Best Seasonal Businesses to Start and How to Keep Them Active

A seasonal business is different than a traditional business in the fact that they have a select few months where they are bringing in a large amount of revenue, while the rest of the year they slow down substantially. Typically these types of businesses will be a summer sales rush or a holiday event that is driving demand for certain products. For many business owners, this business model can be enticing as it will require you to work intensely for a few months while having the rest of the year to be flexible with your time and business. Seasonal businesses are generally able to bring in close to a year's worth of revenue during these intensely busy months, while they are able to pursue other ventures during the rest of the year.

These businesses will usually have a handful of traits in common such as a very high demand during a specified peak season, reasonable startup costs that allow them to generate profit quickly, a clear way to attract customers and market the product, and the potential to pivot the business to offer other products or services during the rest of the year.

The main types of businesses that come to mind when thinking of examples are usually landscaping and lawn care, pool maintenance and cleaning, Christmas light installation, preparing taxes, and holiday event planning. However, there are many more types of businesses that benefit from these seasonal demand booms that can be simple and inexpensive to capitalize on. This guide will cover the main benefits of these types of businesses and highlight how and when business owners should or shouldn't set up an LLC for their seasonal business.

Best Business Ideas for Each Season

Spring and Summer

• Lawn care and landscaping

• Pool maintenance

• Mobile carwash and detailing

• Ice cream or shaved ice stand

• Outdoor equipment rentals (Kayaks, paddle boards, surfboards)

Fall and Winter

• Holiday decorating and Christmas light installation

• Snow removal and shoveling services

• Firewood sales

• Raking leaves and leaf removal services

• Tax preparation and filing

• Christmas tree farm

Seasonal Businesses and When They Make Sense

Seasonal businesses will have a majority of their revenue tied to a handful of months or holiday seasons as opposed to a traditional business who aims for a steady revenue stream throughout the year. The most successful seasonal businesses will focus on capitalizing on an intense, short term demand and spend the rest of the year either exploring other business ventures or strategically managing cash flow.

When thinking if this makes sense for you, consider a timeline of the year and what businesses are most successful during each period of time. Pool maintenance will be during the summer months, snow removal during November or December to around February, and tax preparation services will be during January until the federal filing deadline of April 15th. During these specific months of the year will be when seasonal businesses are able to earn the most revenue, and will need to manage hiring practices and the overall management of the business based around this fact.

Benefits of a Seasonal Business

• More flexible hours that allow you to work intensely during the busy season, and less during the offseason.

• Less fixed costs compared to a business operating year round.

• A chance to try "testing" owning a business without a long term commitment.

• Gives you a variety of businesses to have the ability to run while others are in their down period.

Disadvantages of a Seasonal Business

• Uneven and unpredictable cash flow, especially during out of season months.

• Some are more dependent on weather which is an unpredictable variable.

• Required to have seasonal employees which are hard to retain each year, leading to having to train new sets of employees each year.

• Need to have a place to store the business's equipment during the off season.

When to Form an LLC for Your Seasonal Business

It may not seem worth it at first glance to spend the money to form an LLC for a seasonal business, but the guidelines of business ownership will still apply to your business. If you plan on hiring employees to help run the business while you are operating, forming an LLC is highly recommended. Also, if you are operating an inherently risky business such as installing Christmas lights due to heights you and your employees will be at, or pool maintenance dealing with strong chemicals you will want to form an LLC to protect yourself and your business from any damages or injuries.

If your business will be operating on your customers properties such as landscaping, pool maintenance, snow removal, or other business types it is recommended to form an LLC as this will once again protect you and your business if there are any damages or injuries. An LLC will separate your personal and business assets in the case of any lawsuits or damages that occur and ensure they are not able to go after your personal assets such as your home, savings, or car.

Spring and Summer Seasonal Business Ideas

During this time of year your potential customers will be more focused on outdoors and home projects due to the warmer weather which creates a high demand for businesses offering these types of services. Homeowners are already looking to spend money in these areas, and businesses that are able to capitalize on this increased demand will be able to benefit from this seasonal increase in opportunities.

