Balancing Work, Shows & Family: How Cheffers Do It

[PCSarahjm]

How many shows does each cheffer do a month? I am work a fulltime job 8-5 M-F and do PC on the side. I only do 3-4 shows a month. Plus have a 19mth old little boy at home.

I want to start doing a few more but thought I would see what everyone else does and plan around that. So how does everyone juggle everything without being overwelmed?

Thanks for the help!

 

[pamperedpals]

I do 8-10 a month. I also work Full-time and have three boys, 8, 3 and 2.

 

[KellyTheChef]

Holy cow! How can you guys work FULL TIME, have LITTLE KIDS LIKE ME, and still do so many shows? My DH would kill me!

 

[pamperedpals]

My DH is VERY supportive of PC. He knows that I want to quit my Full-time job by the time my youngest starts school. He tells me I should actually doing more shows. Don't know about that.

It is my me time, that is what he tells me and I love it. DH works S-Tu, so he is home the days I do shows W-F. I have just started doing shows every other Sunday (found a babysitter) and I love it. Gives me a little break and starts my week off with a bang.

 

[Brandi2007]

I currently have been doing 4 but I am now booking myself around 7-10 per month. Gives me plenty of room for cancellation that way too. I work a fulltime job and have two children as well ages 5 and 7. PC is my "me-thing". That's how I have the time for it.

 

[jrstephens]

I do 2 -3 cooking shows per month and try to have some catalog shows going on. It really depends on my schedule and how many I have the time to do. With working I do not like to do more than 4 a month b/c it takes so much time away from my family at night. I am married with a 3 year old son.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Right now I average 4-6 a month. It's been getting a little lower the past couple of months because I will have a baby in Oct (although I do have 7 shows next month--go pan-o-rama!). I want to try to take it a little easy in November & December (just my reg. 4-6 shows), but in January I want to start doing 8 shows a month or more. I also have a 2 1/2 year old & I babysit my 4 year old nephew & will start watching his newborn sister in 2 weeks when my sis goes back to work. I watch them full-time.

 

[friday]

I have been doing 2-4 a month, but the DH is pushing me to head toward 8-12 now that the baby is nearly 1. I also have two other boys- ages 12 and 10, and I teach music part time. I have 6 scheduled into September so far.

 

[GourmetGirl]

I was doing 2-4 shows a month, but really want to promote and quite my ft job, so I can just do PC and grad school, so this fall it will be 8-12 shows a month.

 

[janetupnorth]

2-3 per month - usually 1 cooking and 1-2 catalog.

For September I already have 2 cooking schedule and possibly a third for me.

I work FT 45 hours/week (not counting drive times) and have two kids 6 and 3 and TONS of activities.

 

[lacychef]

I'm now doing 6-8 cooking shows per month, with a couple catalog usually.
I work part time out of the home, and have 2 girls--8 & 3 (4 on Saturday!). I also help with girl scouts, kids club, PTO, & taxi to dance 3 days a week this year. My dh is very supportive.....and I'm trying to get better organized so I don't go crazy!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I have been doing 6-8 shows a month - but for this fall I am at 8-10 already. I want to be at 8-12 every month consistently. I am a SAHM, with several things I do as a volunteer - and now will be starting my Mom's Taxi Service with the beginning of Preschool!
I consider PC to be my "full time" job - as full time as I want to be anyway.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Sheesh!! My goal was/is 6-8 a month, but usually come in at around 4. September is truly an enigma for me...I have 10 shows booked and a few catalog shows. Just last week I was stressing a bit because I only had 3 on the calendar. Then all of a sudden people started calling and emailing me to book parties. That's pretty cool! So if I have a banging September I should be able to reach my goal of consistently having 6-8 shows a month and hopefully promoting to Director by Dec. 1!! Pray for me ya'll!

I have 4 kiddos ages 10, 8, 4, and 14 mos. My husband is semi-supportive (he wants me to reach my goal of Directorship) and he travels for work about 75% of the time. He'll be gone M-Th most weeks. I am a SAHM with busy children. They've got Pop Warner football, piano, gymnastics, pre-school and a myriad of other things that crop up. Not to mention volunteering at their schools and church.

 

[ljeffries]

I work M-F 8ish to 5ish. I try to have 4 cooking shows a month. Sometimes there are more, sometimes less.
You just have to decide what you want your schedule to be. For Fall, I am trying to book as many shows as I can. January was slow (as in 0 shows) for me last year, so I am trying to work harder now to make the first part of the year go well.

