Lip Gloss? On A Tuesday??

Today was my first official day as Coffee Sales Manager for Coffees Of Hawaii. I am *all smiles*. You know, it feels goooood to be back among the working women of the world... to have a goal other than getting the laundry done or removing the dog hair from the floor or erasing crayon marks from the walls... No, these days my goal entails brewing a fresh cup of coffee each morning, taking in its aroma, and seeing if I can taste the difference between 100% Kona coffee vs 100% Moloka'i coffee vs 100% Maui coffee. And then there's the blends. Lots of different blends. And the dark roast versions vs the medium roasts vs the espresso roast. This is kinda complicated, you know.

But it's the best of both worlds for me... to be in 'outside sales'. No office to report into, no time clock. Just get the job done kind of job. Of course, there can be a bit of pressure in this just get the job done kind of job because my results are available on the online ordering system at any given time. Which can put a little pressure on a sales girl. Which is actually perfect for me. I'm good under pressure.

So this morning I strapped Moana into the Bob and ran her down to daycare. I left the Bob there and did a few pick ups while running home. Perfect. Fresh and loose. Ready to start my day. A Tuesday. A Tuesday where I put on real clothes. And earrings. And mascara. And lip gloss. This is no ordinary Tuesday.

Eventually I was in my car, essence of Kona Nightingale on my tongue, driving around town, armed with samples and a list of potential customers to call on. It was totally reminiscent of my pre-baby days (and pre-blog too... when none of you even knew me!) when I sold drugs. (Legal drugs. To doctors.) But now I could actually walk in to chat with a customer and tell them about how I sampled the product I was pedaling this morning... 100% Kona coffee... smooth and rich... not a bit bitter... I couldn't say that when I saw selling pills for erectile disfunction.

I found myself excited to be using my brain... trying to figure out the best approach with different customers. I really wanted some tangible success on Day 1. But when you're cold calling on restaurants in the middle of the day, well, it's not as easy as you might think. I figured out that my problem, really, was that the decision making owners and managers are not the ones just hanging out in empty restaurants between popular mealtimes. Don't get me wrong, my coffee samples were very well received by the daytime managers hanging out in the empty restaurants between popular mealtimes, but they were not the ones who will be able to sign the purchase orders. Need. New. Approach.

So I picked Moana up at daycare (which I need to do by 4:00) and brought her home and fed her a bit so she wouldn't be too grumpy, then walked her across the street to a nice restaurant that I have targeted to convert to a Coffees Of Hawaii account. Turns out, the best way to call on a restaurant actually IS to bring your toddler. I finally got a real bite from a real person who can make real decisions about ordering. I was stoked to end my first real work day on that note.

Then Scott got home, took one look at me, and wondered why I was wearing lip gloss. I know. Weird, huh?