Took a Chance and Quit My F/T Job!

[smspamperedchef]

Ok, EXTREMELY tough decision but quit my job on Friday (did give a month notice) as a P.E. aide. I was just so unhappy there. Kids are great until "some" adults get in the way. Makes for WAY too many children if you know what I mean!!!

Anyway, I'm very excited and a bit worried at the same time about "did I make the right decision"???

My business has been going extremely well with my sales pretty consisitent although who wouldn't want a few more shows on the books? My team however is doing just ok. I need to somehow light a fire. They are all VERY part time which is good and bad but need some more on my team who wants to focus on this solely.

Anyway, since I will be FREE at home I would LOVE some suggestions to make use of my daytime hours. This needs to be productive not e-mailing or making packets. Does anyone do DAYTIME shows during the week? If so, who and how did you get them? Any other ideas that have been tried out that gets your name out there during the day??? I NEED to be WORKING and not get lazy. I'll be talking with my bank (By the way, they love me! I bring them food!) to see if I could set up an info table with catalogs, opp info, prize slips, etc. Just not sure how that will go over as their location is inside a grocery store.

Anyone have other ideas for running your business during the day? Do you set office hours? What is your schedule like? ETC. ETC. ETC.!!!??? Thanks for any and all ideas!!!

 

[legacypc46]

Monday mornings are hectic! I'll make a note to post more later, but here are a couple quick things that help me as a full-time PC-er (or at least reduce my tendency to be all over the place!).

The biggest thing to watch out for is getting caught in the trap of spending 'all your time' doing pc-stuff. When you give yourself too much time, you start doing the 'feel good' tasks instead of the ones that actually produce income. (Speaking from experience here...you'd be amazed at how many times I 'reorganized' my files!)

I break my 'to-do's' down into four kinds of tasks:
- those that directly produce income and build your business (seeking out shows, host coaching, doing shows, processing shows, sharing the opportunity, etc)
- those that indirectly produce income/build your business (training your team, training yourself, customer service tasks such as customer care calls, newsletters, searching ChefSuccess for specific info/topics, etc)
- those that need to be done but aren't income related (making host packets, making guest packets, maintaining your expense/mileage logs, placing supply orders, etc)
- those that run the risk of distracting you from your business (over-filing, over-organizing, over-doing host/guest packets, making too many flyers, browsing Chef Success for it's entertainment value , etc)

I try to keep the amount of time dedicated to each category proportional to it's impact on your business. (Honestly speaking, I have inadvertently spent entire days on my business not really doing anything to help my business...so that's why I make the cautionary comments. You may not have this challenge!)

I do some daytime shows, but I have to really look for them. I'm not a Mom, so I don't have the connection of children's acitivities. Because my days are free, I do seek out groups that interest me that will also introduce me to more people. I've also used the time to get to know several other female small business owners in the community. The resulting friendships have also helped my business.

As for your team, there are some great ideas on Director Chef Success.

I typed this on the fly, so I hope it helps.

leggy

 

[legacypc46]

Sharon, I just noticed you've been doing this for 9 years! Wow...not sure I have anything new to offer! -leggy

 

[dannyzmom]

Hey Sharon! Nice to see ya - I have been wondering where you've been! Congrats on taking the leap! I think Leggy's advice is pretty much EXACTLY what I would say! And make LOTS and LOTS of phone calls all day ong!

 

[smspamperedchef]

Thanks guys! Keep 'em coming! I'll try not to spend all day on Chef Success! LOL!

Yep! 9 years! This is what I want to do too! I hate working for someone else! Always have!

Now, my issue is calling people during the day. So many people work now and I hate to call them a work. Some tell me I can and I get their # but I usually cannot get their full attention because they're supposed to be working plus if they don't want to talk to me they can always use the excuse that they're working if they wanted to.
Not sure if anyone has done that but...
I'm sitting here at my desk typing and don't know what to do first. My desk was cleaned 2 days ago (late in the evening) so that's not a problem. I would love to connect with many today!

