An Intriguing Tale Of Being An Owner

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The called it the Wharf Rat Rally – and I’m pretty proud of the people up in Digby – for organizing this event and making it more and more successful.  Now if only this town will do the same – and smarten up – but of course not!   But come end of August – it’s happening again and I’m going for it !   They have all sorts of bikes in this rally and ATVs  – the most amazing thing about this event – is the amount of people who goes for it.  I hear that last year – they had people packed along the street – 10, 000 bikers and more.  I know the spouse uses  Polaris Accessories for his ATV and so does his friends – so I’m assuming that a lot of vendors are going to be there too.   There will be entertainment – and lots of demo – and I’m definitely sure that this year will bring lots of money to the town of Digby – congrats!  Those who loves ATVs, Bikes and automobiles – you have to go see it for yourself – it’s a darn good show!

I used to travel a lot for work – and one of the best company I worked for was a foreign company in Spain.  Ours was a representative office in Asia – in charge of the Asia – Pacific region – and Australia – and with so much traveling done – not only by myself – but all the other people in our office – from Sales Managers to Engineers – a good  medical air evacuation plan was necessary for the entire staff – well except the office staff.   So when my ex-boss called this week and asked if I would like to join him in another office – he is now with an American firm – I asked him to send over the terms & contract.  I’m really tempted – because the terms were great – and I did see a medical air evacuation plan – so this company must be a good one.   But I know I can’t go – having a kid and a store – so I passed on another name for the position.  Maybe – in the future – I might get another good offer eh.

Yes ! these are the people who’ve ripped us off – in the recent 12 months – and we’ve been in business for 12 years this August – so you can imagine – how much money we’ve lost in the last 12 years.  And yes we do use  debt collectors to try and recoup our losses but not very much luck.  Now we really need a good debt collector – that can really get some of our money back but we can’t really blame the old ones for not trying because most of the people on my ripped off list – are probably jerks and have no credit at all – what to do right?  But that doesn’t mean that we are going to stop trying get our money back – we will keep looking for a debt collector who has a trick or two that hasn’t been used yet.

People come in all the time to sell stuff at our store – to upgrade and well – some need the money for it – and since we do take in used things – we will take a look at them and price them up.  Some stuff – you know you will be able to re-sell quickly – like the PS3 controllers from Sony – and of course sony cameras are also in demand.  Most people love the Sony brand – because they are synonymous to quality stuff – so if you bring me something that is Sony brand – we will most likely buy it as compared to the generic brand – or a no name brand.  If we get a turntable with a Sony brand – we would also very likely buy it – but any other brand we will have to think about it.  Sony brand of stuff last for a long time – and my first walkman was from Sony and till today – it still works.  So yes – we do buy stuff – but it has to be a brand that we trust.

I missed working for big companies that take care of you and your entire family.  I used to have health insurance not only for myself but for my entire family – so when I first arrived in Canada – I too had asked the boss about health insurance and life insurance for the employees.  Alas, being a small business  – we can’t afford to do all those for our employees but that doesn’t mean that I’ve stopped looking for feasible insurance for not only ourselves, our business and employees.  Checking out  Trustedquote.com life insurance , I get an idea about the kind of premium one have to pay for life insurance and like any business owner by association – I want to keep informed about our options and hope that one day we can grow big enough to give our employees all these benefits.  Being a good employer means that you have good employees too.

Darn! darn! darn!  shocking! i put on weight – i was at the doctor’s with my kid – for a rash – and since the family doctor had a new digital weighing machine – I had to try it out. And guess what!  i put on weight – actually no surprises here – I knew i was putting on weight – because I had been eating junk !  So I’m going to be out there getting some  weightloss pills and doing a lot of exercises! even the spouse is shocked that my weight went up – since he didn’t think i ate as much junk as he does – muahah! but truth be told I have been eating junk!  well i better stop right now – this instant – else I’m going to be in a lot of trouble!

Saw this night vision camera at one of our local electronic store and thought we should buy it  – not for ourselves but for facing out of the store – because whenever something happens to the neighboring store, the cops would come asked if we have a camera with night vision that might have captured the crime.  We do have several  cctv cameras around the store and one facing outdoors too – but not a night vision one – so we are investing for the neighbors actually – so to say.   But it is good to keep the town safe right?  and it’s not expensive to buy one of these no more, therefore, I don’t understand why businesses do not buy their own cctv cameras to keep themselves safe too.  But yes ! for $99 – you can buy a peace of mind – I say it’s a very small price to pay.

