Outdoor side hustles have exploded in popularity in recent years. More people than ever are looking to earn extra income in their spare time while enjoying the perks of working outdoors. These outdoor jobs can provide fulfilling opportunities to tap into your skills and passions.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the ins and outs of launching a successful and lucrative outdoor side business.
Table of Contents
What Are Outdoor Side Hustles?
Outdoor side hustles refer to small, independent outdoor ventures that allow you to generate supplemental income outside of a regular 9-5 job. These gig economy jobs leverage your existing talents or gear to provide products or services to clients.
Common examples include:
- Outdoor recreation services (fishing guide, surfing lessons, etc.)
- Landscaping, gardening, and yard work
- Goods production and handicraft sales
- Pet services like dog walking or pet sitting
- Adventure and nature tourism experiences
The appeal lies in the flexibility, scalability, and ability to monetize outdoor hobbies and skills. You set your own hours and rates. Over time, you can choose to remain small or expand your operations.
Why Start an Outdoor Side Hustle?
Beyond making extra cash, outdoor side hustles offer many additional benefits:
- Work where you want: Bid farewell to the confines of an office building. Many outdoor gigs allow location independence or liberty to travel.
- Improved wellbeing: Working outdoors yields various mental and physical perks like reduced stress, vitamin D absorption, active lifestyles, etc.
- Zero commute: Skip the daily drive and start your day the minute you walk out your door.
- Tax deductions: Certain business expenses may be tax write-offs, putting more money back in your pocket.
- Skill development: Gain hands-on experience and expand your expertise over time.
- Connect with community: Interact with like-minded adventurers and nature lovers.
- Environmental impact: Eco-conscious services promote sustainability and environmental awareness.
In short – the ability to make money doing what you love in the great outdoors is tough to beat!
Overview of the Top 20 Outdoor Side Hustles
The following outdoor jobs showcase a wide variety of opportunities, from dog walking and coaching sports to selling goods at farmers markets or becoming a nature guide. Which gig aligns best with your interests, location, and skill set?
1. Lawn Care Services
Offering lawn mowing, edging, garden maintenance, and more, a lawn care business suits those who enjoy yardwork and have the required equipment. After an initial investment in gear like lawnmowers, you can earn great money recurring weekly or monthly with residential and commercial clients.
2. Landscaping Design
For creative types with horticulture expertise, a landscaping design side hustle blends art and environmental science to enhance outdoor spaces. Develop plans, select vegetation, and consult on installation to boost property aesthetics and value through sustainable gardens.
3. Outdoor Fitness Trainer
Combine your health and fitness passion while training clients in outdoor settings like parks. Create workout routines, lead groups or personal training sessions, and build community to inspire active lifestyles. Consider pursuing certifications to provide expertise in safety and technique.
4. Mobile Car Wash
Offer convenience with a mobile car wash traveling to client homes and workplaces. Startup costs are reasonable for basic gear, and profits can be significant as you establish a customer base seeking quality eco-friendly cleaning services.
5. Dog Walking
As a dog lover, enjoy daily jaunts through the neighborhood while getting paid. Apps like Rover or Wag connect you with pet owners needing midday walks for $15-$25 per 30 minutes. Flexible scheduling makes this an easy add-on income source.
6. Pet Sitting
Care for pets in their own homes when travel takes their owners away. Responsibilities include feeding, walking, administering medications, and providing affectionate companionship. Peak seasons around holidays allow potential for lucrative income growth.
7. Sports Coaching
Leverage your athletic talents and leadership abilities to coach individuals or teams in your specialty sport. Outdoor options like running, tennis, or rock climbing allow for dynamic training focused on technique and performance. Conduct lessons, clinics, camps, and more according to your expertise.
8. Bicycle Repair Services
Cycling enthusiasts can put their mechanical skills to work repairing and maintaining bikes for community members. Learn about parts and accessories for different riding styles to best serve your clients’ needs. Build expertise as an approachable mechanic dedicated to bike safety and function.
