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A friend of mine and I were talking about being demos for one of the two companies (SU! or TAC). We would both like to be hobby demos, but I wondered -- Could we be a demo team for either company?? I think this question was asked a couple of weeks ago, but I couldn't find the answer. Is it allowed or acceptable? How do you go about it, if it is okay?
TIA!
__________________ Wife to Morgan
Mommy to: Elizabeth (4/96)
Hannah (9/97) Andrew (5/00)
Anthony (2/02) Abigail ( 9/14/06)
"A word spoken in due season, how good it is!" Prov 15:23
I love your little guys...not to hijack the thread because I don't know! (I would assume anyone can share their commission as they wish...I have to pay off the kiddies when they help me at my Open House! :???: )
My understanding is you can only sell for one company (you can't sell for both) so she would have to sign up for one and you the other, then just share the 'discount'... I think....
Not sure why it would be secret, lol. I would think the answer would be the same with any company that will be reporting your earnings to the IRS. They will allow "co-demonstratorship" to married couples because there's no trouble with income reporting. It's all going to go on the same tax return as income in the marriage.
I doubt any company would be willing to try and figure out just how to divide the reportable income between two non-married people. If the two are actually a legal partnership, that might be a different story, but I don't think you are talking about this type of partnership.
It's nothing secret at all!!! It's more a matter of trying to be polite because I know that this is predominately an SU! forum and know the history of the group and I would never want to seem like we are stepping on toes or 'thrusting' our information out there.
So please - do not take it as me tyring to be rude or secretive...on the contrary - I am trying to do just the opposite!
As for a public answer to the question...You would have to sign up individually as TAC will not split commissions or minimums. I did go on to explain that my upline and I work in cooperation at A LOT of our events. We hold our Stamp Camps and Classes together - this helps boost the attendence and the we 'share' the responsilbity of putting projects together and we also share any orders that come in - just splitting them between us so we can both cover our required $100/4 month minimums. We also do all of our conventions together - again - splitting responsibilites for preparing, costs and then we split any leads, sales and make and take money. So in a way we are a partnership but we both are individual Demonstrators. And please note - we live in a town of 3500 people with 1500 in the surrounding areas. We have 2 other demonstrators in town in addition to us and we have never had problems with encroaching on each others customers - we all kind of share and share alike. One is strictly hobbyist - one is a recruit of my upline that is starting to slowly build a business so we also have her in with us at conventions if her schedule allows - and then my upline and I. It benefits all of us to work together - and all of our customers get the bonus of having different styles come together in one place ;-)
I hope this helps others that might have the same type of question. And again - I am sorry if it seemed like I was trying to be secretive - I just prefer not to offend anyone on the board ;-)
Maybe the company doesn't want people to pair up, but there are ways around that? I don't mean to sound suspicious. Otherwise, I would think we would see alot of demo duos...it would kind of helpful to share duties with a friend.
The pming is really not a big deal or secret. I am an SU demo but my best friend and I split the minimum so that it isn't such a huge commitment. Knowing how a lot of other demos feel about "sharing your discount," I chose to pm that info so that the thread wouldn't turn into a debate. So, now the cat's out of the bag ...
__________________ An - SCS member #44271 "I'm a mystery wrapped in a riddle, covered with chocolate sprinkles." - Cookie Monster my tiny gallery
Maybe the company doesn't want people to pair up, but there are ways around that?
That's kind of what I was hinting at...
Quote:
Originally Posted by aniam215
I am an SU demo but my best friend and I split the minimum so that it isn't such a huge commitment.
And how you said to do it was what I was thinking.... :cool: I don't know if/ think we would do over $600 in sales and that's when it has to be reported to IRS... so that's when it would get difficult I would think.
I don't know. I may let her do the Stampin' Up and me do TAC or something like that.... just thinking and wondering on it all.
Thanks for all your helpful answers ladies!!
__________________ Wife to Morgan
Mommy to: Elizabeth (4/96)
Hannah (9/97) Andrew (5/00)
Anthony (2/02) Abigail ( 9/14/06)
"A word spoken in due season, how good it is!" Prov 15:23
That sounds like a terrific set up Jana! I'm sure there are many "teams" like that out there...for all the companies. Now that I think of it, there is an "Angel" in the town next to me and she comes to all of my Open Houses (she hasn't tried one herself yet but asked me to come help at hers in the fall...she's not that confident about stamping yet). I am never comfortable with the selling part of this stamping business of ours but boy can she talk people into why they need this product or that product! tee hee...
Remember if you choose to do this ... you have no legal agreement between you - so if she moves away or chooses not to help you meet a minimum, or decides to stop selling to you at her cost, there is nothing you can do. I'm not saying it can't be done ... but remember that whichever company you sign with, you are signing the contract and are responsible for it.
Remember if you choose to do this ... you have no legal agreement between you - so if she moves away or chooses not to help you meet a minimum, or decides to stop selling to you at her cost, there is nothing you can do. I'm not saying it can't be done ... but remember that whichever company you sign with, you are signing the contract and are responsible for it.
Absolutely! This is very important. I don't think I would trust anyone else to do this with. I was going to end up dropping anyway because of the expense so if we decide to stop doing it it's not a big deal. It's important to think about how this would apply to your situation.
__________________ An - SCS member #44271 "I'm a mystery wrapped in a riddle, covered with chocolate sprinkles." - Cookie Monster my tiny gallery
And how you said to do it was what I was thinking.... :cool: I don't know if/ think we would do over $600 in sales and that's when it has to be reported to IRS... so that's when it would get difficult I would think.
I am not a CPA- but, companies do not report you for $600 in sales- Rather, $600 in income. There is a difference in those numbers.
__________________ My newest toy- Harley Softtail Deluxe
And how you said to do it was what I was thinking.... :cool: I don't know if/ think we would do over $600 in sales and that's when it has to be reported to IRS... so that's when it would get difficult I would think.
I don't know. I may let her do the Stampin' Up and me do TAC or something like that.... just thinking and wondering on it all.
Thanks for all your helpful answers ladies!!
Do you mean $600 in sales, or $600 in profit? I thought you had to make minimums of $300 per quarter. That would be $1200 in sales each year to remain a demo.
While I am posting, you mentioned that you would be a hobby demo, something that I have been thinking about. In my case, my sister and I would take the discount and meet minimums together (although I guess I would be ultimately responsible if I signed up). Anyway, if you are only a hobby demo, and are not making money on anyone, it doesn't seem like it counts as profit. You are just getting a discount spending money on crafts. I'm asking, more than stating fact, but it seems to me a hobby demo wouldn't need to file taxes.
If you are a hobby demo and just making your minimums, then you are not receiving any income, just your 20% discount. There wouldn't be any other income other than the occasional incentive SU sometimes awards. So, if that's the case, then you are correct.
I guess the problem I've heard happening with people trying to "share" a business isn't so much when somebody flakes, but when one partner gets an itch to really turn it into a business. It has happened that folks who start out only intending to make the minimums all of a sudden see the potential and really kick it into high gear. So, what happens to the other half if she doesn't want to participate in that? All of a sudden there are a lot more details....
I'm sure there are plenty of "unofficially" shared demoships out there. Ultimately it will come down to what you and your friend/sister/partner have as a relationship that will determine if you can keep things together.
I buy so much stuff per quarter that I thought of signing up as a demo. Than if I have time (I have a full time job and family) I'll do a demo here and there while I meet people.
So the quarter is $300 minimum? Same with that TAC deal? What's this other CTMH? What's the pros and cons of each (being as neutral as you demos can be )
Can you make a living doing this? Seems like you have to sell A LOT to do that. But I guess if you do this full-time you can.
TAC is a homebased stamping company similar to SU! except they use the unmounted system of stamps with Creative Cling and acrylic handles.
The minimum is $100 in a four month period (vs. a 3 month quarter).
I try to stay pretty neutral and objective because it really doesn't matter what I like or what I think - what matters is what the potential demonstrator or customer thinks. SU! and TAC are similiar yet VERY different. They have their own styles and their own products. TAC is only 9 years old so they might not have aquired as much as SU! has in way of noteriety or specialized products - but companies take time to grow and bring those things to the stamping market. TAC is coming into it's own. This year's Idea Book and Catalogue is very different (and better) than any other we've had.
I think that if you are going to look into demonstrating you need to look at all the companies and see what is going to fit you the best. One may have more appeal than the other, whether it be the products, the minimums or something you find important.
As for doing it as a living - there are many that do. I, myself, do it as something to supplement my family income and to give me some peace (I do in home daycare as a 'day job') and sanity! I love the stampers I meet in person and online and they make it all worth it.
Putri,
CTMH is another company that carries both stamps and scrapbook supplies. Our new fall catalog is on it's way with lots of great new products. But, in the meantime, if you'd like to check out what we do have, my website is http://www.suzastampin.myctmh.com
Our quarterly quota is $300, and the discount/commission is 22% at the time of sale and then we get override checks on any months over $100. It starts at 1.5% and goes up to 12%.
A question about being a demo (su! or TAC)...
