Most everyone has a hobby that they love. Which is great because hobbies are important. They allow us to enjoy ourselves, use our creativity, pursue passions, and provide stress relief. However, many people do not realize how easy it can be to turn their hobby into a profitable venture. Even if it is just a side hustle.
Although just about every hobby has to potential to generate income or become a business, some hobbies are more profitable than others. In this article, we will look at some of the most profitable hobbies out there today.
1. Using Social Media
One of the biggest needs businesses struggle with is attracting, influencing, and selling on social media. Since social media is an essential tool for branding and marketing, good social media managers are in high demand. If you enjoy being on social media, engaging and publishing content, then social media management may be a solid money making option.
A social media manager’s responsibilities include writing and scheduling posts, creating content, answering customer questions, managing ads, and more. Corporate social media managers make between $34,432 to $56,571 annually. As a for-hire social media manager, you can be more competitive with your prices or even charge more if you deliver results.
There is also the option of becoming an influencer. The influencer market is still growing. However, with changes to some algorithms, becoming a profitable influencer is not as easy as it once was.
2. Shopping
Shopping at retail stores can be unpleasant for some. For others, it is a great way to pass the time. As an online reseller, you can turn your shopping hobby into a small business. The best way to do this is by becoming an online reseller. You can get started in this niche by simply going through your home and selling products you no longer use.
Then, using sites like eBay, Poshmark, Mercari or even Amazon, you can post your items for sale. Once you understand the process of selling items online, you can now go out and find other items at retail or thrift stores and sell them online. The online reselling industry generated nearly $80 billion annually and 80% of internet users purchase online. Because of the size of the market and the demand, this is one of the easiest hobbies to make a profit.
If online selling is not interesting to you, you can join sites like Instacart and shop for other people while getting paid to do it.
3. Playing or Producing Music
Everybody likes music. But there are some that absolutely love it. If you’re a music lover, and have made it a hobby, you can also make it an income stream. Since there are many different aspects to making music, there are a number of ways to turn this hobby into a profitable pastime.
First, and maybe the most obvious, you can performing at events. People are always looking for ways to keep people entertained at gatherings. If you sing, plan an instrument, or DJ, you can land a performance gig for many types of events.
You also have the options of selling your music or offering lessons through streaming platforms such as Spotify and on sites like YouTube. Youtube, in particular has a powerful influence all around. You can not only make money from publishing content, the platform can also help with getting paid performance jobs as well as students if you plan on teaching music.
Check out the video below for how to start a YouTube channel as a musician.
4. Watching Movies
Most people watch movies for entertainment and as an escape from the stressors of the world. However, there are people who consider themselves movie buffs who can’t get enough of watching, talking about, or even creating their own. If you think you fall into this category, you may have a profitable hobby on your hands.
One of the first and easiest ways to make movie watching a profitable hobby is by becoming a reviewer. Starting your own channel on YouTube or your own profile on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram is a great start. You’ll begin to attract people who want honest opinions about upcoming or past movies. Many people no longer trust critic reviews on sites like Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB and are looking for alternative view points.
5. Gardening
If you enjoy gardening and do not mind getting your hands dirty, you can turn this hobby into a business. You can make a decision to solely focus on taking care of people’s yards and lawns for a fee.
Most people desire having beautiful yards characterized by green healthy grass. But the current demand for organic fruits and vegetables can make your gardening business very lucrative. If you have a green thumb and can grow tomatoes, peppers, or any other fruits and vegetables organically, you can sell them at local markets. Since the production of organic food products are also in high demand, you can also wholesale your veggies to food manufacturers. Sales of organic foods in the U.S. increased about 2% in 2022 to reach $57.5 billion.
6. Gaming
The gaming industry is booming right now and there is no sign of it slowing down. Last year, the gaming industry generated $64. billion. It is expected, by 2026, that the industry will be worth $326 billion. This is a staggering number but presents opportunity for all gamers. As a gamer, you have the opportunity to earn a piece of that pie while doing something you enjoy. As long as you love what you’re doing and committed to improving your craft, you can turn this hobby into something that puts some money into your pocket.
There are several ways to turn this hobby into income. Here are the most popular:
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- Live stream on Twitch and other platforms
- Become a Game Tester
- Compete in tournaments
- Create gaming guides
- Create your own game
7. Caring for Pets and Animals
If you are a pet lover who knows their way around animals, then you can make some money from your hobby. Most pet owners are always busy and this gives them less time to spend with their animals. You can sit and groom pets for a fee. You can also decide to sell pet food and their accessories for profit.
