Every year, thousands of new businesses are launched — but only a fraction of them survive. In 2025, outdated misconceptions are blending with trendy new ideas that, upon closer inspection, turn out to be financial traps. We've identified seven business directions you should avoid if you're planning to launch or invest.
1. A “ready-made” business at an attractive price
At first glance, buying an existing business seems like a shortcut to instant income. In reality, many of these businesses come with hidden debts, outdated models, a toxic customer base, and dysfunctional teams. The result? Budget overruns, stress, and eventually starting over — but already in the red.
2. Franchising without market analysis
A franchise is not a guaranteed success — it’s a contract. If you choose one based on emotions or popularity, rather than real local demand, you’re in for a rough ride. Add to that high royalties, dependency on the parent company's marketing, and unpredictable expenses — and it’s easy to lose control.
3. Pickup points for marketplaces
In large cities, pickup points are everywhere. Profitability depends entirely on foot traffic and the logistics provider's terms. Rent keeps rising, commissions are shrinking, and platforms change the rules constantly. What looks like an easy business often turns into a costly operation that's hard to scale — and even harder to sell.
4. Marketplace reselling and dropshipping from AliExpress
Competition is brutal. Product listings are copied within a day, prices plummet, and return rates grow. To actually make money, you need branding, logistics, advertising, and a unique offer. Most newcomers are in the red by their third month due to unsellable stock, penalties, and impulsive purchasing.
5. Handmade businesses with no strategy
Soap-making, candles, cards, and decor may be beautiful, but that doesn’t make them a business. Without strong branding, marketing, positioning, and a clear sales channel, you’re left with 20 likes on Instagram and boxes of unsold goods under your bed.
Why does this matter?
Starting a business is not a lottery — it's a calculation. To avoid becoming part of the “failed” statistic, you need to understand: trends, hype, and pretty storefronts don’t equal sustainability. What “everyone’s doing” won’t necessarily work for you.
The key is in your business model, unit economics, market demand, and scalability.
If you're planning to start a business or invest in a project in 2025 — focus not on “loud” ideas, but on real numbers, demand, and the logic of scaling.
Avoid niches where:
- competition exceeds profitability,
- there’s no uniqueness,
- you’re overly dependent on external platforms,
- the business model is outdated,
- or the expectations are unrealistic.
Investing is easy. But getting out of a bad business idea is a long, costly, and emotionally draining process.
💼 At KSP Consulting, we offer strategic diagnostics before you launch.
You’ll get:
- a tailored financial model,
- break-even point analysis,
- investment capacity assessment,
- risk breakdown by channels and market,
- recommendations on business format and structure.
Before you invest or start — consult first.
It could save you hundreds of thousands and months of your time.
Request a business idea audit — and find out if it’s even worth entering the market.