Best 25 Small Business Ideas for Ex-Felons in 2024

You can start with a fresh idea and entrepreneurship as an ex-felon and give your life new meaning and positivity. There are many business ideas for ex-felons that will help you out.

You do not need to do a job for less pay and get underpaid. Starting a small business will enable ex-felons to earn a comfortable income.

Think of your skills and potential. Business ideas for ex-felons give you opportunities to utilize your skills and potential commercially and earn good profit.

Focus on the area of your business and find out the demand for particular goods or services. It is most important for ex-felons to choose a business that matches the local demand.

25 Business Ideas for Ex-Felons

1. Poultry Farming

Poultry farming is a profitable business and you can take up this business if you have a space or farmland. Raise hens, ducks, geese, or turkeys as per your choice or local demand. Take care of the chicks, give them good fodder, and keep regular contact with a vet. Arrange for the sale of the products in the local markets, hotels, restaurants, or grocery stores. This business idea for ex-felons will fetch you a good income.

2. Dairy Farming

Dairy Farming is a very prospective business idea for ex-felons. You can take up this business and earn a good profit within a few months. To become successful in this business, you will need a basic knowledge of dairy farming and taking care of the animals. Make widespread publicity of your dairy for quick and easy sales. Selling directly from the dairy is a good selling point.

3. Organic Farming

Organic products like fruits and vegetables have a good demand and fetch a good price in the market. You can start the business of organic farming and grow fruits or vegetables without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This business idea for ex-offenders needs an official certification of organic products from the necessary authority. You have to make strong local publicity and marketing for quick sales of your produce.

4. Event Manager

Start your event management company and earn good profits by organizing different types of social, official, or other events. Since event management is teamwork, you have to hire manpower for this business idea for ex-felons. Your website along with online and offline marketing is necessary to grow the business.

5. Fitness Trainer

Are you a fitness freak? Get yourself trained as a certified fitness trainer and start the business of training people. It is a sought-after business now and if you can build up goodwill you will get a lot of clients for this business idea for ex-felons. Personal network and well-planned marketing will help you in this business.

6. Dog Sitting/Walking

Both dogs sitting or walking are profitable business ideas for ex-felons. If you are a dog-lover or a pet-friendly person, you can start these pet-related businesses. Your physical fitness and communication with the dogs are most important for this business. Good contact, strategic marketing, and publicity of your services will help you in getting more clients. Gradually you can expand the business and start an agency of dog sitters and runners.

7. Bakery

Staring your bakery is a lucrative business option. You can do this business from home with low investment. This is a perfect business idea for ex-felons where you will get good returns regularly. The quality of your baked items should be very good and you will need to do marketing of your products locally so that they are sold quickly. Home or store delivery will be a plus point in your bakery business.

8. Food Truck

If you are good at cooking, the food truck is a suitable as well as profitable business for you. You have to invest in the truck and cooking arrangements. Take your truck to crowded places like office areas or near colleges and serve local favorite items. That will create a niche for your food truck and you will get a comfortable income from this business idea for ex-felons.

9. Online Teaching

Online teaching is a profitable business idea for ex-felons with a good academic background or specialization in a skill. You can start this business from home only with a laptop or PC and an internet connection. Choose the subject or skills of your choice and teach accordingly. Digital marketing and social media publicity will help you in getting more students for your online teaching program.

10. Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is also a very profitable business idea for ex-felons. If you have writing skills you can earn a good income by freelance writing from home. Many online portals like Fiverr, Freelancer, or Upwork provide online writing assignments to freelancers. You can register your name there and get regular work. Online marketing and publicity are also effective.

11. Web Designing

Web designing is a good business option for you as it has a good demand in the market. If you are not trained in web designing, get yourself trained and start the business. Have your website for publicity as well as marketing. A few successful assignments will get you more clients in this business idea for ex-felons.

