Business Overview:

Starting your own lampshade business is a great way to use your creativity to make beautiful home accessories that will sell for major profits. You can easily run this part-time business from the comfort of your own home, working as much or as little as you wish. All you need is some fabric, decorative trim and either a sewing machine or fabric glue. If you don’t know how to make a lampshade, it’s quite simple, and plenty of instruction abounds on the internet. It can be as complex as taking the time to create a template to as simple as purchasing inexpensive lampshades and covering them with unique fabric and adding more lavish decoration. This may be a good way to start out with this business idea, at least until you get more comfortable with making shades from scratch. If you plan to sell your lampshades online, you’ll need to have a robust website that shows your designs and lets customers order and pay online. If this piece of the business is not in your comfort zone, you can always hire a professional to design and develop your website for you. This will be a good investment that will allow you to make sales 24 hours a day, even when you’re not working. You could also sell on websites like Etsy. You’ll need to have a good stock of lampshades to ensure timely delivery to your customers. You could also offer custom lampshades to customers who wanted to use a special photo for their personalized lampshade. In this case you would need a method of transferring a photo to fabric. Another way to personalize your products is to allow customers to send you a piece of fabric (that matches other items in their house, for example) that you would make into a custom shade. Your website would explain all these options and give a pricelist that reflects different sizes and styles of shades. Be sure to check with local shipping companies to get the best prices on shipping your shades and don’t forget to include shipping costs into your price structure. Finally, you can advertise your business on home décor websites and put ads in your local phone book if you plan to sell locally. As business picks up, you will need to decide whether to take your business full-time and add more items to your inventory.

A Day in the Life of a Lampshade Business Owner:

Since this is a part-time business, you will work as much or as little as you wish. When you are working, you will spend some time working on lampshades, building up your inventory. You will take photos of your new designs and post them on your website. You will check your orders and prepare items to ship out in a timely manner. If you offer custom orders, you will want to contact your customers to discuss those projects.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for unique, handmade lampshades.

What You Need to Start:

• Some knowledge of how to make lampshades
• Fabric
• Decorative trim
• Fabric glue
• Sewing supplies
• Website (if selling online)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• People are always looking for unique decorative items for their homes and offices.
• Materials are inexpensive.
• Your return on investment will be high.
• You can easily run this business part-time and from home.
• The start-up costs are low.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to hone your skills at making lampshades.
• You need to be patient while you build up your inventory and build your website.

Resources:

• National Association of Decorative Fabric Distributors
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Textile, Apparel and Furnishings Occupations
• Wikipedia on Lampshades

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Business Overview:

Starting a paintball business is a great way to turn your hobby into a business while giving people the opportunity to shoot at each other in good fun. Paintball facilities can be outdoors or indoors and supply paintball guns, paintballs, protective gear and a course of some type that allows participants to plan covert ops and stealthily plot the ambush of their opponents. This fun business does take a great deal of planning, however, so it’s a good idea to draft a business plan to make sure you have addressed every detail before you get too far. First, you’ll need to decide if you want an indoor or outdoor facility. In warmer climates, outdoor facilities are preferable as they give customers the “hunting” feel of being outside in nature. You’ll need to find an area large enough that a dozen or so people can move around without being detected. If the area is not wooded, you can erect barricades in an open field that act as hiding places. If you live in a colder climate with harsh winters, you should consider an indoor facility. Obviously the bigger the better but there are limitations with a built structure so you will have to spend more time designing the interior of your playing field. Talk to your insurance agent to see what type of insurance is necessary for this type of business. You’ll need coverage not only for your business but for your clients as well so that you’re not liable in case of injury. In the US, this liability insurance can be provided by the American Paintball League. Once you have your facility set up and properly insured, you need equipment. Shop around to find the best deals on helmets, chest pads, goggles, paintball guns, paintballs and CO2 cartridges. Decide on a price structure that meets the needs of different customers. You may have a target area that customers can use for practice that can be rented out by the hour and can include the cost of paintball gun rental and a certain number of paintballs. Groups will be your biggest customers so be sure to have a variety of package deals set up that allow a certain number of people on your course at a time. Include paintball guns, balls and safety equipment in the package price. Be sure your customers sign rental agreements to protect your equipment in the case of irresponsible actions of your customers. Decide if your business will be open by appointment only or if you’ll have set hours on certain days where individuals can show up and play with or against another individual. Advertise your business in hardware stores and hobby shops; anywhere paintball accessories are sold. Also send flyers to area businesses who may use your services for team building exercises. Business ideas like this one require a lot of preparation before you start the business but you will find all your work is worthwhile when you see satisfied customers having a great time.

