Home-Based trophy and award engraving

Youth sports leagues, schools, clubs, community groups, small companies and event organizers.

You mark up trophies, plaques and medals, and charge for engraving, custom plates and rush orders. Repeat seasonal orders from leagues and schools bring steady work.

• Attention to detail and spelling accuracy
• Basic design on a computer
• Customer service and meeting deadlines

• Check whether your zoning, HOA or lease allows a home business and whether you need a home occupation permit
• Check if your state requires a sales tax permit and how resale certificates work with your suppliers
• Laser engravers need ventilation and safe handling, so check fire and fume safety
• Spelling or name mistakes mean remaking an order, so build in a proofing step
• Check general liability insurance and any local business license

Startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on your engraving equipment and the supplier parts you buy. Treat this as an estimate. Also check general liability insurance and any local business license as part of your setup.

Monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $3,500, depending on how many orders you win from teams, schools and clubs. These are estimates, not guarantees, and you could start at around 8 hours a week.

Check whether your zoning, HOA or lease allows a home business and whether you need a home occupation permit. Also check if your state requires a sales tax permit, and ventilation and fire safety for laser engravers.