Subscribe
Posts
Comments
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Moving beyond disappointment
I was so excited that this weekend would be the opening of my first retail experience. I was taking over Smash Cake in Chicago and was very excited. We had been planning and baking all week long, really looking forward to a Mother's Day opening.
Yes, I was very scared too. I worried that I would not be able to make enough money to sustain my family. I could not afford to fail. Failure would mean a very expensive loss for me, my husband and our five daughters. But as the date got closer little things began to pop up. These small things began to become very large things...and I had to make a decision to move forward with a bad choice, or cut my losses and get out while I still could.
It was a good decision to back out, although it was very disappointing to everyone involved. It meant some added headaches and expenses for everyone involved. But if I had moved forward it was becoming very apparent to me that I would fail. I did not have the mentoring support I thought I did and certainly didn't have enough money to make repairs to nonworking equipment and I would not be able to operate until those items were working. Every day I postponed opening we would be hemorrhaging money. I could not do that.
An opening I had been so looking forward to was not going to happen. I had my first experience with very angry customers who did not care why I was not able to host their parties, had called into question my professionalism and had even gone to my blog and used things I said there against me. I think the intent was to try to persuade me to change my decision by guilting me into hosting their party, or maybe it was just to embarrass me, I'm not sure, but it surely was not nice.
It has been three days since I made the decision to back out, and like I said on Twitter, sometimes good decisions disappoint, but a bad decision would have hurt people.
Lesson learned!
Yes, I was very scared too. I worried that I would not be able to make enough money to sustain my family. I could not afford to fail. Failure would mean a very expensive loss for me, my husband and our five daughters. But as the date got closer little things began to pop up. These small things began to become very large things...and I had to make a decision to move forward with a bad choice, or cut my losses and get out while I still could.
It was a good decision to back out, although it was very disappointing to everyone involved. It meant some added headaches and expenses for everyone involved. But if I had moved forward it was becoming very apparent to me that I would fail. I did not have the mentoring support I thought I did and certainly didn't have enough money to make repairs to nonworking equipment and I would not be able to operate until those items were working. Every day I postponed opening we would be hemorrhaging money. I could not do that.
An opening I had been so looking forward to was not going to happen. I had my first experience with very angry customers who did not care why I was not able to host their parties, had called into question my professionalism and had even gone to my blog and used things I said there against me. I think the intent was to try to persuade me to change my decision by guilting me into hosting their party, or maybe it was just to embarrass me, I'm not sure, but it surely was not nice.
It has been three days since I made the decision to back out, and like I said on Twitter, sometimes good decisions disappoint, but a bad decision would have hurt people.
Lesson learned!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
You did the right thing. Since you enjoy your operation that joy won't be ripped out from beneath you but enhanced. You learned this is the right fit for you. I am glad everything worked out. It truly was for the best.
Don't let people who walk in their own shoes and don't care about others effect you. It was the right choice.
Boo.
I'm hope you are feeling better! As long as you know you did the right thing that works best for you and your family is the most important thing. Take Care!
As the saying goes, Everything happens for a reason - I'm sure this is at best disappointing but in the end, you have your dignity and your family. Only you know in your heart which decision is best for you.
Be strong Miss Tracy, you will prevail!
Oh Tracy...I was very sad to hear that it didn't work out...and even more so to read that the process was very unpleasant for you:(
I So wanted to show up at the bakery on Sunday & meet you in person...I had planned out my 'Mother's Day' and Everything did nOt go according to plan!
As a result, Big Al promised to drive to the city with me during the week to support our new favorite bakery [and of course spoil ourselves with your delicious cookies!]...but that wasn't meant to be either :(
I Know that you've made the right decision...When you can't 'afford' to fail, the gamble is too risky.
You have such a positive way about you...you will persevere and be a bigger success than you are already! Gil told me that you are AmaZing...I think that he was being modest :)
Tracy I have to say that you did the right thing. Trust me when I tell you it would have been a money pit for you and you would have lost a lot more than bad words said to you or hurt feelings of others. When you have a gut feeling go with that gut! YOU WHERE RIGHT! You did not have a good mentor!!!! When the opportunity is right you will know and that person doing the mentoring will be genuine!Always look out for yourself especially when other seem to eager to seal the deal.
Someone who knows! The baker!