50 Family Business Ideas That Make Money Now (2026)

1. Plant nursery business

If you’ve got a green thumb (and a backyard or balcony), you can turn it into a steady income stream by growing and selling plants. Start small with herbs, succulents, or air-purifying plants, and expand as you learn what sells best. You can even sell plant kits or host workshops online.

For example, London Terrariums sells ready-made terrariums in various sizes, plus DIY kits for customers who want to build their own. “I was just making terrariums, photographing them, and posting them on Instagram,” says Emma Sibley, founder of London Terrariums, on the Shopify Masters podcast.

Today, what began as a creative hobby is now a full-time Shopify business with both online and in-store sales.

📚 Read: The Ultimate Guide To Selling Plants Online

2. Holistic pet care business

Pets need food, water, and exercise, but they also can benefit from massage, custom diets, and even therapy. Differentiate yourself in the marketplace by adding boutique services to your dog walking or pet sitting business.

In the US, veterinarians like Dr. David Jeffrey of El Paseo Animal Hospital report a sharp rise in owners asking about CBD treatments for their animals—proof that wellness trends have fully entered the pet market.

3. Child care service

More than 53% of US child care providers reported staffing shortages in a recent survey, and 56% said they were under-enrolled relative to their capacity.

That demand creates an opportunity for families who can offer safe, trustworthy programs in their homes or local spaces.

If you’re considering opening a day care center or in-home babysitting business, check your state’s child care licensing requirements and create a day care business plan before you start. At a minimum, most states require:

• A state license or registration from the Department of Human Services (or equivalent agency)
• Background checks for all adults in the home
• Health and safety compliance, including CPR/first-aid training and staff-to-child ratios
• Adherence to local zoning and facility rules

Once licensed, stand out by offering specialized care; for example, art-based learning, bilingual programs, or outdoor play sessions.

4. Interior design business

Turn your knack for arranging spaces into a family enterprise. Help clients pick palettes, source furniture, and execute design schemes in homes or offices. You can start by assisting local clients and scale with remote consulting or e-design services.

For example, Sukhmani Designs evolved from a family jewelry business into a lifestyle brand offering home furnishings and interior design services rooted in Vastu Shastra, an ancient Indian system of spatial harmony. Founder Sat Gurumukh Khalsa continued his parents’ legacy by combining craftsmanship, design, and cultural philosophy to create cohesive, meaningful spaces.

5. Singing telegram business

Singing telegrams—personalized musical messages delivered in person or via video—are making a comeback for birthdays, anniversaries, and corporate events.

Start small by offering local performances, then expand with virtual telegrams booked and delivered through your Shopify store. Add tiers for live video calls, costume themes, or custom songs written for each occasion.

💡 Pro tip: Use Shopify’s digital product features to automate delivery of pre-recorded messages or song templates, and connect your store to booking tools like Sesami for scheduling.

6. College consulting business

US education consultants’ revenue has risen at approximately 2% annually over the five years leading to 2024, reaching roughly $3.4 billion in size.

You can deliver services virtually or in person, and scale by creating digital products (e.g., essay templates, planning workbooks) or subscription programs for ongoing support.

7. Skin care business

If you’re interested in starting a family business, consider launching a skin care line. Some skin conditions are hereditary, so there’s a chance that your family members will experience the same problems you want to solve with your own products. 

For example, take Fresh Heritage—a skin care brand founded by siblings after a vacation to Morocco made them aware of different men’s grooming habits and products. 

8. Experiential learning business

Are your family members avid anglers? Expert rock climbers? Schools, businesses, and social groups often look for immersive outings to boost morale and encourage teamwork. 

Your lawyer cousin can research legal and regulatory requirements, and your Gen Z niece can help you select platforms for social media marketing and create content to promote your business.

9. Flower delivery company

If you have an eye for design, you can turn that talent into a profitable family business by arranging and delivering custom floral creations.

Offer customers a choice between one-time purchases and recurring flower subscriptions, and use Shopify’s local delivery features to manage routes, notifications, and drop-offs. You can even upsell gifts like candles, vases, or cards to raise the average order value (AOV).

