Business services ideas for working out and about
77 ideas
These 77 business services ideas suit people who would rather be visiting clients than sitting at a desk all day. You might become a fire risk assessor for small premises, a field sales agent visiting trade customers, or a local on-site business consultant helping owners in person.
Building consultant for small developers
Guide small developers and landlords through budgets, contractors and compliance on larger building projects, on site and in meetings.
- £1.5k-8k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Event and venue security team
Supply a few licensed guards for local events, bars, markets and private functions, starting with work you do yourself.
- £600-3k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Site and premises guarding company
Win regular contracts to guard building sites, empty properties and business premises with a small team of licensed guards.
- £3k-15k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Asset finance broker for local trades and firms
Arrange van, equipment and machinery finance for tradespeople and small firms, and earn commission from lenders.
- £1k-5k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Local business networking group
Run a regular local meeting where business owners swap referrals, paid for by monthly or annual membership.
- £300-2k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Coin-operated lockers in local venues
Place pay-to-use storage lockers in venues like pools, gyms or attractions and share the takings with the owner.
- £1k-6k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Forklift hire with driver
Run one forklift and drive it yourself for businesses that need a certified operator and a machine for a day or a project.
- £8k-30k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Small plant hire, delivered to site
Hire out mini diggers, dumpers and compactors to builders and homeowners, delivered by trailer from a home or yard base.
- £8k-40k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Visiting bookkeeper for local trades and shops
Visit local tradespeople and shop owners to sort receipts, invoices and records in person each month.
- £300-2k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Mobile scrap metal collector
Collect scrap metal from homes, builders and small firms in your van, then sell it on to a processor.
- £2k-8k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Mobile security patrols and key holding
Check on local shops, units and yards in a marked car, and respond to alarm call-outs.
- £1.5k-7.5k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Event and door security team
Supply licensed security staff to local events, pubs and venues, starting with a few trusted people.
- £800-4k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Collect-and-store archive service
Collect archive boxes from local firms in your van and keep them in a small rented secure space.
- £1k-5k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Claims assessor for policyholders
Help homeowners and small businesses prepare and negotiate larger insurance claims, using loss adjuster know-how.
- £1k-5k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Local interviews and focus groups
Run face-to-face interviews and small focus groups for local businesses and councils in your area.
- £300-2k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Careers adviser for schools and colleges
Offer independent careers guidance sessions to pupils, students and jobseekers through schools, colleges and local partners.
- £500-3.5k
- Part-time
- Out and about
On-site costing specialist for makers and workshops
Visit workshops and small factories, map their real production costs, and stay on as their monthly costing adviser.
- £800-3.5k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Mobile printer and copier supply and service
Supply, set up and repair printers and copiers at small offices in your area, with toner and service contracts.
- £2k-9k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Local HR and hiring support for employers
Visit local businesses to help with recruitment, inductions and staff issues face to face.
- £500-2.5k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Local on-site HR support for small firms
Visit local employers to sort recruitment, inductions and staff issues face to face, on regular days or by project.
- £500-3k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Probate contents and valuables valuer
Value furniture, jewellery, art and personal belongings for estates, helping executors with probate paperwork.
- £300-2.5k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Small venue cinema kit supplier and installer
Specify, supply and fit projectors and sound for village halls, schools and community cinemas, ordering kit per job.
- £2k-8k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Freelance verbatim hearing reporter
Type word-for-word records of hearings, arbitrations and meetings on a steno machine, booked job by job.
- £2k-9k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Property development and investment consultant
Advise landlords and small developers on appraisals, planning and refurbishment plans for a consultancy fee.
- £1k-5k
- Part-time
- Out and about
About these ideas
Others, like a pallet supply and delivery service, mix practical work with regular customer contact. Before choosing, think about how far you are willing to travel, what vehicle and equipment you would need, and whether the work calls for qualifications, training or insurance. Consider who pays for your time and how you will find your first few clients. Start with the idea where your past experience gives you instant credibility, then test it with a handful of local businesses.
More ideas
- Local toner supplier for small offices
- Cash machine operator (your own ATMs)
- ATM site operator with a managed service partner
- Pallet supply and delivery service
- Field food broker visiting shops and buyers
- Private polygraph examiner
- Small environmental consultancy
- Fire risk assessor for small premises
- Local interpreter and certified translator
- Small craft marine surveyor
- Local laminating supplier to schools and offices
- Independent property valuer
- Office water cooler rental and servicing
- Bottled water delivery round for workplaces
- Field sales agent visiting trade customers
- Independent commercial property agent
- Mobile fingerprinting service
- Mobile investigator: surveillance and evidence
- Staff health cover adviser for small firms
- Independent consultant for schools and colleges
- Printer and copier rental for small offices
- Short-term office equipment hire
- Mailing and franking machine reseller
- Shredder sales, servicing and repair visits
- Bird control for businesses
- Mobile coffee machine installer and engineer
- Office and paperwork organiser
- Laundrette machine installer and repair engineer
- Local CV and interview help service
- Local paper and office supplies delivery
- Local corporate gift and merchandise supplier
- Measured survey and plans service
- Mobile abrasives supplier to workshops and sites
- Probate and estate jewellery valuer
- Commission-only partnership and deal finder
- Corporate image and presentation coach
- Water filter supply and replacement service
- Energy cost consultant for small businesses
- Local water treatment reseller
- Mobile safety supplies to local sites and firms
- Bottled water and cooler delivery round
- Pub and venue amusement machine route
- Local process server for law firms
- Laser equipment sales agent
- Workplace and commercial mediator
- Local legal introducer for small businesses
- Coffee vending: a few machines on the side
- Project and interim business consultant
- Local carrier and packaging bag supplier
- Mobile ice cream machine service engineer
- Local personal concierge
- Local on-site business consultant
- Coffee vending route with a van
Questions
Do I need qualifications for a mobile business services idea?
It depends on the work. Roles such as fire risk assessing or investigation may expect recognised training, competence or registration, while consulting or sales agency often rely on experience. Check what your chosen service requires and what clients will expect to see.
What insurance should I check before visiting clients?
Look into whether you need public liability, professional indemnity, employer's liability if you hire help, and cover for any vehicle used for business. Requirements vary by service and client, so ask an insurance broker and read each policy's exclusions carefully.
How can I find my first clients when I work on the move?
Start locally. Contact businesses you already know, join local business groups, and ask for introductions or referrals. Make it easy to explain your service in one sentence, and check whether any industry directories or trade bodies could help clients find you.