Opportunity or set up for failure?

by Amy Moon on Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:38 pm

I have been trying to do the 10 business challenge where you contact 10 businesses about hiring your service. I decided to start with skate rinks because my kids like skating and I was hoping to kill 2 birds with one stone.

One was interested in a weekly gig but has a balloon twister who works for $10 an hour plus tips and can do a balloon in 30 seconds and since it takes much longer to do face paint does not want to pay me more then that and expects me to do faces in 1 min or less on Saturday afternoons.

I am not sure if this is a good opportunity or a set up for failure as I have not been at this long and I am pretty sure it still takes me at least a min to do even basic designs. She also mentioned she did not like the last face painter on the skate rink circuit as she heard the face painter ended up blowing up and swearing at the kids. This makes me worried about how frustrating the experience was for the other face painter.

Any thoughts?

by Denise Cold on Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:47 pm

I'd blow up too if I was getting paid $10 and hour and had to do designs in a minute or less???

Especially starting out you need 3-5 minutes for basic designs. How fast you are has nothing to do with the value of having a face painter. The most kids you can do is 20 in an hour (and that's pretty good) and if you do crappy minute designs you can forget about getting any tips to supplement the $10 per hour.

I would approach this client as a one-time special event for hire situation and not an employee relationship because they sound unrealistic.

PS: Tell the balloon artist they aren't charging enough! I don't know, maybe they tip better in WA so they are making it up but jeez.

D.

by anniel on Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:02 pm

I would not work for that price, even as a partial trade out for your kids. I would ask no less than $50 per hour, plus tips...otherwise you won't cover your expenses (material, gas getting there, snacks, insurance).

Denise is right--a decent design takes longer than 30 seconds to make.

You could offer to mix it up with FP one time/balloons the next.

(And each guest gets a biz card!)

You are not a minimal wage earner, you are an artist with a niche talent that enhances their venue!

by Amy Moon on Wed Nov 02, 2011 2:04 pm

I don't do balloons. Just face paint and henna.

I don't know about face painting but I do know that people rarely tip henna artists around here.

I am getting pretty frustrated as I want work but no one seems to want to pay.

by ChangingFaceDesigns on Wed Nov 02, 2011 6:48 pm

Well you can approach the business this way to help him understand a bit more clearly how different FPing and BTing are. Some people are visual, they don't get it unless they can see it.

So make a mock up of what $10/hr will get him small non descript insignificant designs with a limited choice of 5

Then show him what a 3-5 min design will get him and let him know the rate for those. Now tell him if he is willing to commit in writing to booking you for several dates then you might be in the position of negotiating a better price for him.

In either instance you need to insist on having a tip jar and promoting your business flyers/cards etc..

But hey if it's 1 min non descript he wants then give him just that and don't stress over it and perhaps just have a book on hand of your other work if you should get an inquiry for a gig from a parent.

by leapinglizards on Wed Nov 02, 2011 7:56 pm

My two cents... or maybe 10.

IF I needed practice, AND he was paying for and supplying all materials and insurance in addition to a salary, I might do it for $10/ Hr for a few weeks to get practice. Again... IF I really needed it....

It doesn't sound like you need practice, or this "opportunity."

To play Devil's advocate.... let's SUPPOSE you really want to promote your business.... Tell the place OK, for 4 weeks. BUT Every kid gets a copy of your promotional materials, If someone is doing a private party at the rink and wants a face painter your rate is $150 and hour which you will split 50/50 with the rink, and once a night, you get to give away a high end design to one of the kids present which will take from 5 - 15 minutes to complete. Of this you take a picture, and give it to the child with your promo stuff attached about private parties. In this way you MIGHT spin this into money to be made later- But in no other way does this sound worth while.

And, IF the balloon twister is only making alien balloon dogs and one balloon swords.... He is still only netting about $5 and hour unless he is pulling in at least a buck each tips.... and if the kids are there alone or with one chaperone to 10 kids- I'd bet the tips are low.

by Amy Moon on Wed Nov 02, 2011 8:49 pm

When I inquired about being a birthday party addition I was told flat out that people would not pay for additions even before I mentioned how much.

I think you are right and this is not an opportunity I want to deal with right now. If I can't do quality work it won't turn into paying parties later.

by Gamezgirl on Wed Nov 02, 2011 11:25 pm

RUN AWAY!!! LOL This is NOT an opportunity for you. You will be losing money right from the start. AND, if you commit to Saturday afternoons, and then someone wants to hire you for a party...then what? You are committed already. Saturday is prime time party day...don't forget that when agreeing to deals.
This is an unrealistic goal set by someone who has THEIR best interest at heart, not yours. You want to keep looking for a business that wants to work with you as a team to make both of you look good.

by flopsietheclown on Wed Nov 02, 2011 11:36 pm

I agree. Some opportunities like these do nothing for building your business. There are business people who just don't see value in face painting. Don't sell yourself short. Practice on needy children or a community center. I love my moms club and volunteer whenever I can with their fundraisers. I get lots of gigs when people see what I can do. If you're doing sloppy quick work, most likely people will think that's all you do.

Opportunity or set up for failure?

Opportunity or set up for failure?

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