Business services ideas with startup costs over $20,000
110 ideas
These 110 business services ideas suit people who have savings, redundancy money or finance behind them and want to serve other businesses rather than the public. A higher budget usually pays for vehicles, equipment, stock, a shopfront or professional set-up.
Local lab supplies and equipment supplier
Stock and deliver lab instruments and consumables to schools, councils and businesses in your region.
- A$15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small temp and contract staffing agency
Supply short-term and contract workers to local businesses and earn a margin on every hour worked.
- A$10k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Neighbourhood coworking space
Fit out a small shopfront or office with desks and a meeting room for local freelancers and remote workers.
- A$20k-100k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small shared office with rentable desks
Lease a modest office and rent out desks and a meeting room by the month or day, keeping the fit-out simple.
- A$5k-25k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small outsourced customer support team
Run a small team handling customer calls and enquiries for businesses on contract.
- A$8k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
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
Rental property management agency
Manage rental homes for landlords and earn steady management fees plus letting fees.
- A$10k-40k
- Part-time
- From home
Boutique office leasing agency
Open a small local agency that leases offices for building owners and finds space for tenants.
- A$15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Coffee machine reseller for cafés and offices
Sell, install and service commercial coffee machines for new cafés and workplaces, with beans and support on top.
- A$8k-40k
- Part-time
- From home
Building design studio with a small team
Run a local design practice with a small office, taking on larger renovations, townhouses and developer projects.
- A$10k-50k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Independent local real estate agent
Run your own licensed agency from home, selling homes in the suburbs you know best.
- A$15k-45k
- Full-time
- From home
Local real estate agency with a shopfront
Open a small high-street agency with a few agents, selling homes in your local community.
- A$30k-100k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small forklift hire fleet with delivery
Buy a couple of used forklifts and hire them by the week or month to local warehouses and builders, delivered to site.
- A$30k-120k
- Part-time
- Own premises
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 rental agency with a small office
Open a small shopfront or office agency with a team managing rentals for landlords in your suburb.
- A$20k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Office accessories supplier with a small unit
Hold a wider range in a small warehouse unit and supply offices, shops and resellers with regular bulk deliveries.
- A$15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Export trader with a small stock warehouse
Hold stock of popular Australian goods and ship regular mixed orders to overseas distributors and retailers.
- A$15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small scrap metal buying yard
Run a small yard where tradies and the public sell scrap, then on-sell sorted metal in bulk.
- A$30k-150k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small equipment hire from home
Hire out trailers, pressure washers and garden gear to locals from your shed, with online bookings.
- A$5k-25k
- Side hustle
- From home
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
Local plant and tool hire yard
Rent a small yard or unit and hire out compaction gear, generators and mini diggers to tradies and DIYers.
- A$30k-120k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Local migration agency with a small office
Open a walk-in migration practice serving a local community and employers, with a small team.
- A$12k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
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
Local business records storage unit
Rent a small secure unit, shelve boxed records for local firms and retrieve files on request.
- A$8k-40k
- Part-time
- Own premises
About these ideas
You might look at a mobile document shredding service, a small business tax and planning practice or Forklift hire with a licensed operator. Before choosing, work out who will pay you and how you will reach them. Check which licences, registrations, insurance and qualifications your state or territory requires, because some of these fields are regulated. Also compare what you would own against what you would lease, and how long the money is tied up before sales cover it.
More ideas
- Local insurance agency with a shopfront
- Mobile security patrol service
- Small-team B2B calling service
- Local envelope supplier to printers and offices
- Mobile abrasives supplier to tradies
- Small recruitment agency serving outsourcing companies
- Small storage units in a leased warehouse
- Multi-site locker network
- Plan printing and copy shop
- Local wholesale supply round
- Local banner and sign print studio
- Small yacht brokerage with a marina office
- Container storage yard on spare land
- Small self-storage units in a leased shed
- Local financial advice practice with a small office
- Private mailbox rental shopfront
- Pack-and-post shop
- Lab consumables supplier for testing labs
- Boutique executive search firm
- Currency exchange counter
- Local life insurance advice practice
- Coworking hub with bookable meeting rooms
- Local paper supplier to printers and offices
- Coin laundry equipment sales and installation
- Local packaging supply shop or trade counter
- Small financial advice practice with an office
- Local insurance agency office
- Local medical supplies stockist with delivery
- Money transfer agent shopfront
- Appliance wholesaler with a small warehouse
- Refurbished mailing equipment and servicing
- Rural water treatment supplier
- Arcade and pool table placement route
- Commercial property lease broker
- Furniture rental for home staging and tenants
- Local property management agency with a small team
- Local nursing agency with a small office
- Bottled water and cooler delivery round
- Purified water refill depot and delivery
- Virtual office with a bookable meeting room
- Business address and mail handling service
- Boutique industrial property agency
- Small collection agency with a team
- Local short-stay management agency
- Office machine dealer with showroom and workshop
- Used equipment trader shipping overseas
- Bulk mailing house with a small unit
- Wine storage lockers for collectors
- Trade wine storage for merchants and restaurants
- Local flexible workspace agency
- Local car insurance shopfront
- Local insurance brokerage with a small office
- Asbestos registers for small commercial buildings
- Used shop fittings warehouse
- Bag wholesaler with a small warehouse
- Mobile safety supplies delivery to worksites
- Local commercial agency with a small team
- Niche equipment importer holding small stock
- Small customs brokerage office near a port or airport
- Local print and copy shop
- Small business tax and planning practice
- Small coffee vending route
- Full-time coffee vending route
- Paper exporter with a small stockholding
- Pinball machines for bars and cafes
- Local laminating supplier for schools and offices
- Small local ATM network
- Trade supplier of industrial and measuring lasers
- Licensed customs broker and consultancy
- Mobile ice cream machine servicing and parts
- Wholesale importer with a small warehouse
- Mobile document shredding service
- Office bottled water delivery round
- Own mortgage brokerage with a small team
- Mobile environmental site assessor
- Local financial planning office
- Local tool and machinery hire shop
- Buy-and-hold rental property investor
- Renovate-and-sell property investor
- Office supplies wholesaler with a small unit
- Mobile polygraph examiner
- Local temp agency with a small office
- Vinyl signs and vehicle graphics workshop
- Local tax practice for individuals and sole traders
- Local tax and small business office
- Income protection advice practice with an office
Questions
Why do some business services need more than $20,000 to start?
Costs often come from specialised vehicles, equipment, stock, fit-out or professional set-up. Compare quotes for new and used gear, and check whether leasing is possible so you don't tie up more cash than you need at the start.
Do I need licences or qualifications for these businesses?
It depends on the idea. Roles such as real estate agent, tax adviser, forklift operator or currency exchange may carry licensing, registration or training rules. Check with the relevant state, territory or federal regulator before you spend any money.
How can I check demand before investing this much?
Speak to likely customers before buying anything. Ask what they pay now, how often they need the service and what would make them switch. Look at local competitors, and consider a small trial or pre-agreed contracts before committing.