Original ideas for business in a small town. Big ideas for business in a small town


In a small town you can organize a profitable business just as well as in a big one. Many people think that it cannot be profitable in a small town. Anyone who thinks so is immediately setting themselves up for failure and does not consider the positive aspects of this issue.

Differences between small cities and large ones

There are many advantages of living in small towns. Here are some of them.

  • There life flows slowly and measuredly. The population is more conscious about the choice of goods and services.
  • People here are more conservative in their views and are not so influenced by fashion. They prefer to spend more time searching for the product they need at reasonable prices.
  • Everything is nearby, objects are not far from each other.
  • Much better environment.
  • Residents of tiny towns are less susceptible to stressful situations.
  • The population does not spend money on public transport, and this saves money significantly.
  • Small places have almost everything the same as big ones. If you need to go to a large city, you can go there by private car or public transport.
  • There is a big difference between mentality and lifestyle.
  • The population of small towns has its own established value system, which determines their way of life.
  • In small towns, the risk of crisis and globalization is reduced.
  • The degree of protection from the risk of ruin due to decreased demand is slightly higher than in a big city.

Business ideas in a small town

Residents of such settlements should not rush to choose the specifics of their future business. You need to carefully weigh all the pros and cons and only then make the only right decision. Only in this case will the work bring you a good profit. The ceiling on sales volume in small towns may be limited by the size of the population and its purchasing power.

From the very beginning, you must “soberly” assess the market of your locality. Find out what services or goods residents want, what they need and what they expect. Clarify the number of your future competitors, their strengths and weaknesses.

It would be great to start your own business using the system franchising. There are hundreds, or even thousands of items. In this case, the entrepreneur can count on a loan and comprehensive assistance from the franchisee. This can be a good way to get going. Working under a well-known brand is much easier.

For the little ones, organize a Leisure and Development Center, where they will study and explore the world.

A popular business in a small town is a private one with a range of services: haircut, hair coloring, holiday hairstyles, manicure, pedicure. This type of business will never fail. Women always strive to be beautiful and attractive.

Freight and taxi services. In small towns, people also sometimes prefer taxis to public transport. Recruit a few drivers with personal transport, and things will go according to the established pattern. Thanks to this direction, business in a small town in winter will become even more popular.

and selling them in big cities. To do this, you need to have a small plot of land and the desire to work on it. The population of megacities gladly buys such products.

Massage at the client's home. Many pensioners or people with disabilities cannot afford to get to the clinic and wait in long lines there. Several experienced masseuses - and your business will flourish.

Having a small room at your disposal, you can open studio for sewing clothes, bed linen or repairing leather goods, umbrellas or making keys.

A new, in-demand type of service not only in big cities, but also in small ones - the provision of assistance with garbage removal, old furniture and household appliances for disposal. In small towns, the problem of recycling household appliances is even more acute, since in megacities this issue is solved better.

Considering the unique location of your town, you can start making jewelry, which would be ideally suited to the original culture of the city.

Even in tiny towns there are people who will spare no expense for cleaning clothes, since not everything can be washed or cleaned at home. And you can provide this service to the population.

Opening a small branded sweets store, which will have several tables for tasting your products. A cup of tea or coffee will attract those who want to enjoy delicious products to the establishment.

Gifts and cards shop. If you try really hard, you can make an original boutique with beautifully designed gift sets and postcards with the appropriate theme. In this business, you need to take into account the following feature: customers need to be treated with respect and warmth. Need to don't just sellgifts, but also be able to offer a product that is appropriate for this particular occasion. Calculate how much customers can leave in your store, and based on this, formulate your pricing policy.

Mini bakery. This type of business will provide your town with always fresh baked goods. The bread that is brought from a large city is not always soft. You can bake not only bread, but also: straws, buns with various fillings, and so on. Such a business has much more opportunities to flourish in small towns than in big cities.

In the conditions of life in a small town, there is an urgent need to open a business related to modern technologies: repair of mobile phones, sale and installation of satellite dishes and other related products.

Opening a private dental clinic. The population of our cities, both large and small, cannot boast of the good condition of their teeth. Therefore, treatment, removal, prosthetics may be precisely the type of activity where you can earn a lot of money.

Private driving school. You will be able to provide driving training services. In small towns, a car has long ceased to be a luxury and almost every family has a car.

Service " Husband for an hour" Having several men on staff who know how to do everything around the house, you can organize a good business. This includes minor repairs, connection and repair of equipment.

Private kindergarten or babysitting services. In small cities the problem is no less acute than in large ones. Sometimes parents have nowhere to put their children, especially during school holidays. In small towns, everyone knows each other, and finding good teachers or nannies is not difficult. It will be difficult for you to make a mistake about the staff and their work ethic.

Car repair and maintenance workshop,. You don't need a very large room for this. It is enough to equip it with the necessary equipment. A few competent car mechanics will be able to attract many clients to the workshop. Believe me, there are not many good specialists to whom people can trust their car. You can open it nearby.

