Let's face it, your passion is not cheap ! With lift tickets between $100-$300 a day ( not to mention traveling expenses to and from a ski are ), not everybody can afford skiing/snowboarding 😩😢
But if you're truly passionate about skiing/snowboarding, here are a few ways YOU can make money doing what you love !
1 - Get a job as a ski/snowboard instructor
You don't have to be an Olympic medalist ( or a competitive athlete ) to get a job as a ski/snowboard instructor...
Personally, I got my job as a ski instructor even though I had started skiing/riding literally a month before that ! I did have education and experience working with kids, and my first job in the industry was teaching kids 4-6 how to ski.
If you're a decent skier/snowboarder, your experience, and passion for snow sports are all you need to get a job in the industry !
Not only will you get a free season pass, get paid, and have many job perks, but you can get great deals/discounts for skiing/riding at other resorts, and discounted season tickets/season passes for your family members !
And guess what ? There are people who've made this their career ! They travel around the world woking in the ski/snowboard/travel industry year round !
2 - Get a job in the industry
Not a fan working with people one-on-one or in small groups ? There are many job positions in the industry that can fit your preference !
While working as a ski instructor, I also worked part time at REI in their snow sports department. Not only did I make money doing what I loved, and got deep discounts for gear, but I also learned a lot about products, and the retail industry in general !
There are many snow sports focused retail stores offering PT and full time positions.
3 - Start your own business teaching skiing/snowboarding
If you're anything like me, if you prefer working for yourself, you can start your own business teaching skiing/snowboarding lessons !
In the beginning, you DON'T need any business license/insurance/contracts with a ski area/resort... Most of your clients will be compete beginners, so you can teach your lessons at a bunny hill...
Create a website/blog, and start promoting your services through social media !
Not quite confidant teaching skiing/snowboarding yourself ?
With Skipodium affiliate program you can make money selling winter sports lessons from resorts nearby !
4 - Start a shuttle
Just getting to a ski area/resort is a problem for many people... Solve this problem by offering a shuttle/driving service !
When I was working as a ski instructor, I was making an additional $30-$50 cash a day driving my coworkers... Another coworker ( who was a college student at that time ) was driving foreign exchange students (most of whom didn't have their own cars ).
5 - Buy/sell used skiing/snowboarding gear
While working at REI as a sales associate, I couldn't believe that people were spending so much money on snow sports gear !
Since I couldn't afford to pay retail prices ( even with my employee discount ! ), I bought most of my gear on local Craigslist...
That was when I realized that I could make hard cash buying and selling outdoor products !
Nowadays, you can buy/sell outdoor gear on Craigslist, OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, REI garage sales, online discount store, during Black Friday, and more...
But... you do need to have a solid knowledge of products you sell, and the basic understanding of sales.
Check out my book on Amazon where I share practical tips on making money buying/selling on Craigslist !
6 - Affiliate marketing promoting skiing/snowboarding gear
There are TONS OF OPPORTUNITIES to promote/sell products related to skiing/snowboarding !
Many famous brands such as Burton, Arbor, Oakley, Salomon, North Face, Norrona, Arc'teryx... offer affiliate marketing opportunity !
BUT...
Contrary to popular belief, affiliate marketing is NOT that easy ! Especially nowadays !
Without solid understanding of business, marketing and branding it's almost impossible nowadays to make decent money 😰
7 - Promote/sell discounted lift tickets
Websites like Liftopia.com, GetSkiTickets.com, and even REI offer affiliate marketing opportunities !
Not only will you be able to make money, but you'll be helping others save money on lift tickets !
8 - Become a skiing/snowboarding travel destination expert
Become a travel agent/specialist with the focus on skiing/snowboarding destinations !
If you're truly passionate about skiing/snowboarding, if you love traveling, chances are, you gain a lot of knowledge, experience and expertise that other people are looking for !
Provide tips on travel accommodations, flights, best ski resorts, and things to do !
Most travel engines ( like my favorite Kayak.com/Booking.com ) offer affiliate opportunities.
The absolutely best destination based travel website for snow sports enthusiasts - Mountain Reservations is the industry-leading vacation rental and lodging provider for mountain and ski vacations across North and South America.
9 - Become a skiing/snowboarding social media influencer
Are you a die hard fan of a certain brand ? Have a big, and loyal social media following ?
Then you can become a brand ambassador/social media influencer !
Many brands are looking for passionate, loyal fans who can help them spread the word about their products with other like minded people !
You can get free ( or deeply discounted ) gear, and even make money doing marketing gigs for these companies...
BUT...
📛 Influencer marketing is NOT just about posting pictures/videos on social media 📛
Just like with affiliate marketing, you need to have a solid understanding of marketing in general, and affiliate influencer marketing in particular !
10 - Become a fitness trainer with the focus on skiing/snowboarding niche
If you're a personal trainer who loves skiing/snowboarding, this could be a great niche to establish yourself as fitness professional !
Instead of being a personal trainer who helps everybody "get in shape/look better", specialize in helping people get in better physical shape for the winter season !
Learn more about personal training for skiing & snowboarding from the leading fitness professional organization NASM....
Love skiing and yoga ?
Check out "Snoga" - a brand new concept for skiers who love yoga !
In conclusion...
The main thing most people don't understand about turning their passion into business is that...
PASSION ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH
Just having a passion WON'T pay your bills, won't buy you new gear, and won't pay for your Bucket List trip...
If you want to turn your passion into a business ( or, at least, learn how to make some extra money on the side ! ), you absolutely MUST learn at least the basics of business, marketing, and branding !
If you're truly passion about healthy, and adventurous lifestyle, and want to make money doing what you love, feel free to check out how YOU can become ExtraHyperActive brand Ambassador/social media influencer !
Learn the basics of business, marketing, and branding, and GET PAID while you're still learning !
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