The Journey Ahead

Back to staffing....

Well, my dear friend Lisett decided that she was unable to give herself full-time, because she has one last semester of college to finish up her degree.  She was so sad about it, but my "Texan" hubby and I understood completely!  We are too good of friends to let this get in the way of our sisterhood. 

So, I am back "alone" with the shop.....poor little me. (hehehe).  Obviously I will need to hire some ladies to help me, but truly right now it is difficult.  Since, the store is so new and I am still learning this side of the coin....it is really hard to hire someone.  Heck, I wouldn't know what to tell them to do except wait on customers for right now.  My "Texan" hubby says he doesn't care right now if all they do is sit behind the counter and stare into space....at least there is someone there if I need to go potty. (LOL)  Yeah, it is kind of hard to go potty in between customers.  I guess I never thought about it....or if I need to receive in shipments, or work on a customer's home (which right now I do on my off days), or even have time to "create".  I know I need to let go of some "control", and I promise myself and my "Texan" hubby that I will soon. 

Anyone need a job???

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"Quick Debi"

I have been married to my "Texan hubby" for over 20 years now and as you already know.....we are best friends and soul mates!  But, we all know that men have to be trained and have usually been taught to listen to their wife's and pretty much do as she wishes....that is if they want to keep "peace" in the home.  (You know the saying...."if mama ain't happy; then no one is happy")

My "Texan hubby" and son kept hounding me that I needed to have a POS system (I did already have Quick Books...but, have no idea on how to use it, because my son and our CPA takes care of that side of the business).  I am not a computer savvy person (I use my age as the excuse) and the last thing I have time for is to learn a POS system!  For weeks they kept trying to explain to me what a POS system was and how to use it, etc....I was like a stubborn mule refusing to budge on this issue.  I just kept telling them to do whatever they want, but DO NOT PUT THAT BIG UGLY THING ON MY BEAUTIFUL COUNTER!  It will take away from the "look" of the store. (hehehe)  They would just shake their heads and ask me then how are you going to do your sells and keep track of over 4,000 inventory items coming and going all the time in your store?

I told them that I was going to write up my sells on invoices and collect the money.  Simple.  So, my son looked at me and said, "Then mom you are going to develop the Quick Debi system"?  Hummm...catchy name....I will just keep the receipts in my left pocket and the cash in my right...just like at a garage sale!  That should work...simple and quick.  WRONG!!!!

My "Texan hubby" never said a word and watched me on my first time of a sale (prior to opening the store) and watched as I struggled to write the invoice, get the price off the "written tag" and take a credit card "manually".  It took me almost 4 minutes to ring up 2 items!  I then would go home that evening and get on my computer and take all my invoices for the day and adjust my inventory manually in my excel program.

I looked at him and smiled and said "Honey, I don't think "Quick Debi" is going to work".   He just smiled, hugged me and said "don't worry honey"  I have everything ready for you.  I had no idea what in the world he was talking about.....until the next morning at the shop.

He met me that morning and proceeded to put in place my POS system!  He had gone ahead and bought one (which are over $4,000) and he already had it all set up.  He had put in over 3,000 items into inventory and had my staff get the system ready for me.  He had learned how to use it and was ready to tell me what buttons to push so that I did not have to take the time to "read all the tutorials". 

I must say....my Quick Book POS system is the easiest thing in the world to use!  I can ring up a customer with over 10 items in less than a minute and the system keeps track of EVERYTHING!!!!  I just have to run an "end of the day" report with a click of the mouse....and PRESTO all the information I need is there in print for me to see. 

I now tell everyone, including my beautiful and loving "Texan hubby"...that for the first time in 20 years of being together.....he DID NOT listen to me and thank goodness he didn't!!!!
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"For Women Only"????

As I have been putting the store together all this time, my "Texan hubby" has always been by my side helping with everything from inputting inventory into the POS system, to throwing away trash, moving furniture, cleaning bathrooms and moping, etc....  But, for some reason when it comes time to help with the customers he says that he would rather not?  I asked him why....and he tells me that it is quite obvious that "Yaya Chique" is a place for women and belongs only to women.  Funny...since he is also one of the owners.  I have never felt uncomfortable in our machine shop with all men.  But....on the weekend of Mother's Day....I finally knew what he was feeling and referring to. 

The shop was extremely busy with a minimum of 6-8 women in the shop at one time throughout the whole day.  Every now and then a man would enter....and I began to notice that when a man walked through the door...

....my "hen house" became very quiet.  All you could hear was my voice asking him..."Welcome to yaya.... can I help you?"  He looked very nervous, and as he glanced around the room you could tell in his face that he knew he was out numbered. 

As the "rooster" approached the "hen house"....the hens watched carefully and listened to his every word!   The moment he would utter...very quietly....that his wife had sent him for her Mother's Day gift.  I would ask "is she wanting something in particular"?  He would smile shyly and say..."no, she just says that whatever I buy in here she will love". 

Well...all my "hens" decided to "help him out" and began showing him around the store and giving their opinion on what she might like.  It was hysterical and so cute as this 'rooster' tried to take in all the advice and wisdom of all these hens.  As soon as he left....the hen house would return to normal with all the hens back to their laughter and gossiping.

I must say....this happened every time a man would walk through that door....and I now know what "Texan hubby" or should I say "my rooster" feels every time I make him come up front and introduce him to my loving customers!  They always ask about him and if he is in the shop they want to meet him....because of reading the blog.  He just shyly smiles, says "hi" and returns to the warehouse...where the roosters hang out!

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"Changing of the Guard"

Well, I am not actually "changing the guard"....but, things are changing in the look of the shop!  We have only been open now "5" weeks, and the shop has changed its "mood" again.  When we opened April, 19th, the theme was "Plant the Seeds of Sisterhood"...with LOTS of birds, garden, etc...you get the picture.  Then in May, we changed the theme to be "Freedom in Flight"...which was butterflies, hummingbirds, and lots of flowers.  Now, we are headed into June....and the theme is "Life's a Beach"! 

So obviously we are surrounded by shells, picnics, blankets, hammocks, and even a vintage bike!  I am not sure if my body can keep up with this changing every time I turn around! 

My customers are loving it though and they have been visiting at least once or twice a week just to see what "new" I have put out.  I receive new shipments and products at least twice a week; so, there is always something new to be seen every week!  I have been working late hours and long days with no time off...but, that is the life of an entrepreneur...this is why I have always said that if you truly want to own your own business----it had better be your "PASSION"---or it won't work.

The look right now until August are light colors, but come the fall----now we get more into "Tuscany/Mediterranean" look.  Which is my FAVORITE!

I also now have some new staff!!!! YEAH!!!  I have hired 3 new college girls and a high school girl.  They all work only part-time....the idea for the summer (slowest time for retail) is that they work 4 hour shifts.  And each week they change shifts...that way they each get a week of their mornings off and the other week their afternoons off.  I still would like to hire at least 1 more girl for the summer; which I am sure will walk through my door just like these ladies did.

Now, you are probably asking yourself...."Deb, what are you going to do once they all go back to school in the fall?"  Well, my goal is to then replace them with mom's that would like to work their shifts while their kids are in school....and then come the holidays....they will go on leave, and my college girls will come back.  I also need to hire a full-time manager...but, that one will obviously take a little more time to hire.  But, at least I now have help in the shop (we only work 9:30am to 5:00pm...Wed. thru Saturday).  Not bad for only being open 5 weeks!

So, if you are in the area....stop by and see how the "guard" has changed for the month of June!