There are a few out here that work the markets ,and Im sure there are a few out here that would like to!!!
I am hoping that those that are interested would like to meet in the chat room at nite to offer insight to others and maybe help with locating and arranging a profitable experience for all.
Im sure it will have to be broken down into regions...(time zones work well) because we are all scattered about ,
Do you know the bigger markets?
need help with searching products?
want to create a working caravan in an area ?
need help with logistics/ registration at specific rally's/shows/markets ?
need a joint buyer for a quantity of product?
this would be a good way to help each other out and those looking but have alot of questions to sort through!
The chat area has many rooms available to make this work!!.......if your interested let me know and we can get something going!!
farky said
04:47 PM Mar 2, 2014
I would love some information on this topic.The wife and I are trying to find some ways to quit the 9-5 and travel and enjoy Gods beauty and still make some spending cash along the way.Please let me know
Thanks Steve
cherylbrv said
05:25 PM Mar 2, 2014
I would be interested in learning a little more.
NWescapee said
12:06 PM Mar 3, 2014
I'd be happy to answer questions from a West Coast perspective, pertaining to Art and Craft shows. No experience in the flea markets, etc. My hubby has been doing art shows on the West Coast for 8 years now. Farky - I see you are from NM, we were supposed to be headed to Alburquerque for the Rio Grande show that is coming up this weekend (Mar 7-9) but had to cancel due to family situation. If you're interested in arts / crafts fairs it would be a good one to visit just to see what is selling, what interests buyers, etc.
Boxrkisses said
10:17 PM Mar 4, 2014
I would love to learn more.....my husband HATES the politics of his job and being in the semiconductor field it's a roller coaster. We have experienced our share of layoffs....Would love to be independant from working for "the man" and working for ourselves. Talk about freedom....traveling, meeting new friends plus making a living.....
suse1023 said
10:06 AM Mar 5, 2014
I want to learn more too--and do not know how to get into the chat room, so could we do it here?
mike, iirc you offered to list 100 ways to earn on another thread.
would you mind posting that list again for us?
thanks, suse.
(who is racking her brain to think of a craft or service to offer while living on the road).
how about ironing? i'm good at that!
but who the heck lives in an rv and needs their clothes and linens ironed, lol?!
you see why I need that list!
TRAILERKING said
01:19 PM Mar 5, 2014
Some of these so-called "Arts & Crafts" & "Flea Markets" look to be more like a full blown business. From CNC machines to onsite RV Services. Just wondering do the people that work at that caliber, do they have to report income to the IRS?? Looks like can be capable of quite a potentially large revenue.........
-- Edited by TRAILERKING on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 10:20:32 PM
NWescapee said
02:53 PM Mar 5, 2014
Trailer King - I'm confused by your comment, for us, our art business is a full time business for my husband, we secure all the appropriate tax licenses, file Schedule C for business income, etc. This is a business, not a hobby, so it is reportable income. There are various IRS publications you can review on this topic.
TRAILERKING said
03:33 PM Mar 5, 2014
NWescapee wrote:
Trailer King - I'm confused by your comment, for us, our art business is a full time business for my husband, we secure all the appropriate tax licenses, file Schedule C for business income, etc. This is a business, not a hobby, so it is reportable income. There are various IRS publications you can review on this topic.
Don't be confused..........You answered my question. You appear to be doing things legitimate unlike from some stuff bragged about in threads.
Lucky Mike said
04:28 PM Mar 5, 2014
to those that participated .....thank you
I have deleted my info from this tread , those that would like further info or would like to discuss a venture or idea please pm me.......
-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 04:31:24 PM
Alie and Jims Carrilite said
06:42 PM Mar 5, 2014
TRAILERKING wrote:
Generally there's no "Drama" around here except when people and their ideas get attacked. The original idea of this topic was supplementing income while pursuing ones hobbies.
AND
Somehow it got turned into what looks like a personal attack on the way people manage their finances.
Now I'm not saying you intentionally went out of your way to flame somebody, but when the entire thread is read, it does kinda seem that way. Many people here work to support this lifestyle. If your one of the ones that doesn't have too, then good for you, you crossed all your Tee's and dotted the I"s and paid your dues to be able to travel without worrying about income.
Maybe we can speed the thread back up to a PoLKa or something for you.
