Thanks for Waiting

Sorry for the delay - seems that my New Years resolution to post more often seems to have fallen by the wayside, as so many resolutions do. In my defence I'd like to say I've been busy, & I have, but that's no excuse, so I won't say it, I'll just try & bring you up to speed with all that's been happening.

Word is spreading. Slowly, a lot more slowly than I'd like, but it is spreading. I think I've mentioned before that marketing is not one of my strong points. In fact, I think it is the Devil's Work, a Black Art understood by just a select number of robed acolytes, who, if this were a few hundred years ago, would have been burned at the stake for their seemingly magical ability to conjure up custom using nothing more than incantations & cantrips, otherwise known as copy & straplines.

My own foolish efforts have done little more than part me from my money, & as I don't have much to be parted from, I've stopped being foolish. I can't claim that I have begun to be clever but I have taken to using Guerilla Tactics. Jay Levinson's book is all about low cost or no cost marketing, so I am starting there. I have negotiated a deal with a young lad who lives more locally to the school than me for him to print & distribute flyers for me. I'll email them over & he will pin them up in all the places where people spend a little time - coffee shops, libraries, swimming pools, places like that.

I have begun taking ads in the local parish magazines. Most of them come out every 2 or 3 months & reach about 1500 - 2000 people. Ads costs £50 or so (for the whole year) so they definitely qualify as low cost. I'm not sure the ad is any good yet, but these mags often have a waiting list, so I'm getting the space first then tinkering with the copy.

I'm also exploring what I have taken to calling Synergistic Marketing. That's where I try to get someone else to promote us to their customers. When I was doing my research for this thing, the one glaringly obvious facet (that I still missed) of almost every other school I saw or visited, was that they were part of another business. Doh! Seems so simple now, but they all have an existing stream of customers already. And I didn't notice at the time, but now I have, so we need to replicate that by trying to do things with other businesses that will benefit us both, without costing any money upfront. You know, where the whole is greater than the sum. Synergistic, like I said.

So, we're trying to put together a butchery class for the customers of the local butchers (of course), plus we're trying to persuade a couple of other businesses that one of our classes would make a great prize for their customers. One of those businesses is a national chain, so I can't say too much just yet, but if it comes off, well... that would really be something. We're doing a similar thing with a local magazine, I've been put in touch with a local restaurateur who might want to do something & just this afternoon, I had a call from a man who owns 3 retail outlets who wants to talk to me about running a more professionally oriented class. So there's opportunity everywhere it seems, just hope we can bring 1 or 2 of them to fruition.

That's some great feedback

This is so good, I had to share it! I found this site called issuu that lets you convert pdf files into something that looks like a book. The feedback section of the Just Cook website was getting a little chocka so I thought I'd have a go at using this thing & here's the result.



Not bad. Not bad at all. Go get one for your website from http://issuu.com/ & don't forget to tell them I sent you.

The Monkey in the Trees

Wow. Is it March already? I guess time really flies when you're working a full time  job for money plus another one for your dreams.

Hopefully I will find the time & discipline over the next couple of weeks to post a few updates about the highs, lows & progress at the school but for now let me leave you with a few words of encouragement from Chris K (probably soon to be CK, copyright infringement lawsuits from Calvin Klein aside), that happened to land in my inbox at about the right time - thanks Chris & if you read this you can send this monkey those cases of Twisted Pit now...

Hey Tim.  Just came across your blog.  Tough stuff, but you know, resilience and positivity always win the day.  Sounds like you're back on track.  

For what it's worth I have built our olive oil business over the past 3-years while holding down a full time job and the CEO of a software company.  It's essentially two full time jobs...the day starts at 6am with a (sometimes) 2 hour commute to Toronto, and ends close to midnight after deliveries, new retailer setups, and customer communication.  Saturdays are spent doing tastings at retailers and Sundays are spend reacquainting myself with my oh-so-patient wife and kids.  There's been many a times when my adventurous side screamed for me to throw caution to the wind, quit the day job, and go for broke on the oil.  However, a good friend counselled me to be like "the monkey in the trees"....never let go of the vine you're holding until the next is firmly in your grasp.  I've heeded his advice and am glad of it.  The oil business hasn't grown as fast as it potentially could have, but three years in and we're just a few short months away from full sustainability.  Consider your move back in to the workforce as an investment in your business.  Simple as that.  And then drive at it as hard as you possibly can.  Keep going my friend!  You are well on your way.

