- Here is a rundown of the best business ideas for 2026: running an online course, massage therapist, franchise, cybersecurity consultancy, specialist recruiter and creative studio.
You’ve probably clicked on this article because you’re interested in starting a business in 2026. Well, you’re far from alone – a report from Block reveals that one in ten people want to be their own boss in 2026.
According to the government, there were 5.7 million businesses in 2025, 5.4 million of which were microbusinesses (fewer than ten employees). This translates to 99 per cent of UK businesses being SMEs and 95 per cent of those being microbusinesses. Overall, that’s a 3.5 per cent increase on 2024.
If you’re put off by increasing employer national insurance and the incoming Employment Rights Act 2025, there’s always the option of being a one-person operation.
Why not start in 2026? We’ve spoken to a few business owners about their experiences so that we can get your ideas flowing.
Read on for the full guide or go straight to the idea that intrigues you the most.
- Running an online course
- Massage therapist
- Franchise
- Cybersecurity consultant
- Specialist recruiter
- Creative studio
Running an online course
As brain rot takes hold of the population, demand for constructive online time is only going to increase. The great thing about online courses is that you can run them as a standalone, as an addition to your existing offering or a smaller side business.
Dani McFadden is the founder of The Sleep Consultant Academy. It’s an online course to help users certify in infant sleep and set up their own infant sleep consultancy. She explains what you need to know to get started with the creation of an online course.
Why is creating an online course a good idea?
Creating an online course is a great way to diversify your income away from a 1-2-1 business model.
We started our programme because we recognised that our original training in infant sleep missed a crucial part of being a successful sleep consultant. At the time, other infant sleep certifications on the market focused only on the theoretical and scientific evidence on sleep. But after working practically with clients and helping families improve sleep, we realised there was so much more knowledge we could have been taught upfront.
Why is 2026 an ideal year to start an online course business?
I think there is huge opportunity within the online space for people to create businesses and courses from the comfort of their own home. We particularly work with parents, mostly women, who find managing their old careers difficult after having kids.
This is only increasing as offices are expecting people back in full-time, and particularly in healthcare, retail and teaching where there is no opportunity to work from home. Very often these women, who decide to retrain in a different field, don’t have the business background to be able to set up a business. We’re big believers that business is a teachable skill and is something that can be learned if you have a step-by-step framework to follow.
What growth trends we’re seeing in the industry
Courses that will continue to do well in the future are considering individual learning style and needs. We partner with a neurodiversity business to ensure our content is accessible for everyone. We have videos for the visual learner, transcripts for those who prefer reading and live weekly calls and support for the learner that needs to talk it through.
People are becoming more aware of what requirements they have when it comes to work and training, and online courses need to see themselves as part of that movement or they will get left behind and lose revenue.
Top tips for starting an online course business in 2026
Online courses are a really accessible way for learners to study from home, often in the evening around current commitments.
If you are creating an online course the most important thing to do is to think about the person that you are delivering the course to. You want the person to be able to complete the course and use the contents practically. For example, we know our learners are often mums, and the only spare time they have is during nap times or on the train commuting to and from work. Instead of having 2-hour lessons on different topics, we have cut them down into smaller 15-to-20-minute sub lessons which makes it significantly easier for our learners to get through the content as and when they have short bursts of time available. Knowing the learning style and best delivery method for your students is critical for them to get success from the course.
A mistake I made with my first programme was to add in too much. Some course creators think you need to add in as much as possible for it to be impactful. But actually, people want information they need to know in the simplest and quickest way possible. Once they are certified, my students want to launch their business and start making money as quickly as possible. I have actually streamlined our content and streamlined the path to doing that as quickly as possible, even offering a done-for-you website template instead of lots of videos on how to do it yourself. People want the outcome from the course, not lengthy delivery.
Massage therapist
We spoke to Alison Bladh, founder of Alison Bladh Nutritional Therapy, about why this is a golden moment to go into massage therapy.
Why is starting a massage therapy business a good idea?
