How to Start a Mermaid Business

Mermaid fandom has exploded in numbers in recent years, with mermaids appearing in artwork, books, movies and more. These mythical sea creatures can also be found at many events, thanks to mermaid businesses.

Mermaid businesses bring the excitement of mermaids to birthday parties, pool parties, beach parties, festivals and other events. In total, there are almost 1,000 professional merpeople working full-time across the country.

You may also be interested in additional unique business ideas.

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.

Tailor Brands ($0 + State Fees)

Start a mermaid business by following these 10 steps:

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

We have put together this simple guide to starting your mermaid 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 Mermaid 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 mermaid business?

The startup expenses for a mermaid business are manageable, with the biggest expense being the cost of a tail. Mertailor has some tails for $495, but this is the low end of the price range. A tail can cost as much as $25,000 or more.

Other marketing expenses include building a website, purchasing marketing materials and assembling the rest of a costume. Linden has lots of tips on how to make the rest of the costume inexpensively. For example, she uses fishnet stockings and blue cream to create scales. She also makes her own top, from a bra base, shells, fake seaweed and waterproof glue.

Business owners who have limited funds can lower the cost of a tail by renting one at first. After saving up, they can purchase a tail. The other expenses are minimal, especially if business owners do everything themselves.

What are the ongoing expenses for a mermaid business?

A mermaid business’ ongoing expenses are minimal. They include costume maintenance, marketing and transportation to bookings.

Who is the target market?

A mermaid business’ most steady work usually comes from children’s birthday parties, so kids and parents are a good target market to initially focus on. As a business grows, business owners can pitch themselves to organizers events in the area.

How does a mermaid business make money?

A mermaid business makes money by charging booking fees. Fees are usually charged by the hour.

How much can you charge customers?

The going rate for children’s events is reported to be $250 per hour, although this may vary some by location. Linden receives up to $6,000 per booking for special events.

How much profit can a mermaid business make?

A successful mermaid business can bring in a significant revenue. In just one day, a business owner could have three two-hour bookings. At a rate of $250 per hour, income from this day would be $750. Even working just weekends, a mermaid business could make $1500 per week.

Linden’s rate of $6,000 per appearance is exceptional but shows how much the most successful mermaids can earn.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Mermaid business owners have found many ways to diversify and increase revenue. Linden has written a book and has many YouTube videos, and Aqua Mermaid offers courses for aspiring mermaids. Other methods include offering mermaid fitness classes and selling calendars.

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 mermaid 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 mermaid 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 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 mermaid 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.

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 Mermaid Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Mermaid 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 mermaid business

One of the most effective ways to promote a mermaid business is through Facebook and Instagram. Mermaids are excellent subjects for photos, and mermaid photos are often liked and shared. These two platforms are especially well-suited for photographs.

How to keep customers coming back

Business owners can set themselves apart from other mermaids in the area by developing a truly unique mermaid character. A strong backstory and engaging personality will leave memorable impressions.

Importantly, a character doesn’t have to be a traditional mermaid (although people love mermaids that comb their hair with dinglehoppers). For example, Asyun’s character is a sarcastic, baby-eating Russian mermaid. If that character works, almost any unique mermaid personality is viable.

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?

Anyone who enjoys the water and being with people may like running a mermaid business, for much of the work involves entertaining people at water-related events (e.g. pool parties, beach festivals, etc.).

While the industry is dominated by mermaids, men also can start this type of business. There are challenges for men who enter the female-dominated industry, but several mermen are having success.

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 mermaid business?

Attending an event as a mermaid involves much more than simply showing up for the booked time. Mermaids must prep themselves, drive to the location, and put on their tail (without being seen) before the event itself. After entertaining during the event, mermaids remove their tail (again, without being seen) and go home.

On a fully booked Saturday or Sunday, mermaids might do all of this multiple times. Linden Wolbert, perhaps the world’s most successful mermaid, will do up to three parties in a single day.

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

Working as a mermaid is more than simply sitting or swimming with a tail on. Business owners need to cultivate a mermaid character, with its own accent, personality and looks. General acting experience helps with this, as does mermaid-specific experience.

To get general acting training, business owners can enroll in workshops and classes near them. Many community colleges, theaters and improv groups have acting programs, and these in-person programs are often preferable to online classes.

For mermaid-specific tips, there are several resources to consult. Aqua Mermaid has an in-person training program, and local clubs, like Halifax Mermaids, sometimes offer regular classes for mermaid enthusiasts. Additionally, Linden’s Fishy Business book and So You Want to Be a Mermaid series have helpful tips.

Along with acting, mermaids must be in good physical shape. Mermaids not only are models, but they also must swim with tails that weigh up to 35 pounds and sometimes have additional weights in them. Moreover, the “dolphin kick” swimming motion is done from the hips, which requires a strong core.

What is the growth potential for a mermaid business?

Most mermaid businesses remain small businesses because they’re built around the business owner’s mermaid character (see below). When the time is right, business owners might increase their fees or seek more high-profile appearances to grow their business. This strategy has proved successful for Linden, who makes appearances around the world, from Florida to Australia.

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 mermaid business?

Working part- or full-time at a preschool, daycare center, elementary school can help get a mermaid business off the ground. Experience in these settings will help business owners become more comfortable interacting with children, and networking with parents might lead to a few gigs.

How and when to build a team

Many mermaid business owners don’t hire employees, unless they need an administrative assistant to help manage inquiries, bookings and travel arrangements. Some business owners do contract with a professional photographer so they have high-quality images for their website and social media profiles. This is usually done on a contract basis, though.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Further Reading