Business

16 Best Online Business Ideas at Home Which You Can Start Easily

In today’s professional business, doing online business is far extra popular than ever mainly as of this digital period. Finding the best side business ideas is a great play, no matter how rewarding your full-time job is, Working on your side business ideas is less risky than having 9-5 jobs. You will get the benefits with your business idea by being your boss.

What new do you want as well creating extra money while at work a few hours?

These Best Business Ideas you can work on can also make you a millionaire
Some of these Ideas gives you from $10-$20 to $10000-$20000 monthly income
Generally, you spend some time contemplating ideas but eventually resort to your comfort zone
Creating these online businesses will require your efforts and hard work but it’ll definitely be worth it

Possessing and keeping an online professional provides financiers the choice to create money from wherever in the world. The peak significant step to beginning a moneymaking online business is to get a business knowledge that equals your services and powers.

Whether you are observing for full-time work or just starting a part-time business for submissive revenue, your creation or facility needs to meet customer requirements.

Are these ideas still useful and work in 2019?

Yes, 2019 is the best year for you to starting an online business of your own. At this instant that we’ve reputable why you necessity to work online, we can talk about how you can do your first online work. You can even use these ideas to develop your online business plan

Here are some cheap or even free business ideas which will worth you more than your full-time job. These ideas are time flexible, so you can work on your hours and no need to quit your job. If you are truly waiting for an opportunity, then this is the right time to start working on it.

We also included guides and tutorials sources to help you get started:

To help you get started, I’m going to present 16 online business ideas. Read through them, see who you are connected to, and start researching. Then start with one:

1). Start A YouTube Channel:

online business ideas youtube

So, what you can share on your YouTube channel?

Whatever you can teach peoples with your videos like tutorials, unboxing gadgets, product reviews, car, bike, world tour video, etc

If you’ve always liked the thought of being behind the camera, it’s time to take advantage. If you take it seriously, spending time on YouTube may seem like a legitimate business.

Whether it’s starting a blog and selling an ad-selling product to your audience or creating a YouTube channel to drive more traffic to your site, 2019 is the perfect time to start. If you are considering starting a YouTube channel it’s important to use best practices when making videos.

YouTube pays its publishers by displaying ads on videos. If you can create fun video content and grow your users, your videos can begin to generate revenue from all the ads shown on your videos. Several YouTubers create Millions every year.

It takes time to see the result on your channel when it is new. You just need to be patient. Once you get results, you will start making money passively.

To Get Started with youtube, Here’s the best course to learn about becoming a Successful Youtuber:

Make Money From Youtube With No Filming, No Marketing And No Website!

2). Teach Online courses:

teaching online business ideas

Using your skills for profit is a common trend and the best side business idea. If you are best in any field, then there would also be many audiences online, want to be expert in your field, you can teach online. Once you are ready to begin your online course study, I recommend you use the easiest and cheapest use of Teacher Platform, a teacher platform for selling, hosting and creating online courses such as Udemy, Skillshare, Lynda and more.

Just make sure you have an opportunity management system in place so you don’t get caught up in working with clients you can’t help. Having the skills and experience to become a successful online coach will help your students, This is about building a community around the support you offer to your audience.

Plus, your community will learn from each other along the way. Creating space for a community is indeed very simple that a beginner can also perform this kind of deed easily.

Here’s a powerful guide on creating online courses:

How to Make Money With Online Courses

3). Start a blog:

online business ideas

Hundreds of thousands of bloggers are making profitable content on topics such as travel, film, scrapbooking, social, business, home cooking and more. Your first step with starting a blog is to understand both what your audience needs and learning how to attract readers online.

If you want to launch your blog now then set up quick, affordable and easy website hosting with a company such as Hostgator. Choose a simple WordPress and work on your first post to connect with your audience. Once you can build a community around your blog, you will invest to give your audience more customization.

To get started, Get your Hosting in very affordable and discounted Price 85% off:

HostGator Shared Hosting Plans with Free SSL for as low as $2.75/mo

In the beginning, learning how to start a blog is quite difficult. So I will recommend you taking master courses on learning how to start a blog or take Tutorials.

To Get Started with this, Here’s the best course to learn about Blogging:

The Most Powerful Blogging Course To Make Money Online

4). Selling eBooks online:

ebook selling online business ideas

Selling an eBook online is a great way to create a side income. This idea doesn’t require great skills to start. An eBook is simply a packaging of your skills and knowledge into a downloadable data that delivers to those who are seeking to learn a skill, want to be advanced in their careers or want to start their own business.

