A Funny Thing Happened at BM
I took this strip class a while back. The woman announced that she had just installed a pole in her house. I approached her and asked if she was willing to film a performance by me on the pole. She replied enthusiasticly ",I'll be gone for the next two weeks but call me after that . We can arrange for that. "
So I call her after a couple weeks. After I identified myself I reminded her of our arrangement. She said relutantly, "Give me your number and I'll see if it's alright by me". Several weeks passed but didn't hear back from her . I assumed she lost interest.
After teaching one of my classes ( see Adventures at Burning Man) . A woman eagerly approached me after the class and said " I just got a pole and I suck at it. Do you have a business card?" I answered no , that I currently only teach at Burning Man. She said ,Where do you live? (She lived in the city next to me ) I can pay you to teach me." I said leave me an email address and I'll get back to you. So she wrote out her email address. She said she also taught a beginner strip class. I recognized her email. I said to her ,"I know ,because I took your class." She said ,"Oh no ! and raised my sun glasses. Dreamer! Oh ,I'm so sorry . It was a hecktic week for me and I forgot all about it. "
I was approached by another famous artist that I attended a benefit party for and he requested that I teach his girlfriend to dance.
Being that I've got two offers what do you believe is a fair hourly charge? I can only teach from home unless they have their own pole. Are there business regulations that I should be aware of? Would it be easier and more efficient that I advertise it through community education classes? :D
Re: A Funny Thing Happened at BM
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...what do you believe is a fair hourly charge? I can only teach from home unless they have their own pole. Are there business regulations that I should be aware of? Would it be easier and more efficient that I advertise it through community education classes? :D
As for what to charge, I would find out what personal trainers charge in your area. If the customer has a pole and you have to go to them, I would find out what personal trainers in your area charge for house calls.
As for the business regulations, that might/might not be an issue (maybe Melonie will chime in here). IMO, I would treat it as an under the table business....like your friend who cuts hair for some of her friends in her living room and they just pay her cash....that type of thing.
If you do advertise in the local paper, you might get some unwanted attention by the local Federales (especially if your neighbors complain about the traffic, and/or you don't have a business license).
Just my opinion.
VDJ
Re: A Funny Thing Happened at BM
Oh God how I hate to be the one to bear bad news, but ...
If you're going to advertise and are going to give instruction to the "general public" in your home, then for a fact you are in business. This immediately brings up concerns about zoning (if your home isn't zoned commercial you may have major problems with the local zoning board).
This also brings up concerns like business registration/tax number/business income reporting/estimated taxes. There's no way that you can advertise and at the same time attempt to operate an under the table enterprise without a very high probability of drawing lots of attention from the IRS and state tax people.
But probably the biggest surprise will be the cost of liability insurance - imagine what would happen if someone you were instructing at your home business were to seriously injure themselves on your pole, which your homeowner's insurance will promptly refuse to cover since it happened as a result of a business related activity. Can you say $10,000 in debt to the local hospital for the customer's medical bills plus a $100,000 pain and suffering lawsuit against you from the customer ? I have no idea what the premiums would be for liability insurance coverage for a business that falls in the same general category as health clubs, gyms, martial arts studios etc., but I would take a wild guess that $500 a month is on the low side.
I agree with DJ that if you want to pursue this further, do not do so as an advertised business open to the general public. It's one thing to offer "personal services" for friends and acquaintances in THEIR homes using THEIR equipment. It's another thing altogether to advertise and operate a business (home based or not) which is open to the "general public" and which uses YOUR location and YOUR equipment - particularly if you plan on doing so in violation of residential zoning laws, without a business registration/tax number, and without proper liability insurance !
Re: A Funny Thing Happened at BM
In my experience if you don't advertise, you don't need a business liscense. If you are going to advertise, you need to file a fictitious name in any state, register your business with the state, and in most places you need a business liscense. You're better off just saying that you always go to people's homes.
Insurance for my business (which is substantially different from yours) only costs me about three hundred a year. Check out business insurers of the carolinas.
Lena
Re: A Funny Thing Happened at BM
Thanks for all your input. I'll take it under advisement.
Re: A Funny Thing Happened at BM
See....
I knew Melonie would probably know all of the pros/cons.
VDJ