The Power of Association...

Evening All,

Last week the manager in one of my stores approached me and told me I had left my delivery docket book
on top of the fridge in her store the previous day.. Damn, I thought as she handed it back to me...the daily delivery/invoice book will give somebody a really good snapshot of my business....who my clients are, how much they are ordering from me & for how much....it's like your neighbour opening your bank statement in error & handing it back...you just know they've probably had a peek

As the manager handed me back the book, I felt she was looking at me strangely, she then told me to go ahead with a price increase I'd been looking for, it was fine, no problem... in fact the product was most likely under priced anyway..great little products selling well....delighted to stock us & support us ...

I got back into the van, still somewhat unnerved by the new interest....and then the penny dropped...a quick look at the missing sales book revealed quite a story....there were a number of not only impressive sales, but some impressive clients...we had delivered to over 30 clients in 2 days....the manager who saw me daily but seldom acknowledged me, has suddenly seen me in a new light....

This little food producer has gained a new respect simply by the company she keeps, or should I say.. the companies that keep her...

oooh...I think....I'll leaving my docket book on top of a few more fridges...

Work it Shirley, work it......

x

Men in white coats..they're coming to take me away....

Evening all,

Yesterday as I filled the shelves in one of my shops the owner pulled me up for not wearing a white delivery coat....so 18 months after I first started  delivering to shops, this morning I rolled up in my white van decked out in an over sized mans white delivery jacket....box ticked... client happy...

......but I feel demoted..

I've been put in my box..the client sees me as a mere delivery guy, not the owner or the boss...(I did text to ask if he had any special requirements as to what I should wear underneath, but it would seem I can wear what I like under my white delivery coat)....no further special requests from this customer on this occasion....

I've learnt my lesson, I need a driver who isn't me to deliver my products whilst I get on with growing the business & looking like the boss.....I can't do both...there just aren't enough hours in the day...So, no more van deliveries for me, no more white coats...this little food producer is going to up her game, slip into some designer jackets & jeans, nip around the city, winning accounts, making sure customers are happy....doing what ever it takes.....

Anything that is, except wear a white delivery coat !

Bon soir.

Shirley x

Hitting a wall ..getting over it

Evening all,

If you read my blog last week, you may have picked up that this little blogger was running out of steam. Yesterday I thought about deleting the post, "Small business Edge of (in)Sanity"...had I revealed too much about myself ...had it become too me, me, me all about me... nobody wants to read that do they....

However, that's how I felt, over whelmed, temporarily scared for the future...and this blog is about being a small business owner and those emotions are very  real...for all of us....so the blog stays..and we now know that it ain't all fun & games..and that possibly the more successful our businesses become..the more we fear what we have to lose...

I spent the weekend in that state of anxiety...Yesterday "Yelp" invited me to a blind tasting dinner..six courses cooked by Michelin star chef in Pacino's in October. I haven't met the Yelp team yet, but I am touched & excited by the invite...we will be blindfolded for the tasting...that is so up my street in terms of experiences...I have been invited because I am a food blogger...ME ! invited to something so exciting on the back of my blog...

So I'm back in the game...last week was a blip, I hit a wall that I wasn't sure I could climb over.Tonight  I'm at the top of that wall & I'm about to clamber over it...I still have to complete the rest of the assault course, but I'm physically fit, I just have to stay mentally fit....that's the challenge... it's all about what's in my head.... thinking big....believing in myself...my business,  the fabulous....The Delicious Food Co.

Big birthday next week...be positive, be strong....Dancing Queen...

Shirley

x

Small business...the Edge of (in)Sanity

Evening All,

After a few really positive months, with one good thing after another happening, it only took a little thing to send my spirit plummeting downwards. I've told you about the problems with managing cash flow & we are finally getting on top of it. Most of my clients are paying within 60 days & the bigger ones pay earlier.I know the pattern, what big payments I'll receive in week 1,2,3 & 4 of the month, and I manage our outgoings accordingly.

Last weeks big payment due on Wed for week 1 hadn't been paid by Friday, when I called accounts, I was told "oh sorry I forgot...I'll do it now.." too late for Fridays standing orders and to pay myself & Mr Delicious for last week. On Tuesday I picked up big payment for week 2, when I opened the envelope there were two cheques, one was post dated.for week 3.. I kid thee not... I cried.....another week of stress...trying to get money in from other clients 

Suddenly everything was a problem, the amount of time I spend in the van, the lack of space in fridges in my shops,the time that staff  start at in the morning, the state of my house...I was in a big black hole.

By Thursday lunch time I had covered off the second post dated cheque, with two payments from other clients and the client who had post dated it changed the date so I can lodge it today, so technically we are ahead of where I thought I'd be at the end of this week.

 Problem solved!

But it's not....I'm shook by how easily the negativity & fear took over, I'm worrying about next weeks big payment and how that will effect everything...I'm worrying about the week after....and that's a big one for me because it's my birthday....a significant one..which I will be celebrating with a big DISCO themed party.

I've taken tomorrow off, I will clean my house, I'll make some sales calls, I'm going to the Dublin Fringe Fest, a big love of mine with some friends....I need to get my mojo back and I need it quickly.

I need it for my business, I need it for my family & most of all I need it for me..

cos I am after all..the Dancing Queen, youung & sweet only 17 Oh yeah !

Shirley x

First the good news...then the bad news

Evening all,

Today I got a call from my Google client...did you hear that...yes Google....Google is quickly moving up the leader board to become my biggest client. Soon Mr Big might not be so big...but Mr Big calls the shots & with corporate clients you are just never sure, decisions can be made way above my direct contact, that can mean that suddenly one can find themselves surplus to requirements....so like the alcoholic, we take the business one day at a time...

I told you business has been really good of late & with the audit out of the way, my focus is on getting more sales in. But already we are totally stretched, we need two more tables in the kitchen & one or two more people to get our product out. Today we had to prepare 10 individual salads for a meeting tomorrow for a client who will be taking 80 kilos of salads each week, as well as the individual salad bowls....

Today as I tottered around Tesco buying fruit for the rider,( which we are sponsoring) for BRIEFS , a camp cirque du soleil show which is running as part of Dublin Fringe Festival, my phone rings...Mr VIP client is on the line...

"hey Shirley...you know the salad pots I'm getting from you every day....how would you be fixed if we tripled our order....from Monday"..."that wouldn't be a problem" I say confidently...yet totting up the additional hours of labour in my head

....I call Mr Delicious, to break the news..."I've got some good news & I've got some bad news"...He groans..."gimme the bad first...." "Mr VIP wants an extra 60 salads per day starting Monday" oh dear he moans..".and the good news is ?" ....."Mr VIP wants an additional 60 salads per day from Monday....".

Them's  growing pains for you...

Shirley x