Do some serious work with your eBook, build an audience, and you’ll have a platform for publishers to chase down a book deal. Then you can write a great business book and create your brand. EBooks can be sold on platforms like Amazon, Kindle, Blurb, Nook press and so on.

Here’s Powerful Guide: Sell Ebooks online and Make Money Selling Digital Products

5). Reselling on Amazon:

Anyone can sell well on Amazon.com if you have products to sell or buy in cheap and sell at a higher price. There are all kinds of prized stuff that can be resold online as a side commercial impression. Amazon reselling is one of the best online business ideas.

If you want to give your Amazon a chance then check out a detailed guide to Amazon. Numbers of drop shippers have grown this home-based business idea into a lucrative moneymaker.

To Get Started with this, Here’s the best course to learn about Amazon Reselling:

Create A Powerful Amazon Based Business Using Free Traffic & Automated Stores

Check out also: 9 Quickest Pay Growth Jobs

6). Become A Virtual Assistant:

Online Business Ideas

Do you have organizational skills and task management abilities? Maybe it is the time to put these by becoming a Virtual Assistant. It consists of basic administrative tasks like entering data, making travel arrangements and answering the calls. Previous experience in this field is not required but if you have, then it makes a good impact.

Companies like TaskRabbit and Zirtual makes it easy to find a job for Virtual Assistant. They help you to create an online profile and sign up for tasks that you want to complete.

A guide on Becoming a Virtual Assistant:

How to Become a Virtual Assistant: Everything You Need to Know

To Get Started working, Here’s the link:

Work & Earn Online as a Virtual Assistant

7). Social media advertising:

Create a huge cloud of followers around your social media accounts and then you can quickly get in touch with major brands, gear companies and other businesses that sell products or services related to your shared content on social media.

Even if you don’t have a background in online marketing, you can take a cheap online course to get started-particularly with SEO. If you have advertising services and millions of fans, you can easily control anyplace from $ 500 to $ 5000 per post, creating it a cost-effective side business awareness. This can be done on multiple platforms and also online.

You can also check out this amazing book:

Book Starting an Online Business

Get your copy now at a discounted price 75% off through this link:

Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies

8). Affiliate Marketing:

affliate marketing

If you already have a website that is driving in targeted traffic, a great way to make Passive income from the content you are already creating as a side business idea is through marketing.

Affiliate marketing is a unique and awesome way when it comes to automating your earnings and passive income. You don’t want to make a product. You don’t need to invest money and still, you will get paid.

Affiliate marketing is one of the best online business ideas in the online world and many affiliates have become a millionaire and some earning decent amount, It depends on your hard work and your work strategy you can earn decent amount of money with it.

ShareASale, Rakuten, eBay Partner Network and more are rare of the finest affiliate systems and outfits that can benefit you create money from the content you previously yield, therefore shortening your side business impression revenue.

Look into Affiliate industry platforms for business bloggers to develop some encouragement on how other bloggers are on the rise affiliate blogs from side industry knowledge to permanent.

All you do in affiliate marketing is promoting products on your blog (if you have), social media platforms, and other websites. Affiliate marketers promote the products of other people. In return, they get commissions on their sales. Amazon is one of the most popular platforms for affiliate marketing.

You will get paid commissions when someone buys a product by clicking on your affiliate link.

Get started here with complete training:

No.1 Affiliate Marketing Training Portal

Check out also: 10 best jobs in the world

9). Podcasting:

Podcasting

Through the podcast, you will be able to earn the trust of your audience, which makes them that much more likely to buy what you offer. If you can make fixed viewers for your podcast, this is an excessive way to develop guarantors and reserve this side business awareness.

As you grow your podcast, you also can offer paid sponsorships and sell your own designed products and services. In general, it helps if you already have a large audience of online podcast listeners, but that hasn’t stopped millions of people from creating successful side business ideas on profitable podcasts. ۔

10). Social media manager:

Are you on social media every day all day? Begin online work as a public media supervisor and produce that time online. Control a business’s open media is alike control your own Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Many companies have an overwhelming majority on social media and they need people constantly to build their brand online.

