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How to Start a Party Rental Business for $200
1 Client + 1 job is all you need to start the ball rolling.
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Until then, here’s a complete list to think about…
- Cheap option – start for $200! – Lawn Games. Connect 4, Jenga, Cornhole. Rent to company parties, teen birthdays, adult parties, 4th of july. The equipment is very low cost, so this won’t make you bank, but it’ll get you rolling, and the equipment will pay for itself after the 2nd or 3rd rental, so each one thereafter is all profit. Storage: Minimal, a garage or apartment. Super cheap option: If you’re handy with power tools, you can make Jenga yourself. There are dozens of games – badminton, croquet
- Next: Add Lawn signs (graduation, bar mitsvah, Quinceañera announcements). These help each other…
- Next: Tables, Chairs, Shade Tent
- Next: A Bar. If you’re > age 21 or legal to serve alcohol in your state, add a Bar. This can be high profit.
- Next: Luxury Picnics (think fancy picnics for couples getting engaged)
And that’s just a Party Rental Business. Ready to expand further?
TIP: State laws regulate bounce houses in some places. Do a bit of research before you spend $$.
TIP: Instagrammable businesses will get free PR, more referrals.
This jacuzzi “bus” on the right could probably be built on a trailer for under $8k. I would not use a real VW bus (they’re expensive now) – just some VW logos, door handles, some hubcaps from a junkyard. Just get a used jacuzzi of Facebook marketplace, hire a handyman to build, then rent it for parties for $390/weekend. Even at $8k to build, you’re break-even after 21 rents then mostly profit thereafter.
Kudos to the owner of this adorable wedding rental “Beerdrop” Trailer in Charleston, SC. Great for weddings, baby showers, etc.
- Christmas Lights Installation & Rental. If you’re ok with ladders, this can be big business, and it’s not uncommon for people to net more than $30,000 between mid Nov and mid Dec. The lights are typically rented, not sold, and clients pay for installation and removal (commercial buildings and upper middle class or luxury homes – again, a good segment for the above business. TIP: Many of these lights can be used for weddings, parties, etc all year (the warm white ones, typically). By this point you should be making a healthy income, have a truck or trailer, and probably starting to hire staff.
- Next: A Trailer and/or Truck. TIP: the Truck can also pay for itself (moving help, etc.)
- Next, more assets for adults, photo booth, decor, lighting
- Party for Kids – inflatables, cotton candy. Cotton candy and games can be inexpensive. Large inflatables typically run ~ $2500, but pay for themselves after just 5-10 rentals. Reference: See PartyCAD.
- Weddings – tents, chairs, arches, lighting, tables. Big tents can run some money, but pay for themselves within a handful of rentals.
- Option: Mechanical Bull, with inflatable surround. We had a client making thousands from just this one thing. Bigger, heavier, but rents for more money.
- Costumes & props – theater, parties. If you’re fun and up for it, rope in the theater people for add-on services like escape room style games
- Next an option: DJ equipment. DJ business for weddings and parties can be fairly easy, high profit, and mostly equipment-driven, but it will take your time. Upside: Food, fun, and can be good money.
- Construction – dumpsters, trailers, power tools
- Events / Music Festivals / Political Events / County Fair, etc. – Stage, bleachers, trusses, porto potties
- Specialized equipment like cameras, lenses
- Sporting goods – bikes, kayaks, canoes
- Baby Rentals – strollers, crib; combine with Babyproofing services, childcare and you have a complete business; by permission you can sell leads for life insurance, financial planning
Experts weigh in: What would be your first 10 rental items if you had to start all over again (in a new market)?
Michael Grant (Experienced operator) says: would do trains, tents, t&c, bulls, foam and waterslides only.
Michael Lano (experienced operator) says:
- Water slides
- concessions
- photobooth
- tables and chairs
- tents
- video games for kids/adult
- bounce house
- Foam machine
- lights
- fog machine
Ryan Johnson (experienced):
A growing trend: Christmas Light Installation.. some guys net $100k+ in under 6 weeks. Often lights are rented for the season.
A growing trend: Security Camera Rentals
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