If you live near a village, you can organize ethnotourism. Residents of big cities will be happy to come to you. Many people want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis and feel the village spirit for a few days, dig in the soil, and look after their pets.

An excellent way to earn capital can be opening sports or gym. Young people in small towns have long understood the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Opening computer store or a store selling mobile phones. Innovative technologies are not alien to residents far from large cities.

Workshop on furniture manufacturing and repair. Surely in your city there are several skilled craftsmen who have golden hands. Offer them cooperation with you, together you can achieve good success.

Can become a good income generator hotel business. If you have a premises that can be converted into a small hotel, motel or - this would be a good option. The rooms can also be rented out on a daily basis. With proper organization of work and advertising, success will not take long to arrive.

For residents of small towns, one of the best options may be Internet business. In this case there will be no restrictions or barriers. No one will “put a spoke in your wheels”; you will depend only on yourself.

Bureau of funeral servicesis also a profitable business in small towns. Unfortunately, people die everywhere, regardless of where they live. The moment comes when we are faced with the problem of burying loved ones. List of services that you can offer to clients:

  • hearse services (morgue – house – cemetery),
  • manual hole digging,
  • delivery of all necessary attributes,
  • making coffins,
  • provision of porters for burial,
  • making crosses and tombstones,
  • delivery of musicians or priests to funerals,
  • provision of necessary transport,
  • assistance in organizing a funeral dinner.

Is it profitable to open a business in a small town?

Whether a certain type of activity in a particular city is profitable or not depends on many components.
Before starting work, you need to thoroughly study the consumer market of your locality and assess possible competition. Then you need to select competent personnel whom you can trust. It will be necessary to treat product suppliers responsibly (if the specifics of the work require it). It will not be profitable for you to attract suppliers from big cities - look for them in nearby settlements.

How quickly the investment can pay off will depend on certain conditions. Residents of small towns do not have a lot of money, so you should not count on quick profits. It may take several years for the business to break even. Much will depend on the demand for the type of services that you offer to citizens.

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You will learn how to start your business from scratch in a small town and what to do to make it profitable. What business ideas with minimal investment make the most sense in the province?

A small town is not an obstacle for large, much less medium and small businesses. Entrepreneurial people are everywhere - if only there is a desire, but you can realize your potential even in a small locality.

Don’t rush to move to big cities - their smaller counterparts also need jobs and quality goods/services. In this article we have prepared an overview of business ideas for small towns. These ideas are easy to implement and do not require large investments.

Business in a small town - how justified is it?

To begin with, there is no clear definition of a “small” city. This concept is relative and largely subjective. For one businessman, these are places with a population of less than 50,000 inhabitants, a second feels comfortable in cities with a population of 100,000-300,000 people, and for a third, even half a million people will be small.

According to official data, out of 1,100 cities in Russia, only 37 have a population of more than 500 thousand. This means we have many platforms for building a small local business.

Most often, those who have lived there all their lives or have relatives there open their own businesses in such settlements. But modern technologies make it possible to set up a business almost anywhere and control it in the future remotely.

At the same time, minimal investments are required to open, since the cost of rent and the level of workers’ wages in the province are much lower.

Small towns tend to lack infrastructure. People lack a variety of products, entertainment, and services. If you live in such a town, you yourself can confidently say what you lack as a resident.

But what if you are not familiar with the locality closely enough to know about its problems? Any startup starts with analysis. First you need to study the city and its infrastructure and find out what its residents need.

We have selected several current trends that are taking root well in small towns.

Popular business areas in the province

Let's look at the most popular areas of business in small towns.

Choose in these areas - you won't go wrong.

Services sector

Services are always and everywhere in demand by the population. But what is included in this broad concept? Hairdressing services, legal services, shipping services, home training, etc. Within a small town, it is better to pay attention to the types of services that residents need regularly. Tire fitting, car service, shoe repair.

Whatever area you choose, you need to carefully study your potential competitors and, if possible, collect “news from the field” - find out what residents are not happy with in their work, what needs to be improved and added.

Selling goods

The most banal, but at the same time a win-win option is a grocery store. In provincial cities, stores do not offer residents a variety of assortments, and federal grocery chains have not yet reached many.

In addition to basic necessities, residents lack quality clothing and shoes, household goods and other things. Market research will allow you to identify which areas are not covered and choose the right niche.

Production

Most often, small towns are located near some kind of factory - a city-forming enterprise where most of the population works. Open your own production - not a factory, of course, but a small full-cycle enterprise. For example, a bakery - in many cities there are problems with quality bread. If you occupy this niche, there will be no end to buyers.

In addition, labor is cheap here and there will always be employees for a company that assembles shovels, for example, or produces paving slabs. But then it will be necessary to establish sales in other regions and regional centers.

You will not only earn money, but also create additional jobs, and in case of great success, a family business that you will pass on to your children.

What kind of business can you open in a small town - TOP 8 ideas that work

This is just an indicative list and you don’t have to limit yourself to it.

Flower business

I would like to voice an unusual but interesting option for making money on flowers.

