There are over 20 million ex-felons in the United States, and for many of them they struggle to find employment. This is because some employers feel it is a liability issue to hire them. The best route may be for them to create their own employment, by starting a small business. By starting your own business, you will be in charge, have a way to earn money, and you will be able to call the shots. You will also have the ability to choose your hours.
The good news is that there are many small business ideas for ex-felons. Before getting started with a list of good ideas, first know the steps that are involved. If you will be going by a business name that uses your name, such as Joe Smith’s Towing, you can get by without having official business paperwork in place with the state you are in. If you will use something other than your name, you will need to file a fictitious firm name or doing business as form with the state you are in. They are typically low cost, but it lets the state know you are conducting business under a name that is not your legally given one.
If you want to have a bigger company than that, you can take it a step further and file a limited liability company (LLC). You can usually do it online affordably with a national company or with your state commerce office. The LLC protects you personally if you were to accidentally cause damages or harm to someone’s property. You may also need to obtain commercial insurance and a license with your local city office.
Small Business Ideas for Ex-Felons ::::: Auto Detailing – People love to have their vehicle cleaned out so that it’s looking great. Having a mobile car detailing business is a great way to earn money. All you need is to invest in the things that you will use to clean the vehicle inside and out, and then let people know about your service. Some people charge $100 or more to go to someone’s house or place of business and detail their vehicle. Once there’s word of mouth that you do good work, you could do a few cars per day.
Handyman Services – Many people need a handyman to help with things like installing ceiling fans, replacing blinds, replacing the sink, and a variety of other jobs. If you know how to do a lot of different odd jobs around the house, you could put those skills to use with a handyman service. All you need to get started are some basic tools and you are in business. Decide how much you want to make per hour, and then charge accordingly when someone tells you the job that they need done.
Window Cleaning – There are many people who will pay others to clean their windows, because it’s a job that most homeowners and commercial business owners don’t want to do themselves. Simply invest in some low cost window cleaning equipment and start practicing on your own home windows. You will get quicker at cleaning the windows as you become more experienced. This service can be offered to homeowners and businesses alike. Most window cleaners charge by the window pane or project.
Landscaping – Depending on the state that you live in, there is an opportunity to start a small landscaping company. It’s a popular small business idea for ex-felons, because it’s easy to start and there’s plenty of work available. Some states only need the landscaping help during the summer months, but there are other states where it is year-round work, rather than seasonal work. Invest a lawn more, edger, etc., and you are in business.
Painting – If you know how to paint or are open to the idea of learning it, this is an economical small business idea for ex-felons. All you need is some basic painting equipment. People will hire you to paint rooms in their home and painters are always in high demand, because it’s a job that most people don’t want to do themselves.
Carpet Cleaning – Another job that people don’t want to do is clean their carpeting. You can purchase a carpet cleaning unit and start a small business offering the service. You can even look to purchase the equipment used to get started at first. Charge by the room, offering the service for the whole house.
Graphic Design – If you have some design skills you can put them to use by helping people to create their logos and website content. Log onto a place like guru.com and you will find people who are looking to hire graphic designers. All you need is a computer that you can do the designing on and some basic skills to market your business.
Re-seller Online – Places like eBay and Facebook Marketplace have made it simple for people to open up a re-seller shop online. You can purchase items of value, either wholesale, at garage sales, or at thrift stores, and then sell them online. Whether you buy anything you feel has value that you are getting at a great price or you specialize in one thing, such as books or jeans, you have plenty of options. Invest some money in buying items that are low in price, mark them up, and sell them online.
Salvager – Go around to well off neighborhoods and collect the good items that they put out to the curb on trash day. You can take those items and sell them online. You will find that well off communities discard loads of perfectly good items, such as tables, chairs, strollers, and more.
Arts and Crafts – If you have some creative skills, you can make things and sell them online or in person at craft fairs and art shows. Whether it’s making bird houses, signs, or something else, you can put your skills to use creating something and selling it. Everyone has a skill, making this one of the best small business ideas for ex-felons.
