Have you ever dreamed of making a million dollars, but felt completely stuck because you don’t have the funds to get started? It’s a common problem. Most businesses require big money upfront just to get going. But the good news is, that’s not always the case.
There are several businesses you can start today with less than $100, and some of them have the potential to make you a millionaire by 2025. In this post, I’m going to break down 10 business ideas that might do just that.
I’ll rank them from good to best, sharing real stories of people who have made it work, so you can see exactly how you can follow in their footsteps. A few of these businesses can get you making money in a matter of weeks, with the top options giving you the greatest shot at hitting that million-dollar mark. Let’s dive in.
1. Growing Microgreens
You might not know it, but restaurants and cafes love microgreens. These small, nutrient-packed greens add flavor to dishes, and many chefs want them fresh and locally sourced. The problem? Local supermarkets don’t always carry the fresh microgreens they need. That’s where you come in.
Starting a microgreens business costs next to nothing. You’ll need some trays, a few packs of seeds like sunflower seeds, and sunlight, which means you can get started with under $100. The beauty of this business is how quickly it can pay off. Within 7 to 10 days, you’ll have a full harvest ready to sell to local restaurants.
Real-Life Success Story:
Take Donnie Greens. He used to work a door-to-door sales job that he hated. Now, he runs a microgreens business that makes him $3,000 a week, working less than three hours a day. All he needed was a small room in his house, a few trays, and a handful of local customers.
After landing his first clients, he scaled his setup and grew his income to what it is today. Bottom line: Microgreens are a great first option on this list if you’re looking for something simple, quick, and low-cost.
2. Pressure Washing Business
Next up, we have a pressure washing business. Think about it: every house around you has walls, patios, or driveways that are dirty. That means there’s unlimited demand. Homeowners don’t always have the time or tools for these jobs, and many are willing to pay someone else to do it for them.
You can start this business for as little as $100. Browse Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to find a decent pressure washer. You’ll probably get a second-hand one to start, but that’s all you need at first.
Offer your services to neighbors at a discount. Once you get a couple of jobs under your belt, you’ll have enough money to upgrade your equipment and begin expanding.
Real-Life Success Story:
Consider Chase, an 18-year-old who built his pressure-washing empire. In just 18 months, Chase scaled his business to over $150,000 a year without any prior experience. With hard work and a $100 start, he’s now bringing in thousands of dollars per job. Pressure washing might not sound glamorous, but when the money starts rolling in, you’ll think differently.
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3. Faceless YouTube Channels
If physical labor like microgreens or pressure washing isn’t your thing, you might like this next business idea: starting a faceless YouTube channel. The concept is simple. You create video content without ever showing your face. And thanks to AI, creating these videos has gotten easier than ever.
The potential here is massive. Some creators are pulling in millions of dollars a year. What’s cool about this is you don’t need any money to start. You can learn how to produce content through free tutorials online, and over time, you’ll develop the skills to make videos that people want to watch.
Real-Life Success Stories:
Look at Noah Morris, who makes over $2 million per year from his faceless channels. He doesn’t even create the videos himself anymore he outsources everything from scripting to voiceovers. There’s also Paul Hillzy, a 21-year-old making $100,000 a month using the same model.
These guys show that with time and effort, YouTube can be a goldmine. Start by finding a niche you’re passionate about, learn the basics of content creation, and start posting weekly. Get monetized, and as you grow, outsource the work to scale even faster.
4. Building an Email List
Believe it or not, you can make a million dollars with nothing more than an email list. Growing an email list allows you to connect directly to your audience and sell products or services without needing to juggle social media algorithms or SEO. The best part? You can start this for free.
Real-Life Success Story:
Justin Goff turned his passion for writing into a business that generates $60,000 a month with just a couple of hours of work each day. He built an email list around his love for copywriting, sends daily tips to his subscribers, and creates and sells a new product every month to his audience.
All you need is a niche you’re passionate about (this can be anything from cooking to woodworking), and an email service like ConvertKit or MailChimp. Start sharing valuable insights on social media to draw people to sign up for exclusive content. Once you’ve got people on your list, create products that solve their problems.
5. Selling Digital Products
If you’re looking for high profits with almost zero overhead, selling digital products is one of the best options out there. From eBooks to online courses, once you create the product, it can generate semi-passive income for years.
