An Award

Saturday the 19th of December, we had another market at The Triangle Square Market in Fish Hoek. I wasn't able to be there, as I was competing at a show-jumping event. Nancy was at the market for me and she did really well!

At the end of the market day, the manager handed out certificates to various traders. There were only five traders who received certificates, and I was one of them!

Nancy accepted my certificate on my behalf. It was a 'Most Perseverance' certificate!
















It has been a difficult year for us to keep up with the market, but I am proud to say that our family has come through. We started this market in February, on Valentine's Day. We have never missed a market!

We have experimented with different stalls, including selling seeds, egg and bacon rolls and hot dogs, none of which were worth the effort. The fudge stall has been the one which has thrived. The stall pays for my horse riding lessons and a few supplies for our homeschool here and there.

We have now committed to another market (run by the same manager), at Long beach Mall, every second Friday.

We had three 'trial' markets in November, just to try it out, and it really took off! It was much better than the Fish Hoek market!

We will still do the Fish Hoek market, and that will still pay for my horse riding, but Long Beach market will hopefully finance our homeschool books and outings next year.

What we like about Long Beach market, is that we are constantly busy, so it is not boring. I hate standing around with nothing to do, watching other traders sell. Long Beach market is so much fun! It is tiring, as it is a long time to stand and interact with customers, but it is certainly worth it!

Selling fudge has taught me so much!

It has taught me how to interact with the nice customers, the talkative customers, the rude, ones-you-wanna-slap customers - it has taught me how to take the rough with the smooth!

I have improved my maths a great deal just by taking money, giving change and counting up the amount we have made at the end of the day.

I have learnt self discipline. I now try and plan my time according to my schedule and expect the unexpected. I now make sure I am packed a day or two before the market!

I have learnt numerous business skills, like calculating mark-ups, profit and loss, marketing strategies, presentation, etc.

I have learnt social skills that I would not easily learn elsewhere!

Many a person has told us that we will never develop social skills, since we are home schooled. How wrong they have been!

I have worked with teenagers that are school-going. I have never seen anyone as 'quiet' as these children who are supposed to be 'socialised' because they go to school! They have no social skills at all! They are rude and totally unenthusiastic, which is terrible, as enthusiasm is the key to success!

Running a business has been an invaluable experience for us girls. We have learnt the true meaning of hard work and the value of money. Now we think twice before spending money, as we know how long it took to make it!

There is so much more I would like to say about running a business and how much you can learn. But I will leave that for another day! All I can say is that the best thing you can ever do is to start a business! You will learn so much! It won't all be nice glamorous, it will be difficult and tough at times, but the experience and sense of achievement is so worthwhile!

I highly recommend reading the book "Minding Your Own Business" by Raymond and Dorothy Moore.

Have a great week!

Blessings
Kelly-Anne