Dealings frequently fail on public media as they have no devotion to be lively on numerous public media platforms. Limited business people are significant applicants for getting online works as public media managers.

As an alternative of transfer emails that go to Junk and are on no occasion read, go to a limited business or present you over your public media page.

You can see these types of opportunities on sites Career Builder and most employers on those websites are conditioned to work with people who run these services as their business ideas.

Over time, as you grow your ability to leverage different social channels, you can add more offers, such as running a high Facebook advertising campaign, to profit for the brands you want to work with.

Forgiveness can host sweepstakes contests. Follow your own social and create a personal brand for yourself and transform this Side Business Idea into a full-time business. You will have an unlimited number of opportunities.

Best Guide here: 500 Social Media Marketing Tips

Check out also: 15 Highest Paying Jobs in Tech for 2019

11). Dropshipping:

Dropshipping Store

Dropshipping is when you create an online store to sell other people’s products (i.e you don’t do any of the manufacturing or shipping). Dropshipping is one of the best online business ideas which you can make you a millionaire.

Dropshipping is all about selling physical or digital products online and leaving the shipping process to the product owner or drop shipper. To be successful in this business, you need to make a list of good products and a good shipping partner.

Dropshipping business concept:

Source: Concetto Labs

Then, you get a commission for each sale. Working jobs come in all forms and dimensions, and fall shopping is hardly ignored.

While the change in the profit of dropshipping is not as great as the way you stock and distribute your fleshly goods, confidently you can realize the profits of a handmade technique.

The best thing with Dropshipping business is you can fix your prices of products. You can buy a product for $5 and you can sell it for $50 at your store. This Dropshipping idea makes a lot of people a millionaire and you can be also become one of them if you apply it correctly and know your audience.

By Fall Shopping, you can arrangement storefronts on stages like Shopify, list your goods, and then transport the order straight to a buyer of the dealer.

The plus point is here is that you don’t have to risk buying up stock or losing your money if it doesn’t sell. The risk is lower and you don’t have to invest nearly as much to get started.

This is a wonderful choice for anybody observing for work online, as it does not permit you to drive auctions, arrow over mental product during the business, and clearly, we do fine can make a decent revenue.

To Get Started on finding a great product, Here’s the link:

The Most Powerful Blogging Course To Make Money Online

Best Guide Book on Dropshipping Which you can buy at the discounted price:

Get this book now at a discounted price 75% off

12). Decoder:

Decoder

Claim for expert decoders is extremely great as the world is pretty progressively smaller. If it’s decent sufficient for you to main syntax and meaning to dominant your additional language, decoding is an inordinate side occupational idea for situation yourself up and can uniform be complete at all.

Whether it’s decoding lawful contracts or blog supports for worldwide e-commerce sites, it’s a low-cost professional knowledge that displays no symbols of reducing down.

You can catch casual sites like Freeware or Upwork and begin getting people who are easy in many tongues to link your professional. This way you can translate documents into multiple languages.

Contract Works now has hundreds of casual, remote decoder works accessible and if you are observing to become additional and extra distant work by your other workings, browse finished these distant works website. So you develop the right chances.

13). Freelance Writing:

Freelance Writing

There’s extra to script than just being a freelance author or producing content for a blog. Providing you have the script skills and you can develop customers who want to be satisfied in a role that you appreciate and love, then the casual script is for you.

Each website holder appoints copywriters to compose satisfied for stuff like pages, FAQs, or blog supports. If you find a client and brand yourself as a specialist on this side business idea, you can become a freelance writer and earn more than you can earn in your full-time job soon.

It’s okay to start on a job post platform like a foyer or freelance writing, but these places aren’t “where the money is”. In other words, if you work directly in a business, you are going to make a lot of money freelance writing. vs the middle job platform.

So to begin searching for your clients, spend an afternoon searching for a business website to find out if they need the content. Also, specific native reporters quiet appoint casual writers on an income basis.

Additional way to catch casual working jobs is by linking blogging Facebook sets or satisfied writing groups.

Once you find yourself eligible for work, you can start raising your prices.

A supplier expired from $ 0 to $ 225,000 + by his exclusive plans.

Get the best book Freelance to Freedom here:

14). Data entry:

Data entry

Data entry online jobs will be one of my last choices for college students, but if all else fails, they are still an option. These are lawful working jobs. However, to reduce their income, they pay less and need more time.

