30 Location Independent Business Ideas (+ 5 steps to start)

by Welly Mulia - January 23, 2025

If you want to jump straight to the 30 business ideas, go here.

Our digital world today makes it easier to work from anywhere you wish.

You can build a successful location independent business with only a computer and internet access.

After reading this guide, you’ll understand how to do exactly that.

3 Types of Location Independent Businesses

There are 3 main types of location-independent businesses you can build:

Freelancers: People who provide help by writing, creating visuals, or coding.
Remote Employees: People who have jobs with companies but can work from any location.
Entrepreneurs: Business owners who build online businesses that can scale.

Benefits of Location Independence

Apart from working from anywhere you want (home office, co-working space, beach in another country, etc.), you’ll save money by not having to pay for office space or utilities. You’ll also be able to hire skilled workers from all over the world.

You’ll also save time by not having to commute.

Challenges of Running a Location Independent Business

The first challenge is unpredictable income. Plus, it takes time to generate your first sale, especially if you don’t have a reputation yet.

The second challenge is a stable and fast internet connection. This shouldn’t be a problem if you live in an area where it’s readily available. But if you live in a more remote location, this could be a problem.

The next challenge is to be disciplined. Because you don’t have a boss watching over your shoulder, you’re now in charge of your own schedule. If you aren’t focused and disciplined enough to put in consistent work, the business won’t survive, let alone succeed.

Location-independent entrepreneurs also find it hard to keep their work and personal lives separate. Since you can work from any place, it’s easy to lose track of work-life boundaries, which causes you to either work too much or not perform well. Having specific rules and a daily plan will make things easier.

Working alone can also be a problem because you don’t get to meet people in person as much.

(Thanks to Impflip for the memes)

To stay connected and work together with others, location-independent entrepreneurs should meet digital nomads like them and use shared working zones.

Finally, working successfully in different parts of the world depends on understanding and following the local cultures and laws where you conduct business. Knowing how people do business and what rules apply in each place helps you work better and build good connections with clients and partners around the world.

30 Location Independent Business Ideas

Service-Based Businesses

1/ Virtual Assistant Services

Remote virtual assistants help businesses and entrepreneurs by taking care of their emails, setting up meetings, and entering data. Busy professionals who want to focus on their main work tasks often look for this service to help them run their businesses more smoothly.

By working as a virtual assistant, you help companies in different areas by doing jobs like managing social media, helping customers, or keeping track of financial records. Virtual assistants use online tools to handle their work better and provide top-notch services to clients in every corner of the world.

2/ Online Tutoring or Coaching

More people want to learn online and improve themselves, which lets tutors and coaches teach their skills through the internet. No matter if you teach school subjects, languages, or personal growth skills, you can reach students worldwide using video chat software.

Virtual teaching programs allow you to put together one-of-a-kind training that fits what each person needs. Use online marketing and build your web profile to bring in clients from different backgrounds and become a respected expert in your area.

3/ Freelance writer or copywriter

People who love writing can start their own business as freelance writers or copywriters, working from anywhere they want. If you write well, you can produce online content for businesses, helping them grow their internet visibility.

Copywriters create engaging content that helps businesses turn visitors into buyers. To build a successful writing business, improve your writing ability, create a collection of your work, and connect with clients online and through social media. Freelance writers and copywriters who create content that connects with their audience can grow a successful business.

4/ Social Media Management

As social media becomes more important for marketing, more companies are looking for professionals to handle their online profiles. Social media managers develop content, connect with followers, and use data to make marketing campaigns better.

The job demands imagination, good planning, and thorough knowledge of different social media sites. Social media managers who keep up with industry changes and use analytics tools help their clients grow their brand’s visibility and audience interaction in many business areas.

5/ Graphic Design

Graphic designers make attractive business content, from company logos to marketing pieces and website visuals. This creative field lets location-independent entrepreneurs show off their artistic skills in many different ways.

When graphic designers create a good portfolio and meet potential clients, they will find work that fits both their personal style and professional knowledge. Designers use digital tools to create and share their work with clients around the world, helping them build their brand and market their products.

