Friday the 13Th Mayhem and Thoughts on What to Carry

[lisacb77]

I just had to share my show experience last night. I knew y'all would understand.

So I agreed to do a show for my friend's MIL. On the drive up there (we carpooled) she warned me how scatterbrained MIL was and how she'd be in a dither trying to do everything at the last minute. Sure enough, she was panicking b/c she bought small instead of big paper plates LOL. I just got to work setting up and all was good.

I forgot to have her pull all the ingredients out when I got there. Right before the demo, I notice she bought chopped onion and peeled garlic! Fortunately, my friend found a garlic bulb in the fridge, and we just decided we'd chop the onion further

Well of course, it was a group of mostly 50s and 60s ladies that don't get together much, so boy did they talk. Plus 2 ppl had to leave in the middle of the demo as they had other things going on. So I had to stop and calculate their tax.

One of my friend's relatives (hubby's aunt) used to be a Tupperware consultant. She was relentless! Kept asking exactly how much everything cost. Good lord. I am glad we don't do as hard of a sell.

The bottom almost fell out when the dough for the top (did Cheeseburger Stuffed Calzone) got too warm and wouldn't roll out. My friend and I had to put it on in pieces then smoosh together.

It all worked out and it was a $515 show. But I am still discovering "gremlins" today. I rinsed everything before leaving and went to wash it all better today. My forged chef's knife has weird brown spots on it! I hope it's not rust. I thought these weren't supposed to rust! I wasn't planning to use it but someone grabbed it to cut the calzone more while I was doing orders in the other room.

Then I realized that my zester/scorer is missing. I wasn't even planning to use it. But after I demoed the juicer, someone wanted to see how that worked. And now it's gone! B/c when I was doing orders in the other room, two of the aunts starting cleaning my dishes. While I am thankful for that, I didn't want anyone moving my stuff around! It took forever to packup and find all my stuff last night.

Sigh. I know it's only going to cost me like $6 if I have to replace it, and since the host forgot to keep her receipt, she told me to forget about the ingredients (it was a promo I was running when she booked) but still! Fortunately she may be going there tomorrow. I'm sure if it turns up the host can mail it to me, and I can borrow one from my recruit if I don't get it in time for next week's shows. I just hope it didn't go home in someone's leftovers the way they were packing up!!

I am just glad I survived. I had already decided before last night I can't do Friday night shows anymore. Just too tough on a work night for me. But now I am beginning to wonder how much of the "extra" items I should carry to a show. I'm thinking of looking at my top 10 list since this is month three for me. I know I want to be sure to take some of all the collections. I'm just wondering how many other "gadgets" I should take if not using in the recipe. It's just more to keep track of. I know this has been on here before but thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks for listening

 

[AJPratt]

Wow, Lisa! SOunds like a recent show I had. I was doing some work in the hosts kitchen and stepped out. Her husband came in and saw stuff laying around and stuck it in the dishwasher. What a guy! Unfortunately, it was MY stuff. I lost my utility knife from that and a couple of other small items. I just recently started taking ONLY what I need for the recipe. What a difference it has made in set up and clean up time. Our catalog does an amazing job of showcasing the products. Depending on time, I may demo another item, but I mainly stick to recipes with the kit items in it, because they show and sell the best. I don't want to try to reinvent the wheel, HO has done so much of the work already.

 

[lisacb77]

Cool, thanks Anne. I thought I had read a post from you recently about not taking much more than needed.

I've got to stop taking the 3 tier stand I think! Even though I love it, I don't think it makes a big difference. Although I was surprised how large it is! I might keep taking some of the squares and bowls though and start incorporating them into serving. And of course the small bowl caddy, which I use for Pampered Poker chips. I also take my 3 forged knives and my saute pan (only pc of cookware) but I might just take the paring & sanktou. They serve the purpose. And after lugging the woven tray around I did sell one, and I guess that is a "collection" so I might keep taking that.

I will say that if y'all don't have the cutting board with measure cups, GET IT!! Last night was the first night I had it and I sold one! Bigger than our other boards but hey, it is a $30 item

 

[pamperedlinda]

....... And of course the small bowl caddy, which I use for Pampered Poker chips. ........

What's Pampered Poker?

 

[Wildfire]

Hi there! I'm so glad you shared your show experience with us. It sounds like you handled everything like a pro, even with some unexpected challenges. It's always helpful to have a friend or family member there to support you during a show, especially when things get a little hectic. And it's great that you were able to make the most of the situation with the chopped onion and peeled garlic.I can definitely relate to dealing with talkative guests and unexpected interruptions during a demo. It's all part of the fun and excitement of doing shows, right? And congratulations on the $515 show! That's amazing!As for your missing zester/scorer and the brown spots on your forged chef's knife, that can be frustrating. It's always a good idea to keep an eye on your tools and make sure they're not being used without your knowledge. But don't worry, these things happen and it sounds like you have a plan to handle it if the missing items don't turn up.In terms of what extra items to bring to a show, it's always a good idea to have a variety of products on hand. I like your idea of looking at your top 10 list and bringing some of each collection. You never know what might catch a guest's eye and having a variety of options can lead to more sales.Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I'm sure it was a learning experience and I'm glad you survived it. Keep up the great work as a pampered chef consultant!