Barb Fitzgerald
Many people starting a food concession business are unaware of the variety of business opportunities that are available to them. They have a vague notion there is money to be made but cannot imagine exactly how. The business becomes a little clearer knowing most concession businesses fall into one of two categories; stationary and temporary.
A stationary food stand is essentially a conventional "storefront" operating full-time from a single location. Storefront carts, drive thru coffee trailers, indoor food kiosks, and street side food stands - to name only a few - are all considered stationary food stands. A temporary food booth, on the other hand, sells food at a different location on a daily or weekly basis. These concessionaires set up their booths at a variety of temporary events, such as fairs, festivals, sporting events, auctions, concerts, open-air markets, and special-interest events - nearly any place that a large group of people is temporarily gathered. A stationary food stand, like any business, stays in one location and waits for customers to come to it, whereas a temporary food booth takes its business to the customers. It is this mobility, or lack of mobility, that makes them very different. In order to better understand the unique nature of the concession business, and to imagine the variety of opportunities the business has to offer, it is helpful to explore the differences between the two.
Do not let my biases influence you. Although some people may hate certain aspects of a stationary food stand or a temporary booth, others may find these same characteristics are just what they seek in their businesses.
GET THERE EARLY!!!
In general, the end of year holiday season is a difficult time for indie labels and bands to compete with the majors and all of their holiday, best of and greatest hits releases. That doesn't mean you can't live it up during the season with a little fun of your own. These ideas may not be big money makers, but they can be a great way to give your fans something special for the holiday season. There are ideas here for bands and labels alike, so everyone can get into the holiday cheer.
The economic impact that festivals & events have upon local communities can be profound. In the industry, the focus is often on "Direct Economic Spending" or "Economic Impact Assessment" in reference to the figure that represents the amount of money produced by the festival or event. In this article, we will explore attendee spending & economic impact assessments to highlight the processes & benefits of conducting this type of research. Oftentimes, the terms "Direct Economic Spending" and "Economic Impact Assessment" are used improperly. The difference between these two measurements is subtle in text but monumental in meaning. Direct Economic Spending refers to the total amount of money spent in a city or county as a result of a festival or event. The total amount spent per person for different types of attendees (most often residents and non-residents) is calculated and extrapolated for the total attendance. An Economic Impact Assessment is far more detailed. Essentially, it starts with Direct Economic Spending numbers and traces how money flows through & impacts the community as it is spent and re-spent.
When it comes down to it, people rarely buy what they need. They always buy what they want. Part of our job as creative entrepreneurs is to make sure that what our niche market wants is what we have to offer. The best way to convince them is by telling our story.
As a working musician who is also a working music journalist I've made friends in both fields of the music industry, so I feel I have something to offer to this topic outside the traditional methods.
In today's festival & event industry, the need for strategic sponsor partnerships is greater than ever. In order for festival organizers to obtain these high-value partnerships, sponsors are constantly requesting to see research data that demonstrates a quality match between festival and event attendees and their product or service. Survey research is one of the most effective ways to obtain that needed data.
Have you ever told yourself "I'll do that when I have this" or "the timing just isn't right but when it is I'll start doing insert dream here." Problem with these good intentions is that they are just intentions. The perfect time usually never comes. The stars don't align and the damn ducks just won't line up! This is ultimately how we get stuck lives we don't love and avoid taking chances.
Following your dreams doesn't get any easier the longer you wait. Talking yourself out of the things you really want to do gets super easy as more and more time passes. Then you get to a point when you let the dream go because you have successfully convinced yourself you couldn't have even done it if you tried. *Big sigh*
This is sad. You have SO much potential and so much amazing creativity to share with the world, that to squander is not only bad for you personally, it's also selfish to the rest of us. Think about your favorite musicians, artists, writers, designers, dancers, and performers. What if they decided that the timing just wasn't right, or that they needed to do this, that and the other thing before they went for their dreams? Our world would be a grim, dark place and not very much fun.
Guests will appreciate a nice cold drink, and it's even better spiked with a little jolt. Here's a fantastic summer drink from our friends at Feastivities Events (
I think every food concessionaire remembers his or her first event. Mine was with a stick joint made of scrap barn boards, screwed together on sight by my dad and me. It took all day and lots of hand tools to have it standing straight enough to throw a tarp over it and call it a food booth. Inside I had a folding table, folding chair, stack of napkins, cash box, and, a tall stack of coolers full of my one and only menu item: sliced loaves of banana bread. I knew it wasn't the perfect menu for a five-day Fourth of July event, but, since I was already baking loaves to sell to restaurants, it was easy to bake extra. Besides, what's not to like about banana bread?
The absolute, number-one, most important thing to remember when playing live music in front of an audience is this:
Moving people and stuff around in a festival environment can be a challenge, and the larger the land area the event occupies the bigger this problem becomes.
For many years, this writer has been an enormous fan of Gordon Ramsey's show, Kitchen Nightmares. It is a show that keeps the audience captivated with both real life drama and built in suspense. For those unfamiliar with the show, the premise is that Master Chef Gordon Ramsey travels around the country to save various failing restaurants from certain bankruptcy. Ramsey literally has one week to turn a failure into a success. Every week, Chef Ramsey, like a skilled surgeon, must overcome tremendous odds and breathe new life into an almost moribund patient. Amazingly he is successful almost every single time turning water into wine. How does this wizard of the kitchen do it? What lessons can you learn from him to reanimate your failing business?
Entrepreneurs are artists, and artists are entrepreneurs. Artists need to express their art, entrepreneurs need to exploit their art. Problem is, Art is always on the battlefield with Commerce:
The absolute, number-one, most important thing to remember when playing live music in front of an audience is this:
