Dvance p raise for minding Their Own Business

Business
Gee described the way that she would approach coaching a new person 
who joined her floral arranging business in this way:
Well, they would have to be a little experienced first, I would think. If you 
are taking them from scratch, you would have to show them how to set up 
the containers [for flowers]. The right way for soaking the correct way. Then 
arranging, seeing that they learned that basic triangle and other things. After 
that they can go on to more creative stuff.
She continued with the details about handling the financial side of the 
outfit:
On the business side, well collection is important. Getting your money, which 
is the reason why I don’t stretch it too far. I must know who you are. I don’t 
take new customers because when I come with my bill, I get my money.

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minding
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Further, Gee was adamant that her “policy is that I don’t send a 
bill at the same time. I send it a week after. Then you can call me to say 
when to collect or I phone and say that I am coming to see if the money 
is ready.” This all leads to the fact that she can easily say “I never have 
a problem with collection.”
And there is the important issue of making the customer happy, 
Gee insisted:
Well, you try to give them what they want. I usually ask if they want a spe-
cial color, if it is available because you can’t always get what you want. Or a 
special container, you tell them what you have to offer. [Especially] for sick 
people I always like yellows and pinks. Nothing dull [so you can help] to 
brighten them up.
Miss Nadine outlined her attitude to counseling a person who wanted 
to get into the publishing business:
I think if I was sitting down with them like I am here with you, then my first 
question would be, why? Why do you want to do this? And if out comes 
because the money is good, it would be like it is great talking with you; I wish 
you all the success, thank you …. I mean there are a lot of publishers … out 
there, there are a lot of books out there, and a lot of authors … out there. There 
is a lot of trash out there and a lot of gems. To be a publisher you have to like 
people. Some people think it’s about words, but it’s not. It’s about people, 
it’s about your clients, it’s about who you make contact with and how well 
do you work with them … maybe it’s an old fashion, maybe a romantic way 
of looking at them. Maybe Random house isn’t really all cozy and warm all 
the time, but my advice to someone who wants to be a publisher is to like the 
people … [if] you like the people, fine let’s move on from there. Register it; 
decide what kind of business plan you have.
Miss Gina emphasized the preparation necessary for setting up a busi-
ness in an environment that is fiercely competitive:
Researching the area to place the business, researching how much space
I would need, what types of equipment I would need, where I would find my 
clientele, defining my mission market place, what type of catering I would do, 
… the specific corner of the catering industry that I would like to impact. As 
in every industry, even though you may hear catering you just think they are 
catering food, there are lots of people doing different things in catering. You 

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could cater cafeteria style to a university and schools in the area, that’s cater-
ing. You can cater to the politicians who entertain dignitaries from all around 
the world and do everything from decorating the hall to sweeping the floors 
at the end. That’s catering, there’s a broad range. Defining my spot in it was a 
great part of what I do now.