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Posts Tagged ‘Concession’

Benefits of Being Self-employed

There are many fantastic benefits of being self-employed. You may find yourself wanting more in life and a job that you have been comfortable at for so long may just not be satisfying you anymore. Perhaps you are tired of the predictable routine of your day job and being paid what someone else thinks that your time is worth and never being appreciated. Taking the first step to become self-employed is the hardest but once you get started you will be able to bask in all of the wonderful benefits of being self-employed.

Job Security

People are being laid off and fired for no reason other than the company needing to cut wage costs which means the employees that are still employed are having to handle more work than ever before without any additional money. You can lose your source of income at any time. Why give someone else control over your future? One of the benefits of being self-employed is that no one has the power to fire you. Only you control your future.

Hourly Pay

More and more people are forced to work longer and harder hours for far less pay than what they are worth. When you become self-employed, you control what hours you work and how much money you ultimately make. For example, brilliant individuals will start a concession business and only work the spring and summer, selling their product at fairs, festivals and sporting events and make enough money to live on all winter. Sure they work hard but then they have a season to travel and relax and do whatever they want.

Experience

When you work the same job everyday, you are never furthering your experience level. Is the job experience that you have right now going to keep you employed and be worth any value 10 years from now? One of the fabulous benefits about being self-employed is that you can constantly learn things that you can apply to your business to increase your success.

How to Become Self Employed

  Most people, at some point in their lives, have the dream to become self-employed. There are a huge number of benefits of being self-employed such as control over your own schedule, having no boss and the sense of accomplishment of creating your own future. However, if you want to become self-employed, you must also understand that there are a few disadvantages including not having a guaranteed paycheck and no paid vacations or health insurance.

 To become self-employed, you need to really think about if it is the right choice for you. Are you self-motivated, driven and goal oriented? If so, you are probably a good candidate. However, if you are someone who needs guidance or cannot figure things out for yourself, self-employment is not a good idea.

 You will need to decide what you want to do to become self-employed. The most popular approaches are opening a small business such as a concession stand or a catering business or offering your services as an independent contractor or freelancer. Make yourself a list of way to become self-employed by doing something that you would love and that you are good at.

 Then, once you decide on your niche, do as much research as you can on the topic and create your own business plan. You will need to explore financing options unless you have a substantial amount of money saved up for start-up costs like equipment and supplies. Most people choose personal loans, small business loans or home equity loans for financing their new business.

 If you really want to become self-employed, go for it and do not listen to anyone else. Start with something small that you can turn a huge profit with like your own ice cream or hot dog concession and then work up to a concession trailer with other food options and highly profitable venues like fairs and festivals. Your opportunities are truly endless when you want to become self-employed.

Starting a Concession Business with Multiple Owners

  Starting a concession business with multiple owners is a fairly common occurrence. There are many advantages to doing so however, it can also lead to serious complication with time if you do not have a clear cut, drawn out agreement of business goals and each owner's responsibilities.

 When you dig to the root, a concession business is just the brilliant idea of a person or people who want to become self employed and make money.

 The idea of starting a concession business with multiple owners is a fantastic one but when a problem does arise, it can lead to disaster. The biggest conflict that multiple owners have is over power, especially if the business is successful.

 If you start a business with someone whether they are a family member or your best friend, you have to write in detail, who is responsible for what, hours that will be worked, goals of where you want the business to grow to, etc. Without these, you could ultimately have one person doing the large percentage of the work and feeling resentful which not only causes problems in the business but also in your friendship.

 You should also take the time to discuss what happens to the business if someone doesn't hold up their end of the job or decides that they want to venture off on their own in a different direction. How will issues be handled? This all needs to be put in writing. You may feel a bit uncomfortable discussing such matters since you do not want to hurt each others feeling and there is a certain level of trust obviously already there however, owning a business needs to be handled like a marriage with a prenuptial agreement to protect everyone that is involved.

 Starting a concession business with multiple owners is common and usually successful. It certainly helps to have a shared workload but to avoid any future problems, be sure that everyone is on the identical page from the beginning and put in in writing.

Top Five Healthy Concession Stand Ideas

  Just because you are a health food fanatic does not mean that you cannot become self-employed by opening your own concession stand. There are plenty of people that would prefer to have a healthier alternative available to eat, not only for themselves but for their children as well. Many festivals, fairs and other events only offer concession stand food so people have no choice to make unhealthy food choices but they may actually prefer to have an option that is good for them, especially in today's society when more and more people are becoming health conscious everyday. Of course, some of these healthy concession stand ideas are not extremely healthy foods, they are better for you than items that are fried or loaded in sugar.

Frozen Yogurt – This is ideal especially for a hot day. You can choose to just carry one or maybe two flavors and have toppings that have a long shelf life and that will not melt like granola, nuts and coconut. If you know business will be busy, consider caring one of two types of fruits to top with such as raspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries or kiwi.

