These 6 Business Ideas Are Ideal for Stay-at-Home Moms and Dads

Millions of independent professionals and traditional employees work from home by choice. With so many perks of working just a few feet from where you sleep, it’s a wonder everyone doesn’t do it. Of course, stay-at-home moms and dads have less choice in the matter. If they want to work, they have to work from home.

Good thing that’s not much of a sacrifice these days. These 6 stay-at-home business ideas all offer real earning potential. It’s possible that any one of them could provide you with enough to replace a full-time income, and then some.

1. Virtual Assistant Coordinator

Working as a virtual assistant isn’t a particularly lucrative gig, at least not for U.S.-based professionals. But what about for at-home business owners who own the means of production?

Consider launching a boutique virtual assistant coordination service. Set your business apart from those race-to-the-bottom freelance platforms by offering hands-on service, higher-value tasks, and 24/7 availability. This is an eminently scalable idea. You’d be surprised how many North American professionals need someone to help with everyday work for which they simply don’t have time.

2. Fundraising Distributor

Fundraising distributors work independently to promote fundraising opportunities. They work with educational institutions, churches, associations, and other nonprofit organizations. Earning commissions on successful sales, their work involves no travel and requires no meetings.

However, working as a fundraising distributor isn’t always easy money. You have to have excellent people skills, the ability to recover from inevitable disappointment, and the determination to pursue a sale even after that initial “no.”

But it’s not rocket science, either. According to the experts at ABC Fundraising®, distributors’ earnings over longer periods are directly proportional to effort and hours worked. In other words, like many honest business ideas, fundraising distribution is a numbers game. The more opportunities you create, the more successful you’ll be.

3. Day Care

Demand for quality childcare services has never been higher. If you’re willing to submit to potentially stringent licensing requirements (which vary by jurisdiction) and enjoy spending time with kids, you can definitely carve out a niche as a daycare provider.

Set up your at-home daycare business with a standardized curriculum that never loses sight of your most important mission: preparing little ones for the rest of their scholastic careers.

4. Animal Boarding

Animal boarding is like childcare except for, well, the children. This job could work well for animal lovers with older children.

Guides by Petful and The Balance helpfully lay out key considerations for anyone looking to start an at-home animal boarding business:

Local zoning regulations. Are kennels allowed on residential property in your neighborhood?
Local laws and licensing requirements. What does it take to remain aboveboard?
Equipment. What will you need to keep your animal boarding operation functioning?
Animal types and sizes. Will you stick to a single type of animal, or take a more eclectic variety of pets?

5. Selling Crafts and Reclaimed Goods

It’s easier than ever to sell homemade crafts and reclaimed or repurposed goods online. What’s more, you can do so from the comfort of your home. The most successful sellers typically create their own ecommerce websites where customers can buy direct. Then they supplement with seller accounts on top platforms like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay.

6. Event Planning

If you’re organized and creative, you might make a good event planner. It doesn’t take much to hang out a shingle. All you need is a great website with references from past clients. Weddings are typically the most lucrative events to organize, unless you have the scale and resources to tackle truly complex events, like multi-day corporate retreats.

What Calls to You?

Are you a stay-at-home parent with a business idea? Have a favorite from our list? Drop us a line at [email protected] so we can share with our readers.