6/ Web Development or Design

Companies need web development and design services to start or improve their websites. Web developers and designers collaborate to build websites that work well and look good, while also fitting what their clients want. This work needs both technical skills and creative thinking, letting you build different types of websites from online stores to personal web pages. Web creators who learn about new web tools and design styles create fresh solutions that help businesses succeed.

7/ SEO Consulting

SEO consultants guide companies to get more online attention by making their websites better for search engines to find. This job requires finding the right keywords, checking how well the website works, and using methods to improve its search engine position.

SEO consultants help businesses get more visitors naturally and make more people know their brand. When consultants keep up with the latest changes in search algorithms and marketing trends, they can give clients helpful advice that helps them meet their marketing goals.

8/ Data Entry Services

Data entry services help businesses by entering, sorting, and keeping track of their data correctly and quickly. This service helps companies run their business more smoothly while keeping their records in good order. Data entry workers help different types of businesses by giving them customized services that meet their unique requirements. Data entry service providers use software and careful work to give clients dependable and fast results no matter where they are in the world.

9/ Video Editing

Businesses want video editors who can help them tell better stories through their videos. As video editors, people create promotions and social media pieces by using special editing programs to make final videos look clean and engaging.

This creative field lets location-independent entrepreneurs display their skills and work with clients from all over the world. Video editors who keep their skills fresh and show off their best work can find projects that match what they do best and how they like to create.

10/ Translation Services

More businesses are reaching out to translation services as they grow worldwide. Translators help businesses reach foreign customers by turning their written materials into different languages.

This work needs language skills and cultural knowledge, letting you help clients from many different industries. Working with people online lets translators create a business anywhere they are, connecting languages and helping people communicate around the world.

Product-Based Businesses

11/ E-commerce stores

E-commerce stores let you sell many different products worldwide, reaching customers everywhere without being limited by where you are. Shopify provides helpful tools that simplify how you create, organize, process payments, and market your online store.

When you use SEO techniques to improve your product listings, you’ll draw more visitors to your website and sell more products. Use your social media accounts to show off your products and reach out to potential customers, which helps make your brand better known and respected.

12/ Dropshipping

Dropshipping lets you run a business where you sell products without needing to keep them in stock. Working with suppliers who ship products to customers lets you concentrate on marketing and helping your clients. This model lets you adjust your business size easily and grow when needed, which is great for entrepreneurs who work from anywhere.

To make your business work, study what products are popular now and focus on selling in areas where people want to buy more. Use online systems to handle orders and talk to customers, making your business run smoothly and keeping customers happy.

13/ Selling Handmade Crafts

Etsy gives crafters a way to sell their handmade items and special products to buyers all over the world. This way of doing business lets you display your creative work while reaching out to buyers who love handmade products.

Great work and compelling narratives about your products will help you get noticed in a crowded market. Reach out to potential buyers on social media, make them part of how you create things, and this can help keep customers loyal and improve your sales.

14/ Print-on-Demand Merchandise

Order printing services allow you to create and offer personalized products like T-shirts, mugs, or phone cases without having to buy and keep stock first. This business plan lets you be creative and try different ideas while keeping your risks small and under control.

When you focus on specific groups or current trends, you can make products that connect well with your customers. Reach your audience and grow sales by working with social media influencers and using ads that target the right people.

15/ Subscription Box Service

Subscription box services send customers selected items on a schedule, making life easier and more exciting for people who are looking to discover new things. With this model, you can start businesses in many areas – like beauty items or top chefs’ snacks – while making money flow in from customers who keep buying.

Make your customers happy by offering special experiences that make their lives better. Use social media to talk with your customers and ask for their opinions to help you make better products and keep them happy.

16/ Digital Products

When you sell digital products like online books, learning materials, or computer programs, you can make more money with each sale and easily grow your business. This business model helps you use your skills to make content that you can sell over and over again without spending more money to make it.

To make your business work, find out what problems your customers face and make products that solve those problems. Use marketing content and SEO techniques to make your online products easier to find and bring in more buyers.

17/ Custom Digital Art Prints

People want home decorations that are special to them, and custom digital art prints meet this need. This way of doing business helps artists display their work while meeting customers who want unique art pieces.

You can attract more customers and keep them coming back by letting them personalize your art and using social media to show it off. Work with interior designers and social media influencers to help more people see your brand and buy your products.

