The Book Of Awesome

Since both Joanna and I write on this blog it may get a little confusing, so to make things clearer.........Mia here!
Yesterday my boyfriend got a book called 'The Book of Awesome'. Its a book that lists all the little awesome things that make life wonderful. I thought that was such a great idea cause I could come up with a long list myself (but I'll leave that for another time). And although I haven't read the book yet I did find the website/blog, check here. The items on the list are funny and so true, one of my faves #503 "Walking into class and seeing a substitute teacher". I still remember the overwhelming feeling of freedom every time that happened, oh to be a kid again.
So the book got me thinking, and I got inspired to share the one thing that has happened to me recently that I think is completely awesome. We've had a good number of our customers come to us and say "I really hope that you guys are doing well, my hope is that you're here for years to come". Or when new customers come in and say "I've heard great things about you from so and so, and couldn't wait to come and check you out". Just to clear the air, we're not going anywhere any time soon. The reason that comments such as these have a great impact on us is they add a very personal aspect to what we do. They show us that our relationship with our customers is very natural, organic and real. And we know we're doing something right since our customers truly care that we're here a year from now.
When I was younger I worked for a few retail chains, and for anyone that held a job in retail you know that there are specific 'selling' steps that every employer asks you to follow when interacting with a customer. You know the ones that have acronyms, and every letter stands for every step to be followed from the way you greet the customer to closing the sale. So essentially you're given a formula to go by, meaning no matter which employee a customer talks to they all have the same thing to say. Now I understand that the selling process has its own purpose in the corporate world, however I was never really good at it....and frankly I was never a top sales person for any of my employers. I now realize that the issue wasn't that I couldn't follow the 5 step program to a sale, but the issue was I wasn't able to be me. When you're able to just be yourself, you're able to relate and interact with people on a very natural level. Trying to remember the next step as you're conversing with a customer is very awkward and doesn't really help the flow of the conversation. And although customer service is important, I completely agree, caring for your customer and believing in what you are offering them has a much greater impact then the cookie-cutter approach of 'Can I help you with anything?'. Which, as I was taught, is the wrong question to ask because it gives the customer the option to say no, and then you've cornered yourself, where do you go from there????? So keep it to open ended questions only:)
This is not a crash course on selling, but how I've learned the importance of being real and being yourself....even in business. I came across a great quote the other day, which said: 'When dealing with a small business, everything is personal'. It's very true, and it includes interactions that we have with everyone that walks into this little establishment of ours.
So our dear customers thank you for adding one more awesome thing to our list.
Lots of love Joanna and Mia.

We'd like to know......what are some of the awesome things in your life?

Step into my office...baby

First off, I'm was so happy to read Mia's last blog. It was nice to tread down memory lane again, and remember the seedlings of our dreams.

I might add, had she not been a complete weasel, using inclement weather as an excuse to not go to work ("uhm...are YOU going to the office today? It's pretty bad out right? We should stay home right???") , who knows what could have happened? But let's not dwell on the past or ponder the future, let's stay present. Fast forward to a couple years later, this is now the office we bike, TTC and drive to, even on the worst of snow days.

(the northwest corner of our eco-store)

After I read her blog, I got to thinking about occupations in general. I've had several jobs, and two bonafide career paths, excluding the one I am now on.

They (jobs and careers) always start of with such a bang don't they? Such excitement and such potential on the upstart. But once the initial buzz wore off, and the new suits and outfits I've purchased for said jobs start fading and pilling from wash, I found myself wishing for a new start.

Someone once said to me..."You're not supposed to like your job". My thoughts on the statement: I'm torn. The idealist in me is completely abject to that statement (picture mouth agape). Yet, the realist side knows the validity in it. Most people HAVE to work (thanks capt. obvious). Not speaking for anyone else, but I always ended up being lukewarm about every single post I held...to me, that's worse than hating it.

I wanted to have passion and zeal for my 9-5. I wanted to love it THIS much (my baby cat Linxie loving her eco-friendly scratch pad).

Man, she loves that thing. She makes out with it, several times a day.

It is one thing to be a dreamer, and it's another to be a dreamer that's homeless and broke. Yes the decision to START GL was done shot-gun style, but the execution was not the least bit impulsive.

