19 Business Ideas Free for the Taking!

It’s time for another round of business idea giveaways, and to help me out is a long-time friend and friend of the show, Steve Chou, a serial entrepreneur who built not one but two 7-figure businesses starting both as side hustles — MyWifeQuitHerJob.com and BumbleBeeLinens.com.

It’s becoming a tradition; this is our 3rd round of business idea giveaways. If you find you like this format, make sure to go check out the other two.

Table of Contents show

1. Pillows as a Service

You probably have a few pillows at home that are way past their prime. Did you know your pillow could contain up to 16 species of fungi? According to a study in the Allergy journal , fungi like Aspergillus fumigatus can grow in old pillows, which can cause respiratory issues.

Plus, up to 10% of your pillow’s weight could be dust mites and their waste after just two years! (Yes, that’s as gross as it sounds.)

In fact, one of Steve’s buddies couldn’t sleep until he started changing his sheets more often.

So a subscription-based service for pillows isn’t such a bad idea.

They would take some quiz, determine “Are you a back sleeper, are you a side sleeper? Okay, what density, what thickness is gonna be perfect for you?

And then you’re just gonna ship them a new one of those every 3 to 6 months, whatever the cadence is that turns out to be optimal for cleaning this thing and having a less gross sleeping experience.

2. Customer Service Chatbot

Steve runs an e-commerce store and admits he’s not very fond of handling customer service all day. And with AI being all the rage, these chatbots can be your first line of defense.

“The least techie way to do this is to literally just create a spreadsheet of all the products, product descriptions, and everything and then just send them in to an AI bot and train it just for that store as a service,” Steve shared.

You could even feed it old chat transcripts from customer support reps, like, “How did they handle this question?”

The whole idea is for this to be offered as a service — creating these customer service bots and offer it to any store, online or brick and mortar.

As for finding clients, Steve suggested reaching out to Shopify stores through contact forms. There’s demand, he said, and some services can be overpriced.

The sales pitch is simply they save time and money by letting a chatbot handle common inquiries like “Where’s my order?” and “What should I buy?”

3. Second Guess Remover — For Garage Door

You know that nagging feeling that hits you right as you turn the corner out of your neighborhood? “Did I close the garage door?” And once that seed of doubt is planted, it’s game over.

Then your wife says, “I think we did…” and the next thing you know, you’re going around to check.

Nine times out of ten, of course it’s closed — it’s muscle memory at this point. But that one time we actually left it open was when we were about to go on a 13-hour drive from California to Washington, planning to be gone for weeks.

That’s why I’m calling this idea the “Second Guess Remover.” It could be a simple app on your phone or some smart home device. Just something that lets us verify our garage door is closed without the whole song and dance of driving back home.

It’s such a small thing, but the peace of mind would be worth it.

4. Theft Deterrent Signs

Now that we’re talking about home security, you’re probably familiar with the “Secured by ADT” or “Secured by Xfinity Home Security.” Pretty standard stuff.

But this one neighbor of ours went completely off-script with something along the lines of “This home protected by a trigger-happy Second Amendment voter.”

Now, whether they’re actually armed or not is beside the point. What matters is if I’m a would-be burglar casing the neighborhood, I’m definitely moving on to the next house. It’s like what Steve says — it’s all about being less appealing than the next target.

This might raise some eyebrows in certain areas (like California) but when it comes to home security, sometimes thinking outside the box — or in this case, outside the standard security company playbook — might just be the ticket.

5. Live Selling Services on TikTok

@glew.ee
This viral Chinese influencer made $14 million in just a week from selling products on Douyin livestreams. And the craziest part? She only shows each item for 3 seconds. #douyin #zhengxiangxiang #tiktoklive #tiktok #livestreamshopping #ecommerce #socialmedianews #influencers #influencernews #socialmediamarketing

♬ original sound – Glewee – Influencer & UGC App

This one’s big in Asia but hasn’t really caught on here yet. There was this lady in China that made $13.7 million in just seven days doing live selling on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok.

