Business services ideas you can run out and about
87 ideas
These 87 business services ideas suit people who would rather be on the road, on site or visiting customers than sitting behind a desk. Some are hands-on, like filter service contracts for cafes and kitchens or mobile ice cream machine servicing and parts.
Mobile notary public
Travel to homes, workplaces and hospitals to witness and certify documents for people who need them accepted overseas.
- A$1.5k-5k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Independent field loss adjuster
Inspect damaged homes and businesses and report on claims, taking jobs from insurers and adjusting firms as a contractor.
- A$2k-8k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Commission-based partnerships and referrals broker
Introduce buyers and partners to businesses you know well and earn a commission on the deals that close.
- A$200-1.5k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Business broker with an established brokerage
Join an existing brokerage as a commission-based agent and use its brand, listings and training to start selling businesses.
- A$1.5k-6k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Visiting bookkeeper for local trades and shops
Visit small businesses on a regular day to sort receipts, payroll and accounts in person.
- A$1k-4k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Boutique real estate sales agency
Run your own licensed agency selling homes in your local suburbs, earning commission on each sale.
- A$8k-30k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Mobile coffee machine service and repair
Service, clean and repair commercial coffee machines at cafés and offices, keeping them running between big repairs.
- A$3k-12k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Forklift hire with licensed operator
Take one forklift and your own licence to local builders and small warehouses, and charge by the hour or day.
- A$25k-80k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Local business networking group
Run regular meetings where local business owners swap referrals, funded by monthly or yearly member fees.
- A$500-3k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Mobile scrap metal collection by ute
Collect scrap from tradies, farms and households, sort it and sell it on to a metal recycler.
- A$1.5k-10k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Mini excavator hire with operator
Take a mini excavator and skid steer on a trailer to jobs, and hire them out with you driving.
- A$40k-120k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Asset finance broker for small businesses
Arrange finance for vehicles, tools and equipment for tradies and small businesses, paid by the lender.
- A$2.5k-10k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Local focus groups and in-person interviews
Meet customers face to face through focus groups, street intercepts and store visits for businesses that want honest feedback.
- A$1.5k-6k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Event and venue security crew
Run a small licensed security crew for local events, bars and venues, mostly on evenings and weekends.
- A$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Site guarding and patrol security
Win regular contracts to guard or patrol shops, building sites and storage yards, with a small team of licensed guards.
- A$8k-40k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Pickup-and-store records service
Collect boxed records from local offices and store them in rented secure space, with admin run from home.
- A$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Mobile security patrol service
Patrol local shops, units and building sites after hours and check alarms for businesses in your area.
- A$5k-25k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Estate and probate jewellery valuer
Visit families, solicitors and executors to value jewellery for estates and settlements.
- A$3.5k-10k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Mobile abrasives supplier to tradies
Drive a stocked van to workshops and building sites with sanding discs, grinding wheels and more.
- A$30k-90k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Coin locker site in a local venue
Place a small bank of pay-to-use lockers in a venue and earn from short-term storage.
- A$2k-10k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Multi-site locker network
Grow a set of locker banks across several busy venues and run them on a service route.
- A$10k-50k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Local wholesale supply round
Stock a van with fast-selling goods and supply local cafes, shops and trades on a regular delivery round.
- A$8k-40k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Cleaning supplies delivery to local businesses
Buy cleaning products in bulk and deliver them to cleaners, cafes and small shops on a regular round.
- A$4k-20k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Monthly cost reporting for local producers
Visit local manufacturers, food makers and workshops each month to track costs and report on margins.
- A$1.5k-6k
- Part-time
- Out and about
About these ideas
Others lean on relationships and local knowledge, such as field sales agent visiting local retailers. Think first about who your customers are, how far you are willing to drive each day, and what vehicle, tools or insurance the work needs. Check whether the work requires a licence, accreditation or specific training, and whether regular contracts or one-off jobs will keep your income steady. Start by comparing the ideas against your existing skills and contacts, then shortlist two or three to test with real customers.
More ideas
- Lab consumables supplier for testing labs
- Renovation adviser for homeowners
- Agrifood export compliance consultant
- Measure-up and as-built plans service
- Local paper supplier to printers and offices
- Vehicle and equipment finance broker for small business
- Letterbox drop and mailshot delivery service
- Rural water treatment supplier
- Personal concierge and errand runner
- Arcade and pool table placement route
- Small-venue cinema equipment installer
- Local small business insurance agent
- Commercial property lease broker
- Furniture rental for home staging and tenants
- Bottled water and cooler delivery round
- Industrial tenant representative
- Professional presentation coach for businesses
- Workplace and small business mediator
- Mobile printer and copier supplier and service
- Asbestos registers for small commercial buildings
- Buyers advocate for home and investment buyers
- Mobile safety supplies delivery to worksites
- Contract property auctioneer for agencies
- Pre-purchase and insurance boat surveyor
- Commercial vessel surveyor
- Independent probate property valuer
- Probate contents and personal effects appraiser
- Boutique retail leasing agent for landlords
- Field sales agent visiting local retailers
- Local small business advisor
- Filter service contracts for cafes and kitchens
- Small coffee vending route
- Full-time coffee vending route
- Household energy-saving advisor
- Small business energy cost consultant
- Curriculum and learning advisor for schools
- Pinball machines for bars and cafes
- Solo private investigator (field work)
- Local laminating supplier for schools and offices
- Insurance and estate jewellery valuer
- Small local ATM network
- Mobile ice cream machine servicing and parts
- Independent fire safety consultant
- Part-time fire safety assessor (subcontract)
- Mobile fingerprinting service
- Lighting consultant for shops and venues
- Mobile document shredding service
- Locked-bin shredding collection
- On-site office admin for local businesses
- Plumbed-in water cooler rental
- Office bottled water delivery round
- Freelance stenographer for hearings and meetings
- Mobile environmental site assessor
- Mobile shredder sales and servicing
- Renovate-and-sell property investor
- Independent manufacturing efficiency consultant
- Short-term office equipment hire
- Mobile polygraph examiner
- Local bag and packaging supplier to shops and cafes
- Solo process server for law firms
- Contract valuer for established firms
- Community and business interpreter
- Field food broker visiting shops and cafes
Questions
Do I need a licence to start a mobile business service in Australia?
It depends on the work. Services like security patrols, valuation or surveying may involve licensing, accreditation or professional memberships. Check with your state or territory regulator and the relevant industry body before you take on paying customers.
What costs should I plan for in an out-and-about service business?
Think about vehicle running costs, tools or stock, insurance, phone and software, and time spent travelling between jobs. Check whether you need public liability or professional indemnity cover, and ask an accountant how to track vehicle expenses.
How do I find my first customers for a mobile business service?
Start with people you already know in the trade or industry, then visit or call local businesses that match your service. Ask for a small trial job or short contract first. Check whether your area has trade groups or networking events worth joining.