9 Indoor Playground Business You Should Never Make

In a previous blog post, I discussed that the 7 items I do in my indoor playground business as I have matured and grown as a business owner.
I referenced Michael Hyatt, that, in many of his novels and programs always describes designing your perfect days and weeks as"the desire zone." Running within your dream zone, as he describes it, only means you're spending the bulk of your time doing what you both love AND are great at.




At Climbing Vines Cafe and Play, we've chosen our exceptional private birthday parties as the main attention of our business.
Because of this focus, I've chosen to personally plan the principal facets of each celebration we host. When someone publications their event with us, they get a comprehensive confirmation that includes my contact information and mentions that I will be in touch as their event draws near.
While I don't typically handle the execution of our parties, I do act as the main touchpoint for parents and gather all their information and preferences. Ten days prior to each celebration, I send out a personalized celebration"questionnaire" which includes all of the details we've gathered up to this point, provides additional day-of info, and inquires about last-minute details.
I answer all questions that the host may have in response to this email and-- following some back-and-forth communication-- I record all of their event information on that which we call a"celebration prep sheet" Because we have up to 6 all-inclusive events in one weekend, this organization is indispensable!
The party-prep sheet is an extremely detailed document that allows any of our party hosts to do the event to the specific specifications of their parents, leaving no stone unturned. This has allowed me to have most weekends free yet still feel confident we are delivering an above-and-beyond birthday celebration experience.
After the celebration, we send a questionnaire to every hosting family. Should they have opinions, whether it be negative or positive, I always follow up personally. This closes the loop on clients' expertise and makes certain they understand I truly care about their child's special day. This process has resulted in a significant number of repeat bookings and consistent testimonials from previous parties.
Not only is planning these parties some thing that I excel in, but additionally, I take great pleasure in it. Event planning is the way I got into the business in the first place, therefore I am more than pleased to have this task. If I'm ever feeling overwhelmed with all the facts, I know I have amazing team members that I will lean on.



Speaking of our incredible team members, another task I choose to have a hand in is our hiring and firing process. While I do leave the final conclusion to our cafe manager, I would rather write the job posts and filter and descriptions through resumes and software before bringing anybody in for a meeting.
Having spent several years shooting and hiring my fair share of workers, it is easy for me to spot red-flags on software and also find"diamonds in the rough." Since we've got most of our normal operating procedures documented and optimized, I prefer to hire based on personality and enthusiasm instead of experience.
In addition, I make sure I personally welcome each employee to our team and touch base with them frequently to check in and gather feedback from them.


Since I no longer spend time doing those 7 things (and more!) , my energy and time have been freed up to research what our perfect clients want and need and find out a way to integrate that in our business model.
As an instance, I noticed that our birthday celebration bookings were slowing down in the summertime. When I requested a few customers, they mentioned that they DID adore our events and attention-to-detail but chosen a Summer celebration to be out at their home (since many have backyards and pools). We then began offering cellular events, where we'd bring decorations, food, and activities for your children to their homes, and it was a hit!
Another illustration is our occasions . We are always adding fun new occasions that enable clients, particularly working parents with limited weekday availability, to see us outside of open hours and receive an enhanced experience throughout the subject of the event, course, or activity.
If I were I doing EVERY task in my business, I would not have nearly enough time to perform as much innovation or research.


If it comes to knowing how to innovate and what to provide, it all starts with forging a real connection with clients.
It's for this reason that I really like interacting with our clients all time (when I can) and on social networking. I opt to work parties, events, as well as open-play when my family's schedule permits it so that I can remain involved and aware of what is occurring during the day. Additionally, it gives me the chance to observe how clients are using our distance first-hand and listen to any concerns or questions they have. Even though in this age of technology you can find reviews, types, and surveys, I have discovered that NOTHING can replace using a face-to-face conversation with customers who use your space (and probably visits competitors too!) on a daily basis.
It's for this reason you will even see billionaire CEOs seeing retail locations on a regular basis. Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, was renowned for visiting hundreds of stores across the nation every year, spending time with all the clients who had been spending their money on his products.
I love being a family owned and operated company, and that I love for my customers to understand that I'm fully invested in their own happiness.


While I no longer do one-on-one consulting for people hoping to open indoor www.amusement-park.org playgrounds, I really do spend a significant quantity of time creating absolutely free articles for them here on my blog and over on YouTube. In addition, I have an absolutely free, 44-page eBook to get play-cafe-owning hopefuls they can download right on our website or by clicking here.
If someone consumes that free information and decides they would love to proceed with their programs, I have an internet program called Play Cafe Academy where I assist entrepreneurs get from daydream to opening-day in significantly less time and less stress than they ever thought possible.
When I was researching this company model, there was not a great deal of information out there. Current owners actually keep all of their business secrets near their vest, and that I do not blame them! It's hard as soon as you've worked for years and years to set up a profitable business to want to provide those secrets away for nothing. Even if you charge a consulting fee, you're still sort of giving away the keys that you've worked so difficult for and it's very easy as a business owner to acquire a little smug and protective of your research and development.
As it came time to open my own company, I ended up making a slew of errors (and I suggest a TON of errors ) because I simply didn't know any better. When I began getting calls and emails to consult for additional potential play cafe owners, I couldn't keep all this information to myself. As soon as it's easy for me to feel like an imposter or that there are other small business owners more qualified than me to discuss this advice, I know that there's a 4-years-ago me sitting somewhere waiting for another concept to leap out in them.
And honestly, I don't want to see an additional business close because someone who is walked before them did not share any information! So why don't you share it myself?!
But my time is valuable. I have two little kids and also run another company... I don't have 12 hours to devote hand-holding each perspective owner through the process. (And allow me to tell you, it will require at least 12 to 24 hours of compensated one-on-one consulting to break the surface of what you need, including documentation)
PCA is broken down into eight modules at which I cover everything from writing your business plan to choosing a place and signing the right lease to organizing your own streams of revenue and much, much more. Students may go through these modules in their own pace, and I don't need to take the time to walk my students throughout the program.
This enables me to help other entrepreneurs along their path while at the same time reserving the time and energy I need for my loved ones and other commitments.
In general, this business model can actually be whatever the owner wants it to be. I know many owners who choose to do ALL of the items inside their small business, and it works for them since we all have distinct"desire zones"
I feel really lucky that I have heard through the years what my strengths (and weaknesses!) Are and can design my"perfect" weeks so. If I was burning the candle on both ends trying to tackle everything , I would be doing myself, my family, and my clients a significant disservice.