Chris K

Now the good...

OK. The good news is, we have a plan, in three parts;


Phase 1. Get a job

Phase 2. Pay the bills

Phase 3. Concentrate on increasing business at the school in the time between working & sleeping


Phase 1 is complete.

Phase 2 is ongoing

Phase 3 is the way it always was. And it's going OK, despite the lack of time & marketing budget;

We continue to get enquiries & interest & feedback from customers is brilliant, so I know the totally hands on concept is the right one.

We had a couple of classes that were hosted by Manju Malhi & Ursula Ferrigno, both of whom have taught at plenty of other schools & both of whom said Just Cook is the best set up & equipped school they've taught in, which was nice.

They also confirmed that we are the most hands on school they know of & both of them really enjoy making sure everyone gets to do as much as possible, which is more confirmation we are on the right track.

So it's good news all round, really.

And first the bad news...

So, it's been a while since I last posted an update. How very remiss of me, I will attempt to rectify the lapse.

First the bad news. Money, or rather, lack of it.

I knew I had overspent. I knew that things had cost more than first quoted & that the unexpected had happened, costing more money. I've even mentioned it in previous posts. But I hadn't ignored the fact. Actually, I thought I had resolved it. There is this scheme run by the government in conjunction with all the major banks called the 'Enterprise Finance Guarantee'. It used to be called the small firms loan guarantee scheme, but after those same major banks screwed us all & needed bailing out, Gordon & Alastair revised it & changed the name.

Essentially, it is a way of the government getting finance to people & businesses who really need it, but don't have the normal security that the banks require. There is even a part of it that says it is inappropriate for a bank to take a charge over your principal residence. Sounded like just what I needed, so I had a quick chat with my bank, who said, "Yep, should be fine. Finish building the school, sort out a cashflow statement, business plan etc & we'll have a chat, but should be no problem."

So, I did all that, met the bank guy at the school. He looked suitably impressed & sounded comfortingly positive. He took my figures & went away, said he'd be in touch. A couple of weeks went by, then a couple more. I started to get concerned so I gave him a call. No answer.

Rang again, left a message. Tried once more, eventually got hold of him. He said "Yeah, sorry, been a bit busy. Anyway, we like your idea but we want to see 6 months trading history & some sales growth before we do anything."

What? Have you even bothered to look at the cashflow forecast? "Of course I have" (this was said a little bit huffily, as if to say how dare you question me?) So I said, well if you've looked at the cashflow forecast, how do you expect to get 6 months trading history when we clearly show a need for funds in the next 6 months? How do you expect any kind of sales growth if we aren't spending anything on marketing, which we won't be able to, if we haven't got any money? What the hell use is this EFG scheme if you aren't going to apply it the way you're supposed to? And why the hell did you get bailed out by the taxpayer, ie me & the rest of the British public, if you aren't going to hold up your end of the bargain & start lending us OUR OWN MONEY? (In case you're wondering, I was feeling a trifle peeved at this point)

Anyway, long to short, the bank weren't forthcoming. Neither were the Government owned bank next door. I'd already wasted 5 weeks waiting for a call that never came, so I thought it would be a good idea to waste another 5 weeks trying to persuade them that I was right & they were stupid. Not a great plan, in hindsight.

I needed a new plan and quick. My wife, sharp as a pin & cutting like a knife said "You don't need a new plan, you need a new job. And quick. Becasue if you get one, you can use whatever is left after you've paid the mortgage & a few other essential bills, to invest in marketing to build the business."

Sounds like a plan to me.

Kids in the Kitchen

Last week we ran our first children's cookery class. The idea was simple - give the kids a couple of hours of cooking time & their mums a couple of hours of me time.

I persuaded Ursula Ferrigno to run the class, I was on hand to run around clearing up & provide drinks, the room was set for the first task - making pasta. All we needed was the kids.

10 of them duly turned up at around 10 to 1, aprons were issued & mums told to come back around 3. Then we were off. Making pasta, kneading the dough, making pizza, kneading the dough, making a mess, chopping tomatoes, making a mess, rolling out the pasta - the time flew by. So fast in fact, we ran out of time & were still waiting for a couple of pizzas to come out of the oven when the mums returned. And my word, what a mess!

