15+ Profitable Small Business Ideas for Students


The last few years have seen a dramatic change in the business environment. The rapid rise of the internet and technology has made it easier for everyone to become entrepreneurs, and the reduction of global barriers has increased competition.

It can be hard to know where to start when you are starting out, but this post will cover 15+ profitable small Business ideas for students that can be started while studying.

Recently Kunal shah, founder at cred quoted in their statement that —

“All students should have a startup during college. Doesn’t matter if successful or how big or small. Worst case scenario it will make them 10x better employee than someone with no exposure to how a business works.”

Kunal Shah, Founder at Cred

Why you should start a business or work on any idea while going to college or school?

Starting a small business while working on your studies can be hard but also more adventurous, where you can learn too many things by practically not by boring theory. Besides that, it helps you directly to make money, in studies, filling the passion, and so on.

That’s why In this article, I will explore the 15+ best small business ideas for students to start and run. I have compiled a list of ideas from a variety of industries so that hopefully one will suit you.

Is it possible to run a business while studying?

Yes definitely, It does not matter what time in life you are in when it comes to starting a business. It is all about completing what you set your mind to. Starting a business while studying will allow the entrepreneur to master the art of balancing both work and study. In addition, staying organized and making the best use of your time will only bring effective results for both ventures.

Even if you are still in school, you should start your own business. The key to succeeding is in organizing your time because you will find hours in the day to study and succeed. However, if you are not organized, make smart decisions, and set deadlines for yourself it is easy to be distracted by other things.

How to generate your own profitable business ideas?

Unique and profitable business ideas can come from a variety of different sources, including research and surveys.

  1. Redesign and improve existing products and services.
  2. Follow new trends, such as e-commerce and the Internet.
  3. Discover entrepreneurial opportunities through systematic research.
  4. By chance.

At the same time, you can follow the 8 principles by going through this article to find more profitable and unique business ideas. or if you have already found the idea, you can go through this article to find what will the next steps towards building a business or startup.

List of 15+ Profitable Small Business Ideas for Students:

  1. Become an online seller –
  2. Make money from writing –
  3. Sell used books –
  4. Become a private tutor –
  5. Blogging – 
  6. Instagram Influencer –
  7. Become Youtuber –
  8. Affiliate marketing – 
  9. Start selling your own e-book –
  10. Wedding planner – 
  11. Product photography – 
  12. Sell used products – 
  13. Make money by Quora –
  14. Digital Marketing – 
  15. Sell your hand-written notes – 
  16. College projects selling –

1. Become an online seller: #1 Idea under 16 Business Ideas for Students

This is the best business idea under the list of 15+ Business ideas for students. If you are actively looking for a side hustle or enjoy owning your own business, starting an Online selling might be right for you. It may take some hard work and dedication to rise in the ranks, but As long as you keep providing quality items while paying attention to pricing, promotions, and volume/frequency deals, you can maximize your potential to have a successful business online.

There are many platforms available on the internet, where you can start and sell products initially.

Some of the major platforms are – 

  • Amazon
  • Flipkart
  • Meesho
  • Shop101
  • Snapdeal
  • Paytm

Basic requirements to start online selling in India:

  • Research and find your products to sell – In the beginning, you don’t need to keep inventory, just simply get tie-up with some retailers and wholesalers, whenever you will get an order, buy from the market and deliver to pickup boy.
  • GST Number –
  • Pan Card – 
  • Aadhar card –
  • Get register yourself on any of the platforms ( Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho) – In case of any trouble, you can find multiple tutorials on Youtube

2. Make money from Writing: #2 Idea under 16 Business Ideas for Students at home

Blogs are one of the best ways to make money from writing. Publications like medium provide a platform for writers to publish their work and get paid for it. The company even takes care of the marketing and promotion of your article. All you need is an account, some free time, and the ability to write well. 

To maximize revenue, you should research the audience and make sure you are writing for them. There are many platforms available on the internet, where you can write articles and get paid.

Some of them are – 25+ Medium Alternative Platforms to Make Money

3. Sell used books: #3 Idea under 16 Business Ideas for Students

If you are looking for an easy way to make money, you can start a business to sell books. The best part is that you don’t need much money or knowledge about the world of business in order to get started. If you have old books at your house, you can put them up for sale on many online websites including social media. There are many book clubs made up to sell used books on the side.

If you don’t have your own book, It is easy to start this business by buying books in bulk, then selling them on reader sites, even you can create your own website to sell over the internet.