18/ 3D Printing Designs

With 3D printing, you can make all kinds of special products that fit your needs, whether they’re pieces of jewelry or things for your home. This way of doing business lets you try out new tech while serving customers who want special, made-to-order products.

Make your business work by creating great designs with good materials, and show your work online. Joining online groups related to your industry and going to industry events helps you keep up with what’s new and find people who might buy your products.

19/ Health and Wellness Products

The growing health and wellness market allows people to sell natural products that improve health, beauty, and physical fitness. This way of doing business lets you reach people who care about taking care of themselves and staying healthy.

Make sure your products are high-quality and honest, then teach your customers why they should choose them. Using educational content online and working with trusted influencers helps you gain potential customers’ confidence in your brand.

20/ Eco-Friendly Travel Gear

Travel gear that helps protect the environment meets the growing need for products that care about our planet. This business model helps you connect with customers who want to travel in ways that protect the environment. Choose materials that are good for the environment and make your products ethically to attract your customers.

Join groups that care about sustainability and use social media to show your products while teaching customers why choosing sustainable travel matters. When you create useful and new products, you’ll attract travelers who care about the environment and help make travel more sustainable.

Businesses that create and share content can grow by focusing on what they produce.

21/ Blogging or Content Creation

People who work remotely can earn money by writing blogs and creating online content. People who write articles, make videos, or record podcasts can connect worldwide by sharing what they know, have experienced, or specialize in.

Business owners can make money on YouTube by collecting advertising fees, collaborating with brands, and earning through product referrals. Content creators who focus on specific interests that connect with their target audience usually get more followers who stick around and offer different ways to earn money from them.

To succeed online, you need to regularly create content, make it easy for search engines to find your work, and connect with your audience.

22/ Influencer Marketing

Social media marketing lets you use your online following to sell products or services, making it perfect for people who already have a big social media audience. As a social media influencer, you can work with companies to make real and relatable content that your followers will enjoy.

This business model lets you choose to work with brands that match what you believe in and care about. Regularly sharing posts, stories, and live videos helps you grow your personal brand and brings in more business partnerships.

23/ Photography or Stock Photo Selling

People who love photography can make money by offering their photos for sale on online stock photo websites. Stock photography websites like Shutterstock let photographers present and market their photos to buyers from around the world.

High-quality images that stand out help companies build websites, craft marketing content, and create publications. You can earn more money by providing photography services for both events and companies. Keep learning and watching what’s new in photography to build a business that grows and succeeds online.

24/ Podcasting with Sponsorships

Podcasting has become a widely used way to share content, letting location-independent entrepreneurs broadcast their stories, interviews, or knowledge to listeners around the world. When podcasters gain a group of regular listeners, they can find sponsors who want to pay them for advertising.

When you make interesting episodes and promote them well, more people will listen to your podcast and companies will want to sponsor you. Working with guests and using social media helps your podcast get more attention and grow faster.

25/ Online Courses

This is pretty self-explanatory. You package your expertise into an online course and then sell it to your target audience who are facing the problems you cover in the course.

After creating your course, you can use tools like CartMango for your checkout / cart system.

You can teach people from all over the world by making courses online. Udemy and Teachable give you everything you need to create and promote courses on a wide range of subjects, including both career skills and self-improvement.

This business model lets you grow your business and earn money without extra costs, since you can keep selling the same course over and over. Make sure your content is both excellent and interesting, and directly solves problems for your audience. You can boost student numbers and get known as an expert in your field by using social media, email marketing, and teaming up with others.

Consulting / Professional Services

26/ Business Consulting or Coaching

This is also about selling your expertise, but instead of selling via an online course, you coach clients on a group or 1:1 setting.

You review their current situation. Then you give them guidance or answer their questions based on unique situation.

27/ Virtual Bookkeeping or Accounting

Every business needs to keep track of their expenses, revenue, and profits. The question is do they do it themselves or outsource to a professional so they can take this off their plate?

If you’re skilled in this area, this could be a profitable niche to target.

28/ IT Support or Software Development Consulting

Same with accounting / bookkeeping, businesses need software to be effective and efficient. If you’re good with tech, you can earn a good income by helping them with IT support or software development advice. And all of these can be done remotely.

