An Intriguing Tale Of Being An Owner

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

They say health care if great in Canada – and I’ll have to say that the less fortunate are usually the ones that gets coverage for all sorts of medications and disability insurance provided by the government here.  But what if you own a business like us and is self employed – can we still get disability insurance?  I know that for the longest time – when you are making some money and is self-employed – you don’t really get a rebate or assistance from the government – unlike the many customers that we see in our store that gets all sorts of free medication just because they don’t make enough money.  But those who does make enough money and are paying taxes – should they be penalized and not get assistance?  doesn’t make sense right that those who makes more money pay taxes have to pay for their own medication and any kind of extra treatment while those who don’t work – gets everything free.  Well, don’t get me wrong – there are some who really needs it – and I’m all happy for them forgetting the disability insurance – but for someone who can go out and work – who refuses to make themselves worthy – now those are the ones who makes me angry that they are getting so much help.   Yes! health care and disability insurance are great in Canada – but only for some “preferred” people.

There isn’t any no smoking sign at our store – because no one smokes inside the store – but when Grammie comes for a visit – she does smoke outside.  For the longest time – my kid had been telling grammie to stop smoking but of course, grammie having smoke for years now – finds it really hard to smoke.   So the little brat of mine – one day had nothing to do – decided to draw a sign up for Grammie – pasting it inside the back down and outside the back door of the store.  No really only for Grammie – but we’ve caught some old lady smoking behind our store’s door because it gets windy out in the car park.  Very inconsiderate if you asked me – because the smoke does get into the store.  Grammie doesn’t smoke at the top of the staircase but down – so to me – it’s actually good sign for the inconsiderate.

Spring is almost here and the last few days – the sun had been shining from the back of the store and it’s time for our landlord to get some  custom plantation shutters for us. The glass panes behind the store are rather huge – so the normal shutters isn’t going to work so well for us.   I figured with us renting from him for closed to 5 yrs now – he would give us some new shutters eh.  So lets see if we can negotiate some outta him after all, I rather pay a little bit more for the good stuff than to buy something on the shelves since we are going to be in this location for a long time.

I am really happy to see the sun come out but the back of the store is where the kid spends her time there and the tv as well as the couch becomes way too hot for her to sit and watch tv or do her homework during Spring and summer.  So if the landlord doesn’t want to give us some custom shutters, I am going to get them myself – shouldn’t make the kid suffer because the landlord might be cheap eh.

Power meetings is what they used to be called.  The company that I used to work for  would do it every year – they would bring in a motivational speaker/s and then bring those of us in Management positions along for these power retreats.  The goal was that when we get back to work we can go motivate our co-workers from our various departments.  Smaller companies have a harder time having such retreats but this year, several of us small business owners are putting together a smaller scale retreat and it is possible.

Our company’s retreat is merged with several other companies because we are just small business owners and I suggested villa rentals to the committee instead of just staying in a hotel in Florida.  Why?  It’s pretty easy to see the reason, for  it is way cheaper to rent Florida villas by the week than to rent a hotel and it’s also more private.  You can plan your company’s retreat the way you like it instead of waiting for a banquet room or conference room to be available.  Expenses are kept to a minimum and since every individual will pay for their own expenses and lodging – it’s the way to go.

One can find these villas  by the beach with private docks and with enough bedrooms for everyone.  You can plan to  have BBQs  (my favorite), swim in the ocean or sun tan on the beach during your free time after those power talks and meetings with suppliers.   These villas have restaurants and shops nearby – if  the group decides to eat out or hit the local bar for a drink they can do just that.  There are many advantages to using a villa for your company’s retreat – they are definitely cost effective for one thing, and it’s so convenient where everything is just minutes away. Plus being by the beach and having lots of sun will definitely rejuvenate one’s body and mind. A place to unwind, have fun, and be affordable  with lots of food/drinks  – now that’s what I like about a company’s retreat.

The Zhu’s from the Chinese restaurant just celebrated the newborn’s one month birthday – and like everyone who have a newborn son – they give out cigar to everyone.  I don’t mind the smell of cigar at all – as compared to cigarette – he said the camacho triple maduro buy online was found on the net – and he got the website address for me – so that I can get some for my customers on special occasions too.  So this Christmas, we can give out cigars to our male customers – but what about the ladies?  The spouse said to me – that some ladies smoke cigars too – haha!!  I know some do – but not many – definitely easier to shop for the male customers that’s for sure.  Maybe a potpourri candle or something along those lines.

Did I tell you we have great customers?  one just came back from a vacation from Portland and brought back a box of assorted mixed donuts for us at the store – luckily I know all about thermogenic fat burners – so that I won’t feel guilty eating them.  How can one resist these colorful looking sweets right?  Our customers constantly brings us food – and of course – the folks at the restaurant feeds us good too.  I’m truly grateful – about having all these good people around us – but you can imagine – I looked quite the rolly polly these days – but you can’t say no – to the kindness right?

Teenagers and young adults love coogi clothing and I fully understand it – it’s the “in” thing in this town  – but unless you are working in a casual environment or a sport store, shoes store – then you probably should leave those clothing and shoes when you are going out for the night with the girlfriend or boy’s night out.   If you were working at our store – for sure coogi clothing would be a great match – because we are on a casual environment type -  we ourselves wear jeans and sneakers to work – so we won’t expect our employees to be putting on a tie and suit to work.  But if you are working for a law firm or an accounting  firm – then probably  not.  So yes – you want to be dressing appropriately for work – and if you are not sure – ask ! and I’m sure someone will let you know.  Good luck all!

So we have a truck that we use for the store – and the car insurance was very reasonable – which makes us want to get another bigger truck in the near future.  We are watching places like Kijiji – and the local yardsale – that was where we bought our present truck – for some good deals.  Contrary to what most people think – we do not sleep on money – and whenever we do buy anything for the store or ourselves – we always buy what is the cheapest or the best price.  We don’t splurge on anything – we are thrifty and we always pay our bills on time.   So yes, whether we are getting another company’s car or a truck – insurance for the car need to be very good price too.  What about you ?  do you just go out and buy a car without doing some calculations?  I had a customer told me that they had to stop using their car because they got charged for services – I know that cannot be true – because we’ve had our car new too at one point and we were never charge for any nonsense  – except for the usual up keeping.   I figured they didn’t do their math well.

We do have a bridal store in town – and our store is like an information counter in the evenings – when the rest of the stores are not opened for business.  People come in to ask for bridesmaid dresses and what time the stores are opened – we even had a guy asked where the pet funeral store is – because his cat of 12 yrs just passed away.  But yes – we do have a bridal store in town – that not only do wedding dresses and accessories – they also do prom dresses as well.  Get your shoes, your necklaces, your tiara – lock, stock and barrel from them  – I don’t think they do rental though – only for sale.

We can never keep any of our 2nd hand  notebook computer for long – they sell like hotcakes.  Whether they are netbooks or notebooks or laptop – customers just buys them whenever we do get any in.  Usually, when we do sell them for a great price – it’s when someone brings them in – the ones we get from our suppliers are usually a lot more expensive therefore, we are not able to offer such great prices.  I wished I can find a supplier that can sell us good used notebooks but I’ve yet to find a reasonably priced ones.  New notebooks are cheaper online than what we can buy for it and resell – so if we can’t offer them at a good price to our customers – we redirect them to where we would get them online or offline.