Side Hustle Opportunity Most Miss Each Holiday Season

Sometimes the best business opportunities aren’t in creating something new, but in fixing something that’s clearly broken.

Picture this: It’s your first day working retail during the holiday rush. The store is packed, boxes need unpacking, and you’re still trying to figure out where everything goes.

Looks familiar?

I’ve been there. And so have the hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers who are about to enter retail jobs this holiday season. But here’s what caught my attention recently - there’s a massive business opportunity hidden in this annual ritual that most entrepreneurs are completely overlooking.

Let me share some eye-opening numbers that got me thinking: The National Retail Federation expects stores to hire between 400,000 to 500,000 seasonal workers this holiday season 1.

That’s half a million people who need proper training and safety guidance.

But here’s the kicker - and this is where the opportunity gets really interesting…

A shocking 38% of retail worker injuries happen within their first year on the job 1. This isn’t just a statistic - it’s a glaring signal of an underserved market crying out for solutions.

Think about it this way: If you were running a retail store, would you rather: A) Deal with worker injuries, compensation claims, and staffing shortages B) Invest in proper training to prevent these issues in the first place

The answer seems obvious, right?

Yet here’s where it gets even more interesting…

This isn’t just speculation - Sentry, a workers’ compensation insurer, analyzed over 22,000 client cases to reveal this pattern 1. That’s a massive dataset pointing to a clear market need.

This means there’s a golden opportunity to create solutions for:

- Safety training programs specifically designed for seasonal retail workers
- Digital onboarding systems that prioritize injury prevention
- Consulting services helping retailers reduce their injury rates
- Tech platforms connecting safety experts with retail businesses

The beauty of this opportunity is its predictable seasonality. You know exactly when the demand will spike -- right before major holiday shopping seasons.

But here’s what really excites me about this opportunity: it’s what I call a “triple-win business model”:

1. Retailers win by reducing injuries and associated costs

2. Workers win by staying safe and healthy

3. You win by solving a real problem with measurable impact

Dan Grant, director of safety services at Sentry, puts it perfectly: “The holiday season is a critical time for retailers, but it also highlights the safety risks associated with onboarding new workers. Short-term hires often lack the job-specific training and support needed to prevent injuries.” 1​

This is exactly the kind of market gap that smart entrepreneurs should be looking for - a clear problem, backed by data, with stakeholders who have both the need and the means to pay for solutions.

So here’s my challenge to you: Instead of chasing the next flashy tech trend, why not look at solving this very real, very profitable problem?

The market is there. The need is clear. The question is: Will you be the one to step up and provide the solution?

What do you think? Could this be your next business venture?

#BeBusinessSmart