 

[MissChef]

The biggest thing to watch out for is getting caught in the trap of spending 'all your time' doing pc-stuff. When you give yourself too much time, you start doing the 'feel good' tasks instead of the ones that actually produce income. (Speaking from experience here...you'd be amazed at how many times I 'reorganized' my files!)

I break my 'to-do's' down into four kinds of tasks:
- those that directly produce income and build your business (seeking out shows, host coaching, doing shows, processing shows, sharing the opportunity, etc)
- those that indirectly produce income/build your business (training your team, training yourself, customer service tasks such as customer care calls, newsletters, searching ChefSuccess for specific info/topics, etc)
- those that need to be done but aren't income related (making host packets, making guest packets, maintaining your expense/mileage logs, placing supply orders, etc)
- those that run the risk of distracting you from your business (over-filing, over-organizing, over-doing host/guest packets, making too many flyers, browsing Chef Success for it's entertainment value , etc)

So a question would be if your office is such a mess you are lost, that would become a priority then, right? LOL! As for me I love your advice.... I just need to organize my life! I have KG's PILOT disease! I pile it everywhere!
I think this week, I'm going to have to spend some time organizing and cleaning and throwing a ton of stuff away, I'll probably be on the market place real soon!
I would love to read more about this subject too.... all though this is my only job, I have been on and off on my consistency for a while now and really need to boost up my business again. I need to get organized so I can find all my contacts so that I can do the 3-2-1 thing! I need a professional organizer, except that I want one that is PC trained so that they would know what is important to keep and what I can let go of! I just need to get mad and do it!
Any cheerleaders for me would be great!:thumbup: :blushing:

 

[PCMelissa]

Wow Sharon! Good for you for doing something hard, and brave, like quitting your job. I don't have much advice for you, but wanted to thank you for this thread because I need to take the advice from it. I am at home with my 9 mo old daughter, and am 12 weeks pregnant. I need to get my business organized, but more importantly not fall into the trap that Leggy was speaking of. I am GOOD for working hard on the items that do NOT generate business $$ or opp.

 

[legacypc46]

I'm having to laugh at myself...I absolutely know what I need to do to effectively organize my business...but that doesn't mean Iim actually doing it (yet)!

I've spent most of the morning searching for a critical business card...it's for a lead on a possible fundraiser that means a lot to me both personally and professionally! I made the mistake of putting it somewhere 'safe'. Ugh!

leggy

 

[jrstephens]

I am going to 3 days after I have Cole in May when I come back from maternity leave. I am so excited!

 

[Lorna May]

For daytime shows, make connections with offices to do quick lunch shows. There are many posts to help with that here.
As for lighting a fire under your team perhaps a contest each month to motivate them? Highest sales, most recruits, most shows and providing an incentive that appeals to them it may not be pc related, like a restaurant coupon, day at the spa, maid for a day.
Congratulations, I too hope to be so brave someday soon
Lorna

 

[baychef]

Great thread...even though I do not do PC as my full time job. Leggy, as usual, LOVE your information.

I too have PILOT disease. My desk here at work AND my PC office at home are landfills (minus the food, however).

To help your team get motivated, would they like an "elevator call" from you to come home to at night? Not sure what wording, but congratulating them if they just submitted a high show or recruited or something.

Also, I think by continuing to recruit more on your team, you may just stumble upon some real "go-getters" that may inspire the rest of your team to step up their business. If there is another Director around, could they be a guest speaker for a meeting sometime?

Another thing is to do customer care calls to leave on guests' message machine. If I receive these calls, I would not pick up the phone and order, but it WOULD leave a positive impression on me and I would shop with that person again.

What about offering to go into someone's business for lunch and show them how to prepare quick lunches to bring to work. Keep your display minimal and make sure you look to see what cooking equipement they do or don't have available to them.