The six best businesses for the poor to run are street food vendors, online freelancing, handmade goods, cleaning services, used clothing resale, and mobile car washing. These options require minimal upfront investment, leverage existing skills or resources, and offer scalable income potential. Street food vendors, for example, can start with as little as $2,000, while online freelancers use free platforms like Upwork to access global clients.

Street food vendors thrive due to high demand and low overhead. The National Restaurant Association reports that food trucks have a 10% failure rate, compared to 30% for traditional restaurants. Vendors with $10,000 in initial capital can generate $50,000 annually, depending on location and menu variety. Online freelancing, valued at $100 billion globally, allows low-income individuals to monetize skills like writing, graphic design, or coding. Upwork’s 2023 data shows 20 million freelancers earning an average of $500 monthly through gig work. Handmade goods, supported by platforms like Etsy, enable entrepreneurs to sell crafts at a 60% profit margin. The handmade market grew 15% year-over-year in 2022, with small batches retaining 70% customer loyalty. Cleaning services, a $110 billion industry, require only $1,000 in supplies and tools, with 5.3% annual growth according to IBISWorld. Used clothing resale, driven by the $350 billion secondhand market, offers 35% profit margins through platforms like Poshmark. Mobile car washing, valued at $5 billion, serves 50% of consumers who prefer on-site services, with operators earning $300 weekly. These businesses align with low-income needs by minimizing financial risk and maximizing earning potential through flexibility and scalability.