TikTok is absolutely flooded with get-rich-quick schemes and silly ideas for side hustles, but separating legitimate opportunities from scams can be, well, challenging.
Entrepreneur and business owner Codie Sanchez, who analyzes thousands of businesses yearly, recently weighed in on which viral money-making methods actually deliver results.
Trending Now: Here’s How To Use AI To Quickly Start a Side Gig, According to Codie Sanchez
Consider This: 7 Tax Loopholes the Rich Use To Pay Less and Build More Wealth
Here are five viral ideas from TikTok that Sanchez says actually pay off — and what makes them legitimate opportunities.
There are a lot of business ideas on TikTok that promise unrealistic profits. Sanchez asserted that house painting is a legitimate opportunity with real earning potential.
A recent viral TikTok showed $4,000 in profits on a $7,250 painting job. Sanchez confirmed that those numbers are actually realistic in the industry.
“This is real,” Sanchez said after examining the process shown in the video, which included proper preparation, equipment and techniques.
If you get into house painting, she recommends following what she calls the “five Rs”: real estate agent referrals, repeat business, referrals from other contractors, maintaining a strong reputation through reviews, and building relationships with complimentary service providers.
Explore More: I’m a Self-Made Millionaire — Here’s How I Use ChatGPT To Make a Lot of Money
Sanchez also gave her approval to specialty food carts — especially ice cream bikes — as legitimate business opportunities. One creator reported tripling her $8,000 investment within three months while working a full-time job.
“Love this: She was honest about the cost, she didn’t say she got it back in two days, four days, seven days. She said it took three months,” Sanchez noted, appreciating the transparency about startup costs and timeline.
Sanchez said it can be particularly lucrative at weddings and events, where you might charge $2,000-$4,000 per event.
Demolition and junk removal videos have gone viral on TikTok, and Sanchez confirms these represent legitimate business opportunities. She highlighted how these companies often create multiple revenue streams from a single service.
“They do get paid for them to straight up come to your house… and if you have an old shed, or you have stuff you want to throw away, you pay them to destroy it and then to throw it away,” Sanchez explained.
The smart operators then “create it into content and also often repurpose the goods.” They can fix up and resell any valuable items they remove.
