For entrepreneurs, there's no such thing as a summer slump. The long days are ideal for executing new business ideas.
If you've been itching for a new business venture and want to make it a reality before the summer is over, now is the time to act — so long as you obtain the necessary permits, licenses, and certifications required by your town or state to operate.
Here are 15 business ideas you can start before the summer ends.
Professional organizer
Are you a Marie Kondo or "The Home Edit" aficionado? Put your tidying-up and organization skills to the test by launching a business. As a professional organizer, you'll help people sort through the clutter of their home or office to decide what's worth keeping and what can get tossed. Then, you can design an organizational system for the remaining items that will be easy for the client to maintain.
Grocery consultant
If meal planning is one of your best skills, why not make it a career? Grocery consultants learn clients' preferences and dietary restrictions and help them plan meals. They also do the food shopping on their clients' behalf and deliver the goods right to customers' homes.
You can help your hungry (but time-starved) customers develop healthy menus, share recipes with them, and even show them how to cook certain foods they may not be familiar with. It's a great way to turn a passion for cooking and nutrition into a lucrative career.
Not into meal planning and food shopping for a living? Here are 10 other businesses you can also start from home.
Pet sitting
In case you haven't noticed, the pet economy is booming. Pet owners are willing to shell out big bucks to care for their beloved furry friends, and that includes hiring a reputable professional to babysit Fido (or Felix) while they're on vacation or just at work for the day.
To get started, you can advertise your services with folks you know and then branch out by posting your information on bulletin boards at local libraries, coffee shops, or community spaces. Online platforms like Rover also help connect pet sitters with the families who need them.
[Read more: Waggin' Tails Pet Ranch Offers a One-of-a-Kind Experience]
Online reseller
Have an eye for cool vintage handbags? A taste for throwback threads? Then you've already got the basic skills to become an online reseller. Savvy entrepreneurs can make a profit by scooping up in-demand items — like retro sneakers, vintage designer bags and sunglasses, or collectible merchandise — for cheap and reselling them online at a profit. Most resellers scour yard sales and flea markets to find the treasure they seek, then list them on eBay or Etsy.
To make your finds stand out, focus on capturing dynamic photos of each item and creating product descriptions that entice shoppers to click Buy. An active social media presence to advertise your online shop, especially on image-first platforms like Instagram, can also go a long way toward getting your reselling business off the ground.
Hate shopping? Here are a few other easy-to-start businesses you can consider.
Natural landscaper
We know what you're thinking … aren't landscapers "natural" landscapers? Unlike traditional landscaping businesses that use chemicals to bolster nature's beauty, natural landscapers work exclusively with indigenous plants and natural materials to bring an outside space to life.
If you're an avid home gardener, you likely have many of the necessary skills to turn your green thumb into a business. Start by researching (or even taking a class about) the flowers, trees, and shrubs native to your region. Then, go out and help your clients reclaim their backyards in a way that doesn't harm the environment.
Gardening isn't the only way to go green. Here are six other environmentally friendly businesses you can consider starting.
Bed and breakfast owner
If you have enough room in your house for overnight guests (and you enjoy hosting), consider turning your home into a bed and breakfast (B&B). Sites like Airbnb and Vrbo have popularized the trend of renting temporary space in someone's home rather than renting a hotel room.
This business option is particularly viable for those who live in or near major cities or travel destinations. Alternatively, if you live near a teaching hospital or university, professional travelers and students will likely flock to your B&B. Get started by reviewing listings for other Airbnb (or traditional B&B) rentals in your area, then create a listing of your own.
Here are a few more business ideas that are perfect for retirees, including public speaking and crafting.
To get started, you can advertise your services with folks you know and then branch out by posting your information on bulletin boards at local libraries, coffee shops, or community spaces.
Influencer
Do you have a strong social media or blog presence? If your following is fairly large and engaged, it might be time to reach out to brands you admire to see how to become an influencer. Before you reach out, do some thinking about your particular niche. What do you have to offer brands and why should they allow you to promote their products?
It's also a good idea to spend time honing the image you want to convey to potential brand clients. Once you've made a solid plan for approaching potential clients, all you have to do is keep being yourself and grow your following.
