Startup cost
$2k–$25k
TRUiC Business Ideas
How to Start a Homeschooling Products and Services Business
Decision Snapshot
Homeschooling Products And Services
Idea Score
47
Profit margin
4%
Break-even
4 mo–12 mo
Time to launch
12 wk–36 wk
Demand trend
Stable
5-yr failure rate
—
Capital intensity
Medium
Time commitment
Flexible
Part 1 - How to start a Homeschooling Products and Services business - Background
The United States had around 2.5 million homeschooled students in 2019, according to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI). Just like teachers and students in public schools, homeschooling families need a variety of products to facilitate the education process. From curriculums and lesson plans to software and pencils, parents must purchase numerous items to facilitate their child’s education. Many of these parents also take advantage of homeschooling-related services, such as consulting, tutoring, and testing services.
Homeschooling products and services businesses meet the needs of parents who homeschool their children by providing the right tools and assistance for the job at hand. Parents who homeschool their kids often do so because they want to give them the best educational experience they can — and many are willing to pay for the products and services they need to achieve optimal results for their loved ones.
Our guide is in 3 parts:
- Part 1 - How to start a Homeschooling Products And Services business - Background
- Part 2 - Our planner tool to see if this idea is the right fit for you
- Part 3 - Action plan to get started
What are the costs involved in opening a homeschooling products and services business?
The costs of starting a homeschooling products and/or services business will depend greatly on exactly what type of business you want to open. For example, developing and manufacturing real-world products — like a new type of desk for homeschooling students — can cost $10,000 or more at the low end. In contrast, developing a curriculum on your own or offering consulting services can cost as little as a few hundred dollars to get started.
What are the ongoing expenses for a homeschooling products and services business?
If you operate a single-person business you can manage with your laptop and smartphone, such as a consulting business, you could spend as little as $2,000 to $3,000 per year on business expenses. If you instead run something more involved, such as a curriculum development company, you may need to pay for employees, curriculum development from qualified professionals, and possibly product manufacturing costs. All of this can add up to $100,000 a year or more in ongoing expenses.
Who is the target market?
The target market for this type of business includes homeschooling parents and their kids. This larger market also includes several submarkets. For example, multiple homeschooling companies focus on Christian-oriented materials. You may choose to focus your business on a specific submarket or you could try to target all homeschooling families.
How does a homeschooling products and services business make money?
Product sellers make money by converting interested homeschooling families into customers through the sales process. The more products those families buy, the more money the business earns. Service providers also can make money by selling individual packages — such as a week of consulting services — or they may choose a subscription model. Subscription models might charge less per transaction, but could possibly earn more income in the long term.
How much can you charge customers?
How much you can charge your customers will depend on what you plan to sell. A popular homeschooling curriculum business sells a yearlong curriculum for the first grade for around $399. Homeschooling tutors may charge between $20 and $50 an hour, depending on the subject.
How much profit can a homeschooling products and services business make?
A single-person, homeschooling consulting business might make $50,000 to $100,000 a year, depending on the market and the exact services it offers. A curriculum development and sales company could earn much more if sales are good. For instance, if such a company sold 1,000 curriculums at $400 each, it would earn $400,000. Once that company subtracted $100,000 for its annual operating costs, it would then have $300,000 in profits. While these numbers are estimates, they demonstrate the point that product development and sales could prove quite lucrative.
How can you make your business more profitable?
Expanding your customer base is key to boosting the profitability of homeschooling product and/or service businesses. A consulting service might need to hire more consultants to meet additional demand, but it also would be able to earn considerably more due to the increase in work hours available. That same company that sold 1,000 curriculums in one year would earn significantly more if it sold 5,000 the next year.
Growing your customer base will require continued marketing efforts and community outreach, but it’s definitely possible.
Day-to-Day and Growth
What happens during a typical day at a homeschooling products and services business?
A typical day will depend a lot on the types of products and/or services you sell. For example, a typical day at a homeschooling curriculum business might consist of curriculum development, sourcing curriculums from other developers, and marketing existing curriculum products to potential customers. A homeschooling consultant business might instead focus on meeting clients to discuss learning objectives, writing summary reports, and updating social media profiles for marketing purposes.
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful homeschooling products and services business?
