TOP 75 Ideas for Business to Start in California

In this article, we have selected a list of the most profitable ideas for a business to start in California. We analyzed business trends for the Californian market in 2022 and selected those businesses that should be in the highest demand over the next 5 years.

When looking for the best business idea for yourself, check if you already have competition in the area where you want to start the business. Hitting the right niches and people’s needs is the key to success.

TOP IDEAS FOR BUSINESS TO START IN CALIFORNIA

1. HIGH-TECH JEWELRY
Modern technology allows us to create a new generation of small jewelry that is not only beautiful, but can have various useful and practical functions. Examples of such jewelry are smart rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings, glowing or health or motion monitoring jewelry and many others that have other amazing functions. This is a great idea for a business to start in California as this field in market is still young and is going to grow a lot in the future.

2. HEALTHY FAST FOODS
People are putting more and more attention on what they eat. On the other hand, many people want to eat fast and tasty. The solution to this problem are healthy and organic fast foods made from natural ingredients.

3. 3D PRINTING SHOP
Although 3D printing became popular over 10 years ago, there is still a lot of space for this type of business to grow. 3D printing business is something that students and faculty of engineering, architecture, medical, biological or chemistry need. 3D printing business can offer printing on demand, models of buildings and cities, it can also print unique gadgets, toys for children or accessories for homes.

4. BOX SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES
Subscribing to the boxes is a great business idea which has been gaining a lot of popularity in the last few years. Offer great quality, unique and original products and you will find many customers who will want to subscribe to your packages.

5. PERSONAL SHOPPER
Many rich people in California don’t have time to shop. Instead, they prefer to hire a personal shopper to buy the right products they need. A professional personal shopper will buy the right treats, select a nice and perfectly fitting t-shirt or underwear, or purchase the necessary items needed for the home or office.

6. HOME SECURITY & ALARMS
California has a serious crime problem so wealthy Californians are willing to pay a lot for the safety and security of their property and homes. In recent years, more than 900,000 property crimes are committed in California annually. there are a number of services and business ideas related to security. Examples of services that are in high demand are CCTV installation, installation of alarms and home security systems, security guard services, security coaching, home security audits, security gadgets sale and many more.

7. LOCAL SHOPPING & DELIVERY SERVICE
For the past few years, more and more people have been ordering groceries straight to their home without buying directly. However, many stores do not offer home delivery – or it takes a very long time. Therefore, this business idea focuses on buying purchases for someone from stores of their choice and delivering them quickly to their homes. This type of business would be a particularly good idea in large medium and small cities.

8. PARTY ACCESSORIES
Californians love to party and enjoy life. For this reason, a good business idea in California is to create a party supply store with party accessories such as balloons, fluorescent and glowing products, candles, party cups and many other accessories.

9. HEALTHY & ORGANIC GROCERY STORE
We live in an age full of artificial, unnatural and chemical-laden food. It is often unhealthy and leads to obesity and poor well-being. This is why many people are looking for healthy and natural food, which will make them healthy and full of energy. If there is not yet a green 100& healthy & organic store in your area in a large or medium-sized city, you should seriously consider opening one. It is estimated that the demand for such healthy food will significantly increase in the coming years.

10. NUTRITIONIST / DIETITIAN RELATED BUSINESS
Obesity is a problem for many Californians. In addition, many people are looking for the right diet to fit their particular needs, such as being an athlete or having a particular lifestyle. In addition to just dietary counseling and research, diet catering is also a good business idea.

11. HOTEL FOR PLANTS
Many Californians have favorite plants that require care when traveling, vacationing, or when the owner is unable to care for the plant. The answer to this problem is a plant hotel – a place where you can leave any plant for a week, two weeks or longer, where the plant will be watered and will safely wait healthy for its owner.

12. REMOTE ASSISTANCE SERVICES
California is full of great companies, executives and many entrepreneurial individuals. These companies and managers often need to outsource or need help with certain specific tasks. You don’t even have to have an office to start such a business. You can work in the cloud, remotely. There are really many services that can be provided in this way, which can generate really big money.

13. HOMEMADE FOOD DELIVERY
Many people dream about natural homemade food. This is a great business idea especially in big cities. Provide high quality food like mom’s and your business will easily gain many customers and be profitable.