But, everyone had a great time. The kids really impressed me with their attitude & aptitude. All of them turned out some great food & I have heard from a few mums that the kids haven't stopped cooking since the class.

Now that's what I'm talking about!

Anyone know Jamie?

Some of you, the ones who have followed this blog from the early days (& thanks for doing so), may remember that I made a promise. In writing. If you head back to January's posts you'll find it, within the entry titled A Vision. Or you could just click HERE.

Anyway, I had promised that when the Just Cook Cookery School was up & running, I would write to Jamie Oliver & offer him the use of the place, for free, because his Ministry of Food project is a great idea & I agree that everyone should be taught how to cook.

Except I don't know him, or where to send the offer so that I am sure he will get it.

I've emailed Dan, the webmeister who looks after all that stuff for Mr Oliver. I've even tweeted @Jamie_Oliver, but 140 characters isn't really enough to express myself. No wonder I've not heard anything yet.

So, if anyone knows the man, tell him to get in touch. There's a free cookery school up for grabs.

Something in the ether

I get a call, out of the blue, from a very nice American girl called Shana (say it Shay-na). She works for the BBC, producing the Dave Monk Radio Show on BBC Essex. Do I want to go on the show & talk about why men are cooking more these days & what's caused this shift in attitude?

Brain stops working in a moment of blind panic. Me, on the radio? What if I make a fool of myself, don't know the answers or swear a lot, goes through my head.

"Umm. Sure. When we're you thinking?"

"Tomorrow, about 10.30."

"Err. OK. See you then"

So, I'm going on the radio. To be the 'expert'. I'm settling down a little bit now, maybe it will be OK, or at least not bad. And I'd quite like to see the inside of a studio & find out how it all works. Quick bit of research on the net & some scribbled notes about what I must mention (website, phone number, courses that are coming up) & I'm set. I tell the wife. She says she always thought I had a face for radio. Nice.

I get there, bright & early. Good job too, because there's nowhere to park. Eventually I chance it in the BBC car park, in front of a sign on a door that reads, loud & clear, "Do not obstruct this door." Oh well, they invited me.

I go in, introduce myself to the very nice receptionist & have a coffee, while getting more & more nervous all over again. This is a long way outside my comfort zone. She tells me not to worry, Dave is really very nice. Shana comes down & says Hi. She's really nice too. Olly comes along and stops for a chat. What do you know, he's really nice too! Except all this niceness isn't helping. I'm in a feedback loop - all these people telling me not to worry is just making me worry. Stop it!

Then I'm left to sit for a bit, because I am early. Apparently that's unusual, but then this radio fame lark hasn't gone to my head yet. Some other parts of me for sure, but not my head.

I try to make some notes, or read my old notes. But in the end, I just sit there wondering why on Earth I agreed to do this. Then, it's time. I'm on. Shana takes me in to the studio, introduces me to Dave who is manning a desk with hundreds of buttons & lights all over it with the skill & speed of a teenager texting, while also talking to his invisible listeners, taking instructions from Shana & scanning his emails. Who said men can't multi task?

Everyone's right though, he is really nice. We have a little chat, he plays some music, then we have another chat, but this time I realise we're on air. Then that's it, it's over, I'm shaking his hand & leaving. Wow, that wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. In fact, I was pretty good.

Except as I leave, the nice lady at the front desk is on the phone to someone who has called in because we didn't read out the web address, or the phone number, or what classes we had coming up. Oh bugger.

Reality Bites

Now we've delivered our first classes, got some great feedback & some nice pictures of classes on the go to put on our website. I feel like we should lift off like a rocket now, only we don't.

I am not sure why, after all, I've just proved we're bloody good at this haven't I? Except we're not really selling that much. Oh, sure, we get a few orders for olive oil, balsamic & truffle honey. We've even sold places on classes in August & September & some gift vouchers, it just isn't performing like I had imagined.

Time for a reality check;

It's a great idea, we deliver a great experience, offer great value & have had great feed back. It's all great except for our sales. Which aren't. Why?

I ask around, I go to seminars & networking events. I talk to copywriters & designers, ad sales people & the one journalist I know. Consensus is that we are actually doing pretty well by some measures - 30 odd places sold from less than 300 contacts is pretty good, I'm told. But by other yardsticks, we've barely got off the ground. Take that 300 contacts. 3 months & "how much money?" to get 300 registrations on our website is quite poor. In fact, it's really really poor. You can't just place an ad & expect it to work, there's a science to it. I should have been gathering names since I first had the idea, before if possible. This is a numbers game & you need a bigger number than 300. Well, when you put it like that, it's obvious.

Sometimes it's easy to overlook the simple things. To miss the wood because of all the trees that are in the way. And sometimes you are so distracted imagining the magnificent forest that you forget all you've really done is plant a few acorns.

Now I need to water & feed them. That means looking at the marketing, which I clearly don't know anything about because what we have tried so far hasn't worked. I need to learn a lifetime of marketing in about a week & become a PR guru even quicker.

Anyone know Matthew Freud?

We're cooking on gas!

Oh boy, that was fun!

Finally, after all that went before, we got it done, dusted & (almost) finished & held our 1st class. & our 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th.

And what a blast they were. I had fun, Tracy (our chef) had fun, but most importantly, all the customers had fun too. We got some some 'whoop de doo' feedback, which you can read about HERE & some great photos of people having a ball while learning something they can use for the rest of their life.

More importantly, we proved the concept works;

• We can deliver the course format in the time limit
  
• Everyone gets enough attention from our chef to be able to create the days menu
  
• We can send our guests home with a fantastic 3 course meal for 4, within the class price
  
• Everyone, including the already good cooks, learnt something to make them better
  

Now we're cooking!

If a picture's worth a thousand words...

... then this is War & Peace!

Sigh of Relief

OK. Problem solved. Not easily, but solved.

In the words of Big E we

"just had to 'nut' the housings down a bit, adjust the under oven drawer a gnat's & then line the cupboard doors up."

Simple really.

So that was that one sorted. Took a while mind, but it's sorted. Big E then got busy doing a few other minor little things, like remaking 2 cupboard doors because the German appliances don't fit in the Swedish appliance housings! This involved lots of big power tools & a bit more of the Big E magic. Blinding.

I wasn't stood around watching during this phase either. I was busy 'adjusting' the trunking so that the dishwasher would fit in the hole. I chose to do this by squeezing my large frame into a small hole & slicing my fingers to bits on the jagged sharp edges. Job well done that.

Only thing left is to convert the gas hob to LPG, connect it up & sign it off. Oh, & install the steam oven when it gets here, but who's worried about that? I just need to get some customers now so I can pay for it all

Spoke too Soon!

Look. Someone's mucking me about now & they'd better stop it, or else.

The ovens have arrived, we put them in the oven housing, which, as the name might imply, is a housing designed for an oven, & they don't bloody fit. We can get them in, but then they push the hobs out of the worktop. Grrrr!

OK. Deep breaths. Calm now.

Checked the install instructions. Again.

For the hobs, they read ' if installing above a built in oven, the minimum worktop thickness required is 30mm.' Measured worktop - it's 40mm. Ovens & hobs are both the same make, from the same range, so I assume they should fit when installed together. But they don't. The hobs are too bloody deep for the oven to fit. Now what do we do?

I'll let you know when we've worked it out. Bugger.

Nearly There

The end is in sight. At last.

Kitchen is looking great - pics to follow soon. Units are up, tilings done, hoods are hanging, sparks are flying. All we need is some cookers to cook with.

We've had the hobs delivered, a fantastic coffee machine, top of the range microwave/combi oven thing and a big fridge freezer. Which almost didn't fit up the stairs. Well, actually, it didn't fit, but where there's a will there's a way, and no way was it going back.

At least we didn't damage it. And if there were some minor 'adjustments' made to the building, well, we had builders on site so we could adjust it back afterwards. Don't think the fridge freezer will ever come out again though.

Still waiting for the ovens, but I've just made a call to the very helpful Anne-Marie, who assures me that delivery is on for tomorrow. Sometime between 8am & 6pm. Guess I know where I'll be then.

Anyway, assuming the ovens do arrive tomorrow, I can start really pushing to sell places on our courses. I've been a bit hesitant until now because I don't really like the idea of having to call people up & bump them to another date - just seems like poor service to me, but despite that we have sold a couple of places already. Good stuff.

