Founding phase — Special Event Staff is a new DFW marketplace. Companies are posting the first openings and event professionals are building the founding roster.
Build the DFW event crew you can hire again.
Post an opening, review applicants, pay them directly, and reconnect with the people who prove themselves. No agency markup. No conversion fee.
Marketplace status
We're building DFW's founding event staff roster. Create your profile and be notified when openings matching your roles and location are posted.
From posting to rehiring, in five steps.
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01Post an opening
Describe the role, date, and rate. No caps on how many openings you post.
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02Review applicants
See who applied, their experience, and their availability. You decide who to contact.
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03Hire
Message and confirm directly with the person you choose — for a single shift or an ongoing role.
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04Pay directly
You pay the event professional through your own payroll or contractor process. SES takes 0% of the agreed rate.
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05Rehire
Reconnect with anyone who worked out for your next event, at no additional charge.
No markups. No conversion fees. Just your crew.
You build direct relationships with the people who work your events, and can rehire them any time at no extra cost.
SES takes 0% of the agreed rate. The hiring company pays the event professional directly.
Hire anyone permanently, whenever you're ready. There is no buyout or conversion charge.
Built specifically for event work across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
Companies pay a flat $99/month (or $990/year) to post openings and hire without markups or placement fees.
Founding phase: company access and job postings are free through September 30, 2026. No card required. You will not be charged automatically unless you add a payment method and confirm a paid plan.
What the middleman costs you.
Plug in a typical month. See what agencies and per-shift apps quietly add on top of your staff's pay — and what a flat $99/month replaces.
- Special Event Staff$0 · day one · no conversion or buyout fees, ever
- Instawork$2,500 direct-hire fee ($1,000 after 320 hrs worked)
- Qwick$0 — but only after 320 hrs worked at your venue
- Traditional agencyTemp-to-hire buyout fee
Estimate only. Instawork's 35% markup is their published rate and includes payroll taxes, worker injury coverage, and support. Special Event Staff is a connector — you pay your staff directly and are responsible for your own worker classification, payroll, and insurance. Agency markups vary by firm (40–80% is a typical industry range). Qwick and GigSmart do not publish a flat markup rate. Figures as of July 2026 — verify current rates with each provider.
Keep the full rate you accept.
Creating a profile and applying is free for event professionals. There is no fee to accept work. SES takes 0% of the agreed rate. The hiring company pays the event professional directly. Build a profile once, and get notified as openings matching your roles, availability, and location are posted across DFW.
- Build a profile with your roles, experience, and availability
- Get alerts when matching openings are posted
- Apply directly and hear back from the company
- Get paid directly, at the full rate you agreed to
We're building DFW's founding event staff roster. Create your profile and be notified when openings matching your roles and location are posted.
- Bartender
- Barback
- Server
- Banquet staff
- Catering captain
- Setup/teardown crew
- Registration & check-in
- Usher/Greeter
- Brand ambassador
- Event runner
- Day-of wedding assistant
A clear split of responsibility.
Special Event Staff is a marketplace and hiring platform. We are not the employer of record, a payroll provider, a staffing agency, a background-check company, or a workers' compensation provider. The hiring company sets the engagement and pays the event professional directly.
- Recruiting and applicant discovery
- We run the marketplace where event professionals create profiles and find your openings.
- Applicant selection
- You review applications and decide who to contact and hire.
- Worker classification
- You determine whether the engagement is W-2 or 1099 and are responsible for that decision.
- Payroll and tax withholding
- Handled entirely through your own payroll or contractor process. SES does not process payroll.
- Workers' compensation
- SES does not provide coverage of any kind.
- Timekeeping
- Hours are tracked by you. The platform does not currently offer time capture.
- Wage payment
- You pay the event professional directly. SES takes 0% of the agreed rate.
- Background checks
- Not provided by the platform. Arrange your own screening if you require it.
- Credential verification
- Certifications listed on a profile are self-reported unless a specific check is shown with a date. Confirm anything you rely on.
- No-show replacement
- There is no fulfillment or replacement guarantee. You can repost or contact other applicants.
- Direct-hire or conversion fee
- None. Hire anyone you meet here, as often as you like, at no additional charge.
- Platform support
- Account help, posting help, and marketplace support from our team.
Frequently asked questions
For event companies
For event professionals
Ready to build your DFW crew, or find your next event?
Build a profile and get notified about openings that match you.
Join the Staff Roster