If the only thing getting you through the week is Friday….

If you start out each week counting the seconds until Friday rolls around again ….. you might want to look at what you are doing that is sucking out the joy.  Sometimes it is simple stuff, people trying to suck your joy, tasks that suck joy all day long or simply because  you stayed up too late and making it through the day let alone the week seems like an impossible task.

I stayed up too late last night…. it sucked the joy right out of me.  I may not make it… if you find my corpse sleeping under my desk.  Just leave me… it is better for everyone that way.

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When its this cold all we talk about is the weather….

Well… when you starting saying it’s warming up out there because it is now “only -26 o/c” you know you live somewhere too cold for humans.  It makes it pretty easy to work and stay indoors.  That means I really have no excuse… even though I can give you a million right off the top of my head for not doing more… it never seems to be enough somehow.

Today I heard some good advice on @garyvee … if you do not want to work on it all day… you haven’t picked the right thing.  It is so true.  There were so many times in my life growing up that I tried to fit a square peg in a triangle hole… it almost fit, but I knew it did not feel right.  I kept plugging away only to leave whatever I thought “i should be doing” for something I actually wanted to do.

At the finish line the only thing that matters is “were you happy and did you make others happy?” If you think about that you might realize you do not have to change anything just because “should” told you to. Your happy is not the same as anyone else… that’s kinda the point.

What are the things you must do everyday to be happy? Figure that out and you win.

#justsayin #nightmarketyeg

Everyday is work… #justsayin

For any of you who have dreams of starting a side hustle and look at all the advantages and ignore all the disadvantages… I just want you to really think about what that means.

Today is Saturday, my day started as it always did… before I can wipe the sleep off my eyes at 8AM I check.. Facebook, Instagram, twitter… email… any fires? work to do immediately? No? great now I can take care of life… laundry, dishes.. cleaning… eating… working out.

I can’t get enough protein today… being a vegetarian that can be tough.  More eggs… just sayin.

After the gym, getting wine and supplies for the wine tasting next weekend (because I have no time to do it before Saturday) … all others hear is you tasted and bought some wine, that doesn’t sound so bad.  It is not that easy… it no longer is fun, it is research, knowledge and spending a long time picking wines at the store that you hope total strangers will like.

When that is done, I come home to work on night market.  I am not complaining… at all.  This is the life I chose… and if you are not willing to give up your free time to invest in your side hustle, just avoid the frustration.  The goal is to be happy, not make nice stories for others, this is not Facebook, this is your life.  Being happy.  That is who wins.  I am busy and I am happy….. now I will complete some sponsorship requests and eat ice cream with caramel sauce.  That is my happy. What is yours?

 

Vendor Call has begun!

Hard to believe it but it is true…. Our first vendor call has gone out to a special few and they are snapping up the spots not wanting to miss out! We are unofficially 50% booked! Kudos to the night market family for showing some love.  If you haven’t applied do it here: APPLY 

It’s Blue Monday

Feelin’ it today… stayed up too late to watch the moon be its wolfiest…. it was a beautiful, clear night to watch it all happen.  Busy weekend… a little @nuellacharles one of my absolute fav music babes from YEG, wine tasting with a great group! Emails in between… planning for the launch of my VLOG this week on the 23rd.   Looking for talented YEG music peeps to come out to night market in June.

First vendor call is out the door, and a little @garyvee says if you don’t have nothing to say then record your day… 140 stairs, sleepy eyes that coffee doesn’t help, application reviews and typy typy all day long.

AGLC approvals getting closer, Artisian market approval completed… accounting not started, social media posts to be updated… sponsorship requests to go out the door.  That’s just Monday…. sheesh!

Hugs my peeps.

Brrr baby it’s Cold out there!

Today is another day in typy typy land…. glad to be indoors with a -30 0/c wind chill outside.  Being in business means figuring things out yourself, or having a network of people you can call in to assist.

Today, I needed to figure out how to map my domain to my existing word press site.  Thanks to awesome help pages … I think I got that stuff covered.  I will wait 24-72 hours to see how it goes.

Vendor calls to go out this week, wine tastings to be performed… wine to be bought & drank, birthday’s to be celebrated.  All in a weeks work.

What Does A Head Mermaid Do All Day ?

Well, first off…. this Head Mermaid’s side hustle is not her full-time gig… I will get there, and “not one day” if you know what I mean.  This is all training for the beast that will take over.  Mornings start with predawn work on my side hustle, followed by “adulting” involving making breakfasts and lunches for the day, quick cleaning, mothering and scooting out the door.

Today I submitted a proposal, worked on my marketing strategy… plotted and pontificated on permanent space, did some social media.

