In an earlier blog post, I discussed the 7 items I do in my indoor playground company as I have grown and matured as a company owner.
I chased Michael Hyatt, who, in many of his books and programs always refers to designing your ideal weeks and days as"the desire zone." Operating inside your dream zone, even as he explains it, only means you are spending the bulk of your time doing what you both love AND are great at.



1) COMMUNICATE WITH BIRTHDAY CLIENTS



At Growing Vines Cafe and Play, we've chosen our exceptional personal birthday parties as the primary focus of our business.
Due to this attention, I have chosen to personally plan the primary aspects of each party we host. When someone books their occasion with us, they get a comprehensive confirmation that includes my own contact info and mentions that I'm personally in touch as their event draws near.
While I do not typically handle the implementation of our celebrations, I do still act as the main touchpoint for parents and collect all of their information and tastes. Ten days prior to each celebration, I send out a personalized celebration"questionnaire" which includes all of the details we have gathered up to this point, provides additional day-of info, and inquires about last-minute details.
I answer all queries that the host might have in reaction to this email and-- after some back-and-forth communication-- I list all their event info on that which we call a"celebration prep sheet" Because we have around 6 comprehensive events in one weekend, this business is essential!
The party-prep sheet is a very thorough document that allows our party hosts to do the event to the exact specifications of the parents, leaving no rock unturned. This has enabled me to have most weekends free nonetheless still feel convinced we are providing an above-and-beyond birthday celebration experience.
After the party, we send a questionnaire to each hosting family. Should they have opinions, whether it be negative or positive, I follow up personally. This closes the loop on clients' experience and makes certain they know I genuinely care about their child's special day. This method has resulted in a substantial number of repeat bookings and consistent referrals from past parties.
Not merely is planning these parties something that I excel in, but I also take great pleasure in it. Event planning is how I got into the business in the first place, therefore I am more than happy to take on this endeavor. If I'm ever feeling overwhelmed with all the details, I know I have amazing team members that I can lean on.



Speaking of our amazing team members, yet another job I choose to have a hand is our hiring and firing process. While I really do leave the final conclusion to our cafe supervisor, I would rather write the project posts and filter and descriptions through resumes and applications before bringing anyone in for a meeting.
Having spent many years hiring and firing my fair share of employees, it's easy for me to see red-flags on software and also find"diamonds in the rough" Since we have the majority of our standard operating procedures documented and optimized, I prefer to employ based on character and excitement rather than experience.
I also make sure I personally welcome each employee to our staff and touch base with them often to check in and gather feedback from them.


Another job that lies within my present"desire zone" is digging the general direction of our organization and coming up with fresh tactics to best serve our community.
Since I no longer spend some time doing these 7 things (and more!) , my energy and time are freed up to research what our ideal clients want and want 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 party to be outside at their residence (since most have backyards and pools). We then started offering mobile events, where we'd bring decorations, food, and activities for the children to their homes, and it was a hit!
Another example is our occasions . We are constantly adding fun new occasions that enable clients, particularly working parents with limited weekday accessibility, to see us out of open hours and get an enhanced experience throughout the theme of the event, class, or activity.
If I had been I doing EVERY job in my enterprise, I wouldn't have nearly enough time to perform as much research or innovation.


If it comes to understanding how to innovate and what to provide, it starts with forging a genuine connection with clients.
It is because of this that I love interacting with our customers all time (when I can) and on social networking. I opt to work celebrations, events, and even open-play when my family's schedule allows it so I could stay active and aware of what is occurring during the day-to-day. Additionally, it gives me the opportunity to observe how customers are using our space firsthand and listen to any concerns or questions they have. Although at this age of technology you can find testimonials, forms, and surveys, I have discovered that NOTHING can replace using a face-to-face dialog with customers who use your space (and probably visits competitors too!) on a daily basis.
It is because of this that you will even see billionaire CEOs visiting retail locations on a regular basis. Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, was renowned for visiting hundreds of stores across the country each year, spending some time with the clients who were spending their money on his merchandise.
I really like being a family owned and operated company, and that I love for my clients 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 people hoping to start out indoor playground equipment playgrounds, I really do spend a significant quantity of time creating absolutely free articles for them on my blog and above on YouTube. I also have an absolutely free, 44-page eBook for play-cafe-owning hopefuls they can download right on our website or simply by clicking here.
If someone consumes that free info and determines they would like to proceed with their plans, I also have an online program named Play Cafe Academy in which I help entrepreneurs gain from daydream to opening-day in significantly less time and less strain than they ever believed possible.
When I was researching this business model, there wasn't a great deal of info out there. Recent owners really keep all of their business secrets near their vest, and that I don't blame them! Even in the event that you charge a consulting fee, you are still sort of giving away the keys that you have worked so hard for and it is very 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 business, I wound up making a slew of errors (and I mean a TON of mistakes) because I just did not know any better. So when I started getting emails and calls to consult for other possible play cafe owners, then I couldn't keep this information to myself. While it's easy for me to feel like an imposter or that there are other small business owners much more capable than me to share this advice, I understand that there's a 4-years-ago me sitting somewhere waiting for another idea to leap out at them.
And honestly, I don't need to see one more business close because someone who is walked before them did not share any information! Why not share it myself?!
However, my time is valuable. I've got two small kids and run another company... I do not have 12 hours to devote hand-holding each standpoint owner through the process. (And let me tell you, it is going to take at least 12 to 24 hours of paid one-on-one consulting to even break the surface of what you require, such as documentation) At the average rate of $100 to $200 an hour to actually consultwith imagine what you might wind up paying for just a hint of schooling!
Students may go through those modules in their own speed, and I don't need to take the opportunity to walk my students through the program.
This enables me to assist other entrepreneurs in their course while at the same time reserving time and energy I need for my loved ones and other commitments.
I know many owners that choose to do all the items inside their small business, and it works for them because we all have different"desire zones."
I feel really lucky that I have learned through the years what my strengths (and weaknesses!) Are and may design my"perfect" weeks so. When I was burning the candle on both ends trying to handle everything myself, I'd be doing myself, my family, and my customers a significant disservice.