Edit by moderator: Deleted quoted text of Trailerking's comments because the original post was also deleted. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 07:04:30 PM
TRAILERKING said
09:04 PM Mar 5, 2014
Alie and Jims Carrilite wrote:
TRAILERKING wrote:
The original idea of this topic was supplementing income while pursuing ones hobbies.
AND
Somehow it got turned into what looks like a personal attack on the way people manage their finances.
Many people here work to support this lifestyle. If your one of the ones that doesn't have too, then good for you, you crossed all your Tee's and dotted the I"s and paid your dues to be able to travel without worrying about income.
Maybe we can speed the thread back up to a PoLKa or something for you.
Edit by moderator: Deleted quoted text of Trailerking's comments because the original post was also deleted. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 07:04:30 PM
I hope that you're not being judgmental towards me now!!
So while we're on the topic ........Does one need to report income while pedaling or freelancing(what ever one wants to call it)?? I'm not attacking or being judgmental, just asking.
Alie and Jims Carrilite said
09:26 PM Mar 5, 2014
If you run a business, you pay taxes, either as owner or employee. You should know that as being a business owner yourself.
If a customer pays in a large amount of cash, what do you do? How much cash can your bank handle before the red flag raises for the tax man?
In the US, continual medium to large, several hundred to several thousand, cash deposits into private accounts usually gets scrutinized. If no proper business is set up then your going to have a nice visit with the auditors.
Now with that said, When someone walked in your shop and needed a quick and easy weld job, and had cash what did you do?
TRAILERKING said
09:53 PM Mar 5, 2014
Alie and Jims Carrilite wrote:
If you run a business, you pay taxes, either as owner or employee. You should know that as being a business owner yourself. If a customer pays in a large amount of cash, what do you do? How much cash can your bank handle before the red flag raises for the tax man? In the US, continual medium to large, several hundred to several thousand, cash deposits into private accounts usually gets scrutinized. If no proper business is set up then your going to have a nice visit with the auditors. Now with that said, When someone walked in your shop and needed a quick and easy weld job, and had cash what did you do?
You're missing the boat. it's got nothing to do with owning a business, you pay taxes.
It's all about one EARNING, MAKING MONEY, SELLING YOUR SERVICES, you pay taxes................At least one would think so. Also not talking about hauling wheel barrow loads of cash to a bank to raise red flags.
Sorry to bring up such a bad question.
NWescapee said
10:08 PM Mar 5, 2014
The official word from the IRS is that self-employed income over $400 needs to be filed with the IRS. I am not getting into the middle of any debate about whether there are people who exceed this amount but only take cash payments and therefore operate under the radar. My personal belief is that if you earned it, you need to account for it and pay your taxes otherwise you are just becoming a bigger burden on the rest of society.
A relatively recent change with the IRS (last 2-3 years) is the requirement that credit card companies issue IRS forms accounting for all credit transactions. Not yet required to be submitted with Schedule C because all the complications of the many different sales tax rates in every jurisdiction, but you can probably bet that at some point in the future business owners will have to include those forms issued by the credit card companies. Are there some businesses out there that can operate on just cash? Sure, but the vast majority of people seem to favor paying with credit or debit so business owners at arts / craft shows can and do lose out on sales if they can't take credit cards.
Trailer King - for what it's worth, while you may not be intending to be sounding or coming across judgmental, your comment about hiding it under the table did raise my ire a bit. Seemed like a public accusation that those of us in mobile business' were likely to hide money under the table. Of course, that may because on the ice day Sunday, in Dallas, I spent 5 hours cooped up in the RV listening to sleet, wind, and hail while working on our 2013 taxes which were way more complicated than prior years due to the business we've been running for 8 years, plus working on business licenses in 2 additional states that we're venturing into this year. So, while you might not have intended to tick a few of us off, you evidently managed to do so even if it was unintentional. I honestly haven't seen people bragging about doing things in a non-legitimate way in the threads so obviously you and I are interpreting things differently. I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt but, yes, you did come across as judgmental IMO.
TRAILERKING said
10:27 PM Mar 5, 2014
NWescapee wrote:
.....only take cash payments and therefore operate under the radar. My personal belief is that if you earned it, you need to account for it and pay your taxes otherwise you are just becoming a bigger burden on the rest of society.
Yes, exactly what I was trying to say..........................Without insinuations of being judgmental.
