Use the seasons to your advantage

A seasonal business will typically have an on-season, usually mid-spring to mid-autumn, and an off-season, usually winter.

Understanding the differences and how that will affect business is key to success. The on-season is when your business is busiest, and when trade is brisk. The off-season is when trade slows down or, in extreme cases, stops altogether. Typical seasonal sites rely on tourist trade and, therefore, the tourism season will also define the busy season.

Jim Sloan is the tenanted operations manager for St Austell Brewery, which runs an estate of 168 pubs across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.

He said: “Seasonal businesses are predictable. You know when you are going to be busy and when the quiet times will be. This affords the opportunity to plan in the quieter times to make sure a venue can operate at maximum efficiency when it is busy. There is often a misunderstanding that seasonal businesses give huge opportunities for a rest and time off, out of season.

"While the pace is undoubtedly slower, when turnover drops, you can afford to employ fewer staff and often owners find themselves working just as hard out of season as in the height of the rush.”

Challenges

Seasonal businesses face two substantial challenges a standard business does not. Firstly, cash flow. While a standard business will have peaks and troughs of trade, which affect cash flow, these are magnified in a seasonal area. Money will flood in during your on-season but trade will die off and become a trickle in the off-season.

Staffing is a major hurdle because a business needs more staff in the on-season but not in the off-season, in order to reduce the wage bill.

The first year is a crucial period for any business, but in a season it can be make or break. A good first on-season can be the foundation for a hugely successful business.

Taking the time to invest in your brand is time well spent because if you make a good impression, tourists are more likely to return to you and tell their friends to visit.

Managing your off-season well is crucial, planning your finances and using the period constructively is fundamental to maintaining the business. Planning and patience are key, so persevere to succeed.