SELF EVALUATION: ANSWERING THE HARD QUESTIONS THAT NEED ANSWERING.

Wisdom Nugget Lovers! My Babies!

Y'all have been missed dearly!!!!

It's definitely been a hot minute since I wrote. I am sorry. But i'll explain myself and hopefully y'all will understand.

A while ago I wrote a post on "What is your business founded on?" (Click on the link if you haven't read it yet) stating values and principles i'd love to guide me in my business once I start. Guess what? I finally got to it!!!!!! I started the business! (insert applause! hahaha) and boy has it been tough!

The business is called Dial-A-Veggie (👈 Click to get directed to the web page). Just like the name suggests, I receive orders from people on the vegetables and fruits they'd like and I do deliveries on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Orders are to be made by Tuesday and/of Friday 3pm to give me time to gather all the veggies and fruits before delivery day.

Week one breakdown:

People were receptive to the idea of delivery, and being a newbie I wasn't fully prepared for what was to follow.

When I tell you I made my dad's car into my storage facility i'm not even playing, haha! (Thanks, Dad❤) I went to the car with a mkokoteni full of veggies only for him to ask me "there is more?" because I went home from the farm with so much the previous day.

The car in my dad's eyes😂😂😂😂

I didn't take driving seriously so there was no way i'd have been allowed to drive home to nicely pack the produce then come back with them to town. I had to think fast on what to do with all this produce that I couldn't carry by myself. I had the bright idea to just do the packing in the car! Worst mistake ever.

For almost 2 hours around the car.. hahaha!!

Kwanza my dad was called by some guy telling him that some lady was stealing from his car coz I kept going round the car from door to door trying to access different things. Haha! My dad just laughed because he knew it was me. The sun didn't let out that day, it made the work waaaaaaay harder. I was hungry, drenched in sweat, tired... I'm guessing this is what hustling really is huh? It was for a good cause though.

Those weren't the only problems. I was running out of time and silly me, I fogot to carry small packing papers that would help with packaging different vegetables separately in the big packaging bags. Heeeeeh! Pressure!

Shelled Minji, Carrots na Waru one side....  #Disastrous😂😂😂

Ofcourse all the shuttling around the car wasted alot of time. Some guys left town without their deliveries, some tomatoes were ruined katika harakati ya kuharakisha as well as the poor packing, some produce was forgotten due to all the confusion..... wah! When I tell you I wasn't ready, I swear I wasn't!

All in all, those mistakes have steered me in a better direction in terms of packaging, time management as well as service delivery. The customers I served that week, I am sorry, I am sure I dissapointed a good number of you but i'm better placed now. Second chance maybe?

I thought it would be nice to give y'all an inside scoop on what happens behind the scenes. All of those that I have worked with only see the gunia packaging bags when i'm delivering not knowing the hustle behind it.

Now to the point of this post, which was to answer the following questions in my the above mentioned blog post. "What is your business founded on?"

• What values is your business based on? Are you fulfilling them?

1. Honesty 
2. Accountability
3. Timeliness
4. Respect
5. DEPENDABILITY

I can say with utmost certainty that I am fulfilling honesty, respect and accountability. As for dependability and timeliness, it is still in the works. I may still be in the first weeks of the business but these are important and I am hoping to do better during the delivery days to come.

• Do you feel like you challenge yourself on a day to day at your place of work? 

Yes I do. I do my best to solve all the problems I encounter fast and efficiently before they are experienced by the clients. Looking for better ways to serve my clients etc.  Can I do more though? DEFINITELY!!!!

• How is your brand any different from the rest? What is the "IT" factor?

I am still working on making my IT factor to set my business aside from most. 

• Are you happy at your place of work or doing the business you are doing?

Yes I am. As challenging and sleep depriving it may be, I get a sense a fulfillment from serving my customers well. They have trusted me to deliver fresh veggies and fruits, so meeting their expectations does make me happy.

• Do you feel like you put your heart and soul in your work ? If no, what is stopping you?

Yes I am. Being that I am doing it all by myself, heart and soul is all I give.

• Would you honestly be a returning customer to your business, if you were a customer, based on your customer service and service delivery? if no, why aren't you changing the things that need adjustment?

Honestly, speaking for week one customers, i'm not sure they would. Not because I messed up everything but because they had high expectations and i'm not sure I met most at the time.

As for the rest, I would say 50/50 until the issue of dependability and timeliness are addressed. 

• Does your personality and heart shine through the work you do?

I am chatty and pretty bubbly. I do not think they get to see that. I am however on the fence on being too chatty; it may come off as annoying and i'd hate that. I would love to have a relationship with my clients where i'd understand their needs and specifications but not overstep while i'm at it. I am learning though. I'll find my bearing soon.

This post was inspired by a friend who told me that he needs me to be more open and vulnerable and answer the questions I had posted. Ian I hope I have done right by you now and the readers you said you represented.

It is my hope that you will put yourself on the spot too and answer the questions with no inhibitions. You have to keep it all the way 100 with yourself! Trust and believe you will know exactly what to work on and what to continue doing because it works well. Isn't that that just exactly how growth commences?

One thing i'd like to add is, the world will throw you curve balls the size of a truck. They are there to help you prove that you want the dream bad enough and you will fight to get to where you envision. It is not the responsibility of the world to keep thanking you and cheering you on because you are working hard, hunny, all they want to see is the results. Be your biggest cheerleader. Look for a solid support system who will push you when you are about to give up and PRAY!! God knows your heart, He sees all that you are putting in. He is ready and oh so willing to bless you, just give Him something to bless. He loves a hard worker. 

This weeks quote:

“Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” 
– Sam Ewing

SO WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

Wishing you well in your week's endeavors.

Sending Love and Light your way, 

Njeri💋