22 Best Seasonal Business Ideas for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

1. Snow removal

A snow removal business is a great opportunity for landscapers, lawn care professionals, and window cleaners. Since these jobs have a slow season in November through February, snow removal offers a chance to take advantage of winter weather opportunities.

Snow removal is a $20.5 billion industry that can earn up to $400 per residential client per season. If you have a four-month season with 50 clients, snow removal has the potential to be extremely lucrative.

To start a snow removal business, you’ll need a business truck, driver’s license, and insurance. Then, plan to invest in safe plowing equipment before you take on your first snow removal job.

READ MORE: 8 snow removal business tips for a profitable winter season

2. Holiday light installation

Installing lights on Christmas trees, houses, and commercial properties is a great way to earn extra cash in a slow season. (In fact, one successful business owner reported making a $16,000 profit in just two months!) With holiday light installation, there’s also the rewarding feeling of bringing holiday joy to your local community.

To start a holiday lighting business, always consider:

• How to buy the correct inventory, lights, decorations, and supplies
• When to invest in proper training to install the lights
• How to secure general liability insurance to protect you if something goes wrong (especially when using tall ladders or installation equipment)

READ MORE: Christmas light installation: 8 business tips for a profitable season

3. Chimney sweeping

Many homeowners will have their chimneys swept at the end of fall or early winter in preparation for the upcoming cold weather season.

Besides high demand during these times, a chimney sweep business often faces low competition and relatively affordable startup costs.

With the proper training and preparation, a chimney sweep can also turn high profits. In fact, one local chimney cleaning business generated over $212,000 in its first year using chimney sweep software and a team of only five employees.

Ready to go? Follow this chimney cleaning checklist to learn about certifications, how to build your service list, and how to plan for growth.

4. HVAC (heating and cooling)

Extreme temperatures in the winter naturally lead to higher demand for heating services and maintenance. Autumn is a great time to launch an HVAC business that focuses on heating and furnace repair, as homeowners make preparations before unexpected winter weather.

On the flip side, hot summer months also mean higher demand for cooling services. Both options, however, require in-depth training and certification. 

Before starting an HVAC business, assess the startup costs, profitability, HVAC certification, and equipment needs. Then, you can make an informed choice on whether this is the right seasonal opportunity for you.

READ MORE: How to run an HVAC business

5. Residential winter weatherproofing

During late fall and the early winter months, property owners search for ways to weatherproof their homes to keep in the heat. For instance, older homes may need special sealants around windows and doors to prevent cold drafts from coming in. 

You can provide these weatherproofing services by starting a handyman business.

As part of your handyman services, you could check roofs for leaks, offer watertight sealing, clean drains and gutters of debris, and improve sub-floor ventilation. No matter which route you choose, spend some time learning industry best practices in order to provide exceptional results to your clients.

READ MORE: How to become a handyman: 4 steps you need to take

6. Landscaping and lawn care

Because landscaping services have low barriers to entry and high-profit potential, these businesses provide amazing opportunities in warm-weather months.

For instance, a lawn care professional can expect to make up to $100,000 annually depending on their business size, team, and catalog of landscaping services.

When taking a strategic approach to starting a lawn care business, choose exactly who to target (residential or commercial) in each season. Use the right lawn care marketing strategies, and hire the right staff so that you can start completing more jobs in less time.

READ MORE: How to run a successful lawn care business

7. Pool maintenance

Although pools do require year-round maintenance, heavier usage during the summer season means pool cleaners are busier and more profitable from May through September. 

Despite being a warm-weather activity, swimming pool services is a $6 billion industry, pulling in recurring profits throughout the year (depending on service region).

Pool maintenance typically starts at $150 per month per pool, but this amount can fluctuate. Even with only 20 summertime pool clients, you can still expect strong revenue numbers if you start monthly contracts at each pool.

When you’re starting a pool cleaning business, familiarize yourself with your state’s business licensing requirements. For instance, some states only require a business license, while others like California and Florida have extra requirements to operate.

