Aaand...I'm back. Again.

Looks like it's my annual fall review, where I reconnect with my blog. As the new school year starts, it always feels like a new beginning. Nevermind January 1st, give me the first week of September and I'll show you a plethora of resolutions. Well, let's give it a go again, shall we?

Here's what's happened since last we met...

Last December was a pile of endings including, but not limited to, Mr. Puss passing away right before Christmas and being given notice that I had to vacate my bakery. Add a little Christmas cheer to that stress level and maybe you can imagine the miasma.

In the new year I had to take a long, hard, look at my business and decide what to do. With the help and focus of my ever-supportive Man, I decided to go retail. Gah! If I thought December was bad, it was nothing compared to January and February. The permits, the construction, the politics, oh my! It was a step I didn't think I was ready for, but there you have it: when a door closes, a window opens. Luckily there was a ladder provided by my family and I didn't have to jump out and land in a splat.

In March we went to Europe, because we had planned [read: paid for] this trip back in November and we weren't going to deny the kids the chance to see their grandparents because of a little thing like opening a store. While I was away for 3 weeks, preparation went on without me. When I got back, everything was [almost] how I wanted it. Again, thanks to the incredibly hard work of my family.

I officially opened the new door on April 19th, 2013 and after a couple weeks I was even able to keep food down. The first weekend of May brought the Girl's First Holy Communion. A party for 40 that was planned in less than 3 weeks. Way to go me. But it got done, and She was so happy for it.

With May being the "official" start of wedding season, it was just a blur. I don't even know how I got to September. Where did the time go? Thank goodness we had the Man's cousin come visit us for a month in July/August. She was able to watch the kids for me while I was working. With her help and the help of my friend's teenage daughters, my kids only had to spend 1 day with me while I was working which was a step up from every day last summer.

Soooooo much has happened, but I finally feel that I can breathe again. There's only about 6 weeks left of multiple weddings/weekend, I have hired a competent employee with whom I get along and understands the culture that I want to create. Because of the added help this summer, my Man and I have been able to connect to each other more often instead of being passing ships in the night.

I'm still working 10-12 hours a day, but I've limited my Sundays and Mondays to only what's necessary so that I can spend meaningful time with my family (Sunday) and now that school has started, I can spend some meaningful time for me (Mondays).

Bring it on, Autumn. Let's do this. Again.

New look!

Hee hee! It's finally done. So.... what do you think? About my new blog look, that is.

I do so like to mess around with different looks, and changing up a blog template is a little frightening, if not downright terrifying. I was afraid I'd lose all my information, that I wouldn't get my widgets back. [Who likes losing widgets?] But it's over now, and I can breathe.

My design came from here: http://misspicklesdesignstudio.com/ Very straightforward instructions, but you need to be a teensy tiny bit tech savvy to troubleshoot any issues.

My follow buttons came from here: http://www.addthis.com/ Super easy and no registration needed, unless you'd like to track results.

Cost: Free (unless you count the hours searching online for usable tools that I actually like.)

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Business Bathroom Decor: How NOT to

To follow the theme of October as small business month, I would like to draw your attention to an overlooked part of many places of business: the washroom. This tiny little room often speaks volumes of what you think of your customers. I guess it must be a required afterthought for most people. But I can't be the only customer to have ever cringed when entering a disgusting little hole of what was originally thought of as a nice store/restaurant/office.

To date, I've not heard of anyone who doesn't need to use the facilities now and again. Why not make it as pleasant for customers in there as in your showroom? I'm not even going to touch on the cleanliness aspect, because that should be a given, but I would like to show a couple pics of the washroom of a coffee shop that shall remain nameless.

This is what greeted me when I turned the [sticky] handle of the door. An empty frame. Perhaps an existential statement on art? Doubtful. Maybe they had an original that was stolen? Riiiiight. What I do know is that the owners were too lazy to put something in and just left an empty picture frame on the wall above a sketchy toilet. I would also like to draw your attention to the reflection of the uncovered fluorescent lighting. Nice touch. 

And this? A handwritten sign on a ripped piece of paper, right above the tp dispenser. At first glance, am I to understand that the hand dryer should be used instead of toilet paper? For what? After thinking for a moment, you realize they mean that the hand dryer should be used instead of toilet paper to dry your hands. But the Girl was with me, and asked "how on earth am I supposed to dry my bum if the dryer is so high!!?"

