Many people want to start a business but feel stuck because they don’t know what to do. You might be wondering, “Isn’t there something I can start right now?” In this article, we introduce eight business ideas perfect for women working from home.
1. Handmade Designer
Handmade felt dolls are currently a major trend! Even some famous Japanese comedians have gained popularity by showcasing their high-quality felt creations. While it requires practice, you can quickly improve once you grasp the basics. Best of all, materials can be found at 100-yen stores.
If you’re skilled at sewing, you could also make children’s school bags, gym clothes sacks, or smocks. Busy parents who aren’t handy with a needle will find these items incredibly helpful. You can register on handmade-specific marketplaces to take custom orders.
2. Open a Home-Based Classroom
Using your home to teach cooking, piano, calligraphy, English, or flower arrangement is a highly recommended low-investment startup idea. If you’re hesitant to use your home, you can rent a community space or a rental kitchen. Just be sure to balance your rental costs, lesson fees, and material expenses. Start your marketing through local bulletin boards, “mom-friend” communities, or word-of-mouth.
3. T-Shirt Designer
A friend of mine designed a T-shirt using a free app and put it up for sale—it sold much better than expected, bringing in a surprising amount of income! Don’t let the “design” label intimidate you. If you register with a casual mindset, you might just create the next big hit. (Services like Raksul allow you to print from just one shirt).
4. Create LINE Stickers
LINE is the go-to communication app for millions in Japan. You can design your own stickers, apply for approval, and start selling them once authorized. This is a popular “start-from-home-today” business. While the commission is roughly 35% (approx. 42 yen for a 120-yen set), the scale can be massive. Top creators are said to earn hundreds of millions of yen annually!
5. Stock Photography
Did you know you can earn income by selling photos you’ve taken? There is a huge demand for high-quality photos of food, scenery, travel landmarks, and animals for use on websites. Instead of letting beautiful photos sit in your camera roll, upload them to stock photo sites. While individual payouts are small (3 to 10 yen per photo), many people earn around 30,000 yen a month as a steady side income.
6. Marriage Consultation Agency
This might seem unexpected, but in the post-pandemic world, many people are looking for serious partners but have fewer opportunities to meet them. The advantage of this business is that you can often start immediately by joining a franchise network (paying an affiliation fee), providing a reliable platform for people looking for verified partners.
7. Online Shop Management
You can start a business by reselling curated items, or even operate a “dropshipping” model where you don’t hold physical inventory. If you narrow down your target audience and identify trending products, the income potential is significant. The charm lies in the fact that you can register and sell everything using just your smartphone.
8. YouTuber
YouTube is no longer just for “dreamers”—it’s a platform for everyone. Many stay-at-home moms in Japan earn a substantial income as YouTubers without even showing their faces. Whether it’s cooking, parenting tips, or “a day in the life” vlogs, your audience grows as your content provides value. Note: It takes time to meet monetization requirements and learn editing skills. If editing is your hurdle, our online school, Deve-Colle, offers specialized courses to help you master it.
Summary
While no business offers “easy” money instantly, these ideas have the potential to turn into something big with just one good concept. As the saying goes, “There’s no time like the present.” Why not take the challenge today?