Small towns are full of private houses where hardworking women compete in growing a wide variety of flowers. In the summer, organize the purchase of the most beautiful specimens for a small fee and put them together into successful compositions. And in winter, engage in the traditional supply of flowers for the holidays and provide decoration services for weddings and other celebrations.

Renting out premises

This profitable option is for those who have free money to purchase residential or commercial space. Pay attention to the towns at ski and traditional resorts - during the high season, daily rentals are in great demand. And in the low season you can rent out the premises to business travelers.

The advantage of this option is that you will not lose the money invested if it fails.

Commission shop

Since in most cases the level of wages and the purchasing power of the population are low, people often have to turn to Second Hand stores.

It won’t be difficult to arrange the supply of things; you just need to take into account the tastes of the population. If you want to expand your business, sell not only used clothes, but also other goods. A pawnshop becomes a logical continuation of such a business.

Repair of household appliances

In areas with a population of more than 20 thousand people, there are already federal chain stores that sell modern household appliances - all kinds of multicookers, coffee machines and hobs.

Not every man knows how to repair newfangled equipment. And well-worn microwaves and vacuum cleaners also require periodic maintenance. People here are more used to repairing things rather than throwing them away when they break. Therefore, a flow of clients to a good specialist is guaranteed.

Opening a private kindergarten or development center

If in large cities people pay 10 thousand or more for a private garden, then here be prepared for lower bills. However, private kindergartens are in great demand among the population against the backdrop of a reduction in preschool institutions. Of course, in this case it is necessary to carefully select personnel and control food.

Provincial cities lack a variety of entertainment and educational programs for children. Within the development center, you can offer several groups to choose from. The only question here is where to find competent personnel.

Nowadays there are a huge number of developmental programs for children that do not require special training - you just need to love children.

Finger painting, sand therapy, baby yoga and first steps in English will fit perfectly under one roof. And the traditional children's playroom will become a favorite place to spend time for mothers and babies.

Furniture repair

Low wages do not allow residents of the province to buy expensive modern furniture. However, everyone has a need for beautiful and high-quality things. If you have a friend in mind with golden hands, organize a tandem, where you will organize the business and attract clients, and your friend will repair and update outdated furniture.

You just need to purchase the necessary tools and materials, and send a friend to a course in upholstery of upholstered furniture. This is a very profitable option, despite its apparent simplicity.

Hairdressing services

It also happens that in small towns there are not enough beauty specialists. Hairdressing services will be in demand always and everywhere as long as people grow hair. But besides this, women love manicures, cosmetology, and makeup.

If you have a diploma as a hairdresser and are inclined to open your own office, take courses in makeup or aesthetic cosmetology. This way you will expand the list of your services, which means you will increase the number of clients.

“Everything for 50” format stores

This is a real money magnet, especially in small towns. The biggest difficulty in organizing the work of such a store is calculating the profitability of sales, since the purchase price of some goods is higher than the selling price.

This is compensated by a large markup on other groups of goods. You can start small by stocking your shelves with cheap and functional products. And in the future, after studying the needs of the population, we will expand the range. And promoting such a store is as easy as shelling pears - housewives and word of mouth will do it for you.


There are other options: buying a franchise of a popular catering establishment such as KFS, a dumpling shop or pizzeria, a karaoke bar, a bowling alley or a dry cleaner, where they will help you at the opening stage. But they are quite expensive and have their pitfalls, so we’ll leave them for another article.

Where to start - step-by-step instructions

The key to the success of any undertaking is a properly drawn up plan to achieve the goal.

Take advantage of expert insights.

Step 1. Choose a direction and analyze competitors

First, decide which direction will bring you more pleasure in your work. What can you do with enthusiasm?

After you find the answer to this question, answer the following: will this business be useful and in demand in the location you have chosen?

If yes, then move on to studying your competitors. The following indicators are important here: their location and distance from each other (it is better to visualize this on a map); level of service, price range and breadth of assortment.

It is better to summarize all these indicators in a comparative table, which will clearly show the pros and cons of your competitors. Take the time to visit their establishments yourself and personally evaluate the work.

Step 2. Draw up a business plan

In the business plan, you need to take into account all the costs and write down all the steps to implement your idea.

First, write down each task and the time it will take to complete it in as much detail as possible:

  • searching for suitable premises;
  • selection of employees;
  • search and purchase of equipment;
  • sign making;
  • what repair work needs to be done in the premises;
  • employee training;
  • registration of a legal entity - for a small business an individual entrepreneur is sufficient.

After that, start calculating costs.

Here are the main expense items:

  1. Rent.
  2. Internal and external design of the point.
  3. Equipment costs: no need to buy if you can rent.
  4. Salaries to employees.
  5. Advertising costs: outdoor advertising and advertising on social networks, posting advertisements, making booklets (optional depending on the type of your business).

Step 3. Launch the project and look for clients

After you have completed all the points of your business plan, decide what you will do yourself and what it is better to entrust to contractors. Often, new entrepreneurs take on the entire burden of tasks to reduce costs and fail.