Alie and Jims Carrilite said
06:56 AM Mar 6, 2014
TRAILERKING wrote:
Alie and Jims Carrilite wrote:
If you run a business, you pay taxes, either as owner or employee. You should know that as being a business owner yourself. If a customer pays in a large amount of cash, what do you do? How much cash can your bank handle before the red flag raises for the tax man? In the US, continual medium to large, several hundred to several thousand, cash deposits into private accounts usually gets scrutinized. If no proper business is set up then your going to have a nice visit with the auditors. Now with that said, When someone walked in your shop and needed a quick and easy weld job, and had cash what did you do?
You're missing the boat. it's got nothing to do with owning a business, you pay taxes.
It's all about one EARNING, MAKING MONEY, SELLING YOUR SERVICES, you pay taxes................At least one would think so. Also not talking about hauling wheel barrow loads of cash to a bank to raise red flags.
Sorry to bring up such a bad question.
Some of these so-called "Arts & Crafts" & "Flea Markets" look to be more like a full blown business. From CNC machines to onsite RV Services. Just wondering do the people that work at that caliber, do they have to report income to the IRS?? Looks like can be capable of quite a potentially large revenue.........
That is the statement you made earlier in the thread.
Others can fill in here, but if I remember right, to sell a product or service at a show or flea market, you need a permit to sell. These are generally distributed by the town or county where the show/market is taking place. Different requirements for different vendors, but to be a registered business in your home state is usually one, as well as a form of liability insurance. That makes you a business and subject to the IRS tax requirement for such.
WestWardHo said
08:56 PM Mar 9, 2014
I think this thread is an example of how some forum members go off track and ruin threads for us all.
Ruth (NWEscapees) said it much mor gracefully than I could. I'm not a crafter or artisan so I didn't check this thread when it was originally posted, but the fact that Lucky Mike offered others a way to discuss opportunities to supplement their incomes, which received a very positive interest from several members, and got an irritating response indicating people are attempting to avoid taxes is so frustrating and annoying.
If you're a grumpy old soul go somewhere else to post your attitude.
Thanks Terry for deleting inappropriate posts. Mike, I hope those interested in the topic join you on chat.
Sherry
NWescapee said
08:14 AM Mar 10, 2014
Sherry - LOL!! It took me several several writing / re-writing attempts to come across gracefully, glad I succeeded, you know me well enough to know what my initial reaction might have been.
I still believe this is one of the nicest forums on the Web, lately it seems there have been a few more judgemental / abrasive commets and felt this thread was taking a negative tone. Lucky Mike was trying to help people and willing to offer his expertise, I'd like to see this thread get back to the original topic on how people can find creative ways to earn a little extra income.
cherylbrv said
02:44 PM Mar 10, 2014
Ok, Ruth. I'd like to help get it back on track.
I had been toying with trying to find something I could sell. I think something that involves some interaction is a big plus -- either something they can make or watch you make on site (although you always get someone watching you and saying "oh, I made that in the scouts" or something like that!! In another lifetime, I was a candlemaker -- sculpted sand candles using a blowtorch, or dipped candles -- all on location). A second big plus is something personalized. Mike did mention these 2 things already.
So, now, what can I offer that
1 - I can make on location that's fairly quick to make
2 - is personalized
3 - preferably doesn't require electricity (as that's a whole 'nother can of worms at outdoor places with generator requirements and taping down the cords)
4 - something that doesn't involve years of practice
5 - something that could sell in any location and at any time of the year
So far I have not come up with any ideas that meet all the criteria. I guess the first thing I'd give up is the electricity requirement. Custom printed t-shirts (needing a computer, printer and heat press)? Then you get into the issue of what to print on it. The selection could be limitless!
I was thinking of hand painted (not airbrush) temporary tattoos, but not only does almost every street fair have those, but it is also limited to location (where people don't have to remove their coats).
NWescapee said
08:11 PM Mar 10, 2014
Cheryl,
One trend I've noticed at street fairs and craft shows (not seen frequently at the fine art events) is anything personalized.
Examples, Christmas ornaments where names are added on site, these sometimes accomodate and reflect family size, for example one crafter makes blanks of Christmas trees with teddy bears and varies the number of teddy bears from 1-6 or more to reflect family sizes and then adds the names at the bottom. This crafter also offers Christmas stockings with customized names, she machine embroiders the names on site, but also ships when her line / number of people waiting get too long.
Another example is people who learn to weave names in wire, their pendants sell really well.
Yet another example is someone using letter beads to create bracelets with names or fun, personalized short sayings.
