The global economy has faced significant challenges in recent years, with supply chain disruptions, rising inflation, and interest rates affecting countries worldwide. However, despite these difficulties, some businesses thrive in tough times. Regardless of where you live, here are five businesses you can start, based on current market trends and global needs.
1. Candy Sales – Simple but Profitable
Surprisingly, selling candy can be a lucrative and recession-proof business. In tough economic times, people often turn to comfort foods like candy to relieve stress. Despite concerns about health issues like diabetes, the demand for sweets remains strong. History shows that during recessions, companies like Cadbury and Nestlé saw significant profit increases because people continued to buy affordable indulgences like chocolate.
How to start a candy business:
- Find a reliable candy supplier: Search for manufacturers or distributors who offer wholesale prices.
- Target specific markets: Schools, cafeterias, street vendors, parks, and offices with candy bowls are great places to sell your products.
- Price competitively: For example, you can buy a bulk bag of candy (like Hershey’s Kisses) for $23.99 with 400 pieces. Selling each piece at $0.20 can bring in a substantial profit.
- Expand your reach: Once you establish your business, you can sell larger quantities to organizations or offer candy jars for offices.
This seemingly small business can generate anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands in profit monthly, depending on the scale of your operation. Even selling one bag of candy daily can yield a monthly profit of $870.
2. Staffing Agency – Solving Workforce Shortages
During economic downturns, companies look for ways to cut costs, and outsourcing staffing needs is one way to do that. A staffing agency can provide a valuable service to industries like customer service, retail, restaurants, and BPOs (Business Process Outsourcing) that face high employee turnover rates.
How to start a staffing agency:
- Specialize in customer service staffing: Industries like fast food, hotels, and call centers often struggle with staffing shortages, especially in entry-level positions.
- Offer training programs: You can provide basic customer service training for people just entering the workforce. Charge a small fee for the training, with a guarantee of job placement upon completion.
- Partner with companies: Offer your staffing services to companies at a reduced cost compared to their usual hiring and training expenses.
By charging both trainees and companies, a staffing agency can quickly become profitable. For example, with 30 trainees in a class, charging companies $250 per hire and subtracting training costs, you could generate over $6,000 per month. Expanding by hiring additional trainers can scale profits to over $24,000 per month.
3. Delivery Coordination Service – A Low-Cost Logistics Business
With the rise of e-commerce and online shopping, delivery services are in high demand. You don’t need a vehicle to start this business – instead, you can act as a coordinator, connecting customers with local couriers. This business model works especially well in areas where larger delivery companies don’t reach or for urgent, same-day deliveries.
How to start a delivery coordination service:
- Set up a basic website: Purchase a domain and create a simple WordPress site that allows users to request deliveries.
- Partner with local couriers: Find independent drivers with bikes or scooters who are willing to make deliveries on-demand. You can pay them a fee for each delivery they complete.
- Charge a coordination fee: Add a markup to the delivery cost to cover your coordination services.
This type of business requires minimal upfront investment. You can start with just a website, a few partnerships, and your ability to organize deliveries. As your client base grows, so will your profits.
4. Freelancing Agency – Meeting the Demand for Remote Work
With remote work becoming more popular, businesses are increasingly outsourcing tasks like graphic design, copywriting, virtual assistance, and digital marketing. A freelancing agency that connects businesses with skilled freelancers can be a lucrative venture in 2025.
How to start a freelancing agency:
- Build a network of freelancers: Find talented professionals in areas like writing, web design, social media management, and customer support.
- Market your services to small businesses: Many small businesses need help with digital tasks but don’t have the budget for full-time employees.
- Manage projects and clients: Act as the middleman, securing clients and managing the freelancers you work with.
As remote work continues to rise, this business model is scalable and has the potential for global reach. You can start small and grow your agency over time, eventually expanding to offer more specialized services.
5. Online Education and Training – Leverage the E-learning Boom
The demand for online education has grown significantly in recent years, and 2025 will be no different. Whether it’s offering specialized courses or general educational content, people are always looking for ways to upskill, especially during uncertain economic times when job security is a concern.
How to start an online education business:
- Identify a niche: Choose a topic you’re knowledgeable about, whether it’s digital marketing, coding, graphic design, or even how to start a small business.
- Create high-quality courses: Use platforms like Udemy, Teachable, or your own website to offer video lessons, downloadable content, and quizzes.
- Market your courses: Promote your courses through social media, SEO, and partnerships with influencers in your niche.
Online education businesses are relatively low-cost to start and offer the potential for passive income. Once you create your course, it can generate revenue continuously as new students enroll.
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