 Popcorn – Nothing draws a crowd like the familiar aroma of fresh popped popcorn. Of course you will want to have butter and salt on hand for those that prefer their popcorn flavored but many enjoy it as a healthy snack plain.

  1. Frozen Bananas – So, chances are, your frozen bananas will probably be dipped in chocolate but at least the banana is healthy, full of vitamins and potassium which is a plus if you are looking for healthy concession stand ideas to set up around sporting events like children softball or soccer games or anywhere people might be sweating and in need of something healthy that will refresh their energy levels.

Vegetarian Burgers and Hotdogs – You do not have to be a vegetarian to enjoy these either. Many people are looking for healthy alternatives to meat that are still full of protein.

  1. Fresh Fruit – Ideally, you can simply prepare fresh fruit cups or you can also sell large slices of watermelon, frozen coconut or even contains of frozen grapes or berries. Fresh fruit appeals to people of all ages and chances are you won't have any competition.

Starting a concession cart business

Regardless of your age, a concession cart business is a fabulous way to enjoy the benefits of being self-employed. It is ideal for a full-time business or perfect for a summer and weekend business for college students, teachers or retirees. If you enjoy meeting new people in a fun atmosphere and making a pretty nice income, a concession cart business is for you.

To start your concession cart business you will want to evaluate your options and choose what you want to sell. Most carts will focus on one specific area like hot dogs or ice-cream but if you want to carry more than one item that is completely up do you. You will also need to decide where you want to set your concession cart up at, whether you are erecting it at the same spot everyday or traveling to music festivals, farmer's markets or other outdoor venues.

Before starting your concession cart business you will want to obtain a health certificate and determine what licenses and permits are required in your area. You will also need to decide if you want to find a partner or hire an employee. Sharing long shifts with someone, especially at a busy event may be needed so that you can keep up with the customers and take a break every now and then. Not to mention, you have become self-employed so you might also want to take a day off once in awhile without losing any potential income opportunities.

It is possible to also rent a concession cart in some areas so that may be another option for you if you want to become self-employed but you are on a tight budget. Keep in mind that even though you are focusing on selling food, you should also consider selling drinks. Most people would prefer purchasing their drink at the same location as their food so that they do not have to make an additional stop. You may also want to consider having bite-sized sample containers available to entice those people passing by. Above all, have fun with your concession cart. It is a great opportunity to make a lot of money and be your own boss so have a good time while you're doing it!

Why buy a concession truck

Being self-employed is quite a lucrative opportunity and buying a concession truck is a very intelligent decision. However, like any business, there are risks so it is important to educate yourself on the business first before just jumping in.

There are many benefits to buying a concession truck. The first obvious benefit of a concession truck is having the freedom to be able to travel to different locations. Once of the most important factors that influence the success of any business is location. With a concession truck, you can follow the crowd, fair, festival or event. The possibilities are endless! You can open for business outside a sporting event, a parade or a local fair. Many people see a phenomenal profit setting up in the parking lots of bars and nightclubs to feed the hungry 2:00 am crowd that is on their way home.

The second benefit of purchasing a concession truck is the start-up cost advantage. To open a restaurant, you need a large budget to finance and purchase everything but a concession truck can be purchased at a mere fraction of the price. You are spending very little money to start your own business where you make the rules, decide on the hours and ultimately get to make every decision regarding your own future. Your income will be in your own hands!

A concession truck is ideal because you never have to stay in one spot. When business is slow in one area, you simply move somewhere else. You can travel to different parks when there are softball and soccer games and on the weekends you have the potential to sell at a few different events in one day, giving you the opportunity to potentially to make a substantial amount of money. Depending on what food you are selling, you may even want to have a lunch route mapped out of local businesses that you can stop at daily at the same time so their employees will be awaiting your arrival. Purchasing a concession truck is ideal for anyone with the dream of becoming self-employed.

Tips on buying a food concession trailer

When you are in the process of looking to buy a food concession trailer, you need to understand that they range from mobile catering trucks to stationary concession stands. You will need to decide the size and type of food concession trailer that you will need according to the food choice you are going to sell and if you are going to sell only at one location or travel to several different places.

Each food concession trailer is going to have its own features. Some may have freezers, refrigerators, fryers, ovens and sinks. So obviously, if you are selling ice-cream, you will not need a food concession trailer that has a fryer and an oven. This is why it is important to have any idea of what foods you will sell. Choose a food that you will be comfortable working around. If you are scared to cook with oil, clearly you will not choose to sell french fries.

