Deemed as the largest city in its state, Charlotte, NC is also the third fastest-growing city in the country. Charlotte is regarded among the top places in America when it comes to finding jobs, starting new businesses, and/or pursuing careers. As the 17th largest city in America to date, there’s a huge customer base for various small businesses. Hence, there are loads of good business ideas for Charlotte!
Charlotte is a deeply cultured city that has art and entertainment going side by side in many forms. The attractions here are incredibly diverse and the city is also famous for its nightlife. This shows the potential of the city for generating revenue from tourism and entertainment.
Charlotte has an active business community that includes various kinds of businesses depending on scale and type. Moreover when it comes to investing in a business people are always concerned about the potential and risk factors.
28 Profitable Small Business Ideas for Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
To stir up your creative juices and entrepreneurial spirit we have compiled some low-cost business ideas which involve modest investment and have great potential of prospering.
1- Moving Services:
There are numerous opportunities in this business and all you need is a truck. You can buy one or maybe rent one even. Every now and then people and business are moving, sometimes it is moving to a new home other times it is shifting an office to a new place. You can make a lot of money by assisting people to move their goods safely. You can also perform delivery services as well.
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2- Valet Parking:
The best thing about this idea is that it needs no investment, only a team of well-dressed and bonded parking staff. You can offer your services to offices, restaurants, hotels and much more.
With just a little professionalism and proper management, you can earn a lot from this business. Consider looking at other companies who have started successful valet services to get inspiration from. FC Valet offers retail valet services perfect for your next example. Maybe even try out their services to see what they do well.
3- Specialized Staffing:
Helping businesses with providing a professional workforce is a matter of finding the right people and providing the right opportunity. You can work your way up to the industry by developing a team of skilled workers who are ready to train the people and then providing your client with the skilled staff. However, this business requires a great professional circle with great interpersonal skills to prosper but virtually no investment.
4- Golf Course Cleaning in Charlotte
This venture may need some investment for equipment but it will soon recover. More than 40 public courses can be found in the Charlotte region. You can have some assistant and charge for your services to maintaining the course to maintain the clubs even. On side you can also have a business of golf equipment dealing.
5- Small Bar:
Anyone can stop by for a sip. Offer variety of drinks from mineral water to Pina Colada. You can also offer hot drinks (tea, coffee etc.). It all depends on how far you can take this. Needs little investment for the setup but has a lot of potential to grow. Start the shop near a busy area and a lot of people will show up.
Related Reading: Do You Have What it Takes to Open a Bar?
6- Real Estate Business:
Charlotte is considered the 2nd among 25 largest cities for most desirable place to purchase a home. Find and interact with people who are in finding new place or interested in selling their places. You can be a helpful bridge between the both then charge commissions on successful deals.
Apparently, real estate business needs no investment just some publicity which can be through business cards or social media and most importantly you need good professional skills and you are good to go.
7- Ambulance Business:
This business idea although needs a bit investment but has a great potential. The hospitals and clinics in the city can benefit from this service. You can work for a particular institute or on your own providing your service to anyone in need. Upgrading the ambulance with necessary equipment and having an assistant or professional nurse can increase your demand in the city.
8- Entertainment Lounge – Charlotte, NC
Charlotte is a city full of life. Sources of entertainment are always appreciated in this city. Opening an entertainment lounge is a very good option if you also have a lively soul and enjoy gatherings. This may need some investment but once you have customers coming up you can recover the capital very quickly.
From bowling to snack bar there are a lot options for this place. You can also ask others to increase the options of entertainment in your lounge and earn their share. This will lower your investment but will increase the clientele keeping the finance balanced.
9- Handyman:
This idea can work as a great part time business. Mention the list of things you can repair efficiently and drop the fliers in the residential area or in offices near you. Remember to buy the right equipment and tools for your handyman business, or you better buy a second hand handyman toolbox.
Soon as you will receive calls from homeowners, senior citizens and others who won’t have time to fix the things themselves, you are all set to make it a profitable venture.
