Cracked Cauldron Spillings

The holidays are off and running!

Halloween behind us was a disappointment, as we'd planned to be open for business with a crowd of customers filling the dining area and bags of goodies leaving the store in the tight clutches of happy customers.

Well, that hasn't happened yet.

But we haven't given up.

Manager will work as a personal chef to generate income. The hours for that will still be flexible enough to give her time to continue to pursue other avenues of getting the Cracked cauldron up and running as planned.

So, with the holidays here, she's set out ads to cook for various parties. We're hoping they will generate interest quickly. And I've been spreading hte word and her business cards around the people where I work. Since I get to meet a lot of politicians and medical staff and Ph.D level teachers, this is a good pool of people from which to draw customers. Customers who will probably regret it when she switches over to the Cracked Cauldron coffeehouse and bakery.

We've discussed the transition so no one is left foodless, and through the Personal Chef network she joined, she may be able to transfer clients to new chefs. Perhaps through a mentorship program of training new Personal Chefs? That part is still being worked out.

The important thing right now is to get money coming in from somewhere, creating a stable business background, building a reputation as a cook and baker, and getting Manager a vehicle that runs.

Yes, that is a critical tool she desperately needs right now. Her car is leaking from every possible location, and now guzzles 5 miles per gallon of gasoline, the thermostat is out so it constantly overheats, and there's a damaged hose inside the transmission. Repairing that car will cost almost as much sa buying a good used car.

So the search is on for a suitable used car, stationwagon, minivan that gets decent mileage and won't need major repairs for at least 2-3 years. She probably won't keep it that long, that reliability is a must as she gets this part established and flying.

A great deal of this will be hammered out next week at the Director's Luncheon.

We'll see how the Powerpoint presentation flies, what other alternative avenues of investment we can explore, and other such exciting things.

Between now and opening the Cracked Cauldron, Manager will continue exploring new recipes, perfecting existing ones (the baklava cheesecake and the bread cornucopia, for example), and tempting people with the products of her culinary skills.