Last week – I read on the local news about the pharmacist telling their senior patients that they might not be able to fill prescriptions for them if they were on the Pharmacare card.  Shocking to say the least – but to frighten the poor seniors of our society – I am sure that would send them into a panic frenzy.  And what about those who are in the  inpatient rehab treatment centers who needs their prescription filled as well?  does that mean that they too cannot get that ?  now that would not be good eh.    We don’t have many inpatient rehab treatment centers in town – which I deem it as a very important thing in this town – because of the drug abuse problems here.  Although many do not want to admit it – this town does have a drug problem – I’ve seen many of our customers coming into our store all smelling of weed.   Therefore, we know that a good rehab center is important.

According to local news the Health Minister had said that she was determined to reach a settlement before July 1st – so why is the pharmacist scaring the poor people out there.   And reading from a local forum – some pharmacists had said that their business can close and jobs will be lost under the new legislation for capping the cost of generic drugs.   The Fair Drug Pricing Act would also give the province the power to limit rebates paid to pharmacies by generic drug companies, although the province doesn’t plan to do so right away.  But we all know that the Pharmacists and Pharmacy makes a lot of money right?  so what’s the big fuss?  I really don’t like some of the tactic used – by some pharmacists – no need for scaring the poor folks.

So we have been getting a batch of camcorders in our store but we don’t really want to at first – because we don’t really know much about it but after reading some camcorder reviews , we decided that some camcorders are a good buy for reselling purpose.   So now when someone wants to sell their camcorders – we already know some of its features and what it can and cannot do.   I’m fascinated by the pocket cameras like the Flip Ultra HD – according to what I read – and its size – I believed that it just might be a huge sell during Christmas.    And for $119 – i think it could be just the perfect gift for the nieces and nephews as well.

When I used to work for a bigger company – I didn’t need to think of how the company’s money was being spent – I used to buy the most expensive stationary or fly business class only when I travel for work.  But now that the spouse owns his own business – it’s a different thing altogether.  Every penny spent needs to be carefully spent – from debit rolls to plastic bags – even our garbage bags.  When it comes to mandatory expenses like insurance for the store or insurance for the contents of the store – and the car insurance – we look for the best but cheapest insurance.  Everything else in our life  had taken a back seat for the longest time – but last year – the spouse took up a life insurance – because the business got better and this year – it’s my turn.  I hear that the cheapest life insurance quotes can be found at  trustedquote.com – so I’m going to check it out and get my life insurance done up – that way I don’t have to worry should anything happen.  You never want anything to happen – but if by any unfortunate incidents – it does – you want your loved ones to be protected too.

Local sport store having a try out event with their New Balance Tech Rep – who will be in town with this all new 890 – said to be lightest in its class for the everyday runner.  I wonder if they are good for walking as well.  I read about the best post workout supplement and wished they too would bring that in for a try out event for the nephew – who is into body building but I guess that would be for the local gym to do.  Maybe, the local gym would do the same for the town people who are trying to get healthy this summer eh.   There are so many products out there and if they had this try out event – it would be great – because then we will know if they are good to buy – without making the owners pay a lot to get stuff in.  Good business sense too – and promotion you would think.  If only our supplier could do the same for us to – try out computers or games – now that would be awesome right?

While I used to work in the hotel and had to either stand a lot or walk around the hotel inspecting hotels a lot – I didn’t have to worry too much about my weight.  But lately, it is not the same for me – I know I am putting on weight and also my hips and my thighs are getting huge like an elephant.  I read the  oxyelite pro reviews that a customer at our store had shown me the other day and am dying to try it out but I’ve to check with my family doctor to make sure that they are no side effects since I do have high blood pressure and am a diabetic but other than that – I really want to lose my excess weight and try to look fit this summer.   Who likes to come into a store with a fat woman right?

As we draw close to 12 years in business – we want to make our store/business a more efficient one and one way of doing it would be to use a scanner software that we had been looking at – so that all files can be kept in order and able to share it with everyone working at the store and business.  We are constantly looking into organizing the store and we realized that if we had a scanner software – we wouldn’t have to look for contracts that we had store away 5 years ago – but to call it out of this software easily without having to go thru’ a few years of paper to retrieve just one contract.   I think it is an investment that we can certainly afford if we want to keep everything in order and be an efficient business.

Mother’s Day is just round the corner and if you haven’t send out a gift for your mother who lives in another town or city like myself – it’s not too late.  Plus with Shari’s berries guaranteed coupon you can’t go wrong with it – coz’ the coupons give you so many choices for discount and savings.  I’m not sending anything to my own mom but my godmother lives in United States in New York – so I’m sending her a basket of cookies and i save 14% with the coupons I see online.   I know she will appreciate the thought – and Mother’s day gift need not be only for your mom eh – it can be for someone you care about – the mother-in-law?  sister? godma? yes – it’s nice to send and receive caring gifts – I’m one who loves all the attention – hehe!