As an experienced massage therapist, beauty therapist and registered nutritional therapist specialising in women’s health, I have seen a clear shift in the wellness industry. Women over 40 are actively looking for treatments that support hormone changes, ease stress and help them feel more balanced. This is why menopause-focused therapies are becoming one of the biggest growth areas in beauty and wellness.
Why is 2026 an ideal time to start a massage therapy business?
The demand for personalised wellbeing support has never been higher. We are living in a society where chronic stress has become the norm, and it is having a detrimental effect on our long-term health. Women in particular are feeling the impact, juggling work, family and the physical changes that come with being 40 plus. More than ever, we need time to slow down, reset the nervous system and have space for ourselves without rushing or distraction.
Women want therapists who understand their unique needs, from sleep disruption and anxiety to muscular tension and changes in circulation. A massage business with a strong niche can thrive, and specialist treatments for hormonal health are rising fast because they offer real value rather than just pampering. Clients are more informed and want evidence-based care that genuinely improves how they feel.
What growth trends are we seeing in the industry?
• Personalisation and bespoke treatments rather than one size fits all
• A major focus on women’s health and perimenopause support
• Growing interest in nervous system regulation and stress reduction
• Clients seeking therapists with advanced training and proven methods
• Holistic, science-informed treatments combining mind and body techniques
Top tips for starting a massage therapy business in 2026
• Choose a clear niche. Clients are drawn to specialists, not generalists. Be known for something, whether that is menopause support, sports recovery or stress relief.
• Invest in high quality training. Advanced skills allow you to offer evidence-based, results-driven treatments that genuinely change how people feel, which is what keeps them coming back.
• Prioritise relationships, not quick sales. Listen carefully, be honest about what you can help with, and always follow up. Trust and consistency are the foundations of a fully booked diary.
• Deliver top class customer care. The little touches matter. A warm welcome, remembering personal details, a calm environment and thoughtful aftercare advice all help clients feel seen, valued and eager to return.
• Talk in outcomes, not just techniques. Clients care about better sleep, reduced stress, fewer aches and more energy. Make sure your services and your marketing speak directly to these results.
• Enjoy what you do. Your energy is part of the treatment. When you genuinely care about your clients and enjoy your work, it shows in every interaction and builds loyalty.
• Stay curious and keep learning. The wellness sector moves quickly. Ongoing education keeps your treatments fresh, effective and aligned with current research.
• Offer modern, relevant treatments. Blend relaxation with science-informed methods that support the nervous system, hormones and whole-body health so your work stands out from standard massage menus.
These are the principles I see working again and again for therapists who want a meaningful career, a loyal, returning client base and a financially healthy business.
Franchise
Entrepreneurs often report loneliness and feelings of isolation. Buying into a franchise gives you support from the franchisor and is a great alternative if you don’t want to start a business of your own or you want to get experience of running business elements without going the whole hog.
Cousins Yakub and Arif Master started franchising with street food café, Chaiiwala, eight years ago. They sing the praises of going down this route.
Why is buying a franchise a good idea?
The brand recognition that you get and the perception that the customers already have is helpful. There’s not a lot of hard work in terms of building a brand which is already done for you. That was a big, big attraction for us. Alongside that, it’s the support you get from the brand and from head office.
Opening a franchise allows you to concentrate on the harder parts of running a business. It allows you to look at things like rising minimum wage, energy costs and raw ingredients costs knowing full well that you’ve got guys in the background. They’re working on marketing and on budgets to help support each franchise. Ultimately, franchisors are under the same impression where if their franchisees are profitable, it’s going to help the brand grow even bigger.
In terms of day-to-day, we pretty much are told [what we need to do]. We have guidelines, menus and crib sheets that we have to follow. We have audits from head office, regular communication, e-mail communication, phone calls.
Chaiiwala are trying to tap into every single market that they can. They’re looking at drive-through locations, high street locations. Watford Gap has a Chaiiwala trailer which is placed in the car park. It’s at the forefront of their mind to try and hit every opportunity that they can and every stream of revenue. It gives franchisees more flexibility.