So, all that's left to do is... everything else. Plus, find the money to pay for it all.

Not quite plain sailing...

Alrighty. Builders, electricians, plumbers all doing well, when kept apart. The new floor is down & looks fantastic - thanks Brian, Big Shout to you! The kitchen units have arrived & Big E has done a super job putting them in, so it's all looking good, but I haven't got any appliances, damn it!

The deal is done, the money is paid, but the appliances are nowhere to be seen - another unforseen consequence of wanting the best, so, it seems. Demand is high so availability is low, & I need to wait for a boat to get here from Germany. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

All this means that our date of May 1st is well & truly out the window. Big E has another job to start, in Scotland, so if the installation isn't done by next week I'm stuffed until the end of May.

Fingers & all other appendages crossed that the boat isn't a slow one from China...

The Sparks are Flying

So, Jules is in. Martin the Plumber is in. Big E the builder is in. They are all flying along & it seems to be going so well, except when it rains (which is often) & they all need to be in the room together. Then they are like cats in a sack. Oh well.

Kitchen units are ordered - Big E did tell me they would take ages, but a quick web check showed everything being in stock. Boy is that misleading. It may all be in stock, but that doesn't mean you can get a delivery within 2 weeks. I can't even get an appointment for a phone call to arrange delivery for 2 weeks! That means I am going to lose at least a week, maybe 2 or 3. And Big E really is insufferable when he is right. Smug git.

I am also getting a bit worried about my deal for the appliances. It is a great deal, for great ovens & hobs, but I haven't had confirmation of delivery or final cost yet. I suppose the kitchen delay gives me (& them) a bit more time to sort this out, but all the same, it's a worry.

Anyway - I can't do much on site while the boys are in there so I've been tasting & testing more stuff.

I have met a chap called Charles Carey who has been importing olive oil for 25 years now. He & I spent a very enjoyable morning tasting all sorts of different olive oils from all over the world. I am pleased to report that I am turning out to be quite the connoisseur - my inexperienced palate picking up nearly as much as Charles'.

I whittled his vast selection down to a far more manageable 8 or 9 and, samples in hand, headed back to Hertfordshire. After a lot more testing & tasting, both with & without food, I have picked 5 that I think are good enough to go in the shop. Not that the others weren't also good, just not good enough. Subjective I know, but there you are. It's my baby & I'll decide what is good enough. Oh, the power!

So, now we have 6 oils, from Greece, Italy, Spain, South Africa & Morocco, which I think are the best of their kind. And 1 which could be the best in the world.

I've also found some nice pasta & antipasti which look promising - updates as soon as my waistline can cope with the task. God I love this job.

Not much news on the sales front - hits to our site are going up, but no one is buying yet. Still, we have a couple of ads going in to Good Food & Olive Magazines next month which should boost traffic a bit more. Hopefully I will have worked out how to create coupon codes for the webshop by then so we can give a pre launch discount.

I am also being interviewed by the local paper next week. That's a bit nerve wracking because it's a new experience for me, but hopefully I will make a good impression and she will give us a good write up. Next stop News at Ten!

I need an extraction

Ok, so it's been a while since I last posted an update. Lots going on but not really achieving anything, if you know what I mean. My cheeky offer for the two units was rejected, so I am proceeding with just the one for now. Surprise, surprise, once I pulled out, they suddenly wanted to do a deal, but too late now.

I reached the grand old age of 40 (on Valentines Day) & survived the party & the morning after. Life begins, so they say, and they may be right - I'll let you know in due course.

Part of the conditions of my planning application was that I submit an extraction plan to the council for approval. I thought it should be pretty straightforward but asked for a meeting with Environmental Health just to be sure, and damn me if it isn't another thing that could cause a delay and will definitely cost more money. Sod it! Now I need to find a ventilation engineer who can move pretty quickly and for sensible money, but no matter how much it is, I haven't got the budget, so something else will have to give.

On a more positive note, I have got some excellent hosts lined up & have booked them through May & June, so now we have a deadline to hit - oh the pressure! Because we now have a deadline, the main website (www.just-cook.com) has gone live, even though it is not 100% ready and Junie B, the Google chick has started to work her magic. She has only been doing it 2 days and we already have our first sale! Woo Hoo!

