Raining on my parade

Hi All,
It's our 2nd rainy day (all day). Hopefully, we'll have a great weekend! Unfortunately, I'm not talking about THAT rain today...

I start back at my actual, real, normal schedule tonight and I'm so excited. I wanted to spend yesterday learning new routines and revamping my set but...

There was quite a lot of 'raining on my parade' around here yesterday.

As you all know, we've been in business a LONG time-almost 20 years at this point. This means many good things-lots of long time clients, good community exposure, success...but it also means some 'not so good' things.

I've talked to many J Owners, and our DM, and we all say the same thing-why is it that some people patronize a business for many years and think they can then tell the business owner how to run their business? Now I'm not talking about the occasional suggestion, complaint or concern. I'm talking about, "YOU need to do this and YOU need to stop doing that."

We pride ourselves on being a personal business. We know everyone's name, many times their families, kids...we share their joys, sorrows and challenges and we try and always be a positive influence in their lives. Sometimes, however, that closeness we share turns into something negative. There comes a time when someone who has been with us 'forever' turns from a positive influence into a less than positive one. The person starts acting out, as if they are a child, and demanding negative attention from our staff and from us. Thankfully, most of the time, we can talk it through and keep everyone happy-us, our staff and our clients, including the person with the issue. And, many times, folks just have an issue with something, bring it up and we address it and fix it the very best we can. Of course there are those times when we cannot change or meet their expectations and issues flare.

This week has been rife with that thus far. Thankfully, I realized many years ago that I cannot please everyone. I also realized (and say it many times in class...) that my job is to keep 3000 women happy. Let that sink in for a minute. Could YOU do that? Ask the man in your life. Could HE do it? Let me help you...NO. No, no, 1000x no. No one can. As a woman I already know we're fickle, difficult, emotional and that's not even during our 'ladies days'. That's just a typical day. Oh, you're not like that? Ok...right.

I have given it the 'college try' and, frankly, I'm proud of how I handled this week. I won't stand for bullying of my staff, I took a stand and stayed calm and collected. I acted with kindness but firmness. We warned, cajoled and to no avail.

Unfortunately, nothing I have done or said is going to make a difference. My DM has gotten involved and, still, this person is not going to be calmed nor will they be able to continue on with us.

Yes, sometimes it comes to this. I am so thankful it's rare. We ask only for mutual respect (we give it and, honestly, we deserve to get it back) and a realization that this is a group activity and one person cannot dictate how things are. We follow industry guidelines and Inc. guidelines. We are meticulous when it comes to temperature, sound, quality, facility and comfort for our clients. We know that, as noted above, we will still not be able to please everyone. I wish we could but that is an impossible task for anyone. And, while we're ok with that-we wish it could be different.

As I bid farewell to the tropical storm that came through here this week, I am saddened but resolute nonetheless. For the good of my staff, KL and me and our other clients what's done is done. It has been years since I've had to do this and I hope it's many years until I have to do it again.

And, so far as 'raining on my parade' goes-it's part of the job and I take this job completely as it is. I still love it, and all our clients. Everything that didn't get done yesterday will get done. all in it's time.

Here's to peace in the valley.