Lawn Care and Landscaping

One of the most popular business services during the spring and summer months is landscaping and lawn care services. The services these businesses typically will offer to customers will include mowing, edging, mulching, hedge trimming, and planting flowers. These businesses busy season will generally be from around March to early October, with peak times being during the summer months. Landscaping and lawn care business may be required to have a local business license to operate legally and they also benefit from forming an LLC as their revenue increases or need to hire employees.

Startup Costs

• Lawn mower, trimmer, blower, and basic tools

• Truck or trailer for transporting equipment

• Possibly renting equipment to keep startup costs low

• Typical startup cost estimate: $1,000 - $4,000

Pricing Ranges and Strategies

• Weekly or bi-weekly contracts for mowing yards

• Per-visit jobs for one off landscaping jobs

• Seasonal packages that ensure a recurring revenue stream and repeat business each year

Businesses in this industry can help themselves stand out from others by offering additional services that go along with landscaping and lawn care such as cleaning gutters, pressure washing, fencing and deck services, and other outdoor home services. Forming an LLC allows you to hire employees to be able to complete larger and more jobs, and also possibly branch into commercial contracts which are a great way to generate a steady stream of revenue.

Pool Maintenance and Cleaning Services

An essential service that is popular during summer months and the months leading up to summer is pool cleaning and maintenance. These services will primarily include things such as opening pools in the spring time, to cleaning services throughout the summer to maintain the pool, and covering and closing pools as the summer comes to an end.

Main Services

• Skimming, brushing, and vacuuming pools

• Testing and monitoring chemical levels

• Cleaning and changing filters

• Repair services, enhancing the landscape surrounding pools, and inspecting equipment or pumps

Since you will be dealing with different chemicals and slipping hazards, it's important to set up an LLC for your business to ensure your business finances and personal finances are protected. When dealing with business activities that carry increased risk, an LLC is an important tool at your disposal to create a clear separation between yourself and your business.

In the offseason you are also able to branch out into services such as hot tub maintenance, winterizing pools, and working on SEO guides to increase awareness and help generate potential leads as you are heading into next year's busy season.

Fall and Winter Seasonal Business Ideas

As the weather begins to change and the temperature drops, there is a new set of opportunities that opens up for service businesses. The holiday season brings many benefits, as well as standard household needs due to homeowners being inside more often, and weather related services from these changing seasons.

There are many business owners that shift their focus during these months from summer based outdoor work to capitalize on the winter months and continue to generate revenue. One of the main challenges of operating a seasonal service business is maintaining a revenue stream during the months you are out of season, however there are multiple paths to take to ensure your business continues to stay busy even if it is not through your typical methods. Repurposing your equipment you already have can also help to lower the cost of entry into these different services to make it worthwhile to take on a new opportunity during your slow months.

Holiday Decoration and Christmas Light Installation

A huge opportunity during the fall and winter months is to install Christmas lights and decorations, whether that is on residential houses or for businesses as well. The busy season for this service will be around late fall to December as customers are preparing for the holiday season. The barrier to entry is typically low for businesses that are already using the equipment required for installing lights such as ladders, safety equipment, and trucks for transporting. The main cost will be for purchasing the Christmas lights, but as the years go on you can reuse lights each year as long as you are properly storing them in safe places during the off season.

Main Services

• Installing and removing exterior holiday decorations

• Christmas tree designing and installation, and interior home decorations

• Commercial holiday displays, lights, and tree set up

The pricing of these services will vary depending on the size of the job or house you are decorating. Being able to offer the safe storage of decorations and lights for your customers will increase the likelihood of repeat customers each year, and give you the ability to build a solid client list that you can rely on as a steady revenue stream.

As you get more experience in holiday decorating, businesses will be more likely to have you take care of their lights or Christmas tree decorating which is another way to build a strong repeat client list. It also gives you a chance to build relationships with customers that are using your services each year and allow them to begin to trust your professionalism and quality of work.

Snow Removal Services

All throughout most of the country the winter months bring snow, which adds to the list of opportunities for businesses to capitalize on. Snow removal will see a huge demand during these months by both residential homeowners and businesses that need to clear their lots or walkways for customers.

