Sip and paint or craft and cocktails… Whatever you call it, this popular after-hours activity has taken the world by storm. The really cool part of a paint and sip business is that you can run it as a side hustle.
A sip and paint business is an experience-based business that aims to merge creativity, socialising and relaxation. These events host small groups of people and provide them with something to drink, canvas, painting supplies and sometimes even a light snack. During the event, an instructor guides the group through painting techniques and helps them to start their craft, whereafter they allow the customers to socialise while they paint (and sip).
Events such as these aren’t limited to paint nights only; they can involve any type of craft: scrapbooking, pottery, crocheting and knitting, quilting or even mosaic making.
For the purpose of this article, we will only focus on painting as the creative outlet in this type of side hustle.
Prepare the Budget
Setting up the budget is the first step to many business ideas. This will indicate how much your investment will be, as well as what your markup needs to be to turn a profit. Start by making a list of your supplies and expenses. You can calculate based on a round number of spots that you will have for your first event, such as ten.
For example:
10 x Canvases (available at Makro for R 350)
Acrylic Paint – easiest for novices (You need the basic colours – Red, green, blue, yellow, black, white – to start, and you can add secondary colours as you go. Buy large containers and rather pour out what the customer needs. This is available on Takealot for R596, or you can reach out to a supplier for a quote.)
10 x Paint trays (the advantage here is that trays can be re-used, but having a few extras helps. You can get 30 trays on Takealot for R95)
Paint brushes – various sizes (Different size brushes will be a great advantage for people who still want to learn about different techniques. You can aim for brush sets that already have different shapes and sizes. You can get one set of brushes for R 32,90 per set, totalling R 329)
As your side hustle grows, you can invest in more specialised equipment, such as esels, as well as additional items like plastic tablecloths and aprons for guests.
This means that your budget for your first event is roughly R1370.
Find a Venue
When looking for a venue, it’s recommended that you partner with a restaurant, café or other facility that has a liquor license; otherwise, selling alcohol might get you in trouble.
Enquire from venues in your area about who would be interested in partnering with you. You could arrange to purchase one drink per person from them, as well as some finger foods to be included in the price per person (if that is what you are aiming for). You can agree that any additional drinks can be purchased at the customer’s own cost.
Determine the Ticket Price and Start Selling
Once you have your venue and budget, set a date and time for the first sip and paint event. This is vital information that you will need to include on the ticket.
Determine the price per ticket as follows:
(10(Cost per head/one drink) + Budgeted Price + your time and expertise for the duration of the session) ÷ number of customers = Cost per ticket without profit
Thus, using our example, it can be calculated as follows, assuming one drink costs R50:
(10 (R50) + R1370 + R450) ÷ 10 = R232 without profit
You can round it up to R250 to include profit. Note that this takes into account the entire budgeted cost, but over time, the cost per event will decrease, as some items, such as brushes, don’t need to be re-purchased every time.
Start marketing your event on local community groups on social media, and ask the venue to also advertise it to their customers. Remember to include your contact information on the advert so people can purchase a ticket from you.
On the Day of Execution
When the day comes, ensure you arrive early at the venue for set-up. Prepare each paint station with brushes, a disposable cup for water and the canvas. Initially, you can cover the tables with newspaper until you can acquire plastic tablecloths.
Prepare the paint and the paint trays, but ensure that you don’t pour these out too early and let the paint dry.
Upon arrival, take everyone’s drink order, let them know what the important information is, such as the bathroom, how they can order additional drinks or food, and what they can expect from the day.
Explain to the painters a bit about techniques, colours or types of brushes, especially if they are new to painting, but also welcome more experienced painters with a format that allows their creativity to flow.
It is best to have a particular picture or theme prepared, so everyone has something to paint without needing to think about an idea themselves.
After the Event, Looking to the Future
Once the event has ended, encourage your customers to post their artwork on social media and share the experience with friends and family. You can also invite them to register or buy a ticket for the next event.
Check in with the venue to find out if they are satisfied with the flow of the event, and if they will still partner with you in the future. You can also listen to feedback from them about improving the marketing or format of the sip and paint experience.
Consider different times and dates based on the feedback from participants, or even social media. The fact of the matter is that not everyone can join such an experience in the evening, but perhaps they would be able to over a weekend.
Don’t Forget About the Legal Side
Starting a sip and paint side hustle is flexible and gives you a chance to generate additional income, but you shouldn’t forget about the legal aspects of it. In particular, pay attention to what the tax man has to say about any side hustle.
