how to tell if a show was worth it

you're in the car. the tote is lighter, your feet hurt, and the cash box feels heavy in a good way. then the question shows up: was that actually worth it?

"it felt busy" isn't an answer. neither is the number on your card reader. here's the four-line math we use before the engine even warms up.

1. what came in

add up every sale: cash, card, payment apps. that's your total sales.

2. what it cost to be there

booth fee, parking, gas, the coffee you needed at 7am, the tablecloth you bought because you forgot yours. all of it.

3. what the goods cost you

materials for everything that sold. not what you'd charge, what you paid.

4. what you really made

total sales − show costs − materials = what you really made. write it down before you get home and the number gets fuzzy.

then ask one more thing

divide what you really made by the hours you were there (setup and pack down count). that's your show's hourly rate. compare it to your other shows, not to anyone else's.

a "bad" show with a great email list sign-up can still be worth a second try. a "busy" show that paid you $4 an hour might not be. the math doesn't decide for you, it just makes the argument shorter.

for makers who mean business ♡