Jules the super sparks starts work on Monday week, and if everything else falls into place, we should be ready to run some test classes during the end of April, so fingers crossed, but for some reason I am feeling very nervous. Excited, but also nervous. What a great feeling...

Bad Food Britain

I've been reading the book of the title, by a lady called Joanna Blythman, and while she confirms everything I had always suspected and underlines the importance we should place on being able to cook from scratch, it still makes for uncomfortable reading.

Let me give you a few highlights (lowlights):

• 40% of food bought in Britain is never eaten.
• Britain eats more savoury snacks and crisps than the rest of Europe combined!
• Ditto for ready meals.
• By 2020 a third of all British adults will be obese, if current trends continue.
• Only 20% of viewers are encouraged to cook by TV food programmes.

Food for thought, if you'll forgive the pun.

A Warm Feeling

I've just had an email from one of the crazy Kamarianakis brothers - they're the boys behind Artemis Olive Oil, an organic, single estate olive oil that just might be the best in the world.

For those of you who don't know, to qualify as extra virgin, an oil has to have an oleic acid level of less than 0.8% - something to do with how well the oil is made. Treat it badly and you'll crush the pits and up goes the acidity. Work too slowly and the olives will begin to ferment and up goes the acidity.

The other thing that indicates quality is the level of polyphenols, which are anti-oxidants and play a big part in the taste & smell of the oil. Anyway, the lower the acidity & the higher the polyphenols, the better the oil.

The brothers have just released the new harvest oil and it has an astonishing acidity level of <0.1% and a polyphenol count of 190 ppm (typical extra virgin has a level of 150 ppm) which means it is damn good stuff. They achieve this by being fanatical about what they are doing and only produce their oil in tiny quantities, just 1500 bottles this year. I managed to get hold of a few bottles of last years oil. It was delicious and worth every penny of the not inconsiderable amount I paid for it, but then the best things always are. The warm feeling? Oh, well it seems Tim & Chris like what I am trying to do over here and want to help out - here is the body of the email:

"Hey Tim;

Tim (my brother) & I have received so much help from friends and supporters over the past couple of years without which our venture would not have taken off. We feel very strongly about passing that kind of community spirit along where we can. We love your philosophy behind Just Cook, and would like to make a gift to your cooking school of a case of Artemis Olive Oil. We expect nothing in return for this other than the satisfaction of knowing we might have been one of many who helped you get your dream off the ground.

Kind regards

Chris"

That's one hell of a gift and I can't tell you how good it has made me feel about what I am trying to achieve. Thanks boys & keep on keeping on.

2nd February 2009

OK - I had a meeting planned in London but snow has stopped play, so I've got a bit of time to update the blog.

Where are we? Oh yes. Planning approved - an offer has been made, rejected and amended for the premises plus an additional unit next door. It is a cheeky offer, but there is a credit crunch on and I am hoping the current economic gloom may help my powers of persuasion.

Another meeting with the bank - better result this time, some money will be forthcoming. Not as much as I need, but definitely some. Haven't got it yet though, so having to curb shopaholic tendencies.

I have sent out my first bulk email - to all of 30 people, who I believe may be willing to talk to me about hosting a class or two. 5 have already responded so pretty encouraging, just hope they're good enough.

On that note, of capable hosts, there is a lady called Jenny Linford, who wrote The London Cookbook. I recently discovered that she lives locally to me, so thought she might be willing to provide her expertise. Except I didn't know how to get in touch. Anyway, I was at a networking event for the day job and I noticed that someone I knew was carrying her book around. I asked him why & he told me he knew her and wanted to get it signed. He then introduced me to Jenny's husband, who happened to be there. He & I had a chat, he gave me Jenny's contact details, I called, she answered, we meet on Wednesday. Synchronicity.

What else, what else? Oh yeah. The website for the shop has gone live with about 50 products on it - it's at http://www.just-cook.co.uk/ if you're interested in taking a look. It's not the main site for the business, that will be at just-cook.com, but for boring financial reasons (it is cheaper to use a template for the shop than to have a bespoke one designed) we have to exist with 2 domains for a while. Hope it doesn't seem too clunky.

Anyway, that is more or less what I have been up to in the last week or so - I'm off now to build a snowman!