Considering Pampered Chef and Have ??

[Sarah]

Hello, Ladies!

I have been never even been to a PC show, but I've been lurking here for some time. I am giving consideration to becoming a Kitchen Consultant because I have done a lot of research on the internet and found PC to be a very highly respected business with excellent products. You all are very inspirational. I have read virtually every post on this website I think, even the archives. I feel like I know you all!

Please help me questions: 1) Do you find that you are spending a great deal of time away from your families by doing the evening shows and also making the telephone calls? I have 2 children, ages 5 & 7 and the evening hours are always a bit trying with everyone being tired and needing to do homework, etc. I don't know if I can ask my DH to handle things 100% for several nights a week. Currently I am a SAHM. Are you able to do any day time shows or complete any phone calls during the day? 2) DH travels periodically. He knows about a month ahead when he'll be gone. Will that be enough notice for me in booking shows? Will my being unable to do shows for a week every 6 weeks or so (due to his travelling) make a big difference in bookings? For now I am assuming that I won't be using babysitters.

Thanks for helping me out.

Sarah

 

[chefloriray]

Sara,

I would be happy to help you out, are you currently working with a consultant? Please e-mail me and we can talk privatly @ [email protected] and I can answer all your questions plus any more you might have!

 

[gmosullivan]

My husband travels frequently and can change daily. I have found a back up baby sitter when his schedule does change after I book a show. I most usually don't need to use them. I have 4 children and schedules to deal with and can answer anyquestions that may not get answered.

Mary O'Sullivan

[email protected]
www.pamperedchef.biz/maryosullivan

 

[pamperedbecky]

Hello, Ladies!

I have been never even been to a PC show, but I've been lurking here for some time. I am giving consideration to becoming a Kitchen Consultant because I have done a lot of research on the internet and found PC to be a very highly respected business with excellent products. You all are very inspirational. I have read virtually every post on this website I think, even the archives. I feel like I know you all!

Please help me questions: 1) Do you find that you are spending a great deal of time away from your families by doing the evening shows and also making the telephone calls? I have 2 children, ages 5 & 7 and the evening hours are always a bit trying with everyone being tired and needing to do homework, etc. I don't know if I can ask my DH to handle things 100% for several nights a week. Currently I am a SAHM. Are you able to do any day time shows or complete any phone calls during the day? 2) DH travels periodically. He knows about a month ahead when he'll be gone. Will that be enough notice for me in booking shows? Will my being unable to do shows for a week every 6 weeks or so (due to his travelling) make a big difference in bookings? For now I am assuming that I won't be using babysitters.

Thanks for helping me out.

Sarah

Hi Sarah!
Congrats on making the choice to consider PC! It sounds like you've been doing your research, which is great! You sound a lot like me. I have two kids (3 1/2 years and 9 months) and I am a SAHM. I became a consultant when my son was 15 months old, so I've been doing it for over two years. My husband travels periodically too. Most of my shows are in the evenings, but mostly on the weekends. I have had daytime shows too. The beauty of it all is that YOU choose your own schedule! If you want to do primarly daytime shows, you can. My director tries to just do shows on Thursday nights and Saturday mornings (brunch themed shows).

A lot of consultants are able to do strict office hours where they go into their office area and are able to devote a couple hours strictly to PC work. I can tell you that I don't quite work that way. Mainly because of interruptions from kids and other responsibilities I have in the home. But, what's nice is if I have a free 15-20 minutes here and another chunk there, I can make phone calls, enter orders, organize my paperwork, stamp catalogs, etc. Plus kids are usually anxious to be great helpers! My son's a little young, but soon I'll probably have him help me stamp catalogs and order forms, things like that. I definitely don't feel like my evening shows take me away from my family too much. Matter of fact, I NEED that time away and I can really refresh myself and use that as a break from SAHM duties. The other benefit that I didn't expect is that my husband gets that alone time with the kids which otherwise probaby wouldn't have happened. I know a lot of husbands get anxious about that, but after the first few nights you're out of the house, it'll be fine. How many shows a week would you like to do? You mentioned being gone several times a week. You can build up to that and see how it goes. If it works to only have one show a week at night, then that's totally up to you! I'll admit, it is a challenge at times (depending on the mood my 3 1/2 year old is in!) to make phone calls when he's around because he ends up talking in my ear about something and hasn't quite learned the skill of waiting. But, everyone on the other end of the phone understands and it's never been a huge problem.

I do have family close by that have helped in a pinch and we're starting to use more babysitters, but not often. If my husband can't get home in time for me to leave for a show, I'll have family come over just for an hour or something. I know neighbors would also be willing to jump in in a punch.
I don't think your DH traveling should make a huge difference because you know enough time in advance. If you need to book more shows on the weeks he'll be home to make up for that one week, this job is flexible enough where you can do that.

I would say go for it! If you find that it's just not working for you and your family, you don't have to continue. Just try it for four shows and see how you like it! If you have an experience anything like mine, you'll discover skills you didn't know you had and you'll grow personally from it. I know I did. Plus I used to hate to cook and speak in front of others-go figure!

Sorry to go on and on, but I'm really excited for you. One more thing...this kind of shows you how flexible this job is and how you can make it what you want. Last year, we sold our house, built a new one (that one wouldn't have been possible without the added income!), moved TWICE and five weeks after moving into our new house, I had my baby girl! And I kept my business going...pretty strong I might add. There was only one month that I didn't submit sales throughout all of that. Please let me know if I can answer any more questions, but I think I've covered what you were looking for feedback on. Take care!!

 

[luvs2sellit]

I am a sahm too and I have 2 boys 6 and 10. I schedule all parties according to our family schedule. Most of my evening parties I schedule for around 6:30. That gives me time to get the boys home from school, do any homework and get dinner ready. My husband gets home at 5:15 and we eat when he walks in the door. Then I leave. Sometimes I don't have time to eat. But that way the evening is set for less stress for my dh who has worked all day. It has really worked well. I have also spent alot of time training my husband to get this far too. haha.

 

[janel kelly]

Hi Sarah,

I know how you feel because I asked myself all those same questions you asked before I became a consultant. (I think we all have) The awesome thing about PC is its very flexible. I try to aim for having one show at least a week. Sometimes I get that and sometimes I don't. When you get your date book write down every day that you know has something going on. When you are getting bookings let them know "I have these dates open to do a show." You might find you have more free days than you thought to do a show. The great thing is the shows you do only need to last for a couple of hours so often I get home in time to put my son to bed. If one of my shows is in the evening I try to get my host to have it around 6 or 6:30pm and am home by 9pm. This may not happen every time but that is what has worked for me.

I stay at home with my son also and haven't had any shows sheduled during the day yet. Generally I have found most people like to have shows in the evening and on the weekends. As far as telephone time I usually try to make calls in the evening because I catch more people at home that way. When people fill our their survey cards you get in your kit you can have them write down a preferred time for you to call them. I try to make calls between 7-8pm. They normally don't last too long so I can get several done in an hour. My husband will usually try to look after my son while I'm on the phone. If my son gets fussy then I just take a break from the phone. I just love how flexible we can be with PC. You could never be this flexible with an outside job.
Its hard sometimes deciding to do PC because you go back and forth with so many questions. I finally told myself "I'm going to give it a try for at least 4-6 shows" After I found out how easy it can be I was hooked. If I can help you out in any way let me know.
Janel Kelly
(701)727-9151
[email protected]