Most People Will Never Be Great At Indoor Playground Business. Read Why

In an earlier blog post, I spoke that the 7 things I do in my indoor playground business as I have matured and grown as a business proprietor.
I chased Michael Hyatt, that, in many of his novels and programs continuously describes designing your perfect days and weeks as"the desire zone" Running inside your dream zone, as he explains it, simply means you're spending the bulk of your time doing what you love AND are great at.
While there are many tasks I cut completely and some I delegate to better-suited team members, there are several duties that still lie within my"desire zone," and that I feel are important for me to handle personally. While this is continually shifting as my priorities (both professionally and personally) evolve, these are 5 of those tasks that I'm not giving up just yet as a company owner.



At Climbing Vines Cafe and Play, we have picked our unique personal birthday parties as the main focus of our small business .
Because of this focus, I have chosen to plan the primary aspects of each party we host. When someone publications their occasion with us, they get a detailed confirmation which includes my own contact info and mentions that I'm personally in touch because their event draws near.
While I do not normally handle the execution of our parties, I really do still act as the major touchpoint for parents and gather all of their information and tastes. Ten days before each celebration, I send out a personalized party"questionnaire" which includes all the details we've gathered up to this point, provides added day-of info, and asks about last-minute details.
I answer all queries the host might have in response to that email and-- following a few back-and-forth communication-- I list all of their event info on what we call a"party prep sheet" Since we have up to 6 all-inclusive events in one weekend, this organization is indispensable!
The party-prep sheet is an extremely thorough document that makes it possible for our party hosts to do 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 convinced we're delivering an above-and-beyond birthday party experience.
After the celebration, we deliver a questionnaire to every hosting family. Should they have feedback, whether it be negative or positive, I always follow up . This closes the loop on clients' experience and makes certain they understand I genuinely care about their child's special day. This process has resulted in a substantial amount of repeat bookings and consistent testimonials from past parties.
Not only is planning these celebrations some thing that I excel in, but I also take great joy in it. Event planning is the way I got into the business in the first place, so I am more than pleased to have this task. If I'm ever feeling overwhelmed with the facts, I know I have amazing team members 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 really do leave the final decision up to our cafe manager, I prefer to write the job posts and filter and descriptions through resumes and software 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 software and find"diamonds in the rough" Since we have the majority of our standard operating procedures optimized and documented, I would rather hire based on personality and excitement instead of experience.
In addition, I make sure I personally welcome every worker to our staff and touch base with them often to check in and collect feedback from them.


Since I no longer spend some time doing these 7 things (and more!) , my time and energy have been freed up to research what our ideal clients want and need 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 Summer. When I requested a couple of customers, they mentioned that they DID adore our occasions and attention-to-detail but chosen a Summer party to be out at their home (since most have backyards and pools). We then began offering cellular events, where we would bring decorations, food, and activities for the kids to their homes, and it was a hit!
Another example is our events. We're always adding fun new events that allow customers, especially working parents with limited weekday accessibility, to visit us outside of open hours and receive an enhanced experience through the theme of the event, class, or activity.
If I were I doing EVERY job in my enterprise, I would not have nearly enough time to perform as much innovation or childhood perceptions research.

4) CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS

When it comes to knowing how to innovate and what to provide, it all starts with forging a real connection with customers.
It's because of this that I really like interacting with our clients all time (when I could ) and on social networking. I opt to work celebrations, events, and even open-play if my family's schedule permits it so I can remain active and aware of what is occurring during the day. Additionally, it gives me the opportunity to observe how customers are using our distance first-hand and listen to any concerns or questions they have. Even though at this age of technology there are testimonials, types, and surveys, I have found that NOTHING can replace having a face-to-face dialog with clients using your space (and likely visits competitors too!) on a daily basis.
It's for this reason you will also see billionaire CEOs visiting retail locations on a regular basis. Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, was famous for visiting hundreds of stores across the nation every year, spending time with all the clients who were spending their cash on his products.
I love being a family owned and operated business, and that I love for my customers to know that I am fully invested in their own happiness.

5) HELP OTHER ENTREPRENEURS ALONG THE SAME PATH

While I no longer do one-on-one consulting for people hoping to open indoor playgrounds, I really do spend a significant amount of time creating absolutely free content for them here on my blog and above on YouTube. I also have a totally free, 44-page eBook to get play-cafe-owning hopefuls they can download right on our website or simply by clicking here.
If a person consumes that free information and decides they would love to move forward with their programs, I have an internet program called Play Cafe Academy where I assist entrepreneurs gain from daydream to opening-day in significantly less time and with less stress than they ever believed possible.
When I was studying this company model, there was not a great deal of info out there. Recent owners really keep all of their business secrets close to their vest, and that I do not blame them! Even in the event that you charge a consulting fee, you are still sort of giving away the keys that you've worked so difficult for and it's very easy as a company owner to acquire a little smug and protective of your own research and development.
When it came time to open my own company, I wound up making a slew of errors (and I mean a TON of errors ) since 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 this info to myself. As soon as it's easy for me to feel like an imposter or there are other small business owners much more capable than me to discuss this information, I understand that there's a 4-years-ago me sitting somewhere waiting for the next idea to leap out in them.
And honestly, I do not want to see an additional company close because somebody who is walked before them did not share any information! Why not discuss it myself?!
But my time is valuable. I have two small children and also run another business... I don't have 12 hours to spend hand-holding each standpoint owner through the process. (And let me tell you, it will take at least 12 to 24 hours of compensated one-on-one consulting to even break the surface of everything you require, including documentation)
PCA is broken up into eight modules at which I pay everything from writing your business plan to deciding on a place and signing the proper rental to organizing your streams of revenue and much, much more. Students can go through those modules in their own speed, and I don't have to spend some opportunity to walk my pupils through the program.
This enables me to help other entrepreneurs in their path while also reserving time and energy I want for my loved ones and other commitments.
I know many owners that choose to do all the things inside their small business, and it works for them since we all have distinct"desire zones."
Are and may design my"ideal" weeks so. When I was still burning the candle on both ends trying to tackle everything myself, I would be doing myself, my loved ones, and my clients a major disservice.