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT: How this pool service business grew 9x in under 5 years

8. Tree service

Arborists are in high demand in nearly every region in the world, especially during spring and summer, and earn $48,772/year on average. A tree care business can be a highly profitable seasonal venture for individuals with the right equipment, knowledge, and skill set.

Keep in mind, however, that starting a tree service business can be dangerous and competitive, especially if your service specializes in affordable and fast tree removal.

9. Window cleaning

Spring and summer months are when many homeowners focus on general cleaning inside and outside the house. Window cleaning can be a lucrative seasonal business to start, as it requires very little overhead or equipment.

Starting a window cleaning business is also an attractive opportunity because it has a fairly shallow learning curve and requires no expensive training. Although window cleaners can make an average salary of $36,970, this could be significant for a college student who only wants to work full-time three months of the year.

10. Painting

The warmer months also tend to be when homeowners start new home renovation projects. Take advantage of this opportunity by starting a painting business, which is perfect if you love working with your hands or enjoy painting as a hobby.

A side gig in painting also has the potential to turn into something more permanent. Take Graham Audenart’s story, for instance. He started painting because he needed a summer job, and he started earning $40–50 an hour as a painting subcontractor.

Now, Graham owns two residential and commercial businesses and three Painters Enterprise business locations. To have similar success, gain some industry experience and ask the pros about the best painting technique, tools, and methods.

11. House cleaning

There’s always a huge demand for residential cleaning services, with spring being one of the busiest periods as homeowners get serious about “spring cleaning.” 

On average, a one-person home cleaning business can easily generate over $39,000/year. 

To start a cleaning business, you’ll need cleaning equipment, everyday cleaning products, marketing and office supplies, and cleaning service business software (for client estimates, approvals, and invoicing).

READ MORE: Is it worth starting a cleaning business?

12. Laundry services

You can also niche down within the cleaning business industry by offering a speciality service, like laundry. 

Busy parents with full-time jobs and kids will happily pay for the convenience of having their laundry cleaned and folded—especially during the school year when families are busy with sports and activities. 

Startup costs will depend on how much you want to invest and make from this business. You can technically just use your personal washer and dryer (if yours are reliable). If you plan to scale, however, you may want to invest in multiple high-quality units.

READ MORE: How to start scaling your business successfully

13. Fence installation

In areas with lots of new construction homes, there’s significant demand for new exterior fencing around yards and properties. For a dedicated and hard-working entrepreneur, fencing is a great opportunity, particularly in warm weather months when people want to enjoy their outside spaces.

When starting a fencing business, always:

• Understand your market and the amount of local demand
• Learn how to price your fencing services correctly to stay competitive and remain affordable
• Know what fencing materials you want to offer and install

Although a fencing business offers a good opportunity to pick up work when you need it, you should know specific installation methods and best practices. You’ll also need a reliable supplier to get materials (like wooden fence sections, gates, and chain link fencing) when you need it.

14. Pest Control

The best time for a homeowner to have their home sprayed for insects is during spring and summer. Pest control business owners can earn $58,000/year or more, especially if demand in a particular residential area is high.

Keep in mind, however, that pest control can be much more complicated than other seasonal business ideas. There are front-end processes (operations, customer service, etc.) and back-end supply and technical costs to consider.

Pest control businesses are also responsible for understanding local and federal regulations, safe chemical use, and how preventative sprays work.
If you have that experience in these areas, then you can more confidently start a pest control business.

15. Roof repair and replacement

During spring and summer, two high-demand services are roof repair and roof replacement. Roofers can make $41,246/year or more, depending on how many new contracts they take on. It’s also possible to subcontract roofing work, especially if you have skills or training but don’t necessarily want to launch your own venture.

When pursuing this seasonal business idea, avoid underbidding on jobs, which can reduce your income potential. Instead, learn how to price and bid roofing jobs the right way, for maximum profit.

16. Junk removal services

Junk removal is a growing industry with opportunities just about anywhere—assuming you’re willing to work hard and answer unexpected service calls. This business involves picking up and moving people’s junk or unwanted items, but it could also include scouting for local recycling solutions.

