We know the struggle. Finding an idea — the idea — it’s hard. We’re not going to pretend that it’s not.
So that’s the bad news. But there’s good news, too. Business ideas come in all shapes and sizes, and from unexpected places. Sometimes they’re out in the world, waiting for you to find them. Sometimes they’re right under your nose.
Almost 100% of the time, businesses are born out of something authentic and inherent about who you already are. Something you love. Something you’re great at — or had to get great at. Something so ingrained in your everyday, you don’t even realize that it could be a business. Until you do.
To show you what we mean, we put together this list of real, live businesses built by kickass entrepreneurs who took something that they love, and turned it into a business.
Not all that long ago, many of these entrepreneurs were exactly where you are now: at the start of the journey, wondering, “But how do I find an idea?”
As you go through the list, you’ll probably find yourself saying, “Wait – that’s a business?”
You better believe it. What will yours be?
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Flexible Dieting Lifestyle
Name: Flexible Dieting Lifestyle
Quick description: “Eat the foods you love while living the life you desire”
Target audience: Healthy lifestyle seekers
Founder: Zach Rocheleau
Website: flexibledietinglifestyle.com
Products: E-books, coaching, community
Your Badass Therapy Practice
Name: Your Badass Therapy Practice
Quick description: “I help therapists kick ass in private practice”
Target audience: Professional therapists
Founder: Laura Long
Website: yourbadasstherapypractice.com
Products: Online courses
La Vie En Code
Name: La Vie En Code
Quick description: “I help other students learn their best individualized learning styles, and maximize their approach to learning web development”
Target audience: Aspiring web developers
Founder: Nicole Archambault
Website: lavieencode.net
Products: Online courses
Sharpen That Pencil
Name: Sharpen That Pencil
Quick description: “I help struggling writers of all ages write better, faster, stronger while enjoying the process”
Target audience: Struggling writers
Founder: Justyna Jurczykowska
Website: sharpenthatpencil.com
Products: Online courses, coaching
Help Everybody Everyday
Name: Help Everybody Everyday
Quick description: “A/E/C marketing advice, training, and support group”
Target audience: Marketers
Founder: Matt Handal
Website: helpeverybodyeveryday.com
Products: Online courses
Posture Queen
Name: Posture Queen
Quick description: “To remind you that your body is beautiful and deserves your full attention”
Target audience: Women interested in improving their posture
Founder: Maria de Sousa
Website: posturequeen.co.uk
Products: Online courses, trainings, private lessons
Chess University
Name: Chess University
Quick description: Courses and live tutorials for chess enthusiasts
Target audience: Chess players
Founder: Kairav Joshi
Website: chessuniversity.com
Products: Online courses, live tutorials
Every Tuesday
Name: Every Tuesday
Quick description: “I help ambitious graphic designers and hand letterers level-up their skills and creativity”
Target audience: Graphic designers & hand letterers
Founder: Teela Cunningham
Website: every-tuesday.com
Products: Online courses, kits & tools
Make Fabulous Cakes
Name: Make Fabulous Cakes
Quick description: “A haven for cake decorating ideas”
Target audience: Baking aficionados of all skill levels
Founder: Darlene Abarquez
Website: make-fabulous-cakes.com
Products: Online courses
Waking Up in Paris
Name: Waking Up in Paris
Quick description: “Teaching personal style and branding to female entrepreneurs who want to find their dazzling core of confidence, shine bright like a diamond & magnetise dream clients”
Target audience: Female entrepreneurs
Founder: Clarissa Grace
Website: wakingupinparis.com
Products: Coaching
WODprep
Name: WODprep
Quick description: “WODPrep is here to help athletes from all over the world break through their sticking points, hit new PRs, and learn to Rx every workout”
Target audience: CrossFitters and others looking to improve their fitness
Founder: Ben Dziwulski
Website: wodprep.com
Products: Online courses
Happen to Your Career
Name: Happen to Your Career
Quick description: “I believe that everyone has god given talents. My goal in creating Happen to Your Career is to help people learn what they are and put them to use”
Target audience: Career changers and aspiring career coaches
Founder: Scott Barlow
Website: happentoyourcareer.com
Products: Coaching & training
Sati Yoga
Name: Sati Yoga
Quick description: “Reignite the spark in your teaching & help your students make meaningful change”
Target audience: Yoga teachers
Founder: Jennifer O’Sullivan
Website: sati.yoga
Products: Online courses, in-person teaching
WoodSkills
Name: WoodSkills
Quick description: “Detailed and comprehensive step by step sequences for woodworking skill-building”
Target audience: Woodworkers of all skill levels
Founder: Norman Pirollo
Website: woodskills.com
Products: Online courses, plans, books
Vlog Boss University
Name: Vlog Boss University
Quick description: “Start sharing your story through vlogging … like a boss!”
