordpress using the best web hosting services – showcase your unique personality
- Affiliate Marketing – Promote these referral bonus apps
- Freelance Writing – Learn with the Come Write With Us course on Teachable. VERY possible to make $100,000 per year
- Online Store – Sell on Shopify – sell unique items like tiny backscratchers for butterflies (Hey, butterflies get mosquito bites too! Probably.)
- Freelance Web Development – check out this web design course on Teachable.
Best Businesses for Women?
- Blogging – Women, ladies, females, all of the above can be fantastic bloggers. Start your blogging business using the best web hosting services
- Affiliate Marketing – Promote referral bonus apps as a business. You can work from home or while traveling through the beautiful nation of Bhutan.
- Freelance Writing – Learn with this course from Teachable. This is one of the best businesses for women with introverted personalities
- Online Store – Sell on Shopify – Shopify businesses can make bank. Sell women’s products like fuchsia-colored shovels and motorcycle parts for single moms who want a safe side-car for their baby
- Freelance Web Development – check out this Teachable course.
Franchise for Women?
I have a female friend who owns a house-cleaning franchise business.
I’m also friends with a wife and husband team who own a Crossfit franchise.
I have a guy friend who owns a frozen yogurt franchise shop, and I know a woman could run this business too.
Other franchise for women business ideas:
- Educational centers for children / teaching such as Mathnasium and Kumon Math and Reading Centers
- Fitness centers such as Snap Fitness
- Theater for children, such as Drama Kids International
Home Based Businesses for Women?
- Blogging – A terrific home-based business for women that is inexpensive to start. Pick a topic you enjoy and build your audience of fans. Be sure to use the best web hosting services if you’re serious about this home-based business.
- Affiliate Marketing – Promote referral bonus apps as a home-based business. For instance, I’ve made money promoting Rakuten and Upside because I use them personally. I’ve also known quite a few bloggers making a killing with Ibotta, too!
- Freelance Writing – I’ve hired women freelance writers who really appreciated being able to care for their children and/or older parents while working from home. Learn more about freelance writing from this course on Teachable.
- Online Store – Selling on Shopify is a classic home-based business. Sell your own products or products from other companies
- Freelance Web Development – you can level up your coding skills with a Teachable course or jump right into this home based business
What Is the Best Business for a Woman to Start?
- Blogging business – Start for a very low cost. Make big money. If you’re serious about it! Check out the best web hosting services for this business.
- Affiliate Marketing business – Tell people about referral bonus apps. This is super easy to start.
- Freelance Writing – Begin your journey with a business writing course at Teachable. This is a terrific business for women who can relate to others and are curious about various topics.
- Online Store – Start your ecommerce business on Shopify.
- Freelance Web Development business – check out this Teachable course.
Side Business Ideas for Ladies?
- Blogging is a good side business idea for ladies. I know a wife and husband who started a blog as a side business while working full-time careers. Their travel blog became so successful that they were able to quit their jobs! Remember that your blogging business needs the best web hosting services.
- Affiliate Marketing – Ladies, promote referral bonus apps as a side business, side hustle side gig, with a side of mac n cheese. (Sorry. I’m hungry for smooth, cheesy goodness.)
- Freelance Writing is a kick-butt side business idea for ladies. Learn about freelance writing with this top course at Teachable. This can be a part-time business or full-time business.
- Opening an online store on Shopify is a great side business idea for ladies.
- Freelance Web Development – check out a Teachable course. This is one of the best side business ideas for ladies who enjoy coding.
Business for Ladies With Low Investment?
- Blogging is a sweet business for ladies with low investment. You can start for a few bucks a month using one of the best web hosting services
- Affiliate Marketing is a business for ladies with low investment. Promote referral bonus apps to your audience and earn anywhere from $10 to $150 per person who signs up.
- Freelance Writing is a great business for ladies with no start-up costs. Learn with this course at Teachable.
- An online store is a business for women with low investment requirements. Sell on Shopify here.
- Freelance Web Development is a good technical business for ladies with low investment. See this Teachable course.
Sources:
1 – https://advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Women-Ownership-Statistics-Infographic-508c.pdf
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