Bless me Father, for I have sinned (I'm a social media cripple....)

Evening all,

Social media...it's all the rage these days...ain't it..?

A savvy social media manipulator, will have potential customers gagging for their service or product, even before they launch.....they will appear in every weekend supplement...be reviewed to death.... will become the "go to" commentator for every soundbite....become shining examples of how to achieve success in a recession....

Suddenly it won't be enough to know about their product/ service but we will need to see what their living room looks like....as they beam from a double page spread & explain why they love the eclectic mix of vintage furniture with uber modern pieces....and we will all think "wow"...and wonder why we threw out that disgusting sofa...when it looks so good in the savvy social media manipulators pad.....

Facebook/Twitter/ Linkedin/ Blogging..I do them all, but with the exception of blogging, I do them all badly...I'm the ultimate social media cripple...I don't even have a website for God's sake...& that, these days dear reader is the ultimate sin against business & humanity....

It's time to sort this out..it's time to get The Delicious Food Co media profile rocking & rolling....it's time to generate interest..among the great unwashed...those who've never heard of us, never mind tasted us....We want our potential customers to want us as much as any teenage girl wants Harry Styles....

So I'm going to make some changes...I'm going to get my website up & running ....my Twitter a/c (@deliciousnews) will talk more food...less dog..I'm going to work out how to post & paste stuff on Facebook...I'm going to embrace this social media thing...I'm gonna make you "like"me... make you want me...

And before you know it, it might well be me, beaming at you on Sunday morning from my living room spread, telling you how my fabulous living room look was put together, on a shoestring, using furniture that savvy me found in skips that I simply repainted & upholstered....

Now ain't I amazing......

Shirley

x

Worn Out.....

Evening all,

I haven't blogged about business for a bit...personal life just got the the way..the juxta position of fabulous birthday celebrations full of good wishes, love, great pressies, a fab party & having to deal with a rotten bunch of life's frauds, masquerading as good honest people....

I'm worn out.....tired & stressed.

Business has been great...very busy., but with the same old, same old cash flow issues...I'm finding it hard to get the motivation to keep going....if I won the lottery tomorrow I wouldn't turn up on Thursday...I'd stay at home, make my house beautiful, walk the dog & make lovely home cooked meals for my family....I've never wanted that life for myself....until now...

Today being a Muslim feast our amazing staff were off celebrating their culture...Mr Delicious went into work at 4am & got home at 7pm...albeit to a clean house, a home cooked stew & a world champion qualifying footie match on the telly...is there anything else a man needs....

Tomorrow we on top of the usual deliveries we are catering for a lunch for 50 in an office canteen with no cooking facilities at 12 sharp. My client sent me the menu choice for the lunch (non negotiable)

"Option 1.Asian Salmon or Spinach or Ricotta Tortellini in Tomato Sauce

Option 2. Winter Beef Stew or Chicken wrapped in Parma Ham

served with baby potatoes & seasonal vegetables"

"That's four options", I said in dismay ..."No just the two"...she smiled powerfully...."Option 1 & Option 2"

I'm exhausted at the thoughts of getting it all from my kitchen to the venue, keeping it hot & getting everybody fed in the alotted one hour....but it will be done....& I promise there won't be a hint of how tired or stressed this hostess is...not this time anyway

Nite x

Harry ...This ones for you.

Evening all,

Last night I had the best party of my life.It was my birthday & I've just moved into a new decade & celebrated by hosting a big Disco Inferno party for 100 of my close friends & family in The fabulous Odeon Bar It was a super night, great food (of course) & a dance floor that was jammers all night.

The move to a new decade is always a reflective time as we look at what we have achieved to date & look forward to what we hope to achieve in the next.

I often think that I'm an under achiever, that I haven't reached my full potential.....that I should have done that by now. My life is dominated by the highs & lows of my business... last night as the crowd gathered around & sang happy birthday to me, I realised how much I have achieved...how proud I am of those achievements...the family I have, the friends I have, the life I have.

Sure it's tough as the cash  ebbs & flows...it's hard to always stay positive..to see the bigger picture.

So with the big birthday celebrations out of the way..it's back to the beast that dominates my life....time to focus & get that final box ticked...successful business(woman) ..tick....it's also time to acknowledge that its dominance in my life needs to be reduced....the constant worry, isn't going to achieve anything.

Last night as I danced with one of my old college friends, Harry, who I don't see often enough, he told me in his broad Limerick accent that

he loves my blog. He said he loves when he sees a new post, he says its "so me".... he wondered what it sounded like to someone who hasn't met me

I hope that you are enjoying the blog too..Maybe some day you will buy a Delicious Food Co, salad or sandwich, read my daily musing, that you will enjoy it...and then, in a funny way..I think that you too, will have finally met me..

Have a great week.

Shirley x

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