How to Start a Clown Business

A clown or costumed entertainer is hired for parties and other social and business-oriented gatherings to serve as entertainment and sometimes hosting of the event.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the process with hands-on support.

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Start a clown business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Clown Business
  2. Form your Clown Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Clown Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Clown Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Clown Business
  7. Get Clown Business Insurance
  8. Define your Clown Business Brand
  9. Create your Clown Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your clown business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Clown Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a clown business?

The initial costs for starting your own clown business can be fairly low, with the bulk of your money and resources being spent to outfit your business with the proper insurance, reliable transportation, and the basic supplies used for entertaining at parties. And, with less emphasis on the traditional clown makeup and outfits, many performers are able to perform in regular clothes and minimal make-up, relying instead on the acts they perform and talents they put on display. For approximately $1000.00, most performers are able to get their clown business up and running, although the cost will fluctuate, depending on your expertise and business plan.

What are the ongoing expenses for a clown business?

Recurring fees will relate to the materials and disposable goods used for each performance. Maintenance for any equipment, including a vehicle, will also constitute a portion of a monthly budget, along with travel expenses for getting to and from the party locations.

Who is the target market?

Typically, your target audience would be parents looking for entertainment for a child’s birthday, holidays, or other social gatherings, such as Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. More recently, target markets have also extended to businesses or organizations looking for party entertainers and hosts. Corporate businesses and organizations are considerably more interested in the talents of a clown, minus the face paint, and will often pay considerably more for your time.

How does a clown business make money?

Clown businesses make their money from the fees collected for their entertainer jobs. Fees will should be adjusted based on the hours in attendance and the work being performed.

How much can you charge customers?

For most performers, fees are charged by the hour. You will need to see what other performers in your area make, on average, for their services. Fees can range anywhere from $15 to $100, per hour, depending on the job and the services requested. And, as mentioned above, the person or group hiring the performer may be more willing to pay top dollar if they have the organizational financial backing to pay more. These will all vary, depending on the climate for clown and costumed performers in your area.

How much profit can a clown business make?

The average costumed performer can make around $35,000 per year. This number will fluctuate, depending on if this is a full or part-time job and what services you can offer your customers. Some larger party companies have reported profits exceeding $100,000, annually,although these businesses tend to be multi-faceted and able to supply party performers and atmospheres for a myriad of customers and situations. Versatility, then, becomes key.

How can you make your business more profitable?

As mentioned above, versatility is important for expanding on a niche market to include more than just a clown performer. Consider all the aspects of party entertainment and look for what you can specialize and add as part of your entertainment packages.

Also, since there is more of a scary clown vibe among many people, exploit this fear and offer your services as a scary clown. Haunted houses and Halloween-themed attractions may be looking for real clown performers to add to the overall terror of their business ventures. If people are scared of clowns, who better to profit than clowns themselves.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your clown business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your clown business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

Ready to Turn Your Business Idea Into a Reality?

Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our How to Start a Business guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best Business Formation Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a clown business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Music Licensing

IF your business plays music publically:

 In order to play music in a business setting, permission must be acquired from the composer or license holder. Typically, it is possible to obtain a “blanket” license allowing a businesses to play music owned by a large catalog of artists and recording studios. Such licenses can be obtained from Performance Rights Organizations, such as ASCAP or BMI.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a clown business

Using the internet and social media are some of the most effective methods for a new business, especially when considering keeping overhead costs low. E-mail blasts, regular blog and photo content, and interaction among related performer groups and entertainment outlets will help to spread your name and reputation. Also, look into business cards, flyers and magnetic car signs. Create a mobile billboard with your vehicle and ask to leave business cards or flyers around town in crowd trafficked areas.

How to keep customers coming back

The strength of customer responses will directly affect your next jobs. Make sure the customer is left happy and content with your performance. You may have a tough time pleasing every single person, but you should strive to give the customer(s) what they want. Build personable relationships, ask for feedback, and give discounts for return customers or referrals. And, if someone isn’t satisfied, follow up to see what can be improved on, what you can do to make the current situation right, and how you can adjust, moving forward. The customer will be your biggest indicator of success or failure, so work hard to ensure you see them again.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Do you enjoy talking to and performing for groups of people, both young and old? Do you have a knack for arts and crafts, music, dancing, singing and other aspects of party entertainment? Clown and costumed entertainment businesses thrive off of the energy and creativity of the performers. If you found yourself answering yes to these questions or feel excited about the possibility of making a living from your combined entertaining talents, then this may be the career for you.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a clown business?