Some of the websites, where you can sell used books are:

4. Become Youtuber: #4 Idea under 16 Business Ideas for Students

Though the thought of becoming a YouTuber may be an exciting and lucrative one, it is difficult to gain notoriety. Making money off of YouTube is not an easy endeavour. You make videos on a niche that you enjoy and then make money off them through ads and sponsorships, but the success of becoming a YouTube Famous One is not an easy feat. Behind famous YouTubers are long hours of hard work.

To be successful, you have to create content that resonates with your followers while following through with their suggestions at the same time. I would recommend starting slow and then letting the results speak for themselves.

If you are confused to find the perfect youtube niche for you to get started on youtube, here is the 60+ Best YouTube Channel Ideas to Become The Next YouTube Influencers in 2022, besides that here are the 15+ Effective Ways to Grow & Promote Your YouTube Videos & Channel Rapidly.

5. Sell used products: #5 Idea under 16 Business Ideas for Students

If you are looking for an opportunity to make money with little to no investment, then you should consider selling used products. There’s a lot of demand for second-hand items these days, and thanks to social media, it’s also easier than ever before to connect with people who want them. If you’re willing to do some hustling, then there is an opportunity for you to sell your old stuff and make some cash without too much hassle.

You can make money in two ways: sell the product and buy low and sell high.

Some of the platforms, you can consider starting to sell used products are:

6. Become a private tutor: #6 Idea under 16 Business Ideas for Students

Teaching is a great way to earn a living and you can earn a lot of money doing it. You can find teaching opportunities in a variety of settings from tutoring, substitute teaching, summer camp, private lessons for children and adults, online teaching, and more. If you have been looking for an easy way to get into the workforce without the commitment of working at a full-time job then it may be time to start thinking about becoming a private tutor.

Some of the websites, you can register yourself to find students and start tutoring online – 

7. Blogging: #7 Idea under 16 Business Ideas for Students

If you don’t like to write blogs and articles for other platforms like medium and looking to make money without having a day job, blogging is one of the best ways to do it. It’s also one of the cheapest options for entrepreneurs with no money to invest in their projects.

To get started, you need to create an account on a blogging site like WordPress or Blogger. Once you have created your account, you will be able to start posting content to your blog. It is important to write posts that are of interest to your target audience. 

Next, promote your blog by submitting it to social media sites and search engines like Google and Bing! Finally, make sure that you draft up a monetization strategy before you start blogging. You can monetize by receiving ad revenue (paid posts), ads network, affiliate marketing (posts about products and services), and through using sponsored posts (posts about products and services).

You can start blogging by self-hosting websites like blogger, and wordpress.com. Also, you can create your custom domain websites by investing some penny amount into hosting. in order to make money, you can monetize your website after setting up some blogs. Here is the list of some ad networks like Google Adsense and alternatives, which uses you can monetize your website and make money online.

8. Instagram Influencer: #8 Idea under 16 Business Ideas for Students

Instagram is the most used social media platform for many people. That’s why it’s no surprise that Instagram influencers are paid thousands of dollars to work with big brands.

It’s not all that hard to make money by becoming an Instagram influencer. You can do it yourself or work with a company that handles this kind of thing for you. 

Some of the things you should keep in your mind to become a successful influencer is that keep people-centric content, works on reels, and focus on personal branding. 

When you will get some audience on your profile then contact brands on Instagram and ask them if they need help with their marketing. In most cases, brands will contact you themselves.

Well, want to become a successful influencer on Instagram?

Here are the 25+ Effective Ways To Get More Instagram Followers (Real) For Free.

9. Affiliate Marketing: #9 Idea under 16 Business Ideas for Students

Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought by the affiliate’s own marketing efforts.

It is a form of internet marketing where you can make money by promoting other people’s products. If the customer happens to buy the product through your link, you will be paid a commission. To do this, first find a product that interests you and sign up as an affiliate with their website or company. You will then be able to share your affiliate links on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, even though by creating your own blogging and affiliate website.

Here is the list of some websites, where you can start your affiliate marketing journey – 15 Best Affiliate Programs in India That You Must Try in 2021 to Become a Successful Affiliate Marketer.

Know Top 5 Best Web Hosting Companies in India you can use for your online business or website.