Why is 2026 an ideal year to start out as a franchisee?
I think there’s no shying away from the hospitality sector being a tough market at the moment and a tough place to be, especially for us as we consume a lot of energy. Energy prices are going through the roof and it has an impact, but again being able to lean on that support that you have from a franchise is what helps. It can be a very lonely place being a business owner.
Minimum wage is going up again in April. It’s a conversation we’ve had with the guys at head office. They’re aware. They work on looking at price increases, but also being fair to our customers.
What growth trends are we seeing?
There are 48,000 franchise businesses in the UK – which has more than doubled over the past 25 years. Franchises have a higher success rate than a typical start-up (99.5 per cent vs 50 per cent respectively).
Top tips for running a franchise in 2026
Ask around – that’s where I’d probably start with that. If you’re looking to open a franchise, you have to have the confidence in them. First of all, what locations do they have? How are they doing? Go and visit these sites as a customer and see the operation. Is it well run? Is it well staffed? I think that if a place is well staffed then you know that they can afford the wages, which means they’re doing something right. Order the product or service and see what gets delivered. There is a case for doing your own research.
Expect the unexpected, there are going to be challenges. It’s for you to try to be positive and look at how you can get through it yourself first. Look at yourselves, because ultimately there is a level of control that you have in order to make it a success.
Have a bit of energy about yourself. If you’re someone who thinks that it’s going to be an easy road, you’re going to struggle. We wake up every day and we have a love for the brand. It’s eight years in now and we want the brand to be successful. I feel that comes from an energy we have – we want to make sure we’re one of the top-performing stores and that doesn’t always necessarily mean financially. We want to be passing our audits every single time because that shows that we’re good operators. I think that’s important.
Cybersecurity consultant
Cybersecurity consultancy, Cyberhash. Founder, Manoj Bhatt, tells us more.
Why is starting a cybersecurity consultancy a good idea?
We work in a tech world which is constantly evolving. Every board talks about cybersecurity. We all experience a bit of cybersecurity in our day-to-day lives. Your banking apps have multi-factor authentication. We’re all used to these PINs coming in and having to use your fingerprints and biometrics and phishing text messages that are fake text and fake scams.
We all see this stuff day-to-day now. Whereas 10-15 years ago, we wouldn’t have seen those things. It was this dark art; now what we’re seeing as an industry is it’s becoming normalised.
Why is 2026 an ideal year for a cybersecurity consultancy?
Things are changing and customers are coming to us because we’re there to support customers from a cybersecurity perspective as those threats are changing. Things are changing continually.
People still need consulting. We still have a role to play, but our role is about simplification. Helping people understand where to make those investments and from a company perspective, that’s what we do.
We do a lot of talking to companies through a board level. What do they need to be investing in? It’s a growth area, but the growth area is not in cybersecurity. I think the growth area is around the translation of that. That’s from a consulting perspective.
The thing that we do with customers and with our clients is demystifying that so which the ones you should be going for instead of the 100, which is just the shopping list. Let’s work out what gives you value for money. What should you spend your money on? But that’s also where a huge amount of investment has come in.
What growth trends are we seeing?
We feel like there’s a growth trend in cybersecurity because of the incidents that have been happening. The external perception of the market versus the internal perception of market is very different.
Cybersecurity has grown. What’s really interesting, though, is more players have come into the market. So, the market share has been spread out equally as part of that. I don’t necessarily think it means more work for everyone. It means there’s more work, but there are more people sharing that work. The cybersecurity space has always been quite a technical discipline.
Nobody knew Crowdstrike in the general population until it hit the news, and now everybody knows who Crowdstrike are, whereas that stayed within the IT and cyber circles before. Now I meet people and they say, ‘Oh, talk to me about Crowdstrike,’ and these are friends who had no idea what I ever did. It’s becoming more and more prevalent.
There is a huge drive and a huge market for new cyber products that will protect you and protect customers and businesses. That market has exploded. Instead of one solution being available to do something for you, there are now 100 or 200.
