Business is business

Learning from my mistakes, but learning. One of my employees is a good friend, and it's difficult to draw the line between business and friendship sometimes. I must keep things clearly separate, and it's up to me to set the boundaries. This is a sign - The time has come to formalise my relationship with all my teachers, with a service contract. Everything is in place in terms of structure, but ironically it's not written down formally.

I have found a few good service agreement samples online, and the best one is by an online service providing legal forms of all sorts - customising contracts and agreements in fairly detailed terms. I have decided to purchase a two week license ($15) to design and generate the contracts that I need. This will secure my team for awhile, and protect my client base and zone of operations by the same token.

I don't foresee any problems in completing this important (and overdue) step, but I do expect that my friend will be reluctant in making this type of commitment. She is a free spirit! But there can be no exception - I can't move forward without a clear agreement from all parties. I invest in my team's training and professional growth, I put my clients in their capable hands, and I need to know that they are on board for the long run. My business is about to grow, and it makes sense to solidify the base before undertaking more business.

Oh boy... such serious stuff!!! Lighten-up already : )

Growing Pains

Building a business is not a straight road leading steadily upward. Occasional roadblocks or obstacles to navigate around, some sharper turns, and at times it feels like zig-zagging in the Rockies. But the point I have reached with my business - www.lepetitatlier.ca - has more to do with increasing the size of the vehicle than the road it travels on right now.

The plan? Zero in on specific types of music workshops, expand the zone of operations, and increase market shares of the downtown Toronto area - in the next 12 months. Zappidi Boo! Oh how I wish I had a magic wand...

A sales sweep is in order - I had great results with telemarketing before, so I will go that route again. I have hired a new teacher too, she will begin her paid training next Thursday in one of the after school series for Kindergarten kids. She will be assisting the teacher, and learn a lot of repertoire by the same token. I am planning on adding some training in daycares for younger children as well, and if all goes well she will be ready to teach on her own by Easter. I'm very happy to work with her, I think that she will be a great fit. I had hired her last fall, but she ended-up accepting a three month gig on a cruise ship with her trio. I can't blame her... I would have done the same. So now that she's back and ready to commit, I will do some tweeking with the upcoming spring trimester and bring her up to speed - and she will be ready and solid for the fall of 2012.

By the fall I will have four teachers working in downtown daycares, I will be teaching in schools downtown and occasionally in the suburbs, and I'll be working out of town for some school series and teacher training workshops - with one other teacher in my team to cover early childhood teacher training. The plan may seem like a straight arrow shooting upward right now, but it won't be long before the waves and the swirls kick in. It's the nature of the beast, and the beast is growing... ouch!

Fear of Mexico

Here in Canada, Mexico is back on the news again for a series of sordid crimes which took place in recent weeks. Murders and vicious attacks on Canadian tourists... nothing to do with the drug cartels fighting for their share of the market.

I was always one to strongly advice people to filter what their hear on the media with common sense - Mexico is a BIG country! To put it in prospective, ask yourself if you would feel safe going to Vancouver if a murder took place in Toronto (which they do... of course). Troubled areas comprise about 1% of Mexico - but for some reason, the media is all over it as soon as it happens and are quick to report it as a 'Mexico' incident. What if we replaced the word 'Mexico' with the word 'Canada', or 'United States' - with little regard on where exactly the incident took place? Would you still go on vacation in Florida if you hear that someone was viciously beaten in the United States? Do these types of crimes on Canadians happen in other countries? In other vacation destinations? Yes, they do. Then why don't we hear bout these?

This has been going on for years... and Mexico has a reputation for being a risky destination now. With these recent headlines, two of our fellow travellers have pulled out of our upcoming trip to Yucatan because they fear that something bad is likely to happen. I'm getting tired of waving the safety flag and quite honestly, I can't say that it's perfectly safe either... no inhabited place on earth is perfectly safe.

For the first time - I feel that undertaking a project in the tourism sector is pretty much doomed right now in Mexico. Especially if it involves getting out of the mainstream resort style. If most people tend to be fearful about Mexico, very few will be interested in venturing out of the beaten path and drive around the country - no matter how remote, safe and peaceful the state of Yucatan may really be. So I think that for the time being, it's wise to keep the next trip as yet another vacation - with passive research and development.

Dark Monday

A couple of days ago I heard on the radio that the third Monday of January is considered to be the worst day of the year... it's called Dark Monday or something like that. It's cold, many people struggle with their post-Holiday bills, and many have already failed at keeping their new year's resolutions. Of course, the next thing you hear is how the economy is crumbling, and how many people were killed around the world. Yay! Good morning to you too! There is a crying need for positive news in the media...

I am getting back into work mode, and getting organised for my upcoming teaching engagements. It's all looking pretty good so far, and my team is working at maximum capacity. I have a new teacher on board, and he will be starting on Monday. I gave him two training sessions, and I will be accompanying him in the classroom for as long as he needs... probably three weeks. Looking forward to seeing him at work, his teaching style will determine what type of assignments I can give him.

I am looking into sorting out our finances... with interest rates dropping so low we will be exploring our mortgage options. Tim will also sort out our phone and cable and internet cost, we can surely get a better deal - it's a drag to research that, but well worth it.