Target audience: Aspiring vloggers (video bloggers)
Founder: Amy Landino
Website: vlogbossuniversity.com
Products: Online courses
The Essential Man
Name: The Essential Man
Quick description: “I make men look and feel as successful as they are”
Target audience: Successful men
Founder: Peter Nguyen
Website: theessentialman.com
Products: Coaching
Maria Killam
Name: Maria Killam
Quick description: “Gives you a clear sense of how to organize colors into useful categories to predict how they will behave in any space“
Target audience: Interior designers
Founder: Maria Killam
Website: mariakillam.com
Products: E-books, online courses, live workshops
Ukulele Tricks
Name: Ukulele Tricks
Quick description: “Discover how to make music on the ukulele, even if you’ve never played an instrument in your life”
Target audience: Aspiring ukulele players
Founder: Brett McQueen
Website: ukuleletricks.com
Products: Books, online courses
Pencil to Pixel
Name: Pencil to Pixel
Quick description: “Everything you need to become an amazing illustrator and designer”
Target audience: Aspiring illustrators and designers
Founder: James Daly
Website: penciltopixel.studio
Products: Online courses
Nerd Marketing
Name: Nerd Marketing
Quick description: “My courses are designed to help you grow your direct-to-consumer businesses, fast”
Target audience: E-commerce business owners
Founder: Drew Sanocki
Website: nerdmarketing.com
Products: Online courses, consulting
Hardcore Music Studio
Name: Hardcore Music Studio
Quick description: “Learn how to record, edit & mix heavy music”
Target audience: Hardcore music producers
Founder: Jordan Valeriote
Website: hardcoremusicstudio.com
Products: Online courses
Workweek Lunch
Name: Workweek Lunch
Quick description: “Prep meals for lunch you’re actually excited to eat”
Target audience: Busy working professionals
Founder: Talia Koren
Website: workweeklunch.com
Products: Membership plans
DesignAcademy.io
Name: DesignAcademy.io
Quick description: “Design principles for developers taught in a non-pretentious, non-bullshitty way”
Target audience: Developers
Founder: Laura Elizabeth
Website: designacademy.io
Products: Online course
Nicole Jardim
Name: Nicole Jardim / The Period GIrl
Quick description: “My mission is to help women in their 20s & 30s reclaim their hormonal health and feminine vitality naturally”
Target audience: Women in their 20s and 30s
Founder: Nicole Jardim
Website: nicolejardim.com
Products: Online courses
SketchUp for Interior Designers
Name: SketchUp for Interior Designers
Quick description: “SketchUp courses made just for interior designers”
Target audience: Interior designers
Founder: Tammy Cody
Website: sketchupforinteriordesigners.com
Products: Online courses, training
WP Assurance
Name: WP Assurance
Quick description: “Launch a beautiful, professional WordPress site in 30 days”
Target audience: Business owners & entrepreneurs
Founder: Rob Howard
Website: wpassurance.com
Products: Online course, community
Shemmassian Academic Consulting
Name: Shemmassian Academic Consulting
Quick description: “Your trusted advisors for admissions success”
Target audience: Students wanting to get into elite colleges, medical schools, and other graduate schools
Founder: Shirag Shemmassian
Website: shemmassianconsulting.com
Products: Coaching
Learn UI Design
Name: Learn UI Design
Quick description: “Confidently design beautiful user interfaces for any app or site”
Target audience: Aspiring UI (user interface) designers
Founder: Erik Kennedy
Website: learnui.design
Products: Online course
The Virtual Savvy
Name: The Virtual Savvy
Quick description: “I help savvy starters launch and grow their VA biz to 5k months and beyond”
Target audience: Beginner virtual assistants (VAs)
Founder: Abbey Ashley
Website: thevirtualsavvy.com
Products: Online courses, coaching
Go Diaper Free
Name: Go Diaper Free
Quick description: “Learn how to help your baby use the potty with Elimination Communication”
Target audience: Parents of potty training–aged children
Founder: Andrea Olson
Website: godiaperfree.com
Products: Books, mini-course, coach training program
DIY Video Guy
Name: DIY Video Guy
Quick description: “Learn how to shoot better videos by yourself.”