You’re seeing a big amount of investment from venture capitalists and private equity and a whole bunch of others into companies that might have the new silver bullet for cybersecurity. And that’s been clear to see on things like Formula One cars and sponsorship. All of a sudden, you’ve got cyber companies that are really in your face on the advertising.
Top tips for starting a cybersecurity consultancy
When we started the business, AI was just really taking off. AI has fundamentally changed everything, so the one thing I’ve realised is you’ve got to be dynamic in whatever you’re selling, as long as you have your core values and you don’t deviate too far from those. That’s what I found has been really useful as a business owner. That’s what we go and talk to customers about.
I think there are a lot of things that you learn on the job: understanding your go-to market, where are you going to go to? How are you going to sort your customers and how are you going to generate income?
You’re going to have periods where you can work as hard as you can and do as much as you can. On paper you do everything that is right according to the books, but still the sales don’t come in. Still the market is the market and you can’t control that. Sometimes it’s just down to pure luck and I know that sounds bonkers.
The side hustle route is interesting because, particularly in what we do, a lot of people will do contracting for a company. Go and learn within a business or go learn within a company. You can even do it in a corporate. I learned a lot of these business lessons by just volunteering for things. I was the guy who was the fingers in pies and people would say, ‘Oh, we need to create a marketing proposition’ and I wouldn’t get paid any more for it. I’d do it in my evenings and I would help, but I would go and do that and I would just go and try and learn and see what that means about marketing. Just being honest and saying, ‘I’d like to learn more about business.’ I think people are quite open to that.
I just missed out on a few funding rounds. If I was to learn a lesson, I think looking at those and considering starting a business and then aligning it to those grant funds. Those funding grants, I think, would be really useful. I think if I’d started a few months earlier, actually, that would have helped some of the cashflow around some of the business areas.
Use the power of the network and your community. What’s been my greatest surprise is the volume of people that have helped and supported and I couldn’t have done that without the cheerleaders all over LinkedIn and people saying, ‘Oh, by the way, have you spoken to so?’ Network, network, network. Be out. Talk to people about what you’re doing not to sell, but just to tell people.
Specialist recruiter
As we head into 2026, hiring could become more complicated. Having a specialist recruiter is an asset for businesses and they may be willing to shell out more to take on pre-vetted candidates.
Paul McCallum, founder of hospitality, cleaning and events recruiter, PJ Staffing, talks to us about the perks of running a specialist recruiter business.
Why is starting a specialised recruitment business a good idea?
First and foremost, it gives instant confidence in your expertise. Having previously worked within your sector provides credibility and trust from day one. You naturally understand the realities behind both client and candidate expectations and can read between the lines to identify what is really needed. This allows you to place the right candidate into the right role, not just based on skillset, but also on culture fit and attitude.
Why is 2026 an ideal year to start a specialised recruitment business?
Recent news shows the unemployment rate at its lowest since 2021, currently sitting at 5.1 per cent. The year 2026 is shaping up to be a candidate-led market, meaning more talent will be available and actively looking for their next opportunity. With ongoing economic uncertainty, clients will also be more selective, both in who they hire and which recruitment partners they work with. As a specialist rather than a generalist recruiter, clients are naturally drawn to someone who truly understands their sector and can add real value.
What growth trends are you seeing in the industry?
We did see growth over the summer; however, in my opinion, the Autumn Budget has not been well received within the hospitality industry. With the National Living Wage and business rates increasing, we have seen a decline in agency staffing. This sector feels like it is taking another hit post-Covid.
Looking more broadly, rather than by sector, economic uncertainty may drive businesses to rely more heavily on contract and temporary workers. This provides greater flexibility for employers while also appealing to workers who value adaptable staffing solutions.
There is also a growing opportunity for employers to favour temp-to-perm arrangements, particularly in light of the Employment Rights Bill. With unfair dismissal rights now at six months rather than day one, recruitment agencies could become even more attractive to clients, allowing them to engage workers for an extended period before making a permanent commitment. If the measure comes into effect from January 2027, and includes individuals already in role, those starting in mid-2026 could automatically become eligible, further reinforcing the value of agency-led hiring models.