5 best web hosting companies

10. Start selling your own e-book: #10 Idea under 16 Fun Business Ideas for College Students

One of the best ways to make money as a writer is to write your own e-book and sell it as an eBook on Amazon or other online stores. This sounds easier than it is, but there are some things you can do to help. When you’re writing your book, try to keep it short and concise. You should also be writing about something that people care about, and yet your book should be different enough from the other books on the subject that it stands out.

You don’t need to have an MBA or a successful business to help you make money. All you need is a good idea, some time, and the ability to market your product.

Some of the websites given below, where you can sell your ebook – 

11. Wedding planner: #11 Idea under 16 Small Business Ideas for girl Students

Being a wedding planner is a way of combining your social skills and love for parties with a good salary. If you’re a people person who enjoys planning, network building, and persuasive conversations, this may be the perfect business for you.

Here are the ways that How to Become a Successful Wedding Planner/Consultant.

12. Product Photography: #12 Idea under 16 Startup Ideas for Students

In the business world, product photography is a great way to earn repeat customers. There is a continuous demand for product shots, so it is an excellent business decision for a start-up with minimal investment. Moreover, it’s always easier to sell to existing customers than to acquire new ones. Starting a photography service that builds loyal repeat customers is a smart move that will pay dividends in the long-run

Here are the major steps that let you know, why and how you should start a successful product photography business, even if you don’t have photography skills.

13. Digital Marketing: #13 Idea under 16 Business Ideas for Students in University

If you don’t know about digital marketing, you can learn from internet sources and youtube. It is too easy to learn and earn money online with digital marketing.

Local businesses that don’t have digital awareness are missing good chunks of clientele. In addition, they may need help sorting out internet marketing strategies because there is much to be done. If you offer these free consultations, by showing them your knowledge on the subject of digital marketing, you can help local businesses run more efficiently and bring in more buyers. It might take time, but it pays off in the long run with a satisfying client base of all different types of customers.

14. Make money by Quora: #14 Idea under 16 Part-time Business Ideas for Students

If you’re looking for new ways to make some money, the internet is the place to go. Quora is an online knowledge market where people post questions and others provide answers. There are many different categories of questions that range from topics like technology, politics, and cooking.

You can also use Quora to get your name out there and build your personal brand. 

If you love to give answers to someone queries and questions also love to ask questions, then the quora platform is going to become a gem for you.

Just simply create your own quora space, start to build an audience while questioning and answering.

15. Sell your hand-written notes: #15 Idea under 16 Online Business Ideas for Students

There is an endless market for old handwritten notebooks. You can try selling them to friends or family members first. If that doesn’t work, then try posting online. 

Put up your best pictures and make sure you post the material of the notebook too. Make it clear how many are left so they don’t think there is a never-ending supply of notebooks.

Some of the websites, where you can sell your handwritten notes are – 

You can also sell your notebook by creating your own e-notebook on given above ebook selling platforms.

16. College projects selling: #16 Idea under 16 Unique Business Ideas for Students

There are many ways to make money by selling college projects, but the most common way is to sell them online. One popular website for this is Fiverr.com, where people sell everything from graphic design to video editing. 

You can also create your own website and publish all projects publicly at your own demanding rate.

Some of the websites below working at the same model, you can take the reference by going through this link –

Conclusion: 

There are a lot of cool and different ideas out there, and it is important to be careful with what you choose. The best way to make decisions is to figure out what your goals are and use your research skills to find the right opportunity for you.

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FAQs:

  • Why you should start a business or work on any idea while going to college or school?

    Starting a small business while working on your studies can be hard but also more adventurous, where you can learn too many things by practically not by boring theory. Besides that, it helps you directly to make money, in studies, filling the passion, and so on.

  • Is it possible to run a business while studying?

    Yes definitely, It does not matter what time in life you are in when it comes to starting a business. It is all about completing what you set your mind to. Starting a business while studying will allow the entrepreneur to master the art of balancing both work and study. In addition, staying organized and making the best use of your time will only bring effective results for both ventures.

  • How to generate your own profitable business ideas?

    Unique and profitable business ideas can come from a variety of different sources, including research and surveys.

    Redesign and improve existing products and services.
    Follow new trends, such as e-commerce and the Internet.
    Discover entrepreneurial opportunities through systematic research.
    By chance.


Suraj Shrivastava

Suraj Shrivastava at ForgeFusion shares simple, effective ways to grow your business using SEO, content marketing, and AI, learned from helping over 50 companies. When he’s not working, he loves teaching others or watching documentaries.

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