29/ Affiliate Marketing Management

Managing affiliate marketing means helping companies expand their online business by working with partners who promote their products.

Running affiliate marketing means helping companies sell more online by setting up partnerships with affiliate team members. As a remote affiliate marketing manager, your job is to create affiliate programs, measure how they’re working, and make them better for higher sales.

Being successful in this role means you need to analyze well and understand what’s current in digital marketing. You can help companies grow their business while working from anywhere you choose by running affiliate programs well.

30/ Public Relations or Marketing Consulting

You can work from home as a consultant helping businesses with their public relations or marketing efforts.

As a creative entrepreneur, you can work with companies remotely to help them improve their brand reputation and connect better with potential customers.

You can help businesses by planning and running PR campaigns, making marketing plans, or taking care of their social media profiles. As online visibility becomes more important, companies need skilled advisors to help them succeed in the digital world. Through remote consulting, you guide clients to create powerful brands and meet their marketing goals.

5 Steps to Start a Location Independent Business

1/ Identify Your Niche

Start by deciding what business you can make that uses your natural abilities and what you enjoy doing. Choosing a specific area of focus lets you reach a defined group of customers, helping you customize your products and make your business more noticeable worldwide.

Look at what customers want and where the market is heading to see where you might create a successful business based on your passions. Talk to potential customers using surveys or social media to learn what they want.

Your niche must combine your passion with the ability to make money. As a business owner who works from anywhere, use the worldwide customer base to improve and expand your niche.

2/ Build an Online Presence

People won’t know about you or your offerings if they don’t know you even exist. So you need to build a personal brand — an online presence.

Post useful and relevant content for your target audience on the social media platforms they’re most likely to hang out on.

Start with one social platform so that you don’t overwhelm yourself — LinkedIn, X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, etc.

By posting useful content that partially solves your target audience’s problems, you slowly build your reputation as someone who knows what they are knowledgeable about.

3/ Select the Right Tools

Pick tools that make running your business easier and more efficient.

For example:

Connect with your team through Slack or Zoom
Keep track of your work with Asana or Trello
Toggl helps you track how much time you spend working
QuickBooks and FreshBooks make handling your business finances easier

4/ Develop a Business Plan

Outline how your business makes money.

Is it through coaching or done-for-you services?

Or maybe you earn income from selling digital products?

Or via affiliate commissions?

Your financial plan should show how much you spend, earn, and keep as profit to help you set achievable business targets.

Keep changing your business plan when markets change, to help your business adapt and grow.

5/ Legal and Financial Setup

a profitable business should have proper legal setup

Make sure your business follows all legal rules now to prevent problems later. Find out what documents and taxes you need to start your business in your chosen area, in accordance with regional registration requirements. Working with a lawyer helps you understand and comply with international rules, ensuring your business operates smoothly.

Make sure your business has a strong financial system to handle incoming and outgoing money. Use PayPal or Stripe for payments across borders, and open a bank account that lets you work with different currencies. Take advantage of accounting software to simplify how you monitor costs and taxes.

Remember to follow GDPR rules when you collect, use, or share client data. Turn your business into a safer place by encrypting data and using secure storage systems to protect both your and your clients’ information. Taking care of these legal and financial issues helps your business grow steadily and succeed.

5 Tips for Increasing Your Chances of Success

1/ Master Time Management

When you work with people in different countries, time zones can confuse you—make sure to schedule your work in advance. Google Calendar helps you keep track of your schedule.

Location-independent entrepreneurs need to manage their time well because they work with clients or projects in many different time zones. To work better and be more creative, identify what’s most important and develop a daily schedule that fits your best working hours for focused work.

Divide your day into blocks of time for each activity, focusing only on one thing during each, to stay focused and get better results. Breaks should be part of your day to keep energy up and prevent exhaustion.

Good communication helps you work better with clients and teams from different countries. Tell your team and clients when you’re available and the methods you prefer to talk to make working together easier. Online programs such as World Time Buddy simplify matching time zones so you can meet others when it’s convenient for everyone.

Location-independent entrepreneurs who know how to manage their time can work more effectively, stick to their deadlines, and keep a good balance between work and personal life, which helps their business succeed over the long run.

