The Southern United States refers to 16 states, including Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi. These states are known for distinct cuisine and include the birthplace of Blues.
Most of the states in the South enjoy mild temperatures during the winter months. Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida enjoy direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, while southern states such as Florida, Georgia, and Virginia, border the Atlantic Ocean. Whether you’re interested in starting your own business in Huntsville, St. Petersburg, Tampa, or along the Gulf Coast, there are many excellent business ideas you can pursue, including the ones featured here.
Open a restaurant.
The South is known for its southern cuisine. If you love food and enjoy meeting people, you can open a cafe or a restaurant and serve southern dishes. Popular dishes include chicken and dumplings, fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, jambalaya, gumbo, and grits. If you’re located near the ocean or the Gulf Coast you could specialize in seafood dishes. You could also opt to open a dessert shop or bakery and serve southern specialties, including chess pie, banana pudding, and hummingbird cake.
Whether you concentrate on serving desserts or meals, you’ll need a location that’s easy to access. Choosing a theme or focus can help you distinguish your eatery from competitors. Whether you focus on famous people from the South, such as Elvis Presley or Hank Williams, or concentrate on literary figures or an ocean theme, your establishment’s style can set your business apart from competitors.
In addition to chairs, tables, food prep counters, and freezers, you’ll need a reach-in refrigerator where you can store food safely. The refrigerant absorbs heat and generates cool air, ensuring you can preserve food in a suitable environment. Stainless steel refrigerators come in a variety of styles. You can opt for a single door, two-door, or three-door commercial refrigerator based on your eatery’s needs.
Build a golf course.
The golf industry generated $84.1 billion in revenue in the U.S. in 2016. Golf is a popular hobby for many people, and golf tournaments attract competitors and spectators. You can generate revenue from golfers playing your course, hosting tournaments, and selling golf supplies. You can also design a clubhouse that can be used for special events, such as wedding rentals. Some golf courses also have restaurants. You could run a restaurant to increase your revenue streams.
Buy or build a golf course to start your own business in the golf industry. Locating your golf course near popular tourist spots in Alabama is a great way to capitalize on the South’s thriving tourist industry. Huntsville and Birmingham are popular vacation destinations, which may draw clientele to your golf course. You can also open a resort that features a golf course and other amenities, such as a pool.
Enter the photography or film industry.
The climate and geography contribute to the South’s appeal to the film industry. Some southern states, such as Georgia, offer tax incentives that make filming movies and T.V. shows affordable. If you’ve been wondering how to make money with your drone, you should consider the film industry. Drone operators can fly cameras over landscapes and scenes to generate aerial video used in films. Drone operators appeal to filmmakers because drones are more affordable than using a helicopter to get these images.
A drone pilot can also capture photographs with drones. Photographers can contribute their skills to a wide range of industries, including the real estate and tourism industries. You can capture aerial photographs with a drone or use your camera to capture action shots at tourist sites and sell the images to tourists to earn extra cash. Photographers can also generate revenue by photographing weddings or taking school, graduation, baby, and family photos. Drone operators can also capture images used in the advertising industry.
Offer relocation services.
There are many reasons to consider moving to Florida. Whether they’re attracted to the oceanfront beaches, low taxes, or Disney World, thousands of snowbirds head south to enjoy the warm weather during the winter months every year. Some retirees relocate and spend summers and winters living in the Sunshine State.
Real estate agents help retirees relocate by featuring properties for sale or rent. They can present photographs, and videos of available homes online so prospective clients from around the country can view properties. Realtors also negotiate sale prices and finalize contracts. As a realtor, you’ll be able to help simplify the moving process.
Professional movers also make it easy to relocate. Long-distance moving companies can pack your possessions into a truck and transport your belongings to a storage facility or your new property. Once you’re ready to move in, they’ll unload your possessions and place them inside your new home. Creating a moving company is a great way to meet people and introduce new residents to your state.
Sell products you love.
There are multiple business ideas for women interested in starting a company in a southern state. One way you can set yourself apart is by selling products you love. If you love household goods, you can opt to feature furniture and appliances suitable for the climate. You can also specialize in apparel that’s ideal for the hot summers and mild winters.
The high volume of tourists who visit the South each year creates business opportunities for entrepreneurs interested in meeting tourist needs. You can establish a business near popular tourist destinations and focus on selling tourist essentials, such as sunscreen, disposable cameras, and hats. You may also focus on selling T-shirts, hats, and souvenirs. It’s easy to be enthusiastic about merchandise you like. If you establish your own business selling items that interest you, it will be easy to promote each product to customers. Sales is an ideal field for those who want to establish relationships with long-term clientele or meet new people.
Become an influencer.
Social media influencers use their social media platforms to inspire their audience. They may wear apparel provided by sponsors or clothing they’ve designed to encourage viewers to purchase those products. Social media influencers also feature goods or services in photographs and videos posted on their Facebook page or Instagram and TikTok accounts. Influencers can also expand their reach by working as a blogger.
Social media influencers can use their environment to add to the visual appeal of their images. With mild year-round temperatures, the South is an ideal place for social media influencers to work because they’re less likely to be caught inside for months due to bad weather. Influencers can also promote local tourism by featuring popular and lesser-known tourist sites. Successful influencers can earn good money, with some averaging incomes of $100,000 per year.
There are many business opportunities in the Southern States entrepreneurs pursue. Whether you’re interested in working in the food industry, starting a golf course, helping people relocate, entering the film industry, selling products, or being an influencer, the South is an ideal location to pursue these career options.