10. Antiquing business

If you love antique hunting, starting an antique or vintage clothing resale business monetizes that passion. Involve the entire family by delegating tasks such as restoring furniture, posting products to your ecommerce store, scouting goods at yard and estate sales, and running a creative marketing strategy.

Take French Metro Antiques in Arkansas, for example. The family business began as a small shop importing European pieces and evolved into a full antiques business that combines sourcing, curation, and interior styling. The family travels abroad to hand-select items, restores them with care, and curates seasonal collections for customers seeking one-of-a-kind finds.

11. Travel planning business

Taking time off for a trip is one thing—but who has time to plan it? Turn your family into a destination research and booking concierge. Charge a small fee for every trip that you book.

To get the word out about your business, consider starting a blog or creating social media accounts to share your family’s travel adventures. This will help you build trust with fellow travelers and position your family as experienced globetrotters. 

If you have specialized experience, you may appeal to travelers needing assistance with niches such as Disney, cruises, specific locales, bachelorette getaways, or golf trips, or trips for wheelchair users.

12. Rental business

Do you collect vintage velvet chaises? Own 15 miniature horses? Have a garage full of folding tables and chairs? Rent them out to cash in on your permanent collection. 

Renting items for special occasions like weddings can be a lucrative business venture, giving you the opportunity to loan out things such as cutlery, vases, chairs, photo backdrops, or décor items multiple times a year.

13. Organizing business

Families, busy professionals, and small offices are always looking for help decluttering closets, garages, basements, and storage spaces.

Start with in-home organizing sessions, then expand into specialized services like digital decluttering, moving or downsizing prep, or home staging. Build before-and-after portfolios to showcase your transformations, and offer maintenance packages for repeat clients.

For example, Streamlined Living sells downloadable toolkits and templates for professional organizers through its Shopify store.

14. Personal stylist business

Turn your clothes obsession into a small family business opportunity and source custom wardrobes for your clients’ needs. Family members can pitch in by shopping, researching trends and designers, sourcing and curating clothing, scheduling appointments, coordinating alterations, and undertaking marketing, admin, and accounting tasks.

15. Organic extermination business

Turn your love for the environment into a local business that uses organic pesticides or poison-free or humane traps to rid the community of pests.

16. Food truck business

Fire up a tiny, mobile restaurant and take your family’s cherished recipes to bars, festivals, and tourist districts. Be aware of high start-up costs, though—on average, food truck owners spend thousands in the first year on permits, business licenses, and compliance alone.

For example, in California, individual permit/license items include: food service permit ($250 to $1,000 per year), fire safety permit ($125 to $150 per year), and food truck permit/license ($250 to $500 per year). And in Chicago, a truck’s fire safety permit application costs $100, and a fire suppression plan review may be $150.

📚 Read: How to Write a Food Truck Business Plan: Template & Examples (2025)

17. Produce business

If you have access to farmland, gardens, or even vertical farming space, growing and selling fresh produce can become a family business with multiple revenue paths. Think leafy greens, microgreens, herbs, specialty vegetables, or even fruit in compact plots.

Take Lavender Pond Farm in Connecticut, for example. The brand began as a family-run lavender farm and now sells natural home and bath products derived from its crops, like soaps, oils, and candles.

18. Tutoring business

Are you a math whiz with an uncle fluent in Spanish and a physicist for a husband? Start a family tutoring business. Tutoring is also a good way for high school students to make some extra money.

19. Car wash business

A family car wash can carry significant startup costs in the form of purchasing professional equipment, but it can also be a very lucrative business. The US car wash services market was estimated at $14.74 billion in 2024. 

Want to test the waters before investing in detailing supplies or equipment to start a car wash business? Arm your family with buckets and sponges and set up a human-powered car wash in a high-traffic location.

20. Catering business

Monetize your famous enchiladas and Grandma’s secret pozole recipe by catering corporate events, weddings, and private parties with a family-run small business. 

