What Business Should I Start With No Experience?

<Highlight> "What business should I start with no experience?" This question has sparked over 5.5 million new business applications in the last 10 years. You're not alone in starting without prior knowledge - approximately 33.2 million small businesses operate in the United States, with over 1.35 million in Canada as of 2025. </Highlight>

A lack of experience doesn't limit your business options. Small business owners create jobs for 61.6 million people, which represents nearly half of the US workforce. The possibilities range from freelancing to pet services, especially considering 94 million U.S. households have at least one pet. The global e-learning market shows promise, too, with projections reaching nearly $400 billion by 2026.

Let me show you how to choose the right business based on your interests. We'll explore beginner-friendly options and highlight profitable opportunities you can start from home. The discussion will also touch on growing sectors like telehealth and digital health startups, which offer entry points for new entrepreneurs.

<Highlight> No experience but ready to ditch the 9–5? Scroll—this guide shows which businesses actually work for beginners and how to start smart, not scared. </Highlight>

Key Takeaways

You don’t need prior experience to start a business—alignment with your interests and skills matters more than a perfect resume.

The best beginner businesses sit at the intersection of your passion, existing skills, and what people are willing to pay for.

Keeping your job while you start reduces financial stress and lets you test ideas before going all in.

Knowing your risk tolerance (how much time and money you can safely lose) should guide your choice of model.

Low-barrier options include freelance writing or design, pet sitting/dog walking, cleaning services, tutoring, and virtual assistant work.

Home-based models like print-on-demand, dropshipping, affiliate marketing, reselling, and digital products let you start with minimal capital.

Content channels such as YouTube and TikTok can turn your expertise or personality into a monetizable audience over time.

Telehealth and digital health startups are fast-growing sectors where platforms can handle the tech while you focus on the service.

Bask Health lowers startup costs and complexity for telehealth founders with no-code tools, compliance support, and a white-label model.

The real success lever isn’t experience—it’s testing small, learning fast, and scaling what works instead of waiting for “the perfect idea.”

How to choose a business with no experience

You might feel overwhelmed about choosing a business without experience, but finding your perfect match is easier than you think. The best businesses for beginners line up with who you are and what you can handle.

Start with your interests and hobbies

The most successful businesses grow from activities you already enjoy. Harley Davidson, Spanx, and Craigslist started as passion projects and became multimillion-dollar brands. Building a business around something you love brings two vital ingredients: genuine interest and existing skill.

Test your hobby with friends and family to see if others value your passion. A positive response could mean you've found your sweet spot. Forbes puts it well: "When it comes to starting a business, passion and perseverance are more important than the idea itself".

Your profitable business idea exists where three elements meet: your purpose, your unique skillset, and what customers will pay for. Without this sweet spot, you just have an expensive hobby!

Assess your available time and resources

Many first-time entrepreneurs make one big mistake - they quit their job too soon. Keep your current job while you build your business if you're employed. This strategy gives you financial stability while you verify your business model.

A solid business plan organizes your ideas and becomes your guide during tough times. Be honest about the resources you can commit—time, money, or energy. Many successful entrepreneurs started small and grew over time.

Some franchise owners "literally sold everything they had to raise money to invest in their own businesses". Success in business doesn't depend on book smarts alone - it comes down to work ethic and integrity.

Understand your risk tolerance

Risk tolerance shows how comfortable you feel about losing money in the interests of higher returns. Investopedia explains that investors with higher risk tolerance choose volatile assets, while those with low tolerance prefer stable investments.

Your risk profile shapes every business decision. The numbers tell an interesting story:

63% of founders consider themselves "risk-averse," yet 65% know risk drives business growth

Your age, goals, and income sources affect risk tolerance

A stable income source, like a pension or part-time job, helps you take more business risks

Look for low-barrier entry points

Businesses with lower costs, fewer regulations, and minimal training requirements make great starting points for beginners. Look for opportunities that solve real problems while keeping low overhead costs.

Business licenses cost between $50 and $400, depending on location, though freelancers often need no license at all. Your network matters too—connecting with other professionals helps you meet potential clients, vendors, and partners who might solve your challenges.

A viable business needs to make money. Build a financial model based on predicted sales and operational costs before launch. Your chosen business should fit your budget, skills, and schedule while meeting a real market need.

Easy business ideas for beginners

Want to break free from the 9-to-5 grind but not sure which business to start? You have several options that don't require much experience but can bring in good money. These businesses are perfect for beginners since they need little cash up front and let you learn while you earn.

