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Indoors, In Minds

It is a cold and blustery day out there – I should have brought my down coat!!

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Luckily we were inside all morning and got our share of good weather yesterday. Our morning included a hilarious guitarist to warm up the crowd and two speakers motivating us on sales and the fundamentals of great business. What’s interesting is that since I have two (well maybe now 3!) businesses, I found myself applying the entrepreneurial tips to my blogs  more than the bakery! It’s so weird to think of them as businesses, but that’s essentially what they are.

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I snacked on a few yogurt covered almonds during the session that were being passed down our row. That breakfast must have been too fat-free because I was hungry not 2 hours later!

Matt and I went to a session on customer service (always motivating!) before lunch. While we always learn things at convention (most of them from networking with other owners), the biggest takeaway is just motivation. I can’t wait to go home and work on our lobby! Luckily our staff is awesome already : )

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I was thrilled when we broke for lunch for 2 reasons:

#1 because I was starving

and

#2 because there was a pizza and salad buffet!!

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The dessert buffet was fun as well – I HUGE selection of Italian cookies.

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I made a plate for Matt and me to share – chocolate box style – with nibbles out of them all and big bites of the best.

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There seems to be coffee with every meal and I can’t turn it down! Decaf, but coffee nonetheless. Warmth!

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We had lunch with George of the Tempe, AZ store – and a shout out to Teresa from the Tempe store, who I hear is a KERF reader!

We have a few hours off and are hoping to get some activity in – hopefully a walk on the beach! But OH NO – it just started raining!!!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. I went to a conference in the fall and there definitely was coffee out with every meal. It was necessary for me, though – or at least the caffeine was. After so many speakers, sometimes it’s a struggle not to doze off! The food looks amazing, once again. Hope you can keep warm!

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  6. That super-thin-crust pizza looks fabulous! I know what you mean about needing the right balance of macronutrients for maximum staying power, eating foods that contain dietary fat help me feel more satisfied too 🙂 I think it’s awesome that you enjoy your job(s) so much, it really shows in your blogs and I’m sure in your GH store too!

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  8. Love thin crust pizza! Well, any crust really 🙂

    I feel like you are radiating enthusiasm and exuberance – like you’re at a really good place in your life right now. Hope I get a piece of that 😉

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  13. Pizza and salad buffet, yum. I remember when I was a kid, every summer on our way to the beach for vacation, on the way home it was a special treat…Pizza Hut Buffet. Pizza and salad, those were the days. Thinking back,I cannot even stomach the idea of how much I used to pack in at that buffet! Now that only happens at Whole Foods! 😉

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  15. If you really consider your blog a ‘business’, you need to be more responsive to readers who provide constructive criticism (since your readers are essentially ‘customers’, since you called this your business) instead of deleting comments that say even the slightest negative thing.

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    • Every decision I make is well thought out. I’ve said many times that comments that are rude, disrespectful or mean will be removed. Perhaps those who want to give their opinion could do so in a more polite way?

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      • Yes, or individuals with criticism/concern with the blog should just send a private email to you and not spark drama on your post. You have such a positive energy and optimistic outlook, and I LOVE reading daily, so it’s upsetting when someone brings about any negativity. It is obvious that you put a great deal of work into this blog, and I for one truly believe you are doing a wonderful job! The convention looks like it has been so much fun, and of course all of the food looks delicious. 🙂 It is too bad the weather is uncooperative, but enjoy the rest of your day, Kath!

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        • That’s like saying if someone doesn’t enjoy the food at a restaurant, they shouldn’t post a review on yelp, they should privately send an email to the restaurant. That’s not the way things work… I totally understand if it’s a private blog, but Kath has said multiple times that she considers this her ‘business,’ so it should be treated that way. I know we are not paying to read, but the blog is generating revenue from the readers by page views etc.

          I am not saying it’s okay for people to be disrespectful or rude– but i am respectfully disagreeing with you that those comments need to be private.

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          • But public or private, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Any business will be more responsive to a respectful, well-stated criticism than one that is rude and disrepsectful.