To power that growth on Shopify, tools like the CateringHero app enable you to create event menus, allow clients to pick dates and quantities, and manage order logistics.

21. Lawn care business

Just like a small cleaning business, a lawn care business can help you secure repeat customers and a reliable source of income. As long as the grass keeps growing, the community will need your services.

22. Photography business

A family-owned photography business can document conferences, weddings, family reunions, and other community events. Designate one or two family members to take photos, one to select and edit shots, and one to manage your online gallery and fulfill orders.

📚 Read:How To Start a Photography Business in 12 Steps (2025)

23. Cleaning business

A cleaning business—residential, commercial, or specialty (e.g., carpets, post-construction)—is one of the few service models that reliably scale, profit, and benefit from repeat clients.

In the US, the janitorial services segment alone is forecasted at $108.9 billion in 2025.

For inspiration, Koh started as an eco-cleaning product brand that expanded rapidly via Shopify, tripling sales and increasing average order value by 20% after optimizing its online store. While Koh sells cleaning products instead of services, its approach to branding, packaging, upselling, and building trust can be instructive if you’re combining product lines with your cleaning service business.

💡 Pro tip: If you’re offering both products and services, Shopify Bundles let you sell cleaning kits with booking add-ons in one seamless checkout.

24. Event planning business

From remembering forks to setting up microphones, planning an event is a lot of work. But if you clearly define your target market and price your services right, it can also make for a profitable family business idea. 

Corporate event planning can be particularly lucrative: corporations frequently have higher event budgets than individuals, and busy staff are often glad to pay for professional help.

25. Grocery and errands service

Task and shopping apps like TaskRabbit and Instacart are big businesses. Go small (and avoid platform services charges) by starting your grocery delivery business.

Tap your family to help you build relationships with clients as well as local suppliers, guaranteeing the freshest products.

26. Baking business

If your heart beats for brioche, open a bakery or supply local restaurants and coffee shops with fresh-baked goods. The key is pairing quality with creativity: think custom cakes, gluten-free treats, or themed boxes for holidays and birthdays.

Sweet E’s Bake Shop, a Los Angeles bakery, started in a family kitchen and grew into a beloved brand. “I’m from Texas and grew up baking with my mom and grandmother. I’ve loved baking decadent desserts for my family and friends for as long as I can remember,” says founder Erica Tucker.

Erica began baking for friends and relatives, perfecting her craft with help from her family before turning it into a full-time business. 

27. Laundry business

Don’t let the struggling family laundromat in Everything Everywhere All At Once dissuade you—a family-run laundry business can be a profitable business idea. Add washing, drying, dry cleaning, alterations, or starching services to command a premium price.

28. Gardening or landscaping business

Do you dream of hedge mazes? Have a backyard replica of Ryōan-ji? Start your own landscaping business and share your aesthetic gifts with your local community or even other local businesses.

29. Wedding business

If there’s one industry that tends to survive economic shifts, it’s weddings. According to The Knot’s 2025 Real Weddings Study, the average US wedding cost (ceremony plus reception) in 2025 is $33,000. Whether you want to focus on one part, like becoming an officiant or selling wedding favors, or you aspire to start a wedding planning business, there’s a range of ways to participate in this industry.

For example, Emily Newman, founder of Once Wed, started as a wedding creative and turned her blog and dress listing service into a brand that now attracts more than six million visitors a year. 

Later, she co-founded If I Made, selling digital courses for creative professionals—from florists to photographers—who want to elevate their craft. 

30. Meal prep business

Many people would love to eat three healthy, homemade meals a day—they just don’t have time to make them. This problem presents a business opportunity for your family. Prepare and deliver pre-made meals featuring your signature family recipes.

31. Family-run apiary (beekeeping)

Start a family-run apiary and join the beekeeping business. You can tend your own hives (in full protective gear, of course), rent them to farmers who need crop pollination, sell raw honey, and launch a line of beeswax products, including lip balm, candles, and soap.

