$1,000.00 Days-7 Ways to CASH IN on birthdays, cause, everybody has one.

[GordonJ]

Birthdays, they come much too fast these days for me.

But I have always loved 'PARADE OF LIFE' businesses.

These are businesses that focus on certain days of the year, which come around every year, like Black Friday and eMonday will be coing this November.

Here are 7 business ideas, maybe one might suit you.

#7 CAKES. Birthday, wedding, graduation and any event. When I was at the US Navy's Class 'A' Cooking School in San Diego, every Friday I helped the baker "Ski" with the cakes used every week for boot camp graduations. Ski had a very lucrative sideline business in San Diego baking cakes for many events, including birthdays. In fact, the guy made more money in a week than he did in a month from his Navy pay.

Locally, we've talked about Arlene before, who at one time had a candy store and cake baking shop, she still bakes and decorates cakes from home and makes an extra 100 bux a week for a couple of hours of work. She also teaches cake decorating, a few times a year and all of this is a cash business, that is, direct to her money cause she now uses a PayPal device to accept credit cards.

#6 Kids Birthday Parties. All kinds of ideas here, including bouncy rentals, pool parties and here is a lady cashing in with a twist:

http://www.glamouravenueparties.com/

WOW! Now there is a great idea excellently executed.

#5 Corporate Birthdays and Events. A savvy Entrepreneur could take the above concept and twist it into a fun and profitable cash cow. One way is to have a place, and here is one I've been to and it rocks birthday and corporate events, although a significant investment, but what FUN:

www.skyzone.com

Guys like Joe Hammer also do magic and mind reading acts at corporate events too. Corporations will spend a lot of money to make their events memorable, so there is a lot of opportunity with these PARADE OF LIFE business concepts.

#4 Photography. At a recent book signing I attended they had a modern photo booth set up, a camera and an iPad, and it took four digital pictures, and they provided all kinds of goofy things like hats, giant glasses, there was a line at the photo booth (NO booth).

Our own Steve "Ski" has provided us with many ideas on how you might profit from your camera skills. Check our archives for steveski.

3# Cupcakes. Separate from cakes for a reason...I worked with a guy at GFS Marketplace in Tallmadge who has TWO cupcake stores, Pandora's Box, here in Akron area. He kills it for schools and classrooms because he makes a variety of flavors and some no sugar type...so all the kids can enjoy and not be left out. Some think the cupcake 'fad' peaked, but his success says otherwise. I think sugar free, gluten free might find success at senior facilities where there are many diabetics.

#2 MASCOTS. Been there and done this. From Brutus Buckeye to Sponge Bob...a good costume shop or maker could be worth 50 to 75 bux an hour. I was once a giant rabbit, I being the magician in the rabbit's hat, and made 250 dollars for two hours of "work". It was for a store grand opening, also a chance for you to cash in.

#1 Specialized Messenger. Yes, I was making over $1,000.00 a day at the peak of my OFF KEY SINGING TELEGRAM BUSINESS. We became hot after an appearance on St. Patrick's Day on the Cleveland morning show with Fred Griffith. Phone rang off the hook for weeks after.

These are just a few of the many ways to cash in on Birthdays and Events, and if you build a business around these EVERY year events, you'll have an evergreen cash cow.

Gordon