            I enjoy KERF for what it is – a blog about what she eats and how she lives. I’ve gotten good ideas for meals here, and I enjoy seeing/hearing about C’ville and the bakery.

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            • If you’re putting your life on the internet, you should expect criticism and learn to take it in stride, not delete comments and come off as fake. also, it’s not a private blog if you allow everyone to read it.

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              • It’s my blog, my home, and I can do whatever I want with it! It’s not a publicly traded company.

                Ally, notice your comments haven’t been removed – because you asked politely. It really bugs me when people say I never let criticism through because you just don’t notice it if the comment is politely written. It just looks like normal conversation. I love Pat’s comment about honey and vinegar. It’s so true that the mean/rude comments are obviously after something more than a little suggestion or they would just have asked nicely in the first place.

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                • Yes, this is your blog. But a few posts ago, you referred to KERF as a “brand.” Being a publicly traded company or not has nothing to do with anything; that just affects who has a stake in the profits of a company/brand. If you really consider KERF to be a brand, then you need to take the consumer’s perspective into account. Branding is all about forging connections with your customers. You’ve definitely achieved that with some, as evidenced by the readers racing to their keyboards to come to your defense; but there is potential for improvement, I think that’s all the dissenting views want you to realize.

                  Finally, you say that this is your blog and your home, which it is. But then you refer to KERF as a business – in which case, the consumer view, once again, becomes paramount. It is difficult to have it both ways.

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                • Maybe you should think of it more as a publicly traded company as the visitors and our clicks are what pay your salary.

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          • Its funny you mention “That’s like saying if someone doesn’t enjoy the food at a restaurant, they shouldn’t post a review on yelp” because posting on another website is different that posting something on the restaurants page and expecting it to stay there… yelp is an external company, so there is no control by the company in question on yelp… same applies here… Kath does have control on HER site therefor the right to remove rude comments. By the way she writes and her post’s content, it is clear to me thatshe wants this to be a positive place to come … I dont come here to read rude comments. There really is no place for rudeness anywhere in my opinion, blogs or elsewhere but if people NEED to belittle people and their lives then they should go elsewhere to do it. I would deletes the comments too. And, for me if I didnt like a restaurant, shop, or blog….. I just would’nt go there…. thats pretty simple in my opinion.

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      • if you don’t like how she does things here, then why do you come back? there are a million blogs out there. if i get tired of a blogger and their views, i just walk away and keep up with the others i do like. and sometimes i come back and things are fun again.

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        • Exactly. Would you come back to a restaurant you had bad service at? No, you wouldn’t. Get off HER blog then. Stop coming back if you don’t like the material or the “service”. I personally couldn’t live without this blog. Keep up the great work Kath!

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          • I would think, that if Kath were running a business, she would prefer to keep her viewers, than just telling everyone to “get off HER blog” as you said. She generates her income through her viewers. If you care so much about her, then you wouldn’t tell her readers to get off, because essentially you might be reducing her paycheck.

            Think about it.

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            • I am not telling her readers to get off her blog. I am telling you to get off her blog. You are not a reader of hers, obviously. Losing you won’t her hurt her income. You are just causing problems. You are a typing troll. Strolling through the internet causing problems.

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  17. It’s a bummer you are stuck inside in this rainy weather we are having! It seems to rain every Monday lately spoiling my running schedule and commute home! If you haven’t checked out San Diego’s Hillcrest area, you definitely should before you leave! It’s super cute and full of amazing eats. Local Habit is a great place to check out, pizza made with local farm ingredients, and they have tons of craft beer!

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  19. On a positive note, congrats Kath on being nominated fir The Kitcn 2012 Homies Award under best Food Photography!! 🙂

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  24. hi kath! i live in san diego- it is freezing today! let me know if you need any suggestions of things to do or places to eat. i have a BUNCH of local favorites- all organic, sustainable, etc. and also, you should try and check out a farmers market! i dont know how long you’re here for, but the sunday hillcrest one is the best! i am actually their “market girl” blogger!