In a recent survey, 68% of respondents said they treat their pets as well as they treat their children. That would explain why, according to the American Pet Product Association (APPA), Americans spent nearly $72.56 billion dollars on pet products and services back in 2018. Annual revenue growth in pet products and services is anticipated to grow at approximately 4.4%.
Without a doubt, this is one of the most enjoyable hobbies that can turn out to be a great business venture.
8. Baking
If you enjoy baking and you are good at it, then you can consider using it to make some money. You can start baking pastries and selling them to a small circle of friends and family to gauge their reviews. If they have good reviews you can proceed to supply coffee shops and restaurants in your area to earn some money. Baking can be seen as business that will eventually generate money if you take this hobby into another level.
Note: This type of hobby is not limited to just baking. Any type of culinary skill can turn into a business if you’re good at your craft and can gain a small following with your food.
9. Creating Art
For individuals who are gifted with creative or artistic skills, making some money from a hobby has become very simple thing to do. They can sell them at local art shops in their neighborhood for a reasonable amount. For an even easier way to make a profit from your artistic work, start an Etsy shop and sell your work online.
If you are the type to encourage others to tap into their artistic side, you can teach an art class in the park or online. Pretty easy to do so and there is no facility necessary.
10. Photography
If you love capturing moments, you can start a business out of this hobby. You can be an event photographer for weddings, birthdays and corporate gatherings. But even beyond that, you can take promotional pictures for individuals who want to market themselves in some way.
Many people are hiring photographers to take professional pictures for social media sites like Linkedin and Instagram. Many are also hiring photographers for Facebook cover photos. With about 300 million photos uploaded to Facebook daily, the demand for quality images is not going away soon.
11. Writing
Writing online content has been a great way to share ideas and make a profit for many people. Freelance writing is one of the easiest side hustles to start. However, with the rise of AI writing tools such as Chatgpt, many are worried that human writers will go extinct. However, there is still a lot of demand for good writers. Being able to craft a well-thought out or researched article is still a high demand skillset.
The side to this is the fact that being a freelancer writer is not the only way to make money from this hobby. Blogging is still a very profitable hobby for many people. Those who love to write can also publish ebooks and make them available for sale on Amazon.
12. Budgeting
If you are good with numbers and enjoy doing it, you can assist others by creating budgets for people who need help managing their money.
Managing money is a valuable skill to have. Since traditional education does not focus on everyday personal finance, most people need help saving money, getting out of debt, and investing. If you are knowledgeable in any of these areas, you can help a lot of people with their personal finances.
13. Working Out
If you are a fitness fanatic who loves working out and knows work out drills for different body parts, you can make money as a fitness coach or personal training. Trainers used to be confined to the gym but many trainers are conducting workouts in public parks and at the homes of their clients.
All you need is basic workout equipment, some business cards, and a unique workout. Having a six pack doesn’t hurt either.
14. Fashion and Beauty
If fashion and beauty is a hobby you enjoy, there are several ways to earn money. Some of the ways include some of the previous mentions. You have the option of becoming an influencer and modeling your most fashionable articles of clothing and accessories. You can also start your own clothing line.
However, you options aren’t limited to just these. Those passionate about fashion can also buy clothing in stores and resell them online.
15. Socializing
Who doesn’t love a good party or get together? In the past, event planning was limited to weddings and bar mitzvahs. Today, event planners organize corporate events, graduation parties, reunions, and even sweet 16 parties.
In 2015, the event planning industry generated an estimated $5 billion in revenue. The pandemic slowed it’s growth. However, the industry is expected to bounce back within the next few years. The advent of hybrid events which are partial online and in-person events has also created new opportunities for virtual event planners.
Also check these articles out for more:
10 Great Hobbies for Entrepreneurs
Should You Turn Your Hobby into a Business? 6 Things to Consider
This article was first published in 2022 but has been updated and expanded.
Ralph is the Managing Editor at StartUp Mindset. The StartUp Mindset team consists of dedicated individuals and is designed to help new, seasoned, and aspiring entrepreneurs succeed.
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Business Opportunities · Entrepreneurial Lifestyle · Find Your Way · Grow your business · Mindset · Success
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Entrepreneurial Lifestyle · Find Your Way · Grow Your Business · Side Hustles · Your Mindset
