Is The Pampered Chef a Viable Full-Time Opportunity in Maryland?

[Oven Knobs]

Hello all!

I have recently met with a consultant to go over the Pampered Chef opportunity. I found this forum doing some online research. I am seriously considering starting up a The Pampered Chef business here in Maryland. I'm looking to "hear" from anyone who may be in the Baltimore/DC area. Also, how well do guys do in this business? Can this business provide enough income to be a full time opportunity?

Thanks,
Oven Knobs

 

[Michael Serrano]

Hello...Oven Knobs?..lol.

My name is Michael Serrano, I am a male consultant in NY. I have been with PC for 2 months now and I LOVE IT! Qualified last month for my SS1 and I also earned the first level Spring Products FREE. YEAA!!

In my first month I held 3 shows and had one large individual order and sold $1,558 for the month. That was a nice starting commission of about $350 for just 12 hours of work total. Plus all the FREE Products!

I just signed my first recruit in Tulsa, Ok. and I'm SOOO Excited to be able to share the opportunity and help someone reach their goals and dreams. I have another recruit who will be joining next week from Hammond, LA. That will promote me to Future Director and allow me to grow my business faster and help My team accomplish the same just as quickly.

My upline is in California (also a male!) and I've never met him except for our phone and email conversations. I'm used to the long distance approach, but take full advantage of Chef Success and all that my fellow consultants have to share. This site is truely a blessing to my business.

If you'd like to talk more please feel free to email me or call me. If you're looking to get started quickly and haven't already talked with a consultant I'd love to help get you started on the fast track!

All the Best,

Michael Serrano
917-238-3617

 

[Oven Knobs]

Thanks MichaelI have already contacted a consultant, so if I should come on board, I think it woulld only ne fair to allow her the credit. I visited your website. I'm confused about all this talk over the rules for websites and linking. Can you or anyone else clarify for me.

Also, my recruiter consultant mentioned nothing about having to list my first six shows. How does one have shows to list when they haven't even begun?
Can I list the first six shows as mystery host shows.

Also, how effective of a show can one do with the super starter kit?

And anyone who has done any church type fundraisers? How do they work? I have an "inside track" to two church communities and would like to do a fundraiser for both but am unsure of the logistics.

Thanks,

Oven Knobs

 

[Michael Serrano]

Hi!

You visited my website? .biz/mikeycooks? Cool. The linking policies were recently updated to allow the Home Office to direct leads appropriately. There had been many consultants paying large amounts of advertising $$ online and they were getting ALL the business which was kind of unfair for the rest of us. PC wants the business to be about the Cooking Shows and doesn't want the focus taken away from that. there's a lot more info on Internet Policies on this forum...just do a search for "Internet Policies".

As for having talked with a consultant already GREAT!! they can help get you started quickly and should be able to answer and address all your questions. If no you'll also have this GREAT forum!

The Pampered Chef wants you to submit 6 show dates with your Consultant agreement. What I did and what I tell my new recruits is to look at their calender and plan out 6 dates they'd LIKE to have shows and use those dates. PC will not hold you to those dates and they can always be switch or rescheduled. They just want to see that you at least intend to hold shows.

I think the Super Starter Kit is Fantastic and there are a bunch of demos and recipes that can be completed using just about everything in your kit. For my first show which was an "Open House" I did the Garden Ranch Pizza and everyone loved it. Every show since then has featured the Garden Ranch Pizza. I'm looking forward to the new Cucina Italiana themes and have already WOW'ED my friends and family by making the new Profiterole Puffs at least 3 different times.

I haven't done a fund raiser yet, but I'm talking with a few people who wouldlike to get one started. Do a search for "Fundraiser" or click on Files and search "Fundraiser" there are quite a few really great documents and fliers on this.

All the Best

Michael Serrano

 

[lizcooks4u]

Another newbie here.Hi everyone;

My name is Elizabeth and my user name = Soothenrelax.

I'm so glad to have found this site, and Michael has been a GREAT inspiration as well

I grew up in 4-H and did cooking demo's at other's homes, but I'm pretty nervous about that now. I used to really enjoy cooking but haven't cooked much in yrs. Hard to cook for one person. I'm really hoping PC will get me back into cooking too. Should be able to take healthier lunches to work as well.

I'm trying to find super easy recipes and for now I too have the starter kit, I don't think the Season's Best are so simple, so I"m sure many will laugh at that!! LOL

I read Rebecca's recipes and some sound easy enough to do.

I need to read my PC material's too. Should do that yet today. MY super starter month is in March and the only show I have lined up is my Step Mom in OH. I really need to get her stuff out to her soon too.

Thanks for all the great hints and I'll definately visit this board often

Elizabeth
soothenrelax
[email protected]

 

[Michael Serrano]

Thank you Elizabeth for those kind words and WELCOME to The Pampered Chef Family.

I too did not want to just cook for one, but now that I have all these cool Kitchen gadgets I find reasons to make anything. I love the New Profiterole Puffs. Its suppose to be an "Advanced" level recipe, but I find it easy. I've already made them on 3 different occasions.