For example, Chandler Honey is a brand born from a family tradition. Founder Tique Chandler grew up surrounded by bees (her parents own a bee farm), and she turned that legacy into a modern honey business. Today, she infuses raw honey from her family’s farm with flavors like lavender, lemon, and espresso.

“I wanted to pull in my family story, so that people could trust the honey source that they’re getting it from,” shares Tique on an episode of Shopify Masters.

32. Fitness business

If you’re a family of fitness buffs, open a gym or yoga studio, or start your own family business offering personal training or exercise classes. You could even buy low-cost wholesale products—such as protein shakes, workout equipment, or meal prep kits—to resell and earn more money from your clients. 

33. Costume business

Remember the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon? If you thought Robert Oppenheimer and Barbie would make a terrific couples’ costume, you might be a costume business entrepreneur. There’s no feeling quite like killing it in a unique, stylish homemade costume. Use your kids’ creative brainstorming powers, your design talents, and your brother’s sewing skills to make custom costumes for holidays and theme parties.

You can create bespoke designs for customers or sew up popular choices and rent them out year after year. Many high schools, colleges, and community theatre departments rent costumes, especially elaborate or period pieces. You could work with a theater group to create costumes for a whole show. Afterwards, rent them to other organizations for popular productions, like The Addams Family, Charlotte’s Web, or My Fair Lady.

34. Jewelry business

Some of the best family business ideas are cheap to start but still profitable. Jewelry making is just one example. You can pick up beads, string, and wire from a wholesaler and sell your jewelry online at a high markup. 

Bead Time is a successful business in this industry. A long-running family business, their brand is trusted among hobbyists, crafters, and artisans.

💡 Tip: Use Shopify’s product personalization tools or apps like Product Customizer to let shoppers select metal types, chain lengths, or gemstones—turning every piece into something uniquely theirs.

35. Late-night cookie delivery business

Many food services businesses close at or before 10 p.m., but plenty of customers get hungry later. Make and deliver homemade cookies to a grateful late-night crowd—and don’t forget to also offer cow, oat, soy, or almond milk if you want to cater to all. 

36. Kids’ theater camp

Many parents are eager to sign their kids up for enriching opportunities that get them out of the house and away from screens. Why not stage a tiny Wizard of Oz in your backyard? Your kids can manage props and lights, your partner can build the stage set, and your family pets can always play the flying monkeys in a pinch.

37. Print-on-demand business

If you’re a skilled graphic artist (or chock full of hilarious one-liners), there’s a market for home goods and apparel emblazoned with your signature aesthetic. Consider starting a family print-on-demand business, an online business model that requires minimal overhead and startup investment.

38. High-end condiment business

King of ketchup? Matriarch of mayo? Hercules of hot sauce? Make, bottle, and sell homemade condiments and sauces and share your talents with the world.

From chili oils to chutneys, the global condiment market is booming. Industry experts expect it to grow from $100.38 billion in 2025 to $153.97 billion in 2032, an incredible 53%. Pandemic disruptions in supply chains and consumer habits opened the door for more home cooking, creating customers hungry for authenticity and small-batch craft.

Brooklyn Delhi proves how powerful that mix can be. Chef Chitra Agrawal and her husband, Ben Garthus, built the brand around her family’s traditional Indian recipes: spicy achaars, simmer sauces, and condiments made with real ingredients and no shortcuts. Their products quickly caught the attention of chefs and retailers alike, earning shelf space at Whole Foods and a cult following online.

39. Crochet business

Crocheting is an especially great children’s business idea if you want to teach your kids a new skill. YouTube is home to millions of crocheting tutorials—many of which are child-friendly. With your support, they’ll be a farmers’ market vendor with crochet items that sell in no time.

40. Cooking class business

Cooking classes make for great family businesses because recipes are often passed down through generations. If you’re looking for a new business venture, take stock of your family recipes. Can you monetize them by teaching others how to cook?

