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With Inflation and Increased Costs, Is there a Business Model That Actually Has Great Profit Margins in 2025?

r/Entrepreneur
8/15/2025

Content Summary

The post discusses the challenges of finding profitable business models in 2025 amid rising inflation and costs. The author expresses frustration with traditional business models, such as physical products, food, and software development, which all face high costs and thin margins. They question whether starting a business is worth it compared to traditional jobs. Comments suggest that service-based businesses, particularly local services like plumbing, electrical work, and appliance repair, may offer better margins. Some commenters also mention SaaS, online courses, and newsletters as high-margin options. Others emphasize the importance of finding a niche, solving real problems, and focusing on community engagement.

Opinion Analysis

Mainstream opinion suggests that service-based businesses, especially local services like plumbing, electrical work, and appliance repair, offer better profit margins than traditional product-based businesses. Many commenters agree that SaaS, online courses, and newsletters can be highly profitable if built correctly. There is a general consensus that finding a niche and solving real problems is crucial for success. However, some debate exists around the feasibility of starting a physical product business, with some arguing that it's too costly and competitive. Others believe that digital products and services are the future, while a few suggest that high-margin businesses often operate in quiet, specialized sectors. Overall, there's a shared belief that entrepreneurship requires persistence, focus on value creation, and community building.

SAAS TOOLS

SaaSURLCategoryFeatures/Notes
Launchetizehttps://launchetize.comSaaS Marketing ToolHelps get traction on Product Hunt for SaaS products
Supabasehttps://supabase.comBackend as a ServiceUsed to keep infrastructure costs low for SaaS products
Stripehttps://stripe.comPayment ProcessingUsed for billing in SaaS products
QuillBothttps://quillbot.comAI Content DetectionUsed to detect AI-generated content
Product Hunthttps://www.producthunt.comCommunity PlatformUsed for launching and promoting SaaS products

USER NEEDS

Pain Points:

  • High inflation and rising costs are making it difficult to maintain profit margins
  • Physical product businesses face high labor, storage, and shipping costs
  • Food-related businesses have slim profit margins (10-15%)
  • Software development is expensive due to the need for specialized talent
  • Service-based businesses require advanced knowledge that many entrepreneurs lack

Problems to Solve:

  • Finding a business model with strong profit margins in a challenging economic climate
  • Reducing costs for physical product manufacturing and distribution
  • Making software development more affordable and accessible
  • Identifying service-based opportunities that don't require high-level expertise

Potential Solutions:

  • Focusing on local service businesses like plumbing, electrical work, or appliance repair
  • Exploring digital products like SaaS, online courses, or newsletters with high margins
  • Leveraging no-code tools to build MVPs without hiring expensive developers
  • Targeting niche markets with unmet needs and limited competition
  • Starting with low-cost, high-margin businesses like open box/appliance resale

GROWTH FACTORS

Effective Strategies:

  • Focusing on solving a specific pain point and avoiding feature creep
  • Building a tight niche and maintaining a lean operation
  • Using community engagement platforms like Hacker News, Product Hunt, and Reddit for visibility
  • Utilizing no-code tools to reduce initial costs and accelerate product development
  • Prioritizing product-market fit and customer retention over rapid scaling

Marketing & Acquisition:

  • Engaging in micro-communities and niche forums for targeted outreach
  • Leveraging social proof and word-of-mouth from satisfied customers
  • Using platforms like Product Hunt and Hacker News to launch and promote SaaS products
  • Building a strong brand and offering value through content marketing

Monetization & Product:

  • SaaS products can achieve 80-90% profit margins if built efficiently
  • Subscription models with add-ons and upsells can increase revenue streams
  • Premium positioning allows for higher pricing power and better margins
  • Focus on solving real problems for real users to drive adoption and retention

User Engagement:

  • Building communities around niche topics to foster user loyalty and feedback
  • Encouraging user-generated content and reviews to build credibility
  • Hosting events or webinars to engage with the target audience
  • Creating a strong onboarding experience to retain users and reduce churn