Ok, so what is a recession-proof business?
It is a business or side hustle you can start that will survive or thrive in economic downturns because of the nature of the business. So let’s get into it.
1. Bread/Cake Route My mother always said people will always eat bread and sweets. So this is how I started. I drove a bread route to pay for college then when I got out of college I bought part of that Bread route and built it into a 7 figure Bakery.
I’m not saying this is what you have to do but what you can do is find a local bakery that is making a great product that doesn’t want to do wholesale and take their product and sell it to local businesses. You can start this business for virtually nothing. Just negotiate wholesale pricing from the bakery and ask them to supply you with a sample for free. Then take the samples to your local coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, and markets and build yourself a little route.
my suggestion would be to do it with baked goods that don’t need to be delivered 7 days a week like cake snacks or cookies or bread sticks.
2. Pallet Recycling So yes this is a real thing. There are millions of pallets that get used to shipping stuff every day. These pallets cost manufacturers a lot of money so they buy used pallets instead of constantly buying new pallets.
This creates a large market for pallets. Search “pallet recycler near me” and go and talk to that recycler and ask how much they will pay you if you bring them pallets. The going rate is anywhere from $1 to $6 per pallet if you bring them just 20 pallets per day that could be $120 per day. All you need to start this is a pick-up or a trailer.
3. Bookkeeping is always in demand because small businesses are always overwhelmed with keeping their book and files in order. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to keep books there are many courses that can teach you this skill including free ones from a source like SCORE and from some of the most prestigious schools in the country. If you enjoy being organized and enjoy numbers this is for you
https://www.score.org/search/site/bookkeeping
https://www.collegeconsensus.com/rankings/best-free-online-accounting-courses/
4. Cleaning Service Even in recessions, people want their houses and business cleaned. The nice thing about this is you probably already own the stuff you will need to get started. Go on Canva print up some cards and flyers and bingo bango your in business.
5. Babysitting In bad times it is even more important for both spouses to be working. This normally means someone has to watch the little ones. You need absolutely no money to start this business. Post on Marketplace and Craigslist and watch the appointments roll in
6. Freelancing Do you have something you are good at or already do in your current job? Video Editing, proofreading, Data entry, graphic art, Web design, posting on Social media and so much more.
In any of these jobs, you can make a great extra income or full-time income with sites like Fiver.com and Upwork.com, These skills will always be needed no matter what the economy does.
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7. Flipping Arbitrage thrifting and reselling for people looking to save money. During down times people are always looking to be able to save a buck. So they will tend to look for thrift deals online. This is where you come in. Go to Walmart and other discounters dollar store five and below and scan the items that are being discontinued or on sale with a scanner app https://www.ecomcrew.com/amazon-arbitrage-seller-scanning-apps/ or https://arbitrageinfo.com/10-best-retail-arbitrage-app-for-amazon-and-ebay-2020/
and see what these items are selling for on amazon. Once you find items that have a great margin from what you can buy them for and what they are selling for on Amazon buy them and list them and see the money roll in
8. Vending Machines This is an everything-proof business. Snacks and drinks are low-cost item that people don’t mind spending money on because of convenience. The key to this business is getting a good location before you actually buy the vending machine. This way you can start making money the day you put the machine on location
9. Handyman If you are at all handy this one is for you. And here is a twist. Even if you are not handy but you are organized this could be for you. No matter what, everyone will need things fixed, improved, or taken care of.
So if you have a specific thing you know how to do like fix a fence or hang pictures you can advertise those specific skills and take the jobs you want. or if you are not really handy but have time to find someone that is you can start a handyman service that will find the trade the customer is looking for. So you could be a local Angie’s list but with more hands-on features.
Find out what the person wants to be done and explain that you will not be doing the work but you will find the person that can do the work and you will meet with them and project manage them (make sure it gets done right) and charge a fee for this service. You would be surprised how many homeowners just want someone to take care of the thing that needs fixing or to be done.
If you can show them you can hire good contractors and be there before during and after the job is completed so the homeowner doesn’t have to. this would be something people would pay for so they don’t have to miss work to take care of the issue.
Conclusion: Should I really start a business during a recession?
Yes. Most people don’t think it is a good idea to start a business during a recession this is the main reason you should. While everyone is running for cover you should be getting after it and building your business. I started my bread business during a recession and even though my industry most restaurants always hit hard in these times it also meant many of them were looking for alternatives. You know the old saying take lemons and make lemonade.
