How to Start a Profitable Service Based Business

You’re tired of your 9-to-5. You dream of starting a business that will let you quit your job and never have to work another day at something you don’t enjoy. I’m here to share the exact steps you can take to start a business and begin earning money like, today.

The easiest way to start is with a service-based business. All you’re doing is monetizing the skills you already have. It’s the most straightforward path to generating income and creating freedom for yourself.

Step 1: Lay Your Foundation with an LLC

The first thing you need is an LLC. This legal structure allows you to officially collect money as a business and separates your personal and business finances.

• What I did: I had my accountant open my LLC in Florida. It wasn’t more than $200; it was around $150 or so.
• What’s next: Once you have your LLC, you get an EIN (Employer Identification Number) and use it to open a business bank account.

This is your first step to start collecting money professionally.

Step 2: Define Your Service & Dream Client

If you don’t know what you’re offering, you won’t get anywhere. This is where you define your gift.

• Ask yourself: What are you good at? What skill can you monetize?
• Who is your dream customer? The beauty of owning a business is that you get to decide who you work with. You are your own boss.

Maybe you’re a:

• Yoga teacher
• Makeup artist
• Hair stylist
• Virtual assistant
• Social media manager

That skill you use at your job? You can build your own company around it. If you don’t own a piece of a business, you’ll never be truly financially free. You’re just selling your time. To create real wealth, you need to start selling your skill under your own business.

You need to think differently to change your reality. If you’re unemployed or in a job that doesn’t pay enough, ask yourself: What can I provide to the world? Your skills are monetizable. You are your own commodity, and you can cash out as long as you market yourself correctly.

How to Discover Your Own Gift

I often get comments like, “I don’t know what to sell!” But you do know. You just need to sit with yourself and listen to your gut. You have the answers.

Ask yourself these questions to find your service:

• What do people always come to me for?
• What could I talk about for hours without getting bored?
• What do I end up discussing with friends over coffee?

That is what you should monetize.

And here’s a mindset shift: Don’t start this business just to make money. Start it to make a difference. Your “world” doesn’t have to be the entire globe; it can be your local community. How can you better the lives of the people around you? When you focus on providing genuine value, marketing feels natural and not “icky.”

Step 3: Decide Your Pricing Without Guilt

How much should you charge? Do your market research. See what others in your niche are charging for similar services.

• Factor in your worth: If you provide your service in a premium location or have a unique skill, it’s understandable to charge above the average.
• You decide your value: People will pay your price if they find value in your service. Don’t feel guilty for charging what you’re worth. If the market average for a haircut is $40 and you believe your service is worth $60, charge it confidently. Your skills must match the price, but never undervalue yourself.

Step 4: Crush Your Limiting Beliefs & Tell Everyone

Your biggest obstacle is often your own mindset. In the age of social media, there’s no reason to be embarrassed about offering your service.

• Define your niche: Be specific. “I am a photographer in Orlando helping real estate agents.” or “I am a virtual assistant for wellness coaches.”
• Change your social media: Update your profiles to reflect your new business. Make it your personality.
• Tell everyone: Announce it to everyone in your contact list. Share it in local Facebook groups, WhatsApp groups wherever it’s allowed. Word of mouth is powerful, and your network is your first customer base.

Step 5: Market with Free Content & Paid Ads

Start creating content around your service. Show your personality you are unique, and people want to see that.

• Start free: Even if only 100 people see your story, that’s 100 potential local clients you reached for free. Share tips, behind the scenes glimpses, and your journey.
• Reinvest in ads: Once you start making organic sales from your network, reinvest that money into targeted ads on Instagram and Facebook. If your ideal clients are on TikTok, advertise there. Ads help you reach far more people in your local area than you could alone.

The Bottom Line: Just Start

Business isn’t just for “smart” people. It’s for everyone. You don’t need a lot of capital. You can start with just the cost of an LLC and begin collecting payments through PayPal, Venmo, or Stripe.

If you don’t have a business today, it’s because you’re not allowing yourself to. You have to change your self perception. You can start a business today.

• Seek failure: Failure is how you learn. Don’t be afraid of it.
• Tell everyone: Blast your new venture to your entire network.
• Become the expert: Start creating content and talking about your niche.
• Reinvest: Use your early profits to fund ads and grow.

Once your business income matches your job income, then you can think bigger. How can you scale? Open a studio? Bring on an investor? The possibilities open up once you have a proven model.

Your skills are your gift. Share them with the world. It all starts with the decision to begin.