Mia and I were very very practical and pragmatic when planning Green Lavender, and the concept of the store and studio was ever-evolving and ever changing. In fact, the yoga studio idea came much, much later in the planning process. We met almost weekly to brainstorm and plan (thank you Williams coffee pub). We tried a crap-load of eco-products, did surveys, went to seminars, looked at spaces, talked to small business experts and small business owners...and the list goes on.

So, with our full time jobs, my yoga teaching gigs, planning GL and trying to have social lives on top of that, our plates, well...they runneth over. Not to be a martyr, but ya sacrifices were made. To quote small business expert Andrew Patricio "It takes a lot of effort to build a successful business. If you're not prepared to put in the effort, don't get into your own business". Hear hear Andrew...

If there is one thing that is still a constant, it's the hard work, and I don't harbour any delusions that it wont be, for a long, long time.

We've probably never worked harder in our lives (hey Mia, remember renovations??? Actually, I should say, hey Kostas...remember renovations???). But the payoff is priceless...see exibit A&B

This is my office and desk...

And this is my daily attire (I do not miss my starched button up, collar blouses)....

What I learned: Dream big, then put your back into it.

We're curious...do you love your job? What is your dream job?

How it all started....

So we're often asked, how did the two of you decide to do this? And the decision was much easier then one would expect......well lets go back to the beginning.

It all started one snowy morning a few winters back. I (Mia) woke up, looked outside and found that over the night there was a massive snow storm. It was one of those mornings where you just want to go tobogganing, or go for a walk in the winter wonderland, but then you realize that its the middle of the week and you need to get dressed and go to work!!! Well the thought of digging up my car from underneath 20cm of snow and then spending an hour and a half getting to work, when the trip should only take half an hour, made me ill. So I decided to opt out for the first option, to get my snow gear on and go enjoy the great outdoors. But then the guilt kicked in and so I called Joanna to see what she was going to do. Had she decided not to go in, it would have been fully justifiable for me not to go either. So I made the call to find out that Joanna was just getting ready to leave for work. Well much to my disappointment snow or no snow, she wasn't giving up on making the drive to the office. So after a couple of minutes of pondering my options I decided to stick to my guns about not driving, so I met Joanna at the subway station closest to her house and we went to work together, in her car:)

I still remember that ride which took close to two hours, although it didn't feel nearly as long. We sat in her car and talked about what it is that we really wanted to be doing in life. We had stable and challenging jobs. Jobs that would lead to lots of opportunities and growth down the road. But we dared to be one of those dreamers that believed that every morning you should wake up wanting to go to work......what a concept! So back to our drive, we were surrounded by a bunch of pissed off motorists, cutting each other off, impatiently trying to get to their final destination, but we were so immersed in our conversation that the chaos outside wasn't really effecting us at all. At one moment I turned around to her and said 'You know.....we should open up a business together, wanna do it?'. And after I blurted those words out in an almost knee jerk reaction sort of way, I realized that I just said it like it was no big deal, like I was asking her if she wanted milk or cream in her coffee. In an almost confused state I waited for her response. Very quickly with much enthusiasm she responded, 'What a great idea! Lets do it!'. Just like that I got my answer as if she was answering my milk vs cream question. At that moment life as we knew it was about to completely change, Green Lavender was born!

If you think I'm making this sound like an experience you would have when you realize you're going to have a baby.....well you're not far off, it kind of is like that. Whereas a child takes 9 months to come, Green Lavender took about 18. Minor differences aside, just like with a child, when one decides to open up their own business they need to be prepared to invest a large part of their life to that endeavor. So you better pick something you're passionate about, cause otherwise its going to feel like a drag really quickly.

What I'm really trying to get at is this: sometimes the best decisions in life are the ones that take mere seconds to arrive at. The ones where you throw all caution to the wind, plug your nose and just dive in without a single thought of reason. So, our dear readers, ask yourself what you're willing to give up in order to live a life of reason and comfort.

What I learned: Live as if your were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
--Gandhi

Guy. Don't be so cheap.

