The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: cashstasherat23 on January 30, 2015, 06:24:43 PM
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Hi all-this may be a complete shot in the dark, but looking for opinions or advice from anyone who may have done this before!
I have been skiing for 20+ years and snowboarding for about 6, and have successfully taught several friends how to do one or the other. I also am currently beginning to volunteer with a local non-profit, teaching underprivileged kids how to snowboard. While all this is going on, I have been reading MMM and thinking of ways to start my own lucrative side hustle doing something that I really enjoy...cue the instructing!
I played around with some numbers, came up with a rate significantly cheaper than the local mountain, and put up an ad on Craigslist. I got a query two days later, and just made an appointment to help teach one woman's 5 year old son how to ski this Sunday. However, what seemed like such a simple and fun way to make money before has now got me thinking about liability and legality. I am now realizing this could be a whole different ball game and am worried it may not be such easy money as it first seemed.
I have found an online liability waiver, which in theory I would have the mother sign so she couldn't sue me in the case of a broken bone or something...but would that actually hold up in court?
For those who might say get a job with an on-mountain ski school, I have tried, but they require a much larger commitment, and take a huge chunk out of the profits. I was hoping to do this as more of a flexible thing a few weekends in the winter, when my schedule allows. Now I am not sure if it is worth it. Is this something worth pursuing, or am I just looking for trouble?
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So you can continue doing what you are doing and likely be fine.
The safer thing to do would be to create a corporation that has a liability insurance policy. Make the parent sign the waiver either way, but the waiver only protects you to a degree.