As we venture into phase two of our expansion, I find myself asking why?
Eight years ago I bought a little tea shop. This was an exciting opportunity for me to get into entrepreneurship and use all the skills I had developed managing other peoples’ businesses.
The plan was to own the shop on the side and return to teaching at North Island College. Plans changed though when my teaching position changed, and so I officially accepted the world of entrepreneurship. I decided to make Stonehouse more than a small tea shop and create it into a “place to be in Campbell River.”
My goal had always been to expand and grow. Each year, my goal stayed the same, even while the actual plans changed. For example, I saved and planned on finding new tables and chairs for 2020, but then the pandemic surprised us all. So all of those savings went to revamp the shop to have better display shelves along the windows and a takeout window. During those days, the shop seemed so spacious as we had moved all the inventory to the windows and stayed 5 feet apart! In 2022, when we re-opened the main shop again, I was once again reminded that we needed more seating.
Late in 2022, when the space next door became available to rent, I saw the opportunity. A two- phase renovation, starting first with a new kitchen. This first part was completed in 2023 so then I started focusing on the second phase. Now here we are!
A lot of people wonder how I continue to grow and build even during the difficult times like the pandemic and economic uncertainty. For me, it’s all about building a solid foundation – it really reminds me of decorating a cake.
When I teach cake decorating, everyone wants to learn how to make the fancy roses for the top. The truth is, if you make delicious and beautiful roses without starting the foundation, your cake won’t actually be delicious at all!
It’s essential first to ensure you have all the tools required for making a delicious moist cake: quality ingredients. Then ensuring to allow the cake to cool thoroughly, and trimming it to make the layers stand evenly. Moving on to make the icing, again, using quality ingredients, and blending those ingredients to create a proper consistency and amount to fully cover the entire cake. Next, you trim the cake with icing to be sure the roses will stay on top. You envision the design, practice it, then eventually you’re at the decorating work. At this point, honestly, I would have lost some of the students who wanted to learn to make a cake—but this is what happens in business.
Business requires a great foundation. I’ve worked hard to secure a lease to stay in my location. I marketed to build and promote the Stonehouse brand. I created a kitchen space. I built a team of professional, knowledgeable, creative and inspiring staff. I secured funding to be able to afford a renovation. All of this has come at a real cost: not just dollars, but sleepless nights, grey hairs, wrinkles and missed family get togethers. I am fortunate to have an amazing support team and customers who are cheering me on along the way.
These past few months leading up to the renovation, I’ve realized that I’m definitely very human. I’m awake at night wondering, “Will my customers come back after I close for two weeks? Will my staff work well in the new space? Can we possibly stay on budget? Are the choices I’ve made for the renovation going to look as great as I envision?”
I’m writing this in my little office in the back of the shop, while the construction work goes on around me. I couldn’t even send this from my computer because I don’t have internet currently.
But even with all of that sense of chaos around me, I can tell you that there’s somewhere in me that knows this is the right way forward for Stonehouse. I look forward to sharing an exciting future for Stonehouse with you all!
Cheers!
Christine
