Do you have a seasonal business? ☀️❄️

[ElisabethB]

Hi, everyone! How many of you have a business that is seasonal? During which months do you operate, and what do you do during the off-season?

[ECT]

We are in tourism. Definitely very seasonal as we are in the North East. My husband and I have been doing this 8 years now. Over the years we have learned a lot about winters and have gotten to the point where we think of / plan for winter all year long. We share responsibilities and both run the business together. I have been working at an IT Consulting company for the past 6.5 years. My husband has been doing web design / online marketing as a side gig for the past decade but about 4 years ago got even more serious with it and it's slowly turned into something fairly lucrative. And then this past winter he took a Real Estate Sales Agent course, passed it, and is set to take his state exam at the end of the month.

When you are in something as seasonal as tourism. You have to do multiple things. Unless you are making millions of dollars or something. COVID crushed us for a couple of years there so thank god we had other things going on. We have learned over the years how to delegate and have the shop run itself as much as possible so we don't need to be there as much. In the beginning we were there all the time. 

It's not easy. But we are building something and one day hope to sell the business and go full time into real estate investing. At least that is what we are planning / dreaming for...

[sageandskin__]

Hi everyone!

Although self-care should be all year around, I find that my busy times are beginning of summer (with waxing as my top seller). I've owned my suite without a full time job for over a year now and the rollercoaster of no clients to too many clients is a tough ride. Being a service-based business, I feel as if I have to sell myself as well as my services so there is never nothing to do. I applaud all small business' for taking the chance anyway and running with it!

[CrazyHill_GNB]

We are seasonal. We run a  boutique style plant nursery and art gallery. We open the first week of March and stay open until mid-day Christmas Eve. 

We are halfway into our 3rd year, so far every "break" has been spent performing foundational work for the next year. This past winter we were in the Northwest Flower and Garden show, where we took a gold medal and People's Choice (our first time in!!!). Getting ready for that show was a brutal 2 month process but clearly paid off. Our business is established enough now that this coming winter break I'll have my hind end planted in the beautiful sandy beaches of Costa Rica for a couple of weeks!

[ElisabethB]

Wow, congrats on the gold medal @CrazyHill_GNB, that is awesome! Would love to see photos of your nursery and gallery!

[avalemert]

As a performing musician, I have basically two seasons: Summer and Winter, in the years before we were all forced inside, I was busy year-round. Now that things are so expensive, and many of my private party clients aren't throwing events as they used to. I don't see the signs of a return to having me come play to celebrate other events like birthdays, retirements, open houses, or client appreciation parties, in the near future, but I'll try to stay hopeful.

[ReginaRMT]

No to seasonal, but during certain times of the year it can be slow or swamped depending on when people take there seasonal vacations away for the summer or winters. Really no rhyme or reason in my line of work. 

[ReverendMike]

Seasonal businesses can be managed three ways:

1. Just make hay while the sun shines (Farmer Method)

2. Earn extra during the up times so you have enough during the down times. (Squirrel Method)

3. Set your business up so that when one area of your business is slow, another is hot. (Diversity Method)

Like Landscapers -- busy with planting and whatnot in warmer months and converting to a focus on snow plowing, salt spreading, etc..., you've instantly developed a complementary reason to buy your goods and use your services in an off season. What if it doesn't snow? Add seasonally specific services like raking leaves, putting up people's Christmas outdoor decorations, doing hardscape work or offering cleaning services.

The typical "up-time" in my business is when people have their boats on the water and golf clubs on the tee box. But, by changing the seasonal focus from summery things, to more cold weather things, I find a reasons for my customers to continue to use my products while gathering around a firepit, attending a tailgate party, ice fishing, etc...

Above it all, don't ever let your business be a victim of the seasons, unless you want it that way.

I was once told the definition of marketing is "Find a need an fill it." That's really the solution to many aspects of business, especially invention. When I can help my customers identify an off-season need they might not realize they have, that's when I'm successful. 

[BobChristenson]

Yes.  We operate a driving range and mini-golf facility that is open from early spring through late fall depending upon the weather.  We do offer e-gift cards online that get some activity especially at the holidays.

[TravisRenLeathe]

I love this topic! Yes, my business is seasonal. We're primarily a Renaissance Festival vendor. We have shops at 5 Renaissance festivals- 2 in Texas, one in Michigan, Minnesota, and Colorado, the Colorado Renaissance Festival being our home faire. We operate from the first weekend in April to the weekend after Thanksgiving, so April to November. We manufacture 2 lines of artisanal quality leather accessories, one for Renaissance festival costumes, and one for modern wear. In the off season, we concentrate on new product designs (everything we manufacture is proprietary to us) and manufacturing stock for the upcoming season. 

[maxpete]

Love it! How is off-season treating you so far?

[johningram]

no 😍 i am a publisher and my business run all 365 days

[maxpete]

Nice! Are some months busier than others in your business?