If you don’t know how to attract customers to your “Everything for 50” goods store, then trust in the hands of SMM specialists who will be able to show advertising of your store to residents of the town.

How to correctly analyze the market and competitors

Competitor analysis provides basic information for drawing up a business plan based on market needs. A competitor location map will help you choose the optimal location for your point.

Keep in mind that it is advantageous to locate next to related businesses. Thus, it is advisable to place a flower shop near a candy store or alcohol store; tire service - next to the car service; furniture repair - next to the furniture store.

A competitor comparison chart provides comprehensive information on what prices to charge and what products or services to add to your portfolio to outperform your competitors. To complete the picture, ask your friends or post a survey in the settlement group on social networks.

The more you know about your competitors, the higher your chances of beating them.

How to grow your business

Competition in the province is often small but fierce. How you establish yourself initially among locals will play a key role in the future of your business. Therefore, always try to provide the best possible service.

Large retail chains took an example from the West and were the first in the country to introduce service standards. These standards take a long time to reach provincial cities, and here people pay more attention to the politeness of the staff and the quality of service.

Teach your employees to smile and wish them a good day - and you will soon notice an increase in the number of regular customers.

Regularly conduct mystery shopper raids on your toughest competitors and use the information you receive to improve your business.


You shouldn’t spread rumors like “one client told me that he recently bought expired goods from Vasily” if you can’t back them up with anything. Word of mouth in villages works both ways, and in this way you will only ruin your reputation.

Loyalty programs work great in conditions of limited competition. Since there are not many clients, try to look for an individual approach to each one. Friendly attitude and individual privileges are the best engine of trade in such conditions.

What is the basis of a successful business in a small town?

And a few more fundamental success factors.

Remember them and don’t forget to put them into practice.

Product Availability

Keeping in mind the level of salaries and purchasing power of the population, try to keep prices always at the same level. And take this into account when developing a price line - in the difficult conditions of small cities, price stability is important to people.

And don’t forget that in a city that can be walked around in 30 minutes, it’s not at all difficult to go to a nearby store where prices are lower.

Close attention to competitors

A small number of competitors is one of the main advantages of entrepreneurship in small towns. Always stay up to date with your competitors and changes in their work. Any mistake by a competing company is a chance to improve its performance.

Consistently good reputation

The opening of a new store is a big event for the life of a provincial town, so be prepared for close attention from residents.

During this period, everything must be impeccable - the quality of service and goods, the level of service and promotions. If you manage to win the favor of buyers at this stage, then you are guaranteed a flow of regular customers.

A few more ideas in video format:

Conclusion

You don't have to live in a metropolis to open your own successful business. Quality and a serious approach to business are valued in any city. Technologies used in business today allow us to work from anywhere in the world.

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There is an opinion among ordinary people that starting a business in a big city is much easier and more promising than in a populated area with a population of no more than 50,000 people. Undoubtedly, in a big city there is more demand, more opportunities, but at the same time there are many more problems there.

If you think that small towns are unattractive for starting and developing your own business, then this opinion is wrong. It doesn’t matter where you live - you can learn to make money anywhere and, most importantly, .

If you are interested in how to start a business in a small town, where to start, how to avoid making many mistakes at the very beginning of the journey, and what to pay attention to first, then this article will be useful for you.

Business from scratch in a small town: pros and cons

So, if you have made the final decision to open a business in a small urban settlement, then you need to look at the situation realistically and weigh all the pros and cons of this venture.

Remember: you need to take starting your own business seriously, because if you make even the slightest mistake at the beginning, you will not be able to avoid big losses in the future.

What are the disadvantages of running a small business in a small town?

Positive points

If you have read everything written above and are a little upset, there is no need to do this. Remember: where there are minuses, there will definitely be pluses. You need to try to find something positive in everything. IN otherwise you shouldn't get down to business.

Let us outline the advantages of small business in a small locality.

  • Rent cost. This can be called the most “fat” and decisive advantage. In a small town you can rent a huge room for a purely nominal fee. And a beautiful, presentable office can be rented for mere pennies.
  • Lack of competition. If you manage to occupy a free niche in the market and thoroughly gain a foothold in it, then it is unlikely that anyone will be able to promote you. You will be able to have exclusive rights to a certain type of activity for a long time.
  • You will be able to hire for your company cheap labor. In small towns there is a problem with employment, so many are happy with even the minimum wage.
  • Small towns are much easier to conquer credit trust from clients. If you manage to please one or several influential townspeople, you will soon be able to experience how quickly and effectively word of mouth works, and the whole town will be talking about you as a good businessman.

What kind of business can you start in a small town?

Let's say you decide to open your own business. “What to do in a small town?” - you ask. Let's consider which areas of small business are advancing most successfully in small towns.

