so ive been flying for about two years now, mostly just for myself and doing the occasional freebie for friends weddings and stuff, and im seriously considering trying to turn this into at least a part time income thing. i got my part 107 last spring which i know is the baseline but honestly i dont even know where to start with the business side of it.

like do i need an LLC right away or can i just operate as a sole proprietor to start? and the insurance thing is stressing me out because i looked at some quotes and they ranged all over the place. someone mentioned skywatch to me which does the pay per hour thing but i dont know if thats actually smart for someone trying to build a client base or if i should just get an annual policy.

also the pricing thing, i have genuinely no idea what to charge. ive seen people say anything from like $150 to $800 for a basic real estate shoot and that range is so wide it doesnt help me at all. do you just undercut everyone when youre new or does that just make you look cheap

okay so i went through basically this exact thing about 3 years ago and here is what i wish someone had told me ? dont overthink the LLC at the start. sole proprietor is fine to test the waters, you can always convert later and its not that complicated. what i would NOT skip though is liability insurance, even day one. i went with Thimble for a while which is similar to skywatch but i eventually switched to an annual policy through a broker that specializes in aviation because it worked out cheaper once i was shooting more than like twice a month.

on pricing, the undercutting thing is a trap. i did it, everyone does it, and then you spend 6 months grinding for scraps and then have to awkwardly raise prices on people who already expect the low rate. look at what established guys in your area charge and come in maybe 15-20% below that max, not 50% below. your time and equipment and the certification are worth something. real estate is honestly a great starting niche because the turnaround expectation is usually quick and agents are used to paying for content, just make sure you nail the deliverables fast because they're always in a hurry.

following this thread because im kind of in the same spot lol. one thing i did hear is that some people start by reaching out to local real estate agencies directly instead of waiting for clients to find them, like just emailing the top agents in your area with a sample reel. havent tried it myself yet but it sounds like it actually works better than just posting on instagram and hoping