Don't Quit: Overcoming the Struggles of Pampered Chef

[etteluap70PC]

You have asked the same advice repeatedly for over a year. You have been given wonderful advice repeatedly. Maybee the timing is not right for you. If you truly love the biz opportunity you have, then Take Action and make a change. Make a list of how you are working each aspect of your biz. Make a comitment to change 1 thing you are doing each month (or 2). Obviously from your posts what you are doing now is not working. Keep a journal and each day write honestly what you have done to work your biz. It might be a huge eyeopener.

If you are quitting then do it and be done with it. We wish you well in whatever you choose for you and your family.

 

[janetupnorth]

I'm glad you made a decision, go with it. But, you have to understand how you come across in this thread and others and how it appears. When you post, "I am done with PC", that IS NOT the same as "I need to change some things, get my butt in gear and make this work." Your words are saying you are giving up.Everything you ask lends to that tone. This statement also is in that tone...: "How meany of you have 2 kids that are under 3? and still do pampered chef?" ...and still do Pampered Chef? Still denotes that you can't do both...how about asking how people balance PC and kids. Having kids doesn't make or break you in the business or life. I started my Master's Degree when my daughter was 3 and my son was just a few months old. I also worked 40+ hours, helped at camp, was a volunteer Firefighter/EMT, helped in AWANA, and much more. It's up to you how motivated you will become and how you will organize your life. Ask those who know me pretty well here...Becky...Rae...Linda...Diane V....others...every once in awhile I'm sure they still get surprised by an activity I'm doing. Well, maybe not surprised anymore but more like, another thing?Follow Rae's posts sometime! I swear that woman can run circles around me some days! The difference between her and you? (Other than a few years - sorry Rae couldn't resist!) Desire and motivation. She gets up every day, has a plan, gives it to God and then goes out and does it. She doesn't waste time complaining about a lack of business, she gets on the phone. She doesn't complain about having laundry to do, she goes and does it.It's all focus. You can't be a glass half empty person all the time. So work on your mind and your focus. Don't listen to naysayers and pick up their attitude. Get an attitude and PROVE them wrong!

 

[milkangel]

My New and better question is this. How do you balance PC and kids? I Now know what i need to do. How can i change what i am doing? I need to do something about it and i now need help. I want to change my show mat insted of winging it all the time because i never get any one excited about the host specails or the free prouduct and what not. so now what?

 

[Nanisu]

If you had a day job, how would you balance your time with your kids? Would you find someone to watch them while you worked, even if that was your husband? Would you make the time to go to work each day? Or would you call your boss and say "I don't know how to balance this job with my kids..." repeatedly? You have plenty of tools and plenty of support on this board, now the job is to map out a game plan and do it. It seems to me that before you work on changing your show format you actually need to get shows on the calendar. The more you do, the more you'll do with this business--the more practice you have doing shows, the better you will be at doing shows. I would work on filling your calendar first before I worried about what your show looks like--it will naturally evolve the more shows you do. Sit down and make a plan, how many people you will call each day (and who), what you will say, and how you come across.

 

[Liquid Sky]

My New and better question is this. How do you balance PC and kids? I Now know what i need to do. How can i change what i am doing? I need to do something about it and i now need help. I want to change my show mat insted of winging it all the time because i never get any one excited about the host specails or the free prouduct and what not. so now what?

To not wing a show -- make a show outline and follow it.

I am at the point of feeling like this thread is going around and around in circles. You keep asking how to change, what to change, what do do....and that's what everyone here has been helping you with...yet the same questions keep getting asked by you. Are you reading everyone's posts? If you are, are you asking the same questions 5 different ways because you are not receiving the answers you want to hear?

If you need/want help -- do a search on the boards. There are TOOOOOONS of posts about booking ideas, show outlines..etc. I know I have said at least 3 times to you in the past 2 months to invest in Belinda Ellsworth's products to help w/ bookings and show format. I have also recommended Tammy Stanley for phone issues you inquired about.

Slow down, READ and ABSORB all that everyone is giving you advice on.

 

[DebbieJ]

I think better than asking here would be to sit down with your recruiter/director/upline and having this conversation face to face (or at least by phone) with them. Let them help you with a plan of action.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

My recruiter has two kids under 3 and is pregnant with her third, and averages 2 shows a month.

 

[milkangel]

I wanted to Thank you all for your input on how to handle what ever it might be and for all of your advise. i do read every ones post and I have talked to my director and she said just to plug away at it and it will work. Also my recruiter had quit now so i dont have her to aks any questions any more. THANK YOU and God Bless

 

[chefsteph07]

Do you go to monthly sales meetings?