It’s basically like being a virtual salesperson. Companies send you their products, and you go live, showing them off, one after another. Three seconds, slide, next product, repeat.

And for this type of hustle, you don’t even need a following. The app’s algorithm does it for you. If your selling style clicks with people, the platform will find your audience for you.

For someone who’s comfortable on camera and has decent sales chops, this could be a great opportunity. The platform’s already built, the audience is there, and brands are looking for help. All you need to do is show up and sell.

6. Home Energy Solar / Backup Consultant

What really gets me thinking about solar energy are those perfect summer days when the sun is just beating down on our south-facing roof, and we’re basically just letting all that free energy go to waste.

But then there exist some sales guys throwing around terms like “tax rebates” and “depreciation stacking” that may or may not even be real about solar energy. So who can you actually trust?

So being a trusted local solar energy expert who can look at someone’s situation and honestly tell them whether installing solar panels will best suit their home or not.

This really hit home for me during our recent bomb cyclone in early 2024. Five days without power, everything in the fridge gone bad, and half a million people in the same boat.

It got everyone thinking about backup power solutions. Should we go for a battery system? A generator?

7. Solar Panel Cleaning Service

And speaking of solar, Steve mentioned that he read an article that said solar panels lose their efficiency in just a couple of years because they get so dirty. Dust, bird poop, they all add up.

So why not start a solar panel cleaning service? You show up, clean their panels, and boost their energy production.

This isn’t a one-and-done deal as well. These panels need regular maintenance, which means recurring revenue for you.

8. Restaurant Food Photos

Steve recently ordered Chinese takeout for Chinese New Year and noticed something interesting. The delivery app was offering $3 per customer food photo. Not professional, staged shots — they wanted real, authentic pictures of people enjoying their meals.

You can start by hitting up local restaurants and offering to take organic food photos for them. Maybe at first, you do it just for a free meal, but as you build up a portfolio, you could start charging a fee.

It’s also kinda scalable because if one delivery app is willing to pay $3 per photo, others probably have similar needs. You could potentially turn this into a neighborhood-by-neighborhood operation, building relationships with multiple restaurants and delivery services.

9. Software Migration Service

This one hits the frugal side of Steve and I because one day you’re happily paying the same rate for years, and then you wake up and the price nearly doubles overnight.

That happened to me recently with Leadpages. After a decade of paying the same price, they hit me with a massive increase. I get it, prices go up. But it still stings. This also happened to Zapier (in Steve’s experience).

So I spent an entire day researching alternatives and migrated everything over to OptimizePress — at 25% of the price. But that process of finding it wasn’t fun. So it made me think: what if there was a dedicated software migration service?

You could be THAT hero that steps in to save them from headaches. Sure, these software systems can be proprietary and a bit tricky to navigate. But once you’ve mastered the migration process, you could probably knock these out pretty efficiently.

You’re not just selling a service but you’re selling peace of mind and financial relief to frustrated customers.

10. Reddit Marketing Service

The world of SEO has turned upside down in the last couple of years because Google started prioritizing AI-driven results and user-generated content from Reddit and Quora. So people started to look for ways to capitalize on this shift with Reddit marketing services.

Basically, they create and manage multiple Reddit accounts, building up their credibility over time. Then they strategically and organically promote your brand within the Reddit ecosystem.

It’s not about spamming links left and right. This is a more strategic, thoughtful approach to highlighting your brand in a way that feels authentic to the Reddit community. Essentially, it’s like ghostwriting but for Reddit.

Our mutual friend Spencer Haws even gave one of these services a shot and saw some solid results. So while you might not get the same traffic you’d get from ranking high on Google, it’s definitely an intriguing way to get your message out there.

Basically, create reddit accounts > build “karma points” by participating genuinely in relevant subreddits > once you’ve build enough karma and your account is seen as trusted community members, you can start mentioning brands/products into discussions (still without making it spammy).

