30 Best Blue Collar Business To Start In 2023 

Gone are the days when blue collar jobs/businesses were neglected due to their poor remuneration. In this present dispensation, blue collar jobs are highly sought after because their expertise is needed in different spheres of human endeavor, hence making the business highly profitable and attractive.

That being said, one peculiar thing with the blue collar business is that you must be ready to get your hands dirty to achieve success in your business. Additionally, most of the blue collar business requires technical skills before you can get started, while you may still start some without prior knowledge. But the bottom line here is that blue collar business is very profitable and highly lucrative.

What Is a Blue Collar Business?

In the simplest terms, a blue collar business is any business that needs skill or manual labor before work can be done. Any job/business that requires physical efforts or skill to execute a particular task is blue collar business. The opposite of blue collar business is white collar business/job. 

Blue collar businesses can be grouped into skilled and unskilled labor. There are numerous blue collar businesses that you can start such as waste management, construction, gutter cleaning, plumbing repair, home cleaning service, and others too numerous to mention

Factors To Consider Before Starting A Blue Collar Business

Starting a business is one thing while achieving success is entirely different. Hence, it becomes imperative to consider some important factors before starting a business to enable you to succeed. Some factors to consider before starting a blue collar business are:

• Do you have any particular skill(s) you can offer?
• What are the business needs of your customers?
• Will your start-up capital be enough to start the business fully?
• Will government policy(ies) affect your business?
• How can you improve on your competitors’ weaknesses?

After answering all these questions, you can proceed to start your own blue collar business bearing at heart that there’s no business that is devoid of risk. 

Most Successful Blue Collar Businesses

There are numerous profitable blue collar businesses that you can start and earn money from. Some of the  businesses are outlined below:

1. Waste Management And Recycling

If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, waste management is one of the profitable blue collar businesses to consider. This is a lucrative business since the amount of waste disposal has continued to increase due to the increase in human population hence you can start turning these wastes into wealth through recycling.

Fortunately, the field of waste management is vast and less competitive because most people are not ready to get their hands dirty to earn a living. Suppose you want to go into the waste management business. In that case, you can comfortably engage yourself in the disposal of medical waste, recycling of rubber or even starting a scrap business depending on your priority area.

2.  Car Washing And Detailing

Due to the increase in the number of people who use cars, there has been an increasing demand for car washers. If cleaning and maintaining the interior & exterior of cars is not a big deal for you, you can start earning a living from car washing and detailing.

Interestingly, you don’t need to break banks before starting a car washing business. Not only that, there are no special skills required for you to start a car washing business.

 3. Gutter Cleaning And Maintenance

Gutter cleaning is one of the most neglected blue collar businesses by people because of its dirty nature. But the truth is that the gutter cleaning business is paying handsomely. Unlike other blue businesses that may require special skills before you can start them, the gutter cleaning business is quite simple to start since there are no special skills needed.

The good thing is that the services of gutter cleaners are highly sought after by developers to clean clogged gutters and other drainage environments that may be blocked by dirt.  To start a gutter cleaning business you will need a gutter scoop, a hand glove, a ladder, and other necessary tools to ease your work.

4. Electrical Repair And Maintenance

If you’re skillful and knowledgeable enough about the electrical principles and how they work, then electrical repair is a good option. It is a profitable and lucrative blue collar business that can put food on your table.

However, electrical repair & maintenance is one of the blue collar businesses that requires special skills and techniques. Hence, to start an electrical repair business, you will need to get the needed skills to enable work optimally. The electrical business is not competitive because of the high risks associated with electrical-related work. So, you can take advantage of the less competitive nature of the business and start making money from it.

To start an electrical business, you will need equipment like pliers, cellotape, circuit testers, and multimeters.

5. Gardening Service

For people who derive joy in interacting with nature, gardening service is a good option to consider. A gardener’s job is usually specific because it involves caring for and maintaining lawns, gardens, etc. It is one of the inexpensive blue collar businesses you can start with little capital and skill it up as the business flourishes.