What's not shown: The exposed industrial-sized plunger; cleaning supplies; dirty rags; a mop and bucket.

I understand space constraints in a small shop. Really, I do. [I have all of 250 sqft for my showroom and washroom]. But there is really no excuse. There is always room for a sink. Instead of using a hanging wall sink, get a cabinet. At least you can hide your cleaning tools and extra supplies. If there is absolutely no room for your mop and bucket, at least make it pretty. But if there's room for your extra stock, there is room for that. Cover the exposed necessaries. There are plunger covers, toilet brush holders etc.

It really made me reevaluate the postage stamp of a washroom I have in my shop. Because the building predates the current construction/accessibility codes, my washroom is about 4'x5'. Yep. Tiny. I have room for a sink and toilet. But, it's completely tiled, halfway up the wall (to make it easy to clean) and everything but the plunger (in a holder) and toilet brush (in a holder) is hidden. Extra tp is not on the floor, it's under the sink in the cabinet. Same goes for cleaning supplies. I don't treat this room as a storage room. There's not a lot in the way of decoration, but it's clean, has decent [covered] lighting and doesn't scare people. I treat it as a place that my customers will see, use and judge the quality of my business. As well they should.

Am I being too picky again? Are you as crazy about this as I am?

Top 5 Mom-Specific Business Skills

So, you're not sure you've got what it takes to run a business? Are you just just a mom? [What a terrible thing to say!] I've been a mom for over 9 years, and a business owner for over 6 years. In yesterday's post I promised a list of skills that moms have in spades. There are definitely many, many skills you need to run a business, but here are my...

Top 5 Mom-Specific Transferable Skills:

1. Multitasking Prioritizing: Chances are, you can change a diaper, wipe a spill, pull up a child from the floor, talk on the phone, check your text messages and prevent a building block tower from collapsing seemingly all at the same time. We all know this is impossible, since we only have two hands, yet it happens. The reason for this is that we know how to prioritize. We know what needs to get done first, even if it's in rapid-fire time. This translates well to business when you wake up in the morning and you know there are 17 activities that must be accomplished and you need to decide which one to do first.

2. Patience: We've all gone through the stages of reading the same book every night for 63 weeks. Singing the same song over and over again. Answering the same questions every day. We may not like it, but we do it knowing that the stage will pass and we will be rewarded. This is the same for standing in line waiting for permits. Dealing with suppliers. Answering the same questions from customers over and over again. Keep at it. As long as you're doing something that is of value to someone, your reward will come.

3. Salesmanship: If you've ever had to convince your child that broccoli is the superhero of the dinner plate or that sweet potatoes are "just like candy!" and succeeded, you will do well in sales. If you've ever extolled the benefits of bathing more than once a week and had sweet-smelling success, you can make it in the business world. You know that the benefits ["Broccoli makes you strong!"] outweigh the features ["Broccoli has lots of vitamins!"] and that's what sells.

4. Empathy: You understand your kids. You understand that their feelings are just as important as yours. They have thoughts and ideas that are worth sharing. When you put forth the effort to understand them and function on their level, without being condescending or patronizing, you both have a rewarding experience. You must do the same for your customers. They have a need that you can fill. If you can understand what that need is and how you can serve it [not sell it], you will gain their trust and their business.

5. Saying "NO": This would seem to be an easy one for moms. I can say it a thousand times a day and not blink an eye. "Can I have cupcakes for breakfast?:" No. "Can I leave off cleaning the table tonight?" No. "Can my sister and I hit that wasp nest with a baseball bat?" No. See? Easy peasy. How does this translate to a business skill? It's important to know that it's okay to say no to demands that are beyond what you can offer. "I didn't want to pay that much. Can you do it for less?" No. "I need 75 of your products for tomorrow morning, can you deliver that by 8am?" No. "If you do it for free, I'll tell all my friends. It'll be really good advertising for you." No. Like with kids, you pick your battles. Think about whether a request is reasonable, and if it's not, or doesn't fit in with your vision, then it is okay to say no. Your business will not collapse because of one "no". And it won't collapse after 50 or 100 times either.

Do you agree with these as the "top 5"? What are your top 5 skills?

October is small business month!

That's right. October is "unofficially" known as Small Business Month in Canada. It's a time when small businesses are recognized and highlighted in their communities for their accomplishments. In my city, we have a Small Business Enterprise Centre and they go all out. Last week it was a [free] series of lunch and learn sessions. I attended Wednesday's networking and marketing session. Fab as usual. I also took a "Pledge to Proper" which means that I will work to accomplish a goal [hold a grand opening] that I set out, within the month.