11. Downsizing / Estate Sale Service

Steve recently helped his mom move from a massive house to a much smaller place and ran into all sorts of headaches trying to get rid of her extra stuff. And dealing with estate sale companies feels shady.

The companies he talked to couldn’t give him prices upfront, and worse — they wouldn’t even provide an itemized list of what sold and for how much!

So here comes this idea of offering a completely transparent downsizing and estate sale service.

You show up, take inventory, snap some photos, and list everything on eBay. Your clients can see every auction, every bid, and exactly what their items sold for. Take your cut, but make it clear and upfront.

This taps into a growing trend of baby boomers and empty nesters downsizing. Traditional estate sale services often charge 40-50% of the sale price, which is a tough pill to swallow, especially when there’s no transparency. Why not position yourself as the homeowner’s advocate?

12. Positive Reinforcement Oura Ring / Carpe Diem Positive Push Notifications

So Oura Ring is basically a smart ring that tracks your sleep, fitness, and wellness. I don’t have one — not because I don’t see value in sleep tracking but because no matter what the ring says, I still have to show up be the best version of myself each day, regardless of how I slept.

But what if your oura ring gives you positive reinforcement… regarldless of how you slept? Like what if every morning you get a push notifications that say “98% sleep score! You nailed it last night.” or even on a rough night: “73%? Who cares? You’re still gonna crush it today because that’s what you do.”

I love the idea of positive reinforcement. It doesn’t even need to be based on real data. Just a little Bluetooth-looking gadget that shoots you a daily pep talk.

It could also track what you eat and give ideas about how your diet affects your sleep. Or it could be an app that hits you with a Carpe Diem reminder every morning? Something like: “Today’s the day. Go get it. You’re not getting any younger.”

I had some guys on the show years ago talk about their app called “WeCroak” that that sends you a daily reminder that, yep, you’re gonna die someday.

13. Dating Profile Optimizer

I hope Toni doesn’t get mad at me, but what’s funny about this next idea is I got it from her during Seller Summit. This is the annual e-commerce conference that I run.

So there were these guys who, let’s just say, have been making the Seller Summit rounds for a few years — still single, still swiping. And Toni was helping them optimize their dating profiles. She was like, “Nope. Change this, rewrite that, lose that photo, add this one.”

And you start a side hustle for that. Tons of people out there need help with this stuff. Plus, AI tools make it easy and scalable.

You can use AI to tweak your photos, punch up your bio, and help you stand out in a sea of sameness. And hey, once you get the date, it’s on you not to screw it up.

A friend of mine just got AI-generated LinkedIn headshots — cheaper and faster than booking a photographer. And speaking of AI, I actually did an episode where I interviewed my AI self. RoboNick did pretty well, though it made up a couple of facts. Still, it was a little eerie.

Still, if you’re looking for a side hustle idea that helps people and leverages tech, dating profile optimization could be the one. Just something to think about!

14. “I’m Feeling Lucky” Podcast Editing Suggestions

After nearly 12 years of podcasting, one thing I’ve learned is that editing is just as much about what you don’t say as what you do.

My job as the host is to cut the fluff — the tangents that don’t land, the questions that fall flat, and anything that doesn’t add value. It’s all about tightening up the episode to deliver the best listening experience possible.

So I am still looking for a tool — could be an AI tool — that does exactly that.

You’d feed in the raw transcript and a few examples of past episodes you love, and this tool would suggest where to trim the fat. It wouldn’t mess with the key takeaways or the core message — it would just help you make the episode leaner and more engaging.

Steve mentioned OpusClip, which IS great for creating short-form videos, but it’s not quite the same for podcast. So if an AI could even give me a starting point, like a list of potential cuts to consider? I’d pay for that in a heartbeat.

15. Parent or Grandparent Video Story Capture Service

Steve mentioned how his mom had just moved into his neighborhood, and spending more time with her opened his eyes to all these incredible stories she had — stories he never thought to ask about when he was younger.

It reminded me of my own experience, thinking about my grandpa who served in Northern Australia during World War II. I know so little about his time there, and now that he’s gone, so are those stories.

