Misery Loves Company: Share Your Worst Show Ever!

[abell]

**Vent with question!!: I am a hobby consultant with a full time job but I love doing PC! I had probably my worst show ever last night ~ it was a combo with another DS, we were 'trading': I was her host and she was mine. We live in a small rural town (5000 people, over 100 miles to a Target or Walmart!), where after 4 years I still only know a handful of people... she has lived here a very long time and knows lots. So I agreed to do this [even though I know combo shows aren't the best] 1) b/c she asked for it and, hey, a show is a show and 2) I thought, well, if nothing else I'll get to meet some new people which is one of my goals for doing PC!
Sooo... I invite my barely 40 list of people (many of which I already knew would be out of town unfortunately, I had tried to steer the other consultant to a fall show when more on my list would be around but she absolutely wanted June...) and she said she invited almost 200 (although noone from her work "b/c they're not the type" *What??). She thought at least 10 were coming so we set up chairs for 20 people just to be safe.
3! There were 3 people at the show - 2 of them for me (my very close friend and her aunt) so she had 1 person come! ONE person and that was her unemployed best friend!!! :yuck:
I got just enough for it to be a show on my end (bless my friend and her aunt!) ~ I don't know if she had any sales for her DS. So that part on my end is ok BUT my close friend's aunt (who I already knew quite well) was on my list for a summer booking [we hadn't picked a date but she was a firm yes for a summer show!]. Now, after last night's pitiful show, she wants hers to be a combo show with the same lady!! Basically a repeat of last night but at her house! So even though I squeaked through last night I feel like I have actually hurt my business because now I have to share one of the 2 bookings I had for July!!!
When I told my husband, he said "well at least you had your two people there, it could have been worse!".
I know he's right so that made me think: misery loves company, what are your worst shows ever!?

 

[DebPC]

You just never know. Sometimes things will work out great and sometimes not. I try and learn from it so it won't happen again. But I would really talk to your aunt and convince her to do a solo show with you.

 

[abell]

Thanks, Deb, I know; I am trying to just 'bless and release' except that I have to repeat it in a month! If it were my aunt I probably would find a way to do a solo show but where it's my friend's aunt I'm not sure how to do that tactfully (my first reactions: "I booked with you first, I don't want any tag-a-longs ruining my good time!" or "No, I won't do a combo show with this woman (even though I just did...)!" probably aren't good responses!). And I don't want to back out of what was my initial booking because:
1) I'm stubborn and it was my show first!!
2) Then if they go through with the show anyways I'll feel like I lost out on potential sales and leads because I didn't want to share (basically I'll feel like she won, even though I know it's not really a competition :grumpy
Thanks for being supportive and letting me vent it out!!