A personal homeschooling experience is a big selling point for homeschooling businesses. Many of the parents shopping for these products and services seek like-minded people and gravitate toward those with homeschooling experience as either a parent or student. Legitimate education credentials, such as a teaching degree, also can serve you well by promoting trust with potential customers.
What is the growth potential for a homeschooling products and services business?
A homeschooling products and/or services business can offer significant growth potential. With 2.5 million potential customers — a population NHERI expects will continue to grow — your business could flourish if you can provide a product or service that meets the needs of most (or all) homeschooling families. If you offer curriculums for grades K-12, for example, you could potentially have recurring customers for 12 years in a row.
What are some insider tips for jump starting a homeschooling products and services business?
Knowing your market and building rapport with potential customers is important — particularly when it comes to homeschooling. It takes a high level of commitment to their child’s education for a parent to take them out of school and teach them personally. Some families do it for religious reasons. Others do it because they believe they can do a better job than the school system. You’ll need to market your business in such a way that you attract these families and avoid alienating them.
How and when to build a team
Some homeschooling-related businesses, such as a consulting service, can operate fairly easily with just one person. Others, such as curriculum development companies, usually require multiple people to stay on top of everything. If you want to develop and maintain curriculums for multiple subjects across multiple grade levels, you’ll need to hire some employees to help with the process.
A simple way to tell if you need to build a team is to examine your schedule for the past month or more. Have you been able to keep up with demand? If not, your business likely will benefit from a few extra hands.
Part 2 - Is a Homeschooling Products and Services business the right fit for you?
Business Evaluation & Strategy Tool
We'll walk you through the four pillars every business needs: Points of Leverage, Marketing Strategy, Financial Model, and Personal Compatibility. At the end you'll see a personalized report and your action plan below will be tailored to your answers.
Step 1 of 4 — Points of Leverage
Every viable business has natural advantages. Below are common leverage points across four categories. Pick the ones that apply to your Homeschooling Products And Services business. We've pre-suggested a few based on your idea — review and adjust.
Step 2 of 4 — Marketing Strategy
Without a way to connect with customers, even great businesses fail. Pick the channels you plan to use to reach your customers.
Step 3 of 4 — Financial Model
Enter your monthly baseline costs — the minimum overhead to keep the business running. Then we'll calculate how many sales per month you need to break even.
Step 4 of 4 — Personal Compatibility
A business that doesn't fit your life will fail no matter how good the numbers look. Tell us how this business fits you.
Your Homeschooling Products And Services Evaluation Report
Complete the four pillars and your personalized summary will appear here.
Points of Leverage
Marketing Strategy
Financial Model
Personal Compatibility
Part 3 - Action plan to launch your Homeschooling Products and Services business in 90 days
Nine concrete steps to take you from idea to open business, grouped into 30-day phases. Complete the planner above and we'll highlight what's most important for your situation.
First 30 days — Foundation
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Form your legal entity
An LLC keeps your personal assets separate from business debts and lawsuits — the most common reason small business owners choose this structure. Sole proprietorships and partnerships do not provide this protection.
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Get an EIN and register for taxes
Apply for your free Employer Identification Number through the IRS, then register for any state or local taxes that apply to your business (sales tax, franchise tax).
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Open a business bank account and credit card
A dedicated business account is required to maintain personal asset protection. Mixing personal and business finances ('piercing the corporate veil') can void your LLC's liability shield.
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Set up business accounting
Recording expenses and income from day one makes tax filing easier and lets you see when the business is actually profitable. Use software (QuickBooks, Wave) or a part-time bookkeeper.
Days 30–60 — Compliance & Risk
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Get permits and licenses
State and local requirements vary widely. Brick-and-mortar businesses typically need a Certificate of Occupancy; service businesses may need specific professional licensing; food businesses need health permits.
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Get business insurance
General Liability Insurance is the most common starting point. If you'll have employees, most states require Workers' Compensation. Specific industries need additional coverage (product liability, professional liability, etc.).
Days 60–90 — Launch
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Define your brand
Your brand is how customers perceive and remember you. A clear name, logo, and visual identity make every later marketing decision easier and protect you legally as you grow.
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Create your business website
Every legitimate business needs a website. Social media pages are not a substitute — you don't own the platform. Modern website builders mean you can launch a clean site in a weekend without a developer.
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Set up your business phone system
A dedicated business number keeps your personal life private, makes the business look legitimate, and lets you route calls professionally. Cloud phone services start under $20/month.