Start a Stage Rental Business

Stage rental is the process of renting out stages for events such as singing contests, modeling shows and concerts. Start your own business renting out stages.

What I like about the stage rental business is that it is one of those things that can get started with a modest amount of capital if you can make the stages yourself or you know someone that can do it at a reasonable cost as the materials used (plywood, metal, angle irons etc.) and skills (woodworking, welding) used to make it are widely available. The material used to cover it can also easily be sourced.

The nuts and bolts
Stage design, is a modular process, you need to design it in a way where it can just be stacked together to achieve whatever objective. In other words: the right sizes and the right heights.
Popular heights I have seen: 30cm, 60cm, 90cm, 1.2m
The deck sizes, stages, catwalks or runways will all differ in size. 1.2×2.4m is a popular deck size (but you should make larger as well for bigger stages to prevent stacking too many). Do your research . But keep in mind transport as well if you are making bigger sizes. Don’t forget that you need to make steps as well.

Stage being taken apart

Stage being taken apart

Target market
Stage rental is part of the event industry. So you are looking at schools, halls, stadiums, carnivals etc. you have to remember even if a venue such as a hall already has a stage you can still supply them if they are doing events such as modeling or a fashion show, where your stage will make up what is the catwalk or runway. Another market to tap into is shopping malls as they often rent stages for talent shows.

Marketing your business
To market your business, you should partner with event organizers, advertise at halls etc. Places you know that will drive consistent business.

Business model
An event rarely lasts more than a few hours, but you have to factor in setup cost (assembly) and removal and should base your fees on a full day tariff. Factor in delivery costs as well as a truck may need to be hired if you don’t have transport.

Growing your business
The stage rental business offers substantial growth opportunities: sound, lighting even catering. But you have to master your core business first.

Image credit: Stage Rental Los Angeles