I'm 14 and I'm in Scotland and I do balloon modelling as a hobby and I'm quite good but I was wondering if I could make a bit of cash doing it as well but I don't know if I'd have to actually start up a business and get a license of if I could just go ahead and do it. Can you pretty please tell me what I would need to do in order to legally:

1. Sell my creations as advertising or decorations to businesses like a balloon car to Honda or a Santa to a supermarket at christmas etc.
2. Do childrens parties by just putting up posters around my area and getting people to contact me.

I know I can't busk or sell them at a stall because I'm too young but I didn't know about these. My preferred option would be No. 1 as I'm not sure if I would be good at routines. Thank you very  much for helping. It's much appreciated.

Welcome to the forum, I just did a search on here for a thread about busking that may help,  
thinking-about-going-busking-advice-tips-hints-t2611.html?hilit=busking
There are others as well if you hit the search button and put in busking quite a few come up, hope it helps or ask away again.

Just found this one as well; busking-t118.html?hilit=busking

Hi Jow,

So good to hear from someone who seems so keen on balloons, and you have found a good place here, loads of people ready to help

Answering your questions, as far as (1) goes, that is a great idea, but you must have something to show the people you are approaching. Have a look in your local paper for bussineses you want to approach, buy some balloons and make a photo album of models to suit the company As you mentioned Honda, make some cars, and have a photo of what you have made to show them. You just need a little album of 6"x4" photos showing what you can do, and a bussines card to leave with who you have spoken to. Vistaprint,(check them out on the net),do good,cheap cards.

The balloons you have made to get your portfolio of pictures, do not waste. Take them to any charity shop you have near you, give them as shop displays, and leave a pile of cards for people to contact you.

As far as childrens parties go, you are probably too young to do it single handed, as I think you would lack the experience, but it may be a good idea to introduce yourself to some of your local entertainers with a telephone call, explain your situation, and maybee they would take you with them to a couple of thier parties for the experience.

Busking is something that I have been working on at this moment. Anything you do in the street needs the OK from your council, and they will not do this unless you have a public liability insurance cover for at least £5 million. Most of us here are in Equity, the actors union, which gives automatic cover for £10 million, but I don't think this will apply to you!!!!  The two types of licence in my area are buskers licence, which does not cost anything, but you can not set any price for what you make. The other is a street traders licence, where you set prices for what you make, and have a display board, and you will be given a pitch, and charged per day.

This 'aint for you though. Busk on private ground where the council arn't involved.

That means any cafe, restaurant, bar, garden centre, car showroom, arcade,
or anywhere there is a bit of a forecourt where you can work privately for whoever owns it. Dress up looking a bit presentable, have your album of photos and bussiness cards to  hand, and talk to whoever is in charge. Make sure you know what to say, and say it with confidence, explaining how much of an attraction you would be to bring people to to their bussiness. A good selling point that worked for me in car showrooms, or show houses on new estates, was to explain how you could entertain and occupy the children while the adults could make the deal.

The two options in working like this are to charge a fee, and make free balloons, or not to charge the venue, but charge the customers per balloon. It is up to you how you work this.

I admire you for your enterprise, and wish you the very best. I hope I have given you some ideas, and if you need to ask anything feel free to message me

Regarding the buskers permits etc I have been lead to believe (and I have not checked this out for myself so can't guarantee it is correct) is that if you are providing a services rather than merely selling a product you no longer need one.  Like I say I have not checked this out but a friend of mine who lives on the coast was told this by her local town centre manager so she now goes and face paints on the front to the tourists if she has no work on each weekend!

As for the rest of it I a not entirely sure how a "minor" goes about starting up in business.  It is possible cos there has just been a series of Junior Apprentice on and all of those kids were running their own businesses.  

I would guess from a legal point of view you wouldn't need PLI because as far as I'm aware you are too young to be sued but this may have changed since I studied law or may be different in Scotland as some things are slightly.  However, you can get membership with Equity but this will not cover you unless you are actually entertaining i.e. if you are only making a display model for a showroom and it somehow hurts someone you would not be covered whereas if you were making balloon models for the children in the showroom and one burst in a child's eye you would.  I know a bit far fetched but you never know.

I actually have a friend in Cheshire who has her 14 year old son work with her doing balloons so if you like I can see if she is happy to point you in the right direction as far as she is able.  However, again it may be slightly different to the way things work north of the border  

contact Kate at //http://www.nabas.co.uk
or phone 01989 567 676 (the balloon association) she maybe able to give you details of people close to you...

she may be able to help with other details too

Equity has a student section - but think thats for actors in training - talk to them - equity.org.uk

Find out where your local magic circle is and meet - offer to be a 'magicians assistant'

Talk to your local party shops - they may welcome you to come and work there promoting them and you. As already said Garden Centres love balloon models.

Most people start now by paying for a pitch on a car boot ( remember many years ago when we first started Paul coming home with £27 and being amazed that people paid for what he loved to do) - but take an adult with you!

As far as I am aware you can start a business same as anyone else as long as you follow the same guidelines - as you too have a tax code same as anyone else.

Dont know if they are called the same in Scotland but talk to your local Businesslink, chamber of commerce and tax office they will all offer help and advice.. You may find information in your local Job centre or for younger people here its called Connections.. or the careers advisor at school or even your bank manager

Talk to your Parents/Guardians - check the personal risks you are putting yourself in by doing it - especially busking and entertaining alone - not wanting to put you off but you would be 'perceived' more experienced with a adult with you. It will also stop the teenage/adult abuse element ( we all get it from those that know no better)

Good Luck, Have fun! we do, dont be cheap if selling them. We all do this because we love it but at the end of the day its so much sweeter if you make money too.

Look forward to reading about your experiences on here and seeing pictures of what you do.

Pam
xx

This is from an American magazine but may help in getting a foot in the door in the UK?
http://www.pmq.com/digital/20100607/46.html

Thanks for the help everyone. I think I'll try selling on private ground as well as selling to businesses. I watched the Junior Apprentice aswell and that's when I decided I wanted to do this. Also, I'm not really sure how much to price my balloon models. I was think around £1.50 for just a standard one I'd give to kids but I had know idea what to charge for, for example, a 4 foot by 6 foot car(I know it's a bit ambitious) or a palm tree and monkey.

Also, are you saying that I can just go into any shop or other business and, as long as they let me, start selling balloons without having any license or starting a business.

Thank you so much for being extremely helpful.

Also, what would I need to do in order to sell balloons at marathons and 10Ks?

Thanks.

Quote from: "jow"Also, what would I need to do in order to sell balloons at marathons and 10Ks?

Thanks.

Possibly get in touch with the organisers and event planners.

QuoteAlso, are you saying that I can just go into any shop or other business and, as long as they let me, start selling balloons without having any license or starting a business.

NO - they probably wont let you unless you have public liability insurance and if you are asking for money you are making sales - if you are making sales you are running a business, regardless of age - talk to your local tax office they dont bite!!(well not always!!)

Hi Jow,

At the moment you are going through the same process as me in finding outlets for your work so I can only share with you the experiences I have found.

At any big event the organizers will want a substantial sum of money for you to be there. The last two events I contacted wanted £250, and £275 to set up a stall, but that was for an old git like me. If you play on your youth you may be able to charm a deal

What I did was to find out who were having stalls at these events, and contacted the ones that I thought would be balloon friendly. I explained to them how my balloons would attract people to thier stall,and this worked very well.

 Yesterday I was at a festival where I would have had to pay for a stall, but I approached a craft stand and had a space with them. What I did attracted the people, as it was quite colourfull, I sold my balloons, they sold craft stuff, and we all did OK. All it cost me was a drink for them afterwards, and a couple of nice balloons for their kids.

I am doing the same in July for our local sea food festival. A local restaurant is having me on their stall as an attraction, and I am making them a feature display (see competitions and tropical fish on this forum) They are letting me sell balloons, and I don't have to fork out for a stall of my own.

Hope this helps.

Quote from: "Pam Pearce"

QuoteAlso, are you saying that I can just go into any shop or other business and, as long as they let me, start selling balloons without having any license or starting a business.

NO - they probably wont let you unless you have public liability insurance and if you are asking for money you are making sales - if you are making sales you are running a business, regardless of age - talk to your local tax office they dont bite!!(well not always!!)

What about getting money from the organiser and giving them away for free.

Also are there any ways that I could sell or somehow make money from my balloons without a load of licenses and such.

Also would anything really be done if I sold them at a small, local fayre?

Thanks