See also: Employment Rights Bill – what’s in the legislation? – Labour’s Employment Rights Bill has officially received Royal Assent. Here’s what it means for your small business
Top tips for starting a specialist recruitment firm in 2026.
Whether you are new to recruitment or an experienced recruiter setting up on your own, the fundamentals remain the same.
Regardless of specialism, clients and candidates insist on expertise, trust and confidence. Candidates are not simply looking for another job, and clients are not just trying to plug a gap. Both are looking for progression, whether that is the next step in a career or the right talent to strengthen a business. Without a strong understanding of compliance and genuine sector knowledge, this will be quickly spotted.
Creative studio
Having a creative hobby is shown to be beneficial for crafters’ mental health, social connections, self-confidence, and more. The creatives behind such studios are incredibly passionate about their craft, which inspires their students.
Sam Andrew, ceramicist and owner of Seven Limes Pottery, thinks it’s a great time to open a creative studio.
Why is starting a creative studio a good idea?
Creative work is satisfying, enjoyable and interesting. Basing your business on something you enjoy doing will help keep you motivated. Starting your own creative studio, whether pottery painting, stained glass making or textiles, will give you agency over the type of work you do and to work with the people you want.
The figures also look good. According to the Crafts Council, 73 per cent of adults in the UK are in the market for craft, with 20 per cent of these indicating they would pay to attend a craft workshop in the future.
Over one in five (21 per cent) has paid to take part in a craft class, workshop, or course, with 5 per cent (2.5 million) having done so in the past 12 months and a further 16 per cent (7.1 million) at some point in the past. (Crafts Council evidence submitted to DCMS in 2022)
The Crafts Council also points out that ‘craft has now become a mainstay of entertainment television, pushing it firmly into the public’s radar.’ Viewing figures for craft-based TV programmes such as The Great British Sewing Bee and The Great Pottery Throw Down are continually increasing.
Why is 2026 an ideal year to start a creative studio?
As our world becomes more unpredictable and increasingly online, people are seeking out in-person, tactile creative experiences and human interaction.
A creative studio, pottery in our case, is a modern community space where people meet to engage in a physical and creative activity, talk over a shared interest and develop their skills.
It’s a healthy activity outside of having drinks and the expense of eating out. They may end up with some unique, quirky and fancy homeware to decorate their homes, gift and even sell – perfect social capital for when they have guests over.
What growth trends are we seeing in the industry?
Handmade ceramics and pottery workshops are booming. In 2019 over 73 per cent of adults had bought craft and the Craft’s Council’s market for craft report found that buyers under 35 had grown to 32 per cent of the market, with a growing £3 billion contribution to the UK economy. These people are likely to have even more disposable income seven years later.
Over the past 12 years I’ve noticed this too in my classes and workshops. When I started teaching, I was always the youngest in the class, and most people were retirees or older adults, but now there’s a real range of ages, with many younger people in their early 20s taking classes too. With last year’s move to a larger, central Manchester property our business has grown by 60 per cent and it’s looking to go much further in the next.
Top tips for starting a creative studio in 2026
Pottery studios seem to be opening at a higher rate each year. People are opening them because they have a passion for ceramics which they want to share.
But just like any other business, you still want to look for a gap in the market for a higher chance of success.
A good start would be a location where there are no other studios within a 50-minute driving radius. Start-up studios I’ve seen not doing this, i.e. opening next to established studios, haven’t survived long.
Many of our customers come for a creative experience, but they stay for the social connections they make. We’re social animals after all and pottery studios may just be the new modern community space.
How do I go about starting a new business?
This is just the start of running your brand new business – there’s still licences, insurance and company structure to think about. Head to our start a new business section to look at more business ideas, decide on a business name and learn how to market yourself. Good luck!
Read more
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Three tests to measure the strength of your USP – Getting your USP right is critical to business success. In this piece, we look at three tests businesses can use to trial and develop their USP
