thread Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌ in Food & Beverage

Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

ElisabethB — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 23:44:33 GMT

Vacations are great for getting away from the daily grind to recharge yourself, but taking time off isn't always feasible when you run your own business. Do any of you take vacations or time off from your work? If so, how do you balance your personal needs with the business needs? Share your tips and thoughts below!

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

Doran — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:21:24 GMT

I do. Even if it is just a week off at home I like to schedule time off each year. It does make it hard because clients call me at all hours of the day and night but having switched to only online booking has alleviated some of that intrusion. Last year I used the Square auto savings to save up income for time off and it worked out really well for me.

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

JUYBoutique20 — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 01:01:11 GMT

🤣What is a vacation? I haven't had a getaway in a while but I'm definitely taking one this year by myself...I haven't been great at that this year with the opening of our other store. I do try to take an hour or 2 for myself every day when I can.

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

NextLevelE — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:00:34 GMT

yes i do all the time

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Tamyra_Paunchy — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 12:36:14 GMT

Gosh. I was just talking about this to my mom yesterday. Never actually taken a vacation, alone or with anyone else, but as I get older I'm noticing my priorities change along with my will to be 'on' 24/7. I felt a bit triggered, admittedly, when my nephew, who's been away at college (3 hours away mind you) came home after one semester, with no intention of going back, saying he thinks he just 'needs a break'. Initially I rolled my eyes, thinking, what could this 18 year old possibly need a 'break' from already in life, but then I gave it more thought. Everybody's tipping point is different I suppose. Maybe my toxic trait is telling myself to just push through everything instead of recognizing when I need to take time off myself. In years past I haven't really balanced my personal needs with the business. I just did what needed to be done for the business and took whatever leftover time/energy there was, if any. Recharging somewhere sunny with bubbly water (and beverages) does sound nice! Farmer's market season is approaching so we'll be busy for a few months, but afterwards I'm thinking of putting some time on the calendar just for me. Hope you get to as well!

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

DinaLRosenberg — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 12:45:47 GMT

I absolutely take vacations but thankfully I have a business partner which takes the load off of my 100% of the time. We use our AmEx card for just about all our purchases and I was able to score 3 Biz Class tickets to Paris for this past February.. definitely a great perk!

I loved it so much I want to go back next year. This August we're going on a family cruise to Bermuda.. it's great to get to a point I can live life a little bit.

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

Spadoukie — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 15:47:21 GMT

Nope. Hardly ever. We are in the music business (www.musicaltraditions.com) and we also have a non-profit concert series (www.imtfolk.org) We also have a music school, The School of Musical Traditions where we teach, do workshops, and conduct a weekly open mic. (rob's Open mics). If I took a vacation, I would go hear music but that is what we do 7 days/week. Our one concession is we keep musician's hours so we don't open the shop til "the crack of 11a.m." In short, I am one lucky s.o.b.

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AdamB — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 15:53:30 GMT

As a musician, it must be really satisfying helping other people learn the joy of playing music!

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

rtfulk — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 01:22:21 GMT

All of our vacations are working vacations. We either take time off to attend Wholesale shows, or if we do take a vacation, I always have my laptop/tablet to work or answer questions. We took a cruise in January and every evening and on sea days I was working online or answering questions.

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jmjcba — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 16:22:53 GMT

I take time off every summer to do an extreme vacation with my daughter while my husband runs our shop. He and I rarely go off together. We don't have extra employees (although we are training someone now). Our daughter is getting married this summer and we are planning a family reunion the week before. If our trainee doesn't work out we might just close up for the week. It is such a hard decision because we are the only kind of our shop in our area.

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PerroneTech — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:58:12 GMT

I just purchased a cruise for April 2024. It's for 8 days. I have not closed for long periods of time before. However, it's time.

I'll just put a notice up 30 days before I leave, and not schedule any repairs during that time. I will also be taking a day after I get back to adjust from the vacation blues, and any possible disorientation from being on a boat that long.

I will then set my Google voice line to not forward calls and send everyone straight to voicemail.

I have a few rude customers who don't respect my operating hours and I will ignore them, so they best believe EVERYONE is getting ignored on this vacation.

