A record number of Americans are reshaping their career dreams right now. As the pandemic wears on employees, many are looking to leave their 9-5 and become their own boss by starting their own small business. Small businesses currently make up 99% – or approximately 31 million – of all businesses in the country. We may continue to see that number rise.
Interest in Entrepreneurship Skyrockets During COVID-19 Pandemic
Whether they are looking for better pay, increased flexibility, or a better work-life balance, millions of Americans are looking to make a career out of their hobbies and passions. A new report from SurePayroll shows Google Searches for “how to start a small business” jumped 124% during the first six months of the pandemic. Interest continues to remain steady. Google searches for “easy businesses to start up” increased 84% between March 2020 and September 2021.
New Small Business Popularity by State
If you plan to open your own small business, understanding the current landscape is crucial, so SurePayroll analyzed more than 600 Google search terms to see what types of businesses Americans are most interested in starting right now. The majority of Google searches keyed in on how to start five small business types: clothing/boutique store, home/yard renovation, online retail, food, and fitness.
The analysis found opening a boutique clothing store was the most searched term in Alabama, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. In five states (Connecticut, Maine, Idaho, Kansas, and Vermont) people are most interested in starting home renovation businesses. Maybe they got inspired after spending more time in their homes during the pandemic!
While there were commonalities among states, three stood alone. In Georgia, a majority of aspiring small business owners are focusing on home rentals/Airbnb properties. Massachusetts residents are interested in consulting work and Michigan residents are looking into woodworking!
Aspiring Small Business Owners in Major Metropolitan Areas
The most commonly searched terms tend to vary not only between states – but they often diverge between states and major metropolitan areas as well.
For example, opening a boutique clothing store had the most Google searches overall in Texas, but in Dallas, home renovation business tops the list. In El Paso and Houston, people are interested in starting a transportation business and people living in Ft. Worth are looking to help others get healthy by opening a fitness-related business.
Overall – the top searches among people living in larger cities were fitness-related and starting an online Etsy shop.
Understanding the most popular types of small businesses people are interested in starting will help entrepreneurs as they look to follow their dreams and pursue their passions.
“Small business owners, as well as those who dream of one day lighting an open for business sign, recognize the value in learning about factors shaping the marketplace. Our search term analysis indicates that whether someone is ready to pursue small business ownership or expand and grow existing operations, understanding the competitive landscape is an important consideration,” said John Cumbee, SurePayroll General Manager.
Take a look at the full report from SurePayroll here
Methodology
We analyzed more than 600 Google search terms related to starting small businesses to complete this study. For state-level data, we looked at search volume per capita averages over the past year and a half, comparing certain terms from before the pandemic to current times.