9. Outdoor Photography
For photographers seeking inspiration beyond the studio, capture stunning nature, landscape, adventure sports, and cultural images to sell as prints or stock photos. Market your services for portraits, events, workshops, and more through social media and online galleries.
10. Street Performer
Showcase musical, comedy, magic, circus, or other talents as a street performer engaging crowds in public spaces. Determine any needed permits, highlight your uniqueness, and consider merchandise to allow audiences to support your act.
11. Flea Market Vendor
Capitalize on the social atmosphere and bargaining of flea markets by selling vintage collectibles, handmade crafts, upcycled clothing, or other curated creations. Keep inventory lightweight for easy transport and display. Build relationships with regular customers in your community.
12. Adventure Sports Instructor
Help outdoor enthusiasts gain new skills and confidence in activities like kayaking, paddleboarding, rock climbing, or backcountry skiing. Achieve certifications to demonstrate technical expertise in your specialty as you convey passion for outdoor adventure in a safe, ethical, eco-conscious manner.
13. Nature Guide
Lead small groups on custom interpretive nature walks, highlighting local ecology, wilderness skills, conservation efforts, wildlife viewing, and outdoor ethics. Offer public and private birdwatching, tracking, tree identification tours catered to families, tourists, and schools seeking to enrich environmental awareness.
14. Farmer’s Market Seller
Vend fresh produce, baked goods, or artisanal products directly to customers as a farmers market seller. Enjoy the social atmosphere and community while gaining feedback and measuring interest before scaling offerings. Consider diversifying through an online shop, subscriptions, or partnerships.
15. Campground Management
Oversee campground operations, facilities/infrastructure, guest services, amenities, and programming for public, private, or backcountry campgrounds. Ensure smooth functioning and sustainable practices for optimal guest enjoyment. Requires hospitality expertise with passion for the great outdoors.
16. Boat Cleaning and Maintenance
Offer specialized marine cleaning and detailing for boats of all sizes, from yachts to small vessels. Provide captains peace of mind that their boats sparkle while protecting finishes. Learn best practices for care and preservation tailored to diverse watercraft materials.
17. Garden Consultant
For devoted gardeners eager to share plant wisdom, offer personalized garden design ideas, maintenance tips, or ongoing coaching to help clients successfully start and tend flourishing outdoor gardens. Visit spaces to provide site-specific recommendations and respond to questions.
18. Outdoor Event Planner
Combine organizational savvy and creative vision to coordinate gatherings in stunning open-air venues. Work with clients to deliver exceptional outdoor weddings, corporate retreats, concerts, festivals, and more through thoughtful logistics and sustainable practices.
19. Tour Guide
Spotlight hidden gems near home for tourists seeking off-the-beaten-path adventures. Offer themed cultural, food, photo, hiking, or history tours showcasing your local backroads and insider perspective.
20. Horseback Riding Lessons
Horse lovers can teach essential riding skills, stable management, safety knowledge, and horse care basics to students of all levels. Patience and strong horsemanship abilities are necessities when sharing your equine passion while developing confident, balanced riders.
Getting Started with an Outdoor Side Hustle
If one or more of these outdoor jobs has you intrigued, here is a step-by-step process for transforming your idea into a money-making endeavour:
Step 1: Pick Your Niche
First, narrow down your target services based on your interests, skills, experience level, and geographic location. Trying to be a jack of all trades can spread your efforts too thin. Start hyper-focused.
Step 2: Register Your Business
Make it official by registering your side hustle as a business. This may require obtaining permits or licenses, sorting out taxes, and checking regulations based on your location and industry.
Step 3: Gather Essential Gear & Supplies
Compile any mandatory equipment for your chosen outdoor niche. For some side hustles, you likely already own the basics. For others, an initial investment in gear or materials will be required.
