Getting help from friends and family

[Former_Member]

Has anyone brought on friends or family to help with a part of their business when you're super-busy?

This wouldn't be an ongoing thing, just when I've got a sudden increase in orders, or more likely, when the holiday season comes around again.

I'm looking at needing extra help in the commercial kitchen as well as packaging orders for shipping. My friends and family are eagerly volunteering, but I doubt they know just how much WORK it's going to be.

I'd really appreciate some insight as to how best to handle the process without losing friendships or tearing my hair out. I know there are pros and cons to working with friends and family - anyone have any experience or advice on this venture to share?

[Former_Member]

Just an idea because I have no expertise in this area, but are there any type of interns that you could recruit, from a baking school or business school maybe, that need to earn credits?

[Former_Member]

If you are hiring extra help, it is up to you. But, family members not paid may not be a good idea. You have to be careful with the helpers to make sure the quality of production is maintained. Anything can go wrong in the kitchen and some one can get sick. So be careful with who is coming in to the production.

[Former_Member]

I had my husband and sister help out around the holidays. My husband was allocated things that could be done while he was watching TV; he requested that and I obliged. My sister helped with getting things ready, like cutting out all of my materials beforehand and getting shipping supplies ready for each day. I paid my sister and she worked out really well. I should note that I know how hard my sister works on everything else in her life, how independent she can be, and that she has a great attention for detail. My best piece of advice? Hire someone that you know works well, but remember that you set the pace for work. If you work diligently, your 'employee' will usually do the same. If they don't work out after a day (and you'll know) just tell them thanks for helping you catch up and move on to another person.

[DecalInnovations]

We have gone back and forth with the idea. On one hand, the extra help would really be nice, but those eager volunteers really don't get what they are signing up for. And while we bring them up to speed, that is time spent that we could be producing. We finally decided that we would have to bring them on when things are slow so that they could learn the process, and we would have time to spend on them. Then maybe we could bulk our production time into a long satrurday or sunday instead of the couple of hours of work we do each night.

I don't think that helped but we are in the same boat as you...is it worth it?

[Former_Member]

I actually did this in college! A woman I worked for also ran a fantastic small business making scone mix. She mentioned one day she needed an extra scone girl, and I said I would help. Her way of making this work was to essentially give me a trial run. I went in to the kitchen and worked for a few hours, if I hated it after the first day, I could "quit" with no hard feelings; and if I sucked, she could "fire" me with no hard feelings involved. It ended up working out great. I worked almost every weekend, and still go back when she's in a bind. The thing that made it easy for the both of us is that we had very flexible hours. Some weekends she needed me for 3 hours, and sometimes for 8, but I could always say I was too busy one day, or could only work a few hours.

My advice is to be flexible with your friends and family! Use their help when they are available!

[Former_Member]

While I haven't had to recruit extra help, I honestly think that friends and family would be more than willing (and enthusiastic) to help you and your cause for a temporary amount of time!

Things that I would consider if I was looking to do this:
- Ask people to do specific tasks (this will prevent people from asking a million questions). "Ok mom, your job is to put the cookies in the oven and take them out in 10 minutes"; "Friend #4, your job is to package each order after it has cooked & cool", etc (bad examples sorry!)
- Choose selectively - Too many people in the kitchen trying to help you might backfire and become unhelpful
- Lay out your goal to people when you are hiring them on: "Here's the deal, I have to make a million cookies by the 27th for 18 customers. I'd like your help because I know that you are really good at [enter skill here!]"
- Make sure no one you hire on as help is sick! So many people are sick this season; no need to spread it unnecessarily (to yourself, others in the workspace, or to the customers)

Not sure if these ideas are helpful at all, but those are my two cents!

[Former_Member]

It's fantastic when shops get so busy they need extra help!

Family and friends are great in a pinch, however we must realize they have their own lives and will prioritize accordingly.
So this can mean a bail out when you really need the extra hands. Not because they don't want to help, just because their personal matters must come first no matter how well meaning they may be.

Even volunteers can bail, especially if they find the work they are doing is not to their liking. Also volunteers may be more inclined to help with charity and non-profit ventures as they whole point to community volunteering is to ease social burdens.

The best option (IMHO) is to hire a part-time student to do the less complicated work to ease your production burden. You could probably have them trained in a day or two at minimal cost.

But if you go this route be sure to check with the employment standards and obligations of your state/province/territory.
Part time wages for students are often much less than regular pay.
I know in certain parts of Canada a factory and/or company can hire casual labor for less than 10 hours a week without much paperwork.
It's basically cash money pay although is declared by both parties as casual labor.

I'm not saying this is a perfect solution but as one who has hired may students in her day, they are pretty reliable when they feel like they have an actual paying job.

Good luck!