There’s a big appetite for cooking classes. Chiara Nicolanti created her cooking class business, Nonna Live, with her grandmother teaching Italian recipes that had been passed down for generations. Today, there are many nonnas involved in keeping the culinary history alive, teaching classes in person and online.

“I just give my best every night,” says Chiara. “I share our history and let them experience a part of Italy, our family, and my grandma’s culinary secrets.”

41. Open a restaurant

If you don’t have the patience to teach your skills (or would rather keep your family’s recipes private), consider opening a family restaurant. There are jobs available for everyone, from young front-of-house servers to experienced line cooks who run the kitchen. A simpler option requiring less space and fewer workers is a to-go only or take-and-bake model. 

42. Doggy day care

A pet business is a great family business idea if you love dogs. According to the American Pet Products Association 2025 State of the Industry Report, 94 million US households own at least one pet, up from 82 million in 2023. The same report also says that the total US pet industry expenditures hit $152 billion in 2024.

You can run day cares from converted garages, suburban yards, or leased play zones—offering small-group socialization, personalized enrichment, and even “pup-cam” livestreams for anxious owners. 

Many breeds, such as those considered part of the Working or Herding Groups, often need more exercise than a daily walk or what busy working owners can regularly provide. After adopting her dog Charlie in 2018, young working professional Abbie Ackert felt he needed more mental and physical stimulation. After searching for a solution in her area of New Hampshire, she created Salty Paws, providing outdoor adventures, dog walking, and day care services.

43. Pottery business

Got a knack for turning clay into beautiful pots, mugs, or trinkets? This fun family business idea is for you. Get yourself a pottery turntable and kiln and teach your family how to make ceramics.

Take Emma Bridgewater, the British pottery brand that’s been a successful family-run business example since its founding in 1985. Founder Emma built her brand around the warmth of shared meals and simple, hand-painted design. Decades later, Emma and her husband, Matthew Rice, still work with local artisans in Stoke-on-Trent, keeping traditional British ceramics alive through patterns that feel both personal and enduring.

44. Vending machine business

Vending machines make money by purchasing wholesale products in bulk and reselling them through a vending unit. You’ll need to know the technical aspects of how to operate a machine, but the rest is trial and error. 

If you’re choosing this small business idea to run with family members, the geographic location of your vending machine is the most important part of your business plan. Choose a space with high foot traffic where convenience is key and other options are limited. Schools, for example, are full of students who would love a sugar rush they can’t get from the cafeteria. 

45. Sell your inventions

Families are often inspired to solve a specific issue for a loved one. If you’re experiencing a problem, there’s a good chance that someone else is too. That’s how EazyHold, a sister-run business that sells grip aids, came to life. 

“My two sisters and I designed, double-patented, and manufactured a new product for children and adults with grip issues, opened a Shopify shop, and we are now distributed in over 15,000 care facilities and schools, with 30 distributors around the globe,” says co-founder Kerry Mellin.

“Eight years later our partners and employees are all still family members: sons, daughters-in-law, nieces, nephews, sisters. Little did we know how profound our product and business would become.”

Their product helps anyone with grip issues stemming from issues such as arthritis or neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and cerebral palsy achieve more independence.

46. Tour company

Has your family lived in the same place for decades? You likely know your town’s history better than most. Make money by offering tours of the local area to tourists who want to dive deeper into your city’s backstory. You can sell this type of experience on platforms such as Get Your Guide, TripAdvisor, or Airbnb.

Read: Travel Business Ideas: 11 Ways to Start a Travel Business 

47. Vintage clothing business

If you love vintage shopping, consider this family business idea, particularly if you can cover multiple demographics. Older generations can weigh in on timeless styles, whereas Gen Z family members (who are inherently social) can keep an eye on trends to stock the online vintage clothing store accordingly. 

48. Candle-making business

When you’re starting a family business, the key is choosing an idea that involves everyone. Candle making does exactly that. Find a family member who enjoys making candles, another who likes to sell in-person, and another who has a knack for ecommerce. That’ll give you a well-rounded team to sell candles and make money as a family. 