To start gardening services, you may need tools such as pruning shears, loppers, garden fork, hand trowel, etc. There are no special skills needed to offer gardening services.

6. Painting Of House

If you understand paint finishes and you’re knowledgeable on how to mix & apply paint. Then becoming a painter won’t be a bad option to consider. House painting is a lucrative business because the services of painters are needed for businesses, homeowners, and other related aspects. 

To become a painter, you must have the necessary skills like knowing how to mix paint, different paint finishes, and how to apply it to give a befitting outlook. Interestingly, if you don’t have the needed skills, you can get them from YouTube or better still, you can enrol for apprenticeship. It doesn’t take much time to get the skills.

7.  Plumbing Repair & Maintenance

Diagnosing, fixing, maintaining, and installing plumbing systems is another lucrative blue collar business worth considering. The plumbing business is profitable and less competitive.

To become a plumber, you must be skillful and knowledgeable on how to troubleshoot, maintain, fix, and install plumbing systems. Developers, builders, businesses, etc need the services of plumbers. Hence you can get the needed skills and start earning money from it. 

As a plumber, you will need tools like pipe cutter, pipe wrench, pipe vice, hacksaw, pipe bending machine, water pump pliers etc to enable you to offer your services with ease.

8. Pool Maintenance

The services of people who can maintain and clean pools are highly sought after by restaurants and gym center owners. Hence, if you can maintain a pool and you’re detail-oriented when it comes to cleaning, then you can consider starting a pool maintenance service.

Pool maintenance services are quite specific, like filtering and circulating water, pool cleaning, and water testing and balancing. If you can offer these services, pool maintenance won’t be a big task for you. This is a business you can start with less than 500k in Nigeria

9. Home Cleaning Service

If you’re good at home cleaning, you can earn a living by offering commercial or residential cleaning services. Home cleaning service can be a bit tedious but it is rewarding financially.  The Home cleaning services include many tasks like dusting, kitchen cleaning, vacuuming, mopping etc.

The services of home cleaners are needed in different companies, offices, hospitals, and schools hence making it a lucrative business for those that engage in it. Apart from the fact that the business is profitable, it is also less competitive since most people don’t want to start the business because of the daunting tasks involved.

10.  Carpet Cleaning Business

If you dream of starting an inexpensive blue-collar business, you can consider a carpet cleaning business. This business involves removing contaminants and stains from rugs and carpets. 

Since the life spans of carpets and rugs can be elongated by regular cleaning, most rugs and carpet owners usually employ the services of carpet cleaners to help them remove dirt from it. Hence making it a profitable blue collar business that can put good food on your table. 

Fortunately, you don’t need special skills to start the business and the start-up capital is relatively affordable.

11. Parking Lot Cleaning Service

This service involves cleaning and maintaining a parking lot’s surface and surrounding environs. The core duty of a parking lot cleaner is to remove debris, stains, dirt grime, and sometimes weeds as well as fill potholes and cracks. 

There is no special technique or skill required. Hence you can start the business and start making money from it. Interestingly it doesn’t require lots of capital to start up.

To start a parking lot cleaning service, you will need tools like shovels, pressure washers, and brooms. 

12. Car Maintenance & Repair

Starting a car repair business won’t be a bad option if you’re a trained automobile mechanic. This business centers around servicing, diagnosing, repairing, and maintaining cars. To start this business, you need to be skillful and knowledgeable on how to diagnose and detect faults in cars.

This business is very profitable hence according to Satista, it revealed that in the United States alone, consumers spent about 194.9 billion dollars on vehicle repair and maintenance in 2021 and 2022.

13. Removal Of Pet Waste

Pet waste removal is another neglected blue collar business because of the dirtiness in the business. So, if you’re not allergic to waste products from pets you can start the business and start earning heavily from it. There is not much competition in this business because most people are irritated by waste from pets, making the business very profitable.

The services of pet waste removers are in high demand since most pet owners don’t have enough time to clean up their pets. Apart from pet owners, some property owners also employ this service to help keep their environs clean. As you offer pet waste removal services, you can use deodorants and sanitizers to disinfect the areas where you removed the waste so it won’t be malodorous.