Do you have any one in your cluster who you could buddy up with and kind of bounce ideas off each other?

Can you find some booths to do with fair season in full swing?

Take some online courses, teleclasses...talk to people, pamper a business...whatever it takes..set a goal...stick to it.

 

[etteluap70PC]

If that is truly what your director said that is a bummer. go to the next level. Contact her director. It will be on your comish statment. Don't have her info? Call HO. Someone in your upline Will support you! That is what they are paid for!

 

[Jennie4PC]

milkangel,
let me tell you of my experience. I started PC in March of 05 moved 250 miles plus away from where I signed knew NO ONE. My DS was 3 and DD was 18 months. Since I have been selling I have been #1 in sales on my directors team since I started, I have also had 1 more child in 06. I did get my letter of inactivity once and I did cry wont deny that then I picked myself up and started working away. Definitly look for some booths to help yo get more contacts. Booths are so not worth it if you DO NOT MAKE CALLS. Some months I still dont have good months. Ag I only have 2 shows booked but right now I am looking to book Sept. Alot of people leave town to go shopping for thier kids school clothes since wwe only have walmart and kmart here. If you want to keep going then go for it. And yes I do make money on PC this is what I do so I can pay for my kids sport activities

 

[ChefMichele1]

I have a 7 and 4 1/2 year old, work 45 hours a week in a day job and am a Girl Scout leader. 2 1/2 years ago, I needed PC to work off debt. I consistanly do at least 4 shows a month (some months better than others). I will admit, DH has had many issues with my biz over the years. I usually do shows Thursdays and Friday evenings after work. I make calls Monday evenings (sometimes Tuesday evenings as well). I will also admit that I too have thought about quitting several times. I'm overwhelmed at times and can't handle it. I realized that we still need to pay off debt and what other "job" would I get that I loved so much and would fit into my life. . .so about 6 months ago I literally scraped my butt up, had my pity party (went to a doctor for anxiety medicine) and decided this IS going to work. I not only needed to prove to my husband, but myself that this is worth it. Two things that have really helped me feel a bit more balanced: 1) get organized 2) stick to a schedule. It really has made it much more feasible. Good Luck

 

[baychef]

I wanted to Thank you all for your input on how to handle what ever it might be and for all of your advise. i do read every ones post and I have talked to my director and she said just to plug away at it and it will work. Also my recruiter had quit now so i dont have her to aks any questions any more. THANK YOU and God Bless

Congratulations for taking honest and fantastic advice from all your fellow Cheffers! Sometimes being honest with ourselves is difficult and then when others ask questions or make observations to help us see ourselves, it can be taken the wrong way...and you have seen the helpfulness and caring of everyone! Kudos to you!

Here are my brief answers: (ok I tried to make them brief!!)

When I started, I had hospitality. To attend my director's meetings would have been a 7 hour drive. My hospitality stopped selling. Long story short...I grew a team and started my own meetings!!

Yes, I have a team member that last year moved twice, had her fourth child, her husband and her run a farm and she is a Team Leader.

I have been doing this 9 years and my calendar stunk...when I soul searched, I found it was ME that needed to get organized and get going. I work full time, have 50 employees and 8 kitchens to oversee. I also rent and manage the rental of 2 family cottages. My son is 19 but my parents are in gradual need of more.

Take lemons and make lemonade. Since conference I have set things into action and things are happening in the business...but I HAD to get my head screwed on tight. Jack Canfield spoke to directors and up. His simple formula:

E + R = O

Event (no bookings) + Reaction (can't do it and listening to everyone's reasons why it won't work) = Outcome (it won't work)

What Becky and others eluded to was to change that reaction to ...I can do it and you know, money is tight, but if I explain why our $2 a serving meals can save time in the kitchen as well as in the budget, people will want to hear this! And our fabulous pans, stoneware and forged cutlery is all but a steal to hosts...and I could go on!!!

Your outcome will be a fuller calendar! I have also had one person sign and 2 other very hot recruit leads!

Tammy Stanley also helped me understand that sometimes people seem stand offish when it just wasn't a good time for them. And we internalize it as...they don't like me and/or I stink at this.

Please keep thinking positive thoughts and find why we are worth it! And...PS...I have a good friend who sells TS. For them to have a $300 party is like us having a $800 party! I can not bring myself to buy the only product that I like for $8 only to know it will be gone in a day or two. Our products are an investment in time and money savings in the kitchen.

Ok...I need to shut up!!! This is too long!