It’s always important to know the best industries in which you can start a small business. That’s because with your own business, you may make more money over time, and soon take full charge of your life. This is beneficial since you’ll be able to decide when you want to take a break, among others. That said, it’s not always easy to figure out the industries in which you have the best chance to succeed. Keep reading to see 10 skilled manual jobs that you can benefit from starting a small business and in which you’re quite likely to enjoy significant success.
1. Extermination and Pest Control Services
The first skilled manual job in which you can start a small business is extermination and pest control services. This business involves doing inspections to find out if there are any pests present in a given space and exterminating any that you find. You’re also going to need to put in place measures to stop an infestation from taking place where one hasn’t already. As such, your services are going to be in demand from both commercial and residential quarters. Depending on the area where you live, exterminators may also have seasonal jobs as various pests come and go out of season.
To begin with, you’ll need to get pest control training so that you know the details of pest control and extermination. Once this is done, you’ll have to get the necessary business licenses as well as insurance for protection. Register your business and then build your brand, marketing to people who you believe are the most likely to be in need of your services. This way, you can grow your business as you become more effective at the services that you offer, at which point you’re likely going to need to hire a team to help you with various aspects of your business.
2. Roof Repairs
Roof repair is another skilled manual job that you can start a business in. Keep in mind that it’s one of the businesses that typically has high demand since there are several reasons why someone may need the help of a roofing service. In this industry, your business should deal with roof repairs, roof maintenance, and roof replacement in order to serve the market perfectly. If you can do a good job for someone, they’re very likely to call you again in the future when they need another roofing service done. This means that your small business can find a market that’s evergreen.
Once you get the training and perfect the skills that you need to work safely and effectively, you’ll need to register your business. With the necessary licenses and registration of your company, you can look for robust insurance coverage. This should help you stay safe while you work, and should also cover the condition of the houses that you work on. This way, in case of anything, you can be sure that you don’t have to foot the costs out of pocket, eating into your profits. As you grow your business, you’ll soon be able to understand the details of the market and know how to reach more people and do better work.
3. Junk Removal
You can also start a small business in the industry of junk hauling. With more people than ever before looking for a way to get rid of clutter in their homes or business spaces, you can be sure that there’s a ready market awaiting you. That said, there are also people who want to decrease their impact on the environment by getting rid of their waste in a way that’s eco-friendly. As such, you’re sure to find clients in whatever niche market you choose to get into. This skilled manual job may call for several moving parts in order to work out well, but they’re all manageable.
Whether it’s bags of clothes, appliances, or actual trash, you can be sure that you’ll be called to handle it. To market your services and reach many more people, you may want to identify a niche that you’re going to perfect working in over time. Reach a wider market by approaching people who want to save time, avoid risk, enjoy a peaceful and efficient process, enjoy flexibility, and get rid of clutter without negatively impacting the environment.
4. Utility Vehicle Maintenance
If you prefer, utility vehicle maintenance is yet another skilled manual field in which you can start a small business. In this business, you’re going to maintain utility vehicles, which are the vehicles used to carry out very specific tasks more efficiently than passenger vehicles would be able to. This includes offering golf cart repairs and services, among others. In this field, you’ll perform functional checks on various equipment, restore installations after they get damaged, move vehicles, and facilitate utilities in a warehouse or the field. With some training and a good plan, you can start to build your business in this industry and improve over time.
You and your team are going to need to work on details such as identifying damage, planning for tasks, scheduling your work process, and executing the necessary tasks. While maintenance for utility vehicles may be similar to that of regular vehicles, there are bound to be a few key differences. This is because, for utility vehicles, most of the use will be on rough, off-road terrain. As such, more damage could occur to specific components. In this case, it may be best for you to offer niche services and then branch out over time as you improve your practice and grow your fleet-management skills and abilities.
5. HVAC Repairs
Yet another skilled manual field that you may want to get into is that of HVAC maintenance and repairs. In this industry, you can be sure that your small business will be in a lot of demand. This is because the air conditioner is one of the most common appliances in homes on average, and it’s also used a lot. At any time of year, there are going to be a number of people in search of local commercial HVAC repair experts. Your job is going to entail installing, maintaining, and repairing air conditioners in both residential and commercial settings.
