After watching a video from Tim Richard, I realized how many local side hustle opportunities are hiding in plain sight. While so many people chase saturated online businesses, there’s a goldmine right in our own communities. Tim broke down several untapped ideas that opened my eyes—some people make $10,000 to $20,000 a month with minimal marketing.
What stood out to me was how low the barriers were. Most of these side hustles just require basic skills, small startup costs, and a little hustle—things like a simple Facebook post or a few flyers can be enough to get started. These aren’t just theories, either—Tim shared real examples of people doing this right now.
Here are two that really stuck with me:
1. Backyard Putting Green Installation
One example Tim gave was someone making around $12,000 a month installing backyard putting greens. Instead of targeting wealthy clients like traditional landscapers, they focused on everyday homeowners who wanted a fun backyard upgrade.
They started by installing one in their own backyard, then did one for a friend. A few before-and-after photos posted on their local Facebook community page exploded with interest. Just 2–4 monthly jobs, charging $1,500–$8,000 each, were enough to build a six-figure income.
2. Oversized Game Rentals
Another hustle that caught my attention was renting oversized games—things like giant Jenga, massive Connect Four, and oversized chess.
One entrepreneur invested in a few games and started contacting event planners, breweries, and wedding venues. Renting the games out for $200–$500 per event, they quickly scaled to $10,000 a month working part-time. The best part? A lot of their customers became repeat clients.
Flipping Opportunities With High Margins
3. Electric Scooter Flipping
With the rise in electric scooter popularity comes an opportunity to profit from repairs. Many owners quickly discard scooters when minor issues arise. One entrepreneur buys these broken scooters for $30-$50, makes simple repairs under $100, and resells them for $600-$2,000.
The most profitable opportunity came when a company went out of business and liquidated 20,000 scooters. By purchasing these at auction and making minor repairs, this side hustler now makes nearly $10,000 monthly.
4. Hot Tub Flipping
This might be the only business where customers pay you to take their product, and then you sell it for profit. Many homeowners purchase hot tubs with grand visions, then rarely use them. When they want to remove these bulky items, they’ll often pay someone to haul them away.
Once you understand basic hot tub repairs, you can fix minor issues and resell working tubs for hundreds or thousands of dollars. The key is presenting them well on Facebook Marketplace with quality photos.
Service-Based Side Hustles With Recurring Revenue
5. Photo Organization Services
A local mom started a $7,000 monthly business by organizing digital photos. After organizing her own massive photo collection, friends asked if she’d do theirs for a fee. Word spread quickly, and a single post on her local Facebook community page brought many clients.
She charges $ 200- $ 1,500+ per project and works 10-20 hours weekly on her own schedule. Clients don’t mind waiting a few weeks for their organized photos since they’ve procrastinated on this task for years. She’s expanded her revenue by offering upsells like photo book creation and long-term cloud storage.
All you need to start is:
- A laptop
- Cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud)
- Photo sorting software (Apple Photos, Adobe Lightroom)
6. Pet Door Installation
This service has high search volume but low competition. Many pet owners purchase doggy doors but hesitate to cut holes in their walls or doors themselves. You can tap into this underserved market by offering professional installation services for $200-$1,000+.
Marketing is straightforward—post flyers at dog parks, pet stores, and on community Facebook pages. Once you’ve installed a few doors, the process becomes routine, allowing you to complete jobs faster and increase your hourly rate.
7. Mobile Teeth Whitening
Instead of working from a salon or dental office, one entrepreneur brings teeth whitening services directly to clients’ homes. Charging $150 for 45-minute sessions, she makes $3,000-$5,000 monthly part-time without spending on advertising.
The startup costs are reasonable:
- Professional LED whitening machine: $300-$600
- Whitening gels and supplies: ~$100
Most clients return every 3-6 months, creating a steady recurring revenue stream. Her marketing strategy was simple—posting before-and-after photos on her local Facebook community page generated significant interest.
Why These Side Hustles Work
What makes these opportunities so effective is their focus on underserved local markets. They offer services people want but can’t easily find. With minimal competition and simple marketing through community Facebook pages or flyers, these side hustles can quickly gain traction.
The best part? You can start most of these with basic skills and minimal investment. Whether you’re looking for extra income or a pathway to full-time entrepreneurship, these untapped local opportunities provide a practical starting point with proven profit potential.
Tim believes the most successful side hustles aren’t always the most innovative—they’re often the ones that solve everyday problems for people in your community willing to pay for convenience and expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much startup capital do I need for these side hustles?
Most of these side hustles require minimal startup capital. The putting green installation might need $500-1,000 for initial materials, oversized games could cost $1,000-2,000 to build a collection, and teeth whitening equipment runs about $500-700. The photo organization service requires a laptop and software you might already own. The flipping businesses (scooters and hot tubs) can start with a single-item purchase.
Q: Do I need special training or certification for these businesses?
Most of these don’t require formal certification. For teeth whitening, check local regulations, as some areas may have requirements. For the others, practical experience is more important than formal training. Many successful entrepreneurs learned through YouTube videos, online research, and hands-on practice with friends and family before offering services commercially.
Q: How long does it typically take to start earning significant income?
Based on the examples, most entrepreneurs began seeing meaningful income within 2-3 months. The key factor is building initial credibility through successful projects. Customer acquisition typically accelerates once you have before-and-after photos or testimonials to share on community pages. Service-based businesses with recurring clients (like teeth whitening or photo organization) tend to build more stable income over time.
Q: Which of these side hustles can be scaled into full-time businesses?
The greatest scaling potential is for putting green installation, oversized game rentals, and mobile teeth whitening. The installation business could expand by hiring crews and serving multiple areas. Game rentals can grow by adding inventory and targeting corporate events. Teeth whitening could evolve into a mobile spa service with multiple technicians. The photo organization business could also scale by hiring and training assistants while you focus on client acquisition.
Q: What’s the most effective marketing strategy for these local businesses?
According to the entrepreneurs running these businesses, local Facebook community pages consistently deliver the best results with zero marketing costs. Visual content is crucial—before-and-after photos of putting greens, organized photo collections, or whitened teeth generate immediate interest. Word-of-mouth referrals become the primary growth driver for service businesses once you’ve served your first few clients well. Strategic placement of flyers (like pet door installation flyers at pet stores) provides targeted exposure to your ideal customers.