My First Million

The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.

Back to Playbooks

Launch a profitable seasonal business that generates 6-figure revenue in 30-90 day sprint

Entrepreneurs willing to work intensively during peak season and hibernate during off-season

12-18 months to establish, then annual cycle

What Success Looks Like

Making $100k-$1M+ revenue in 1-3 month period with 40-60% margins, covering full year expenses in seasonal sprint

Steps to Execute

Research seasonal demand spikes with predictable timing

Identify underserved geographic territories or customer segments

Secure necessary permits, locations, and supplier relationships

Build operational capacity for 5-10x normal demand

Create inventory management system for perishables/time-sensitive goods

Develop marketing strategy focused on peak season timing

Execute intense sales period with all resources focused

Collect cash quickly and manage off-season cash flow

Checklist

Validated seasonal demand spike exists

Identified profitable territory or niche

Secured necessary business permits/licenses

Established supplier relationships with volume pricing

Built operational systems for peak capacity

Created inventory management plan

Developed customer acquisition strategy

Planned cash flow management for off-season

Inputs Needed

Market research on seasonal demand patterns
Initial capital for inventory and setup costs
Territory analysis and location securing
Supplier relationships and contracts
Operational systems for scaling

Outputs

Profitable seasonal business generating 6+ figure revenue
Established customer base and territory
Operational playbook for annual repetition
Cash flow to support off-season activities

Example

“Christmas tree business: spend January-October securing farm suppliers and urban locations, November setting up stands, December selling trees at premium prices in controlled territories”