From time to time, I'll take a four-day weekend, or sometimes when I need to relax and do other things, I'll change my hours so that I open much later in the day or close earlier in the day, especially in the summer. I will also close for reasons like taking the kids to amusement, even if I did so without notice. 99.999% of the time, I don't get any pushback from my customers.

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

withinspiritnj — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 20:18:33 GMT

Yes, it's necessary. We try to schedule during slower times of the year. We close the store during the week and then have my pt employee staff the shop. When your business partner is also your life partner, it definitely complicates it, but we need time to recharge.

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

Katsworld78 — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 03:29:03 GMT

Yes . Even its a stay cation. I took a day trip to Nashville using my travel points and had a great time. Going to vegas with my mom & son for spring break. Excited 😆

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

HansenFineArt — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 12:55:15 GMT

GREAT QUESTION!

I am the owner / operator of a small gallery and working pottery studio in a historic downtown. Twice a year, I need a BREAK! Between the "extra" customers who are so incredibly demanding and just the exhaustion from either the holidays or a major event, I take 2 weeks off. Just after Christmas, we literally close for 2.5 weeks. It is bliss! In the summer after a very exhausting, yet rewarding project, I take 2 weeks, but my employee runs the store. She is capable and I trust her. The MOST important thing I do is get out of the area code and usually completely out of state. There's something about getting far enough away that if there is a mild crisis, I can't justify dropping my much needed respite and run back to the shop. Not everyone can do this, but we have found that our numbers do not suffer, as a matter of fact, when I am refreshed, my creativity soars and I produce more art and inventory than if I just trudged through the exhaustion.

My advice is to do a truly honest self-evaluation and determine what, exactly, renews you. It could be that your family really needs you to disconnect from your business and give them 100% of your attention. Trust me, giving yourself, or loved ones your undivided attention is worth more than any dollar. Your business will truly thank you in dividends you couldn't imagine!

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

JonBoyKelly — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 13:32:35 GMT

I own a large retail greenhouse and wholesale operation. Our product is perishable and we definitely have a busy season but we never close...someone is here 365 days a year to tend to plants.

Needless to say as the sole owner, it's a wearing existence. I do get away for 2 weeks a year as I have a good manager. But with the hours we work consistently, it is not enough.

Currently, at 12-hour days 7 days a week and everything is on a tight schedule so it makes it hard. I am taking some days off before it really gets crazy.

I think time off is important... and I am learning to make it more of a priority. I think anything is possible in regards to time off if you plan well enough and make yourself do it. It gets easier in time.

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

OldCoder — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 03:00:57 GMT

Nope.

That said, we live and do our business in a year round destination resort community with a Lowes and a TJMax for scale with gold metal trout fishing in the summer and a winter wonderland in the winter in Dillon Co so we're pretty much here and tend to go meh when we go anywhere anyway.

Elder Mom n' Pop enterprizes.

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

Sarahmooreclick — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 23:44:45 GMT

We are averaging about every other year we will go on a 7 day cruise, we went in November and I swear we spent 96% of our time laying on the bed or the balcony of our room SLEEPING. I have a resortwear type shop in the Historical downtown of a tourist destination island and its also 1 block from the 4th busiest cruise ship terminal in the US so it's hard to GET AWAY during the sunny nice times, but I've found I have to just book it, and then we HAVE to go. I have people that work the shop and are capable, but only in the tiny slice of "off season" we have.

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

OMGi — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 14:08:12 GMT

I do. I own a studio salon where I’m the primary operator with another person renting a room from me. I schedule routine time off along with two week long vacations. Since I have children & a husband, I have to make sure I’m allowing time for myself and them.

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chefsteve1 — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 14:35:15 GMT

I go to the Fancy Food Show in NYC every year for 5-6 days prior. When your vocation is also your hobby, it's always a bonus!! I also take mini vacations throughout the year. I'm closed most weekends, so a weekend trip is not out of the question.

Re: Do you take vacations? ‌‌🛫‌ ‌🚆‌‌ 🚘‌

TheM9 — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 15:56:27 GMT

I do. If you don't, you need to. Even if it's just a three day vacation somewhere a hour drive away or a week of just sitting at home. Take time for you