10 -Event Planner:
If you are someone who has great managerial skills and loves it when any event goes amazing under their supervision. Be it a dinner at home or a bridal shower of a friend. You can try your luck in the event planning business. Your skills of dealing with people and giving the best results with minimal budget will matter the most in this business. Then you need some links with florists, decorators, caterers and etc. to make your events a success. In a city like Charlotte there are a lot of happenings, you just need to find the right event and manage it to prove yourself.
11- Blogging:
Charlotte has a mesmerizing culture of one of its kind. In a city full of happening a person can have a lot of aspects to write on. All you need is amazing writing skills and a blog to share your views and stories. You can operate staying at home.
Lastly social media provides a great platform for publicity, the greater the better. You may be interested in knowing how to develop a proper business model for a travel blog or identify the revenue streams for a music blog for quick reference.
12- Security Agency:
When you have a lot to display you have a lot to take care of. Charlotte has numerous museum, galleries, hotels, restaurants and etc. which need a security staff. Start up a security agency by training some people and fulfilling the needs of your clients. You can charge your commission from the clients as well as the people for whom you create the job opportunities. It has a potential of yielding great profit with apparently no investment.
13- Rafting Business – Charlotte Small Business
The city has head to the U.S. National Whitewater Center for whitewater rafting and other outdoor activities. Knowing the fact that the city attracts many tourists, this business has tendency of being very successful.
You may need little investment but the business will grow very rapidly and return the amount invested. The better the services the greater the clientele.
14- Music Classes:
Do you know how to play some instrument very well and are passionate to share the skill with others? Here is a great business idea to start a small scale Music School. This may require a place to set up the class, which can be one of the spare room in your house too. The interested people will show up and you can earn great money.
15- Home-based Baking Business:
This idea is very feasible for people who love baking and want to operate from home. You can either setup a small bakery to sell it for you or can also supply your goods to the bakeries in your area. Either way it is very promising business. From bread to pies you have great to variety to work on. Focus on some specialties in the beginning and expand it gradually. You can also take orders for customized items.
Related Readings:
Bakery Business Plan Sample & Writing Guidelines
How to Market a Home Based Bakery Business
Innovative Bakery Business Card Samples
How to Start a Home Based Bakery Business
16- Cleaning/Hauling Services:
It requires a lot of time and physical labor to clean the garages or attics. Even when it’s done there is still left the task of hauling off all that unwanted mess. If you have the skills to perform these task efficiently this job can be quite fun.
You can usually find a few treasures among the trash which most people are delighted to give away, and you can add to your income by reutilizing that stuff and earning some extra bucks.
Related Reading: How to Start Cleaning Business from Scratch
17- Holiday Camps & Activity Center:
If you are some lively soul who loves adventures and fun activities this idea is for you. You need to come up with some fun-filled activities, goodies and a staff to assist you. This business requires some investment as well and has a great potential of being popular with word of mouth as well. You can also spread it on the social media which is a cost free strategy.
18- Open a Bread and Breakfast Inn in Charlotte or the Surrounding Areas
This city is visited by many students, tourists, officials for numerous purposes. If you have extra rooms in your house or an empty residential place, why not to turn it into a hostel or paying guest place or any other type of vacation rental business. It earns a lot of profit with very little investment. You can also offer breakfast and charge some extra money in return of your services.
19- Become a DJ:
Charlotte has a nightlife of one of its kind and every kind of music is highly appreciated here. DJs are a need of every party now. If you have a passion for music you can try your luck in this city of life. You just need the skills and passion to make it to the top.
20- Auto Mobile Repair Shop:
An auto mobile repair never goes out of business. There are numerous vehicles in every city and every now and then some of them need a repair or some services done. You just need to set the shop in an area which has a passage of a lot of vehicles. This idea requires investment and skills as well but has tendency of yielding great profit. You can also add a carwash as a sideline.