14. Graffiti Removal Services

Property owners always need people to help remove unauthorized drawings or writing on private and public structures. As you may have known, graffiti is any unauthorized writing or drawing on a surface or structure. So, if you can remove these unauthorized writing or drawings like spray on walls, chalk, or markers on buildings, you can earn lots of money from it.

This business is lucrative and there are vast measures you can employ to render excellent services. Some of the measures you can employ include using solvents to dissolve the plastics & metals and power washing with high pressure to remove brick and concrete. You can also use chemical strippers to soften paints for easy removal.

15. Photography Business

Photography involves getting a snapshot of people, events, or special occasions. If you’re passionate about creating and capturing alluring images, then photography will be an excellent blue collar business to consider. 

The services of photographers are highly demanded on different occasions like weddings, birthdays, photo shoots, special anniversaries, etc. The business is highly rewarding if you show expertise in offering your services. As a photographer, you can offer different services like event photography, product photography, portrait photography etc. It is an inexpensive business that you can start with little capital.

To start a photography business, you’ll need tools like outstanding lighting equipment, quality cameras, lenses, etc. It is a business that is worth considering.

16. Jewelry Business

Another lucrative blue collar business is manufacturing, selling, or designing jewelry. This is a very lucrative business because people like to add to their beauty by putting on expensive jewelry.

The jewelry business has vast areas like designers, wholesalers, or evening manufacturers. So, if you know how to make jewelry, you can start this business. The start-up capital varies depending on the aspect you want to venture into. For instance, manufacturing jewelry can be costlier than reselling it hence before starting the business, it is essential to know your financial strength.

17. Construction Service

If you’re a construction engineer or know how to construct different structures, you can start earning extra money from offering construction services.

To offer excellent construction services, you’ll need to get the necessary skills either from school or via apprenticeship. Construction services that you can offer include building houses, infrastructure, road construction etc. However, starting up a construction company is capital-intensive.

18. Electronic Repair & Refurbishing

Repairing and refurbishing electronic products is also another blue collar business that is paying handsomely. This business requires skills before you can start it. Interestingly, you can quickly learn the skill from YouTube channels or via apprenticeship. It doesn’t take lots of time to get the skill. Interestingly, you don’t need to break the bank before starting this business. All you need is a skill and a few tools.

To start this business, you’ll need tools that will help you to deliver excellent service. Some of the basic tools you will need are wire cutters, screwdrivers, soldering irons etc.

19. Installation Of Solar Panel Business

The solar panel installation business is very rewarding with great prospects. Since the world is turning to greener technology for environmental sustainability, the need for solar energy has increased recently, making the business a haven for those who may want to start it.

One good thing about the solar panel installation business is that it is the future. Many countries have adopted it as the best way to reduce ozone layer depletion caused by incomplete combustion of carbon from energy sources. 

However, starting the business requires expertise and skills. So you can learn how to install solar panels if you don’t have the knowledge before now and start making extra money from it.

20. Dispatch Rider Services

Do you know how to drive and do you have your vehicle? Then you can become a dispatch rider. The role of a dispatch rider is to deliver goods to customers, handle paperwork, and accept payments for shipments among other duties.

To become a dispatch rider, you must have a valid driver’s license and a vehicle in good shape. This business is rewarding but you will need to create awareness about your business so that people will know more about it which will increase your customer base.

21. Transportation Business

Transportation business which involves offering services that take people or goods from one place to another is a lucrative business that is highly sought after. As a transporter, your services will solely depend on conveying people or goods from one place to another. It is a daily business that is highly rewarding. 

Suppose you want to start a transportation company. In that case, you will need to follow the due process like registering your company, getting necessary permits, employing qualified drivers, and getting functional vehicles that will enable you to succeed in your business.

22. Pet Sitting Business

If you derive joy in caring for pets, you can start a pet-sitting business and earn from it. A pet sitter takes care of pets daily when the pet owners are busy or on vacation.

