It's one of the most underrated yet important decisions: how many people to let into a workshop. Getting it too high earns you lukewarm reviews ("nice but we were too many, they didn't follow me"); too low leaves you with events that don't cover costs. The right number isn't a feeling: it depends on three concrete factors.
The three factors that decide the number
- The discipline: at the wheel you follow 4–6 people, at a candle workshop even 10–12. The more one-to-one the technique, the fewer seats.
- Space and equipment: how many wheels, stoves, real and safe seats you have.
- Yourself: how many people you can follow keeping the quality you want. Be honest: better a calm group than an unmanageable one.
The margin calculation, without fear
Margin isn't "price × people". It's: (price × people) − (materials × people) − fixed event costs (space rent, your hours, utilities). Example: €50 workshop, €8 materials each, €60 fixed costs. With 4 people: 200 − 32 − 60 = €108. With 8 people: 400 − 64 − 60 = €276. Doubling seats more than doubles margin, because fixed costs spread out. But beware: beyond a certain number quality collapses, and a mediocre review costs you many future bookings.
The 'minimum to run' rule
Also decide a minimum number below which the event doesn't run (or runs accepting break-even). Communicating it lets you confirm or move a date without losing money. Many artisans set the minimum at break-even: below, the event doesn't start; above, each person is margin.
Reference numbers by discipline
- Wheel, glass, one-to-one work: 4–6 seats.
- Hand-built ceramics, painting, jewelry: 6–8 seats.
- Cooking, candles, cosmetics, floral: 8–12 seats (if space allows).
- Private and couples: 1–6, with higher per-person price because fixed costs split across fewer heads.
On Handsome you set total, minimum and maximum seats for each date, and the system manages bookings avoiding oversell. Changing the number for the next session is one click, so you can experiment and find your ideal point, always at 0% commission.
Domande frequenti
- How many seats should I set in a workshop?
- It depends on discipline, space and how many people you can follow well. Roughly: 4–6 for one-to-one work like the wheel, 6–8 for hand-built ceramics, painting and jewelry, 8–12 for cooking, candles and floral if space allows.
- Should I add more seats to earn more?
- Up to a point: fixed costs spread and margin grows more than proportionally. But beyond your discipline's quality threshold the experience worsens, and a mediocre review costs many future bookings. Find the balance point.
- Should I set a minimum number of participants?
- Yes, it's worth it: set the minimum below which the event doesn't run (often break-even), so you can confirm or move a date without losing money. Above the minimum, each extra participant is margin.
Margin and break-even calculators in the dashboard. 0% commission, anti-oversell handling.
Calculate margin and ideal seats
