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mizmir

Well done Horace on the deal - sounds like a winner. Great to open up different areas as it gives you more flexibility if things are slow in one part of the market. Hope it brings everything you want.

starxtrouble 2.5 days does seem like a hard turnaround time - is that normal in your line of work? Can you negotiate a bit more time on it?
Hope you are OK.

Mudbath - dog training (or person training! ) can be tiring but I love it so it actually works as relaxation from the day job! New classes starting next month will be a new challenge but hopefully also the start of a new chapter.

TCM_3

Oh ally bally - the swine flu! Apparently the drs here are telling anyone who has a remote sniffle that they have swine flu but the real thing I have heard is awful. I suppose, on a bright note, if you have it now and get rid of the beast then maybe that will be it out of the way for you for winter! I shouldn't make light of it as I have heard it is much worse than "man flu".

Mudbath - your poor doggy! I used to work for a vet before I did the self employment and loved it.

Horace when is your event? I really think you'll have a great time, and with the new outfits to wear you'll stun them not only with your professionalism but the killer heels too!

The OH and the rug fixing is a great idea... he would be under my feet in here constantly and i really do think I would kill him! He was here this morning and thankfully I had 4 people in at one time looking fitted for riding hats so he was made to work! I think if he spent a full day in the shop he would get his eyes opened as being the one man band is not the easiest thing in the world but thankfully as a woman I can multitask!

moneymabel

My Oh's idea of multitasking is eating and breathing at the same time :-)

Had a phone call from a potential customer earlier about some earrings who hopefully will order tonight when she gets home from work. Could be my first proper customer on my site (now that the paypal nightmare is fixed at last!)

Horace

No events booked just yet but there will be loads - I need to write a couple of paragraphs for the company website. I have just come back from town - I went to see my solicitor to collect a cheque and she then mentioned payment for a couple of contracts that she had prepared - well as she had only done half a job on one and had done nothing on the other then she wasnt going to charge me was she? After thinking about it for a moment whilst I gave her an icy stare - she thought the better of arguing and said that she wouldnt be charging me a bean:j I then went to the bank to deposit said cheque and the clerk noticed that I had missed off the 30p so that was added to my paying in slip. I have plans for the money some will go into my ISA and some will pay my credit card bills and the remainder will go into my e-saver account where I have just negotiated a higher interest rate - it was either that or I move my money elsewhere - the rate is 1.25% which is a full 1% above what they were paying in the first place:j Pity Visa won't increase my credit limit despite me having no loans or HP agreements:mad:

Then I headed into Waterstones clutching £30 in vouchers (thank you consumerpulse) and promptly spent £51.97 on books:eek: (one book cost me £30.99). These books are essential for my business...I shall be busy reading for the next two weeks:cool:

I have sent my first assignment to my tutor (the poor thing had her appendix removed on Monday:eek:) and I need to write a couple of paragraphs for this website so that I can get some business.

Now I am wondering what I should charge? For weddings I normally charge my time at £50 per hour or thereabouts - my min fee for the full kit and caboodle is from £2000. I guess it would have to depend on the job because I am prepared to shift my fee down to £25 an hour but would rather not as I think that is too cheap and I can always raise the fee to £100 an hour which would be preferable.:D Any ideas would be appreciated.

moneymabel

Instead of changing your fee could you stick at £50 but perhaps offer a discount of 10/20% dependng on the job? I really have no idea what a wedding planner charges so I'm not much use!

TCM_3

Horace, I like Mabel's idea - you could maybe offer a discount for people who have come to you through somewhere you have left your cards or give a voucher code or reference code in one of your adverts? I think people love to think they're getting something off the price.

Today I have fixed 3 manky rugs, including one that a lady had left in with someone else and they had made a complete horlix of and had the nerve to charge her. It would not have fitted one of my odd cats the way it was left never mind a horse!

Thursday night is my late night in the shop so my compensation is a chineese takeaway. One of my vvv lovely suppliers has found me some mannequins in the dump of all places and is bringing them up tomorrow. They will be sporting some of the discontinued branded stock I bought cheap at the end of July and thankfully it flying out at a vast rate of knots! I put the 50% off RRP sign up and especially as somewhere else has bought some and is selling it at the full price about 30 miles away, I'm more than happy - quick turn around, inject some cash and change the stock.

Horace

I wasnt thinking about the wedding charges those are set in stone, it was the corporate event charges I was thinking about. I think I will stick to £50 an hour which is reasonable:D Thanks for the tips.

I am now half way through Deborah Meaden's book Commonsense Rules for Business:D

moneymabel

Is it any good Horace? Can't say I really like her (well the way she comes across on Dragons Den anyway) but she's rich so is obviously doing something right!

mizmir

Agree on offering discounts rather than changing your rate. I would also be wary about being too cheap - need to be competitive but not undervalued. Can you charge for "packages" rather than hours and calculate prices on an expected hourly rate? I stopped charging by the hour and now charge a set amount for an initial consultation which I tell them will be approximately 2 hours (can be a little less or a little more but it means neither of us are clock watching) and a lower amount for subsequent sessions (which I tell them are approximately an hour).

Horace

I dont have a problem with my wedding charges at all as they are competitive and I am not changing them:D I will be able to work out the corporate stuff - I am just having a wibble really:rolleyes:

Deborah Meaden's book is very good - I have nearly finished it:D She even talks about her own businesses and those of people from Dragon's Den whom she has or hasnt invested money in. Its full of common sense tips on how to run a business.

I was just wondering if any of you folks were interested in getting £3 in LVs? Reason for asking is that p i n e Kone (dare not type out details in full) are growing again and have sent me an email for me as it contains a linky to register with them. I use my LVs for Starbucks treats in Selfridges:D