Looking to start your own business in 2025? At Simply Business, we’ve delved into our customer data (plus what’s trending online) to reveal the latest trends among small businesses and the self-employed.
What are the most popular new business ideas, and how has rising cost of running a business impacted these trends? Here’s what we’re predicting for 2025 – hint: we’re definitely a nation of foodies.
7 fastest growing trades for small businesses
We analysed all new Simply Business business insurance policies taken out in 2023 and 2024 to find the fastest growing small business sectors.
Read all about the top seven trades expected to grow the fastest in 2025:
1. Takeaway food
Takeaways top our list as the fastest growing business idea – with a 16 per cent growth from 2023 to 2024.
Takeaways can be a great business opportunity as more people are choosing to eat in their homes rather than at a restaurant. Recent studies from Statista show that people aged 30 to 49 spent an average of £5.80 a week on takeaways in 2022.
Takeaways naturally lend themselves to a range of cuisines, so if you’re passionate about a specific food, takeaways could be a great way to share it with a wide market. To get started, you’ll need top notch cooking skills, business savvy, and an understanding of food hygiene regulations.
Interested? Learn more about how to open a takeaway in our guide.
2. Security guard
Our second fastest growing business was security guard, with a growth rate of 14 per cent. And with the Office for National Statistics reporting that the number of crimes recorded in the year ending March 2024 reached 6.7 million, it’s easy to see why.
While being a security guard requires a good level of physical fitness to get started, it also comes with low start up costs. And depending on your interests, you can dedicate your time to things like guarding valuables or public surveillance.
Read our full guide to becoming a security guard to help you get started.
3. Handmade crafts
Whether it’s online or through market stalls, selling handmade crafts was our third fastest growing business – with insurance policies rising by 12 per cent in 2024. Crafting covers a wide range of talents, so whatever you’re good at, there’s opportunity to start a business.
As well as your chosen trade, selling handmade crafts will involve a good knowledge of marketing, as well as bookkeeping and general business skills.
Learn more about how to sell your handmade crafts in our guide.
4. Greeting cards
Greeting cards are a breakout subject from small business ideas, according to Google Trends. With little start up costs, this can be a good business opportunity for those with design skills and creative ideas.
There are plenty of platforms available to sell your designs on, including specialist greeting card platform Thortful. You could also look to sell on Etsy – or even look to stock them in local shops or market stalls.
Keep an eye on current popular culture trends or memes in order to keep your designs current and don’t forget to promote them on social media.
5. Food stall
Our second food-related business on the list – food stalls saw a growth rate of nine per cent. One benefit of starting a food stall rather than a typical restaurant is its portability. Many food stall owners travel the country, pitching up at festivals or popular tourist attractions – making it a great option for those who love to travel as much as cooking.
Make sure you read up on the regulations needed to start your own food stall – we cover everything you need to know in our guide to street food businesses.
6. Virtual assistant
Being a virtual assistant is another trending business idea – with a 140 per cent increase in Google searches in the last twelve months. Virtual assisting is popular as it’s fully remote, requires little start up costs, and can be flexible to fit around existing commitments.
On top of admin and secretarial tasks, virtual assistants can also take on marketing, accounting, and project management roles, making it a varied business opportunity for those looking for flexibility in a business opportunity.
You can learn more about the skills needed to become a virtual assistant (plus tips on getting clients) in our guide.
7. Fast food
Fast food restaurants finish off our list, growing two per cent from the previous year. In fact, there are currently over 48,000 fast food restaurants in the UK – and it’s increasing every year.
If you’re looking to open your own fast food restaurant, make sure to do some market research and see what’s missing in your area. There may be a surplus of burger joints but a lack of pizzerias.
Check out our full guide to opening a restaurant for more tips.
Opening a business checklist
Remember, you need more than a basic idea to open a business. If you’ve found the perfect business idea but need a little more help getting started, here’s some things to know:
- Make sure there’s a gap in the market – this can make sure your business stands out from the rest
- Choose the right business name – here’s some tips on how to pick a good one
- Write a business plan – this can help you set realistic goals and even get funding
- Find funding opportunities – check out whether you’re eligible for any grants or loans
- Register as self-employed – we cover everything in our guide
Are you planning to start a business in 2025? Let us know what it is in the comments below.
More guides and resources for starting a business
- Small business ideas – best businesses to start yourself
- How to start a business in 9 steps
- 11 of the best online business ideas
- Why do I need business insurance?
Methodology: Simply Business analysed policies that were trading less than a year in 2023 and 2024 to find the fastest growing sectors.
Looking for self-employed insurance?
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