A Day in the Life of a Paintball Business Owner:

Your day will begin by checking your schedule for any appointments you have. If your course is open by appointment only, you will only need to be there when you have customers. If you have set hours, you will spend your day helping customers sign up for a paintball “hunt” and make sure they are properly prepared with balls, guns and safety gear. If you have hired a staff to handle the day-to-day operations, you will be able to come and go as you please and spend your day marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals and groups interested in having a great time playing paintball.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Large area for playing field (indoor or outdoor)
• Staff (properly trained in paintball gun maintenance)
• Insurance
• Equipment
• Rate chart that applies to different types of customers
• Website
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Paintball is becoming more and more popular.
• This is a fun business to operate.
• It’s rewarding to see your customers have a great time.
• You are likely to see plenty of repeat and referral business.
• You can hire a staff to do the work for you.

The Bad:

• Start-up costs can be high.
• If you’re not properly insured, you can be liable in the case of irresponsible behavior of your customers.

Resources:

• American Paintball League
• Paintball Sports Trade Association
• American Paintball Players Association
• Wikipedia on Paintball

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Business Overview:

Starting a flight school is a great idea for an entrepreneur with flight instructor certification or anyone looking to capitalize on their fascination with flying. To soar high among the birds and the clouds is a dream many people have and flight schools make that dream a reality by offering private flying lessons. If you are already a certified flight instructor (certified by the FAA), opening a flight school is a fun way to share your training with flight students. If you are not a pilot or are not certified to teach, you can always hire certified instructors to work for you. Keep in mind that instructors are only allowed to teach to the level at which they are certified. For example, an instructor has to be IFR (instrument flight rules) certified to teach at night or in foggy conditions. A pilot without certification in a two-engine plane can only teach in single-engine planes. If this sounds like a fun business idea but you’re still unsure how to start a flight school, travel to nearby cities and talk with the owners of flight schools there. Just be sure that your business will not be in direct competition with theirs. Once you have a good idea of your business model, you need to purchase at least one plane, preferably two or three. Look for well-maintained used aircraft since they can be just as safe as new aircraft at a fraction of the price. Start out with a single-engine Cessna or Piper as those are two of the best “starter” aircraft for instruction purposes. Next you’ll need to find a location for your business. An office at the airport is ideal but if you live in a rural area you may be able to use an abandoned field runway if it’s FAA approved. You don’t need to rent hangar space; your aircraft can be tied down outside. Insurance is important in this business as you will need it for your planes, your instructors and your clients. You should have all students sign a waiver prior to going up but you still need to be covered in case of an accident. You’ll also need to have a maintenance contract with a shop certified to work on aircraft. Look for one that’s near your planes so you don’t have to worry about transport. You’ll find that this business is easily scalable; you can start with one instructor and one airplane and add to your staff and your fleet as your client list grows.

A Day in the Life of a Flight School Business Owner:

If you are the instructor, you will meet appointments at your office or at the airport, depending on the level of your students (substantial on-the-ground study and test preparation is necessary at certain points in the training process). You will spend your day instructing your students either in the air or on the ground. If you have a staff of instructors working for you, you will stay in the office, field calls, schedule planes/instructors and market your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals interested in obtaining a pilot’s license.

What You Need to Start:

• Flight school business plan
• Airplane(s)
• Office
• Access to airstrip (airport or rural field runway)
• Certified flight instructor(s)
• Insurance
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• This is an excellent business opportunity for a certified flight instructor.
• It’s rewarding to help others realize their dream to be able to fly.
• If you’re not a certified flight instructor, you can hire one or more to work for you.
• A flight school is a fun atmosphere.
• You get to be around airplanes and other pilots all day and do what you love.

The Bad:

• Start-up investment is high and aircraft maintenance is costly.
• You’ll need several regular students/customers to make money with this business.

Resources:

• Flight School Association of North America
• National Association of Flight Instructors
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Article “Sky-High Careers: Jobs Related to Airlines”
• Wikipedia on Flight Training

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Business Overview:

If you’re looking to start a business that provides an essential service to your community, you should consider learning how to start a taxi service. Once you have determined that there is room for one more taxi business in your area, you need to find out what types of permits and licenses are necessary. Visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles for a special taxi driver’s license and check with city hall for regulations. You may need to display something specific inside or outside your cars that shows you are properly licensed with the city. You’ll also need liability insurance for your cars and your drivers. If you want some insider information on how to start a taxi business, go to neighboring cities (that would not be in competition with your taxi business) and talk to taxi service owners. They can offer you some tips that you won’t find elsewhere. Next, you’ll need to decide what types of cars will work best for your business and if you want to buy new or used vehicles. If you plan to do a lot of shuttle-type business at the airport, you may want larger cars or minivans. To set yourself apart from the standard yellow cab, consider a more offbeat car like a PT Cruiser. It might be wise to form a relationship with a local mechanic who can handle all your maintenance needs. In addition to purchasing radios and meters for your cars, be sure to put advertising on your cars that includes your company name and phone number. A website isn’t as necessary for a taxi service as it is for some other businesses since most of your customers will be calling your dispatcher. Try to get a business phone number that’s easy to remember like 555-TAXI or CAB-FARE. And speaking of cab fare, it is likely that your city sets the standard rates you can charge so you won’t need to worry about pricing yourself too low or too high. You’ll make your money with volume of business and excellent customer service. Quick response time and the ability of drivers to accept credit/debit cards will ensure repeat business from your customers. Starting a taxi service is one of the best scalable business ideas available because you can start with just one car and one driver. As business picks up, you can add cars and drivers.

A Day in the Life of a Taxi Service Owner:

Your daily duties will vary depending on your role with the business. If you are the sole driver, your day will consist of taking calls and picking up and dropping off customers. If you are acting as the dispatcher, you will take calls and dispatch your driver(s) to various locations in the city. If you have a dispatcher working for you, you will spend your day making sure your business is running smoothly.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals needing taxi services to get them around town.

What You Need to Start:

• Taxi business plan
• Car(s)
• Driver(s)
• Liability insurance
• Business license and permit
• Taxi driver’s license
• Meters
• Radios
• Garage or other place to store your cars
• Computer with dispatch and finance software

The Good:

• Taxis are always needed.
• You can start this business with one car and add to your fleet as you can.
• You can hire drivers to do the work for you.
• You are likely to get repeat and referral business.

The Bad:

• For drivers, the hours are long and irregular.
• Start-up, maintenance and gas costs can be high.

Resources:

• Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association
• International Association of Transportation Regulators
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs
• Wikipedia on Taxicabs

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Business Overview:

Fashion trends come and go…and come again, which is why learning how to open a vintage clothing store is a great business idea for a stylish entrepreneur. Vintage clothing is the term used for new or used clothing items from a past era. Fashion is cyclical and trends from the past tend to be trendy once again even decades later. Young people seem most interested in resurrecting trends from the past, but older adults will also be attracted to a nice second-hand store for a hip vintage fashion item. You will first need to find a storefront location and secure funding for rent and inventory. Scour garage sales, estate sales, second-hand shops and the internet for high quality gently worn items. Also research what current designers are putting out items reminiscent of the past and purchase a few items from their lines to sell in your store. Opening a vintage clothing store will take some thought and planning so it’s important that you have a business plan that will help you to focus your efforts. Be sure you have a clear method of obtaining your inventory since it is a little trickier than buying from a distributor and stocking items in a boutique. In addition to clothing, you should try to find vintage accessories like handbags, sunglasses and shoes to complement your clothing and to attract more customers. Advertise your business in the phone book, newspaper and in magazines that target your market. Post flyers in neighborhood parks and community centers to attract a younger clientele. Aside from your regular customers, you can expect to be busier around Halloween as customers will be looking for vintage items to use as costumes. Be sure your store is fully stocked at that time of year and even include some flashier items that wouldn’t ordinarily be worn day-to-day. With a good stock of quality vintage clothing, you’ll find your customers will come back again and again for something unique from your collection.

A Day in the Life of a Vintage Clothing Business Owner:

Your day will begin by making sure your displays are properly arranged before opening the doors. You will spend your day helping customers find just the right item for their needs. If you have staff, you will oversee their work to be sure they are giving your customers topnotch service. On days you are closed, you will work on securing more inventory and marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for vintage clothing and accessories for everyday wear or for use as a costume.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Funding
• Storefront
• Marketing materials
• Inventory
• Staff (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Vintage stores are very popular.
• Much of your inventory can be purchased inexpensively.
• A vintage clothing store is a fun atmosphere.
• It’s rewarding to help customers find just what they’re looking for.
• You can expect a bump in traffic around Halloween.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment is high.
• Finding enough items to keep your store stocked can be challenging.

