More Skillsets Than You'd Think...

It’s funny the way that life rarely turns out how we might envisage. Why do people make their five year plans and tell everyone that is the only way to achieve anything?

In year 12 I studied Biology, Chemistry, Maths, History, English and Hospitality. I was the dux of hospo and achieved a study score of 40 for English. I then went on to do a science degree majoring in genetics and chemistry.

What part of my formal education do I use now? Not the science, although it still interests me.

My English skills and my hospitality training have proved to be the most useful.

In fact, it is amazing how many skills and personal traits I do use in the shop.
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I use my practical skills painting, hammering, fixing dripping taps, keeping the coffee machine running smoothly. I use my hospitality skills making what I hope are really enjoyable hot and cold beverages and taking on the role of food safety supervisor (fortunately Mum is very conscientious and I don’t have to be on her back about doing the right thing) . I write facebook and blog posts. I read stories to small children so that their mother or grandmother can shop for pottery. I even put my first aid training to use when an elderly customer was choking on a piece of apple in his muesli (he goes for banana these days).

 I use my social skills to make people feel at home in our space and to help them find the pottery they’re after. I have some idea of business red-tape, including council permits and importing goods. I no longer feel so reluctant to write on our sandwich board (despite the fact that an artist friend of Mum gives me a hard time about my artistic skill deficit) and in order to educate myself about pottery I’m going to pottery classes.

People sometimes assume that I work in the shop as a stop-gap until I can get a real job. Maybe they’re right - maybe this is not a real job, as I never have that Sunday-night (Tuesday night , in our case) sinking feeling.

Oops …. Did I say “I work in a shop”? sorry,  I mean, I’m an “entrepreneur” …..