Crafters with cutsey baby or animal products, especially those that can be customized always seem to have a line. I laughed at one booth in AZ last winter that sold visors for dogs, but sure enough, as the 3 day show progress I saw a lot of dogs wearing visors. There's a huge trend towards spoiling our pets and many of the street fairs and craft shows have become "dog parades".
Woodworkers, like Lucky Mike, who can create signs that are personalized also seem very popular, we also see one vendor who craves numbers and sells those as house numbers to replace the "boring" ones home builders use with something more unique.
You mention being a former candle maker, the only ones I know who are having success at craft shows seem to be specialized. Creating soy candles that don't impact allergies has been a trend I've seen in the Pacific NW, but most of the candle makers I know have seen a decreasing sales trend over the last 5-10 years.
Not sure if that helps, but those with items that can be personalized always seem busy.
WestWardHo said
08:50 PM Mar 10, 2014
Oh yeah and we were one of the people who bought a sun visor for our dog!! At the show where we saw them the exhibitor had his very old, relaxed dog sleeping on a pillow and modeling it! Pet anything is hot! I had one friend about 20 years ago who trademarked the name, "Pets with Atitude". She was ahead of the craze and I don't know if her tM is still valid.
Cheryl, I believe Mike was suggesting a chat room for this topic.
Sherry
Lucky Mike said
03:05 PM Mar 11, 2014
Three things are needed.....
Will they buy it ?
What will they spend for it?
Can I manufacture or procure it ?
If you are leaning towards Fleamarkets , Shows, Craftfairs......The first and easiest part is to go to these Venues and look.....kinda like buying your RV.
you can spend 3 days....1 at a Flea market....one at a craft fair.....1 at an RV show and get enough info to start your search & get a feel for what your looking for and how much invested is needed to do it!
Watch customer flow
look at product Base...who is selling what...can you compete....can you improve the product?
DISPLAY!!!!!......its all in presentation!!!!!......(Like the day, you sold your S&B!!)
Can you haul all of what you need to do it!!!
There are unlimited means within these markets.......I can give you ideas all day long....but you have to find your "Love".......sales are tough if you dont like what your doing..........sometimes your special product will be the common theme at a show and your going to have to "One -Up!" just to break even and pull some of your cash base in...
I have been @ markets where I had 2 other Dealers selling the same as me and the price war got intense ....you have to be ready for it
There will be ones where you are the only one and will sell out so fast you'll be taking orders and shipping for days!!!
Method of payments....are you going to take plastic and paypal....
are you going to do online sales
most of all is finding the right markets / shows in your travel routes
some of us get lucky and it is a full time job.....others only make enough to keep it going.......the biggest thing is to love it!!!!..........I could carve wood all day and give it away!!!.....it Fascinates me to be able to take something from my mind and create it out of wood & stone!!!
I have left pieces behind at parks and restaurants that I did just because !!!.......
Its almost that time of year again!!
There are a few out here that work the markets ,and Im sure there are a few out here that would like to!!!
I am hoping that those that are interested would like to meet in the chat room at nite to offer insight to others and maybe help with locating and arranging a profitable experience for all.
Im sure it will have to be broken down into regions...(time zones work well) because we are all scattered about ,
Do you know the bigger markets?
need help with searching products?
want to create a working caravan in an area ?
need help with logistics/ registration at specific rally's/shows/markets ?
need a joint buyer for a quantity of product?
this would be a good way to help each other out and those looking but have alot of questions to sort through!
The chat area has many rooms available to make this work!!.......if your interested let me know and we can get something going!!
I would love some information on this topic.The wife and I are trying to find some ways to quit the 9-5 and travel and enjoy Gods beauty and still make some spending cash along the way.Please let me know
Thanks Steve
mike, iirc you offered to list 100 ways to earn on another thread.
would you mind posting that list again for us?
thanks, suse.
(who is racking her brain to think of a craft or service to offer while living on the road).
how about ironing? i'm good at that!
but who the heck lives in an rv and needs their clothes and linens ironed, lol?!
you see why I need that list!
Some of these so-called "Arts & Crafts" & "Flea Markets" look to be more like a full blown business. From CNC machines to onsite RV Services. Just wondering do the people that work at that caliber, do they have to report income to the IRS?? Looks like can be capable of quite a potentially large revenue.........
