Best Business Ideas for INFPs

A range of businesses can suit INFP entrepreneurs well, as outlined in this list of 23 business ideas. Grouped into five categories, each of these business ideas includes an assessment of the associated startup costs, required skill level, and earning potential.

• Art & Design Businesses
• Social Service Businesses
• Health Care Businesses
• Communications Businesses
• Consulting Businesses

ART & DESIGN BUSINESSES

1. PHOTO RESTORATION SERVICE

A photo restoration service takes old or damaged photos and repairs and preserves them in digital format for the owner’s long-term enjoyment. This business is a good fit for INFP entrepreneurs as it allows them to immerse themselves in meaningful projects as well as flex their creativity skills.

The work requires a good deal of technical skill, but the most successful business owners have the ability to connect with their clients on a personal level — understanding the importance of restoring their most meaningful memories. Academic or professional experience with photography and professional photo editing software is an ideal background to start this type of business.

Learn how to start a photo restoration service.

2. PHOTO EDITING BUSINESS

A photo editing business specializes in editing existing photos for clients — from simple retouching or lighting adjustments to more complex Adobe® Photoshop® work. Much like photo restoration, this line of work suits INFP business owners well based on its autonomy as well as the creativity and personal touch they can bring to the work.

Entrepreneurs who start photo editing businesses typically have a background in photography, extensive knowledge of photo editing applications, and the ability to promote their business online.

Learn how to start a photo editing business.

3. GRAPHIC DESIGN BUSINESS

Graphic design professionals create designs for use across a wide range of visual mediums, such as signage, letterheads, ads, sales material, and digital content. Creativity, strong communication skills, and intuition make INFP entrepreneurs well-suited for a career creating designs to effectively communicate their clients’ messages. Graphic designers typically have a bachelor’s degree in the field as well as strong marketing and networking skills.

It’s possible to start your graphic design business for less than $2,000, depending on what equipment you already own. Graphic designers typically achieve 15% to 50% profit margins and have a moderate earning potential.

Learn how to start a graphic design business.

4. PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS

Professional photographers use their creative eye to capture images of everything from weddings to nature to products featured in catalogs. Like the other jobs in this category, photography’s degree of artistic license, flexible schedule, and personal touch all make it a great fit for INFP business owners.

Understanding each client and their specific needs is an important strength INFPs can bring to this career. While this type of business requires no formal education, skills and experience with photography and photo editing are essential to your success.

Learn how to start a photography business.

5. MURAL PAINTING BUSINESS

Mural painters specialize in creating unique works of art that cover large areas both inside and outside of buildings. For the INFP entrepreneur with the right skills, mural painting is an incredible opportunity. Murals often beautify otherwise dull or run-down spaces or serve as the focal point of an interior space.

Working closely with clients to develop a piece of art that will bring joy to many on a daily basis is a particularly fulfilling career choice for an INFP. Experience and a strong portfolio of your work will help you win clients.

Learn how to start a mural painting business.

6. WEB DESIGN BUSINESS

Web designers create attractive and effective websites for their clients. This is a great option for INFP entrepreneurs seeking a creative outlet outside of a traditional art field. Communication is key to building successful relationships with clients and addressing their particular needs. Successful web design business owners don’t necessarily have a degree in web design, although they should have some experience in the field.

You can limit your startup costs to less than $5,000 if you operate out of your home, and web design business owners can earn around $75,000 per year. There’s solid room for growth in this industry as long as you have an effective business model, a good marketing plan, and produce quality content.

Learn how to start a web design business.

Find a Web Domain For Your INFP Business

Securing a web domain and creating a quality website is important for the overall success of an INFP business. You can search for an available domain below:

SOCIAL SERVICE BUSINESSES

7. CAREER COACH BUSINESS

Career coaches offer professional insight to others as they seek to grow their personal brand and increase their career trajectory. This line of work requires business owners to tap into their intuition, empathy, and communication skills — all areas in which INFPs excel. While this type of business does not require formal education, many career coaches have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in their area of specialty.

Startup costs need not exceed $3,000, and you can expect to earn around $60,000 per year from an established business. There’s great growth potential in this line of work, and you can expand your business to include other coaches as you see fit.

Learn how to start a career coach business.

8. COLLEGE PLANNING BUSINESS

College planning consultants guide families through the entire college application process, helping them choose schools, complete application forms and essays, and prepare for standardized tests. INFPs’ keen ability to understand people and their needs make them especially well-equipped to help guide young students through this overwhelming process. Many college planning consultants have a background in high school guidance, although a formal education isn’t required.

You can limit startup costs to about $3,000 if you start your business out of your home. Once you run an established business, you can expect to earn around $40,000 to $80,000 per year. There’s strong growth potential in this line of work, and you can expand your business to include other college planning consultants as you see fit.

Learn how to start a college planning business.

9. COUNSELING CENTER

A counseling center offers mental health services to community members in need of care. INFPs’ deep sense of empathy and a strong drive to serve others make them ideal candidates for this type of work. Counselor roles require, at a minimum, a master’s degree while those seeking a psychologist position will need a doctorate in psychology.

Startup costs vary greatly, depending on your business location. If you start your center out of your home, you can keep startup costs below $3,000. Your earning potential can be quite high once you operate an established center, with some easily bringing in $300 per day in profits. There’s strong growth potential for counseling centers, depending on location, but many business owners choose to remain small, one-person operations.

Learn how to start a counseling center business.

10. FAMILY COUNSELING PRACTICE

Much like general counseling centers, a family counseling practice can be a great fit for an INFP looking to change lives. Family counselors deal with a diverse set of needs — from helping children cope with divorce and trauma to walking spouses through the challenges of marriage.

INFPs’ strong intuition and ability to connect and communicate with people make them well-suited to tackle the complex problems encountered in a family counseling practice. Counselors require a master’s degree or higher as well as a license to practice in their state.

Learn how to start a family counseling business.

11. LIFE COACHING BUSINESS

Life coaching focuses on helping people make the best decisions regarding their careers, health, relationships, and beyond. It’s a wonderful business opportunity for INFPs who don’t want to pursue a master’s degree or doctorate.

Just like the other positions in this category, life coaching allows INFPs to use their skills in communication, intuition, and empathy to help others better their lives. While anyone can start their own life coaching business, the most reputable business owners obtain a certification in the field.

Learn how to start a life coaching business.

HEALTH CARE BUSINESSES

12. ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE CENTER

Alternative health care centers offer alternative options to traditional health care, such as acupuncture or herbal remedies. Patients seeking alternative health care options often prefer a nurturing environment in which practitioners take into account not only their health but also their overall wellness.

As such, INFP entrepreneurs' keen ability to listen, understand, and communicate with clients makes them well-suited for this line of work. Successful business owners in this field must have a deep knowledge of whichever alternative health method they provide and the ability to adequately explain its benefits to clients. Depending on the services you provide, you may need to complete formal training or education.

Learn how to start an alternative health care center.

13. CHIROPRACTOR CLINIC

Much like practitioners at alternative health care centers, chiropractors provide supportive care to patients who haven’t found complete success with conventional medical treatments. They focus on improving spinal mobility through adjustments of the neck and back.

INFPs’ caring, compassionate, and understanding nature makes them great candidates for this career path, allowing them to provide excellent, personalized care for individual patients. Chiropractors must have a doctorate, an official license to practice in their state, and complete a specified amount of continuing education classes throughout their career.

Learn how to start a chiropractor clinic.

14. NUTRITIONIST BUSINESS

Nutritionist business owners analyze their clients' dietary intake and biology to determine which foods and beverages can help improve their physical and mental health.

INFP entrepreneurs with a passion for nutrition can find this business particularly rewarding because it gives them an opportunity to deliver personal care and see concrete results in their clients’ health. Nutritionist business owners usually have a background in health, fitness, and wellness, as well as in-depth knowledge of human biology and nutrition.

Learn how to start a nutritionist business.

15. MASSAGE THERAPY BUSINESS

Massage therapists work to alleviate physical, mental, or emotional stress through various massage techniques. They may specialize in anything from sports injuries to restorative spa treatments. This career offers INFP an entrepreneur an opportunity to connect one-on-one with their clients, provide a healing service, and see almost immediate results when clients leave feeling better than when they arrived. You should obtain a national certificate in massage therapy before starting this type of business.

Depending on your location and business plan, you can start your massage therapy business for as little as $3,000. The average salary for massage therapists is slightly less than $40,000, depending on your specialization, certifications, location, and weekly client volume. While most business owners tend to operate small clinics, this field definitely offers room to expand if you so choose.

Learn how to start a massage therapy business.

16. MIDWIFERY BUSINESS

Midwives advocate for expectant mothers and work to help them carry out their personal birth plans. Many women want to experience a more natural childbirth, and a midwifery business helps them achieve that.

