3 month and going
This post is in english, because it feels bad for all the german and foreign readers, to only be able to follow my sisters journeys.
And I thought I could try to sharpen up my english as well.
I have now, since mid-January, had the café at SHIP, here in Helsingborg. It is a very charming café, some tell me the coolest in town, and I do like it very much. Thats what makes it all fun so far.
Looking back at my first 3 month, or almost 4 now, I can tell that it has been a quite different experience compared to what I expected. My assumption had been that it would not bring me very much new experience, since I had:
1) run a café before
2) had my own business before
3) worked with students as costumers before
I had however not run a conferens center before (the café is also host and reception to the 7 conferens rooms at SHIP). But I figured that wouldn’t be hard to learn.
That proved to be true.
However, what I did learn was alot of personal boundaries. I am still not “ready” with finding my own daily routines, and I still feel that a lot of time is “wasted”. I can’t say on what exactly, but I come to SHIP early every day, leave late, and seem not to have accomplished much in between. Which always feels bad, because there are tons of things that I want / need to do. More marketing is needed, better selection of products, better routines for the staff. Everything can be improved, and some are quite urging.
But I have learned to live with that feeling, and not let it bother me in my daily life.
If I would summarise the experience with the café so far it would be:
+ Learnt to better understand my own boundries
+ Practical experience with delegation
+ Better sense for business (at least a little)
+ Learnt that daily routines are essential for getting things done
- Spent alot of time
- Spent alot of energy. I have never felt so socially tired as I do now.
- Not really earned any money.
As my old boss, and also café owner told me: Experience is always good, and always cost money, time and energy. The key is to get the experience as cheaply as possible.
With that in mind I will see what happens after this summer. Nothing is decided yet, but I have signaled my interest to continue – until the end of the year at least.