I just wanted to post an update to my previous Need A Cake Groupon post. Need A Cake had a very difficult period of time during their Groupon deal with Groupon allowing considerable amounts of cupcakes to be ordered, which, this small bespoke company could not cope with.
Initially, Need A Cake, having been inundated with ‘phone calls, e-mails and even abuse in their shop, closed down all forms of communication in order to focus on producing cupcakes and fulfilling the orders. As events spiraled out of control they re-opened their lines of communication realising that social media is an important tool in order to keep the positive image of their 25 year old company alive.
I have spoken to Rachel, the owner of Need A Cake, this week and it is clear that she has really struggled with what, initially, looked like an exciting opportunity for growth for her company through using Groupon. The reality is that Groupon have played a significant role in affecting the reputation of this business which the team are working hard in order to restore.
Need A Cake was doing fine up until the Groupon deal, great business, great growth and repeat customers and then, the Groupon deal. As a result, customers threatened staff in the shop, negative comments have gone online and on Facebook and Rachel’s health has been affected.
I have spoken to Rachel this week and the sad fact of the matter is that this was a great business before Groupon. My perception is that Groupon promised the company every opportunity under the sun and, as a result Need A Cake has been struggling for survivial.
Rachel has put up a great post on her website as a response to this situation and, she has a great team. It is my belief that Need A Cake will grow from this experience, but, I sincerely hope that any business looking to have a deal on Groupon would take advice and heed warning. I am sure Rachel would support me in saying that neither her nor her team would have any other company to go through what Need A Cake has had to deal with.
Much respect to Need A Cake however, they are doing an awesome job!
No, I am not talking about the Manchester United football stadium, which has been dubbed the theatre of dreams. It would be stupid if I was asking you whether you live your life in the Manchester United football stadium but I am asking you what your perception of your life is.
I have to be completely honest… I absolutely love my life. Every single day, whatever I face – good or bad, it is like a mini adventure. I never know what is about to happen. Anything at all is possible, and that is how I life my life. My personal mantra is that we live life, once and it is with this outlook that I chase every single dream that I have for my life.
Don’t get me wrong I have encountered some pretty touch situations in my life. My wife had a miscarriage. My marriage ended. I previously launched a business which just did not work out and, as a result, my personal finances took a major hit. It has not all been easy, it has not been rosy and there has been nothing that has been handed to me on a plate. At times it has been tough and I am sure that there will be numerous other tough times in my life that I will encounter.
When my marriage was over I ended back at my parents. I had no job. I had nothing. I was drinking a few cans of beer a night, just to forget everything. I was developing a beer belly. I remember looking in the mirror one day, I looked pale, my belly was growing. I did not like what I was looking at or the life that I was living and I decided to change everything. I decided to look at my life in a whole new way. I made a conscious decision to actually live my life. I do not mean to merely ‘get by’, but to live it, really live it. I began to understand that my life had a purpose, it had meaning and I was the one who was creating the meaning. I am the producer of my own theatre production.
I made a conscious decision to view my life as if I was living in a theatre and in my theatre anything was possible, anything at all, whatever I wanted to do, whatever I wanted to be. This is what I love about life, you never know where it will take you next. In my theatre I have big dreams that I want to chase, but the journey to the reach these dreams is as equally exciting as the dreams themselves. Each dream is like an act in the play, my play, in my theatre, working towards one big final act, whatever that final act is.
I never used to see my life in this way. My eyes were blinkered, every little problem became a massive situation. I used to feel like I had to drag myself through my life and do the best I could. Now, I just love it.
When you wake up in the morning, how do you feel? Does your life feel like a theatre of dreams where anything is possible, every act is exciting and your life has incredible purpose. If you do not wake up every morning with utter excitement about what could be. If you are not addicted to realising your potential then I would encourage you to take stock, to make the necessary changes and to start believing in the dreams that you have been given to dream.
Start producing your very own theatre production, NOW!