Steve had used a service once that emailed his mom a bunch of questions, compiled her answers into a book, and sent it back, but it was a lot of work for his mom (especially if writing isn’t their thing or if English isn’t their first language.)

So he thought of a side hustle where instead of a written Q&A, you send a film crew to interview your parents or grandparents. No writing required, just them talking, sharing stories in their own words, with their own expressions.

You can capture their voice, their laugh, their personality—things a book could never fully encapsulate. You could also do that using audio recording.

And if you really want to go the extra mile, you could offer an editing service to turn those raw interviews into a beautifully crafted documentary. That’s a keepsake for generations.

This is a great idea because you get to be part of preserving family histories.

16. Digital Baby Service

Okay, so we just talked about capturing stories at the end of life. Now, let’s talk about the very beginning of life. I’m calling it the Digital Baby Service. Think of it as digital real estate for your newborn.

We secure your kid’s domain name. We grab their social media handles — TikTok, Instagram, whatever’s relevant, even the ones you might not even think of. We even give them a Gmail account. All before some cybersquatter or future doppelganger beats you to it.

Domains run about 10 or 12 bucks a year, and social media handles are free (for now). So you can charge parents $100 a year for the service.

It’s a simple service, but one that parents might find totally worth it. When their kids are old enough to care about their online presence, everything is already locked down and ready to go.

Steve even pointed out that you could go beyond the basics. Lock down names on platforms that aren’t even on most people’s radar yet. Future-proof their digital identity.

17. Social Media Rental Sets

This one could be a bit controversial because this is kinda feeding people’s lies. But since there’s a growing demand, we are just here to offer business ideas.

So people are willing to pay to rent spaces specifically for social media content creation. Some rent private jet sets (not actual jets — just the set) where they get their 15 seconds of looking like a rich person, and nobody knows the difference.

It might feel cringy, but you could start renting out warehouse space and then designing it out with different Instagram-worthy sets such as a luxury hotel suite, a tropical oasis, a cool coffee shop corner, even a fake private jet interior.

In China, it’s already a thing. There are entire factories dedicated to creating content sets.

And while we might shake our heads at the lengths people go to for social media clout, the reality is, there’s a hungry market for it. And hey, I’m a sucker for a good rental business. Whether it’s photo booths, mobility scooters, or reusable moving boxes, I love the idea of building something once and renting it out over and over again.

18. Video Scripter

The biggest bottleneck I face in creating more YouTube content is the scripting process because it’s very time-consuming.

I’ve even seen channels get hundreds of thousands of views on the simplest side hustle videos like “Have you ever thought about this side hustle?” and it’s become apparent that it’s all in the script.

And once again, I would pay for a service — AI-powered or human — that that could take my existing content, or even just a topic idea, and generate a video script. Even better if it could mimic my speaking style, allowing me to use a teleprompter or simply record a voiceover.

Steve mentioned that even with AI, it still takes him 90 minutes to write a 10-minute video script. That’s faster than writing a blog post, sure, but it’s still 90 minutes. If someone could cut that down even further, I’d sign up (again) in a heartbeat.

With platforms like ChatGPT, it’s easier than ever to train an AI on your tone and style, but there’s still a gap in the market for a seamless, done-for-you solution.

19. Forgotten Skills Online Course Series

This idea comes from a conversation with Steve’s mom, who reminisced about skills learned from first principles — skills that are becoming lost in our modern, tech-driven world.

When was the last time you used Morse code? Or read a paper map without immediately turning to Google Maps? So there’s something undeniably valuable about learning these old-school skills from first principles. And you could teach that in a series of online courses.

You can teach skills like Asian calligraphy, metalworking, old-school photography, or even basic home repairs.

The appeal isn’t necessarily about practicality in every case but more about preserving knowledge, learning from first principles, and fostering a sense of self-reliance.

Episode Links

Looking for More Side Hustle Help?

Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
Download The Side Hustle Show. My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.