We are preparing to put some table out in front of our store and attract by – passser to come into our store – like we do every spring and summer.  But this year – I’m well-prepared – with sun-tan lotion and youthology for my wrinkles – no way am I going out there to battle the harsh sun without both.  People don’t know that working out in the sun even just sitting down and looking after a table of goods – can caused both sun burn and wrinkles if you don’t take proper care of your skin.  Today, we had just gone to get sun tan lotion for the kid – for school afterall, it will get hotter everyday now from now on.  But for old farts like me – I have to make sure I take care of those wrinkles as well – can’t got out there facing customers – without trying to look my best eh.

A few weeks ago – the town councils and the local hospitals administration called an emergency meeting with regards to the long wait time in ER.  Although the hospital defended itself by saying that there isn’t enough ER doctors – it can still be painful to sit for 6 – 8 hrs just to see a doctor – especially it’s because there is just not enough family doctors for this town.   While other businesses may be going bankrupt -  healthcare jobs are a plenty in this town – doctors just don’t want to come to this town for various reasons.    So if you have a doctor or a registered nurse who wants to come work in Canada – please tell them that healthcare/hospital/nursing jobs are a plenty here.

There wasn’t any solution from what I’ve seen – the doctors in the hospital were defending themselves furiously and the councils weren’t able to give them a solution.  So the meeting as far as I am concern was a waste of everyone’s time.   In my humble opinion – i think before the councils were to point fingers – they should offer some kinda help and incentive for health care provider to come and stay in this small town.  And as of the doctors, they weren’t any better too – surely they can all spare a few hours a day of their life doing volunteering work for their own hospital – but I guess everyone for their own here.

A wonderful idea don’t you think? movies on wheels?  it’s not new back home – because we have movies stores that delivers movies to your doorstep for no extra course – but of course back home – you’ll have to rent the entire series.  So it can work I think especially our community is so small and if we advertise it correctly, we can rent to the old folks home and other places.  We saw a sunfire  for sale and it’s less than $2K – plus some cheap auto insurance rates – we are all set and ready to go.  I don’t want to pay a lot for insurance on a car that is used only to zip around town and deliver movies – so unless we can get the auto insurance rate at a good price – we won’t be doing the movie on wheels – because we are not charging for delivery and pick up after the movies are due.   I think it’s a good way to advertise our business and movie rentals.  What do you think?

As owner by association to the spouse’s store – I still have to serve customers when the spouse is busy or when the store is packed – so why am I not getting a name tag and a salary???  every employees past or present has  name tags and I insisted on one too and one on my desk – and what do I want on my name tag?  what title?  OWNER BY ASSOCIATION of course!  Now why do I insist on a name tag?  because some people assumed that I’m the cheap help from China – or even worst that since I’m the owner’s wife I can make deals like the owner – hahahha!!!  but how untrue – because I don’t have the slightest clue as to the value of games nor movies in the store.  So yes!  i insisted on a name tag for myself  – so that people would know exactly what I can and cannot do.   But truth be told we had name tags done for our ex-employees to make them feel like part of the team and also to create a better repertoire with the customers.  I remembered wearing my first employee name tag – boy! was I proud of it.   To me – it was a sense of responsibility – a sense of pride – a sense of belonging and that I am making my own money! woohoo!

The kid got sick last nite and we didn’t get a lot of shut ears – so I’m darn sleepy right now and of course, without a lot of sleep – we all know what happens – my acne appeared again this morning.  Luckily, I’ve heard of a  natural acne remedies that one can use in cases like that.  Don’t you just hate acne – I look so awful with them – and if you are serving customers like us – you can’t afford to have acne in your face – else folks would think you have some kind of  health problem.   And if you are like me and have acne problems and not getting a lot of rest because of kids getting sick – just leave a comment and I’ll tell you all about my natural acne remedies that I’ve learned.

While I’ve made many conference call while working in the hotel’s business center and then traveling for work around the world – it’s hard to make a conference call at work.  Why?  our store is just too busy and we are constantly swarmed with customers or the kid when she gets home from school.  So if we needed to make a business conference call or even one for family back home – it’s almost impossible unless we close the store up for an hour or wait till the kid is in her bed and call from home.  But we don’t have a regular phone at home – so making a conference call can be quite expensive using a cell phone plus it’s just not the same doing it on a cellphone instead of a proper conference call phone.  So yes! i have to look for a cheaper and clearer solution to making those conference call at work.