[Read more: How to Start an Influencer Business]
Social media consultant
If you want to work in social media but would rather spend your time behind the scenes, consider becoming a social media consultant. Lots of businesses need help creating and maintaining a social presence.
If you have skills writing engaging content, capturing interesting photos, and creating graphics, you are well on your way to social media success. Businesses looking to post on platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram will likely welcome your services.
Tutor
Do you speak another language? Are you great at math? Perhaps you excel at staying up to date on current affairs. Whatever your skill may be, there is likely someone nearby who could benefit from your education.
While school-aged kids may need someone who can teach them how to conjugate Spanish verbs or complete their algebra homework, adults also seek tutors. Start a tutoring business by making a list of potential clients who could benefit from your services. Then, figure out how to market your business to those people.
If teaching others isn't your thing, read up on other part-time businesses you can start in your free time.
Virtual bookkeeping
Gone are the days when bookkeepers needed to crunch numbers in the same ZIP code as the business they were working for. Online accounting software and cloud-based data storage services allow you to balance financial books without ever entering an office.
Create a resume, LinkedIn profile, or website that highlights your experience as a bookkeeper and ask previous clients to write recommendations on your behalf. With these credentials in hand, plus familiarity with the most popular accounting software programs, you can start a bookkeeping business right from home.
Here are 15 other businesses you could start tomorrow.
Mobile vehicle and boat detailing
There's nothing quite like a clean car. However, most drivers don't have the time or desire to regularly detail their own vehicles at home, and they may not want to take it to a shop and wait for service. With the necessary equipment for a mobile detailing business, entrepreneurs can travel directly to customers, offering them a clean vehicle and convenient service.
If you're located near a body of water, you can take your mobile detailing business a step further and extend it to watercraft. Keeping boats clean between uses is necessary to extend the vessels' life and prevent the spread of invasive species from one body of water to another. A few good reviews could be all it takes to make you the go-to detailer in a marina!
Farmers market vendor
With warm weather comes ripe produce — and that produce is often the star of local farmers markets. These seasonal community markets are often held weekly and are an ideal outlet for selling locally grown or sourced products. You could become a vendor this summer and provide household favorites like tomato sauces, jams, or honey with your special twist or recipe.
Another avenue could be selling freshly made baked goods like cinnamon buns, delectable chocolate chip cookies, breads, and other items to hungry shoppers. Consumers love supporting local small businesses and are likely to stop at multiple vendor stalls on their trip to the market.
Handyman services
The ability to fix things around the home without hiring a professional is a sought-after skill. Consider offering these services professionally to those in your community.
While not every state requires a specific handyman license (or equivalent) before you market yourself as one, it may be a good idea to get one anyway to demonstrate your expertise and professionalism to prospective customers.
Once you have your license, you can decide if you'll offer a wide range of handyman services or focus on a specific niche you are particularly good at, such as fixing leaky faucets and toilets or hanging drywall and spackling new walls.
Mobile food stands
While food trucks take extensive planning to get up and running, there are other methods to take food on the go and serve hungry customers. Small pull-behind food stands that you can tow with a vehicle are often easier to manage by yourself (though they may still be subject to region-specific licensure and permits, depending on your location).
In the summer season, you could sell hot dogs, soda, water, and chips to beachgoers (if you live near water) or attendees of local summer sports games. Likewise, a bicycle retrofitted with a portable cooler of frozen treats can be an ideal mobile food business in suburban neighborhoods, especially on warm summer nights after dinner time.
[Read More: 6 Thriving Small Businesses on Wheels to Inspire Mobile Startups]
Outdoor fitness instructor
If you're a fitness buff, organizing outdoor fitness classes in public parks can be a fruitful and rewarding business. The weather in most U.S. regions during this time of year lends itself to mild morning temperatures, creating a great atmosphere for attendees to get their bodies moving before it's too hot.
As an outdoor fitness instructor, you will need little, if any, equipment for your classes. For example, a Zumba or dance class will only require a speaker for music. If you plan to organize yoga classes, you can ask attendees to bring necessities such as yoga mats or blocks.
This story was originally written by Elizabeth Peterson.
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
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