When I worked for Sobeys, I had the good fortune of working on the really cool categories. I worked on the Beverages, Salty Snacks, Tobacco (okay not so cool), Beauty and Baby categories. So, unlike Mia, who was in charge of useless things like garbage bags, jugs of bleach and generic brand bird food, I worked with glorious, high profile things like Chips, Soft Drinks, Shampoo and Tampons...you know, the essentials.

So, being on the Category Management team of a big retailer like Sobeys means that you get lots of samples of potential new items to carry as well as any new product launches. You normally get several samples to try...and it's pretty much yours, or you give it to a co-worker (someone you need to grease).

Perhaps, this is where I've been conditioned to think that providing samples of your product or service is a necessary evil read: expense, when trying to get someone's business.

Imma break it down...Mia came back from the Green Living show this year with a sour taste in her mouth. After she told me the story, I too needed a palate cleanse. Essentially, she found a pretty cool eco product, that we could potentially carry in our store. But with everything we stock in Green Lavender, we have to make sure that it works. Mia tells the lady at the booth that she owns an eco store in the Junction yadda yadda, we're interested in your product, it's seems cool, but does it work? So, blame it on our past training (as per above) Mia asks, do you have a small sample size, so that I can try it out? The lady's response, "Yeah...NO".

To make a long story short, we're going to hold off on carrying that product for now. The moral of the story: if you're a new brand trying to break into the market, and you're trying to get into retail locations...you might want to prepare a couple sample baggies.
This is why they have entire WALLS dedicated to colour swatches and paint chip samples at Rona. Also, think about Costco - why do you think they position a hair-net donning lady pushing bite-sized samples of whatever, at the end of every aisle?
Because FREE SAMPLING WORKS, and it's genius!

In her defence, she may gotten burned in the past by random jabronis trying to get free product from her, with no pay-off (kay, yes, on occasion, I've fed myself a dinner of free samples at Costco, and walked out, belly full, empty handed, no purchase made. Whatever, you've done it too.) . However, it would have cost her pennies to give Mia a sample, which could have potentially landed her brand on the shelf of our very awesome store...and into the hands and homes of you fantastic folks.

This also applies to you, fresh out of training yoga teachers. When I first started teaching, I hit the pavement HARD looking for studios and private clients to hire me....which meant doing sample classes, or sub classes sans pay. Studio owners, in turn will see your willingness and drive to really be part of their team and hire you. And even if they don't hire you, that's still another class taught and another notch under your belt...right?

Not to play out the point, but here's another example: I'm getting married in July, and though I generally hate taking pictures of myself, I've decided that I wouldn't be such a killjoy and get engagement photos done.

Cue, Neil. Neil, is a member at our studio, and the photographer I've hired to take said photos. He is super talented and has recently taken the plunge to take the photography thing to a professional level (he's booking wedding photos for summer by the by if you're looking for a photog). How did I come to know that Neil is a photograher? If you look on our website, he supplied the photos for these, and this. Nice right? If memory serves me right, he was still breaking into the biz at that time, building his portfolio, so he did these either free of charge, or at a minimal cost/barter.

So fast-forward to now...he's hired, he's my photogapher...and he's getting payed.

What I learned: Sample baggies folks...sample baggies.

Here's our sample baggie: Mention that you read this blog, and your first yoga class is on us! (Sorry, first timers only!)

Its the little things in life....pay it forward

You know the little unexpected things that happen that put a smile on your face for the rest of the day, aren't those the best???? Its like finding a $10 bill in the back pocket of the jeans you haven't worn in months......or running into a friend you haven't talked to in years. I love those! Sometimes it seems as if these moments are far and few in between. But just last week I got an e-mail from Joanna saying (and I quote) 'Uhm...where did this review come from????? ehhhh?'. I click on the link she sent me

to find a cute little blurb about our shop on Daily Vitamin. Usually we know when someone is here to write about us, but neither of us knew about this. Hence the analogy about the unexpected surprises. Its small and simple but it made our day. So in the spirit of paying it forward I would like to let everyone know about a small business coach who's insight we go back to time and again. His name is Andrew Patricio from Biz Launch . He has a real passion for helping out entrepreneurs, and this passion shines through from the moment you meet him. So for anyone thinking of opening up a business, or in the early stages of one, definitely go to one of Andrew's seminars (bonus they are FREE). His knowledge and honesty are like a breath of fresh air in what could be a very confusing time for small start-up owners. What I learned: If you receive an act of kindness don't hold on to it, pass it on-thats where the true happiness is. “Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together.” Goethe

Riddle me this...(musings on why questions are good)

When choosing a business partner, it's best to choose someone who compliments you. Not in that Jerry McGuire, you complete me, dire sort of way, but yeah...kind of like that. You'll need a business partner that can round out your strengths and smooth our your weaknesses. This may seem like common sense, but it really does come in handy when you're ready to sign your life away on some dotted line...like when you're ready to find a space for a brick and mortar location for instance.