You can expect to get calls from people who need help troubleshooting and generally handling issues related to heating units, air conditioners, ductwork, thermostats, fans, and refrigeration components. You’ll need to help people by not just fixing their units, but by giving them guidance and advice on how to keep their units in the best shape as well. In this industry, most of the issues that you have to handle are things such as strange smells coming from the vents, people getting energy bills that are higher than normal, irregular cooling throughout a space, and even sudden and unexpected failure of a unit. While you can start out alone, you’re going to need a team soon enough so you can work more efficiently.
6. Driveway Paving
If you prefer to work outdoors, you can go into driveway paving instead. This skilled manual job is going to entail inspecting, maintaining, and repairing driveways. Your business is also going to offer drainage solutions since these are issues that can impact the paving to a serious degree. When you offer a paving service, you’ll work on surfaces like sidewalks, business hardscapes, concrete floors, roads, and even airport runways. Keep in mind that there are also going to be surfaces that are made of asphalt, so you can choose to work on either concrete, asphalt, or both.
Paving a surface will typically include removing the existing surface and disposing of it, grading the area as necessary, preparing the sub-base, adding a binder layer, and then rolling the surface after you’ve installed it. Depending on the scope of work you’re tasked with doing, you can either work alone or need a team to help you. At the end of a project, the surface should be level, appealing, and safe from the elements. This is another industry that’s going to be in a lot of demand, given the sheer number of paved surfaces in existence.
7. Plumbing Services
If you have some basic knowledge of plumbing, this is another great field in which you can venture with your small business. It’s a skilled manual job that calls for patience and a keen eye for detail so that you can work the most effectively. Plumbing contractors generally need to get some training so that they can identify issues and come up with practical solutions to them. They also need to know the various tools of the trade as well as the safest ways in which to use them to remedy an issue.
Your small business is going to get calls to work on new construction, remodeling, and renovation projects as well. You’re going to be called upon to design plumbing systems, lay the lines for water supply, waste, and gas as well, and maintain or replace health or safety devices. Once you’re done, there shouldn’t be issues such as leaks and other plumbing complications. You’re typically going to handle more complicated issues than a general plumber may deal with, and this means that you may need to take a course or two in order to be proficient.
8. Mechanic Work
If auto repair fascinates you or even comes naturally to you, you may want to start a small business as an auto mechanic. This skilled manual job is going to see you take care of people’s auto-related issues, installing, maintaining, and repairing mechanical issues at various levels. There are many other industries in which you could become a mechanic, but the premise is the same since you’ll be dealing with a range of mechanical systems.
Increase your odds of being knowledgeable on things such as safety standards and best practices in the industry of your choosing by taking a course and then getting some training. By the end of it, you should be good at project management, have a deep understanding of mechanical systems, and know when you need to hire subcontractors so that they can move a certain task along faster and more safely.
9. Electrical Services
Electricity may be among the riskier things to work with in general, but it’s also an amazing skilled manual job that you can start a small business in. In the current day, practically every space needs electrician services to some extent. That’s because many modern systems are powered by electricity, and so they need a proper setup in order to run both safely and efficiently. In this industry, you’ll be responsible for designing, installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical systems in general.
You should take a course so that you’re proficient in reading blueprints and other technical diagrams, installing and maintaining wiring as well as control and lighting systems, and identifying electrical problems after doing an inspection. You should also know the necessary tools and best practices in the industry, whereby you have the option of specializing in a particular area. The niches that you could base your small business on include outside cables, residential wiring, control systems, and telecommunications wiring and systems.
10. Landscaping Services
Last but not least, you can start a small business in landscape design and help people get their landscapes in great shape. To do this, you’ll typically need to start with an educational background and earn a diploma or at least a GED. This could be optional if you have the aptitude to learn the skills that you need, including honing your knowledge in horticulture and ecology, as well as how to work with them to come up with appealing and functional designs. Some of the projects that you can expect to be hired for include lawn maintenance, keeping plants in good health, hardscaping, irrigation management, installing outdoor features like walkways and firepits, and pest control.
If you have a background or even a keen interest in any of these skilled manual jobs, you should consider starting a small business in them. This is going to help you learn a lot of valuable skills and also give you the chance to make a name for yourself while you earn money. Remember that it’s going to take a lot of hard work at the beginning, and you’ll have to be consistent. If you can do this, then success is in your future, and this may be the best decision that you ever make for your future.