A traditional clown business focused on entertaining audiences, as a face-painted clown. More recent business models have expanded on this theme and include many more facets of entertainment. A modern clown business attends to:

  • Receiving and responding to booking requests
  • Updating monthly calendar(s) to reflect upcoming jobs
  • Preparing theme-based shows and packages for upcoming parties and events
  • Restocking supplies and care and maintenance of equipment and costumes for events
  • Hiring additional performers (as needed)
  • Marketing and advertising your services

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful clown business?

Many clown and costumed performers are and have been trained in clown performing schools. As a sub-genre of acting and entertaining, a good clown must be a natural performer, able to perform many tasks and forms entertainment. Often, these are the types of things taught through a clown school, but it is not necessary to have attended a school in order to be a successful clown and performer. However, there are a number of traits and talents you must possess, or be able to learn, in order to become a success in this business. Some examples are:

  • Singing, dancing, acting, playing musical instruments, and interacting with a crowd
  • Applying make-up and performing face-painting for audience members
  • Juggling, performing magic tricks, making balloon animals and “sculptures”, and doing some basic gymnastics
  • Understanding a crowd and adjusting your routine to fit with the audience
  • Managing a small business, including hiring and firing employees, balancing finances, and marketing and promotion
  • Managing and using social media and technology to maximize the reach of your business and the quality of your performances

What is the growth potential for a clown business?

Clown and costumed performer businesses have traditionally done well, with numerous requests for children’s birthday parties and celebrations often accounting for the bulk of the reservations. However, in more recent years, traditional clowns have seen less work, primarily caused by a shift in perception of clowns from cheery and happy to more ominous and, for some, scary. Numerous factors can be cited for this societal shift but, the bottom line is, the business is experiencing a change in how these performers use their crafts to maintain a decent work schedule. By expanding the forms of entertainment available in the performer’s repertoire, the clowning business is finding new and exciting ways to bring the spark back to this classic performing profession. And, with the new changes come more expansion and growth potential. As a performer, the field is rife for expansion, but needs creative individuals to steer this clown car to the modern events of the new millennium.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a clown business?

As we’ve been mentioning, clowns, in general, have experienced a backlash in popularity. The typical imagery of a clown, complete with white face paint, a ruffled collar, and a red nose, is now perceived as creepy or scary for many. In fact, coulrophobia or the illogical fear of clowns, has its own dictionary entry. Knowing this will help you prepare for the inevitable “evil clown” references and imagery. Here are some methods for shifting focus and making the most of your combined abilities.

  • Consider less face paint. Focus on accent areas and look to involve your audience in the face painting experience. This can lessen the impact, especially for children, and will help de-stigmatize clowns, in general.
  • Focus your advertising on ALL of the aspects of your entertainment packages, not just traditional clown performances.
  • Consider corporate party organizing and performing. As an animated performer, you will still engage an audience, yet your focus becomes more about the act and talents than the makeup.
  • Join or create groups, forums, and organizations pertaining to clowning or costumed entertaining. By becoming part of a community, you will increase your exposure and ability to network for greater employment opportunities.
  • Advertise through local party rental stores or partner with existing party rentals or party supply businesses. You will more than likely work as an independent contractor, which allows you to pursue many different types of jobs, along with the referrals coming from party related businesses.

How and when to build a team

Starting out, you will probably be a one-person team. The expenses need to be minimal to start, and the revenue should be at least partly funneled back into the business. As you become more popular, though, you will probably want an office manager and performance assistant to come on board. If at all possible, these two roles should be combined for one person. Not until you are regularly booked for work weekly will you want to add more team members. But, once your business is rolling, many clown and costumed performance businesses will employ a stable of performers, capable of fitting the needs of almost any gathering, party, or event.

Useful Links

Real World Examples