There are three things that all of these businesses have that have allowed them to make our list:

It’s both legal and ethical.

It has few barriers. This means that nearly anyone could start any of these small business without needing a doctorate degree in anything or a couple million dollars to get started.

It is feasible for small businesses. Although there are a number of business opportunities in areas such as biotechnology and the extraction of resources, most small businesses are not in a position where they can get involved in these industries, so they’re not on the list.

Now, here they are, our top 5 business ideas for 2014.

Ecommerce.

One of the biggest growing trends with North American shoppers is called show-rooming. This is the practice of going into a brick and mortar store, finding products you like, then ordering them online to get a better price. Ecommerce sales in the United States alone increased about 15 percent in the last year, reaching a total of $186.2 billion. This was the highest annual increase since prior to the recession.

Across the world, the total amount of ecommerce sales surpassed $1 trillion for the first time in 2012, and are expected to continue to rise. Because the increases in this industry are expected to continue, it’s a great one for any small business to get involved with. And, setting up your own ecommerce website is incredibly easy, so all you have to do is pick some products, put them in your web store, and you’ll be on your way to participating in this great business opportunity.

Day-Care Services and Nanny Services

Throughout North America, there is a serious lack in affordable childcare services. In Canada alone, it is estimated that there is only space for about 22 percent of kids under six in regulated child care centers. Because there will always be a need for child care workers, this is great news for someone looking to start a small business.

There are two different routes you can take with this opportunity. You could open a daycare center, or you could provide nanny and babysitting services to families by building a database of certified and experienced child care providers who are looking for work and connecting them to families and individuals who are looking for reliable and safe child care providers.

Gluten-Free Restaurants and Bakeries

Although there are a number of people who live gluten-free lives because they are allergic to gluten, there is a huge growth in people that choose to eat gluten-free for health reasons. Although many supermarkets, restaurants, and bakeries have gluten-free options, there is still a lot of room for improvement in the eyes of those who don’t eat wheat or gluten.

Opening a gluten-free restaurant that includes many of the usual delicious restaurant fares such as soups, breads, and even sandwiches is a great opportunity and would attract many gluten-free people who are looking for bakeries and restaurants that give them a variety of options rather than most that only have a couple gluten-free menu choices.

Patient Advocates

For people that are dealing with any type of serious illness or facing a complicated surgical procedure, they may look for the help of someone who can help them navigate through the medical system to make sure that they or their loved one gets the best possible care.

The good news is that you don’t actually need to have experience in the medical field in order to become a patient advocate, although it does help. There are a number of different career options within the realm of patient advocates, so you can find an area that is suited to your needs, and then start building a clientele of patients and people that need your help, and help them get the best care options.

Financial Advisors

Because of the number of people that are not confident in their own financial planning skills, financial advising and financial planning are both growing industries, and since as long as there is money people will need it managed, it’s a pretty safe industry to get into. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that financial planning jobs will have a 32 percent growth rate from 2010 to 2020.

This is a great business to get into, especially if you have some financial experience. Even without financial planning experience, you can start a small business employing financial advisors and providing services to people. There are also a number of specialties within this industry, such as retirement planning and small business financial planning that you can choose from.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that as with most small business opportunities, none of these ideas will get you rich quick. When done right and with a lot of work, however, they can become a long-standing business that will allow you to continue to be successful for years to come.

Also, even though these are our picks for the top 5 business ideas, we can’t guarantee that any of these will make you money. Before you start any business venture, it’s always important that you make sure that it is something that you can do, that you’ve done all the research, that you know the available market and how to reach them, and that you have plans in place to combat potential problems.