The Chronicles of Indoor Playground Business

In an earlier blog post, I discussed the 7 items I no longer do in my indoor playground company as I have matured and grown as a business owner.
I chased Michael Hyatt, that, in many of his books and programs always refers to designing your ideal days and weeks as"the appetite zone" Running within your desire zone, as he explains it, only means you're spending the bulk of your time doing what you love AND are great at.
Even though this is continually changing as my priorities (both professionally and personally) evolve, these are just 5 of those tasks that I am not giving up only yet for a business owner.


1) COMMUNICATE WITH BIRTHDAY CLIENTS



At Climbing Vines Cafe and Play, we've picked our unique private birthday parties as the primary focus of our business.
Because of this focus, I have chosen to plan the principal facets of each party we sponsor. When someone publications their event with us, they get a detailed confirmation that includes my contact info and mentions that I'm personally in touch because their event draws near.
While I do not normally take care of the execution of our parties, I really do still act as the main touchpoint for parents and gather all of their information and preferences. Ten days before each party, I send a personalized party"questionnaire" which includes all the details we've gathered up to this point, provides added day-of information, and asks about last-minute details.
I answer all questions that the host may have in reaction to that email and-- after a few back-and-forth communication-- I list all of their event information on what we call a"celebration prep sheet" Because we have around 6 all-inclusive events in 1 weekend, this business is essential!
The party-prep sheet is a very thorough document that allows our party hosts to execute the occasion to the specific specifications of their parents, leaving no rock unturned. This has enabled me to have most weekends free nonetheless still feel convinced we are delivering an above-and-beyond birthday celebration experience.
After the celebration, we deliver a survey to each hosting family. Should they have opinions, whether it be negative or positive, I follow up . This closes the loop on clients' expertise and makes certain they know I genuinely care about their child's special day. This process has resulted in a substantial number of repeat bookings and consistent testimonials from previous parties.
Not merely is planning these parties something 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 pleased to have this endeavor. If I am ever feeling overwhelmed with the details, I understand I've amazing team members I can lean on.

2) OVERSEE HIRING AND FIRING


Speaking of our incredible team members, another job I choose to get a hand in is our hiring and firing process. While I do leave the final conclusion to our cafe manager, I prefer to write the job posts and descriptions and filter through resumes and software before bringing anyone in for a meeting.
Having spent many years hiring and firing my fair share of workers, it's easy for me to see 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 character and excitement rather than 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.

3) DREAM UP NEW INITIATIVES



Since I spend some time doing those 7 items (and more!) , my time and energy have been freed up to research what our ideal clients want and need and find out a way to integrate that into our business model.
As an instance, I discovered that our birthday celebration bookings were slowing down in the summertime. When I asked a couple of clients, they mentioned that they DID love our occasions and attention-to-detail but preferred a Summer party to be outside at their residence (since most have backyards and pools). We then started offering cellular events, where we would bring food, decorations, and activities for the children to their houses, and it was a hit!
Another illustration is our occasions . We're always adding fun new occasions that enable customers, especially working parents with limited weekday availability, to see us out of open hours and receive an enhanced experience throughout the theme of the event, course, or activity.
If I were I doing EVERY task in my enterprise, I would not have nearly enough time to do as much innovation or research.

4) CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS

If it comes to knowing how to innovate and the best way to provide, it starts with forging a real connection with clients.
It is because of this that I really like interacting with our clients in-person (when I could ) and on social networking. I opt to work parties, events, and even open-play when my family's schedule permits it so I could stay involved and aware of what is occurring during the day. Additionally, it gives me the opportunity to observe how customers are using our space first-hand and listen to any concerns or questions they have. Although in this age of technology you can find reviews, forms, and surveys, I have discovered that NOTHING can replace having a face-to-face dialog with customers using your distance (and probably visits competitors too!)
It's because of this that you will even see billionaire CEOs visiting retail places on a regular basis. Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, was famous for seeing hundreds of stores across the nation each year, spending some time with the clients who had been spending their cash on his products.
I love being a family owned and operated business, and that I love for my clients to understand that I'm fully invested in their own happiness.


While I no longer do one-on-one consulting for people hoping to open indoor playgrounds, I really do spend a substantial amount of time creating absolutely free articles for them 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 by clicking here.
If a person consumes that free information and decides they still would like to move forward with their programs, I have an online program named Play Cafe Academy where I assist 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 lot of info out there. Recent owners actually keep all their business secrets near their vest, and I do not blame them! It's hard once you've worked for years and years to set up a profitable business to want to give those secrets away for nothing. 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.
As it came time to start my own business, I ended up making a slew of mistakes (and I suggest a TON of errors ) since I simply did not know any better. So when I started getting emails and calls to consult for other possible play cafe owners, then I could not keep this information to myself. As soon as it's easy for me to feel like an imposter or there are other small business owners more qualified than me to discuss this advice, I understand arcade.9d vr that there's a 4-years-ago me sitting at work somewhere waiting for the next idea to jump out at them.
And frankly, I don't want to see one more business close because someone who is walked before them did not share any info! So why not discuss it myself?!
However, my time is precious. I've got two little kids and run another company... I do not have 12 hours to devote hand-holding each perspective owner through the process. (And let me tell you, it is going to require at least 12 to 24 hours of paid one-on-one consulting to break the surface of everything you require, including documentation.)
Students may go through those modules at their own speed, and I do not have to spend some opportunity to walk my pupils throughout the program.
This enables me to help other entrepreneurs in their path while at the same time reserving time and energy I want for my family and other commitments.
In general, this business model may actually be whatever the owner wants it to be. I know many owners that choose to do all the items inside their small business, and it works for them because most of us have distinct"desire zones"
Are and may design my"ideal" weeks accordingly. When I was burning the candle on both ends trying to tackle everything , I would be doing myself, my loved ones, and my clients a significant disservice.