5 Unique Small Business Ideas to Consider in 2023

Embrace the weird.

New year, new business? If you've decided that 2023 is the year to finally become your own boss, you might be collecting ideas for that perfect small business venture. It's safe to say that a lot of small business ideas are, well, played out.

How many articles have you read suggesting that you become a virtual personal assistant, a clothing reseller, or a house cleaner? Those are perfectly fine ideas, if a little mundane, but they're not for you. You're ready to try something bold and unique. Read on for a few interesting small business ideas to consider.

1. Making chicken diapers

Backyard chicken-keeping has become a hot hobby, even in urban spaces. If you enjoy sewing, you could go into business for yourself making chicken diapers. Why do chickens need diapers? Without getting too into the dirty details, chickens can't be housebroken the way, say, a dog can be. So if you need to keep a chicken indoors for any reason (maybe bad weather or an injury), a cloth diaper can prevent you from having to constantly break out the mop. The nice thing about this idea is that you can easily sell chicken diapers online, so if you live in an area where chickens are illegal, you can still reach customers via e-commerce.

2. Becoming a mermaid for hire

Do you have great breath control, and enjoy swimming and entertaining? Add mermaid for hire to your list of potential small business ideas. There are certainly work opportunities for mermaids (or other merfolk) at chic bars and restaurants, along with aquariums and other attractions that have water features, but you can also strike out on your own -- become an independent mer-contractor. Because children especially love mermaids, you and your scaly tail could entertain at birthday parties, but don't overlook the possibility of mer-modeling and even corporate events. Speaking of your tail, that will be a large expense for this business venture, and you'll also likely drop a good deal of money on marketing yourself.

3. Starting your own escape room

Escape rooms have become a very popular form of entertainment these last few years. I have friends who go to as many as they can, and seek them out on vacations to new cities. If you can rent space or perhaps already own space you can use to create your escape room adventure, you'll be in good shape. And if you live in an area that attracts tourists, you can pitch your escape room as a fun vacation activity that isn't weather dependent (ever notice how busy indoor entertainment spaces are on rainy days in beach towns?). Creativity is really key in this small business opportunity, as you'll want to come up with compelling clues and atmospheric decor.

4. Getting into goatscaping

Do you love animals and landscaping? Consider investing in a herd of goats and starting a goatscaping business. Goatscaping is an environmentally friendly way of providing lawn care and groundskeeping services, without need for gas-powered lawn mowers. You turn the goats loose on a piece of property and they'll "mow" it for you, and even provide some fertilizer. The biggest costs to you in starting this business will be obtaining the goats and maintaining them (housing and feeding when they're not working), as well as a vehicle and trailer to transport them to and from jobs.

5. Selling artisanal cookie dough

Ice cream shops are so played out. If you want to make and sell a fun food product, look at making and selling cookie dough instead. It is possible to make cookie dough that doesn't contain ingredients that can make you ill (like raw eggs, which can contain salmonella, and raw flour, which sometimes harbors E. coli), and you better believe this is popular stuff. Who among us doesn't have fond childhood (or adulthood) memories of digging into a bowl of cookie dough, pre-oven?

You can even craft unique recipes of your very own. You can sell it from a physical storefront, or even just open as an online storefront -- cookie dough is often packaged in small jars, making it pretty easy to ship with cold packs.

Once you start thinking outside the box, you'll be amazed at all the fun and unique ways there are to make money and be your own boss. These small business ideas may require specialized marketing, but if you're running the first goatscaping business in your area, it's likely that word of mouth and even local news coverage will take you far. Even with a unique business, you'll still want to ensure you've got a solid business plan that can set you up for success. Dig deep and consider embracing your most off-the-wall ideas when it comes to opening your own small business.