Every so often, a story from the Side Hustle Gold community lands in our lap that is just so simple and smart, we have to share it (thanks for sending this idea to us!). This is one of those ideas. A community member we'll call Maria has developed a local service that is not only profitable but also supports other small businesses in her area. She’s currently making around $2,000 a month in profit with a business that is surprisingly straightforward: creating and delivering custom welcome baskets for Airbnb and short term rental hosts.
The idea is simple, but the execution is what makes it so successful. Many Airbnb hosts want to provide a special touch for their guests, like a welcome gift with local flavor, but they simply do not have the time to source products and assemble baskets for every new check in. Maria stepped in to solve that exact problem.
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Her story started, funnily enough, as an Airbnb guest. She and her husband took a weekend trip to a nearby coastal town and stayed in a rental that was nice, but very impersonal. There was nothing in the home that made it feel special or connected to the location. She mentioned how a small thing, like a bag of locally roasted coffee or a bar of soap from a downtown shop, would have completely changed the experience. A lightbulb went off. Maria lives in a region known for its wineries, farms, and artisan producers. She realized there was a huge opportunity to connect these local gems with the booming short term rental market in her own backyard.
She started small. Her initial investment was less than $300. She spent that money on creating a few prototype baskets. She didn't buy a ton of inventory. Instead, she bought just enough product from a local farmers market and a few artisan shops to create three distinct "tiers" of welcome baskets. She had a basic "Coffee & Chocolate" basket, a mid tier "Taste of the Valley" basket with jam and crackers, and a premium "Wine Country Welcome" basket that included a bottle from a nearby vineyard.
The next step was finding customers. This part took some real hustle at first, but it was low cost. She spent an afternoon browsing Airbnb and VRBO for listings in her area. She specifically looked for hosts who seemed to be serious about their business, the ones with lots of high quality photos and great reviews. She put together a simple, one page digital flyer showcasing her basket options, with prices and photos. Then, she sent a short, personalized message to about twenty of these top tier hosts, introducing her service and attaching her flyer.
She told us she got three responses from that first batch of emails. One host agreed to try her service for a month, ordering four of the mid tier baskets to be delivered every Friday. That was her first recurring client. The price for the host was $50 per basket, which contained about $25 worth of local goods. Maria’s profit on that first client alone was $100 for the month, and her delivery route was only a ten minute drive.
What makes this business so scalable is the subscription like model she uses. Hosts don't order one basket at a time. They sign up for a monthly package. A host might order four baskets a month, six, or even ten, depending on their booking frequency. Maria gets a predictable schedule and a recurring revenue stream. The hosts get a reliable, hands off way to delight their guests and, in turn, get better reviews.
Her business grew mostly through word of mouth. That first happy host told another host in a local Facebook group for rental owners. Then a property manager who managed a dozen listings reached out. That was a game changer. Securing a contract with a property manager gave her a stable base of orders each and every week.
Today, Maria spends about five to seven hours a week on the business. She has two dedicated "build and deliver" days. On these days, she assembles all the baskets for the week and then runs a single delivery route to drop them off at the various properties. The hosts often give her a code to the garage or a lockbox to leave the baskets in a secure spot. The process is streamlined. Her monthly income is consistently around $2,000, and her costs are manageable since she buys the local products in bulk now, getting a better price.
This idea is so powerful because it solves a clear problem for a motivated customer. Airbnb hosts are running a business. Positive reviews are their lifeblood, and a thoughtful welcome basket is one of the easiest ways to earn a five star review. Maria’s service saves them time and effort while directly contributing to their success. It is a true win win.
For anyone inspired by this, think about your own area. What makes it unique? Do you have local coffee roasters, bakers, artists, or wineries? You could start this exact business with very little risk. All you need is a bit of creativity, a good sense of what makes your town special, and the willingness to reach out to those first few potential clients.