I never claimed I was organized. For most
of my professional life I relied on seasoned
professionals to keep me on track. At times
said task was challenging but my backup
team knew that I knew I couldn't have done
it without them! However post exiting the
structure and context of corporate America,
I'm now on my own. Meaning that suddenly
I must assume responsibility for my calendar,
accounting, and other endeavors. In theory
I'm old enough and smart enough to fend
for myself. Yet in reality, few except me are
surprised when I'm literally a no show.
For reasons beyond my control I can't get my
act together. At least when it comes to keeping
my calendar. Hence all too frequently I get a
text, call, or e-mail asking "where are you?!"
If nothing else such crisis have taught me how
to shower and dress in less than fifteen minutes.
Fortunately, Lewistown is small enough that
I can be almost anywhere in five minutes. That
said, as one who previously prided themselves
on never being late I don't like being unreliable.
So I do my best to write everything down, log
it onto my computer calendar, and if I'm lucky
to be there when I'm supposed to be there...
Personal challenges aside, I had no idea how
much work running an antiques store would
involve. The day in/out process is easy given
we share space with Wild Iris Floral & Home.
Jeanna and Eryn "man" the counter on a daily
basis. Plus they know how to operate the credit
card machine and cash register. So... with their
savvy and help it's virtually impossible for us
to miss out on making a sale. Our challenge is
the very premise of our business. C+V HOME
is a store that sells vintage and antique home
items - all procured from resources afar. Hence
our challenge is getting them from there to here.
The majority of our wares are purchased on the
east coast. Fortunately we have a colleague and
friend based back in civilization who helps us
manage that process. However ultimately it is
my responsibility to get any/all merchandise to
our central Montana location. A task which is
easier said than done. One of our competitive
advantages is that we're offering products that
to our knowledge are otherwise unavailable
within the surrounding five state market. Yet that
premise comes with a disadvantage in that finding
someone to transport said goodies way out west
to Siberia is often much harder than you think.
Our first shipment was toted by a gent from
Vermont. Post engine and breakdown delays
he finally arrived in Lewistown late at night
in February. Even for a north easterner - our
twenty five degree below zero temperatures
were challenging. Yet somehow we pitched
in and unloaded the truck. Once it warmed
up everything arrived in great shape. This
time our carrier is based in Iowa. After two
stops in northern New England, he arrives
at our Connecticut warehouse this morning.
And post loading up, he should arrive in
town on or before the first week of June.
If all of the above sounds confusing - it is.
Against all odds I've figured out the world
of shipping in all of it's complexity. Much
like herding cats - connecting the disparate
dots to insures we can bring the world to
central Montana. The good news is that it's
working. The only question is if everything
will arrive in one piece. Post getting it here
from there, we often ship those same items
to another location far away. Recently we
had a query from Perth, Australia about a
purchase. And while it didn't happen, I now
know who and how to ship across the globe.
While it's been said that you can't teach an old
dog new tricks. Somehow my ability to pack,
track, and ship gets better and better. Proving
that I'm more than capable of handling even
the most challenging of logistical tasks. But all
is not perfect in paradise. Now able to get just
about anything anywhere I still can't get me
where I'm supposed to be. A dilemma that has
nothing to do with logistics and all to do with
being unable to hold myself accountable. Or to
do whatever it takes to insure I don't get lost in
the process. Now... where am I supposed to be?
If I'm missing in action... please call me now!