INFPs’ empathic nature — coupled with their strong ability to both listen and communicate — makes them excellent candidates to run a midwifery business that designs birth plans around each woman’s unique vision. Depending on the state in which you operate, practicing midwives will either need to be certified nurse midwife or complete a midwifery apprenticeship.

Learn how to start a midwifery business.

COMMUNICATION BUSINESSES

17. BLOGGING BUSINESS

Bloggers create content around specific topics to inform, educate, and entertain. The opportunity to share their particular passions and interests with the world is an extremely rewarding activity for INFPs. The ability to work independently and make their own hours also appeals to these introverts. Beyond bringing their strong communication skills to this job, INFP bloggers need extensive knowledge about their given subject.

Because bloggers typically work from home, startup costs usually run less than $100. Most blogs don’t generate more than a few hundred dollars per year. However, depending on your niche and monthly traffic, it’s possible to increase your profits to several thousand dollars per month. There’s decent growth potential in blogging, depending on your audience, but it takes time and lots of work.

Learn how to start a blogging business.

18. COPYWRITING BUSINESS

Copywriters craft content, such as blog posts, social media posts, industry reports, marketing materials, and more. This is a great opportunity for INFPs because most copywriters work independently for a few clients. Forming close working relationships and understanding the specific needs of each client are areas in which INFP entrepreneurs shine. Successful copywriters don’t need a degree or specialized training but must be excellent writers with impeccable grammar.

If you choose to start a small copywriting business, your initial costs can be as low as $2,000. However, starting a larger agency can require a $10,000 minimum investment to set up. Depending on the success of your business, you can earn anywhere from $31,000 to $95,000 per year.

Learn how to start a copywriting business.

19. FREELANCE WRITING BUSINESS

Freelance writers generate written content about a variety of topics for websites, newspapers, journals, magazines, books, and other publications. A freelance writing business is similar to a copywriting business but encompasses a much wider variety of content. It does, however, offer the same benefits to INFPs — building a business around your personal passions and using that platform to help others. Excellent writing skills and good time management are essential for success in this field.

You can easily start your freelance writing business for less than $2,000, and you have the potential to earn more than $50,000 per year once you establish yourself in the industry. Depending on your skill set, your niche, and your ability to market your services, there’s solid room to grow your business.

Learn how to start a freelance writing business.

20. GHOSTWRITING BUSINESS

Ghostwriters write for other people who either cannot or do not want to write their own works. This is, perhaps, one of the best career paths for INFP entrepreneurs with strong writing skills. Their intuition, as well as their ability to listen and get to know people well, makes them particularly well-suited for writing in someone else’s name. This role’s behind-the-scenes, autonomous work environment and use of INFPs’ impeccable communication skills make it an attractive and rewarding option.

Typical startup costs are less than $1,000, and most of your income will be pure profit because you can run this type of business from home. With more people hiring ghostwriters to deliver their message, it’s a highly sustainable line of work.

Learn how to start a ghostwriting business.

21. PROOFREADING BUSINESS

A proofreader reviews their clients’ written material and corrects for spelling, punctuation, and typos. For the INFP entrepreneur with strong writing skills, this role offers an extremely rewarding opportunity to help others improve their written works. Successful business owners have top-notch grammar and writing skills, and can effectively market their services to clients.

You can start your proofreading business for less than $2,000, and you have the potential to earn more than $50,000 per year as a freelance proofreader. In this highly competitive field, consider specializing in a specific niche if you wish to grow your business.

Learn how to start a proofreading business.

CONSULTING BUSINESSES

22. FUNDRAISING CONSULTING BUSINESS

Fundraising consultants help nonprofit organizations develop and implement effective strategies to raise money and support. INFPs’ drive to better the world around them makes this an appealing business pursuit, particularly if it allows them to specialize in helping organizations and causes for which they already have a passion.

The most successful fundraising consultants have a background in fundraising and deep knowledge of the field. Formal education isn’t required for this line of work, but business owners should have several years of experience in the fundraising world.

Learn how to start a fundraising consulting business.

23. HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTING FIRM

Human resources (HR) consulting firms provide HR services to businesses that don’t maintain an in-house HR department. HR is a great field for the intuitive, caring INFP who thrives in an environment meant to provide help and support for others.

Understanding the needs of both the business client and the employees falls well within an INFP’s skill set. While formal education isn’t required, experience in the field is essential. Many successful HR consultants have several years of experience working in HR before starting their own consulting businesses.

Learn how to start a human resources consulting firm.