Advice for start up company

[eventlighter]

Hi everyone. My name is Glenn. I am in the process of writing a business plan to start an event lighting company for weddings and special events. I have worked for various companies doing lighting and sound for concerts and events for 15 years. A few years ago I worked for an event lighting company who did amazing work. I learned very much. shortly after that I moved to a new region to do concert lighting for a small company. during the few years I worked there I convinced the owner to consider getting into special event lighting. We did 4 events, they made a website for this sister company. But they would not invest in any gear, we had to use the existing concert gear. Then I was offered a higher paying job in a neighboring city, which I accepted.
Fast forward 2 years: I would now like to start my own event lighting company, in my old town (with a booming wedding market.) There is no one in this town doing event lighting, except that sound companies off shoot company that I helped to create. But they are doing very little, if any of it.
My main problem is that all of the pictures on their website are my designs and my set up work. I have no pictures of my own to put on a website and can't use their pictures. I know they will not give up their website for me to start my own. and in fact, I feel like when they find out about me they will try to step up their lighting business. Which I am not too worried about because it was my knowledge that got it going in the first place and they do not have anyone on staff with experience.
Can anyone give me any advice to start up my business.

 

[mstaylor]

First, you need a niche, that you have.
Second, you need customers or a means to get customers. Talk to the locations that host the weddings and see if you can get on their referral list.
Third, you need equipment. You didn't say if you have any, but you can either rent or buy.
Fourth, you need start up cash to cover 3 and other things involved in your business. Storage, trucks, office space and gear are all things that will take money. You will need to talk to banks or private financing.
Fifth, do not forget insurance.
There is a group on here that is for new companies.
http://www.controlbooth.com/groups/young-business-owners/

 

[eventlighter]

sorry, I forgot about that part.

The initial plan is to rent what I need. and take that rental information as research to determine what to buy. My goal is to be mostly battery powered wireless dmx led fixtures. Gear can be stored in my garage, and I have a home office.
I know a few wedding planners who can get me started.

My main concern is selling this service to prospective customers without pictures of what I have done or a website with no images.
I have many pictures of my concert designs. but that is not the image I need for weddings and events.

thank you for the link

 

[mstaylor]

Try staging some looks for pictures. Go to your planner friends and get them to help you set up some of what they think will sell, then take pictures. Then as you get work, replace the pictures with real events.
I would prefer that to putting up pictures of something you may have had a periferal involvement and claiming it as your own. I know a guy that has pictures of national events that I staged on his site. His involvement was as my employee. He has others that he has pictures of the main areas when all he did was set up a vendor.

 

[BDS0111]

Hi Glenn,

Staging a few pictures is a good idea... However, why don't you work with your wedding planner contacts to light a few events at a deeply discounted rate. Maybe just charge enough to break even. That way you can get several whole sets of pictures rather than just a couple of staged shots. If you absolutely have to, you could work with one of your wedding planner contacts to light one event for free. If you need to, it is okay to get on your iPad or laptop with the bride and groom to show that pictures of the work you did at your previous company. I'm sure they will understand why you can't claim them as your own once you explain it to them. Good Luck!!

 

[eventlighter]

These are great ideas. Thanks guys!

 

[mstaylor]

Hi Glenn,

Staging a few pictures is a good idea... However, why don't you work with your wedding planner contacts to light a few events at a deeply discounted rate. Maybe just charge enough to break even. That way you can get several whole sets of pictures rather than just a couple of staged shots. If you absolutely have to, you could work with one of your wedding planner contacts to light one event for free. If you need to, it is okay to get on your iPad or laptop with the bride and groom to show that pictures of the work you did at your previous company. I'm sure they will understand why you can't claim them as your own once you explain it to them. Good Luck!!

I thought about that but the OP may not want to make a point of how new his company is. To some it doesn't make a difference about how many years you have done something, but how long your company has existed. They may be less inclined to hire a newly formed company. By staging pictures, he can genuinely say that these are examples of things he can produce. I wouldn't hide the fact that it is a young company but I wouldn't stress it either.

 

[FACTplayers]

I didn't read all of the way through the thread, but my initial thought is when you are meeting with potential customers show them the pictures of your work that are on the competitors websites. There is nothing illegal about showing a potential customer a competitors' website (it's online for people to see). You will need to tell them it was your design, but back when you worked for the other company.

I wouldn't be worried about showing a potential customer a competitors' website as long as I know I am better and cheaper. Just explain that the work they are show casing is actually your work. You could also grab those pictures to use in your portfolio. This would require you have the rights to do this; however, you can get around the company actually signing off on the rights if you took the picture yourself. Good luck!

 

[museav]

I thought about that but the OP may not want to make a point of how new his company is. To some it doesn't make a difference about how many years you have done something, but how long your company has existed. They may be less inclined to hire a newly formed company. By staging pictures, he can genuinely say that these are examples of things he can produce. I wouldn't hide the fact that it is a young company but I wouldn't stress it either.

Offering discounts to be allowed to use pictures, descriptions, etc. relating to an event for marketing is not associated only with new companies, many well established companies also do this. You may even be able to play on it not being you wanting pictures of just any event, but of their event, making it perceived as being something special and likely to get your very best effort.

The fact is that it is a new company, you can't really hide that so why not maybe try to use it to your advantage. You aren't just another company doing the same things, you are a better alternative to the existing providers offering the benefit of experience combined with a fresh perspective and approach. It might even be true!

 

[AhClem]

While it may not be suitable (perhaps too amateur-ish for your customers), had you thought about using one of the Virtual Lighting software packages to create some "sample art" to your prospecive clients?
I distribute a DMX lighting controller (the BlueLite X1) and we offer a console edition of the Capture Sweden software with our hardware, so they're the one's with whom I'm most familiar, and they just started offering a free "Student Edition" (as well as free demo versions) of their software.
Since the Student Edition is brand new, I'm not familiar with any limitations it may have compared to their full version, but their software (or some other company's virtual package.. not making a pitch for anyone, just suggestions) might let you provide customers a "personalized" view of what "their" venue will look like.

Good Luck,
AhClem

 

[jfetter]

Virtual isn't a bad option and in fact rather than view it as "amatuer-ish", use it as a value add to show potential clients what you can do (or just simple samples to explain what things like "up-lighting" look like). Also, consider locating the top DJ in the area and consider teaming up for larger events, most DJ's that are in-demand have their finger on the pulse of the business. Any DJ looking to go big should want to team up with a professional, worth a shot IMO...

Jack

 

[len]

In my experience, the visualizer stuff doesn't work with brides. They can barely manage the concept of a different gobo from the photo, let alone a virtual image. YMMV.

 

[bishopthomas]

In my experience, the visualizer stuff doesn't work with brides. They can barely manage the concept of a different gobo from the photo, let alone a virtual image. YMMV.

Really? I would think the exact opposite. Someone suggested GrandMA's OLE and visualizer to me. I haven't yet setup a Windows computer but I'm liking the idea of FREE (and learning GMA has always been something I needed to do).

 

[bishopthomas]

Also, consider locating the top DJ in the area and consider teaming up for larger events, most DJ's that are in-demand have their finger on the pulse of the business. Any DJ looking to go big should want to team up with a professional, worth a shot IMO...

Teaming up with a DJ company was one of the best things I ever did. I was very surprised to see our relationship work well and also get along great. Honestly, most DJ's I've ever come across I'd never want to partner with in a million years, but this is working out for me. Finding the right match is important, good luck!