In an earlier blog post, I discussed 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 books and programs always describes designing your ideal days and weeks as"the desire zone." Running within your desire zone, even as he explains it, simply means you are spending the majority of your time doing what you love AND are great at.



1) COMMUNICATE WITH BIRTHDAY CLIENTS



At Climbing Vines Cafe and Play, we've chosen our exceptional private birthday parties as the main focus of our small business .
Due to this attention, I've chosen to personally plan the principal facets of each party we host. Whenever someone publications their event with us, they receive a detailed confirmation that includes my contact information and mentions that I'm in touch as their event draws near.
While I don't normally handle the implementation of our parties, I really do act as the main touchpoint for parents and collect all of their information and preferences. Ten days before each celebration, I send out a personalized celebration"questionnaire" that includes all the details we have gathered up to this point, provides additional day-of information, and asks about last-minute details.
I answer all questions the host might have in reaction to this email and-- following a few back-and-forth communication-- I list all their event information on what we call a"celebration prep sheet." Because we have up to 6 all-inclusive events in one weekend, this organization is indispensable!
The party-prep sheet is an extremely detailed document that allows any of 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 confident we're delivering an above-and-beyond birthday celebration experience.
After the celebration, we deliver a survey to each hosting household. Should they have opinions, whether it be positive or negative, I follow up . This closes the loop clients' experience and makes sure they understand I genuinely care about their child's special day. This method has resulted in a significant amount of repeat bookings and consistent testimonials from past parties.
Not merely is planning these parties some thing that I excel in, but I also take great joy in it. Event planning is the way I got into this business in the first place, so I am more than happy to have this task. If I am ever feeling overwhelmed with all the facts, I understand I have amazing team members that I will lean on.

2) OVERSEE HIRING AND FIRING


Speaking of our amazing team members, another task I choose to get a hand is our hiring and firing process. While I do leave the final conclusion to our cafe supervisor, I would rather write the project posts and descriptions and filter through resumes and applications before bringing anybody in for an interview.
Having spent several years hiring and firing my fair share of workers, it's easy for me to spot red-flags on software and also find"diamonds in the rough" Since we have most of our normal operating procedures optimized and documented, I would rather hire based on personality and enthusiasm rather than experience.
In addition, I make sure I welcome each employee to our staff and touch base with them frequently to check in and gather feedback from them.

3) DREAM UP NEW INITIATIVES



Another task that lies in my present"desire zone" is navigating the general direction of our business and coming up with new tactics to best serve our community.
Since I spend time doing those 7 things (and more!) , my time and energy are freed up to investigate what our ideal clients want and want and figure out a way to incorporate that into our business model.
As an instance, I discovered that our birthday celebration bookings were slowing down in the summertime. When I requested a few customers, they said that they DID love our events and attention-to-detail but preferred a Summer celebration to be outside at their home (since many have backyards and pools). We then began offering mobile events, where we would bring decorations, food, and activities for the kids to their homes, and it was a hit!
Another example is our occasions . We are always adding fun new occasions that enable clients, particularly working parents with limited weekday availability, to visit us out of hours and receive an enhanced experience throughout the subject of the event, class, or activity.
If I were I still doing EVERY job in my business, I wouldn't have nearly enough time to perform as much innovation or research.


If it comes to knowing how to innovate and what to offer, it starts with forging a genuine connection with customers.
It's for this reason that I really like interacting with our customers in-person (when I can) and on social networking. I opt to work parties, events, as well as open-play if my family's schedule permits it so that I can remain involved and aware of what is occurring during the day. It also gives me the chance to observe how customers are using our distance firsthand and listen to any concerns or queries they have. Even though at this age of technology you can find testimonials, types, and polls, I have discovered that NOTHING can replace using a face-to-face conversation with clients who use your distance (and probably visits competitors too!) on a daily basis.
It's for this reason 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 nation each year, spending some time with the customers who were spending their cash on his products.
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.


While I do one-on-one consulting for individuals hoping to open indoor playground equipment (https://www.twitarcade.com/) playgrounds, I really do spend a significant amount of time creating absolutely free content for them on my blog and above on YouTube. I also have a totally free, 44-page eBook for play-cafe-owning hopefuls they can download directly on our website or simply by clicking here.
If someone consumes that free info and decides they still would love to proceed with their programs, I also have an internet program named Play Cafe Academy in which I help entrepreneurs gain from daydream to opening-day in significantly less time and with less strain than they ever thought possible.
When I was studying this business model, there wasn't a great deal of info out there. Recent owners actually keep all of their business secrets near their vest, and now that I don't blame them! Even if you charge a consulting fee, you are still sort of giving away the secrets that you've worked so difficult for and it's quite easy as a business owner to acquire a little smug and protective of your research and development.
As it came time to start my own business, I ended up making a slew of mistakes (and I mean a TON of mistakes) because I just didn't know any better. So when I started getting emails and calls to consult for other potential play cafe owners, I couldn't keep all this info to myself. As soon as it's easy for me to feel like an imposter or that there are other small business owners much more capable than me to discuss this advice, I understand that there is a 4-years-ago me sitting at work somewhere waiting for another idea to leap out at them.
And frankly, I do not want to see one more company close because someone who is walked before them didn't share any information! So why don't you share it myself?!
But my time is precious. I have two small children and also run another business... I don't have 12 hours to devote hand-holding each standpoint owner through the process. (And allow me to tell you, it will require at least 12 to 24 hours of compensated one-on-one consulting to break the surface of everything you need, such as documentation)
PCA is broken up into eight modules where I cover everything from writing your business plan to deciding on a place and signing the right lease to organizing your flows of revenue and much, much more. Students can go through these modules in their own pace, and I do not need to take some opportunity to walk my pupils throughout the program.
This allows me to help other entrepreneurs along their path while at the same time reserving the time and energy I need for my loved ones and other commitments.
Overall, this business model may truly be whatever the owner wants it to be. I know many owners that choose to do ALL of the things inside their business, and it works for them since we all have different"desire zones."
Are and may design my"ideal" weeks so. When I was burning the candle on both ends trying to tackle everything myself, I would do myself, my family, and my clients a significant disservice.