The target market for this type of service can truly be anyone, as both residential and commercial lots will need to have the snow cleared from them. Additionally, a good idea to target is apartment complexes that will typically be overlooked by traditional city snow plows and still have large lots or walkways that will need to be cleared. These types of jobs will typically need to be done each time it snows, which gives you a chance to build relationships and have a recurring customer base.

Main Equipment Needed

• Shovels and snow plows for smaller scale jobs

• Plow trucks for larger jobs like a commercial lot

Pricing will vary depending on the size of the job and the amount of snow that is currently on the ground. However, you may also enter into seasonal contracts with businesses to charge one flat rate for the entire winter months to maintain their lot or property regularly when there is snowfall.

There are risks that come with this service, as things such as damage to property, falling, or your employees being exposed to extreme weather are all risk factors that can expose you and your business. Having a proper LLC set up for this is recommended to ensure you stay protected and are able to hire employees and protect your personal assets. Also, other businesses might not be very interested in doing business with you if you are operating as a freelancing side hustle rather than an established professional business.

Christmas Tree Farm and Holiday Light Experience

Christmas tree farms can be more of a long term strategy as the trees and experience can take awhile to grow and develop, but once you have put the time in to grow these trees and set up the experience it can prove to bring in significant profits. This is still a seasonal business, but typically will require year round maintenance to ensure you are prepared for the busy months leading up to December. A business such as a holiday light experience will be less time consuming during the off season, but potentially offer less potential.

One advantage of a business like this is that you are able to not only sell Christmas trees, but also if you have enough land you can create a Christmas light experience to bring in additional customers just to enjoy the lights. Adding things like a hot chocolate stand, Santa experience, assortment of snacks or food trucks, and other things that encourage customers to stay and enjoy the experience even after getting a Christmas tree can help boost profits and overall number of visitors.

A combination of both a Christmas tree farm and a holiday light experience can be a huge advantage as you are able to draw customers to your business through the Christmas tree sales and make them want to stay after with the other holiday attractions you have available to them. For either type of business, you will be encouraged to form an official LLC to ensure your personal assets are protected and you are able to freely hire seasonal employees.

Year Round Services

Home Cleaning and Housekeeping Services

Home cleaning services are used all throughout the year, and see spikes in demand during certain times of the year based on what relevant trends or season it is. Homeowners will utilize these services all during the year, but typically will increase demand during spring cleaning months, around move in or move out dates typically in the summer, and going into winter to declutter and prepare for guests visiting during the holidays.

Typically businesses that are working in this line of work will be able to venture out into offering more household services like window cleaning, gutter cleaning, closet organizing, and more that can help to expand your opportunities. Marketing the availability of these services can be difficult if you are operating as a side hustle on your own, but services like Firstep help you build a business website for your LLC to more easily spread your name and let customers know what type of services you offer. This also helps with social media marketing as you are able to link customers directly to your business page and they are able to see for themselves the services you can do.

Food Trucks

A food truck is something that is able to be used all year, although there are peak seasons where you will see a higher demand. Typically in the summer and fall months you will see the busiest time for a food truck as there will be more outdoor activities such as concerts, fairs and festivals, outdoor events, football tailgates, and seasonal events like pumpkin patches.

During the off season as a food truck operator, you can use your food truck to continue to generate revenue by building local relationships with venues and businesses in your area so you are able to attend events like sporting events, holiday markets, weddings and private events, and different pop up events around your area. The advantage of a food truck is that you are able to rotate your menu throughout the seasons to offer relevant food options during each different time of year so you are able to operate year round.

Operating a food truck does have inherent risks, as you are working with serving food to customers. It is highly recommended to set up an LLC to be sure to be granted the protections they offer, as well as to establish yourself as an official business which is much more appealing to potential vendors and partners you will be working with.

Choosing the Best Business For Your Specific Needs

There seems to be endless options for seasonal businesses that are able to generate a large amount of revenue in a short period of time during their high demand months. You can choose just about anything to begin with, but it's important to also consider your existing skills, tools and equipment, and time of year when starting a new business that relies on seasonal booms for revenue. It's almost important to think of your own preferences, as this can be a huge factor in whether you are able to consistently do this line of work each year, even if they might not be a year round business.

