5 promising side businesses to start in 2026

Roughly one out of three Americans has a side hustle—and that number is expected to increase in 2026, something that’s driving a shift in the modern working world.

Many of those with a side business are just looking for a little extra income, but roughly one in five are hoping to make their side hustle into a full-time business. Those who are entrepreneurially minded will want to chose a side business that has the potential to scale. Here are some fields that are showing a lot of promise for 2026.

Consulting and online courses

No matter what field you’ve worked in, your wisdom could be lucrative via a consulting business. Firm up your résumé, highlighting achievements such as successful campaigns or large-scale product launches, to help as you pitch potential clients. Have some former co-workers you worked well with? Consider recruiting them and launching an agency. “Companies want seasoned counsel without the overhead, and senior talent wants more control over how they work,” Brooke Kruger, founder and CEO of top communications search firm KC Partners, told Inc. in December.

You can also turn your expertise into online educational content. The e-learning market reached $314 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $615 billion by 2029.

Skilled-trade business

AI is threatening millions of white-collar jobs in the coming years—and some of those displaced people won’t be able to quickly find work. But AI can’t fix a sink. Nor can it build a deck or install an air-conditioning unit. Rates for this specialized work run as high as $300 per hour.

Skilled-trade businesses are a hot field right now for entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA). ETA involves buying an established business (usually from baby boomers looking to retire), which gives the new owners existing revenue, customers, and infrastructure. New owners then streamline, scale, and modernize the business, boosting profits.

Dropshipping

E-commerce had one of the largest revenue growth rates of any industry in recent years, according to a study by McKinsey, jumping from $15 billion in 2005 to more than $1 trillion in 2023. Dropshipping is a side business that can act as an on-ramp into that field. You set up an online store, and find a third-party supplier to manufacture and ship the product to the customer, freeing you from having to worry about things like storage, fulfillment, or up-front production costs. Your focus will be on creative and marketing.

In the past year, tariffs and the end of the de minimis exemption have made business more challenging for drop shippers who work with manufacturers and warehouses overseas, but there are many U.S.-based drop shippers.

Mobile car washing

The service industry has shown resilience amid the economic volatility of the past year—and a growing number of people are looking to have the car wash come to them. A forecast by Future Market Insights predicts the global market for mobile car wash service businesses will grow to just under $283 billion by 2035. That’s more than double the $126 billion the businesses are expected to bring in this year.

It’s a low-barrier, high-demand opportunity with flexible hours and low overhead. The density of competition in your local market will help you decide the appropriate rate to charge customers, but national averages range from $40 for a basic wash to more than $350 for a full detail.

Localize businesses

The past several years have illustrated the fragility of global supply chains. Tariffs have disrupted some shipments and made many products much more expensive. That could be an opportunity for the right entrepreneur. If you’re dialed into local suppliers in your area, consider starting a side business as a facilitator.

It’s a matchmaker-like role. You help connect suppliers with retailers and other businesses, localizing their inventory and lowering the risk they face from shipping or manufacturing hiccups, collecting a commission on each deal. You’ll need strong communication, listening, and networking skills. You’ll also have to have or quickly learn marketing skills to promote the benefits of your services.

—Chris Morris

This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister publication, Inc.

Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy.

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