Resources:

• American Apparel and Footwear Association
• International Textile and Apparel Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Clothing, Accessory and General Merchandise Stores
• Wikipedia on Vintage Clothing

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Business Overview:

Attention musicians: if you’re looking to start a fun part-time business that you can run from home, learn how to start a jingle writing business. Many business that advertises on television or radio have a catchy jingle associated with their product or service. And in these days of internet marketing, businesses include jingles in their online ads as well. These tunes are short songs, usually 30 seconds or less, that directly promote whatever the business is selling. They are designed to help potential customers remember a product, service, telephone number or web address. The better the hook in a jingle, the more likely it is that people will remember it (and even gets it stuck in their heads – which is what a business wants). If you are a singer or songwriter, adding jingles to your repertoire is a great way to start a small business and earn some extra income. Writing can be done from the comfort of your own home and you can work as much or as little as you like. Before you start writing, research what businesses in your area might need a jingle for their advertising. You can do this by contacting the businesses directly or viewing their current ad campaigns. You could write a jingle first, then present it to the business and try to sell it or you could sign an agreement with the business first, then draft one or more jingles for them to use. If you don’t play an instrument, consider teaming up with a pianist or guitar player. You can write the songs and your partner can compose the tunes. As you can see, this is one of the more unique business ideas available but it is perfect for a musician or songwriter looking to start a business.

A Day in the Life of a Jingle Writing Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of any ongoing projects. You will spend some time writing and try to finish jingles you are working on. You will contact local businesses to try to sell your jingle writing services.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be business owners or advertising agencies looking for catchy jingles for ad campaigns.

What You Need to Start:

• Musical talent and the ability to write catchy jingles
• Digital recording device
• Computer with digital editing software
• Finance software
• Transportation (to meet with customers at their places of business)

The Good:

• The demand for catchy jingles will always be high.
• You can be paid upfront and work out a contract where you’re paid every time one of your jingles plays.
• You can work as much or as little as you want.
• This business can easily be run part-time and from home.
• You are likely to get repeat business if your jingles increase your customers’ sales.

The Bad:

• Competition can be high; you must be talented in this area in order to be successful.
• Work will not be steady and will depend on what businesses need jingles for ad campaigns in your area.

Resources:

• American Song Writers Association
• American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Music Directors and Composers
• Wikipedia on Jingles

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Business Overview:

Learning how to start an upholstery business is the perfect part-time job for an entrepreneur who enjoys working with fabric to beautify a piece of furniture. The term upholstery applies to any fabric used to cover chairs and couches as well as seating and other surfaces on boats, cars and airplanes. While boats and cars typically are upholstered with leather or vinyl, home and office furniture is upholstered with softer fabric and uses foam for cushion. If you do not have any experience, an internet search for "start upholstery business" will turn up plenty of results that can help you get started. You do not need a storefront for your business but you will need a workshop area large enough to work on several pieces of furniture simultaneously. You will also need some special tools and equipment as well as a stock of commonly used supplies. Look online for upholstering kits that will come with all the tools you’ll need to get started and add items like screwdrivers, drills and pliers to make sure you’re able to make most repairs. Customers will typically supply the fabric but you should have a relationship with an upholstery fabric supplier so customers can purchase fabric through you if they choose. Business ideas like this one are great part-time ventures as you can take on as much or as little work as you feel comfortable with. If you will only work on items on the weekends, be sure to give your customers an accurate turnaround time. However, if your full-time business is furniture repair, adding upholstery repair to your list of services will greatly increase the value of your business and will build your client list.

A Day in the Life of an Upholstery Business Owner:

Your day will begin by checking on your current projects. You will work on items and either deliver them yourself or notify your customers that their items are ready to be picked up. You will spend some time marketing your business by distributing flyers around town.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals or office managers who need furniture items reupholstered or need upholstery repair.

What You Need to Start:

• Upholstery skills
• Upholstery tools and supplies
• Work space
• Marketing materials
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Upholstery services will always be in demand.
• Start-up investment is relatively low.
• You can easily run this business part-time and from home.
• You can charge top dollar for excellent work.
• You are likely to see repeat and referral business.