Considering Local Market and Demand

When considering the best type of seasonal business to start, it's important that you take into account the local market needs and demand for the service. For example, there is most likely higher demand for landscaping businesses in California than there is in New York as you will have year round maintenance due to a lack of snow and warmer weather. Also, you need to consider the actual demand for the service you plan to start as well. This demand can change based on the time of year, so keep this in mind depending on the time of year you are planning to actually start your business.

Additionally, your business idea might not be a fully seasonal business depending on what state you live in. If you are a pool maintenance service in Florida you will most likely be able to work year round, but you will experience slow months. But, if you are performing that same service in Michigan you will most likely only be operating during the summer months and then switch to winterizing pools as the summer ends.

Regardless of what type of service you plan to offer, do your research first and be sure that this is filling an actual need. Most seasonal businesses are popular because customers need your services to deal with an increase in demand for what you do. But, if there is no real increase in demand during your "busy" months then it might not be financially smart to purchase equipment and hire employees each year just to break even. You will want to turn a profit, and doing proper research will help you understand what services are needed most at each time of year where you live and where your business will operate at.

Managing Your Time, Schedule, and Lifestyle

Another factor to consider when thinking about what type of business you want to start will be to take a close look at your typical schedule and how much time you will be able to devote to this venture, as well as your lifestyle and if this type of business matches up with these. For example, opening a landscaping business with no experience of working outside, knowledge about best practices for the industry, and no equipment can be very costly and also not an enjoyable business to run for someone who does not enjoy the outdoors or work that is required of a landscaping business.

You also will need to look into the amount of time that is required for you to be present on the job or if you are going to have to hire multiple employees to ensure the business is ran correctly. Running is both a financial investment as well as a time investment, and it is not always the best choice for everyone. There is not one answer to this question as circumstances change with each person, so be sure to do your research to be sure this is something that is feasible and cost effective to venture into.

Running a Profitable Seasonal Service Business

Just like any other type of business, a seasonal service business has a few key factors that determine the profitability of the business. This will include factors such as the amount of demand, recurring revenue streams from repeat customers, a strong marketing plan, and excellent customer service.

An important aspect of a seasonal business revenue stream is to build a client list that you are able to rely on to be recurring customers each year when your services are in demand. If you are able to gather phone numbers, emails, or market on social media to previous customers it helps to remind them of your services and potentially reacquire previous customers at low cost by simply reaching back out to them.

Setting up systems like a season long subscription package for regular lawn care, a pool maintenance subscription for regular visits during summer months, or packages that renew each year for snow removal. These types of subscriptions are able to create customer loyalty with your business and ensure that each year when the high demand season comes for your business type, that your customers are already aware and ready for your services again.

Pre-selling Services

One important thing you can do as a seasonal business owner is to contact your previous customers as your busy season approaches and offer early discount rates for those who pay early to secure your services. This typically will be a deal that is offering discounted rates or services, such as 15% off if you renew the service by a certain date. This can be an advantage for both you and your customers as you are able to get an idea of how busy you are likely to be and set a schedule early, and your customers are able to get a discount on a service they were most likely planning to purchase already. When you decide to offer these discounts, you will need to measure the amount of discount that makes sense relative to the amount of business you will gain from offering this.

For repeat customers, they typically will enjoy the benefits of getting a discount and also getting priority scheduling by being some of the first customers on the books and choosing a time that works best for them. You and your business benefit by getting customers scheduled early and collecting payments while still in the off season which can be very beneficial to the overall cash flow of the business.

Keeping Your Business Compliant

Regardless if you are a seasonal business or are operating year round, you will need to ensure you are maintaining the ongoing compliance of your LLC registration with the Secretary of State. This compliance will include things such as filing annual reports with the Secretary of State, and also updating any outdated information for your business such as your address information, registered agent information, and ownership information.

The total cost for filing these renewals will vary depending on the state you are in, but regardless of your state Firstep is able to maintain your compliance automatically while also offering multiple other services to help you run your business in an organized and efficient way. The continued good standing of your business is what is able to keep the separation of your business and personal assets, as well as the legal good standing of your business to operate legally.