Partnering with a moving service during the busy summer months (when homeowners are getting rid of unwanted items) could offer an automatic jumpstart. Start with affordable pricing, or up-charge for quick turnaround jobs.

READ MORE: How to build a junk removal business: tech, culture, and careers

17. Moving and packing services

The busiest months of the year in the real estate market are the summer months. Many people (including college students) move into and out of  new apartments and homes.

A moving business can be highly profitable for anyone who’s ready to organize, work hard, and run a physically demanding operation.

To get started with a seasonal moving business, you’ll need a truck, moving equipment, supplies like boxes and tape, and transportation permits and insurance. Alternatively, you can specialize in just one part of this process—like hauling items into a box truck, where they’re ready to go for a homeowner. 

18. House and pet sitting

House and pet sitting are in high demand when families leave on summer vacations and other trips. These clients and customers might also have pets that require care while the family is away.

House and pet sitting have among the lowest startup costs of any business idea on this list. You don’t have to invest in any heavy equipment, and your availability often dictates how many jobs you take on at a time.

To get started, build a customer referral program to get referrals from family and friends, and use online platforms to find house-sitting jobs in your area.

19. Dog Walking

Dog walking is another low-cost business idea perfect for the warmer weather months.

You can target families on vacation, or anyone who’s busy and may not have time to walk their pets during a certain time of year. Alternatively, dog walking can be an excellent cold-weather service for pet owners who can’t (or would rather not) walk their dogs during the cold winter.

If you live in a high-density environment (like a busy city or metropolitan area), you can often find several clients at once to maximize your time and earning potential.

20. Pet waste removal (pooper scooper)

A pooper scooper business provides pet waste removal services for residential and commercial properties. In this role, you can expect to visit clients’ homes, yards, or public spaces to clean up and properly dispose of pet waste, ensuring a clean and safe environment. 

This business is especially valuable for busy pet owners or property managers who want to maintain a clean space without the hassle of handling pet waste themselves.
As more people venture outside in the warm months of spring and summer, this business opportunity can really accelerate. The average salary for this opportunity is around $40,000/year.

21. Boat cleaning and maintenance

Just as people pay business to service and clean their cars, they can also outsource the maintenance and cleaning of their boats. Boat care ensures both safety and longevity, and it’s extremely important both on and off-season.

To start this type of business, consider cleaning, detailing, and servicing boats—most often during the summer months. 

You can also take advantage of end-of-season opportunities, like providing winterization to boat owners who need to properly store and protect their boats for cold weather.

22. Auto detailing

An auto-detailing business offers comprehensive cleaning and restoration services for most personal vehicles, inside and out. 

Detailers specialize in tasks like washing, waxing, polishing, and deep-cleaning the interior of vehicles. Many detailers provide extra services that are difficult to do for the average car owner—like buffing out surface scratches or conditioning leather seats safely. 

In high-travel months like summer, many car owners want to keep their vehicles looking like new, even after road trips. An auto detailer might tier their services with speciality packages, often ranging from $100-$400 per job.

How to start a service business

Starting a seasonal business requires careful planning and execution to ensure success during peak periods. Follow these essential steps to get your business up and running smoothly, from identifying your niche to securing the right insurance.

• Identify your niche: Choose an exciting business idea that aligns with your skills and market demand, especially as that demand relates to seasonal trends.
  
• Create a business plan: Outline your goals, target market, budget, and strategies for both peak and off-season periods.
  
• Register your business: Choose a business name, register it legally, and obtain any necessary licenses or permits.
  
• Get small business insurance: Protect your seasonal business from potential risks and liabilities by securing the appropriate insurance coverage.
  
• Start marketing: Create a marketing plan that includes online (social media) and offline (in-person networking) strategies to attract customers and build brand awareness. The more you share, the more contracts you could snag in a limited time.
  
• Invest in field service software: Using a convenient, all-in-one platform helps you stay organized, book new work, and build strong customer service habits. Jobber handles quoting, scheduling, customer management, invoicing, and payments so that you can focus on working in your business—not on it.