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    • This weather is ROTTEN!!! We ended up walking a little in the rain and found a fun candy shop! We don’t have a car or we would have gone out to Stone Brewery for the afternoon. Hoping tomorrow is nicer!

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  25. How fun! I bet the networking at these things is just awesome!! The food looks pretty darn good too. I always get excited about fabulous salad bars. Enjoy!

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  26. The Tempe store is MY store!! How exciting! I love the staff there…all great people but I have never met the owner! How exciting! I am craving pizza now too, thanks!

    Kind of a bummer that it is so chilly there. Luckily, California is gorgeous regardless of temperature.

    Have fun!

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  28. I used to be in direct sales, and I was really good at it 😉 The thing that I loved most was going to convention every year. I would come home so charged and ready to implement so many things. It always spilled over in to other areas of my life as well, and even now that I have a cake and catering business, I still find I call on things learned at those conventions. The energy at a convention is just infectious.

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  29. Hi Kath – I’m curious, do you view your blogs primarily as businesses or as journals? On Baby KERF you wrote “This blog is a journal and is first and foremost written for me as a digital keepsake of my experiences during these 10 months and the years that follow,” but here you say they’re both businesses. I would think the journal approach vs the business approach would be very disparate from your end, and I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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    • I think of them as fun hobbies and journals. And so it’s funny to think of myself as an entrepreneur and businesswoman, but it if you look at them out of context, they are businesses. Luckily I enjoy them so much they don’t feel like work (except on late, late nights when I’m tired and don’t want to post!)

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  31. A friend in San Diego told me today that there’s some windy & cold rainy weather coming your way out there. You might as Matt to buy you an extra sweater !

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  32. I have a question and I certainly hope it is not perceived of as rude. I am curious if there is a reason that you pile your food on top of each other. Alot of times when you photograph a salad or your breakfast, you have food combined in interesting ways. For example, your oatmeal with the breakfast muffin crumbled on top. I’m just very curious if there is a reason you do that or if it is just personal preference. I have weird phobias about foods touching..I’m sure a hold-over from childhood. 🙂

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    • I think it’s just preference! I love one-bowl dinners and breakfasts. They are the most fun to eat with a variety of textures.

      I do NOT, however, like for savory sauces to touch my fruit or ketchup to get on my oranges. I do have some weird non-touching phobias too!

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  36. I just got back from Blissdom and I was impressed. I attend so much conference as an engineer and project manager, but did Blissdom blow me away, I didn’t expect that much from a blogging conference. It was great content, speakers and keynote addresses plus the parties were top notch. Hope you having a great time. Enjoy, safe travels

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  41. I’ve been a little behind on posts lately, I had no idea you’re in San Diego! So cool! You should check out Nine Ten in La Jolla. It’s a fine dining restaurant where I am a cook, I think you would like the food (and I would feel like a celebrity was eating there, haha). Check it out: http://www.nine-ten.com/home.php

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  42. My blender from college is about to die on me but I don’t have the money to purchase a very high end replacement. I was wondering if you had any recommendations? It would mostly be used for smoothies esp green monster with lots of spinach. I hope to spend around $100.

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    • Hey Sarah. I honestly don’t know what’s on the market these days. I’d go with Cuisinart because I like the brand, but my last blender was theirs and I just didn’t like it that much

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  45. Yay for Tempe! I live in Mesa (close by) and the only reason I have visited that store is because I heard of Great Harvest from you Kath! 🙂

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  47. There may be only two things that can make up for a rainy trip to AZ. 1. a giant plate of italian cookies and 2. a giant plate of flatbread pizza. Close call.

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  52. Kath- I have spent some time in Coronado, and my favorite food spot is Tartine- an awesome little cafe with great desserts!! It is up by the marina, very close to the water.

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  54. Wow that’s a lot of dessert ! Why not take less, do a pre-selection ; that way you’re sure you don’t waste food…

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  57. Did you see the GH Bakery owner on The Voice last night?! I think his name was Lee Koch? Not sure, but Christina picked him! They showed him baking bread when the do the intro’s to the singers. I thought of you and Matt right away! Wonder if anyone at the conference knows him?

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