It is the sole responsibility of the pet sitter to play with the pets to enhance their mental health, report any abnormalities in their behaviors to the owner, and provide nutritious meals for the pets as directed by the pet owners.

It is one of the inexpensive blue collar businesses you can start when you don’t have big start-up capital. Apart from the fact that it is cost-effective, the business is also less stressful when compared with other blue collar businesses.

23. Handyman Business

Handyman business is one of the part-time blue collar businesses that can give you extra money. The services of a handyman are to repair different kinds of home appliances related to their skills and the needs of their employer. In the simplest terms, a handyman is a fixer who repairs both exterior and interior home appliances. 

The amazing thing about the handyman business is that it is not an everyday business hence you can combine it with other businesses and still earn from it. And you can offer the skills you already have without learning new skills.

24. Storage Facility Business

If you have lots of unused space in your cottage, you can convert it to a storage facility and start earning a living. So if you have unused rooms, a warehouse, or a garage, you can convert them to storage facilities.

Amazingly, the start-up capital for this business is not much and another added advantage is that there is no special skill or technique required to kick-start this business. Even if you don’t want to use these facilities yourself, you can still rent the space to those who need it and make your money from it.

25. Phone Repair Business

Due to the increasing number of people who use smartphones nowadays, the phone repair business has become one of the most lucrative blue collar businesses that can put good food on your table. Phone repairing involves diagnosing and troubleshooting phones to find the fault they are having and subsequently fix it.

Phone repairing requires lots of skills especially as new models of smartphones are produced annually. Hence, if you want to start this business but don’t have the skills, you can learn the skills from YouTube channels or better still rolling for apprenticeship programs to get the needed techniques.

26. Meal Preparation Business

If you can cook and prepare yummy, palatable, and delicious meals, try starting a meal preparation business because it is profitable. The meal preparation business is a kind of business that involves preparing meals and delivering them to your client in their comfort zone.

This business is quickly gaining popularity because some workers may not have time to prepare their meals, hence seeking meal prep services. To make many gains and build a wide customer base, you must have good cooking skills, communication skills, and, above all, good customer relationships. To stand out among your contemporaries, you need to make your meals mouth-watering by spicing it with high-quality ingredients.  

27. Detergent Manufacturing Business

Due to the increasing demand for laundry detergents, manufacturing of detergents has become a very lucrative business. Since detergent is a consumer good and is needed by every household there is always a high demand for it. 

The demand for detergent is always high due to its uses for washing clothes, kitchen utensils, toiletries, etc. Starting the detergent manufacturing business is not difficult since the manufacturing process is quite simple. If you have start-up capital, then you can give this business.

28. Motorcycle Parts Business

Trading motorcycle parts is one of the blue collar businesses that is paying handsomely. So, if you want to be your boss, starting a motorcycle business won’t be a bad idea. The business is highly profitable and there are no special skills needed to start the business.

Fortunately, you don’t need to break the bank before starting a motorcycle parts business. All you need to do is survey your environment and find out if there are many people using motorcycles within your vicinity, and if so, just start selling motorcycle parts, and you will be happy that you did.

29. Junk Removal Business

Most businesses, offices, and households always want to remove broken properties like furniture. Hence, you can start a junk removal business to offer your service to those who need it and get rewarded with cash. This business is relatively inexpensive.

Unlike some blue-collar businesses that require skills and techniques to get started, junk removal businesses don’t require skill or prior knowledge. All you need to do is to get the necessary license and create awareness within your locality.

30. Bicycle Manufacturing Business

The demand for bicycles has continued to increase due to its eco-friendly nature. Besides the fact that it doesn’t pollute the environment like automobiles, it is also used for exercise. Globally, both young and old use bicycles for cycling-related exercises and competitions. 

Hence, starting up a bicycle manufacturing company is an excellent blue collar business to consider. You need average capital to start this business since you will need to employ some workers who will work for you, and you’ll also need to create a website for your company’s visibility.

Written by Chukwuebuka Calistus from https://seraphictide.com/