If you have dreamed of starting a small business, but are wary about making a 24/7/365 commitment to your venture, you do have other options. You can start a business on a part-time basis, for one. You can also start a business that only operates during part of the calendar year.
If you’re looking for a small business idea that doesn’t require a year-round commitment, consider these 15 seasonal business ideas.
1. Food Truck
In fair weather, a food truck is a great business to run. Visit business centers, public venues, and college campuses and offer a quick, convenient, and tasty meal to customers.
2. Outdoor Adventure Business
Summer is a great time to be in the outdoor adventure business. You can offer anything from guided hikes to white water rafting excursions and more.
3. Personal Trainer or Coach
From tennis coach to weight-loss personal trainer, motivate people to make fitness and nutrition a priority. When the weather turns cold, focus on marketing your business to the New Year’s resolution crowd.
4. Lawn Care
If you like to be in the sun, you could start a lawn care business offering mulching, mowing, and raking services from spring to fall. Take winters off, or switch to snow and ice removal in the off season.
5. Chimney Sweep
Homeowners with wood-burning fireplaces know it’s important to have their chimneys swept for safety.
Work through the fall and winter as a sweep and enjoy the downtime through spring and summer.
6. Professional Organizer
After a long winter, people are ready to clean and organize their spaces. As a professional organizer you can take advantage of the spring cleaning season.
7. Fireworks Retailer
Memorial Day to Labor Day is a great time to operate a business as a fireworks retailer.
8. Halloween Retailer
Although these types of business are only profitable a few weeks out of every year, you can lease space on a short-term basis build a successful business as a costume retailer.
9. Christmas Retailer
Lease space or sell holiday ornaments, gifts, and treats online and you can start a businesses that takes advantage of the busiest shopping season of the year.
10. Tour Guide
Lead tours of historical significance or take guests through haunted locations.
11. Tutor
Launch a business as a private tutor for elementary, middle school, and high school students and help them excel during the school year.
12. Pet Sitter
Take care of pets for families on vacation or while they’re out of town during the holidays. As an added bonus, in-home pet sitters, have little to no startup costs.
13. Pool Maintenance
Taking care of an in-ground pool is a lot of work. If you know a thing or two about pool chemistry, you can start a pool maintenance business that runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
14. Gardener or Farmer
With a small garden or farm, you can operate a seasonal business offering local produce. Sell your crops direct to consumers at roadside stands or sell them to local grocers.
15. Moving Services
Moving businesses are always in high demand, but they definitely have peak seasons in college towns.
You can build a solid seasonal business as the muscle for students moving on and off campus.
Whether you prefer business ideas that peak during warm or cold times of year, these seasonal business ideas give you the opportunity to run a profitable business when it is most convenient for you.