Rant Disappointing Show Experience - My Struggle with Allergies and Unreliable Hosts

[pcsharon1]

So at my show last week, with my new recruit that is supposed to sign today, there were 12 confirmed guests attending. This is the house with all the cats that I was worried about doing a show at because I am allergic to cats, by the way. So anyway, ONE person shows up.........the host doesn't give me the food to start the demo until 45 minutes after the start time..........her husband accepted extra duty and left her home alone with three kids four and under (the show was his idea!) ...........I tried to change the show to a walk through of the catalog and not cook because I didn't want to be there all drugged up (of course, I took benedryl before I went) any longer than I had to and the one guest that came couldn't eat what we were making, but she insisted that someone else was coming and was looking forward to the recipe...........come to find out the someone else who came was her 10 year old that had been at wrestling practice! So basically she made me cook for her and her kids! Then the one friend that did come already has her own show scheduled with someone else at the end of this week, so she doesn't buy anything.

I left with no orders but her insisting that she would have at least the $150 because her mom and sister and two friends were going to order. Even when I saw her again two days later she said "Oh, yeah. I'll have it" Can't reach her all weekend. Today I get an email that says "Sorry, we had stuff happen this weekend and I don't have money to join now until April. And no one ever called me with their orders. Guess we will just have to wait"

So there was my second show for the month and my recruit for earning extra points because I went to Spring Launch. I was worried about her to start with and now I'm just ready to drop her all together. I don't want to go through this again in April. I'm out money from her show because I had to pay a sitter for my kid so I could go feed hers!

Okay, I'm done now! I feel better! Now I just have to find enough orders to make a catalog show so I can get my HWC products................to the phone!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Okay, I'm done now! I feel better! Now I just have to find enough orders to make a catalog show so I can get my HWC products................to the phone!

Sorry you had to go through all that. Some people... :yuck:

But I wanted to say: Yay YOU! for having a get up and do something to fix it attitude!

 

[alabama pc cons.]

Bless your heart.... I know how you feel though... I drove almost an hour to do a show last month and after buying the ingredients and everything, only one order from the show... Not even the host ordered anything, and she is supposed to have another show in April and I am very skeptical about even doing it.... Sometimes, I would like to wring people's necks.....

 

[kristina16marie]

you can do it! we're rooting for you!!!

 

[colegrovet]

as Rae would say "bless and release.."

 

[Hunter Mom]

Bless your heart.... I know how you feel though... I drove almost an hour to do a show last month and after buying the ingredients and everything, only one order from the show... Not even the host ordered anything, and she is supposed to have another show in April and I am very skeptical about even doing it.... Sometimes, I would like to wring people's necks.....

I think I'd just not follow up on that one. 99% of the time, your gut is right.

 

[scottcooks]

Yuck; what a mess. This comes down to host coaching. Anytime I got suckered into cooking for someone or their family (twice so far, but recognize red flags in both) I have not done proper coaching prior. Sounds like the hostess had been dumped on and that having dad there would have been a boost - maybe he holds the purse strings. I would only agree to April if you do the invitations, and get assurance they'll have a sitter and that dad will attend.

 

[pcsharon1]

Yuck; what a mess. This comes down to host coaching. Anytime I got suckered into cooking for someone or their family (twice so far, but recognize red flags in both) I have not done proper coaching prior. Sounds like the hostess had been dumped on and that having dad there would have been a boost - maybe he holds the purse strings. I would only agree to April if you do the invitations, and get assurance they'll have a sitter and that dad will attend.

Oh, she doesn't want to hold another show in April - at least I don't think she does. She wants to sign up in April. We'll see what happens. I won't lose contact - I mean, I'll be seeing her when the kids start soccer in a few weeks - but I'm not going to push. I've already expressed concerns about some things to my director. Clearly I'm not going to turn down a recruit and I know that what she does for her business may be completely different than what she does as a host - I'm not a great host - but I do have concerns in other areas. I won't be doing another show at her house, though. Between my allergies and all the kids, it would have to be somewhere else.

 

[gailz2]

I had a show once with only one guest, but the host and her fiancee ordered like $300! The guest ordered $85.