The Bad:

• There is plenty of competition in this industry; you will need to position yourself correctly to gain some of the market share.
• You need to have some training with upholstery before working on other people’s furniture.

Resources:

• Upholsterer’s Association of North America
• Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (UK)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Textile, Apparel and Furnishings Occupations
• Wikipedia on Upholstery

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Business Overview:

If you’re looking for a fun part-time business that lets you express your creativity while helping others celebrate, consider running a party balloon business. Balloons are used for all kinds of occasions from birthday parties and baby showers to high school proms and New Year’s Eve parties. If you can set your business apart from the competition, this can be one of the more popular part-time business ideas available. The start-up investment needed for this business is minimal. All you need are some supplies and a large enough room to work in and temporarily store inflated balloons. You could offer simple latex and mylar balloon bunches but your business will be more successful if you can make more elaborate balloon creations. Similar to a candy or cookie bouquet business, the more unique your arrangements are, the more customers you will attract. You can find plenty of online tutorials that will show you how to create distinctive bouquets and displays. Before you try to sell any of your items, you need to practice and take pictures of your creations. Build a website or portfolio featuring these pictures so your customers can see exactly what you can do. It’s a good idea to have a few standard items in your catalog but also be able to customize products to meet specific needs of your customers. Once you have a good-sized portfolio of photos, you’ll need to attract some customers. Contact real estate agents who will use balloons for open houses and car dealerships who use balloons to advertise sales. Talk to area event planners whose clients need balloons for various party events. Place flyers around town in libraries, coffee shops, toy stores, baby stores, party stores, grocery stores, etc. Be sure you have plenty of supplies such as balloons, streamers, wooden or plastic sticks, a glue gun and a helium tank. This business can easily be operated part-time but expect to be busier on the weekends since that’s when most people have their parties. When demand increases, hiring an assistant to help with balloon transport will free you up to work on more balloon projects.

A Day in the Life of a Party Balloon Business Owner:

Your day will begin by working on balloon orders that need to be delivered that day. When working with latex balloons and helium, you can’t work too far in advance of your delivery date and time. If you have other elements to your balloon bouquets, you can get those ready a few days in advance, then blow up and attach the balloons a few hours before you’re set to deliver the finished product. You will drive your creations to the venue or you can hire a courier service to make deliveries. If you prefer, you can ask customers to pick up the items. You will spend any time you’re not working with balloons working on marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals needing elaborate and unique balloon creations for their parties.

What You Need to Start:

• Experience working with balloons
• Area large enough to work with multiple inflated balloons
• Helium tank
• Balloon supplies – balloons, streamers, hot glue, baskets, boxes, etc.
• Method of transporting your balloon creations
• Portfolio or website
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• The demand for party balloons will always be high.
• Offering something different from the competition will bring in more customers.
• You are likely to get repeat and referral business from your customers.
• The start-up investment required is minimal.
• You can easily run this business part-time.

The Bad:

• Competition is high; you’ll need to set yourself apart to do well.
• It can take some time to become very skilled working with balloons.

Resources:

• International Balloon Association
• National Association of Balloon Artists and Suppliers (UK)
• Wikipedia on Balloons

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Business Overview:

Starting a real estate appraisal business is a great way to enter the real estate industry part-time and offer a much needed service to your customers. Real estate appraisal is the act of assessing the value of a property and is typically required when a property is bought or sold. Lending institutions need to know how much a property is worth so they can determine the loan details. If you currently work in real estate, you are likely well prepared to make the transition to appraising properties. However, if you are new to real estate, you will need to do some prep work before getting too far with this business idea. You need a license to perform real estate appraisals but there are several licensing options so it’s important you know what types of properties your business will appraise. A standard license qualifies you to appraise general property sites and works well in urban areas. If you’re looking to appraise homes worth over $1 million USD, you must get a residential license. A general real estate appraisal license allows you to appraise any type of property. Each license has a different exam and will require different study materials. These licenses can be obtained through various online or correspondence appraisal schools and cost approximately $1,200 USD. If you live in the US, you need to be sure the institution you select is accredited through the Appraisal Qualifications Board of the Appraisal Foundation. Appraisal organizations vary by country. Once you are licensed, you’ll need to check your local government’s standards as some will requiring additional testing. Next you’ll need to purchase real estate appraisal software and a laptop computer so you can enter information while you are performing an appraisal. This will ensure the correct information is put into your report and a quicker turnaround time for your customers. Market your business to real estate agencies, banks and other lending institutions in your area. If you offer professional services, you are likely to get plenty of repeat business from your clients. A good way to ensure repeat business is to follow up with your clients regularly via an email or a letter. You may find the need to hire an apprentice to help you with the administrative side of your business so you can focus on appraising property.

