In a previous blog post, I spoke the 7 things I no longer do in my indoor playground business as I have grown and matured as a business owner.
I chased Michael Hyatt, who, in most of his novels and programs continuously refers to designing your ideal days and weeks as"the appetite zone." Operating within your dream zone, even as he explains it, simply means you are spending the majority of your time doing what you both love AND are great at.
When there are lots of tasks I cut completely and a few I delegate to better-suited team members, there are several responsibilities that still lie within my"desire zone," and that I believe are important for me to manage personally. Even though this is continually changing as my priorities (both professionally and personally) evolve, these are just 5 of the jobs that I'm not giving up only yet as a company owner.


1) COMMUNICATE WITH BIRTHDAY CLIENTS



At Climbing Vines Cafe and Play, we've chosen our unique personal birthday parties as the primary focus of our business.
Due to this focus, I have chosen to personally plan the primary facets of each party we host. When someone publications their event with us, they receive a comprehensive confirmation that includes my contact information and mentions that I'm personally in touch as their event draws near.
While I don't normally take care of the implementation of our parties, I really do act as the major touchpoint for parents and collect all of their information and tastes. Ten days before each celebration, I send a personalized celebration"questionnaire" that includes all of the details we've gathered up to this point, provides additional day-of info, and asks about last-minute particulars.
I answer all queries the host may have in reaction to this email and-- following some back-and-forth communication-- I record all of their event information on that which we call a"party prep sheet" Based on clients' options, I make a list for all of our vendors (catering, party supplies, balloons, paper products, etc.) and will usually have a team member complete the purchasing and arrange all the supplies so that they are grouped by party. Since we have around 6 all-inclusive events in one weekend, this organization is indispensable!
The party-prep sheet is a very thorough document that allows our party hosts to do the occasion to the specific specifications of the parents, leaving no rock unturned. This has allowed me to have most weekends free nonetheless still feel convinced we're delivering an above-and-beyond birthday celebration experience.
After the celebration, we deliver a questionnaire to every hosting household. If they have opinions, whether it be positive or negative, I always follow up . This closes the loop on clients' expertise and makes certain they understand I genuinely care for their child's special day. This process has resulted in a substantial amount of repeat bookings and consistent referrals from past parties.
Not merely is planning these parties something that I excel in, arcade.9d vr but additionally, I take great pleasure in it. Event planning is how I got into the business in the first place, so I am more than pleased to have this endeavor. If I'm ever feeling overwhelmed with all the facts, I understand I have amazing team members that I can lean on.

2) OVERSEE HIRING AND FIRING


Speaking of our amazing team members, another task I choose to have a hand is our hiring and firing procedure. While I really do leave the final decision up to our cafe manager, I would rather write the job posts and filter and descriptions through resumes and software before bringing anyone in for a meeting.
Having spent several years shooting and hiring my fair share of workers, it's easy for me to see red-flags on applications and find"diamonds in the rough" Since we have most of our normal operating procedures optimized and documented, I prefer to hire based on character and enthusiasm instead of experience.
In addition, I make sure I personally welcome each employee to our staff and touch base with them frequently to check in and collect feedback from them.

3) DREAM UP NEW INITIATIVES



Another job that lies within my current"desire zone" is navigating the overall direction of our organization and coming up with new ways to best serve our community.
Since I spend some time doing those 7 things (and more!) , my time and energy are freed up to research what our ideal clients want and need and find out a way to incorporate that in our business model.
As an instance, I noticed that our birthday celebration bookings were slowing down at the Summer. When I asked a few clients, they mentioned that they DID love our occasions and attention-to-detail but chosen a Summer celebration to be out at their home (since many have backyards and pools). We then began offering mobile events, where we would bring food, decorations, and activities for your kids to their homes, and it was a hit!
Another example is our occasions . We're constantly adding fun new occasions that enable clients, particularly working parents with limited weekday availability, to see us out of open hours and get an enhanced experience through the theme of the event, class, or activity.
If I had been I still doing EVERY job in my enterprise, I would not have nearly enough time to perform as much innovation or research.


When it comes to understanding how to innovate and the best way to offer, it starts with forging a real connection with customers.
It is for this reason that I really like interacting with our customers all time (when I could ) and on social media. I choose to work celebrations, events, as well as open-play if my family's schedule permits it so that I could remain active and aware of what's happening during the day-to-day. Additionally, it gives me the opportunity to observe how clients are using our space first-hand and listen to any concerns or questions they have. Although at this age of technology you can find reviews, types, and polls, I have discovered that NOTHING can replace using a face-to-face conversation with customers using your distance (and probably visits competitors too!)
It's because of this you will even see billionaire CEOs seeing retail locations on a regular basis. Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, was famous for seeing hundreds of stores around the nation every year, spending time with all the clients who had been spending their cash on his merchandise.
I love being a family owned and operated company, and that I love for my customers to understand that I'm completely invested in their own happiness.

5) HELP OTHER ENTREPRENEURS ALONG Precisely the Same PATH

While I do one-on-one consulting for individuals hoping to open indoor playgrounds, I do spend a substantial quantity of time creating absolutely free articles for them here on my blog and over on YouTube. I also have a totally free, 44-page eBook to get play-cafe-owning hopefuls that they can download right on our website or simply by clicking here.
If a person consumes that free information and determines they still would like to proceed with their plans, I also have an internet program called Play Cafe Academy in which I help entrepreneurs get from daydream to opening-day in significantly less time and less stress than they ever thought possible.
When I was studying this company model, there was not a lot of info out there. Current owners really keep all of their business secrets close to their vest, and that I do not blame them! Even if you charge a consulting fee, you're still sort of giving away the secrets that you've worked so hard for and it is quite easy as a business owner to get a little smug and protective of your research and development.
When it came time to start my own company, I wound up making a slew of mistakes (and I mean a TON of errors ) since I just did not know any better. So when I started getting emails and calls to consult for additional possible play cafe owners, then I couldn't keep all this info to myself. As soon as it's easy for me to feel like an imposter or there are other business owners more capable than me to discuss this information, I know that there's a 4-years-ago me sitting somewhere waiting for the next idea to jump out in them.
And frankly, I don't need to see one more business close because someone who's walked before them did not share any information! Why not discuss it myself?!
However, my time is precious. I have two small children and also run another company... I do not have 12 hours to spend hand-holding each standpoint owner through the procedure. (And allow me to tell you, it is going to take at least 12 to 24 hours of compensated one-on-one consulting to break the surface of everything you require, such as documentation.) In the average rate of $100 to $200 an hour to really consult, imagine what you could end up paying for just a sign of education!
PCA is broken down into eight modules where I cover everything from writing your business plan to choosing a place and signing the proper lease to organizing your streams of revenue and much, much more. Students may go through these modules in their own pace, and I don't need to take the opportunity to walk my students through the program.
This allows me to help other entrepreneurs along their course while at the same time reserving the time and energy I want for my loved ones and other commitments.
I know many owners that choose to do ALL of the items inside their business, and it works for them since most of us have distinct"desire zones."
Are and may design my"perfect" weeks so. If I was still burning the candle on both ends trying to tackle everything myself, I would do myself, my family, and my clients a major disservice.