Small short-course training center

Individuals paying for their own courses, employers sending staff, and in some cases workforce programs that fund approved training.

Course fees per learner, private group bookings, and room hire for other trainers on quiet days.

• Expertise in the subjects taught
• Teaching and classroom management
• Local marketing
• Basic administration and bookkeeping

• Many states regulate private career or vocational schools, with approvals, bonds or fees, so check with your state education or licensing agency before enrolling students
• Check zoning, occupancy limits, fire safety and accessibility rules for your space with your city or county
• Lease commitments are the biggest risk, so consider a short lease or shared space at first
• Check general liability insurance and, once you hire instructors, workers' compensation requirements
• Be careful with claims about accreditation, certificates or job placement

Estimates typically run around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on your rented space, furniture, equipment and course materials. Lease commitments are the biggest risk, so consider a short lease or shared space at first.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on the courses you run, your prices and how many students enroll. Those figures are revenue before rent and instructor costs.

Many states regulate private career or vocational schools, so check with your state agency before enrolling students. Also check zoning, occupancy, fire safety and accessibility, insurance, and be careful with claims about accreditation or job placement.