Target audience: Aspiring video creators
Founder: Caleb Wojcik
Website: diyvideoschool.com
Products: Online courses
Start a Mom Blog
Name: Start a Mom Blog
Quick description: “I want to show you how to start a mom blog while raising a family. My time saving and productivity tips will make your life easier and help you run a successful blog!”
Target audience: Aspiring mom bloggers
Founder: Suzi Whitford
Website: startamomblog.com
Products: Online courses, e-books
The Rideshare Guy
Name: The Rideshare Guy
Quick description: How to increase your earnings and maximize profits as a ridesharing driver
Target audience: People who drive for Uber and Lyft
Founder: Harry Campbell
Website: therideshareguy.com
Products: Book, online course
The Fuck It Diet
Name: The Fuck It Diet
Quick description: “I help people heal their relationship with food & weight.”
Target audience: Chronic dieters (people who want to improve their relationship with food)
Founder: Caroline Dooner
Website: thefuckitdiet.com
Products: Book, online course
Ten Ton
Name: Ten Ton
Quick description: “Learn how to build a website just once, and you can run as many online businesses as you want!”
Target audience: Business owners, creators, and self-marketers
Founder: Geoff Blake
Website: tentononline.com
Products: Online courses
Country Guitar Online
Name: Country Guitar Online
Quick description: “High quality country and bluegrass guitar lesson videos that you can stream on any device.”
Target audience: People who want to improve their guitar skills
Founder: Devin Shawn
Website: countryguitaronline.com
Products: Online courses, memberships
Tree & Stick Girl
Name: Tree & Stick Girl
Quick description: “Discover what your emotions really mean, why you feel so deeply, and how to take back control of yourself and your life.”
Target audience: Sensitive souls
Founder: Tree Franklyn
Website: findyourinnerhappy.com
Products: Online courses
Jessica Sprague
Name: Jessica Sprague
Quick description: “Grow your skills, build your brand. Join Photoshop Friday Forever for small techniques + big rewards. Or join Brand of You to do business beautifully.”
Target audience: Entrepreneurs and creatives
Founder: Jessica Sprague
Website: jessicasprague.com
Products: Online courses
Female Musician Academy
Name: Female Musician Academy
Quick description: “Make great music, connect with your audience, and grow your business.”
Target audience: Female musicians
Founder: Bree Noble
Website: femalemusicianacademy.com
Products: Online courses
Mom’s Fitness Boutique
Name: Mom’s Fitness Boutique
Quick description: “Core/pelvic floor retraining, full body conditioning and most importantly… emotional support during the most vulnerable time in your life.”
Target audience: New moms
Founder: Terrell Baldock
Website: momsfitnessboutique.com
Products: Online courses, coaching
Media Maven
Name: Media Maven
Quick description: “Connect instantly with thousands of ideal clients in minutes… instead of months!”
Target audience: Small business owners
Founder: Christina Nicholson
Website: mediamavenandmore.com
Products: Online courses
Z Design
Name: Z Design
Quick description: “I take the crap out of scrapbooking.”
Target audience: Scrapbookers
Founder: Cathy Zielske
Website: cathyzielske.com
Products: Online courses, templates, and tools
Violeta’s
Name: Violeta Nedkova
Quick description: “I can help you do what you love and do it in your own way.”