  • According to statistics, the most profitable small business in Russia is sales. It will always exist. People will always be selling and buying things. What kind of store can you open in a small town? Particularly beneficial for building materials, clothing and household chemicals.
  • Many aspiring entrepreneurs succeed in the field provision of services for and health.
  • Active and creative people can express themselves in organizing various holidays. This does not require large investments, other than the purchase of musical equipment to accompany events and costumes.
  • It is considered a profitable small business idea for a small town. To accommodate mini-workshops you won’t need large spaces, which means you can save money on rent. This could include production of sausages and dairy products, as well as small canneries.
  • Maybe not bad earn money And in the Internet. What is meant? Creation of websites or blogs, online consultations, etc.

Ideas for a profitable business in a small town

What kind of store to open in a small town: an idea with a flower boutique

An idea related to . is perfect for a small town. If there are not many such retail outlets in your city, then you can try your luck in this type of entrepreneurial activity.

How to open a flower shop in a small town?

  • Approximate expenses for opening – 180,000-200,000 rubles.
  • Profit– you can actually earn an average of 50,000 rubles and more. Do not forget that trade in this product is seasonal.
  • Payback fresh flower store - 10-12 months.
  • Approximate profitability flower boutique is from 30 to 35%.

How to organize pizza delivery?

What does it take to open in a small town? For a small establishment, a room of 25 square meters will be sufficient. m. The main thing is that everything complies with SES standards.

Pizza delivery as a business idea from scratch for a small town includes:

  • expenses for opening – from $10,000 to $15,000;
  • profit on average - from 70,000 rubles;
  • payback– 1.5-2 years;
  • profitability – 25%.

Minor household repairs, or husband for an hour

This type of business, providing small household services to the population, appeared in the late 2000s and has been developing quite successfully since then.

The life of a modern person passes at such a pace that he has practically no time left for household chores. Therefore, many people prefer to use the help of a repairman.

If such a service company is organized at the proper level, it can bring good profits.

At the moment, an enterprise like “Husband for an Hour” has a wide target audience, and such services are in demand not only in big cities, but also in small regional centers.

Before you get started, you will need to buy a set of necessary tools or use what you already have.

  • Average size costs– from 16,000 to 20,000 rubles.
  • If you have a sufficient number of orders, then on average you can earn from 40,000 to 60,000 rubles for 30 working days.
  • Payback- 2 months.
  • Profitability reaches 50%.

Growing green onions as an example of a successful small business

If you own a small space (60-80 sq.m.), then you can consider this area as a fairly promising business.

As an example, let's study the main financial indicators of growing onions hydroponically:

  • starting investments– from $1,800 to $2,000;
  • every month for one cycle of growing young onions you will need to be spent$200 (this includes costs for watering, lighting, heating and planting material);
  • profit. If you find a wholesale buyer, then in 22 days you can earn $1,100 (550 kg of onions for $2). In this case, the net profit will be $800;
  • payback project - 3 months. This payback period is considered a record among all areas of business activity;
  • profitability business for growing greens - more than 40%. This is a very high figure.

Small business idea at home: handmade

Today, more and more people are trying to make money on what they do best with their own hands -. But do not forget that this type of income will bring a certain profit only to those who know how to do at least something professionally.

What kind of business can there be for women in a small town? For example, knitting, sewing, decoupage, beading, soap making, making greeting cards and many others.

  • Dimensions investment can fluctuate within very wide limits - from several hundred to several thousand rubles;
  • Profit– from 40% of invested funds;
  • Payback business - record time - 1-2 months;
  • Profitability - 100%.

Second hand clothing as a profitable business idea in a small town

The crisis phenomena, which are acutely felt by residents of all regions of our country at the moment, are the reason that many ordinary people are forced to turn their attention to cheap stores - or second-hand stores. Some people are hesitant to admit that they visit these retail outlets, but, nevertheless, almost all of us have a couple of second-hand items in our wardrobe.

Approximate financial indicators of a second-hand store:

  • at the start for you will be needed at least $3,000-6,000;
  • in the first few months profit will be $250-500, in the future these numbers will grow;
  • payback of this enterprise – 1 year;
  • profitability– these indicators are very difficult to express in numbers. Some experts talk about 40-50%.

Prospects for small business development

If you have already decided what kind of business to start in a small town, then keep in mind that, despite the fact that in our country there are many problems associated with small business, there are still good prospects for its development in the coming years.

Experts who work in the field of small business development have made approximate calculations, according to which it becomes clear that small businesses have good reserves in order to successfully develop further.

What specific steps have been taken by government agencies to support small businesses?

Several years ago a number of important changes to the regulatory framework:

  • significantly simplified the registration procedure;
  • the number was kept to a minimum;
  • special bodies have been created that successfully protect the rights of entrepreneurs in banks;
  • reduced the maximum income so that you could switch to;
  • small and medium-sized businesses began to be allowed to participate in government procurement orders.

The state offers a helping hand to small and medium-sized enterprises. And businessmen note that this help is quite noticeable.

At the moment, there is an active discussion of issues related to the revival of Russian entrepreneurship. Perhaps this is the only way out of the economic crisis for our country.

There are quite a lot of opportunities for implementing small business ideas in a small town in Russia. The main characteristic features that an entrepreneur must have are ideas and patience.

