Paint Dilemma

As some of you may or may not know I'm the manager of the face painting booths at the local boardwalk and downtown aquarium. Right now we have 6 painters total, including me, and we can have up to 8 people during the summer. Everyone is independent contractors and get paid a percentage of their sales. In the past my boss would buy everyone's paint because when I first started we only had one booth at the boardwalk and there were 3 of us.

Now that we have more employees I feel that everyone should buy their own paint. Our boss also owns the caricature booth and all of the caricature artists buy their own pastels as well as markers. The problem is we have always bought Paradise as it's cheaper than Wolfe and I do not like using Snazaroo. I want everyone continue using Paradise buy it is not possible to buy it in town so we have had to order it online. Some painters have no problem buying their own paint while others, mainly the ones downtown, or simply too lazy to buy it and one of the other managers downtown has been buying them those small Ben Nye paints which won't last long considering we paint every weekend.

So do you think we should continue to buy their paints or have them buy their own? I'm thinking what I can do is each month have them tell me what paint they need, pay me for the paint, and I will order it so I know they are getting the right paint. Opinions?

If they are required to use their own kit... then they should have the choice over which products they use. If you want them to use a specific brand, then you provide it.

That's my feeling on it.

Yeah, I don't think you should dictate what brand they use if they are buying their own... as long as you indicate that it must be professional grade face paint and not craft paint or those cheap crayon things.... maybe make a list of acceptable brands like paradise, snazaroo, wolfe, dfx, tag, etc... so that they are at least maintaining quality and safety levels. You may not like some brands or find certain brands too expensive, but they might not mind spending more or they might (like me) really LOVE using snazaroo.

It sounds like a franchise to me, which is fine. The franchiser makes the franchisee purchase specific things. Even a regular business will have the workers buy specific uniforms or have specific requirements to work there.

I have been in a franchise before and was required to use specific brands just like all the other franchisees. I had no problem with it.

Maybe you could purchase kits and extra paints to have on hand and stay stocked up. They can then purchase from you.

Also having worked in "percentage" situation before if they are providing their own products then they should be getting more a cut of the money. Its only fair.
Like a hair salon the owner gets 50 and the stylist gets 50 but the salon buys the primary supplies.

The main issue is should they buy their own paint or not. The young ladies know the type of paint I like for them to use. There is one girl that has been buying her own paint and buys Wolfe which is fine with me it's the other two that aren't buying their paint and don't know where to buy it. I have given them websites where they can buy their paint and they haven't bought any. The other manager that has bought them paint is a caricature artist and knows nothing about face painting. I have told him where to get paint and he thinks it takes too long to buy paint online. It's not a franchise but a business and we have thought about buying the paint so that they can buy from us but again the question remains should we keep supplying the paint to them for free or have them buy their own.

I personally feel like Shannon. If they have to buy they should be able to pick the brand they want. as long as it is FDA grade. Although with most independent contractors they do purchase most of their supplies...my husband is a construction builder(now working as a general contractor) He buys his own tools but supplies are provided by the "boss" of the job. I mean like materials and so on. I think you can fairly request that they provide their own tools like paint brushes and buckets and so on, and provide the paints.

I am training two people to work with me and I am providing the paints and tools. If you decided to make them purchase the paint...which you have the right to request since it is one business presenting an image. you could give them a set of guidelines to follow if they want to work for your business, but then if they don't you have to decide whether or not you want to find replacements.

If they are not using anything that will hurt someone who cares how they spend their money? If they waste it on small paint that runs out that is not a poor decision on your part...but theirs. Ben Nye is not bad stuff, it's just not what you prefer. If you decide to continue to buy the paints then, I think you should take out the cost of the paints and then divvy the percentages afterward.

I agree with what Perry and Shannon are saying if you want them to use something specific you should supply it.

But if they haven't had to supply the paint before and now they will that will be an expense for them which cuts into how much money they make too correct?

If I were in their position I would would hope that you would take that into consideration and either give them a bump in percentage to help compensate for their cut in pay or maybe even give them a gift certificate once a month to cover the basic supplies necessary....(maybe someplace that only sells face paint) every so often to where you want them to buy face paint from to help off set the cost.

But if you don't supply it you loose the right to tell them what THEY have to now buy. That's my opinion.

I agree, if they buy their own, then they should make more money to offset the cost.

Although I believe if you're dictating the brand then you should buy it, I also think facepainters should have their own kits. I know there's a big 'corporate painter' in Dublin who supplies kits to the painters that work for her, their painting levels are very basic. It's just an extra job for them and you can see the difference in the standard between them and an 'independent'. I think the company teaches them '10 standard faces' or something. They're not awful, just very basic.

What I'm saying is, if they have to invest a little, they might up their game. Just a thought and I hope it's not off the point

You buying or them buying is a personal preference. If it is their kit then that get to do what they wish with it. Use it to start their own business or whatever they decide. If you provide the paint, they can't use it for other reasons. I personally don't see anything wrong with painters doing their own thing when they are working as a contractor. But I agree that if they provide their own paint, they should get paid more. And I don't think you should dictate the brand if they buy. Once again, that makes it theirs so they should be able to provide the kit they feel most comfortable using just as all of us do.

Can you just outright give them the option - buy your own and get this rate - or I'll buy paint that you can use.... but that extra margin will go to me to cover cost.
I agree if you have more painters and are making more money you should buy your own paints...... I'm just confused - is the caricture artist paying for you to be there painting? I think to honestly answer you if it's worth it or not we would have to know - what he's laying out, what you are laying out , how much you are making and how much is going to whom.
It's hard to answer if they should buy their own paints if they are getting paid a rate of say like $20 an hour that's a big difference to say $60 an hour.
I would give them the option - if they choose for you to supply then at least you get to choose what they are using - if they choose to sypply themselves you can give them say three or four choices.
Good luck.... sounds tricky!

If they won't buy it, but you want them to pay for it, then purchase it for them and charge them for the cost. It sounds like this is what you are leaning towards now, since apparently some are not willing to purchase it themselves.