Step 4: Build Up Your Qualifications
Some outdoor jobs require specific training or certifications for insurance reasons and establishing credibility. For example, a wilderness guide may need first-aid qualifications, orienteering skills, ecology expertise, etc.
Step 5: Create a Website & Marketing Materials
Design professional branding materials like logo, business cards, brochures, social media ads, etc. Create a portfolio website showcasing your niche services, rates, bio, and past work.
Step 6: Spread the Word Locally
Market your new outdoor side hustle in your local community through platforms like community bulletin boards, Craigslist, Facebook groups, NextDoor, flyer drops. Offer promotions or special introductory pricing to attract initial clients.
Maintaining Success with an Outdoor Side Hustle
Taking the right steps early on positions your outdoor venture for success down the road. Here are some handy pro tips:
Go above and beyond for every client – Offer top-notch gear, deliver 5-star customer experiences, respond promptly to inquiries. Positive word-of-mouth referrals drive growth.
Keep detailed records and stay organized – Closely track expenses, mileage, income sources, client details, schedules etc. Proper documentation also helps during tax season!
Continuously expand your skillset – Enroll in advanced certifications, workshops and courses to gain abilities that set you apart from competitors. Becoming a niche expert lets you charge premium rates.
Watch the weather diligently – Keep a close eye on weather forecasts and have backup plans ready when working outdoors. Customer retention depends heavily on reliability and professionalism.
Embrace technology to enhance efficiency – Online booking systems, payment platforms, scheduling assistants, drones, POS systems, etc. can help manage operations.
Maintain healthy work-life balance – An outdoor side hustle vous quickly consume all your spare time if you let it. Set boundaries and avoid burnout. Leave room for self-care.
Scale up slowly over time – Starting small allows you to deliver exceptional service, build your reputation, and understand the realities of running your venture before biting off more than you can chew. Patience pays off.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money can I earn from an outdoor side hustle?
Income potential varies widely depending on your niche, rates, number of hours worked per week, etc. Many ventures easily clear $25+ per hour. Top performers can net well over $100k annually. Defining your target clientele and pricing correctly is key.
Do I need an outdoor side hustle insurance policy?
Specific policy requirements depend on your niche services and location but having proper coverage is critical – especially for high-risk activities. General liability insurance protects you in event of gear damage, customer injury claims, etc. Specific policies like professional liability insurance may also be recommended. Consult local regulations.
What outdoor side hustle has the highest profit margin?
Lawn care and landscaping services often offer the best returns thanks to low overhead costs and steady summer demand. Initial investments like equipment and transportation can be made gradually. Most gear offers years of use. Limited licensing requirements also ease entry barriers. Bid your services strategically to yield solid margins.
Can I travel while running an outdoor side hustle?
One of the primary allures of flexible outdoor gigs is the ability to work and wander simultaneously. Location independence is feasible for many niches like freelance writing, selling outdoor products online, managing Airbnb properties remotely, etc. Services relying on local clients take more effort to orchestrate but could arrange coverage while you adventure.
How much time does an outdoor side hustle take?
Time investments range substantially depending on your business model. Expect high time demands initially while establishing operations – this pays off down the road when systems are smoothed. Outdoor services require hands-on hours for site visits but offer freedom once the workday wraps up. E-commerce shops demand less face time directly serving customers but require behind the scenes effort on packing orders, social media marketing, etc. Schedule wisely.
Final Thoughts
Venturing into the world of outdoor side hustles lets you fuse business and pleasure while padding your income. With so many outdoor jobs to pick from, find an niche aligned with your top skills and biggest passions. Approach your new outdoor venture strategically by following key steps covered in this guide – niche focus, calculated expansion, exceptional service, continued learning, and healthy work-life equilibrium. Channel your inner entrepreneur and get ready to dive in! The open air office awaits.
Now get out there, grind wisely, and breathe deep. Wishing you success in all of your outdoor endeavours!