The government of the Russian Federation is successfully solving strategic problems related to the development of small businesses. To achieve this goal, all kinds of tools are used.

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In a small town, you can also successfully run your own business and prosper. But you can also go broke or simply not earn anything. Moreover, everything depends not only on chance, but also on yourself. How you run your business, what line of activity you choose, how you organize your business - all this is of great importance.

Let's take a closer look at what the pitfalls of your business are, where you can find benefits and how to organize everything.

Pros and cons of small business in a small town

Before you open your own business, you need to realistically assess the situation and think everything through. The advantages of running your own business in a small town are as follows:

  • Lack of competitors (or a small number of them). If you have carefully selected your field of activity, you may find that no one else is doing this in your city.
  • Ensuring the absence of competitors in the future. This option is possible if you decide to start selling products from a well-known company that does not yet have a representative office in your city. You should sign an exclusive supply agreement, and then you will be protected from competitors.
  • Rental prices. Whatever you decide to do, in any case, in a small city it will cost you much less than in a metropolis. This applies to the price of renting premises, salaries to employees and even advertising your business. All you need to do is complete one or two orders well, and people will know about you. If you are engaged in trade, then you should sell high-quality and not very expensive goods - then customers will advise their friends and acquaintances to visit your store.

Disadvantages of starting such a business:

  • Fewer clients. Since the population of your town is small, there will be fewer people in need of your services.
  • Low level of income of the population. In small cities, salaries are much lower, which means people are willing to spend less money.
  • Lack of qualified personnel. A situation may arise that there are no specialists in the city who are knowledgeable in your chosen niche. Or your competitors have already got them.
  • Word of mouth can work not only in your favor, but also against you. If you mess up once (you sold a low-quality product, poorly fulfilled an order, or didn’t meet deadlines), word of it can quickly spread throughout the city. Then you will get a bad reputation, which is absolutely not what you want.

Other nuances of starting your own business

Before starting your own business, you need to think carefully about its details and take into account the following nuances:

  • your business should not require the recruitment of first-class specialists, as this may cause problems;
  • make sure that your business will be at least somewhat in demand in your area. Otherwise there is no point in opening it;
  • When creating your own business, you must be 100% confident in your abilities. If you later change your mind and close the business due to difficulties, then in a small town this will become public knowledge. And then it will be much more difficult for you to open another business - people will not be able to trust you.

What to consider when choosing a field of activity

When choosing what exactly you will do, you need to consider the following factors:

  • Your experience in this field. It doesn’t matter whether you work yourself or hire staff - in any case, you must be well versed in your chosen business and be able to train hired workers.
  • Are you interested in business? If there is no such interest, then there is no point in doing it.
  • Demand for your services in the chosen area. Even if you organize everything at the highest level, purchase high-quality goods, order a chic sign and perfectly train your staff, but the local population will not feel the need for your goods - you should not expect much profit.
  • Your willingness to devote most of your time to the business. Once you open a store and hire a salesperson, you still have to pay attention to the business.

Examples of profitable small business options

It is important to remember that in a small town, the option of copying other people's ideas will most likely not work - you will have to come up with something original. To do this, you must be interested in your business, you must understand it well, and not just earn income from it.

Here are some ideas for things to do:

  1. Shop. Very often, entrepreneurs in small towns decide that the most profitable thing for them will be to engage in trade. If you are one of them, then you need to decide what goods will be in demand in your locality (groceries, baked goods, confectionery, stationery, household goods), provide a wide range of products and set reasonable prices. You also need to remember that your store must be located in a suitable location - in a residential area that does not have a similar store.
  2. Kindergarten, development center. In small towns, preschool institutions are often closed, which the authorities considered unnecessary. If you have some experience and knowledge, you can restore justice by teaching children. For this purpose, you can rent a room or set up a kindergarten in your apartment, if possible.
  3. Sushi or pizza delivery. If no one in your city is already doing this business, you can be the first. Having certain skills in preparing such products at home, you can deliver them to customers’ homes. At the same time, you don’t even have to spend money on renting premises and salaries for employees (of course, unless you develop your activities to such a scale that there is no end to orders).
  4. Repair of small household breakdowns and appliances. This area is more suitable for men who are knowledgeable in repair work. There are probably not enough similar enterprises in your area, but there are more than enough clients. This is what can work to your advantage. It’s enough just to do your job well, be loyal to clients and ask for a reasonable price - and people will be drawn to you. To start such a business, you will need to purchase the tools you need for your work, post advertisements, and you can start accepting orders. With the right approach, your business can easily expand over time, bringing in more and more income.
  5. Furniture reupholstery services. Since the incomes of people in a small town are low, then, accordingly, they acquire new furniture much less often, and old furniture has the unpleasant property of wearing out. And then people call a furniture restoration specialist for help.
  6. Beauty saloon. Having the necessary knowledge, and preferably experience, and subject to low prices for services, you can easily acquire regular customers. After all, even in small towns, girls and women want to have a well-groomed appearance and a stylish hairstyle.
  7. Flower shop. In any city, in any country, young people, going on a first date, buy flowers. The same thing happens during various holidays. You can also provide florist services, decorating rooms for special events with flowers.
  8. Auto repair shop. Having your own garage and experience in car repairs, you can open your own workshop without spending money on renting premises. This type of service always remains in demand.


