Business services ideas you can run from your own premises

78 ideas

These 78 business services ideas all work from a space you lease or own, such as a shopfront, workshop, small unit or office. They suit people who want a visible local presence, or who need room for stock, equipment or client meetings.

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1k to 5k5k to 20kOver 20kFrom homeOut and aboutOnline
Notary stamping and signing a legal document on a desk at an office.

Notary public with a small office

Run a by-appointment notary service from a small office, focused on documents for overseas use.

  • A$3k-15k
  • Part-time
  • Own premises
Scientific instruments and glassware arranged on a laboratory bench with a researcher.

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
Recruitment consultant meeting a job candidate across a desk in an office.

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
People working at shared desks in a bright modern coworking space.

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
Customer service agents wearing headsets taking calls at desks in an office.

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
Agent showing a commercial lease to clients in front of an empty office.

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
Architect reviewing building design drawings and plans at a drafting desk.

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
Estate agent shows a couple around a house with keys in hand.

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
Forklift operator moving pallets in a busy warehouse.

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
An agent handing house keys to a tenant in front of a rental home.

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
Boxes of desk accessories and stationery stacked in a supplier's warehouse.

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
Shipping containers loaded at a port for export to overseas buyers.

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
Heaps of sorted scrap metal stacked in an outdoor recycling yard.

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
A digger and generator parked on a construction site for hire.

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
Passport and visa forms on a desk during an immigration advice meeting.

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
Rows of labelled archive boxes on shelves in a secure records storage facility.

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
An insurance adviser reviews home policy documents with a couple at a desk.

Local insurance agency with a shopfront

Open a small town-centre office where locals can sit down and sort out home, contents and landlord insurance face to face.

  • A$15k-50k
  • Full-time
  • Own premises
Agent wearing headset making calls at a desk in an office.

Small-team B2B calling service

Run a small team of callers from a shared office, booking meetings and running campaigns for business clients.

  • A$5k-25k
  • Full-time
  • Own premises
Stack of plain white envelopes arranged on a warehouse shelf.

Local envelope supplier to printers and offices

Stock popular envelopes in a small unit and deliver to local printers, offices and mailing houses.

  • A$8k-40k
  • Full-time
  • Own premises
A recruiter meeting a candidate across a desk during a job interview in an office.

Small recruitment agency serving outsourcing companies

Run a small team from a shared office, placing staff with several outsourcing clients and building repeat fee income.

  • A$8k-30k
  • Full-time
  • Own premises
Rows of roll-up doors in a secure self-storage facility corridor.

Small storage units in a leased warehouse

Lease an industrial shed, divide it into lockable bays and rent them to small businesses and households.

  • A$15k-70k
  • Part-time
  • Own premises
Large technical blueprints being printed and laid out on a table.

Plan printing and copy shop

Run a small shopfront or unit printing plans, copying and scanning for builders, architects and engineers.

  • A$15k-60k
  • Full-time
  • Own premises
A worker printing large colourful promotional banners in a print shop.

Local banner and sign print studio

Run a small unit with a wide-format printer, making banners and signs for local businesses with quick turnaround.

  • A$15k-60k
  • Full-time
  • Own premises

About these ideas

Examples include a local packaging supply shop or trade counter, a vinyl signs and vehicle graphics workshop, and a local financial advice practice with a small office. Before choosing, think about location and foot traffic, lease terms, fit-out and equipment costs, and how much stock you would hold. Check whether your chosen activity needs a licence, registration or insurance, and whether the premises are zoned for it. Compare the ideas by how many regular business customers you could realistically reach nearby.

More ideas

Questions

Do I need a commercial lease to start a business services company with premises?

Not always, but most ideas here need a space you rent or own. Check lease length, rent review terms, permitted use and exit clauses, and ask a solicitor to read the lease before you sign anything.

What should I check before setting up a shopfront or workshop in Australia?

Check local council zoning and planning rules, signage permissions, building and fire requirements, and insurance. Some activities, such as financial advice or currency exchange, may also need licences or registration, so confirm with the relevant regulator.

How do I decide between a shopfront and a small unit or warehouse?

Consider where your customers come from. Walk-in trade suits a shopfront on a busy street, while trade clients and stock-heavy ideas often suit cheaper industrial units. Compare rent, parking, loading access and how often customers need to visit.