21- Equipment Rental:
Renting a thing is quite cost-effective if it’s to be used temporarily and many people find it very feasible for renting things in the first place. In a city like Charlotte, this business can earn great bucks. You can start from small goods like TV, DVD players, projectors and many more and move up to renting large scale equipment like machinery as well.
22- Virtual Assistant:
It is also a great idea from people who want to earn money staying at home. If you have the potential of spending most of your time working online and have required skills virtual assistant business earns a lot of money.
It involves performing simple Microsoft Office Tasks to complicated organization of given data. Apparently this job needs no investment, though you need a good laptop and reliable internet connection.
23- Baby Sitting Services:
One of the best option for students who are finding ways to earn money. This requires no investment at all! In this city there may be numerous parents who would want their little ones to be looked after on regular basis or on special occasions. You just need to find the people who require your services. You may be interested in knowing what it takes to start a proper daycare service.
24- Used Car Dealer:
Not everyone can afford to buy a brand-new car. Most people prefer to buy the used ones in good condition, they prove to be economical. If you have experience with automobiles and have sound knowledge you can give this idea a shot. You can also collaborate with a mechanic to repair your vehicles. The better your services and your sale the more people will show up.
25- Become a Business Advisor:
If you have experience when it comes to establishing a business and benefiting from the best opportunities, you can start a business to advise others and helping them throughout. Make yourself online to grab the attention of all the people who are in need of professional and sincere advice in regard to their business.
Related Reading: Why Do I Need a Business Advisor?
26- Comedy Club:
The community in NC cities makes the comedy industry a great business idea for Charlotte. While this may seem like a business idea that requires a lot of capital to start, buying a dive bar isn’t the only way to get started. Think about it as if you’re an event planner, but with a niche. You can start by holding standup nights, comedy contests, and more by partnering with local business that want more night traffic.
Once your comedy events gain popularity and you find some promising young talents, you can purchase your own space to hold events in. Sooner or later, your comedy club might become a staple attraction for those living in or visiting Charlotte! A great thing about this is that you can diversify the events you hold if you want to buy a versatile space.
27- Dropshipping:
Something that may be a more practical idea in the wake of the 2020 pandemic is working from home! Sure, events and the working world still need to go on, but you can supplement these industries in an indirect way! Dropshipping, as we’ve mentioned in other articles, is basically running an online store that sells other people’s products. You could potentially partner with big brands and earn commissions on each product you sell!
This business requires little to no capital, but a lot of hard work and people skills. You’ll need to find a niche—do you want to sell many small products, or few larger items for larger commissions? Whichever one suits your style, there are many videos and courses out there that can teach you the best way to do dropshipping.
28- Makeup Artist:
If you’re aesthetically inclined, becoming a makeup artist could potentially be your calling! This is one of the best business ideas for Charlotte because there’s never a shortage of events where makeup is necessary. You could do makeup on a freelance basis, for actors in theatre, or photography sessions! This is a great way to become a self-starter. Check out our guide to becoming an MUA here.
And if you want to unwind while also improving tourism, whale watching is a fun activity to share with your family and friends. Newport Landing provides year-round whale watching San Diego cruises multiple times daily departing north of San Diego in Newport Beach. Departing from a natural bay it only takes a few minutes to leave the bay’s entrance and reach the productive waters for sighting whales and dolphins.
29- Home Inspection:
With people constantly moving to and buying homes in Charlotte, home inspection is an essential industry and presents a prosperous and low-cost business opportunity. In this field, you can work from home or on the job, serve your community, and build a fruitful business. Owning a home inspection business is a great way for you to find work-life balance while still being involved in an exciting yet evergreen industry.
If you’re looking to hit the ground running in this business, consider joining a franchise system, like WIN Home Inspection, and utilize their proven business model, marketing strategies, and ongoing support to achieve success as an entrepreneur in North Carolina.
The Bottom Line:
So, we hope that this list of the best business ideas for Charlotte, NC helped you decide what to start! We wish you the best of luck, and we’ll see you back here next week.