A Day in the Life of a Real Estate Appraisal Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your schedule to see what appointments you have. You will travel to a property where you will meet with the selling agent, buying agent, buyers and/or sellers. You will perform the appraisal and create a report that you will give to your client. You will also spend a portion of your day marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be home buyers and sellers, realtors, banks or other lending institutions in need of accurate property appraisal.

What You Need to Start:

• Real estate appraisal license
• Real estate appraisal software
• Laptop computer
• Transportation
• Finance software

The Good:

• The demand for real estate appraisal will always be high.
• You will likely have repeat business from your clients.
• You can easily run this business part-time.
• You do not need a storefront for this business.
• You can hire an assistant or apprentice to handle some of the work.

The Bad:

• The licensing process can be difficult if you have no real estate experience.
• Your business will slow down during slowdowns in the housing market.

Resources:

• American Society of Appraisers
• Appraisal Institute
• Real Estate Appraisers Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate
• Wikipedia on Real Estate Appraisal

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Business Overview:

If you’re good with your hands and love making beautiful art, you should consider starting your own ice sculpture business and let others enjoy your work. An ice sculpture is a sculpture that uses ice as the material. Ice sculptures can be decorative or functional and are usually seen at weddings and other extravagant events due to their limited lifetime. Sculpting ice is a specialized skill but if you’re an artist who works with clay, wax or wood, you should be able to make a smooth transition to working with ice. You will need a few tools you typically won’t see in an artist’s studio such as a chainsaw, some chisels and a die grinder. Search your area for an ice house that sells ice that is clear and not cloudy. It’s important you start with clear ice so you end up with a clear sculpture. Consider working out some sort of discount deal with your ice supplier since you will be purchasing from him quite often. Business ideas like this one are only successful if the work is topnotch. So it’s important that before you try to sell your sculptures, you practice a great deal. Start with smaller blocks of ice and work your way up to large blocks. You’ll need to be familiar with what each tool does to ice and when to use each tool. Take pictures along the way so that when you’re ready to sell your first piece, you can put photos of your better sculptures in a portfolio (or on your website if you choose to have one) to show to potential clients. You’ll need to work out a delivery method to transport sculptures from your workshop to your clients’ venues. You can either purchase your own refrigerated truck or you can choose to hire a courier with a refrigerator truck to transport your ice sculptures. Make sure the transport vehicle has proper tie-downs so your sculptures are stable and make the trip safely. Market your business by talking with event planners and wedding coordinators in your area. Show them your portfolio or website and give them plenty of flyers that they can then show to their clients. Your marketing materials need to include your price structure so customers know what to expect. You could have a few pieces that you specialize set at one price and if a client wants something unusual for their event (or just something not on your list) you would charge more. You may quickly find that your ice sculptures are the talk of the town and you’ll then be able to raise your prices.

A Day in the Life of an Ice Sculpture Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of any orders you need to complete that day. Depending on how quickly you sculpt, you may only be able to do one or two sculptures a day and you will need a large freezer if you plan to keep them at your workshop for very long. This means you will probably sculpt and deliver pieces in the same day. You will arrange for transport of your sculptures and stay in contact with your clients to make sure the venue is prepared for delivery. On days you are not sculpting, you will work on marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be event planners, brides and anyone else needing an amazing centerpiece for their elaborate event.

What You Need to Start:

• Ice sculpting skills
• Relationship with an ice house
• Sculpting tools
• Method of transporting sculptures
• Marketing materials
• Website (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• For an artist, sculpting ice is a fun way to show your skills.
• You can easily run this business part-time.
• Start-up investment is relatively small.
• You can charge top dollar for your sculptures.
• It’s rewarding to provide beautiful ice sculptures to your clients for their events.

The Bad:

• If you’re not already a skilled ice sculptor, you will need to spend some time honing your skills.
• It can take some time to sell your first few pieces.

Resources:

• National Ice Carving Association
• Sculptor.Org
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Artists and Related Workers
• Wikipedia on Ice Sculptures

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