12. Graphic Design

Graphic designing is also a paying business idea for ex-felons. All you need is a laptop or PC and stable internet connections apart from your design skills. Digital marketing and social media publicity will get you more jobs. Your website is also very important.

13. Photography

If you have photographic skills or training you can start a photography business. This is a prospective business idea for ex-felons as there are many areas and specializations of photography business like news, sports, fashion, tourism, events, etc. Marketing and publicity are needed for getting clients for this business. Word of the mouth publicity is also important.

14. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a suitable business for you as it does not need much investment. Only network and publicity are needed for this business idea for ex-felons. To be successful in this business you have to be connected to big online selling platforms like Amazon or eBay and sell goods from manufacturers who will give you a good commission. Online publicity will give you great benefits in this business.

15. Salon

Opening a unisex salon is a very profitable business for you. Find a good location for this business idea for ex-felons. Arrange for a cool décor and trained staff for your salon. Strategic marketing and publicity are important for this business. However, you need to have a good knowledge of styling and haircutting to be successful in this business.

16. Fashion Design

If you have training or a good sense of design, you can start your business as a fashion designer. This is a profitable business idea for ex-felons. Sell your designs to different boutiques. Or you can make your clothes and sell them online and open a boutique in some time. Good networking, marketing, and publicity are very effective for the growth of this business.

17. Tailoring and Alteration

Are you a skilled tailor? If yes then tailoring and alteration services is a profitable business for you. Start your tailoring unit from home and make online and offline publicity of your services along with local campaigns. You will earn a good profit from this business idea that is suitable for ex-felons like you. Your efficiency, prompt services, and word of the mouth publicity are important for the success of this business.

18. Laundromat

Laundromat is a profitable business idea for ex-felons. Being an essential service, this business has a good demand. If your house has enough space you can start the business from home. Taking a franchise is also a good option for you. Good and prompt services are keywords to your success in this business. Local marketing and publicity will get you more clients.

19. Car Repair/Car Wash

Open a car repair and car washing service center and earn good profits. This is a very good business idea for ex-felons. You must have training in auto repair to run this business and also need to hire some workers for this service center. Online and offline publicity is important for this business to flourish.

20. Pool Cleaning

Pool cleaning is a very profitable business idea for ex-felons. Start this business by providing service to local people and gradually increasing your client base with your marketing skills and publicity. Good contacts and networking are also important for this business to grow.

21. Graffiti Removal

Graffiti removal is an important service needed by owners of big buildings, malls, departmental stores, etc. This service can be a good business idea for ex-felons. The more you do this job, the more your income. Local marketing and publicity with posters, pamphlets, and flyers along with online marketing are effective tools for the growth of this business.

22. Lawn and Garden Maintenance

If you have good knowledge of lawn care and gardening, start providing lawn and garden maintenance services professionally. This is a good business idea for ex-felons as it has much demand and the payment rates are also good. Make your service known to the residents and gradually spread the extent of your services to distant areas also. Online and offline marketing and referrals will give you more clients thereby increasing your income.

23. App Cab Driver

Working as an App Cab driver is a profitable business idea for ex-felons. You can start this business with any app cab company and earn a good income regularly. Registering your name as a driver is the primary condition. After working as a driver for a considerable time, you can buy your car and put it on rent as an app cab and get more income.

24. Virtual Assistant

The virtual assistant is a profitable business area and a suitable business idea for ex-felons. If you have organizing skills and good proficiency in the language you can start working as a virtual assistant for several clients from your home. Here also online job portals provide many openings for virtual assistants. List your name there with a professionally made CV and get many opportunities.

25. House Painting

House painting is a quite lucrative business and a well-suited business idea for ex-felons. It has a steady demand around the year and if you can add house and roof repair and maintenance services you can get more income. Publicize your services locally with posters, banners, leaflets, etc. Online marketing and publicity are also important for this business.

There are ample opportunities for ex-felons to grow their business and earn a comfortable income. Business ideas for ex-felons show you the right direction.