16 Seasonal Business Ideas

If you work in a seasonal industry, you may be looking for something to do in the offseason, and starting a business that sees higher demand in those months is a great option. You’d be keeping busy as your own boss and boosting your income, whether during winter or summer. 

If you’re looking for ideas, this handy guide details 15 great seasonal business ideas that can let you wear your entrepreneurial hat all year round! 

1. Landscaping

Landscaping and lawn care is a great business for the warmer months, probably from April to September. You’d have to invest in equipment and a truck, but landscaping can be quite profitable. If you have landscaping skills, you could do everything from design to installation. Or you could just keep it simple and do regular lawn mowing and tidying up. 

2. House Painting

Exterior house painting is a great summer business that can bring in thousands of dollars per house. All you need is a ladder, a vehicle, and some basic equipment. Exterior house painting requires little expertise – in fact you could probably get the hang of it on YouTube. 

3. Pool Cleaning

People love their pools, but not taking care of them. If you know a bit about pool cleaning, you could give yourself a real revenue injection in the summer months. You’ll need some equipment and maybe a van, but you’ll get paid good money to work in the sunshine. By the end of the summer, you’ll be flush with cash and sporting a great tan.

4. Bike Rental

As people grow more concerned about climate change, they’re looking for eco-friendly transport options. Bikeshare is booming around the world, with the global bike and scooter rental industry set to quadruple by 2027. Starting a bike rental business at a traditional shop or with a bike-sharing app is a great way to help people get around while you make a nice summer income.

5. Pedicab

A pedicab is a bike-like, human-powered vehicle that transports people from one place to another. They’re popular in many cities in warmer months, providing a relaxing way to see the sites and move about. You’ll need to invest in the pedicab and get the proper licenses, but you’ll be able to charge a nice fee and get tips. You just have to be in great shape so that you can pedal for long distances.

6. Canoe and Kayak Rental

As the pandemic recedes, people are anxious to get outside and be physically active. Canoeing and kayaking are a great way to do both. Why not start your own canoe and kayak rental business during the summer and get in on a growing industry? It will take a bit of an investment and the right location, but you’ll get to work outdoors and have some fun while making good money.

7. Moving Company

Even when it’s a short distance, moving is hard to do without help. That’s why movers are always in demand. It’s also a line of work with great profit potential, even if you only work part of the year. A moving company charges about $100 per hour, which adds up fast. You’ll have to invest in a truck and probably hire a helper, but if you provide great service your moving business could be a big hit. 

8. Pet Sitting

People are crazy about their pets, and many are willing to spend whatever it takes to give them the best care. As a result, pet sitting is a $2.5 billion global market. If you love animals, you could start your own pet sitting business during the summer when people tend to go on vacation, and grab a share of that huge market while spending lots of quality time with cute and cuddly critters. 

9. Roof Repair

If you have roofing experience, doing roofing repairs is a great summer side hustle. You’ll need a ladder and some basic tools, but you could stay busy during the warmer months, and maybe even longer. Roof repairs cost anywhere from $150 to several thousand dollars, so you could make a nice chunk of change.

10. Window Cleaning

Spring and summer are prime times for window cleaning, which means you could clean up with a seasonal window cleaning business. No one likes to clean windows, so you could drum up business by distributing flyers in nearby neighborhoods. You could charge up to $40 an hour, which would mean a nice summer payday.

11. Fencing

“Good fences make good neighbors,” wrote Robert Frost, and many homeowners choose to install fences for just that reason. If you know how to install fences, you could target newer neighborhoods where the homeowners have yet to have a fence installed to drum up business. For an average-sized backyard, you could make around $2,500. 

12. Holiday Light Installation

If winter is your downtime, a holiday light installation business could give you a nice November and December income. People love to have their homes look festive, sometimes in competition with their neighbors, but some don’t like to do the decorating or are unable. You could charge several hundred dollars for a single installation – even more for elaborate displays.

13. Chimney Cleaning

When winter is on its way, people start dreaming of a warm and inviting fire in the fireplace, snuggling up with a loved one and a hot drink. Chimneys, though, need to be cleaned regularly to avoid problems. If you know a bit about cleaning chimneys, a chimney cleaning business is something you might be “sooted” for. To top it off, you’d make around $75 per hour.

14. Snow Removal

Shoveling snow is a task that almost no one enjoys, but nearly everyone needs after a snowstorm. You could do snow removal for local driveways or target the commercial market to clear parking lots and sidewalks, if you want to invest in a snowplow. Commercial snow removal would be more profitable, so you’d see a nice return on your snowplow investment. 

15. Gift Wrapping

Do you love shopping for gifts just so you can wrap them creatively? Most people don’t! That’s why the gift packaging market is set to grow 40% over the next decade. Gift wrapping is a skill and an art, and if you have a knack for it, you could start a gift-wrapping kiosk during the holidays and help out shoppers not looking forward to the wrapping part. 

16. Summer Camp

Summer camp provides an opportunity to offer unique experiences to children and adults alike, fostering skills and creating memories. The cyclical nature of this enterprise allows for off-season planning, training, and improvement. However, its short operating window necessitates effective marketing and operations to ensure profitability within the limited timeframe.