Here's to a Successful 2006

All the Best,

Michael

 

[lizcooks4u]

re: cooking for oneI know that once I get back at it, it should go well. I bought the pizza roll and tried to make that the other night and didn't do so well. Pretty discouraging to say the least. I then read I should've floured the roller, but if I had such a hard time with the rolling of the dough I"M IN TROUBLE!!!! HEHEHE

 

[Michael Serrano]

LOL! You'll get better at it. That refridgerated dough is no joke. It gives me a workout sometimes too. When I have time I like making my own fresh pizza dough (from a recipe I found on this board) and it is easy to work with and DELICIOUS!

When you qualify for SS! you'll get the Stoneware Bar pan and that will make it even easier since you won't have to mold the dough into a circle you can just roll it out square.

At every show you should be promoting the Food Chopper and the Stoneware bar pan as THE must have kitchenware items. Especially to PC newbies! The Bar pan has hundreds of uses as does the chopper.

Mike

 

[lizcooks4u]

Thanks so muchThanks so much

 

[Oven Knobs]

Internet policiesHey Again!

Ok, I have researched the Internet Policies thread and I am still somewhat confused.

My understanding here is that I may not PAY to have website linked...such as Google AdWords.

But what I don't get is this....If I have my own personal website, is it against policy for me to place a link to my Pampered Chef site on my own personal website. This seems strange to me...if I am a PC Kitchen Consultant, and that is what I do...then why would I not be able to put that information on my own personal sites.

Does anyone have the actual policies that were sent out. Can someone e-mail them to me?

I am hearing great things and reading great things about PC, but I am also in the business of making money...

Not allowing me to promote myself as a Kitchen Consultant or as an Independant Rep of PC would be a hinderance in my abilities to possibly earn as much income as possible, while at the same time earning money for PC.

Also, any suggestions about pricing issues...meaning how do you guys handle the remarks about things being over-priced through PC?

Oven Knobs

 

[chefmary]

Welcome Soothenrelax and Oven KnobsBoy do I love your user names! Welcome to the PC family and the Chef Success boards! Elizabeth, I'm glad you stopped in!!

Oven Knobs, the question of listing your website on the internet is a hot-button topic, but I feel the company is really protecting us by not allowing a rampant internet presence. The Pampered Chef name, logo and reputation have taken over 25 years to cultivate and the company wants to keep them unblemished. Just one rogue consultant with a large internet presence could do enormous damage! We are allowed to advertise our website on all of our print materials that we distribute to our customers, as well as any print advertising we do (flyers, classified ads, etc.). Another idea I heard was to leave our website address on our voice mail messages...you never know who is calling!

I hope this makes you feel less constrained. As you continue with the company, I'm sure you will see that they really work to make us happy and that the decisions they make are in our collective best interests! I have been with PC 5 years and I can tell you from experience that this is so!

Mary H.

PS to Oven Knobs re: pricing - one of the consultants in our cluster analyzes the pricing of our product line each season, which proves that we are not over-priced. For the upcoming S/S season, 37% of our products are under $10, 69% of the products are under $20 and 82% are under $30! Yes we have some high-priced (and high-quality) cookware, but hardly anyone ever pays the full price when they host a show! How's that for amunition??

 

[mkrich]

Personal Website AddressesNo - you can't post a link to your PC website on your personal website. However, you can put your website on email communication with your customers. If you want to view the policy in full, go to Consultant's Corner and click on Promoting Your Business -> Advertising and Publicity Policies. Here is main part of the policy on personal website links:

"Consultants of every level are prohibited from linking to Personal Web Sites. This includes both sponsored links and banner ads that you pay for, as well as non-sponsored links that you don’t pay for. For instance, if a friend posts a link on their family’s Web site to your Personal Web Site, you would be in violation of this policy.

There are only two very specific exceptions to the linking policy.

The first pertains to Fund-raiser Shows. If you have a Fund-raiser with an organization that wishes to post a link to your Personal Web Site on their Web site, you may do so only with prior written approval from Consultant Career Solutions.

Fund-raiser links may only be active for 60 days.

The second exception pertains to personal electronic communications. You may continue to include your Personal Web Site address as part of your contact information or signature on e-invitations, any e-mails that are currently available through your Personal Web Site and your personal e-mails to your customers. These communications may link to your Personal Web Site. This also includes any electronic mail pieces that may be developed by our new licensed merchandise vendor.

The ban on linking also prohibits the following:

Listing or linking your Personal Web Site in Internet directories or search engines, such as Google or Yahoo.
Purchasing or using a separate domain name to re-direct visitors to your Personal Web Site.
Linking to Consultant’s Corner from any Web site.
Linking to The Pampered Chef® corporate Web site from any Web site."

Hope that helps!

Melissa

 

[Oven Knobs]

MK Rich and Chef Mary,

Thank you both so much for your replies. They have helped.