Coming Up With Business Ideas

Finding Off-Season Income

Written by Kathryn Lang for Gaebler Ventures

Entrepreneurial businesses with seasonal income need to find ways to bring in income during the off-season.

Many entrepreneurs get into businesses that focus on seasonal income.

Time off for a job well done may be the inspiration for season endeavors. The struggle comes when the money stops flowing.

A great budget can help seasonal entrepreneurs survive the down times. Paying out a personal allowance each month can stretch the seasonal income into a supply that lasts the whole year.

Not everyone can make the season income stretch that long. For those that struggle with the budget or with consistency in finances, supplemental income during the off-seasons may be the better solution.

SPRING

Outdoors entrepreneurs should look to nature for some additional income. Spring bring new life and new motivation to many people. Start a consulting business to help people plan the most efficient gardens - square foot gardens allow anyone in any location to have a great vegetable or flower garden.

Extend an existing lawn care business by offering services of preparing beds for the coming season. Remember to review the laws in your states. Some states now require any business that do any planting or touch plants have a special license.

SUMMER

Entrepreneurs are not known for sitting, but sitting can be the perfect way to supplement a season income. House sitting and pet sitting can be booming businesses during the travel season of the summer. You can schedule appointments around your own vacation or choose to fill the summer with bookings and take your vacation during the months when travel is not as expensive.

FALL

The falling leaves during these months can be a great opportunity for those entrepreneurs that enjoy the outdoors. Add a bagger to a mower and you can pick up the leaves in any yard in a snap. Take those leaves and put them in a compost bin and you have great mulch material for the coming spring.

Inside the homes, fall calls for warmer linens and cool weather wardrobes. This can be the right time for an entrepreneur with organizational skills to organize closets and homes.

WINTER

Most people LOVE to have decorations up during the holidays but those same people hate to put up the decorations. Start a decoration service where you come in and decorate or do the outside decorations for a fee. Your services can be from start to clean up to double your income.

The holidays are also a time for giving and the busy lives of most people limit the time to shop and wrap the gifts. A gift buying or gift wrapping service might be the right supplemental income for your entrepreneurial needs.

ALL YEAR LONG

Talking and writing about your entrepreneurial business or the skills necessary for that business can provide year round income. There are always groups meeting that need a speaker or a website, newspaper or magazine that needs material. The higher your expertise in the field then the easier it will be to book the speaking or writing opportunities

Tutoring can also provide supplemental income to entrepreneurs. Students are always in the need of some extra coaching and your skills, education or background may make you the perfect candidate to help.

Entrepreneurs are not limited by the season of the business. There are plenty of off-season opportunities for entrepreneurs to supplement an income.

Kathryn Lang is a professionial writer and motivational speaker. She enjoys writing about a wide variety of business topics including youth businesses and finance.

Share this article

Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary