This summer season has been a combined bag, with boiling temperatures in July after which undesirable rain simply as you suppose you’re getting the hold of the climate ( you, August Financial institution Vacation). However it nonetheless paid the payments, and has been for 8 years now. So right here we’re, aged veterans of avenue meals, and I wish to share how we make long run cash.

Work Extra

The reply shouldn’t be, and this may increasingly appear counter-intuitive however bear with me, to work extra. Doing extra gigs in additional locations at extra instances ought to improve your turnover, which is gorgeous, and enhance your cashflow, which is sweet. However these issues are nonetheless a few steps away from precise cash. You’re nonetheless paying pitch charges, employees and wastage, you’re nonetheless spending time organising and reserving these occasions and also you’re nonetheless truly having to point out up on the day. We labored extra days in 2012 than every other 12 months. And we made the identical quantity as 2011 and far lower than 2013.

Work Much less?

Rhetorical questions are simply the worst, aren’t they? So this isn’t actually the answer both, for far more apparent causes. Precise long run cash nonetheless wants to return from someplace, so hanging up the tongs and ready for the lotto win isn’t going to work both. I suggest that when reserving for subsequent 12 months you do two issues: concentrate on making the nice occasions you do even higher and (though it pains me to make use of the phrase trigger it’s all a bit nu-office-speak) diversify.

Work Betterer

Say you had a superb 12 months at your native Actually Superior Taster in Beston Upon The Shore avenue meals gig (RATBUTS for brief). It runs each month and also you bought out every time. Good. Subsequent 12 months they’re doing extra dates and need you to be a giant a part of that.

I might have chosen any font.

Good-o. So now have a look at how this occasion could make you extra money. May you convey a second unit promoting completely different meals? May you add in an additional counter to serve from and plough it out quicker? May you add in a top-end area of interest product that can make you good chunky revenue when it sells? Or a fast-service low-cost product that everybody will need (chips)? Are you able to make your signage clearer or your location higher? Are you able to simply straight up convey extra Tofu & Quinoa Smash, as a result of the TQ Smash bought out actually shortly final time?

Simply earlier than you fill your calendar with Ratbuts, take into account what you’ll do if Ratbuts, as profitable as it’s, instantly fails. This often occurs when the organisers fall out with the venue, or the venue sees a possibility to make more money doing the identical factor, or the organisers simply don’t need to do it any extra. I’ve seen all of them occur. However it might so simple as Ratbuts falling out of affection together with your Tofu & Quinoa as a result of they’ve discovered a more recent, sexier mixture of vegan elements. The work dries up and there you stand, bean-curd in hand. Quinoa dripping on the ground.

That is the place Diversify is available in like a properly choreographed avenue dance group. There’s a temptation to be trustworthy to the organisers, supporting the occasion and and sticking with them by means of thick and skinny, however cash makes fools of us all. So chances are you’ll be higher positioned attempting to unfold your commerce far sufficient that, if anyone occasion or organiser fails, for no matter cause, you gained’t go down with them. This implies not signing up for each market or occasion run by this one supplier right here, even when they’re often okay. By all means preserve doing the occasions, however don’t allow them to personal you. You additionally by no means know what alternative lies forward when you’ve got a free weekend and might take a last-minute gig.

I’m penning this as a result of we acquired a final minute spot at a pageant this 12 months and it was one in every of our greatest occasions ever. On the time we had been solely booked to do common avenue meals occasion that weekend. We nonetheless did the road meals gig (yey double items), however I’m glad we had been capable of go to that pageant. Subsequent 12 months: maximise revenue.

Within the meantime: Carry on the winter markets! We shall be again on the Parade in Leamington Spa each Sunday from the beginning of October. See you there!