In general, this topic can be developed endlessly. There are no specific standards for exactly what you can easily make money from. Each location has its own characteristics and needs.

The main thing to consider when starting your own business is having minimal experience, a small capital to start with, and choosing a suitable place to work. Everything else will follow with time.

From the following video you can get some more good ideas for your business:

Internet business

There is also an option to organize a business online. This type of activity has a lot of advantages:

  • no need to spend money on renting premises;
  • there is no need to hire staff, at least at first, when there are few orders;
  • You can work in your free time according to a schedule convenient for you.

Internet business options:

  1. Website creation and currently popular SEO optimization Internet resources, which allows them to rank higher in search engines - if you have certain knowledge that can be acquired using the same Internet, you can earn pretty good money.
  2. Online store. Having chosen a type of product that will be widely popular, you can start selling it online.
  3. Copywriting. If you are well versed in any field (real estate, construction, design, makeup, handmade, etc.) and have writing skills, you can make money on the Internet by selling your texts. If the quality of the material is high, you can regularly earn good income.

Business from home

If you are tired of going to a low-paying job every day, which also takes up all your free time, you can organize your own business at home. To do this, you need to figure out what you can do so well that people will pay for it, and get to work.

Here are some options for what you can do:

  1. Making salads, pastries, cakes. By devoting your evenings to cooking, you can sell for several hours a day in places where people going to lunch (for example, near office buildings) will want to buy something tasty from you. Since the demand for finished products is very high, you will not end up with customers.
  2. Growing vegetables and fruits. If you have your own vegetable garden or several fruit trees, then selling your grown produce would be an excellent option for you. The same applies to selling homemade milk, cheese and other fermented milk products - if you have a cow. Running a greenhouse is also a good business idea. In this case, you can sell vegetables even in winter, when their prices increase significantly.
  3. Private transportation. At a time convenient for you, if you have your own car, you can provide a taxi service. To do this, you just need to know your city well.
  4. Raising Muscovy Ducks. This type of poultry is quite unpretentious, grows quickly and without much hassle. Subsequently, the ducks can be sold: to restaurants, wholesalers, and at the market. The income ends up being pretty decent.
  5. Tutoring. If you are well versed in any school or university subject, you can teach it to schoolchildren and students for money.
  6. Tailoring bed linen to order. If you have a sewing machine and the ability to sew, you can make exclusive lingerie.

Small business for a woman

When going on maternity leave, many women are faced with the fact that they are sorely short of money. But, not daring to entrust a small child to the care of a kindergarten or not being able to do this, they cannot go to work. Then a home-based business can come to their rescue, which would allow them to devote time to the child and at the same time earn money.

For example, a woman on maternity leave can do the following:

  1. Nanny at home. Since you have a small child, babysitting another one will most likely not be too difficult. The main condition is love for children. Rest assured, working mothers who have no one to leave their child with will appreciate your idea. You set the price yourself depending on the average cost of such services in your area.
  2. Needlework. While on maternity leave, you have enough free time that you can devote to creativity. Which one depends on your preferences. Knitting or crocheting things, sewing original sofa pillows, weaving with beads, making soap, cross-stitching pictures, creating soft toys - even if you don’t know how to do something, you can learn everything on the Internet if you want.
  3. Photography class. If you have the ability to take beautiful and original photographs and process them using programs, you can post them on photo banking sites - there they will probably be noticed by the site’s creators and purchased for a certain amount. Of course, these amounts are small, but if you regularly post high-quality photos, you can make good money.
  4. Online consultant. If you don't mind communicating with people every day by phone or online, you can get a job at one of the companies that sell goods online.
  5. Providing manicure services at home. Having the necessary knowledge (you can take special courses for this), you can receive clients at home who want to improve the condition of their nails.


So, we looked at various options for starting your own business in a small town, as well as a business that can be done at home or on the Internet. As you already understood, it all depends on your skills and the needs of your clients. Having carefully studied these needs and chosen your field of activity, you can open your own business. The main thing here is to believe in yourself, devote enough time to the business and treat your clients well. Then the success of your endeavor will be guaranteed.

Small towns have a reputation for being depressive and unpromising.

Those who stayed there after graduating from school or returned home after receiving their diploma are considered losers who were unable to find a foothold in the metropolis.

But this approach is absolutely wrong!

You can find a profitable and interesting occupation in any locality.

Today I would like to bring to your attention business ideas in a small town.

Can a business idea in a small town be promising?

Maybe! If you use these business ideas for a small town.

There are enough such cities in each country, only in Russia there are about a thousand of them. In Ukraine, the number of small towns and villages makes up over 80% of the total number of populated areas in the state.

That is, many people live in micro-cities, and not all of them have given up on their careers and are ready to be content with a minimal handout from the state.