Target audience: “Creative rebels who are tired of conforming to everyone else’s rules and ready to kickass in your own way”
Founder: Violeta Nedkova
Website: violetanedkova.com
Products: Online courses, e-books, coaching
NovelBits
Name: NovelBits
Quick description: “The #1 Top Resource For Learning Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)”
Target audience: Developers wanting to master BLE and Bluetooth 5
Founder: Mohammad Afaneh
Website: novelbits.io
Products: E-books, online courses, coaching
Strengthlete
Name: Strengthlete
Quick description: “I will show you how to rewire your brain, process your stress without using food, and build a healthy relationship with food — so you can be a boss in the office and beast in the gym”
Target audience: People looking to “find the balance between being in shape and your career”
Founder: Joe Nissim
Website: strengthlete.com
Products: Coaching
CRK Training
Name: CRK Training
Quick description: “I help people … become more balanced and confident riders”
Target audience: Equestrians looking to improve their riding skills
Founder: Callie King
Website: crktrainingvideos.com
Products: Online courses
EDM Tips
Name: EDM Tips
Quick description: “Improve your EDM production skills”
Target audience: Electronic dance music producers
Founder: Will Darling
Website: edmtips.com
Products: E-books, online courses
The Contract Shop
Name: The Contract Shop
Quick description: “Legal templates and courses for creative entrepreneurs, online course creators, consultants, coaches and more”
Target audience: Creative entrepreneurs
Founder: Christine Scalera
Website: thecontractshop.com
Products: Courses, templates
Human Vortex Training
Name: Human Vortex Training
Quick description: “Get stronger on & off the bike, return from injury, and make the most of [your] time to ride & train”
Target audience: “Riders who are done dabbling, and ready for results”
Founder: Menachem Brodie
Website: humanvortextraining.com
Products: Coaching
Go Rattle the Stars
Name: Go Rattle the Stars
Quick description: “I help creative business owners create a solid social media strategy so they can reach their target audience — and get real results!”
Target audience: Creative business owners
Founder: Brie Kirbyson
Website: gorattlethestars.com
Products: Online courses
Meal Mentor
Name: Meal Mentor
Quick description: “Don’t lose hours planning meals yourself, let Meal Mentor plan your week”
Target audience: Parents juggling work, family, and the ever-growing to-do list
Founder: Lindsay S. Nixon
Website: getmealplans.com
Products: Coaching, courses, e-books, memberships
Arianna Taboada
Name: Arianna Taboada
Quick description: “I help women entrepreneurs, founders, and freelancers design a maternity leave plan that meets their business model and personal needs”
Target audience: Self-employed women preparing for maternity leave
Founder: Arianna Taboada
Website: ariannataboada.com
Products: Coaching
Isiah McKimmie
Name: Isiah McKimmie
Quick description: “Creating loving relationships, deep intimacy, and whole-hearted sex … through practical tools, science-based advice, and a rock-steady belief that you are not broken”
Target audience: Couples and individuals wanting to deepen their intimate relationships
Founder: Isiah McKimmie
Website: isiah-mckimmie.com
Products: Coaching, courses, e-books
Greater Than Rubies
Name: Greater Than Rubies
Quick description: “I help women all over the world feel more polished and confident through daily outfit tips, individual coaching, and events”
Target audience: Women of all ages
Founder: Caitlin Skidmore
Website: greaterthanrubies.net
Products: Guides, events, coaching
Phyzzle
Name: Phyzzle
Quick description: “Learn how top math, science, and engineering students ace their exams and crush their courses, without the stress, frustration, and long hours we’re all accustomed to”
Target audience: College students
Founder: Tom Miller
Website: phyzzle.com
Products: Courses, guides
Freelance to Win
Name: Freelance To Win
Quick description: “Learn what it really takes to be a successful freelancer”
Target audience: Aspiring freelancers
Founder: Danny Margulies
Website: freelancetowin.com
Products: Courses
The Inertia Project
Name: The Inertia Project
Quick description: “We help ambitious women conquer fitness anxiety and create lasting changes”
Target audience: Women looking to enhance their fitness
Founder: Genevieve Malone
Website: theinertiaproject.org
Products: Courses, coaching
Recording Revolution
Name: Recording Revolution
Quick description: “Create radio-worthy songs from your bedroom or home studio”
Target audience: Home musicians
Founder: Graham Cochrane
Product page: recordingrevolution.com
Products: E-books, courses
Introverted Alpha
Name: Introverted Alpha
Quick description: “We help thoughtful men attract women naturally without being someone they’re not”
Target audience: Single men
Founder: Sarah Jones
Website: introvertedalpha.com
Products: E-book, courses, coaching
Comme une Francaise
Name: Comme un Francaise
Quick description: “The only place to learn to both speak real French, not textbook French, and understand French culture so you can cultivate your inner Gaulois(e)”
Target audience: Francophiles
Founder: Geraldine Lepere
Website: commeunefrancaise.com
Products: Courses, subscriptions
Viral Message Lab
Name: Viral Message Lab
Quick description: “When you’re about to dedicate months or even years writing a book or sharing a talk, wouldn’t it be nice to be certain that you’re about to embark on something people LOVE?”
