What have I done..

[AllThisBatshitteryAndMore]

I gave up my office job, and tried to start my own business. Ive just done my books and the past 6 months have generated £44 after taking out all my supplies and mileage etc. I am so embarassed after all my talk of working for myself, I have absolutely stuffed it. I am living off savings and another PT job, but wow, I feel so stupid. So what do I do now? Admit to everyone its awful and throw in the towel or suck it up?

You’re complaining because you haven’t made any money … because you find the work too hot and you don’t like it? I’m really confused. It’s like becoming a school teacher and saying you hate kids?
Am I missing something because if I understand correctly what you’ve said I.e. you don’t like being a children’s entertainer … then stop doing it and get a different job… you’ve made a mistake … shit happens. Get over it and move on!

You’ve answered your own question. This post is time wasting in the extreme.

It’s not uncommon to break even - or worse - in the first 6 months of running your own business. You are likely to have a lot of one-off start up costs. The question is: can you scale up and gain efficiencies such that you can make a decent living. If not, then you either need to raise your prices (if possible), or try something else.

And finally there’s no shame in trying something and not succeeding. No shame at all.

What I tell my friends when trying to work out dilemmas like this, is to pretend you're busy at 90% capacity. Now crunch the numbers again.

If you're still not making money, the business in its current for is more of a hobby. But if you would be making money if you were busy, that's a goal you can work toward.

Like 90% of businesses fail in the first year. Ones that succeed usually take like 3 - 5 years to turn a profit.

Thay said, living on hopes and savings is scary so you have to ask yourself whether this has the option of lasting, whether it could be done around something full time.

Its not a failure to try and learn it didnt work. Make the choice based on your head not your pride.

A childrens entertainer should be a sideline on top of other work, how hard are you striving? You need a few jobs,passion,dertermination,dedication,go go go,try etsy and similar avenues as well as being a kids entertainer, we have a balloon artist nearby makes a fortune,keep pushing x

I think you're brave to have tried it, sorry it's not worked out.
I would just apply like mad for other jobs you'd like to do - and when you've got one, tell everyone something like that you discovered you really didn't have the patience to be an entertainer with a room full of excited kids, and really you'd rather do x new job you've just got.

Oh dear ! well its not the end of the world is it , you tried it and realised you don't like it. Sell anything you can from the business and look for another salaried job.

So it isn’t that your business has failed…it’s that you don’t actually try at all. Because you don’t want to. You turn away clients because you don’t want the work and it’s taken you until now to realise that means you aren’t making any money?

No matter what business you go into generally how it works is you provide the service or product and customers pay you. You can’t make the money without providing the service or product.

Surely it takes more than 6 months? Keep going, learning, growing

I think the OP has decided to throw in the towel. Which is fair enough.

If you are self-employed and can choose what you do for a living, and you still aren't enjoying the job, it's time to pack it in.

I'm afraid that being self-employed means that you need to go where the gigs are, regardless of the weather. If you're going to let things like that dictate whether you work or not, you're in the wrong sort of employment. Being self-employed requires a lot of self-discipline - I've had loads of days where I've thought 'Oh fuck it' due to health issues and then thought of how my students would be let down and the inevitable bottom line.

Well there’s your answer. Business owners have to work very hard to make a go of it and you’re not willing to do that. Sounds like you need a full time job and do your entertainment work part time.

Probably best not to do it if you hate it and you’re not making any money then.

I think tbh, you can take 'hot' out of the equation unless you are permanently in fancy dress.. The weather is pretty unusual. You don't sound as though you are having fun, which is the critical bit. Give yourself 3 more months and see what happens? Find a mentor? Start up grant? I'm no expert and I think you need one. What does your DP think?

This. Always surprised at how many people ‘start businesses’ without basic business knowledge, like knowing about marketing and advertising, and how much to charge…

Maybe go back to the normal job.

what do you mean -you find it too hot?

I imagine she finds it too hot wearing the clown costume or whatever

Just go back to an office job, op : dull, predictable but usually okay pay and you don't have to wear a costume!