The finest article about data entry working jobs, though, is that the effort is lithe and can be completed in your extra time. You can revenue on as far or as tiny work as the desired subject on your program.

15). Graphic Designing:

Graphics Designing

Always realized a lovely auctions page or website proposal that actually? Do you sneeze All of this is because of a graphic designer?

Graphic designing skills are needed for all types of projects like creating printable sheets, any type of announcements, ads or images for any business needs or website owners Pinterest.

Graphic designers are primarily visual communication. They plan web pages, deals pages, various kinds of logos, and everything new that wants to look soft.

If you are looking for a design and have knowledge on how to use these tools like Canva or PicMonkey, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator then you could have an online job position just waiting for you to fill it.

Creating beautiful Pinterest Images, Infographics and blog post images is in high demand among bloggers and even helps almost any business which helps drive fresh traffic to their website or in brand identity and marketing their business.

To become a good graphic designer, you don’t have to be great at drawing, you don’t need a college degree, and you don’t have to buy a good expensive computer. However you must be a film intellectual, you want to dominant something.

16). Resumes/Cover letters writing:

People will always be looking for jobs and they also need help with their resumes and cover letters. This is where you can arise in and benefit them creating a lunar resume to appoint from an association.

As a home resume essayist, you can support your experts get service by text a resume.

By substantial words, original phrases, and humble arranging you can make an influential appearance that trades your applicant to the company.

Resume Script is a request script facility accessible by several irregular authors to benefit people to grow jobs. Great charges of employment and struggle for new-born works are creating re-writing extra standard than other common facilities like SEO script or co-writing.

The regular expert does not surpass 300 words in extent. Even if you are going to use simple and ordinary resume writing software, you will still need intense research and communication skills to create a professional resume, not a cookie-cutter resume, but rather an All size resume with one size fits all.

Conclusion:

So at the end of this article. These are 16 simple ideas to start a side business. By this excessive list of connected professional thoughts, you have sufficient choices over which you can begin a new business.

People have developed extra conscious of their settings. This news gives us a better understanding of what is going on in the world and many of them are not good.

As human beings we do everything, have an impact because business ideas are not only a great way of making money online, but they can make a difference. Earning is neither too simple nor too difficult, it just depends on the type and way of work.

Take rare thoughts and path with them. Through this period of the next year, you might have your individual effective and moneymaking available industry! Hope this article helps you to find the best passive income stream for you and can give you earning more than your full-time job.

Intellectual Insider

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Business

Squeeze a Whole Business Book into Your Lunch Break

Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

If you’re running a business, leading a team, or scaling a side hustle, chances are your “books to read” list is growing faster than the actual reading time you have available. But, there are ways around the time it takes to read an entire book.

This modern app, 12min, is a productivity tool that distills the key insights from more than 1,800 bestselling titles into bite-size, 12-minute reads or audio summaries that are designed to fit your schedule. They call them micro-reads.

This isn’t just another summary app. It’s a business resource for leaders who want to sharpen their thinking, strengthen their strategy, and keep pace with new ideas—without carving hours out of their day. Whether you’re revisiting the classics like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People or exploring the latest in marketing, leadership, or personal development, 12min helps you soak up game-changing lessons while you’re commuting, working out, or waiting for your next meeting.

Each micro book is crafted by real editors—not AI bots—so you get clear, accurate takeaways. Plus, you can access them offline, listen on the go, or send them straight to your Kindle.

You’ll get access to 30 new titles each month, unlimited downloads, and full access to categories like Leadership, Startups, Productivity, Sales, and Psychology. It’s everything you’ve wanted to read, but finally made manageable. That means your reading list evolves with the business world, from new books on AI strategy and remote leadership to emerging insights on personal productivity.

For a one-time payment, you’ll have lifetime access to a resource that makes you a sharper entrepreneur, smarter manager, and more well-rounded thinker.

Don’t miss getting a lifetime of 12min’s Premium Subscription for just $39.99 (reg. $399.90) while you can.

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Millionaire Migrations: Where Millionaires Are Moving Globally

If you became a newly minted millionaire, where would you migrate to? Due to inertia, I bet most of you would stay right where you are. A lot of us are afraid of change, which is why we stay at jobs we hate and suffer through broken marriages for too long.

But how about being more adventurous instead and relocating to another country. After all, you’ve got more money than 94% of the American population and 99% of the world. Live a little!