Target audience: Ambitious professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, and “people trying to change the world”
Founder: Ryan Hildebrandt
Website: viralmessagelab.com
Products: Courses, coaching
Rice Lean
Name: Rice Lean
Quick description: “The ultra-simple, millennia old, and crushingly powerful Asian secrets — that help you lose half a pound a day naturally!”
Target audience: Weight loss seekers
Founder: Leslie Chen
Website: ricelean.com
Products: Coaching
10X Travel
Name: 10X Travel
Quick description: “Leverage the power of points and miles to make their travel dreams a reality”
Target audience: Travel junkies
Founder: Bryce Conway
Website: 10xtravel.com
Products: E-book, affiliate partnerships
Successful Fashion Designer
Name: Successful Fashion Designer
Quick description: “Further your fashion design career by gaining confidence in Illustrator”
Target audience: Fashion designers
Founder: Heidi Marie
Website: successfulfashiondesigner.com
Products: Courses
A Mother Far From Home
Name: A Mother Far From Home
Quick description: “Join tens of thousands of mothers to get tips, resources, and encouragement that’ll take the chaos out of life with your kids”
Target audience: Moms
Founder: Rachel Norman
Website: amotherfarfromhome.com
Products: Guides, e-books
Byte by Byte
Name: Byte by Byte
Quick description: “Your one-stop shop for acing your coding interview”
Target audience: Job-hunting coders
Founder: Sam Gavis-Hughson
Website: byte-by-byte.com
Products: Coaching, e-book
Optimize Yourself
Name: Optimize Yourself
Quick description: “Learn how to master your time, energy, and attention … [and] start treating yourself better than your technology”
Target audience: Creative professionals
Founder: Zack Arnold
Website: optimizeyourself.me
Products: Courses
Personality.Media
Name: Personality.Media
Quick description: “Video coaching agency which helps online entrepreneurs craft engaging videos”
Target audience: Busy entrepreneurs
Founder: Jessica Eturralde
Website: personality.media
Products: Coaching, services
Get Style Confidence
Name: Get Style Confidence
Quick description: “I save the day by digging into who YOU truly are to create a gorgeous style on the outside that perfectly expresses who you are on the inside”
Target audience: Professional women
Founder: Hilde Fossen
Website: getstyleconfidence.com
Products: Courses, coaching
Speak English with Christina
Name: Speak English with Christina
Quick description: “Get the reflexes to finally feel fluent speaking English”
Target audience: Non-native English speakers
Founder: Christina Rebuffet
Website: christinarebuffet.com
Products: Book, courses, coaching
_
Got a business you think belongs on this list? If your business:
- …has information products (think courses, coaching, e-books, seminars)
- …is generating revenue
We want to hear from you! Fill out this survey to be considered.
We’ll update this post occasionally to showcase even more amazing businesses from members of the GrowthLab community who are kicking butt and using entrepreneurship to live the life they love.
Nicole faith
Your “golden idea” comes from your expertise and perfect niche, which can take some to experiment with. The only way to know if something works or not is to just try it! Don’t let a saturated market get you down. There’s room for everyone.
Tom
Great post Katie! This is 100% true:
> Something so ingrained in your everyday, you don’t even realize that it could be a business. Until you do.
The only reason I ever thought it would be a possibility to start an online business was seeing examples like the ones you’ve featured here.
Thanks!
Sam gavis-Hughson
Thanks for the share! Can’t think of a better place to see my name come up 🙂
Menachem brodie
Sam, Samesies, lol.
Katie, thank you for the mention!
“Woah! No way!” 😀
JESS ETURRALDE
What a privilege to be featured here – thank you!
I just want to say for those reading and struggling with their idea – or contemplating a pivot: I pivoted 4 times and I know MANY successful entrepreneurs (including others included in this article) who tried a few ideas before finding the right fit.
Finding your idea IS an adventure if we approach it like we do other tests – not a daunting task.
