With the holidays approaching, I’ve been noticing the seasonal businesses that pop up at this time of year. A seasonal business can teach you a great deal about flexibility, going with the flow and seizing the opportunities that are unique to a limited time of year. You can’t postpone or procrastinate when your venture is tied to the calendar.
A seasonal business also makes sense if you have a long-term project that you want to work on that won’t be producing cash flow for a while. Or perhaps you just love a holiday or season of the year so much that you want to share your enthusiasm with others. Here’s a sampling of ideas for the opportunities that are looming in the weeks ahead.
- It’s about time.
No season of the year makes folks as breathless as the ones headed our way. When I was a newcomer to Boulder, CO and feeling lonely with the holidays coming on my new hometown, I put a little ad in the paper offering my services to help people be guests at their own parties. Not only did I get paid to go to parties, I met some terrific people and enjoyed the holidays more than I’d anticipated. - Deliver something.
Help someone by running errands. And if you love to shop, there’s an obvious way to get your fill–and get paid to indulge yourself. - Rent out your brawn.
Putting up and taking down lawn decorations is a seasonal business with huge possibilities. Or pick up and deliver an unwieldy Christmas tree. - Amuse the children.
If you don’t have kids yourself, you may have forgotten the wild anticipation-and wild behavior-that comes with waiting for Christmas. You could organize art classes for kids while their parents shop or be a daytime babysitter. (Do you know how hard it can be for parents to find someone during the day to provide this service?) If you haven’t babysat in years, you may be surprised to see what childcare folks earn these days. - Put your creative talents to work.
Offer holiday pastries, gift baskets, wreaths or holiday decor. Build your reputation for specialty goods and sell them at bazaars and/or directly to customers. Or join forces with other local artisans and throw your own holiday gift fair.
For more ideas about seasonal enterprises, begin by asking yourself, “Who’s got a problem I know how to solve?” and see where that leads you. And if the winter holidays aren’t your thing, think ahead to the special times coming up next year. Advance planning could have you celebrating in a profitable and creative way. Party on!
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Sounds very interesting.
its funny, i was just thinking about your #2 suggestion yesterday. i would be perfect at this job. i am wise, creative and have good taste. I just don’t know the best way to get the word out! What are your suggestions?
There’s probably no best way. Decide what you want to charge, start letting friends know that you’re available and looking for clients, post on Craigslist if that seems a good fit, just keep mentioning it. Often service businesses grow best by word of mouth. Even if your friends don’t need your services, they may be in a conversation with someone else who does. You might focus on doing the shopping for men who are clueless about gifts for the women in their lives. I also had a student who had a relationship with a florist and did deliveries at busy times of the year. People were always glad to see her.
Number 2 was such a GREAT idea that I signed off and sent e-mails to all my friends to see if they needed assistance. Thanks for the tips.
My daughter has excellent taste and her friends are always asking her for advise….I just sent her idea #2. She can do the shopping!!!
I think it’s fabulous!!!