14. BODYGUARD SERVICES
Places like Los Angeles, the Bay Area and San Diego are full of rich and famous people, including Hollywood stars. These individuals often need to protect themselves or their loved ones. Also, many businessmen want to protect themselves and their loved ones from danger. For this reason, businesses such as Invisible bodyguard, bodyguard for children, bodyguard for homes, offices, places have a really good chance of success in California.

15. PERSONAL BUDGET & MONEY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Managing the money you have is a difficult challenge for many people. This is why there is a high demand in California for consulting and services related to saving, investing, and learning how to earn. Other things to offer in this niche are personal budget checklists, courses and consulting subscription.

16. SMALL SCALE MANUFACTURING
Small scale manufacturing may be a good idea for a profitable business to start in California. It’s important to make a business plan and compare local prices of the products (if they are available at all) with what you can offer. There are a number of very profitable items that can make you a lot of money. Examples of such things are: your own clothes, soap, scented candles, perfumes, cookies, furniture and wooden home accessories and many other items.

Read also: 200 Most Profitable Product Ideas to Make and Sell Easily

17. VENDING MACHINES WITH UNIQUE PRODUCTS 
The variety of products offered by vending machines in the US is still very small compared to that of Japan. It is still a place with great potential for growth. You just have to discover precisely which products are in demand in which places. Vending machines can sell a lot of unique things you wouldn’t have thought of: pet food, school supplies, children’s toys, cosmetics, underwear, cleaning supplies, frozen foods, freshly squeezed fruit juices and much more.

18. RECYCLING BUSINESS
Large cities and large populations also generate a lot of garbage and various types of waste. Waste recycling can be profitable in different ways depending on what kind of waste you are recycling. One of the most profitable types of recycling is electronic waste recycling. If there aren’t any companies in your area that deal with particular types of recycling, you may want to start your own and make a lot of money from it.

19. SECONDHAND RETAIL
California is an ideal place for businesses such as selling antiques, designer clothes, rare books, used appliances and other used valuables. There are a lot of people in California who dispose of valuable items for free or for a pittance. Just buy them back or recycle them and you can make a really good business out of it. (eg clean and sell on the Internet).

20. CHAUFFER & VIP TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
The demand for transportation services continues to grow in California. Both normal and premium transportation is in demand – for people who have a lot of money, want to feel safe, want to transport valuable products, or are tourists who want to feel luxurious.

21. DRONE SERVICES & FOR RENT
Drones have many uses and are in greater demand every year. Services that can be marketed using drones include: custom drone filming, delivery of gifts, surprises and parcels by drone, making picture shows and animations using a cloud of drones, using drones for property monitoring and security, and many others. The drone niche is still young and full of opportunities which makes it a good idea for a business to start in California.

22. WAREHOUSE AND STORAGE COMPANY
California is home to a great many large, medium and small businesses. The big cities here are bustling with life and business. In addition, ports such as Los Angeles and Long Beach are the largest U.S. ports through which masses of goods flow to and from around the world.

23. PARTY BUS OR LIMOUSINE
Unique party ideas are sure to find many customers in big cities. Limousines, party-buses, party-jeeps and other party rides. Organizing parties on yachts and luxury boats can also be an interesting business idea.

24. RENEWABLE ENERGY REPAIR & MAINTENANCE
Green energy involves a lot of installations, connections and technical conversions. Renewable energy also requires maintenance and service, and sometimes repair of used equipment. Since this field of energy is currently developing a lot, the demand for this type of repair and maintenance services will increase. Selling and installing green energy can also be a good business idea.

25. SOUND-PROOF MINI WORKING SPACES
Many residents of California’s big cities need a quiet and peaceful place to work or study. A great solution to this need may be to rent a small sound-proof working space for hours (or days or months). Such solutions are very popular in Japan. This could be a great business idea in California. All you need to do is to adapt a building for this purpose and make dozens of mini-rooms in it with a desk for work, electricity and a place to sit.

26. YOUTH HOSTEL OR BED & BREAKFAST
If you have a vacant house, townhouse or rooms in a good location, it is worth thinking about starting hostel, hotel or bed and breakfast business. Often, such business in large cities or in popular tourist regions can earn really good money.

27. REJUVENATION SPA OR CLINIC
As people are living longer, there is a growing demand for rejuvenation services, for improving the appearance of the elderly and especially for cleansing and skin care. Spas and clinics offering various rejuvenation treatments and services such as professional cleansing facials, and refreshing body treatments are certainly very good business ideas. 

28. JOB MACHING
For many Californians, combining work with passion is an incredibly important goal in life. However, it’s not that easy for everyone, which is why many people need help finding the perfect job. They need counseling, analysis, personality tests, dream and talent analysis, and help choosing a career. This niche is ideal for starting many businesses and startups perfect for California.

29. TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR ELDERLY
Transporting, hauling heavy items, assisting with moving or large purchases, transporting the elderly and disabled, transporting plants, animals, groceries, frozen goods, fish and seafood, or transporting medical items are just some of the transportation business ideas. Before starting this type of business, it is advisable to analyze what services are most in demand in your area.

30. LUXURY TOUR PLANNING & ORGANIZING
California is one of the most popular travel destinations in the United States. People from the U.S. and around the world want to see Hollywood, Los Angeles, San Francisco and famous places like the Goldeng Gate Bridge and Silicon Valley. Many tourists are very rich people who want to experience unforgettable moments and see unique things. If you are able to offer many of these special adventures and provide comfort to the tourists, this business can be very profitable.

31. YACHT SALE, TOURS, RENTING OUT AND SERVICE
Most of the California coastline is a great place for all kinds of businesses related to yachting, sailing, catamarans and boating. A good business idea could be a yacht trip for tourists, organizing concerts and events on a yacht, setting up a restaurant or cafe on the water, or selling and renting different kinds of boats. 

32. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT
Many companies need support in developing their potential, strategy, organization, technology and knowledge. R&D consulting can play a key role, for example, when a company plans to enter new markets, starts working on new products or develops new plans.

33. SENIOR CARE
California is already full of seniors who often need help, care, concern and companionship. This is a great niche business that is not only in high demand, but still full of many challenges and needs for solutions to many problems (such as remote health monitoring of the elderly, or where they are).

34. APPLIANCES REPAIR
A whole lot of Californians need repairs, service and advice on fixing various home appliances. The demand for this type of service is constant and there are many types of things Californians need repaired within the appliance industry. It is worthwhile to advertise these services both on the internet, on local forums and websites, in newspapers, in local places full of people (like schools and stores). Advertise your business on the internet using paid adds.

35. SHOE STORE
Californians love shoes, so a shoe store in a good location is almost a surefire idea for a successful business. To further maximize the profitability of this type of business, it’s a good idea to offer unique products, services and have a unique store design. To increase the uniqueness of your shoe store start offering limited edition shoes (for collectors) or unique services such as shoe designing, shoe repairing or shoe cleaning.

36. BABYSITTING
It’s a simple idea for a business or for extra income. It’s a particularly good business to start in California for students and young women. This type of business can be scaled and grown. For example you can build a network of baby-sitters and hire employees.

37. ORGANIC BEAUTY PRODUCTS
More and more people are concerned about ensuring that the products they use are healthy, natural and safe for humans, as well as environmentally friendly. This is also the case with beauty products, which are usually applied directly to the body and should therefore be of a high standard. This type of natural business should be well advertised and give a clear message to customers that in this store they will buy 100% natural and healthy products.

38. EVENT PLANNING AGENCY
California is a place full of life, events, businesses and organizations. The demand for event organization is quite high, and the profits from this type of business are usually large.

39. 3D PRINTING OF SMALL AND MEDIUM BUILDINGS
One of the cornerstones of a successful business is being able to leverage innovation and tap into emerging trends that will be very popular in a few years.
Without a doubt, 3D printing of buildings and 3D printing of building components and infrastructure is such a business. What is special about 3D printed things is their potentially unique shape and texture. There is no doubt that the demand for unique shapes and textures will grow in the coming years, so it is worth considering this business now.

40. ELECTRONIC GADGETS & ACCESSORIES STORE
Californians love gadgets and technological innovations. If you offer them in an interesting and attractive way and use good marketing strategies, your gadget store will surely attract many customers.

41. ONLINE DOCTOR & NURSE HELP SUBSCRIPTION
Offer contact and advice from professional health experts for a proper per-minute fee.

42. CLEANING SERVICES
Seemingly a boring and trivial business idea, but in fact it is a very large market full of many possibilities. Imagine all the offices, stores, businesses and apartments in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Many of them are cleaned by cleaning companies or private individuals hired to do the cleaning. Offer high quality and professional cleaning services and you will quickly find many customers and expand your business.