Owning and running your own business is such a satisfying, if at times daunting, undertaking. Doing it with kids underfoot is just short of insane, but not impossible. It can be done. Sometimes the steps you need to take are not quite as big as other business owners, but that's when you remember that little people can't keep up with you unless you're going at their pace, and you wouldn't want to lose your little people along the way.

There are so many programs, networks, and support groups out there for women business owners and even specifically mom-run businesses. Most of these resources are free - you just have to look for them. If you're wondering whether, as a mom, you have transferable skills that would help you own and run a business, tune in tomorrow when I'll share my top mom-made transferable skills.

Do you have a small business? Are you considering starting one up? Share your website in the comments!

WW: September Cakes

Here are a few of my favourite cakes from September. I won't list all of them, but if you'd like to see more of my work, you can visit my other site at www.DolcezzaCakes.com or on facebook at www.facebook.com/dolcezzacakes.

What's been coming out of your kitchen this past month? With October in full swing, do you make a baking schedule?

5-minute plan: Why is my house so messy?!?!

Want a quick tour of my house? Well, come on in....
If you look straight ahead, you'll see the empty boot tray, right next to several pairs of kids shoes scattered around the foyer. Try not to trip. The closet seems tidy enough, but only because it's easier for sweaters to be dropped on the floor underneath their hooks.
Continue with me through the hall where you'll find a bag of flotsam that was rescued from the floor of the car....Look to your left, please. That's where the living room used to be. If you look closely, you may even see a sofa....
Oooh! Take a quick glance up and to your right and you'll notice a Barbie doll on the stairs next to an Air Hog racer that's been separated from it's controller. Rare indeed!

I could go on, but you may start feeling nauseous. I know I do.

So, why is my house so messy? I guess the easy answer is: because I don't clean it up enough. Simple, right? I just don't understand how it can go from one toy left out over night to a thousand toys taking over the whole house. Where am I losing those precious hours? What's happening? It just gets so overwhelming at times and now that I'm working outside my house, I feel lost.  I've said it before: I am not a good housekeeper. I know this, but I have not made this transition well... I need a new plan. [Not that I had any plan before.]

This is the new plan: 5 minutes.

Everything starts with small steps. I can do something for 5 minutes. 5 minutes in each room. Eventually it should accomplish something, right? Here are the rooms in my house that need attention:

Front Hall

Family Room

Dining Room

Kitchen

Upstairs Hall

Main Bathroom

Girl's Room

Boy's Room

My Room

Laundry/Storage

Basement

Secondary Bathroom

Why, yes. That is every room in my house. :-) If I were to do them all in 1 day, that would mean a total of about one hour cleaning. You'd think I'd be able to find an hour. Frankly, I'd rather do anything else rather than clean. So, I'll shoot for 2 rooms a day to start. 10 minutes won't kill me, right? That's the goal for this week. I'll just keep the rooms on rotation. If I manage to do more than 2 rooms in a day, then that's a bonus! Can I keep this up for a month? a week? 2 days in a row? We shall see. 

I'm almost afraid to put up before and after pictures. No, I'm afraid of putting up the before pictures for fear of having my house condemned. (Okay, I may be overreacting a bit.)

I know I'm not the only person in the world in this situation, but I certainly feel that way. Anyone else been here before?

LadyBird At Home? At Work? On The Job? On The Move?

I don't know anymore. When I started this blog it was because I was at home a lot - as a housewife, with the kids, with a home-based business. Sure, it seemed like I was away from it more than I was there, but it was definitely the central hub of my existence. Now, with the kids going back to school (both full time), and with the new work studio I find that I'm only home for hours, sometimes just to sleep. So much so, that I've been seriously considering hiring a cleaning service.
Is there something wrong with this picture?
I still define myself as a mother and wife first, then a business owner. I still plan to sit on the PTA. I still attend book club and now Scrabble club too. I still take the kids on outings, to their friends, to birthdays, to lessons. But am I still "At Home"?
Am I focusing too much on this? Do I need one more thing to obsess over?
If it were anyone else I would say they were just finding the transition from SAHM or WAHM to WOTHM ( is that even a thing?) difficult. But I am not just anyone. I am unique, aren't I? Is there anyone else in this transition phase out there?
*LadyBird At....