Swans, craft fairs and missing toasters!!

We have gently put our toe into events management and our June event is gently bubbling along has already seen loads of cross contact and sharing going on amongst all the attending stall holders which is how it should be. 

Many years ago I was extremely fortunate to work with a brilliant public relations company and was lucky enough to get involved in setting up stands for clients.  These stands were at events like Hotelympia and BBC Good Food Show with international clients.  It gave me the most amazing insight into what actually needs to be done, the timescales involved and at all times give the impression that it took no effort at all.  My boss was a consumate lady, and there was never a time when it was appropriate to scream or go 'aarrrrggggh' even if the most appalling disaster was heading our way.  She saw event management as a swan, the world sees a graceful bird doing nothing in particular while the legs are going like billio underneath - and that's how she explained it and she's right.  We could argue the toss and yell in the privacy of the board room to each other but never in front of a client, supplier or customer and this ethos is so true.  This is what one client wrote to me after an event:

see, a swan to the client and a huge white paddling bird trying to beat the current to those behind the scenes!!  If memory serves right this is the one with the missing toaster - had to barter one off another stall in exchange for food products from the client, you would be amazed how much bartering goes on at these big events.  To this day we still don't know where that wretched toaster ended up but it certainly wasn't on the stand where it was supposed to be!

To those of you arranging and setting up craft fairs, the very best of luck to you because they are a lot harder work than some realise.  Those of you in the know will be nodding thinking yep, while re-arranging a floor plan yet again!  However, get your support network right, get your time planning in place and know your stall holders and it is the most amazing day out for everyone and no-one gets stuck in the current :)  And if we can help or just offer virtual hugs in support please drop me a line at angie@chezhippo.co.uk as if we don't help each other we are definitely sunk!

just too many ideas!

Not sure if this is a good thing or not, but the small brain for some reason is absolutely buzzing with ideas!  So, for those of you that like a quiet life I’m probably not the one to be around right now.

However, certain things have come to light that need addressing – mainly my inability to explain things fully and delegate properly.  I have the most amazing people around me in the form of the Hippo-ettes and in no way doubting their abilities.  I am doubting mine.  My ability to actually take a random idea and add the detail, to be able to explain it in a linear way so that others know the start and end point and my ability to effectively delegate so that others can help when they offer - which they do, frequently. 

I have worked with amazing managers in the past and equally some very ineffectual ones and know that I am probably one of the ineffectual kind.  I have just landed us a huge project to work on and the Hippo-ettes have all pledged their support , which will be fantastic so this has given me the kick up the bum that was badly needed to move from ineffective to effective manager.  I can manage projects where I don’t have to explain the detail – but that’s usually because I don’t really worry about the detail till I have to!   So I have been a good Hippo and really tried hard to start thinking about the details already – but got bored and ended up writing this instead, says it all really!!! So, with that in mind I am going to utilise the skill set that surrounds me – there is one Hippo-ette who is particularly good at giggling at my lack of detail while gently nudging me without  shouting either – and she is already earmarked for area manager because she is good at it!!

However, we all know what will happen – I will chunter the outline while getting distracted, the others will giggle pleasantly while shaking their heads at me and gently fill in the detail in the most helpful way possible! And we will all have a lovely time, well they might be chuntering about me while going flip she forgot that again grrr.  So my advance apologies to the ever supportive Hippo-ettes who probably now spend their lives playing fill in the blanks to the cunning plans J

Time Flies!

Time does literally seem to have flown by lately!

We have been busy in the making shed, busy in the selling shed and busy setting up a craft fair.  Also been busy writing press releases to local and national press.  One of the things that has struck me lately is the amount of absolutely incredible crafters we are getting to meet just because we opened the purple shed!  So sales are not worthy of note just yet, but we are getting some wonderful comments and people saying 'ooh Aunt Sarah would like that, must pop back later' however the frustration in little brain is saying nooo buy it now please!!!  However, that is unfair on our shoppers who have all been very pleased with all the shiny things we have on offer.  And the networking and meeting up has more than made up for a slightly quiet till.

Marketing, ahh the bain of the small brain at the moment! It has been quite tricky to shift from a seller to a buyer brain to try and second guess what people might like, and how they might prefer to see it displayed.  I really must call up my girlfriends (those of the Norman persuasion!) who are wonderfully critical in a supportive way.  I sense a complete overhaul of the shop space if the two I have in mind pop down, but their opinion is also incredibly useful and done without malice or agenda so cannot be ignored.  Well, I could ignore it but seeing as we have too much dirt on each other it will no doubt backfire at some point!

What else have we been up to? We have a craft fair set up - venue booked, all the stall holders are locked in and now the advertising campaign starts.  Prepare to see bunting and Hippos all around the area.  But again, we have had the most amazing response from some superb crafters that we just want the day to come around so we can see them all together.  And the best accidental find was a scrapbook group who are going to make us a memento of the day from scraps gathered from all the stall holders.  Have to confess my absolute ignorance of what scrapbooking is all about but so glad I went to see them - it's stunning!  Can't wait to see what they create for us.

If you are in the area, pop along to the purple shed and if you are a crafter yourself then please bring some work to show us.  That is proving to be the best part of being open, and the ability to be able to say 'oh, you ought to talk to xxx as they could help you with that bit' because they've come to visit us too is just so lovely.  As someone said to me the other day we are linking the crafters together one Hippo at a time, we kind of like that idea too!

We are finally open!

My humble apologies for not getting these onto the blog earlier - but it's been such a whirlwind of a few weeks. Whilst I miss those days of being able to sit around all day in my jimjams chuntering away on blogger and twitter opening the shop has been such a learning curve and I don't think I'd prepared myself for the hours you need to put in. Time management fail, as ever, from the Hippo.

Anyway, we had our fantastic proper opening day - balloons, cake and kinder hippos and the sun came out so we all had a lovely day.

these are the before and after of the shed: