Startup costs, honestly
What it really costs to start
Itemized costs, realistic owner profit after your own labor, payback time, and a straight verdict for each business type. The numbers the brochures leave out.
| Business | Typical cost | Year-one profit | Payback | Call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bar | $350,000 | Often negative | 3-5 years | Trap |
| Beekeeping Business | $3,000 | -$1.5k-$500 | 3-5 years | Crowded |
| Blog | $200 | $0-$500 total | Months (cash costs) | Crowded |
| Cannabis Dispensary | $750,000 | Often a loss | 4-7 years | Trap |
| Car Wash | $3,500,000 | Often negative | 5-10 years | Crowded |
| Cleaning Business | $5,000 | $35k-$70k solo | 1-3 months | Promising |
| Clothing Brand | $8,000 | Usually negative | 2-4 years | Crowded |
| Coffee Shop | $275,000 | $0-$40k owner pay | 3-5 years | Crowded |
| Convenience Store | $250,000 | $30k-$70k | 4-7 years | Crowded |
| Daycare | $10,000 | $25k-$50k | Home: 3-9 months | Promising |
| Etsy Shop | $500 | $0-$3k | Months (cash costs) | Crowded |
| Food Truck | $110,000 | $20k-$60k | 2-4 years | Crowded |
| Franchise | $350,000 | A loss or breakeven | 5-8 years | Trap |
| Gas Station | $800,000 | $40k-$80k | 5-8 years | Crowded |
| Gym | $200,000 | -$30k-$30k | 3-5 years | Crowded |
| Hair Salon | $150,000 | $20k-$60k | 4-7 years | Crowded |
| Handyman Business | $15,000 | $45k-$90k | 3-6 months | Promising |
| HVAC Business | $65,000 | $60k-$130k | 6-12 months | Promising |
| Junk Removal Business | $25,000 | $40k-$90k | 3-9 months | Promising |
| Landscaping Business | $18,000 | $40k-$80k | One season | Promising |
| Laundromat | $250,000 | $15k-$40k | 5-8 years | Trap |
| LLC | $150 | $0 by itself | Not applicable | It depends |
| Nonprofit | $1,400 | $0 | None | It depends |
| Online Business | $2,500 | $0-$30k | Weeks | Promising |
| Pizza Shop | $275,000 | $30k-$70k | 3-6 years | Crowded |
| Podcast | $600 | $0 | Never | Crowded |
| Restaurant | $350,000 | Usually a loss | 5+ years | Trap |
| Roofing Business | $45,000 | $50k-$120k | 6-18 months | Promising |
| Trucking Company | $130,000 | -$20k-$30k | 5-plus years | Trap |
| Used Car Dealership | $100,000 | $40k-$100k | 1-2 years | Crowded |
Costs are half the question.
Whether anyone in your market wants YOUR version is the other half. Olune pressure-tests a specific idea against live demand signals and gives you a build-or-kill verdict in about 8 minutes.