[PrayerNotes]

I see my business as separate from my family and friends. When I was a teacher and assistant principal(retired, now), I would never call on friends and family in a pinch. I would just keep a schedule and a list of tasks and check them off as I conquered each one. I treat my etsy business the same. I must create each item by myself and inspect it, carefully. Each listing has a processing time to be chosen and I always choose the 3-5 days or more in this slot. Now, it usually takes less time, but I give myself time and the customer gets a pleasant surprise when they receive their delivery confirmation notice. So, no, I wouldn't use family and friends, as my shop is my livelihood.

[Former_Member]

@PrayerNotes - I believe the same, for the most part. But I have an amazing wholesale opportunity that would require me to bake and ship 5000 cookies in a 7-day period. It's not humanely possible to do that alone.

[Former_Member]

I have thought lots about hiring someone to do my social media marketing for me.... that is the least fun part of my job that could probably be delegated to someone else. I am considering asking my daughter to help with that.

[Former_Member]

I get help from a variety of places. First, my husband has something of a vested interest in me doing well, so he gladly takes most of my pictures. Beyond that, though, our models are all volunteers. I make sure, though, that they feel they got what they wanted out of the deal. Sometimes it is the chance to work with my amazing photographer husband, and sometimes it is a dress, and always, we give them a small thank you gift. We treat our helpers to snacks, lunch, whatever seems appropriate. And we always have fun.

This way, no one feels like they are carrying more than their fair share, and everyone gets what he or she wants out of the deal.

[WithLoveFromLucille]

Gena - It's your business, do what you feel you have to do to stay updated, even if that means accepting someone's offer to help out.

My holiday season was craaaaazy, I got help from my husband and mother-in-law. I'm OCD so getting help is a very hard thing for me to ask, I'm really hands on...BUT, I felt relieved when everything was done properly and on time!

Good luck to you and that wholesale order! Congrats to you and all your success!
xo
Cheers!

[Former_Member]

What a great dilemma to have, Genna - Congrats!

I can only tell you what I would do...

I would delegate myself to do the quality control of the baking process. I would be the one making the dough, maybe with my spouse or mother... someone who wouldn't hate me if I yelled at them! (not that I would ever do that-ha!) Since there's the issue of safety in baking, I would want to be the one responsible and accountable for this.

I would delegate everything else to free myself from all but the baking. I personally would not be able to jump back and forth without risking a mistake.

The other parts have more flexibility, and the world doesn't end if there's a mistake. If you train everyone like crazy, and have photos, or better yet - actual examples of the process for which each person is delegated.

I like the advice about hiring interns from a cooking school if there's one near you... maybe there is a community college class from which to recruit help.

Friends who are volunteering - I would think of their specific talents and utilizing them accordingly...
A friend who can't physically be there could make bows, print labels, maintain your etsy shop while you are unavailable -- whatever can be done remotely
A crafty friend could decorate or package the cookies
A business/number friend would be in charge of counting, printing, doing the business end
A great organizer could be the one gathering shipping supplies, packing boxes, and do the actual shipping

And reward EVERYONE who helps you with some kind of party... or the offer of free baking for their next birthday party, or reciprocal help.

Good luck and again, congrats! Let us know how it all works out!

best,
liz

[Former_Member]

Wow, didn't mean to write such a novel. Sorry! :)

[Former_Member]

Gena~ You know your family and friends that are offering to help the best. Do some of your family/friends enjoy baking ( especially when the holidays call for high volumes)? Have you seen how they have baked in the past ( aka not dipping their fingers in batter or wearing their hair down around in the food)? Have any had prior experience baking in a commercial kitchen ( volunteering at the local church or soup kitchen perhaps)? Those individuals who answer favorably would definitely be the first to help in mixing the batter if not you yourself.

Then those who still have skills in the kitchen, but maybe that are not as proficient ( younger ect) could roll and cut, scoop ( I am sure you have cookie dough scoops or something. If your eyeballing/ going by feel you may want to get a few. I know I can make cookie dough balls uniform sizes, but in my experience not every one can. ), balling depending on the cookie.

If you need help packaging those who can follow orders or are extremely meticulous or a tad OCD ( not to much though *lol* or you will be there a month of Sunday's)

Those who have a tendency to not be as true to their word or get side tracked ... well you know what I mean perhaps have them work on packaging or dish washing. Those things that if they are not done when the baking is done then there are still hands on deck to finish.

And if you have enough volunteers only have them work one or 2 of the days... I mean if its your mom or grandmother and she has the time she may work more days then that... least that is how my mom and grandmother are.

I would definitely have some sort of lunch or dinner for them ( even if its a few pizzas or something), so they feel loved and appreciated and go on and on about how much they have helped and how appreciative you are.

You are right 5000 cookies in 7 days are a lot, although in a commercial kitchen much easier then at home. As a teen I spent a summer and fall baking cookies as a fundraiser. I ended up burning up 2 mixers and building some good muscles by mixing by hand after the second. I was lucky to get a paper box full of cookies packaged and labeled every week by myself and I usually worked through the night before to get them baked.