How to Start a Glass Blowing Business

Art comes in all forms. A glassblower uses techniques that have been around since the first century BC, shaping the glass into their creative vision. They sell their work in online stores and local galleries. Many also take on commissioned work.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

DIY: How to Start an LLC

Start a glass blowing business by following these 10 steps:

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

We have put together this simple guide to starting your glass blowing 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 Glass Blowing 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 glass blowing business?

If you’re starting a glassblowing business, you hopefully have some experience in the art of glass smithing, as well as a good portion of the tools needed. Your biggest startup expenses will be rent on a large studio space, a furnace, and an annealer. Many artists make the mistake of investing in a small studio, with plans to move once they’ve grown. Successful glassblowers advise against doing so for both your workspace and your heating and cooling devices.

A large studio space can run anywhere from $500 – $5,000 per month, depending upon location and size. Stay within your price range, but take the time to invest in a space you can grow into. If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll need a lot of tools to fill your studio. Between the furnace, glory, annealer, and various tools, plan to budget between $25,000 and $35,000, depending upon how open you are to purchasing used.

If you don’t have a lot of capital to work with, you could become a member of a local glassworking facility. For a monthly or annual fee, you have access to all the tools you need. It’s also a great way to build relationships within the community.

What are the ongoing expenses for a glass blowing business?

If you’re renting a workspace, rather than working out of your garage, rent is your largest expense. Budget for approximately $600 per month for electric and gas. Your real expenses then become insurance and supplies.

Who is the target market?

A glass smith’s clientele are lovers of art in all shapes and forms. Since glass can be made into virtually anything, your target market is very broad, with many of them avid collectors.

How does a glass blowing business make money?

A gaffer makes their money by selling individual pieces to art collectors, art galleries, and stores.

How much can you charge customers?

Your work will be sold on a piece-by-piece basis, with pricing based on labor and materials.

How much profit can a glass blowing business make?

Your profit is directly tied to the amount of work you produce and how much of a name you’re able to build for yourself. The median salary of a glassblower in 2015 was $29,630 a year. Many freelance artists, however, are able to sell one piece for thousands of dollars, so there is the potential to make significantly more.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Glassblowers who have reported higher earnings are deeply immersed in their community. Consider adding the following to your business strategy to enhance your business’ profits:

  • Team up with galleries and museums to perform live demonstrations
  • Offer lessons to aspiring glass blowers
  • Share studio space with other artists and hobbyists, which will further advance your relationships with those in the community and help reduce overhead costs
  • Feature other up-and-coming artists in your studio and online store
  • Take a commission on referred sales or sell directly at a markup
  • Accept work doing commissioned pieces and collaborate with various artists to craft one-of-a-kind creations

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 glass blowing 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 glass blowing 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.

More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC 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 glass blowing business business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Liability Waiver

Glassworking involves large torches and molten glass within the working space, which can lead to accidental injury. Therefore, glassworking shops that offer memberships to glassblowers are strongly encouraged to require members to sight a liability waiver/membership contract.

If you are just starting out and working out of another business’ glassworking shop, you will not need to worry about liability waivers.

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.

Find out what types of insurance your Glass Blowing Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Glass Blowing Business.

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 glass blowing business

Glass blowers use their talents to hand craft a variety of blown glass designs. Designs range from glass pendants to tobacco pipes and contemporary art to be showcased in the customer’s home. Marketing this business can be a slow process when first starting out. Many new glassblowers start out selling their work through a variety of online platforms and through local retailers such as gift shops.

It’s important to remember that the glassblowing community is very tight knit. Therefore, establishing yourself within the community is incredibly important for increasing the value of your brand. Approach a respected artist in the community and inquire about becoming their apprentice. This affords you the opportunity to learn and grow as an artist, while getting to know others within the community.

Another common way for glass blowing artists to increase their skill set and brand is to collaborate with other artists. The blending of artistic styles garners the respect of artists and consumers, increasing credibility within the community.

As you work to gain a following, consider online sites such as Instagram. This is a great platform for showcasing your work and many artists have found success holding online auctions in the comments section. Additionally, some niche social media sites, such as Deviantart, feature the works of various artists. With more than 35 million registered members and over 65 million visitors each month, this is a wonderful platform for reaching potential clients and getting to know other artists from across the globe. As you begin to establish your brand, you’ll also want to consider launching your own online store, featuring up-and-coming artists who are working on establishing their own following.

How to keep customers coming back

To catch the eye of potential customers, you’ll need to become immersed in the art community. This means attending local workshops and events, as well as traveling for larger events when possible. Your work should reflect your own unique style, which is critical to distinguishing your brand and getting your name out in the art industry. When traveling the circuit, many artists are approached by museum and gallery owners interested in showcasing their unique work.

You’ll also want to consider working as part of an artistic guild. Glass Art Society (GAS) has a wealth of information and resources to get you started. GlassPass is also a wonderful online platform for getting your work out there and making a name for yourself.

Many of your clients will be collectors. An effective strategy for attracting and retaining customers long-term is to limit the supply of specialty lines of glasswork. This heightens the appeal to collectors, allowing you to command maximum price from your customers.

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?

Glassblowing is perfect for the individual who likes to work alone to turn their creative visions into works of art. It requires hard work, innovative instincts, and an entrepreneurial spirit. If you exhibit these qualities, glassblowing might 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 glass blowing business?

Glassblowers, also known as gaffers or glass smiths, spend their days in the studio working on their trade. They begin by mixing and heating glass ingredients in a furnace or kiln. Once the glass is mixed and at temperature, they collect molten glass on their blowpipe. Puffs of air and various shaping tools are utilized to complete the works of art.

Once the artist’s vision is complete, the piece must cool properly to prevent cracks and shattering. The glass is hardened by cooling and reheating multiple times.

No matter how beautiful, a gaffer’s work will not sell just sitting in the studio. The artist must consistently work to showcase their craft and make a name for themselves, within the art community.

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

The number one skill you must possess is creativity. Without this, even the simplest piece won’t stand out to a collector. Glassblowing requires sculpting and the use of extreme heat. Therefore, it’s also important that you possess fine motor skills, patience, heat tolerance, and enjoy working with your hands.

In order to sell your work, you’ll also need to possess strong interpersonal skills and be able to promote yourself. Many artists tend to be reclusive, impeding them from approaching galleries and stores about selling your art.

What is the growth potential for a glass blowing business?

Due to the nature of their work, many glassblowers choose to keep their business small and local. There are, however, a number of world-renowned gaffers whose pieces are sold and showcased all over the world.

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.

How and when to build a team

Each piece of blown glass is a unique work of art that reflects your style and vision. Unless your ultimate goal is to teach glassblowing classes or have an apprentice, much of your work will take place unassisted.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading