Corporate event planner

Small and medium businesses, charities, HR and office managers, and professional firms that run regular events but have no in-house events team.

Project fees, a management fee on top of the event budget, or monthly retainers for businesses with regular events.

• Budget management
• Supplier negotiation
• Professional, confident with business clients
• Problem solving on the day

• Public liability insurance, and consider professional indemnity insurance too
• Written contracts and payment terms, as businesses can pay late
• Event cancellation risk: check who bears the cost if a client pulls out
• Venue and supplier safety paperwork, such as risk assessments and fire safety, which you may be expected to coordinate
• Larger clients may expect you to be VAT registered, so check the turnover threshold

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around £500 to £3,000, depending on insurance, branding, a website and any software you choose. Costs for venues and suppliers are usually part of each client's event budget, so check how you will handle them.

Check public liability insurance and consider professional indemnity too. Also check written contracts and payment terms, who bears the cost if a client cancels, venue and supplier safety paperwork you may be asked to coordinate, and whether the VAT turnover threshold applies to you.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on the number of projects or retainers and your fees. Estimates suggest from around 15 hours a week, and businesses can pay late, so watch your cash flow.