Depending on where you would move to once you become a millionaire depends on where you currently live, how happy you currently are, and what stage of life you’re in. Let me share where I would have moved to in my younger days. Then we’ll get to the big data.

Table of Contents

Millionaire Migration In My 30s

If I could rewind time to 2012, when I left my job and didn’t have children yet, I would have spent a year living in Malaysia for a year and then China for a year. I had a blast living in Kuala Lumpur during middle school, and always fantasized what life would be like if I actually had some spending money. The people are great and the food is hands down, top 3 in the world in my book.

Meanwhile, I first visited China in 1997 as a college junior studying abroad for six months. It was extremely evident back then that the country was going through an economic boom. But when I got a job offer to work and help manage an eyeglass parts manufacturing company in Shenzhen in 1999, I chickened out for the safer route of a Wall Street job.

By returning to China, I would fulfill my uncertainty of not going as a 22 year old and improve my Mandarin. Then I would attempt to do something entrepreneurial so I won’t look back on life with regret for not trying. With millions of dollars in investments, I would feel free to experiment with new ideas. I’m sure I could easily make friends, partly by being a gregarious newcomer.

Millionaire Migration In My Late 40s

Today, if you were to tempt me to move away from vibrant San Francisco with $10 million, I would obviously move to Oahu. I’ve been to most states in America and over 60 countries so far, and Hawaii provides one of the greatest qualities of life.

As a bonus, you might even get to live longer, with Hawaii as the highest life expectancy state at 79.9 years according to the CDC. Once you’ve won the financial lottery, your health can no longer take a back seat. Your goal should be to live as long and healthy of a life as possible to enjoy your wealth for longer.

Sadly, my hunger for adventure and exploration has waned. For all you younger folks out there, take advantage of your motivation while you’ve still got it. Eventually, you’ll no longer want to live in youth hostels and backpack around the world.

Today, I mostly want to live in an area with year-round sunshine and comfortable weather. I love being outdoors and moving my body in some capacity every day. Further, I want to be there for my parents, who are in their late 70s.

Where Millionaires Are Moving Around The World

Based on The 2025 Henley Private Migration Report, more millionaires migrating than ever. The UAE is attracting the most millionaires, followed by USA, Italy, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia.

Conversely, the UK is losing the most millionaires, followed by China, India, South Korea, and Russia.

What’s going on here? The answer is a country’s tax policy. Given millionaires earn the most and have the most assets, they also tend to face the highest tax rates. Therefore, one of the easiest ways to minimize taxes is to relocate to a country with lower taxes, and preferably, a higher quality of life.

Millionaire Migrations: Where Millionaires Are Moving Around The World

UAE Is Drawing Millionaires In, While the U.K. Pushes Them Out

If you’re a high-net-worth individual looking to optimize for taxes and lifestyle, it’s easy to see why the UAE is one of the top destinations. With zero income tax, long-term golden visas, and a luxury lifestyle in a strategic global location, the UAE has become a magnet for migrating millionaires.

So far, most millionaire migrants to the UAE have come from India, Russia, Africa, and the broader Middle East. But more Brits and Europeans are expected to follow as tax policies in places like the U.K. become increasingly unfavorable.

The U.K., in particular, is losing appeal fast. The government is phasing out the long-standing “non-dom” status, which used to shield foreign residents from paying taxes on overseas income. That change alone will likely drive many wealthy residents to consider relocating.

Add in Labour Party plans to slap a 20% VAT on private school tuition, and you’ve got another reason for affluent families to look elsewhere. When the government keeps raising the cost of staying, it’s only natural to explore what life might look like somewhere more welcoming.

Hard To Save On Taxes By Migrating As An American

If you’re a wealthy American thinking about moving abroad to lower your tax bill, here’s the reality: the IRS doesn’t care where you live. So long as you hold a U.S. passport, you owe taxes on your worldwide income, regardless of your physical location.

This makes America one of only a few countries in the world with citizenship-based taxation. In other words, even if you move to a tax haven, the U.S. still wants a piece of your financial pie.

That said, there are ways to reduce your tax liability—but not eliminate it.

Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE)

For 2025, the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion allows you to exclude up to $130,000 in earned income if you qualify via the physical presence test (330 full days abroad in a 12-month window) or the bona fide residence test. If you’re married and both of you qualify, that’s potentially $260,000 of income shielded from federal income tax.

But keep in mind, this exclusion only applies to earned income—your W-2 wages or freelance/contractor income. It does not apply to investment income, rental income, dividends, or capital gains. So if your wealth is largely passive, the FEIE won’t help much.

Foreign Tax Credit (FTC)

If you’re living in a higher-tax country, the Foreign Tax Credit lets you offset U.S. tax liability dollar-for-dollar based on the income taxes you pay abroad. This can be especially useful for those earning significant passive income.

However, you can’t double-dip. If you exclude income using FEIE, you can’t also claim the FTC on that same income. And while the FTC can reduce your tax bill significantly, it rarely brings it to zero—especially if you’re living in a low-tax jurisdiction.

State Taxes Still Lurking

Some states, like California, don’t give up easily. They will hunt you down like the Predator does in one of my favorite movies. Unless you completely sever ties—no property, no driver’s license, no voter registration—they may still argue you owe state income taxes too. It’s a good reminder that just because you move doesn’t mean the state lets go.

Want True Tax Freedom? Renounce Citizenship

If you want to completely cut ties with the IRS, there’s only one way: renounce your U.S. citizenship.

But before you go booking a one-way ticket to St. Kitts, know that this move comes with consequences. If your net worth exceeds $2 million or your average income over the past five years is above a certain threshold (~$200,000+), you may owe an exit tax. This tax treats all your assets as if they were sold the day before you renounce—triggering potential capital gains taxes on unrealized gains.

You’ll also be giving up the right to live and work freely in the U.S., face limitations on banking and travel, and lose access to certain legal protections. And once you renounce, there’s no going back.

For most people, especially those with deep roots or business interests in the U.S., renunciation is a nuclear option—not a clever tax optimization move. It’s much easier to relocate to one of the no state income tax states instead.

Live in the Best Place Money Can Buy

Each time we moved, I was sad to leave friends behind, but it was also exciting to see new parts of the world. That kind of exposure gives you perspective. You start to appreciate where you live—and more importantly, you start to understand what’s possible elsewhere.

Here’s the funny thing: even if you work remotely and have millions in investments, chances are you won’t actually move to a new country for a better life. It’s hard to leave behind the comfort of the familiar—your routines, your friends, your community. If you have young kids, it becomes even harder because you don’t want to disrupt their sense of stability.

Think about it. No rational multi-millionaire would voluntarily spend winter in frigid Winnipeg, Canada or Duluth, Minnesota when they could be enjoying life in Honolulu, Hawaii. And yet, plenty of millionaires stay put. Why? Because they’ve built deep roots in their communities. That connection outweighs climate and even tax savings.

When you’re younger and still building wealth, go wherever the best opportunities are. But once you achieve financial freedom, don’t forget to upgrade your environment. Live in the best place money can buy—not just for comfort, but for quality of life.

Readers, if you were to inherit $1 million or $10 million, where would you move—and why? If you’re currently living in the UAE or the U.K., I’d love to hear what your lifestyle and tax experience has been like. Would you recommend it to others seeking financial freedom or a better quality of life?

Reevaluate Your Portfolio Before You Relocate

If you’re thinking about moving for a better life—or just sitting on a large cash windfall—it’s worth getting a second opinion on your finances. One smart move is to take advantage of a free financial check-up from Empower.

If you have $100,000 or more across taxable accounts, IRAs, savings, or a 401(k), an Empower advisor can help you uncover hidden fees, spot unbalanced allocations, and identify ways to improve your risk-adjusted returns. It’s a no-obligation way to stress-test your strategy—especially if you’re considering a dumbbell portfolio or shifting more assets internationally.

Before you migrate your life or your money, make sure your portfolio is working as hard as you are.

This statement is provided to you by Financial Samurai (“Promoter”), who has entered into a written referral agreement with Empower Advisory Group, LLC (“EAG”). Click here to learn more.

Your Roadmap to Wealth—No Matter Where You Live

Thinking about migrating for a better lifestyle, lower taxes, or more freedom? Before you move, make sure your finances are on solid ground.

In my USA TODAY national bestseller, Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps to Seven Figures, I break down the practical, step-by-step strategies I used to build wealth from scratch. Whether you’re still grinding toward your first $100K or you’re strategizing around multi-million-dollar decisions like geographic arbitrage and tax efficiency, the book offers a clear path forward.