43. IMPORT & EXPORT OF VALUABLE GOODS
Importing and exporting can be a great business idea in California. The geographic advantage of California is that major U.S. ports are located here so you can easily send goods by sea. Examples of import-export businesses include importing exotic wood and furniture, jewelry, tobacco or clothing from other countries, and exporting technology, used cars or agricultural and food products overseas.

44. HANDYMAN SERVICES 
It’s a pretty unique business that’s still in high demand. Many people, such as single women and the elderly, need to make minor or major technical repairs to their homes. These people are often willing to pay a lot of money to get the sink unclogged again, the dishwasher running or the door to stop creaking.

45. CARE FOR THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED IN THEIR OWN HOMES
If you can organize many professional, responsible and caring carers for the elderly this might be a very good business idea for you. Since this type of high quality service is in high demand, especially in big cities, it can be very profitable business opportunity to start in California.

46. DIGITAL BILLBOARDS SALE, RENT & INSTALLATION
California is a unique place full of big business, big cities and luxury. In such big cities and prestigious places, companies, organizations and wealthy people often want to advertise in the most visible way possible. The best way to do this is to have a good quality large digital billboard. Selling and services related to such billboards is undoubtedly a very prospective and worth considering business to start in California. Especially in major cities such as Los Angeles, the demand for such digital billboards will continue to grow year after year.

47. ELDERLY HOME
A good quality nursing home located near a major city is usually a great business idea. The profitability of such a business depends on the number of elderly people there (the more, the higher the profit will be) and on the quality of the elderly care services offered. Most families who place an older person in a nursing home are looking for a place with professional staff and a friendly, family-like atmosphere. 

48. NATURAL MEDICINE & HERBS
In recent years, natural medicine, herbs and natural health care methods have become very fashionable. Offer unique products (from the USA and from around the world) and advertise your offer well and you will make a lot of profit out of it.

49. DOG WALKING 
A simple mini business idea to start in California. Perfect for students. Such a business can be developed and over time you can even hire employees and increase the area of offered services.

50. CANNABIS INDUSTRY 
Although cannabic has been legal in California for over 5 years now and business in this area has grown tremendously, there are still many opportunities for this type of business to grow. There are a number of cannabis-related businesses that can be very profitable. Examples of these businesses include cannabis-cafes, the cultivation and processing of cannabis, but also the sale of cannabis products, including food products and cosmetics.

51. GLAMPING (SALE & ORGANIZATION)
Everyone needs to get out of the city sometimes and get closer to nature. Glamping is a great way to relax, unwind and get some peace and tranquility. California is full of beautiful peaceful natural places that are perfect for glamping. You can advertise your glamping business using social media to show future customers pictures and videos of you glamping.

52. BANNERS PRINTING, DESIGN & SALE
Printing, designing and selling custom banners is a really lucrative business. If there is not much competition in the area where you want to open such a business, this business should be really profitable. Banners are needed by business owners, politicians (especially before elections), various organizations and associations.

53. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Another good idea for a profitable business to start in California is to offer various property management services. Many property owners do not have the time or will to take care of their properties and need someone to take care of renting, repairing, servicing or selling their properties.

54. SEO, SOCIAL MEDIA ADVISORY & DIGITAL MARKETING
Although there are already many businesses of this type, the demand for good companies is still high and will continue to grow in the coming years. If you have experience or knowledge in any of these areas, starting your own business can be very profitable. Many large companies and organizations need this type of service and are willing to pay a lot for it.

55. FOREIGN CUISINE RESTAURANT
Big city dwellers in California like to try food from different countries. If you offer specialty food that can’t be eaten anywhere else in the area, you should gain a lot of customers.

56. SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT
Although there are already a lot of social media companies, the need for new companies offering quality services is still high.

57. PET HOTEL
Many Californians have pets that they sometimes have to leave behind for days at a time, such as when traveling. Create a pet-friendly place that inspires trust and confidence in its owners and you’ll gain a lot of customers and make big profits.

58. SMART HOME DEVELOPER
With the development of new technologies, there is an increasing demand for new attractive solutions for homes. Examples of such smart-home solutions like integrating internet, lighting, heating, monitoring and home security systems might be a bit complicated and not easy for rando people. That’s why many home owners are willing to hire a company to do it for them and show and propose even more smart solutions for home.