The next thing you will need to decide is if you want a new or used food concession stand. A used one is going to save you a substantial amount of money however, there is probably little or no warranty left on it. However, if you do not have the out-of-pocket money available to spend on a trailer to start your own business, you may want to choose a new one. Many vendors will offer financing on a new trailer so you will only need to make monthly payments and you get the peace of mind of having a warranty.

When possible, take the time to inspect the trailer in person and ask the seller plenty of questions if it is a used item. You will want to know how old it is and how long that they had it for? Did they buy it new or used? What did they use it for? How old are all of the appliances? Is there any warranty left?

Do not rush into your food concession stand purchase. You are probably excited to get started on reaping the rewards of havingyour own business but picking the right trailer can ultimately make or break your business.

Getting a Business License for Your Concession Business

The procedures for getting a business license may vary slightly from state to state but regardless of location there will basic similarities. Some issues regarding permits, licenses and business names can be a bit of a handful for new business owners so for some matters, you may want to seek the help of a lawyer or a mentor in the business to guide you through the process.

You may be asking yourself do you really need a license? Most likely, the answer is going to be yes, unless of course you plan on conducting business illegally. Getting a business license is absolutely necessary but not to worry, the fees that are associated with this task are usually quite minimal.

Traditionally, the place to go for getting a business license will be your local city hall building or courthouse. Upon arriving, the city clerk will be able to direct you where you need to go in the building and you need to speak with. You can also make a phone call to the county clerk's office if you have questions, they can be found under municipal government offices in your local phone book.

Getting a business license may require that you also get a DBA. General partnerships and sole proprietors operating under business names will need a DBA. Enforcing of any contracts cannot be done unless you officially own your business name and if you do not get a DBA, someone else can take your name that you worked so hard to create. Also, if your business will have employees, you will need an employer identification number (EIN). You can apply for this very easily at the IRS website.

When you go to obtain your license, you will want to have all of your business paperwork ready which includes your EIN, DBA and any fictitious name certificates. You will complete your license application and then file it with a small fee, in person, at the appropriate government office. Keep in mind that getting a business license is not a one time ordeal, you will need to file renewals annually.

About the Concession Business

 

The concession stand market is a growing business in this defunct economy. One of the most reliable concepts is that concessions never lose their novelty; this is the case for stands which sell food (items which are always in demand) and also for souvenirs (which are readily in demand at areas such as ballparks and sports stadiums). With hundreds and even thousands of people going into and coming out of sporting events and public venues, the concession stand business becomes a cash cow in which high volumes of traffic – and money – exchange hands from them to you.

A particular concession stand, such a a simple hot dog wagon, can yield amazing profits in a short amount of time. Consider the costs of running such a stand: the stand itself, even one of the cheapest ones, runs about at about only $2,000-$3,000 (used) or twice that price ($4k-$6k) for new models. Take into account the costs of materials (at the most, you'll spend about $100 in materials such as hot dogs, buns, condiments, and even pre-packaged chips and canned or bottled drinks). With only a $100 investment in materials, you can make over triple that amount in only one day's worth of sales, if packaged correctly. Putting together a meal (hot dog with fix-ins, chips, and drink) can justify a price of $3.00-$5.00; even if you decide to be generous and sell for cheaper than this, you will still come out with money in your pocket to cover expenses and pocket the rest. Think about this: the cost to make a hot dog is about $0.17 for the dog, $0.10 for the bun, and less than $0.05 for condiments; add chips ($0.40 per bag) and a drink ($0.25), and you've got yourself a total cost of $0.97 for the meal! At a $3.00 price point, you're making just over $2 in profit per sale!

Location is the key to your success. Placing a concession stand at a location known for its traffic, and also providing convenience in an area where food or drink is not readily accessible, provides you the opportunity to rake in the cash. Think beaches during the summer, or even just outside schools. Target those who are looking for a quick bite to eat on the fly – these will be your constant influx of revenue. Imagine school's out, it's a nice summer day. No one is at home, everyone's at the beach enjoying the surf, sun, and sand. Swimming sure does work up an appetite – make sure to provide your service to them, because they'll be dying to have one of your meals. And if it is something as simple as a hand-held hot dog, they'll likely buy more than one meal throughout the day! Repeat customers in a highly saturated location; you're bound to make huge amounts of money in little time, and with very little investment. In only a few short months, maybe even weeks (if you're truly motivated), you'll have made back the money you put down for your cart, and will have established a strong customer base with your continued presence at these locations.

Concessions are probably the best way to make money in this tough economy, as you're able to reap the benefits of a cost-effective business model, along with high volumes of customers, in a time when people want – nay, need – your product. Just provide the service, and the product will sell itself! Good luck in your future money making!

About

Welcome to our blog!  We decided to start this site after starting mydonutbusiness.com, they both kind of go hand in hand.  We started our interest in selling food concession style in the summer of 2009.  We hope you f ind the information here enlightening.  We will post more about our story later.

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