Personal Success Story:
I make over $40,000 a month selling digital products. It didn’t require a giant startup investment, and ongoing costs are practically non-existent. Once I found a niche I was passionate about affiliate marketing in my case I built an audience around it, identified their needs, and created a course that solved their problems.
With no major risks or expenses, you can scale this business easily. You can start with something simple like a digital guide, eBook, or a mini-course. As your audience grows, so can your products, eventually leading to a full course or digital service.
6. Social Media Management Company
Right now, if a business isn’t online, they’re practically invisible. But many business owners don’t have the time or expertise to run an Instagram page, manage YouTube accounts, or build Facebook ads. That’s where social media managers come in, and they’re in high demand.
You can start by offering small businesses help with a single platform, like Instagram or TikTok. Learn the basics by studying online and offer your services to a few local companies for free in exchange for testimonials. Once you’ve built up some experience, you can start charging $3,000 or more per client per month.
Real-Life Success Stories:
Imen, a 19-year-old from Canada, built his social media management company to over $1 million a year in just 15 months. He started by helping businesses build their YouTube channels.
Another great example is Nick Lawson, who scaled his company to $100,000 per month in less than a year. The key here is to specialize. Focus on solving a specific problem for businesses, and you’ll be able to carve out a space in this growing market.
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7. Copywriting Business
Businesses are always looking for good copywriters. That’s because words sell. Whether it’s a headline on an email, text on a website, or captions for social media, the right words can turn browsers into buyers.
Real-Life Success Story:
Look at Nick Verge. He went from selling t-shirts door-to-door to running a copywriting business that brings in over $40,000 a month. The transition happened quickly, once he realized how powerful a good copy can be.
What’s great about copywriting is that it doesn’t require any upfront investment all you need is a skill in writing and the ability to understand the customer. You can start by learning through free online tutorials or books, practicing on small projects, and then moving into bigger copywriting jobs like sales pages and email marketing campaigns.
8. Video Editing Business
With the rise in video content, businesses, and influencers are looking for talented video editors to keep up with demand. You can start by editing videos yourself for clients, but the real money comes when you build a team and scale your work.
Real-Life Success Story:
Scott Parker was a broke college dropout before starting his video editing business. Within 12 months, he built up his team and scaled his income to $600,000 a year. He now works with software companies, creating short animated videos while managing a small team of remote video editors.
Start small, get a few testimonials under your belt, and as your client list grows, hire other editors to help with the workload. Since the demand for video content is only increasing, there’s plenty of room for growth.
9. Personal Branding Agency
Personal brands are becoming huge, especially for celebrities and influencers. Athletes, musicians, and even actors are now realizing how big of a role their social media presence plays in their overall career success.
That means there’s a massive opportunity for a personal branding agency. You could specialize in growing Instagram accounts, curating TikTok content, or managing YouTube channels for celebrities, sports players, or social media influencers.
As more and more famous people go all-in on building their personal brand, the demand for this service will only go up. Start by offering help to smaller influencers, grow your portfolio, and eventually, target bigger names. It’s all about delivering measurable results, and once you prove yourself, this business has no ceiling.
10. Affiliate Marketing
Last but definitely not least: is affiliate marketing. If you’re completely broke, this is one of the easiest ways to get started on your million-dollar journey. The concept is simple you promote someone else’s product, and every time someone buys using your affiliate link, you get a commission.
Real-Life Success Stories:
Affiliate marketing is what makes me over $10,000 a week. It wasn’t always this way, but once I learned how to find the right audience and promote the right products, it quickly became one of my biggest income streams.
One of my students, Caleb, followed the same steps and made over $188,000 in a single month. To get started, pick a niche you’re passionate about. Content creation is key here, so start posting about your niche on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
Collect affiliate links drop them in your posts, and earn money each time someone makes a purchase through your link. If you’re looking for speed and ease, affiliate marketing is one of the best business models out there, and it doesn’t cost a thing to get going.
Bottom Line
There you have it. Whether you want to get your hands dirty with microgreens or build a faceless YouTube empire, these ten business ideas can put you on the path to making $1 million by 2025.
From proven methods like copywriting to fast-growing industries like personal branding, there’s something here for everyone, no matter your experience or budget. The key is to start now. Pick one idea, take action, and commit. Your million-dollar future isn’t going to wait forever so why should you?
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