Tim is starting a hockey school for women, fantastic idea!!! It looks like it will work out... it will start on the first week of February. I hope that it will be a success, he certainly deserves it - and the cashflow will be a relief. I purchased lottery tickets last week and this week... a sure sing of financial despair for me... I don't count on luck when it comes to money. It sounds silly, but I accidentally broke 3 glasses last week and one yesterday. I never break dishes, so I figured that it might be a sign - maybe my guardian angel is trying to tell me something. Is breaking glass really a sign of good luck? I guess we'll see.

One day at the time... focus on the task of the moment... soon February... and then March, and Spring time.

Winter has arrived

Yep, on Friday, January 13, 2012 - winter has arrived in Toronto. Snow, followed by very cold days. As much as it feels normal to have true winter weather at last, it's a reminder that it's my least favorite time of the year. I get the blues... working seems much more difficult... and I try hard to focus on the task of the moment instead of dwelling on the frozen world I have to live in, probably until late March. I hang on to facts which are sure signs of upcoming late winter and early spring... like days getting longer, and Valentine's day, and bulb flowers available in stores soon after, and March Break... Can't wait until the world turns green again.

My sons LOVE winter - and it does make it a bit easier to see them enjoy the season. Tim is out with them, he is also fond of winter. I'm the one staying home to work on whatever has to be done, welcoming them in their warm and cozy home with hot chocolate.

I am also starting to loosely look at our plans for the summer - that too makes my days a little easier. I will invest some time and energy in fixing-up our backyard, it will be good for me, and everyone in the family will enjoy the outcome. I have not taken care of our yard for at least three years... a reflection of my state of mind and mid-life personal confusion. I think that getting back into gardening will be therapeutic in many ways.

Is this the post-holiday blues? Possibly... it was pretty sweet to be free for a couple of weeks.

Developments on the next trip...

The next trip is most definitely developing in interesting ways... and not at all as I initially intended to. It's a wonderful exercise in letting go, I tend to be very focused on my own vision when planning a trip. Adjusting to my friend Jeanne-Marie's concept is exciting, I know I will have loads of fun with her, and certainly some of her friends too.

I was feeling a bit like the odd girl out since most of our fellow travellers are JM's friends who know each other - when surprise surprise... One of my sisters is joining us! And she will be staying with me in Mérida as well - Fantastic!!! She will meet me here in Toronto, and we will fly to Mexico together. She was able to book the seat beside mine! I'm thrilled.

Furhtermore... my old friend Jose-Luis will be in Merida in early May, and is looking forward to getting together when I get there! Jose-Luis is the very first person I met the very first time I went to Mexico for a vacation - in Cancun, 26 years ago. A few months later when I moved to Cancun, him and his wife Neous took me somewhat under their wing. Jose-Luis introduced me to his French circle of friends, we would go out on various excursions, I eventually rented an apartment with Jose-Luis's brother in the house of one of those good friends, Christian and Yvonne. It was my first home base in Mexico.

And to add to the excitement, there is the pilot project I will be able to explore with my partner in crazy ideas... my sister Céline who is joining me on this trip. In terms of structure and itinerary, it's the perfect opportunity to investigate every angle, on site. It feels like the start of the outcome - fifteen years of planning and assessing... something is about to happen!

With all that of course comes the price tag, and I do have to pedal hard for cashflow until my departure in late Apri. After my return in mid-May too no doubt. All worth the extra effort and coordination of course, very much so.

Flipping the page to a new year

We had a great party on January 1st, all afternoon and until about 8pm. Such a collection of good old friends show-up every time, it's a happy tradition. Good food too of course, most guests bring something and I prepare some plates too. Eating party style is wonderful, tasting a little this and a little of that, good wine and good company, I like it. I guess it's a matter of mood too of course, so does that mean that I'm into the Holidays? Maybe... the eating and the sleeping in parts anyway : )

Today is January 2, and I am transitioning back to work this week. Already sent a bunch of invoices today, and sent a few emails to confirm new students. I still have to prepare for my teacher training session of January 9th, with my two French Music Teachers 'Extrordinaires', preparing the team for the winter program. New seasonal activities, making sure that they have a good plan in hands and the material they need. I took a look at some employment contracts... I'll have to give it my best shot and prepare a draft. After all, I do have some HR experience from a past life.
I also have to prepare for a meeting with the principal of Le Collège Français, they lost their music teacher and I will propose a couple of programs to address some requirements of the provincial curriculum. They expressed interest in my application for the full time job, but as crazy as it may seem - I am not interested at this time. I very much enjoy being a free agent.

On the Mexico front, an old project has resurfaced as the prime opportunity for the next trip. I actually have started drafting that project before I was a music teacher - and eventually decided to put it aside and see if the future might revive it. It seems to be the time! The main idea is to offer a vacation package in a beach house instead of a hotel setting. I'm very excited because this trip will allow me to run a test drive for a 5 day program, and get valuable feedback from a fair size group of guests. Showing off Yucatan and its lifestyle as I love it is most definitely a fun project!!! I would also like to link this project to Telchac Education, an important ethical component for the full blown version of this idea - and in any foreign business activity, in my view.

2012 is looking good so far!!!