59. FOOD TRUCK
It’s an inconspicuous business that can sometimes generate really big money. The key to success with food trucks is to know good locations where concerts, events or simply a lot of people are held and to serve really tasty food.

60. GARDENING & LAWN CARE SERVICES
Profitable business, worth starting if there is not much competition in a given place. The advantage of this type of business is high scalability. You can start with a small capital and gradually develop the company.

61. BROKEN TOYS AND DOLLS HOSPITAL
A unique business idea perfect for starting in California’s largest cities. Children often break toys and would love to have them working again. A company that will repair such toys will surely have a lot of work. Such a business should be well advertised on the internet to reach a large number of customers.

62. WINE BUSINESS
Wine production is one of the best business ideas to start in California. This is because the climate and geographical conditions in California are exceptionally favorable for wine growing. For this reason, California wine is considered to be one of the best wines in the world. To start growing wine you will need the right land, the right kind of vines and the infrastructure to process and store the wine. You can start with a small production and grow it year after year. But if you have a lot of capital, it is worth considering a larger production from the beginning.

63. GIFT SHOP OR ANY NICHE SHOP
A store and selling products for profit is a great business idea if you have premises in a good location. All you have to do is buy some unique and unusual products like a telescope for smartphone or this outdoor projector available on Amazon and then sell them with a sufficiently high profit.

64. SMALL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
In cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose, and in other big cities, construction business should be a very profitable business idea. California’s population continues to grow and large cities are growing more and more, so the need for construction services continues to be high.

65. PROBLEM SOLVING AGENCY
A great business idea is to start in California with a small capital. If you are really creative and know how to solve problems, this business can be very profitable.

66. RESEARCHING AGENCY
Many companies need someone to professionally retrieve information for them or conduct a thorough analysis. If you offer a really high quality service and advertise it well, this type of business can generate really high profits.

67. HEADQUARTERS RELOCATION SERVICES 
Many companies are opening in California and need help doing so. Also, in recent years, many large companies are moving their headquarters from California to other states – usually such companies need help in this and are willing to pay big money for help in migration (in terms of physical, legal, information, etc.).

68. MINIATURE PIG BREEDING
Raising miniature pigs or other interesting animals are good ideas for a profitable business to start in California. If you like animals, find out what animals are in high demand and give it a try.

69. JUNK REMOVAL SERVICE
Often people or companies want to dispose of a large amount of junk, or something that is too large or heavy to remove without the help of a professional company. If there isn’t one in your area, you may want to consider starting such a business.

70. AN AROMATHERAPY BUSINESS
Interesting business idea that can be combined with other types of business such as massage, beautician, cafe or restaurant.

71. VERTICAL FARMING
Vertical farming is the answer to the increasing population density on Earth, and also probably the best way to grow food in the future. An example of vertical farming business can be microgreens production. Microgreens can be grown even in a basement without the sun, using lamps, like it is shown in this film.

72. RAGE ROOM
A simple yet unique idea for a business to start in California is the rage room, which is a place where you can smash plates, go crazy and destroy various items. The more amazing things you offer to destroy, the more popular your business will become. To promote your business, it is advisable to show videos from your rage room on the internet and encourage customers to record videos in your rage room.

73. DECORATING & INTERIOR DESIGN
The demand for interior decoration, interior design as well as decoration and styling of stores, restaurants and various types of buildings is constantly in high demand. The key to success in such a business is to offer high quality services, uniqueness of your designs (people like to see something new and unique), as well as an extensive portfolio and good online advertising of your company. In order to maximize the uniqueness and profitability of your business, it is worth using the newest technologies such as 3D printers, in-wall displays and many other smart solutions. 

74. PLANT CLINIC & DOCTOR
There are really few places that offer treatment for sick plants. Create such a place somewhere where there is no competition for this service and advertise well on the internet, and you will surely find many customers.

75. PET GROOMING & PET GADGETS SALE
If you see that there is no pet supply store or pet groomer in a certain area of town, you should definitely consider opening a pet business. A lot of people have dogs, cats and other pets and they need to trim their hair, claws, buy accessories, clothes, leashes, food and many other necessary things.

Read also: TOP 30 Trending Products To Sell in the USA in 2022