Health and wellness business ideas you can start for under C$5,000

50 ideas

These 50 health and wellness ideas keep startup costs to C$5,000 or less, mostly by relying on your skills, a small workspace and a modest equipment list. Some suit people who prefer working one-to-one in person, such as a postpartum doula, an independent birth doula or a massage therapist renting a clinic room.

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Mobile hearing aid care and minor repairs

Visit seniors at home and in retirement residences to clean, maintain and fix simple hearing aid problems.

• C$1k-5k
• Side hustle
• Out and about

Home-based seitai studio

Offer one-on-one seitai sessions for muscle tension and posture from a treatment room at home.

• C$800-4k
• Side hustle
• From home

Mobile massage at homes and workplaces

Bring a portable massage table to clients' homes, offices and events.

• C$1.5k-5k
• Side hustle
• Out and about

Independent senior home support worker

Help older people stay at home with companionship, meals, errands and light personal support.

• C$500-2.5k
• Side hustle
• Out and about

Home-based Reiki studio

Offer calm, one-to-one Reiki sessions from a spare room in your home.

• C$500-3k
• Side hustle
• From home

Mobile Reiki visits

Travel to clients' homes or workplaces with a portable table and offer Reiki sessions.

• C$600-3.5k
• Side hustle
• Out and about

Reiki in a shared wellness space

Rent a treatment room by the hour or day in a wellness centre and build a regular client base.

• C$800-4k
• Part-time
• Own premises

Online childbirth classes

Teach live video classes that help expectant parents prepare for labour, birth and the first weeks at home.

• C$800-3k
• Side hustle
• Online

Online 12-week wellness coaching programme

Coach clients by video and messaging through a structured programme to build better sleep, eating and movement habits.

• C$300-3k
• Side hustle
• Online

Workplace wellness programmes for small employers

Run short habit-building programmes for staff at local businesses, on site or online, paid by the employer.

• C$500-4k
• Part-time
• Out and about

Private and small group yoga teacher

Teach one-to-one and small group yoga in clients' homes, parks or a rented room.

• C$300-1.5k
• Side hustle
• Out and about

Online yoga classes and membership

Teach live video classes or build a small paid membership from your living room.

• C$200-1.5k
• Side hustle
• Online

Home-studio complementary therapist

See clients by appointment in a calm treatment room at home, offering a therapy you are trained and qualified in.

• C$1k-5k
• Side hustle
• From home

Mobile complementary therapist

Bring your treatments to clients' homes, offices and events with a portable setup.

• C$1.2k-5k
• Side hustle
• Out and about

Online nutrition coaching practice

Coach clients one-to-one by video on healthy eating habits, meal planning and everyday food goals.

• C$500-3k
• Side hustle
• Online

Local nutrition coach and workshop host

Offer in-person coaching and healthy eating workshops through gyms, workplaces and community groups near you.

• C$1k-4k
• Side hustle
• Out and about

In-person aromatherapy workshops

Run hands-on essential oil workshops in studios, cafés and community spaces, with students paying per session.

• C$400-2k
• Side hustle
• Out and about

Online aromatherapy classes

Teach live video classes and short courses on using essential oils at home, with students anywhere in Canada.

• C$200-1.2k
• Side hustle
• Online

Online one-to-one health coach

Help clients build better eating, sleep and movement habits through video sessions from your home office.

• C$400-2k
• Side hustle
• Online

Local group wellness workshops

Run small in-person healthy habits programmes at community centres, workplaces and gyms in your area.

• C$500-2.5k
• Side hustle
• Out and about

Online holistic wellness consultations

Offer video or phone wellness consultations from home, built around lifestyle, nutrition habits and stress.

• C$600-3k
• Side hustle
• Online

Mobile massage therapist

Bring a massage table to clients' homes, offices and events so they can relax without travelling.

• C$1k-5k
• Side hustle
• Out and about

Massage therapist in a rented clinic room

Rent a treatment room in a physio, chiropractic or wellness clinic and grow a full client list.

• C$1k-5k
• Part-time
• Own premises

Community meditation classes

Run weekly drop-in or course-style meditation classes in rented halls, studios and community centres.

• C$300-2.5k
• Side hustle
• Own premises

About these ideas

Others can run largely online, like a wellbeing and lifestyle coach or an online health coach. Before you choose, think about training and credentials, because many health-related services expect recognized qualifications and some are regulated differently by province. Also consider insurance, how you will find your first clients, and whether you want set hours or flexible ones. Start with the idea that fits your existing experience, then check the rules that apply where you live.

More ideas

• Online and one-to-one meditation teacher
• Home-based reflexology studio
• Mobile reflexologist
• Online gestalt therapy practice
• Online biofeedback coaching with home devices
• Online and home-based herbalist consultations
• Online couples counselling practice
• Mobile DNA sample collector for paternity tests
• Kinesiology sessions from a rented clinic room
• Mobile kinesiology visits to homes and workplaces
• Online life coach (one-to-one)
• Group coaching workshops and programmes
• Home sharing host for an adult who needs support
• Respite host for adults needing short stays
• Mobile sports massage therapist
• Mobile Thai massage therapist
• Online Ayurvedic consultations
• Home-based holistic therapy practice
• Contract mobile phlebotomist for labs and insurers
• Independent birth doula
• Postpartum doula home visits
• Virtual doula support
• Online weight loss coach
• Local weight loss coach with group programmes
• Online wellbeing and lifestyle coach
• Workplace wellness workshops

Questions