For many businesses, there is a busy season.
Unfortunately, an off-season too.
Such is the case for Greg Lading, a partner in D & G Lawn Care Service in Bonner Springs, Mo., with his-brother-in-law David Pierce.
Business is slow right now.
“We shovel some driveways, cut trees or clear brush,” said Lading, whose two college-age nephews work for him. “We’ll find off jobs.”
The winter work is not enough to keep adequate money coming in, so Lading keeps a full-time job with the post office. In the summer, when the lawn service is swamped, Lading’s nephews handle the 9-to-5 jobs while Lading mows after work.
Understanding the cyclical nature of a business is very important, according to Bob Kolich with the Small Business Development Center at Johnson County Community College.
“You need to understand where it impacts your business so you can plan ahead,” Kolich said. “If you still need to generate revenues, you look for something that will complement what you’re doing. Take advantage of the skills you have and bring them indoors.”
That’s just what Sturgis Materials Inc. of Kansas City, Kan., did.
As a supplier of specialty building materials made primarily from rock, sand and stone, Sturgis fabricates and sells products for outdoor building purposes — a seasonal business.
“We got into the fabrication business (where) we cut stone for inside jobs,” co-owner Ed Walsh said.
Business comes through the same network of builders, designers and masons that Sturgis works with outdoors.
“We also do a lot of shows, we review our price list, and we get out and see people,” he said.
Planning is key to making it through the slower months.
“You take a deep breath, forecast what you want to do and gear up for what to do when you are busy,” Walsh said.
Kolich cautions seasonal businesses about one thing.
“You want to minimize your fixed expenses and make sure you don’t go too extravagant (in spending), especially when revenues are down,” Kolich said.
Dennis Prather’s professional coat check and service company, Hats Off to You!, is particularly busy during the holidays, as well as the cold-weather months when people wear coats. He faces the seasonal dilemma during the summer.
Prather, who works out of his Lee’s Summit home, minimizes expenses by hiring contract employees when needed. He also has extended his season by adding luggage and baggage check services and doing additional event staffing on a contract basis.
Prather’s biggest remedy was to buy another company, Metro Pool Service, also a seasonal business. Metro cleans pools and their equipment as well as doing repair work.
“Someone introduced me to what they did and they thought it would be a good fit for me, and I bought it,” Prather said.
Metro uses contract employees as well.
“There’s quite a bit of crossover (between the two) —you just juggle,” said Prather.