I take my electric scooter whenever possible as it brings me joy everyday I get to ride it.  Nothing finer than gliding down the street with my back pack on ready to take on the day.  Coffee is packed, food is packed and I will go to typy typy land and try to do a little good for others.

Lunch is spent working on my side hustle, breaks are spent working on my side hustle… Lunch is spent trying to fit some time to get my nail fixed ~ an hour wait sheesh no time for that! Scooting to the Corporate Registry and now I am writing this blog post…

Supper is spent working on my side hustle, I get home and after a little more “adulting” which involves listening to too much @GaryVee lately on podcast while I cook, mothering I go back to more side hustle work.

Everytime I watch a little television.. I can hear Gary screaming in my head… “not successful yet? how much tv do you watch”… well sorry Gary F** U a little….sometimes you just need to recharge the battery… chillax and netflix if you know what I mean.  The back of my brain is always working on my side hustle so it doesn’t really matter anyways… I have to carry a notebook around to write the ideas down as they pop up in my head or they will be lost forever….

Tonight is a charity event to support homeless women… and I think I might just go right to bed when this hump day is over. #justsayin

 

Sometimes it just takes one….New Public Market Bylaws #justsayin

Finally some equity for Public Markets in the City of Edmonton

On April 23,2018 Just A Little Night Market Ltd., after a 5 year wait was issued the first Public Market Organizer license.  The battle began in 2013, when Just A Little Night Market (NME) became the first public (night) market in the city of Edmonton.  The city had no category for a public markets and this meant NME’s  journey began as a flea market and bore all the headaches associated with operating in a category that does not fit.

In March, NME attended the Urban Planning Committee to speak to Council, the proposed bylaws and highlight how they were not only inequitable but, as well preventing public markets to flourish.  NME was the only public market organizer who attended.  Frustrated by the lack of support from other organizers and the lack of stakeholder engagement NME raised the numerous concerns alone for the benefit of all.

The result?

Five years later, after numerous hurdles, inequitable rules, a lot of frustration and confusion; city Council on April 10, 2018, passed the a new bylaw that better balances the interests of all markets.

What does that mean for Public Markets?

Previous Bylaw

Flea Market

• Every market vendor requires a business license
• Food vendor must obtain a business license and provide food made from a commercial kitchen
• Annual Criminal Records checks for vendors, organizers, managers and representatives

Farmers Market, Festival, Special Event

• Vendors are not required to obtain a business license
• Food vendors are not required to obtain a business license
• Food does not have to be prepared from a commercial kitchen
• Criminal Records checks are not required

New Bylaw

 

Public Market

• Artisans are exempt from obtaining a business license
• Items not handcrafted or cultivated will require a business license
• Criminal record check has been removed
• Food vendors do not require a business license

Farmers Market, Festival, Special Event (No changes)

• Vendors are not required to obtain a business license
• Food vendors are not required to obtain a business license
• Food does not have to be prepared from a commercial kitchen
• Criminal Records checks are not required

Artisan, Public, Farmer… Which Are You?

It is not widely known that in the City of Edmonton there are 3 different types of market categories.  Here’s the down low:

Artisan Market

Artisan market: is where highly person skilled crafts persons market a variety of high-quality, distinctive product in small quantities, which may or may not include food. Many arts and crafts fall under this label.

Food Vendors: Must be made in a commercial kitchen or onsite. Requires licensing by AHS both as a market and food vendor.

Beer & Wine: Can be purchased for takeaway.

Products: Can not include second-hand, or turnkey businesses, ratio applied to artisan vs non-artisan products.

Public Market

Public market: is a diversity of vendor tables. Public markets exist to fulfill a public purpose, showcase a community’s unique character and culture. Public markets may include a mixture of crafts, art, food, antiques and garage sale tables.

Food Vendors: Must be made in a commercial kitchen or onsite. Requires licensing by AHS both as a market and food vendor.

Beer & Wine: Can not be purchased for takeaway.

Products: Can be from any category and type.

Farmer’s Market

Alberta approved farmers’ markets have been approved by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. More than 125 Alberta approved farmers’ markets operate across the province.

Food Vendors: Can be made in your home, no licensing,  no inspections required.

Beer & Wine: Can be purchased for takeaway.

Products: Can not include second-hand goods, ratio applied to hand-made vs non hand-made.

#Just Saying

Today, while lost in the vastness of the internet,  I discovered that our federal government is supporting the US-Canada Alliance for the Advancement of Women in Business. It is a good start. However, I have to admit I am somewhat disappointed because the deep rooted issues that face women in business are not identified in the report. Women need to be taught the small steps first for a measurable impact in the appropriate demographic. They will likely start small businesses and build up. They need basic skill training and networks of women in similar situations. Alas, it seems as if there has been a slight misstep… #justsaying