2/ Ensure Reliable Connectivity

Internet issues happen. Keep a mobile hotspot and know coworking spaces with good Wi-Fi in your area, just in case.

Location-independent entrepreneurs need dependable internet connections to work effectively. When your internet stops working unexpectedly, it can stop you from working. This is why you need backup plans ready.

Get a good mobile hotspot device to stay connected to the internet wherever you work. Choose a data plan with enough speed so your business operations run smoothly without breaks.

Find shared office locations that offer strong and dependable internet connections. These spots come with dependable Wi-Fi, a workspace that looks professional, and chances to meet other entrepreneurs.

To protect your online privacy and reach all websites, consider getting VPN services. VPNs protect your information by encrypting it when you use public Wi-Fi.

3/ Build a Support Network

Get involved in both online remote work and digital nomad groups to gain important support, advice, and connections. Location-independent entrepreneurs need to create a network of support to succeed. These groups provide helpful materials, real-world advice, and emotional support to help you manage remote work problems. Working with other digital nomads helps you create business partnerships, make friends, and grow both personally and professionally.

If you want to interact in person and learn from top experts, sign up for digital nomad events and meetings. Meeting people in person helps you build stronger connections and find new ways to grow your business.

Being part of mastermind groups helps you stay on track and stay driven. These groups give you advice on your business plans, helping you solve problems and reach your targets better.

4/ Automate Processes

Make your business run smoother by using technology to handle tasks that repeat over and over. Automate emails and workflows to get your work done faster and more smoothly.

Using automation helps location-independent entrepreneurs work more efficiently. Using CRM systems helps you handle client conversations, track potential customers, and customize your messages automatically.

Put chatbots on your website and social media to answer frequent customer questions, so you can focus on more challenging work.

Creators of content can use automation tools such as Buffer to organize and distribute their social media content automatically, keeping their online presence steady without having to do it by hand.

Use QuickBooks software to instantly automate billing and track spending, providing you up-to-date financial information.

Using these automation methods helps you run your business better, keep customers happy, and grow your company while staying free to work from anywhere.

5/ Manage Finances Effectively

Track your spending and build an emergency fund with QuickBooks, since your income may change often. Set up your budget by listing how much money you expect to make and spend, to spot where you can save. Keep personal and business spending separate to see what’s happening with your money, and check your financial reports regularly to understand money moving in and out.

Save money for three to six months of your regular costs to stay financially secure. Study budgeting and tax materials to improve your financial understanding, which helps you make better money decisions. Talking to a financial advisor helps you get personalized guidance on tricky topics like paying taxes and managing your investments.

Good financial management helps you stay stable while you work on expanding your business that isn’t tied to one place.

Real-Life Examples of Successful Location Independent Businesses

Automattic

Automattic proves that location-independent businesses can thrive. The company that runs WordPress.com, WooCommerce, and other digital tools is Automattic. Automattic runs its business from anywhere, with employees working from over 40 different countries.

The reason Automattic excels is because it focuses on keeping everyone talking and sharing information openly. The company keeps everyone informed and connected through their internal blog system, known as P2s. When teams have effective systems, they can succeed entirely remotely.

Hotjar

Hotjar proves that you can run a successful business without being tied to one location. The company offers analysis software designed to help website owners learn about visitor activities on their platforms. Hotjar’s team works from home all around the globe just like Automattic does.

Hotjar lets team members work whenever they want because they don’t have to be online at the same time. Each team member can choose when they work during their local hours, and they’ll still complete all tasks on schedule and reach their targets. Their way of working shows that remote teams can get things done well and quickly.

Companies can grow successfully when not limited by having an office to work from. When teams communicate well, share a strong culture, and use the right technology, they can work from anywhere and grow their business.

TL;DR

You can make your own location-independent business a reality with the digital tools available today. This kind of work lets you find what you want—freedom, flexibility, or chances to develop your career.

Begin by finding your market area and creating an online profile that displays what you can do or sell. Manage your work flow and relationships with organizing tools, while making sure your time management and internet connection stay strong.

Success will come, and your hard work will pay off. Think about starting each day with the choice to work from any place you like while creating something that matters to you. Being able to work from anywhere is what makes location independence so cool.

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