Arguably, the best time to start a business is during summer. Where the sun shines as bright as it can, no snow or autumn breeze that will want you to snuggle in your bed or binge-watch a Netflix series.
Additionally, people tend to spend more during these months, and with better weather, more opportunities emerge, making it perfect to start any summer business ideas.
That’s why this article listed 20 ventures that you can primarily start in the summer, however, we divided them into 3 categories: home businesses, outdoor ventures, and year-round business ideas.
This allows you to easily find the best summer business ideas suitable to your strengths, passion, and interests.
Key Characteristics of Summer Business Ideas: Criteria Table
This is a table that summarizes the criteria we used to select the best business ideas for the summer.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Summer Season Relevance | All the business ideas listed can be started and operated during the summer, but some can go beyond the season. |
| 2. Demand and Popularity | The business ideas must have a market demand for them to have a chance to launch successfully. |
| 3. Feasibility and Startup Cost | It must not require significant upfront investment to get started. |
| 4. Potential for Profit | Any business needs consistent cash flow for it to continue running. |
| 5. Growth and Scalability | The business ideas must possess the potential to grow and expand into a larger company or broader market. |
Summer Business Ideas You Can Do at Home
1. Content Creation
Content creation is always a great business idea no matter the season. With the rise in popularity of social media apps, now there are more avenues for earning through creating engaging content and sharing it on your favorite apps such as YouTube or TikTok.
Over time and numerous content, you can attract a substantial audience that will allow you to earn by displaying advertisements throughout your content, and by including sponsored posts and partnering with brands.
2. Event Planning
Summer is filled with events such as weddings, parties, and other celebrations, making an event planning business a profitable venture during the season. You can offer clients customized and personalized events organization based on their preferences. And by leveraging social media you can easily find clients who are interested in your services.
3. Blogging
Blogging is a great stay-at-home summer business idea that you can start. Although, unlike the other ventures on this list, blogging will take time to be profitable. However, with perseverance and determination, you can turn your blog into a brand and earn anywhere from $1,000 to over $100k.
4. Dropshipping Business
A dropshipping business can be a good idea in the summer because you can capitalize on summer products and services that will be in demand. This includes swimwear, gear for outdoor activities, and travel accessories. Since it does not need any inventory, and all the work can be done online it is an ideal home-based summer business idea.
5. Affiliate Marketing
Similar to a dropshipping business, an affiliate marketing venture is a great home-based summer business idea as you can also promote and advertise seasonal products that will be in demand. However, its profitability will be less compared to dropshipping, although it is also less work. You often just need to review the products and services and find interested clients using social media apps or search engines.
6. Tutoring
After the school year, during the summer most students will want to have a lot of fun however, there are also a lot that will be more inclined to learn more and prepare for the next year. For some universities and institutions, summer can also be an exam season, so a tutoring service will be in demand, especially for subjects like Math, Science, Languages, and more.
7. Social Media Management
As mentioned in the intro, summer can be a season when most people spend their money. This means promotions and growth on social media are as important as ever for businesses. You can take advantage of this opportunity to start a social media management venture where you help other companies take their marketing efforts to the next level through these platforms.
Summer Business Ideas You Can Do Outdoors
8. Pool Cleaning and Maintenance
If you live in a community where swimming pools are common, then a pool cleaning and maintenance business can be a great idea for the summer. However, it is not just about getting all the dirt and trash in your client’s pool. It might require some upfront investment because you will need to learn about chemical balancing and checking equipment to maintain the pool’s health.
9. Summer Camps
If you are interested in business ideas that involve dealing with people instead of introverted businesses then starting a summer camp business can be an ideal business. Although this does not mean that introverts can’t do this business, they will be more aligned with these types of businesses.
Summer camps require careful planning about the events and safety of participants, but when done correctly it can both be profitable for you and a memorable experience for your clients.
10. Food Truck or Food-Based Business
Summer is when most families and friends go out together to spend some time in their favorite places such as the parks, beaches, and other tourist spots in the city. You can take advantage of this event by launching a food truck or food-based business in your community.
11. Landscaping and Lawn Care
Lawn mowing, gardening, and plant trimming or pruning are all done in the summer. Nearly all of the houses in certain neighborhoods will need help with landscaping and lawn care. Additionally, it can be more profitable if you have a background in landscape designing and not just mowing the yard.
12. Miniature Golf Course Management
This is a business idea that will only be applicable to a few entrepreneurs who have access to a miniature golf course whether they own or rent it. It is a popular hobby and activity for different types of people and is a great way to hang out with your friends and family during the summer season. The key is to provide them with an enjoyable and unique experience together with good customer service.
13. Farmers Market
If you have goods and crafts that you think are valuable for some people then you can start a vendor’s market during the summer. This idea however is best by combining it with an online store. There are just more people and a broader reach on platforms such as eBay and Etsy. So, to be successful try to combine both ideas and offer customers high-quality and unique products.
14. Bike Rental Business
During the summer season, more people are inclined to enjoy outdoor activities mainly due to the great weather, and one of the most popular activities is biking. If you live in a city or community where there are good biking trails and routes then starting a biking rental business can be very profitable.
15. Tour Guide
If your city contains historical and popular tourist spots and you are knowledgeable about these places then a tour guide business is a great idea for the summer. You will get to meet a lot of people and travel to different parts of your community and more if you are willing to be a tour guide in other parts of the country as well.
Summer Business Ideas You Can Do All Year
16. Pet Sitting
Pet sitting is in demand not only in the summer but all year too. However, just like other people, pet owners often go outside and enjoy more time with their friends and families to go on vacations or visit other places during summer. This makes a pet sitter in demand even more this season.
17. Cleaning Services/House Cleaning
Summer is also a great time to clean your house because just imagine taking out a lot of trash and junk during winter when the weather is so cold. Homeowners will most likely agree to this thinking making house cleaning or cleaning services more profitable during the summer despite being viable all year long.
18. Personal Training and Sports Coaching
Everyone should work out and exercise in all seasons, however, more will be prone to train during the summer when the weather will not make you want to stay in your bed all day. This season is also ideal for playing sports outdoors, allowing you to start a business on personal training and sports coaching.
19. Photography Business
A photography business will be feasible throughout the year, but just like the event planning business idea, there are more parties, weddings, and gatherings during the summer making a photography business even more in demand.
20. Moving Services
This business requires physical labor and a lot of lifting and traveling. Due to its nature, summer becomes the ideal season for the business, where it is safer to drive with no wet, icy, or snowy roads, and packing and unpacking of items are easier.
Final Thoughts
Summer offers some of the best opportunities for starting a business, especially for aspiring entrepreneurs. There are a lot of business ideas that you can explore, and all the summer business ideas that were featured in this list are only the beginning. If you take more time and look around during this season, you will surely find a business that will suit your needs, goals, and interests.
As a professional web and software developer, the author possesses a strong foundational background in Computer Science. This equips him with both academic rigor and practical insights into the world of web-based entrepreneurship. As the founder of this platform, webpreneurships.com, he stands at the intersection of technology and business.