Thursday, November 06, 2008

Putting out fires...

I spent a good chunk of today putting out a few fires. That euphemism always struck me as overly dramatic, but for some reason, today, it is just right. Our trunk show that was supposed to happen tomorrow and this weekend isn't happening. The bead gypsy is still in Africa. This is the second time that has occurred. The last time a different African bead trader failed to show up when scheduled*. I also spent way too long in one meeting and way too little amount of time in another. I called back a customer who is upset because of a miscommunication. I called back a customer who felt that I was ignoring her. I called back a friend I have been ignoring. I chased down a vendor that isn't doing the right thing by us. All of these fires needed fought today, no waiting, but now it's the end of my work time and I still haven't done the fifteen, non emergency, tasks that I wanted to get done today.

That is the problem with fighting fires. You don't get to do the less urgent tasks and they just sit and simmer until one day, boom, they might just be fires, too. That is a big challenge in being a business owner, knowing what can simmer for just a day or two more and what needs paid attention to NOW. Then again, sometimes things that weren't even simmering (like a trunk show that was scheduled months ago!) all of a sudden just explode.

Luckily, I like the dramatic.

*Yes, a totally different guy. Somehow, this does not seem to be out of character for bead gypsies. There must be something about traveling the country in a van full of beads that makes you a tad bit less responsible and organized than is optimal.

2 comments:

  1. Hey out there in blogland! How strange is it that I see you more here when we're just down the road from each other? I'm sorry you had a firefighting day - but woohooo - you're in SKIRT for heaven's sake!

    Of course, I'm now wondering why you want to escape to places whose name begin with an I.... (and why you didn't include Iceland or Ireland or Irving, Tx?)

    Laurel

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  2. Whew! After reading about all your fires that you beat down, I am both astonished and thrilled that you took the time to check out my blog - and my continuing saga with resin! Yup, faintly frosty tops and tacky bottoms....not saleable yet!
    I come to Panapolie every time I'm in Raleigh - and wonder why it is that you opened AFTER I moved to Virginia, and not all those years I drove right past that shopping center on my way home...
    Love keeping up with the news from y'all tho...

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