49. Property rental company

If you’ve recently left the nest and your parents haven’t downsized, you’re sitting on an opportunity. Globally, the vacation rental market was valued at $89.32 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $119 billion by 2030. 

If the property is near a popular destination, like a beach, a BigTen college town, or the site of a major event, (e.g., the Indy 500, the Masters golf tournament), you could rent your family home to an individual or a corporation during peak season.

50. Custom lighting business

If there’s one thing that people pay big bucks for, it’s personalized products. A shining example is Address-o-Lite, a family-owned lighting manufacturer based in the Florida Panhandle. 

For decades, the family has built a reputation for designing durable, illuminated address fixtures that help homeowners stay visible to delivery drivers and emergency responders alike. The business offers customized illuminated address fixtures with multiple lettering and designs options. 

How to choose a business idea for a family

Consider the following when vetting family business ideas:

• Your talents and interests. What do you (and your family) naturally enjoy doing or have experience in? 
• Your available capital. How much can you realistically invest upfront? 
• Your available time. Is this a side project or a full-time pursuit? 
• Your cash-flow needs. Do you need quick income, or are you building something long term? 

Then consider the same questions for the other family members involved and select an option that leverages your unique strengths, fits your budget, and meets your cash-flow needs. 

Keep in mind service-based ideas often need less capital than product-based ones, but you’ll want a buffer for things like permits, supplies, and early marketing. Also, when it comes to time, do you have the bandwidth? If you have kids in schools, current jobs, or other responsibilities, prioritize business models with flexible hours.

Here are a few questions that double as a checklist when you and your family are starting your own business:

• What skills or hobbies overlap across our family?
• How much risk (financial or time) are we comfortable taking?
• Who’s handling what—production, marketing, customer service?
• How soon do we want the business to start earning?
• Could this grow into a legacy business or stay small by design?

Benefits and challenges of starting a family business

Family businesses make up the backbone of most economies—and when they work, they really work. In the US alone, family businesses generate more than 54% of GDP and account for 78% of all new job creation, according to Family Enterprise USA.

But family-run companies aren’t without friction. They thrive on trust, yet test it too. Be sure to evaluate both sides: the real rewards and the realities.

Benefits of a family-run business

• You get built-in trust and loyalty. Working with family means starting from a place of trust—a foundation most companies spend years trying to build. That connection makes it easier to divide responsibilities, move quickly on decisions, and weather tough times together.
• You can achieve a shared long-term vision. Family businesses are often built with the next generation in mind. Instead of chasing quick profits, they prioritize steady growth, reputation, and craft. This long view encourages smarter reinvestment decisions and helps families balance financial goals with personal purpose.
• You’re more agile and resilient. When markets shift, family-run teams can pivot faster than large corporations. There’s no boardroom bottleneck; just a group of people who trust each other to take calculated risks. In fact, a recent KPMG report notes that 46% of high-performing family businesses exhibit high levels of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Challenges of a family-run business

• You’re more susceptible to blurred boundaries between work and home. Running a business with family can make it hard to “clock out.” Conversations spill over dinner, disagreements feel personal, and downtime disappears. 
• The fix: Create clear work hours, separate communication channels (like a shared Slack or project board), and protect family time as intentionally as you schedule meetings.
• You might wrestle with uneven workloads and expectations. One sibling might manage operations while another handles marketing, but if effort or recognition feels unequal, tension brews.
• The fix: Prevent that by defining roles early, revisiting them quarterly, and using simple tools to track progress transparently.
• You can have difficulties with succession planning. Succession planning is a major challenge for family-owned businesses, as only a small fraction survive the transition to the second generation, and even fewer make it to the third.
• The fix: Outline your vision for leadership transitions, involve younger family members in key decisions, and document ownership structures long before they’re needed.

Start your own family business on Shopify

You don’t have to know everything from day one. Focus on what your family already does best, whether that’s cooking, crafting, designing, or selling; and let Shopify handle the rest. From inventory to payments to marketing, Shopify gives you the tools to launch, manage, and grow together.