Money gives you options. And once you have options, you can live where—and how—you truly want.

Grab your copy today and start making moves with confidence.

Millionaire Milestones book at the beach — Reading MM in Honolulu, Hawaii

Listen and subscribe to The Financial Samurai podcast on Apple or Spotify. I interview experts in their respective fields and discuss some of the most interesting topics on this site. Your shares, ratings, and reviews are appreciated.

To expedite your journey to financial freedom, join over 60,000 others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. Financial Samurai is among the largest independently-owned personal finance websites, established in 2009. Everything is written based on firsthand experience and expertise.

Intellectual Insider

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Business

Small Business Credit Is Tightening — Here’s How to Prepare for What’s Ahead

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Many small and mid-sized business (SMB) owners entered 2025 with high hopes: a stronger economy, falling interest rates and easier access to credit. But just a few months in, the landscape looks more complicated. New data shows a dip in optimism and a rise in uncertainty among SMBs — alongside signs that banks are starting to tighten lending standards.

If you’re a business owner, now is the time to prepare. Here’s what’s happening — and how to position your company for success in a shifting credit environment.

Table of Contents

Optimism is slipping, uncertainty is rising

According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), the Small Business Optimism Index dropped 2.3 points in January 2025 to 102.8. While still above the long-term average of 98, it’s a notable shift. Even more striking: the NFIB Uncertainty Index jumped 14 points to 100 — its third-highest reading ever.

While one month of data doesn’t signal a crisis, it could indicate that small businesses are hitting unexpected turbulence. The NFIB found fewer owners plan to make capital outlays in the next six months, with numbers falling from 27% in December to 20% in January.

What’s behind the dip in confidence? Inflation and labor quality were tied as the top operational concerns, each cited by 18% of respondents. Meanwhile, only 17% said now is a good time to expand — a three-point drop from the previous month.

For SMBs hoping to borrow in 2025, these trends suggest a more cautious outlook, not just among business owners but among the lenders they rely on.

A new credit squeeze may be forming

The Federal Reserve’s January 2025 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey (SLOOS) reveals that banks are beginning to tighten credit standards for small business borrowers, especially those with lower credit scores.

Here’s what the data showed from Q4 2024:

14.3% of banks tightened credit standards for SMB loans
13.1% increased premiums for higher-risk SMB borrowers
11.9% are using more interest rate floors for small business loans

Why the shift? A majority of banks cited a more uncertain economic outlook (68.4%), industry-specific concerns (63.2%), and reduced risk tolerance (55%) as reasons for tightening standards.

In short, banks are seeing what SMBs are feeling — more risk, less clarity and a need to protect their own exposure. For business owners with weaker credit profiles or limited borrowing history, this could translate into fewer options and tougher terms.

How to navigate a tougher lending environment

This might not be a long-term crisis, but smart SMBs are already getting ahead of it. Whether you’re planning a major investment or simply want to preserve access to working capital, now is the time to strengthen your financial position and explore all your financing options.

Here are four ways to prepare:

Tighten operations and strengthen your balance sheet.
Look for ways to boost profitability, cut costs, and improve cash flow. The stronger your financials, the better your chances of qualifying for credit if lending tightens further.
Secure financing before you need it.
It’s better to borrow on your terms, not out of necessity. Maintain your credit lines, build relationships with lenders, and take advantage of favorable conditions while they last.
Don’t count on rate cuts.
As of April 2025, the Fed hasn’t moved to lower rates, and long-term yields remain stubbornly high. If you’re hoping to refinance or secure lower-cost credit, don’t assume it’s just around the corner.
Think beyond traditional banks.
If banks are saying no — or offering unattractive terms — look to non-bank lenders, fintechs, and asset-based financing. These providers may be more flexible and better suited to your business model.

Final thoughts

There’s no need to panic, but there is a clear need to plan. Credit conditions are shifting. Optimism is softening. And banks are proceeding with caution.

The good news? You can too, without missing growth opportunities. The SMBs that succeed in uncertain times are the ones that stay adaptable, explore diverse financing strategies and act before challenges become urgent.

In my experience, non-bank lenders who understand the realities of running a business offer the kind of flexibility, speed and partnership that help companies thrive, no matter what the economy does next.

If you’re a business owner, now is the time to prepare. Here’s what’s happening — and how to position your company for success in a shifting credit environment.

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