This is when I discovered that Mia is very very good at one thing (among other things), and that is, she's not afraid to ask a bajillion questions.

Settling on a lease is not something to be rushed or to be taken lightly. It's serious business, and you have to research the heck out of the place and ask lots and lots and lots of questions. Right now, we're not talking about reading the fine print on a lease agreement (that's for later). We're talking about, making the intelligent decision on WHERE to settle your establishment.
We looked at a dozen or more places in different neighborhoods in Toronto before settling on good ol 2842. I, normally impulsive by nature, pretty much fell in love with all the places we looked at. Whereas Mia, insisted we roam the streets and ask around...

We talked to other business owners, miscellaneous people on the street, and got their candid opinions and feedback. Did they think our business would work in this neighborhood? What do you think of our services? How is their business going on this stretch of the street? Would you buy our product if we were here? Some of the feedback we got was very candid indeed. In fact, some of it was priceless, as we could have, in retrospect totally ended up in no man's land and a failed business.

Now remember, opinions, like french fries, should be taken with a grain of salt, and of course, just because someone has an opinion doesn't mean it's right. But when a fellow shop-keep tells you, "This street has no foot traffic", and opon further observation you notice, uhm...yeah, no one is walking by this street front, you should take heed.


What's that you say? You can get all that demographic information through Statistics Canada?? Well yeah...sure you can, and all of that is also useful information. But there's nothing like reaching out to people, read: potential or non-potential customers on a street level. So, get out there. Talk to people, ask them questions. Get feedback and ideas along the way. Why not take an impromptu street survey - you'll be surprised at how willing and open most people are help you out.

Also, check to see if the area you are looking for has a local B.I.A. (Business Improvement Areas) . The B.I.A. offices can provide you with a wealth of information about upcoming developments and initiatives in their business area, as well as info on the neighborhood itself.

What I learned: "Sometimes questions are more important than answers" - Nancy Willard (American poet and writer).

For some reason, talking about Mia and the B.I.A. made me think about this song...enjoy!

Wear comfy shoes when you walk down memory lane...

Those of you who've worked in a office setting, listen up...those of you who haven't...listen anyway. You know that one person in the office who always brings in freshly baked goodies from home, strategically placed on the edge of their desk? S/he (yes, we knew a he), decorated their cubicle with knick-knacks and artifacts for "flair", and liked to send non-work related emails which always preceded with the letters FW:: in front of them. Yes, that person.
Well guess what...that person is awesome. You know why? These cake-baking, email forwarding co-workers turn the pallid, mundane, white noise, chicken coop world of cubicles FUN! You may not appreciate them now, but you will.

Due to the wonder of Facebook, I came across a couple of old pictures of us during the pre-Green Lavender days. Look at us: So professional. So grown up. So respected in our chosen field of work. So dignified.

Mia, in her cage of birthday balloons

Joanna, eating her non-organic sprinkled doughnut

Mia and I met at Sobeys Head Office, where we worked together for a few years. It was not exactly our dream job, hence why the inception of GL. True say, we are beyond pumped to be owning our own business...but working in that office was, in retrospect, pretty fun sometimes...especially when said co-workers (see first paragraph) took the time to deck out your cubicle on your birthday and made you feel extra special (embarrassed by proxy), making an otherwise spiteful (why I gotta work on my b-day???!!) uneventful paper-pushing day extraordinary.

So, today...on our inaugural post, our very first...

What I learned: Honour and cherish the people around you, no matter how big or small the contribution in your life. Be thankful for those who make you laugh, smile, cry, support, challenge and motivate you. (Special thanks to Maria and Ken who did a good job souping up our cubicles)