In an earlier blog post, I discussed that the 7 items I do in my indoor playground company as I have grown and matured as a business proprietor.
I referenced Michael Hyatt, who, in many of his books and programs always refers to designing your perfect days and weeks as"the appetite zone." Running inside your dream zone, even as he describes it, only means you are spending the majority of your time doing what you both love AND are great at.
Even though this is constantly shifting as my priorities (both professionally and personally) evolve, these are just 5 of those jobs that I'm not giving up just yet for a company owner.



At Growing Vines Cafe and Play, we have picked our exceptional private birthday parties as the main focus of our business.
Due to this focus, I have chosen to personally plan the principal facets of each celebration we sponsor. Whenever someone publications their occasion with us, they receive a comprehensive confirmation which includes my own contact information and mentions that I will be in touch because their event draws near.
While I don't typically take care of the execution of our parties, I really do act as the major touchpoint for parents and collect all their information and tastes. Ten days before each party, I send out a personalized celebration"questionnaire" which includes all the details we've gathered up to that point, provides added day-of info, and asks about last-minute particulars.
I answer all queries that the host may have in reaction to this email and-- following a few back-and-forth communication-- I list all of their event info on that which we call a"party prep sheet" According to clients' choices, I make a listing for all our sellers (catering, party supplies, balloons, paper goods, etc.) and will usually have a team member complete the shopping and organize all the supplies so that they are grouped by party. Because we have around 6 all-inclusive events in one weekend, this organization is essential!
The party-prep sheet is an extremely thorough document that allows our party hosts to execute the occasion to the exact specifications of their parents, leaving no stone unturned. This has enabled me to have most weekends free nonetheless still feel confident we are delivering an above-and-beyond birthday celebration experience.
After the party, we send a questionnaire to every hosting household. Should they have feedback, whether it be positive or negative, I always follow up . This closes the loop on clients' experience and makes sure they know I genuinely care for their child's special day. This process has resulted in a significant number of repeat bookings and consistent referrals from previous parties.
Not merely is planning these parties some thing that I excel in, but additionally, I take great pleasure inside . Event planning is how I got into the business in the first place, therefore I'm more than happy to have this task. If I'm ever feeling overwhelmed with the facts, I understand I've amazing team members that I can lean on.



Speaking of our incredible team members, yet another task I choose to have a hand in is our hiring and firing procedure. While I do leave the final decision up to our cafe manager, I prefer to write the job posts and descriptions and filter through resumes and applications before bringing anyone in for an interview.
Having spent many years shooting and hiring my fair share of workers, it's easy for me to spot red-flags on applications and also find"diamonds in the rough" Since we've got the majority of our standard operating procedures documented and optimized, I would rather employ based on personality and excitement rather than experience.
In addition, I make sure I personally welcome every employee to our team and touch base with them frequently to check in and gather feedback from them.


Since I spend time doing those 7 things (and more!) , my time and energy have been freed up to investigate what our ideal clients want and need and figure out a way to incorporate that in our business model.
For example, I noticed that our birthday party bookings were slowing down in the summertime. When I asked a few clients, they said that they DID adore our occasions and attention-to-detail but chosen a Summer party to be outside at their home (since most have backyards and pools). We then began offering cellular events, where we'd bring food, decorations, and activities for the kids to their homes, and it was a hit!
Another illustration is our events. We are constantly adding fun new occasions that enable clients, especially working parents with limited weekday availability, to see us out of hours and receive an enhanced experience throughout the theme of the event, course, or activity.
If I had been I doing EVERY job in my business, I wouldn't have nearly enough time to perform as much research or innovation.


If it comes to knowing how to innovate and the best way to provide, it starts with forging a genuine connection with customers.
It's for this reason that I love interacting with our customers in-person (when I can) and on social networking. I choose to work parties, events, as well as open-play if my family's schedule allows it so I can stay active and aware of what's happening during the day. It also gives me the opportunity to observe how customers are using our space first-hand and listen to any concerns or queries they have. Although at this age of technology there are reviews, types, and surveys, 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 that you will even see billionaire CEOs visiting retail locations on a regular basis. Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, was famous for seeing hundreds of stores around the country every year, spending some time with all the customers who had been spending their cash on his merchandise.
I really like being a family owned and operated business, and I love for my customers to know that I am fully invested in their happiness.


While I no longer do one-on-one consulting for people hoping to start out indoor jungle gym - https://www.twitarcade.com, playgrounds, I really do spend a significant quantity of time producing absolutely free content 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 directly on our website or by clicking here.
If someone consumes that free information and decides they still would love to proceed with their programs, I also have an online program named Play Cafe Academy where I help entrepreneurs get from daydream to opening-day in significantly less time and with less strain than they ever believed possible.
When I was researching this company model, there wasn't a lot of information out there. Recent owners really keep all their business secrets close to their vest, and now I don't blame them! It is hard once you've worked for years and years to set up a profitable business to wish to give away those secrets for nothing. Even if you charge a consulting fee, you are still kind of giving away the keys that you have worked so hard for and it is very easy as a company owner to get a little smug and protective of your research and development.
When it came time to open my own company, I ended up making a ton of mistakes (and I mean a TON of mistakes) since I simply didn't know any better. When I started getting emails and calls to consult for other potential play cafe owners, I could not keep this info to myself. As soon as it's easy for me to feel like an imposter or there are other business owners much more capable than me to share this information, I know that there's a 4-years-ago me sitting at work somewhere waiting for another concept to leap out in them.
And honestly, I don't need to see one more business close because somebody who's walked before them didn't share any info! Why don't you share it myself?!
But my time is precious. I have two small children and run another company... I don't have 12 hours to spend hand-holding each standpoint owner through the procedure. (And allow me to tell you, it will take at least 12 to 24 hours of paid one-on-one consulting to even break the surface of everything you require, including documentation)
Students may go through these modules in their own pace, and I do not need to spend some opportunity to walk my pupils through the program.
This enables me to assist other entrepreneurs in their path while also reserving the time and energy that I want for my loved ones and other commitments.
I understand many owners who choose to do ALL of the things inside their business, and it works for them because we all have distinct"desire zones"
Are and may design my"perfect" weeks accordingly. If I was still burning the candle on both ends trying to handle everything myself, I'd be doing myself, my loved ones, and my customers a significant disservice.