Why am I worried about competition? I do fantastic work that is just as professional as the other professional face painters I've come across here in New York City - and I'm a good deal better than a lot of "face painters" I've seen. I can't recall seeing face painters at the festivals before - so hopefully I'll be finding my market niche. Yes, it's expensive. But starting your own business is, and I knew it would be. Thankfully, I have a chunk of change set aside specifically FOR start up costs, and hopefully once I start doing the festivals I'll begin to re-coup my investment.
Yes, there is a TON I need to do - but I've been tackling each step as I've felt led, and Surprise! it's not been as difficult as I thought it'd be. Become a face painter. Check. Do good work, get some examples, figure out a plan. Check Check Check. Create a kickass website. Check. Create a facebook page to network (which you should all check out, Like, and pass along to your friends, family, and random people you come across). Check. Decide you're going to pursue face and body painting in NY. Check. Get a tax ID number. Check. Get a Consumer Affairs Permit. Check. Join the 9th Ave International Food Festival. Check Check! Join one of the major producers of Street Festivals for the rest of the summer season. Check!
So it's all coming together, slowly but surely. And now that I've joined Clearview Festival Productions, I will have deadlines by which I'll NEED to have my complete, newly re-vamped set up, tent, table, and all included, business cards bought, and insurance settled. I've spent hours agonizing over which tent to buy. Literally. HOURS. I'm petrified I'll make the Wrong decision, get a crappy product, and lose a bunch of money. But I think I just need to take a step back and breathe. I'm figuring all this out for the first time, of course there will be little hiccups along the way, but at least I'm getting out there and doing something new and exciting and completely unknown! That is a thing to celebrate, not fear and agonize and panic over.
I've been learning and practicing new designs, putting my display boards together, and really, I'd say I'm 85% there with everything, actually. I just need to submit for a few of the actual festival dates, and get the rest of my setup together. I'll see what sort of market there is for my skills, if I'm making a profit, and go from there.
Thanks for letting me ramble through my jumble of thoughts, dear readers. It helps for me to sort things out like this. Any words of advice/encouragement (or what tent/canopy is best for festivals!) is always welcome and appreciated.
I leave you with this: