Since the pandemic forced us all to go into quarantine early last year, one of the things we’ve been missing dearly is traveling. Because of high unemployment rates, many people have also been starting small businesses or venturing into some form of self-employment, such as freelancing. The great news is that you can marry the desire to travel and start a new business by starting a mobile business. Setting up your business on a trailer or 5th-wheel toy hauler takes a lot of dedication, and we’re here to help you.
The great thing about mobile businesses is that people are more likely to be attracted to them because they’re mobile. It’s the same with a circus – knowing something won’t be in town for long makes people want to witness it before it’s gone.
We recommend that you start small with your journeys. Rather than kicking off your business by driving it across the country, start by conducting business within your city first. That way, you’ll get to establish your business in a certain locale without having to spend too much on gas. The more that your business grows, the farther you can drive!
Permits and licenses
But before you set off, you’ll need to secure the proper permits to conduct business. The first thing you’ll need is a business license, but this will limit you to just doing business within your city. So you’ll also need something like a peddler’s license or mobile vending license. Because policies vary across different cities, if you’re hoping to park and sell in a new city, you should first check with the local municipality to see if you need to secure additional permits to sell there.
Graffiti removal
Graffiti vandalism makes its way to many neighborhoods and cities worldwide, so there’s no shortage of places that will be interested in their removal. You can also offer other related services, such as professional house painting services.
Pet grooming
2020 was a good year for pets because their humans were home with them for most of it. But while their humans have had little else to do but grow their hair out or do D.I.Y. hair treatments for themselves, the same can’t be said for dogs – unless, of course, their owners happen to be pet groomers.
According to a recent survey done by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), 85 million U.S. families – about 67 percent of American households – own a pet. On average, dog owners spend $1,380 on basic expenses each year. You’ll never run out of places that have pet owners who need to hire a grooming service for their pets. You can even disseminate your business’ contact details online so that pet owners can set an appointment for you to drive to their homes and groom their pets in your van.
Food truck
Food is one of the businesses you can count on to attract a crowd – but make sure to curate your menu well. A good idea for food trucks is to sell unique food items such as specialty foods. Once your business has grown and you plan to drive farther distances, you can even offer food items specific to certain places. This is a great way to set yourself apart from the area’s non-mobile food hotspots.
On the other end of the spectrum, you can opt to offer foods that are universal favorites. The best things for you to cook are those that don’t take long to prepare or that you can have prepared so that customer wait time won’t be longer than it has to be. This includes coffee, hotdogs, and burgers.
Home service and repair businesses
At any given time of the year, there’s always some maintenance that a homeowner needs to do around their home. But because of the pandemic, people might be reluctant to let outsiders into their homes, so it’s best to offer home maintenance services for outdoor fixtures. You can offer power washing services for decks and driveways – this has been a viral video trend taking the internet by storm due to how satisfying it is to watch. Other services you can offer include car washing, pool cleaning, and gutter cleaning.
What better way to gain some mobility and earn extra income during the pandemic than to start a mobile business? This will also help you have more flexibility with your business, as you can transfer to different locations to meet with clients who made an appointment or reach a new market. Before you drive off, however, make sure that you’ve acquired the proper permits and licenses to conduct business in your chosen vehicle.
