Business - Performance for pay

I need a little help. I am debating on whether to start my own business here in Florida. I was wondering if anyone in the USA could help me with the laws and whatnot with fire performing and the insurance rules with performance. My former roomate has been trying to start her performance troope since last year and I would really like to actually get something together (not to go against hers, just to get something real to advertise off of).

Also, I was wondering where to get website information to get a cool website together.

Thanks!

Ummmm....

What kind of company do you want to have? You or a troupe?

For insurance the troupe, meaning every performer in a troupe needs to have general liability insurance. The default answer for fire performers is to go to Clowns of the US, which sounds lovely until you realize they are charging $185/year per person, and do not cover troupes overall. If you want more than that, you will need to speak to an insurance provider.

If you are to be the sole owner, then you will need to file a DBA (doing business as) in order for monies to be made out to your business.

Remember this also opens you up to taxation issues, different in many places.

If you want to make this a proper, on the table, business...it's *alot* of work. Worth it imho, but then, I've been doing this for years as a business.

You can also check out information from S.C.O.R.E. They are an association of retired executives that offer advice to upstart and small business owners.

If it is just you, and you are only performing, then I suggest you forgo all the formality and just market yourself.

$185 for fire insuracnec, you guys are getting a pretty good deal. For the same thing here you pay around $350+ a year Per person.

But if you have performers insurance you will probably get around 5 times as many gigs beacuse most people wont book you with out it.

Thanks, Pele!

I'm still deciding on whether or not I want a troope. I know I could start one.

Does anyone have any ideas on where to market? Just everywhere?

Pele just a quick question have you though about making a sticky theard on this topic just seems to come up alot

Mike, it depends on how much info pops into this. It'll be thought of, or I'll dig up an old thread and see if I can merge them. Thanks for the suggestion!

Ginger, well, market research is needed for promotional stuff.
Where do you want to perform?
Think of the audiences you want (do you prefer families to bikers? for example)
Next, think of the pay scale you are looking for. Want to work for tip or for rate pay?
Do you want to perform with bands, or on a stage or on the street (harder to come by).

This will determine who you will market yourself to, who you will send/take your promo pack to.
Saying "I want to perform" and sending things out blindly will only hurt you in the long run, getting you performances you may not be comfortable with.

I see that you are in Orlando, which means that you have alot of options on where to send/take your stuff. I also know there is a *very* high level of expectation with many of the places there with not so high return due to competition levels, so you, more than many on here will have to really do some thinking and then research.

For anyone thinking about going pro, I have just written a review of Tim Marston's book "How to sell your act" here.
I have been pro for about 5 years and (as I say in my review) I really wish something like this had been around when I started out, it would have saved me a lot of time, effort and disappointment.

Wow...That good. Thanks for sharing.