6 Small Business Ideas If You Want To Make Your Own Hours

Those who start a small business typically find the rewards outweigh the risks associated with entrepreneurship. Some of these benefits include the ability to pursue your passion and enjoy flexibility in your daily work schedule.

The good news is almost every type of small business allows you to create your own hours. However, there are certain unique business ideas worth exploring that allow you to set a flexible schedule and get in the door of a growing industry. Check out these six small business ideas if you’re ready to make your own hours.

Joan Denizot is the founder and CEO of Zize Bikes, a bicycle company that specializes in manufacturing and selling custom-built bikes for individuals with larger body types.

Zize Bikes has an e-commerce business model. This type of business model, which operates primarily online, allows Denizot to pursue both a passion for promoting health and sustainability through cycling and to set and maintain a flexible work schedule.

One offbeat small business idea worth considering is creating an email newsletter.  

“Businesses are desperate for access to people’s inboxes,” said Scott Lieberman, founder of Touchdown Money, who cites the example of how Insider Inc. bought a majority stake in digital media startup Morning Brew. “If you create a newsletter with lots of subscribers, a company could splash some serious cash to acquire it.”

Writing, and drafting, these types of newsletters can be done at any time of the day. Lieberman said entrepreneurs just need to send it at the time when they know subscribers will be opening it.

Morgan Gist MacDonald is a bestselling author and founder of Paper Raven Books, a publishing company that helps entrepreneurs and authors write, publish and promote their own books.

“Book editing is a massively growing industry and perfect for someone who loves books and wants to set their own hours,” said MacDonald. “With self-publishing still on the rise, individual authors are looking for their own book editors. Even traditional publishing houses are sending work to freelance editors.”

Book editors, MacDonald said, can charge a higher fee than general editors who edit any type of content, especially if an editor specializes in a certain genre. The work can also be done on your own time. “You can edit any time of day, and then you just have occasional check-in calls with your client, and those can be set up according to your schedule.”

Another business idea for entrepreneurs who want to set their own hours is starting a 3D printing business. Lieberman said once you invest in a 3D printer, you can rent it out or use it to create your own products. 

Cara D’Orazio, certified personal trainer at CGM Fitness, owns a fitness platform where she teaches and trains in-person and virtually.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, D’Orazio was able to rebuild the business to go from working at gyms teaching group fitness classes and visiting clients at their homes to teaching fitness classes online. This allowed D’Orazio to work from home out of a garage converted into a fitness studio and set her own hours. Now, she trains group classes and 1:1 clients online, or they come to her studio, and she travels within a certain range if a client wants to be trained from home.

Photographer Carol Arscott is a six figure pet photographer who recommends photography as a good small business to start if you want to make your own hours.

Photography, Arscott said, allows you to schedule sessions around other obligations. Photographers can choose the days and times of the week that work best for their schedule. If they need to take a day off, they can do it. 

Photographers also spend less time taking photos than one may realize. 

“A very small portion of the photographer’s time is actually spent taking pictures,” said Arscott. “The rest of the time is spent on editing, marketing and other tasks to run the business. This can generally be done from any location. I frequently take my laptop and work from a friend’s house, while on a plane or I may do a little bit of work while on vacation.”