 

[Tara1021]

I'm a teacher. I like to have 4-6 shows each month. However, right now I have 6 cooking and 5 catalogs on the books for September. And, they all fall the last 2 weeks of the month. I have one for October and another possible for October or November.

 

[Addie4TLC]

Wow!!! All of you doing more than 8 (or MORE) shows a month and work full time, are you earning any of the incentive trips? I earned my first one last year doing only 4 shows but only because I recruited a lot. When I do the calculator and it tells me I need $4K a month for the rest of the year it's depressing. You all are so inspiring though!!! I started like that 8 to 10 shows during my super starter months. That's why I earned the 9 bonus PLUS but then it seems like I lost steam and that momentum FAST. I'm very interested in how you all do it around a FT job and kids!

 

[nicki25]

I'm now doing 6-8 cooking shows per month, with a couple catalog usually.
I work part time out of the home, and have 2 girls--8 & 3 (4 on Saturday!). I also help with girl scouts, kids club, PTO, & taxi to dance 3 days a week this year. My dh is very supportive.....and I'm trying to get better organized so I don't go crazy!

Hey Lacy, do you mind if I ask what you do part time out of the home?? I am in need of finding something to make some extra money while the kids are in school to get some medical bills paid for. I use most of my PC money to help with the regular bills and am looking to get these other bills paid off soon.

 

[lacychef]

Hey Lacy, do you mind if I ask what you do part time out of the home?? I am in need of finding something to make some extra money while the kids are in school to get some medical bills paid for. I use most of my PC money to help with the regular bills and am looking to get these other bills paid off soon.

Hey, no problem! I'm actually an office assistant to my MIL at their full-service gas station & mechanic's shop. DH also is a mechanic there, plus his dad works there, plus dh's step brother. So it's quite a family business! I work 3 mornings per week.

 

[PChefPEI]

I work full time 8 to 4 and have a 3 year-old daughter, Chelsey. My hubby says I could do a show every night if I wanted to. He's very supportive!

I haven't been consistant, but my goal is I would settle for 8 shows in a month, but would love to have 10 to 12!! It is my "me" time as well!

 

[PCJenni]

I do 2-3 a month. My husband would FREAK OUT if I scheduled more. I am a SAHM and do PC as my escape. I have one daughter 18 months. My husband takes care of her when I am gone and he has a hard time handling it.

 

[chefann]

I'm the lazy one. Really. I've been mostly a hobbyist to this point - a couple of shows a month. I'm going to kick things into gear though to get my fall rocking! At this point, I'd be happy with 5 shows a month.

I keep getting mixed signals from DH, though. When I tell him that I won't be home because I have a show, he sounds disappointed (although we don't do things together when we're home because he's usually in the garage playing on the cars). And when I don't have one, he asks, "Don't you have any shows?" He wants me to quit, so I need to do more shows to show him that it's not just for getting out of the house.

 

[sfdavis918]

I have averaged 3.5 shows per month over the last 11 months. I have not been consistent at all though. September I have 7 shows booked, so I'm hoping this will be the start of a consistent schedule. I want to have 8 shows per month. I am a WAHM, with my own bookkeeping business as well as PC.

 

[hperschnick]

I had 4 this month and I already have 4 booked for next month. I have a show tonight and I'm going to try to get a few more for Sept. I would like to have 6-8 shows a month at least. I like having shows weeknight evenings but not everyone can do that. I work full time and have a 15 month old (and one on the way!! just found out!). My husband is very supportive also so that helps. I am not offering Sunday shows anymore - I need that day to get ready for the next week.

 

[chefjeanine]

I do 2-3 a month. My husband would FREAK OUT if I scheduled more. I am a SAHM and do PC as my escape. I have one daughter 18 months. My husband takes care of her when I am gone and he has a hard time handling it.

This sounds like a good reason to book a few more shows.

I don't know what the goals for your business are. . .but if you hold a show each week, you'll be more comfortable at your shows and you are very likely to earn at least level one of the incentives.

Just a thought.

 

[PCSarahjm]

When I started PC I thought I was going to have a huge lawyer bill(long story ex-husband didn't pay his part of the debt in our divorce) Anyway I got out of the deal alot cheaper than expected. So I really don't need the extra job but I have grown to love PC...I like getting out of the house once a week. I love the extra income. I have purchased things I have wanted but didn't need. And I keep thinking this might be my way to become a SAHM. So I was just wondering how everyone else's schedules were to sort of give me an idea on how I need to set and reach my goal.

Thanks everyone!