But what should they do? Leave?

After all, high-paying jobs are difficult to find in small towns!

What if you don’t want to leave? If you love your small homeland and are ready to invest effort and money in its development, what should you do then?

My answer: open a business that will appeal to the residents of your locality and will help you earn money. There are plenty of business ideas that can be implemented in a small town.

Features of business in a small town

“Your future is created by what you do today, not by what you will do tomorrow.”
Robert Kiyosaki

Entrepreneurial sharks believe that regardless of the volume and topic of your future business, the area in which you are going to open it, or the amount of expected capital investment, you cannot launch a startup without studying the theoretical basis and not.

If you live in a small town and want to open an individual enterprise (individual enterprise) here, then you should familiarize yourself with the features of business in a small locality in order to choose the most promising business idea:

  1. Residents of small provincial villages are very conservative in their views and are wary of everything new.
    When looking for business ideas in a small town, keep this in mind.
    You shouldn’t open something too exotic (sex shop, designer clothing store, pan-Asian restaurant).
  2. When opening a new business, think about whether you can find specialists who will work for you, or whether you will have to look for them in a neighboring regional center, which will significantly increase the payroll of your enterprise.
  3. If you have a good reputation in your city, this will make it much easier for you to launch a startup.
    But do not forget that business should be conducted honestly, otherwise word of mouth will instantly leave you without clients and profit.

Advantages and disadvantages of doing business in a small town

Before you decide to open a business, you should weigh the pros and cons, and also analyze the advantages, disadvantages and difficulties that you may encounter when opening a business in a small town.

Advantages of doing business in a small town:

  1. Cheap labor.
    You can hire employees and pay them two to three times less than in a large city.
  2. Low rent.
    Real estate in small towns is inexpensive, so buying or renting them will not break your budget.
  3. Minimum amount of capital investment.
    You can save not only on salaries or rent, but also on advertising and room decor (the more modest, the better).

Disadvantages of doing business in a small town:

  1. Low purchasing power of residents of your city.
    In this regard, it will be necessary to establish a reasonable pricing policy.
  2. Modest capital turnover and profit.
    Although there are exceptions to this rule.
    For example, if you open a factory in a small village that will produce large quantities of products that you will supply to all supermarkets in the country, then your income will be very impressive.
  3. Tough competition.
    It is quite difficult to find an unoccupied niche, especially in common areas of business activity.

Traditional business ideas in a small town


As I already said, residents of small settlements are conservative by nature, so traditional business ideas will work best here, if, of course, you manage to find an unoccupied niche:

  1. Shop.
    In small towns, it is better to open department stores where you can buy food and some important little things: sealing lids, disposable plastic bags, etc.
    A hardware store or second-hand store will also be successful.
  2. Cafe, bar, .
    When choosing one of the proposed options, be guided by your amount of starting capital.
    If you have enough money and there are no normal restaurants in your town, feel free to open this type of catering establishment.
    Recently, my friend Anya returned from the christening of her student friend’s child.
    After graduating from university, she returned to the small town to work as a teacher at a local school. She got married there and gave birth to a child.
    So, Anya told me that in a city where only 18,000 people live, 3 restaurants operate successfully. In the establishment where they celebrated the christening, they celebrated 2 more birthdays.
  3. .
    Yes, grandfathers still repair their old Zhiguli and Muscovite cars themselves, but those who are younger prefer to trust car repairs to professionals.
  4. Vet clinic.
    You can successfully treat not only dogs and cats, but also farm animals kept in private sectors by residents of small towns.
  5. Private pond.
    You can rent a local pond, put fish there, and then let local residents and tourists fish for money.
  6. Private kindergarten.
    The problem with state kindergartens in small towns is the same as in large ones, so you won’t be left without clients.
  7. Business related to agriculture.
    There is a large selection here:
    • rent district fields and grow crops that can be sold;
    • breed livestock: rabbits, poultry, piglets, cattle;
    • open a dairy farm;
    • plant an orchard;
    • make canned vegetables or meat, etc.

with a selection of unique and creative business ideas.

Use your head and create!

Original business ideas in a small town


If none of the proposed ideas interest you, then you may want to take a more interesting and challenging business path.

For example, do:

  1. Green tourism.
    Residents of megacities lack simple joys: fresh air, silence, food familiar from childhood, swimming in an ice hole, picking mushrooms and berries, and so on.
    You can provide all this to them for money.
    What's a bad business idea for a small town?
  2. Consulting.
    If there are several private enterprises operating in your small town, then you can take care of their accounting, because small businesses cannot afford to hire an accountant on a full-time basis.
  3. Help for money.
    Just look at how many single women and married couples live in your small town who are willing to pay money if only part of the work is done for them: chopped wood, cleaned the yard, weeded the weeds or harvested the crops, etc.
    Another idea can be implemented: to provide specialized services, but for this you will have to hire an electrician, plumber, builder, etc.

As you can see, business ideas in a small town plenty.

If only you had the desire to get down to business!

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