Freelance services like writing or design

The market still needs authentic, engaging content from real humans, even with AI tools like ChatGPT. Businesses will just need your creative touch. Freelance content creators can earn between $50-$150 per hour or $500-$5000 per project. Most people break even after their first few jobs. Your annual income could range from $35,000-$85,000, whether you work part-time or full-time.

You won't need much to start—usually less than $500 for simple equipment. Build a portfolio website using platforms like Squarespace and stay active on LinkedIn to find your first clients. Your reputation will grow through referrals.

Graphic design gives you another creative path. Businesses always need logos, flyers, newsletters, and digital content. Start by creating a portfolio that shows off your design skills, even without paid work.

Pet sitting or dog walking

Pet care services offer a steady income since millions of households have pets. This business lets you turn your love for animals into money with almost no startup costs.

Sign up on platforms like Rover, Care.com, or HouseSitter.com, where pet owners look for sitters. You could also distribute flyers locally or post in neighborhood Facebook groups. Pet owners value trustworthy care above all else, so building a solid reputation matters.

A pet sitting business needs some planning. Research your market, pick your services (overnight sitting, daily walks, or specialized care), and set your rates. The average rate for pet sitters is $20.71 for a 30-minute visit.

Cleaning services

Cleaning businesses thrive because people always need them, and they're cheap to start. You'll need about $685 for the basics: business license ($75-400/year), insurance ($360/year), simple equipment ($100), and marketing materials ($150).

Make your business stand out by offering eco-friendly "green" cleaning. Environmentally-conscious clients often pay premium rates for these services. Start with homes before moving to commercial properties.

Tutoring or teaching online

The online tutoring market hit $29.60 billion in 2021 and could reach $49.90 billion by 2028. This growth creates opportunities for anyone with expertise.

Pick subjects you excel at—writing, mathematics, language learning, or test preparation. US tutors often charge $25/hour per student, with rates changing based on expertise and credentials.

Teaching qualifications aren't always necessary—your subject knowledge and communication skills matter more. Find students through local Facebook groups, schools, or tutoring platforms.

Virtual assistant work

Virtual assistants help with remote administrative tasks, from managing emails to coordinating social media. They earn $15-$50 per hour, depending on their specialty, and many make $2,000-$8,000 per month within 6 months.

You'll only need a computer, reliable internet, and simple software to start. The work includes managing calendars, booking travel, creating content, and supporting customers.

Find clients on platforms like Upwork, Guru, or Fiverr, or join VA agencies like Time etc or Wing. Your rates can increase as you specialize in high-demand areas like digital marketing or project management.

Business ideas you can start from home

Home-based businesses are booming now that innovative technology makes remote work more available. You can enjoy flexibility, keep costs low, and grow at your own pace right from your living room.

Print-on-demand or dropshipping

E-commerce lets you sell what you love without worrying about inventory. Print-on-demand services handle production and shipping after your customers place an order, while dropshipping lets you sell products without storing inventory. You can start with minimal costs and scale up by holding your own stock later. Many successful home-run stores hit six and seven figures annually. This business model works best if you know how to handle customer service and manage inventory well.

Affiliate marketing and blogging

Affiliate marketing helps you earn commissions by promoting products you believe in. The best affiliate marketers earn $5,000-$10,000 monthly through smart content creation. Building an audience takes time, but your income grows steadily as your platform expands. This business fits well with genuine marketers who create helpful content and are upfront about their partnerships. You just need a website and partnerships with vendors in fields you know well.

Online reselling

The resale market keeps growing and should reach $40 billion by 2029, with secondhand clothing growing 10% each year. Starting a reselling business doesn't cost much - you can sell items from your home first to test the waters. Later, you can grow by finding products at thrift stores, garage sales, or estate sales. One reseller puts it simply: "Your money will be made on the buy," which means you'll profit most by buying items well below their resale value.

Creating digital products

Digital products like ebooks, templates, courses, and downloadable tools brought in over $124 billion in 2025. These items offer high profit margins because you can create them once and sell them repeatedly. The market should grow to $26.06 trillion by 2034. This is perfect for creators, bloggers, and educators who want passive income.

Running a YouTube or TikTok channel

Video content creation shows huge promise. Research shows that one minute of video equals about 1.8 million words in effect. YouTube, the second biggest search engine with 2 billion users, lets even beginners build their following. TikTok really helps small businesses and product-based brands, with 23% of Gen Z users finding new items through the platform. Both platforms let creators make money through ads, sponsorships, and product sales.

Exploring telehealth and digital health startups

Telehealth gives entrepreneurs without prior business experience one of the best chances to succeed. The global telehealth market continues to show remarkable growth. Experts project it will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 24.3% through 2030.

