By: HEMAN GABRIEL ZAKARIA
The yuletide period is one anticipated by everyone, especially cooperative workers, because it allows them to take a break from work, relax with families, hang out, and even take a vacation for a few weeks and refresh.
As the year is running out, most Nigerians have endured ups and downs in finance, economy, businesses, and health. The struggles within the year are said to be real, with people making plans of what they intend to achieve within the year; some have had to change directions to achieve those goals; some got what they planned; some got more than they planned; and some have not achieved as expected. But one thing we all have to be grateful for is the gift of life.
As we count our blessings one by one, it is good to mention that the year-end is still a few weeks ahead, and this is the best period to start preparing for the year 2024 if you are thinking of doing business.
In this article, we will be looking at some of the businesses you can visit during this festive period, which can be extended to the new year. The businesses are abbreviated as FFEGLS (F = Food, F = Fun, E = Entertainment, G = Gifts, L = Logistics, S = Sourcing (agents)).
Food
According to business mentor Professor D. Audu, “Food business is a business that you can never lose.”
Food is a commodity that is purchased by the poor and rich; it is not a want; it is a necessity, and as such, in the festive season, it is highly sorted out for and by families, event planners, organizations, and even at weddings, which is also on the rise during the festive season.
Here are the types of food businesses one can do during this festive period.
Mobile Kitchen (Food Truck): The food truck business or better called mobile kitchen is a business that is becoming popular in the Western world but hardly seen over here in Nigeria.
Interested investors who have old vans can convert them into a mini kitchens and furnish them with cooking appliances, get food items and you are ready for business.
To start such a business can be quite expensive, but very profitable over time and a great advantage is its mobility to event and recreational centers.
Ice Cream Business: The festive period is a time for children and love birds to hang out and what will that be without Ice cream, therefore if you have a good location in mind where people converge to hang out, the ice cream business can be the best there.
Personal Chef: Personal chefs are trained cooks hired to provide at-home meals for their clients who often may have special preferences for the festivities which they cannot cook or are too busy to handle.
As an experienced chef, you can be hired by individuals, families, or special events.
Bakeries and baking: Bakeries are one of the oldest practices for the festive season, it is said that the baking industry generates more than 30 billion dollars annually.
Baking done during this period is the popular snack (Chinchin) and Cakes.
Drinks Business: drinks are one of the most shared and consumed during the festive seasons, there are different types of drinks ranging from organic, smoothies, wines, and carbonated drinks business you can do during this period.
Fun
The festive season is believed to be a time for fun for all ages, clans, ethnicities, and religions.
People need fun activities, it is important to note that every tradition and religion has regulations for types and kinds of fun activities that can be practiced within its jurisdiction, therefore those that want to be involved in such should take note of this.
Whereas the type of fun businesses that you can do as a business are, carnivals, game centers, events, and picnics.
Entertainment
The festive period is a time for fun and entertainment. This business idea will be more suited for those in the entertainment industry, including musicians, comedians, actors, and DJs.
The types of entertainment businesses to do during this season include but are not limited to: Christmas and New Year’s Eve concerts, parties, movie nights, and get-togethers.
Gift
The tradition of gift cards and gifting is fast fading away, however, some people still buy gifts for loved ones and special people during this season.
Gifting someone is not about the quantity and quality of the gift but the intention behind it.
Therefore, the types of gift businesses to do are caps, Christmas tresses, food and food items, packaging materials, clothes, and even cash exchanges for people who and to gift children during Christmas and New Year celebrations and Hamper packs.
Logistics
Logistics is a part of supply chain management that deals with the efficient forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the point of consumption according to the needs of the customers.
Logistics business can be simply referred to as the overall process of managing how resources are acquired, stored, and transported to their final destination.
For the sake of this article, we will say that the logistics business is the business of moving goods, services, and people from one place to another.
In Nigeria, it is important to note that on days of Christmas and New Year and boxing days in some parts of the country, there is a restriction of movement for businesses most especially for Tricycle (Keke) and Bike drivers, therefore for those who have cars, this is the best period to engage in transport business, another logistic business that Nigerians can do is food and food delivery.
Sourcing (agents)
The sourcing is the master of it all because it covers almost all aspects of the above businesses and it is the type of business you need zero to no funds to start.
Sourcing business is also known as sorting or agents’ business which can easily be done online. The business involves sourcing items needed by consumers and providing them with the products and their convenience.
The business includes food sourcing, clothes sourcing, event location sourcing, chicken sourcing, gift sourcing, and many more.
These business ideas are very viable and adoptable by Nigerians as the year is running out, during the festive period and in the New Year 2024.
