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Personal Chef Industry

I would realy appreciate it if some you could help me out on how much the start up costs will be. I don't mean the training materials, but how much say for marketing, insurance,web site, & I'm sure one has to be bonded etc? Also, how do we go about charging clients the first time. I mean, they pay for containers, food, service? I am trying to make sure that by the time I send in for my training kit that I have a working knowledge on start up costs as well

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Well, that number can really vary, depending on what you want...like buying a car, your price can range dramatically depending on whether you go with an econo-car, mid-range, luxury, or HumVee!

Lower-end (and that is not a bad thing -- this is your business and this might be all you need!) would probably be around 1-2K and that's with a good margin of error. Insurance will be your biggest expense -- 400-600 would be a ball-park figure, depending on where you live. You'll need to spend some on printing brochures and cards, any equipment you don't have, including coolers, rolling carts, etc., postage. You'll need to build up pantry items, invest in back-up containers. (Use your client's money to buy them, but always carry extras in the trunk) You don't have to be bonded, but you could choose to do that. You should take a food safety certification course. You'll need some money for business license.

You'll spend more if: you get a dedicated phone line, answering machine, phone, a web-site beyond the one APCA offers, software for cooking, graphics or web-design, your own domain, an ISP, if you pay anyone to do graphic design or web site work. If you want to advertise, have business listings, slick brochures and materials, need a lot of equipment -- using your personal kitchen stuff turns into a drag when you have to spend an hour packing/unpacking before and after a job really quickly.

Oooh, and office supplies, extra cookbooks, client notebooks, business card magnets -- do you need to upgrade your computer or printer? How about accounting software? Do you want to join other organizations like chamber of commerce, business contact/networking organizations, women in business, small business associations, etc., that will have dues?

You can go way higher than that 1-2K, is my point, I guess -- but only you know what you need and how you think you want to run your business. Plenty of chefs are doing their accounting without software. Spending only $50 on business cards, etc.

The best thing to do is to start listing all of the things that you think you'll need, costing out an estimate, then add a good 25-35% more for all of things you haven't thought of yet. Again, as queen of contingency planning, I recommend making that list with three columns -- the bare minimum list, the better list and if money is no object list. You may start with bare minimum for most things, but decide to splurge in certain areas where you think it will make a difference. But it helps to have it all in front of you, so that you can make informed decisions.

Just remember, it's a plan, not the ten commandments -- be prepared to be flexible and inventive!

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Meredith
Whisk For Hire
Kensington, MD

My future's so bright, I have to wear shades! And oh my gosh! Do you know your stuff or what? I have decided up front to buy new cookware...but I will be using my "old" one (I bought last year!) in the clients' homes. How much is the license usually or does that vary from state to state? I want to go from bare minimum to start with, and I figure I can always upgrade or whatever during the process. I have already planned on rolling over my little bitty 401k, but will still save approximately 500-900 a month for nest egg, etc. I want to buy as much as I can while I am still working full time (like the cooler on wheels you have suggested)...is there anything else you can think of that I may want to purchase now? When you say pantry items....what kind of items? And what about spices, does each one of the clients pay for their own, or is it just easier for the pc to buy & keep on hand? So many questions, so little time! Thanks again.