Why telehealth is a growing opportunity

The pandemic transformed how people access healthcare. Telemedicine encounters jumped from 0.3% of all health interactions in early 2019 to 23.6% during the first three months of the pandemic. This change stuck around—two-thirds of employers now offer or plan to offer telehealth services to reduce healthcare costs while maintaining quality care.

How to start a telehealth business

Your telehealth business needs clear positioning from day one. You should identify your clinical focus—mental health, rural communities, or specialized care—where telehealth can solve ongoing access challenges. Your service offerings might include virtual urgent care, medication management, behavioral therapy, or chronic condition monitoring.

A well-laid-out business plan should include:

Leadership and staffing structure

Patient acquisition strategy

Technology infrastructure requirements

Financial projections and ROI models

Understanding telehealth business models

The market has several proven telehealth business models, each with distinct advantages:

Direct-to-Patient (D2P): Digital platforms connect patients directly with providers. Revenue comes from per-visit charges or subscription fees.

Business-to-Business (B2B): Companies provide telehealth technology and services to hospitals, clinics, or insurance companies.

Employer partnerships: Virtual healthcare becomes part of employee benefits, creating steady income streams.

Telemedicine startup costs and tools

Simple telemedicine startup costs range from $10,000 to $250,000 based on platform complexity, staffing, and equipment needs. Key expenses include:

Technology development: $150,000-$500,000 for custom platform development. Regulatory compliance: $25,000-$75,000 for original setup. Medical devices: $5,000-$10,000 for simple primary care equipment

Benefits of telehealth for new entrepreneurs

Telehealth businesses are a great way to get started for beginners. These ventures can show quick results and ROI once properly verified. On top of that, telehealth saves patients $147-$186 per visit compared to in-person care. You can work from anywhere—the entrepreneur's dream.

Bask Health's detailed platform handles all technical complexities. You can focus on providing exceptional care while launching your telehealth business.

How Bask Health supports new entrepreneurs

Bask Health brings a breakthrough solution to entrepreneurs who want to enter the healthcare space. Twin brothers Zachary and Elias Dorf founded the platform after facing telehealth regulatory challenges themselves, and it has transformed the way new business owners operate.

What is Bask Health

<Highlight> Bask Health works as 'Shopify for Telehealth'—a complete software system that powers over 100 companies and serves millions of patients. The platform's white-label solution has handled more than $178 million in healthcare transactions. We built this platform to remove traditional barriers in the telehealth space. </Highlight>

How it helps you launch a business

The platform significantly reduces startup costs, cutting the typical $70,000-$100,000 investment needed to start a telehealth business. New entrepreneurs can launch their telehealth businesses in days instead of months. The solution helps founders succeed even without healthcare experience. A successful entrepreneur shared, "While my experience is in pharmacy, Bask's doctor group and platform allowed for a seamless nationwide launch".

Tools and resources for beginners

The no-code platform offers user-friendly drag-and-drop interfaces to create customized patient questionnaires. Its strong infrastructure manages everything from online consultations to prescription fulfillment through our nationwide pharmacy network. Medical practitioners save up to four hours of administrative work each week and can focus more on patient care. The built-in systems make telehealth business management simple, and healthcare facilities report 70% less process handling time.

Conclusion

Starting a business with no experience isn’t a weakness — it’s actually the norm. Your best move is to start with the skills, interests, and resources you already have today, not the fantasy version of your future expertise. Small, low-risk experiments beat overthinking every time.

You can launch simple service businesses, home-based digital models, or step directly into emerging sectors like telehealth — where platforms like Bask Health eliminate the tech, compliance, and infrastructure barriers that usually block beginners. This reduces startup lift, accelerates time-to-market, and lets you focus on delivering value instead of building systems from scratch.

Your first business doesn’t need to be perfect — it just needs to start. Test small. Learn fast. Scale what works. That’s how real entrepreneurs actually win — not by waiting until they feel “qualified,” but by moving before they feel ready.

References

Jennings, B. (2023, April 19). Startup founders must understand their risk tolerance. Built In. https://builtin.com/articles/startup-founders-risk-tolerance Built In

Peek, S. (2025, September 17). 25 best low-cost business ideas. Business News Daily. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5767-business-ideas-low-cost.html Business News Daily

Sheehan, A. (2025, September 22). Learn how to become a reseller and start selling right away. Shopify. https://www.shopify.com/blog/reseller-business Shopify

Redirect Health. (2023, December 11). The future of telemedicine: How small businesses can benefit . Redirect Health. https://www.redirecthealth.com/blog/the-future-of-telemedicine-how-small-businesses-can-benefit/ redirecthealth.com