Sometimes it’s necessary to thank your younger sister for helping you. When Janie Karp’s five year old sister was attending a birthday party and the host couldn’t find a face painter, Janie and her friend Marcela Barros stepped in. Both Janie and Marcela, rising 8th graders, love to draw and paint and had even taken several art classes together at the local university.
Their first job as face painters was a success and all the moms at the party asked them if they would work their child’s party. Janie thought, “This could be a business.” Doing their research, Janie and Marcela headed to the library and on line to figure out what was needed and get ideas. Then they were off to the art supply store to purchase the tools of the trade, idea books and paints. Creating a board with faces they could paint, they included cats, dogs, spiderman, batman, ghosts, butterflies, princesses, fairies and even came up with their own creations.
Branding themselves with the colors purple and yellow, Janie and Marcela, wear matching hats, paint their own faces, and coordinate their outfits when working a party. They bring their big idea board so the kids, usually between 3 and 7 years old, are able to choose and see what the girls can do. Calling themselves The Party Pair, these two VentureKids have about 4 parties a month, painting faces at BBQs, beach parties and fairs. They have even worked some larger groups, like a Girl Scout gathering with close to 100 girls. What about working with a partner, Janie says, “It’s so much fun to be in business with my best friend. We love kids and every party is an adventure.”
Doing their own marketing, Janie and Marcela created brochures and hand them out to neighbors and friends and post them in the library. Word of mouth is a huge help as well. Usually charging $15 an hour each, they love making their own spending money. Janie says, “The harder you work, the greater the value in what you buy.” Her mom is an entrepreneur, “Mom encourages me and helps me spread the word. I think she’s very proud that I have my own business.”
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