-- Edited by TRAILERKING on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 10:20:32 PM
Don't be confused..........You answered my question. You appear to be doing things legitimate unlike from some stuff bragged about in threads.
to those that participated .....thank you
I have deleted my info from this tread , those that would like further info or would like to discuss a venture or idea please pm me.......
-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 04:31:24 PM
Generally there's no "Drama" around here except when people and their ideas get attacked. The original idea of this topic was supplementing income while pursuing ones hobbies.
AND
Somehow it got turned into what looks like a personal attack on the way people manage their finances.
Now I'm not saying you intentionally went out of your way to flame somebody, but when the entire thread is read, it does kinda seem that way. Many people here work to support this lifestyle. If your one of the ones that doesn't have too, then good for you, you crossed all your Tee's and dotted the I"s and paid your dues to be able to travel without worrying about income.
Maybe we can speed the thread back up to a PoLKa or something for you.
Edit by moderator: Deleted quoted text of Trailerking's comments because the original post was also deleted. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 07:04:30 PM
I hope that you're not being judgmental towards me now!!
So while we're on the topic ........Does one need to report income while pedaling or freelancing(what ever one wants to call it)?? I'm not attacking or being judgmental, just asking.
If a customer pays in a large amount of cash, what do you do? How much cash can your bank handle before the red flag raises for the tax man?
In the US, continual medium to large, several hundred to several thousand, cash deposits into private accounts usually gets scrutinized. If no proper business is set up then your going to have a nice visit with the auditors.
Now with that said, When someone walked in your shop and needed a quick and easy weld job, and had cash what did you do?
You're missing the boat. it's got nothing to do with owning a business, you pay taxes.
It's all about one EARNING, MAKING MONEY, SELLING YOUR SERVICES, you pay taxes................At least one would think so. Also not talking about hauling wheel barrow loads of cash to a bank to raise red flags.
Sorry to bring up such a bad question.
A relatively recent change with the IRS (last 2-3 years) is the requirement that credit card companies issue IRS forms accounting for all credit transactions. Not yet required to be submitted with Schedule C because all the complications of the many different sales tax rates in every jurisdiction, but you can probably bet that at some point in the future business owners will have to include those forms issued by the credit card companies. Are there some businesses out there that can operate on just cash? Sure, but the vast majority of people seem to favor paying with credit or debit so business owners at arts / craft shows can and do lose out on sales if they can't take credit cards.
Trailer King - for what it's worth, while you may not be intending to be sounding or coming across judgmental, your comment about hiding it under the table did raise my ire a bit. Seemed like a public accusation that those of us in mobile business' were likely to hide money under the table. Of course, that may because on the ice day Sunday, in Dallas, I spent 5 hours cooped up in the RV listening to sleet, wind, and hail while working on our 2013 taxes which were way more complicated than prior years due to the business we've been running for 8 years, plus working on business licenses in 2 additional states that we're venturing into this year. So, while you might not have intended to tick a few of us off, you evidently managed to do so even if it was unintentional. I honestly haven't seen people bragging about doing things in a non-legitimate way in the threads so obviously you and I are interpreting things differently. I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt but, yes, you did come across as judgmental IMO.
Yes, exactly what I was trying to say..........................Without insinuations of being judgmental.
Some of these so-called "Arts & Crafts" & "Flea Markets" look to be more like a full blown business. From CNC machines to onsite RV Services. Just wondering do the people that work at that caliber, do they have to report income to the IRS?? Looks like can be capable of quite a potentially large revenue.........
That is the statement you made earlier in the thread.
Others can fill in here, but if I remember right, to sell a product or service at a show or flea market, you need a permit to sell. These are generally distributed by the town or county where the show/market is taking place. Different requirements for different vendors, but to be a registered business in your home state is usually one, as well as a form of liability insurance. That makes you a business and subject to the IRS tax requirement for such.
Ruth (NWEscapees) said it much mor gracefully than I could. I'm not a crafter or artisan so I didn't check this thread when it was originally posted, but the fact that Lucky Mike offered others a way to discuss opportunities to supplement their incomes, which received a very positive interest from several members, and got an irritating response indicating people are attempting to avoid taxes is so frustrating and annoying.
If you're a grumpy old soul go somewhere else to post your attitude.
Thanks Terry for deleting inappropriate posts. Mike, I hope those interested in the topic join you on chat.
Sherry
Sherry - LOL!! It took me several several writing / re-writing attempts to come across gracefully, glad I succeeded, you know me well enough to know what my initial reaction might have been.
I still believe this is one of the nicest forums on the Web, lately it seems there have been a few more judgemental / abrasive commets and felt this thread was taking a negative tone. Lucky Mike was trying to help people and willing to offer his expertise, I'd like to see this thread get back to the original topic on how people can find creative ways to earn a little extra income.
I had been toying with trying to find something I could sell. I think something that involves some interaction is a big plus -- either something they can make or watch you make on site (although you always get someone watching you and saying "oh, I made that in the scouts" or something like that!! In another lifetime, I was a candlemaker -- sculpted sand candles using a blowtorch, or dipped candles -- all on location). A second big plus is something personalized. Mike did mention these 2 things already.
So, now, what can I offer that
1 - I can make on location that's fairly quick to make
2 - is personalized
3 - preferably doesn't require electricity (as that's a whole 'nother can of worms at outdoor places with generator requirements and taping down the cords)
4 - something that doesn't involve years of practice
5 - something that could sell in any location and at any time of the year
So far I have not come up with any ideas that meet all the criteria. I guess the first thing I'd give up is the electricity requirement. Custom printed t-shirts (needing a computer, printer and heat press)? Then you get into the issue of what to print on it. The selection could be limitless!
I was thinking of hand painted (not airbrush) temporary tattoos, but not only does almost every street fair have those, but it is also limited to location (where people don't have to remove their coats).
One trend I've noticed at street fairs and craft shows (not seen frequently at the fine art events) is anything personalized.
Examples, Christmas ornaments where names are added on site, these sometimes accomodate and reflect family size, for example one crafter makes blanks of Christmas trees with teddy bears and varies the number of teddy bears from 1-6 or more to reflect family sizes and then adds the names at the bottom. This crafter also offers Christmas stockings with customized names, she machine embroiders the names on site, but also ships when her line / number of people waiting get too long.
Another example is people who learn to weave names in wire, their pendants sell really well.
Yet another example is someone using letter beads to create bracelets with names or fun, personalized short sayings.
Crafters with cutsey baby or animal products, especially those that can be customized always seem to have a line. I laughed at one booth in AZ last winter that sold visors for dogs, but sure enough, as the 3 day show progress I saw a lot of dogs wearing visors. There's a huge trend towards spoiling our pets and many of the street fairs and craft shows have become "dog parades".
Woodworkers, like Lucky Mike, who can create signs that are personalized also seem very popular, we also see one vendor who craves numbers and sells those as house numbers to replace the "boring" ones home builders use with something more unique.
You mention being a former candle maker, the only ones I know who are having success at craft shows seem to be specialized. Creating soy candles that don't impact allergies has been a trend I've seen in the Pacific NW, but most of the candle makers I know have seen a decreasing sales trend over the last 5-10 years.
Not sure if that helps, but those with items that can be personalized always seem busy.
Cheryl, I believe Mike was suggesting a chat room for this topic.
Sherry
Three things are needed.....
Will they buy it ?
What will they spend for it?
Can I manufacture or procure it ?
If you are leaning towards Fleamarkets , Shows, Craftfairs......The first and easiest part is to go to these Venues and look.....kinda like buying your RV.
you can spend 3 days....1 at a Flea market....one at a craft fair.....1 at an RV show and get enough info to start your search & get a feel for what your looking for and how much invested is needed to do it!
Watch customer flow
look at product Base...who is selling what...can you compete....can you improve the product?
DISPLAY!!!!!......its all in presentation!!!!!......(Like the day, you sold your S&B!!)
Can you haul all of what you need to do it!!!
There are unlimited means within these markets.......I can give you ideas all day long....but you have to find your "Love".......sales are tough if you dont like what your doing..........sometimes your special product will be the common theme at a show and your going to have to "One -Up!" just to break even and pull some of your cash base in...
I have been @ markets where I had 2 other Dealers selling the same as me and the price war got intense ....you have to be ready for it
There will be ones where you are the only one and will sell out so fast you'll be taking orders and shipping for days!!!
Method of payments....are you going to take plastic and paypal....
are you going to do online sales
most of all is finding the right markets / shows in your travel routes
some of us get lucky and it is a full time job.....others only make enough to keep it going.......the biggest thing is to love it!!!!..........I could carve wood all day and give it away!!!.....it Fascinates me to be able to take something from my mind and create it out of wood & stone!!!
I have left pieces behind at parks and restaurants that I did just because !!!.......