So keep at it till it works! 🙂
Emily
I’d love to hear how folks pivoted and eventually found a successul idea. How did you ultimately know to let an idea go? What did you do differently that formed the golden idea?
Menachem brodie
Emily,
In my own experience, and I can’t speak to anyone else’s, but it was literally just turning the thing I LOVED doing- what I spent my weekends doing, my spare time learning about, and just enjoying the journey.
But I didn’t see it right away. It actually took the owner of the bike shop I bought my road bike from to ask my WHY I WASN’T coaching, and his subsequent support that I finally took the leap.
And even then it took me a few months to let the idea sit in my subconscious until one day, in the middle of a hard effort on the bike, having helped another rider leave me in his dust, I said “Let’s do it”.
Hope this helps!
Abdul kadir
Really a thought-provoking article!
Thanks to KATIE.
Geoff Blake
It’s an honor to be included on this list. Thank you!
In regards to finding your idea, as the article states, yes it is born out of something authentic and inherent about who you are already or what it is that you’d like to change in the world.
But I’d love to add to this. Let’s take this idea (above) and then intersect it with what the market needs. That’s when things really start happening.
This could be expressed as…
1) You (your personality, your preferences, your unique perspective), plus…
2) Your set of skills (skills you already have, skills you need to develop), plus…
3) Unfilled needs / problems / gaps in the market.
If you can get these three stars to align, you’ll be on to something.
Don’t stop. Don’t put it off. Whatever it takes, get these three things lining up.
Learn about yourself and reflect — what kind of business do you want to run? What kind of customers do you want to work with? Assess your skills. What have you got? What’s missing? If you discover an unserved gap in a market that you want to serve, but lack certain skills, do whatever it takes to learn those skills. And so on, and so on…
Do whatever you have to do to push and heave and drag these three stars until they’re all lined up.
Use your smarts and your instincts to put this puzzle together.
It ain’t easy. But holy geeze is it ever worthwhile! For you, for your customer…for the world.
So get to work. Show us whatcha got!
Timothy Moser
I charge my students $597.00/month for Spanish coaching, a service that I outsource to my virtual coaches in South America. That’s very far removed from the “how to earn more money” space! The majority of my students are men or women who married into a Spanish-speaking family and want to talk with their in-laws, so it’s very worth it to them.
Timothy Moser
^ …in response to people who think they can only make money online by teaching other people how to make money online. Great post. It’s encouraging to see the extreme variety in successful online businesses!
Mario
Cool Post, inspirational.. Would like more of that.
Robert Fleming
Another hum-dinger from Katie! This was such a fun read! So much here it took me half a day to get through it all. Thank you for being you!
Rinkesh
Got some few ideas for my next blog. Thanks for the awesome blog post, Katie.
Suzi startamomblog
Wow. Thank you for the feature!
Sonya
I’ve been playing around with a few ideas for some time, but I keep coming back to this one particle idea all the time (i.e. business coaching).
Thanks for the great article and inspiration, Katie!
Suzi | startamomblog
Wow, thank you for including me! It’s been an honor to help over 5,000 moms get their voices out online! This is such an inspiring post – thank you!!
Anand
Thanks for sharing those valuable ideas , As planning to start a small business your blog gave me better idea.
Rakesh
Very thank full for sharing those suggestions , looking to start a new business your suggestions are very helpful.
John
Cool post, but how many of them are making enough to support a family, pay a mortgage, live the life of their dreams?
Often I find out sites like these make 1/4 of what I can make working for an enterprise.
Katie Parrott
Hey John – thanks for asking! We’ve deliberately shown something of a range here. Some of these businesses are more well-established, some are just getting started. Some folks are running their business alongside full-time jobs, others have made the leap to working on their business full time. The goal here is to showcase the range of ideas, talents, and skills that can become businesses, rather than focusing on raw earning potential as the sole metric of success. Sure, some of these folks are earning less as entrepreneurs than they did in their “previous lives” as corporate employees – but if you asked them, I think they’d tell you the freedom and control over their time – not to mention the pride and ownership of having built something themselves – is worth the trade-off! Also, they may not be replacing their income YET… but that doesn’t mean it will stay that way!
Dan christensen
Some of these seem re-hashed and overused, but I got some awesome ideas out of others. Great post!