I recently took over the entrepreneurial division of a non-profit. The goal is to help founders in East and West Africa create sustainable, profitable, physical product impact-focused businesses. In other words, Social Enterprises.
As part of my work with them, I was happy to be able to visit Kenya and Uganda recently, distribute the non-profit’s “The Shoe That Grows” to kids in the most poverty-stricken county in Kenya - one of the largest schools in Kenya, in fact.
Sandwiching this experience of distributing shoes to kids, I was excited to meet many entrepreneurial social enterprise founders.
But, one question kept coming up over and over again.
How do I expand my revenue when it’s seasonal?
Many entrepreneurs all over the world run into this same issue. It might be the Christmas season for e-commerce, or summer for SaaS, or the rainy seasons for construction products and agriculture.
Seasonal buying is everywhere. It’s not just you.
So, what’s the best way to deal with this, and increase revenue during these lower volume seasons?
The easy starting point is to consider what complimentary products or services the same person buys in the low season.
That’s a good start. But we can do better.
Enter, the best 2 principles of revenue expansion + a bonus
I like to eat dessert first, so I’ll start with the bonus.
Bonus: Extra capacity
Whenever I’m looking for new revenue, I look at the extra capacity a business has. In Toyota’s Production System, this would be considered waste.
In Uganda, however, someone said “Waste is not waste until it’s wasted.”
I like that.
So, reconsider the extra capacity in your process as potential opportunity for someone else, and thus revenue for you.
Ideally, you don’t have this extra capacity or overage. But if you do, you can sell it.
Amazon is the most famous example of this, productizing extra computing an storage services, which they already used, as Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS exists as 18% of Amazon’s total revenue in July, 2025 (estimated to make up 75% of their total operating income)!
“We have a meaningfully larger business in the AWS segment than others,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told analysts on a conference call.
In the companies I was talking with, they have extra capacity in the way of buildings and land, people-power, and machines that sit idle. They might also have bought raw materials in bulk which can be sold or used to build other products.
The lesson here is that in every business (except probably those who follow the Toyota way), there is extra capacity in their processes.
Look at this extra capacity, a cost to you, as raw materials for someone else. There’s opportunity in it. Maybe not as much as if you could use it, but it’s definitely worth something to someone. Find out who.
1. Leverage similar processes
Another entrepreneur who mentioned their cyclical revenue with an organic produce wash wanted my thoughts on entering a seed market.
So, I asked him… where in this new business idea are you using the same workflows, assets, resources, or processes, as you have in your current business?
Answer: nowhere.
Result: red flag!
Why? Because the only thing that’s similar is a few customers (not even all of them). Otherwise, you’re starting a brand new business.
Starting one business is hare enough. Starting more will be a distraction.
Instead, I asked him to look at and document every asset, resource, and process in the current business. After you’ve found extra capacity that can be monetized, look for what you can do with what you already have. How can you leverage your machinery, people, and more? Especially in the down-turn times.
2. Solve the problem you just created
Now, I know I started with the bonus, but this one is my favorite method for generating new revenue on top of a current business.
If I asked you, “What problem does your customer have before they meet you?” I’m sure you could answer this, right?
Great. Now, “What is their new world like after using your product?” Fill in the blank.
And now, the kicker…. “What problem do they have now that you’ve solved this prior problem?”
And voila. There you have it. The new problem to solve.
It’s the same customer, and a built in problem, who already trusts you.
As it’s famously said, “It’s easier to sell more to your current customers than get a new customer.” So, do it. You know them intimately. You know their current status, and their new desired status, because you just created the new problem they now have by solving their old problem.
Easy peasy, right?
Good. Now what are you waiting around here for? Go do it!
If you’re a founder who wants to get unstuck, reduce churn, get through that revenue plateau, generate more leads, and more… Get in touch today!
P.S. If you want to learn more about The Shoe That Grows or their entrepreneur Fellowship, consider learning more and/or donating at BecauseInternational.org.