Thread: Teaching when you're not the boss: How much percentage/profit should be split?

I've been hired to teach a class each week. I am being paid by the hr. So that works out to 1 hr a week. The problem is the boss expects me to bring in the students as well. He stated that he would give me 10% profit for each student brought in by me. This is an on going class but the students buy 10 class class cards each time. If he wants me to bring in students...I would have to advertise and do some promoting. So 10% of the profit is not reasonable..what do you guys think? Should I ask for 30%? We don't have much students right now.

You don't say whether your base hourly pay is high or low. That would affect my advice. If the base pay is low and he expects you to bring your own students, perhaps you should consider renting your own studio time. In our area, prime time at a yoga studio would run $25/hr, at a dance studio $40, with the teacher supplying her own insurance liability in many instances.

It sounds like the only pay you will receive is the profit. If that is the case, don't work for him, but hire your own studiospace.

Profit is what is left after substracting the business expenses. In this case, your hourly wage would be his business expense, and the profit would be his completely. You would be paid a fair rate per hour, no matter how many students you have in class.

If he wants to do it the other way around, he will first deduct his studio (Say, 40 USD per hour?) If you have four students in class, that means you will get nothing for teaching them. In case of having 20 students (20x10 USD=200USD) you would receive 20 USD per hour, way below the going rate.

Or, if you hired your own studio for 40 USD per hour, you would earn 160 USD for 20 students in a class. BTW, 20 is on the large size, I prefer classes of 10-15. Even so, you wouldn't lose money if you had enough students to cover the basic rent of the studio. Seems to me that if you have to bring in students yourself, you might as well do the whole thing by yourself.

Hey, thanks for the advice..

so just to be clear..he is paying me an hourly rate of $30/hr. for every student that is brought in by me..i will get 10%..it sounds very silly because then I have to ask every student how they found out about the class. We don't have much students (he doesn't advertise much and expected me to bring in more) and when there is less than 3 he has no choice but to cancel the class.

I don't even want to continue working there but I need the extra money so I think I'll do it short term. Plus, I enjoy teaching..but not working for this guy.. But in the meanwhile I do want to get more students and test this idea out.

So do you think 10% of the profit is sufficient? I really don't like working this way. Should I ask for more?

Other than that...I've read somewhere on bhuz awhile back..someone was in a similar situation being paid by the hour..but had a deal that if there was more than like say 10 students, they would pocket the extra profit in full.

So you get $30 per hour *plus* the additional cut for students brought in by you?

That might be reasonable for a small town, or it might not be. It would be good to know what the average dance instructor makes in your area for comparision.

Originally Posted by Fushia

so just to be clear..he is paying me an hourly rate of $30/hr. for every student that is brought in by me..i will get 10%..

$30 for a small class is not uncommon, especially since the studio and insurance is being provided by the owner. I know places in L'ville that pay their teachers $18/hr.

Originally Posted by Fushia

It sounds very silly because then I have to ask every student how they found out about the class. ..

Not silly at all. This is information you need in order to get more students. It can be asked on the registration form.

Originally Posted by Fushia

We don't have much students (he doesn't advertise much and expected me to bring in more) and when there is less than 3 he has no choice but to cancel the class. ..

Not good, IMO. I know this practice is common but I do not consider it to be good business practice. Cancelling a class leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the students who did register and makes it harder to fill the class next time. Students don't want you to be a moving target.

Originally Posted by Fushia

Other than that...I've read somewhere on bhuz awhile back..someone was in a similar situation being paid by the hour..but had a deal that if there was more than like say 10 students, they would pocket the extra profit in full.

There's no reason why you cannot come up with a reimbursement plan that is based on the number of students.

i actually think that 30 per class plus a "finders fee" for new sign ups is reasonable.

but yes, how you are going to determine which students you brought in??

Create a little contact postcard for new students to fill out. This gets you their email/phoce/other contact info for updateing them on class events'etc.

On it have a multi-choice selection - such as:
How did you hear about this class?
___ class flyer
___ tv/radio
___ online ________________ where
___ friend
___ student taking the class
___ through the studio

If from the friend or student - get their name (as if their friend/student originally came into the class due to YOUR EFFORTS - then you should get the commision for the new student as well)


I pay (monthly) for studio time - and get to keep all $$ from my classes. The more classes I teach - the lower my cost per hr. of studio rental. If ongoing student of the studio (ie: signed up and paying for other classes at the studio) then their fee is deducted off my rent owed. Works pretty good.