meeting with my first (possible) client tomorrow

[Harry Nutczak]

I got a call today, party of 300 for a wedding, August 2008.

they defenitely want a pig, ( or four) along with other meat & side items.
this was a referral from one of my suppliers. (not the one that pissed me off)
Bobbie took the call. and was able to get an e-mail off to the potential client as she was on the phone with her.

Then she got a call back from the client, wanting to meet to discuss the details.

I think I might have enough time to plan this one. (14 months)

I might be covering the rehersal dinner too, with higher end items (No Q)

30 miles away, and on a 40 acre partially wooded plot with a brand new 2,500 sq/ft log cabin on it.

I wonder if I should start a business savings account to use for deposits, that way I can earn interest on it.

Northern Wisconsin weddings are defenitely a party. always one huge flippin party that goes on forever.

2-weeks from today, I will have everything ready to start accepting jobs. just in time for graduation.

Just from the cards I have handed out to key people I might have every weekend in june booked. Nothing on paper yet though.

And another weird happening today, one of the cooks i work with at the country-club got aksed to take the chef position at the restaurant I was supposed to do, until it was lost in a legal proceeding and reverted back to the original owner.

The original owner now needs a chef, and can't find anyone that will work for him. I told the guy to ask for $50K and do not accept unless that price is met. and filled him in about this guy a little bit.

This is a completely different person then the one I was supposed to work for, but at the same location.

I need to take a nap, Mother's day was a butt-kicker, and today was no picnic either. 88 degrees today, frost warning tomorrow night.

We did 350 people for Mothers day between 10:00 to 2:00 yesterday.
I carved 5 prime ribs, and 4-hams on the buffet line for some of the fussiest whiny people you will ever meet. We are a members only club, no non-members are allowed in the bar or dining room.
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

[mutha chicken bbq]

Cool Beans!

I got my first real gig on Friday! Only a 50 person employee apreciation day for a local college Actually got a check for the fees upfront! And wanted to pay in advance. For some reason I was so excited I told them I would not accept full payment untill they were satisfied! Probley a rookie mistake but I am happier than a Pig in Schitt. Now if I can just nail down another 2 or 3 hundrend thousand dollars for next month!!!
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The only thing consistant in BBQ is, it is always the Judges fault!

KCBS CBJ
www.galvinell.com
www.realdealbbq.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUcTvhyof8I&feature=related

[BBQMAN]

That's great Harry!

Just curious- since you are evidently contemplating doing pig roasts for parties, why did you buy the cooker you did? I know you mentioned earlier that you plan on buying a Stumps hog cooker down the road.

Now I'm not sure how much the modified Stumps set you back, but Big Tom has told us that a Stumps hog cooker is in the $6,500 range. So for the sake of comparison, let's say you now have a $8,000 investemnt in both cookers. I guess I'm missing something- for that kind of money you could have bought a covered trailer with enough equipment to cover any job that comes your way now!

Do you have another cooker available for pig roasts that you can use if needed for the time being?

I occasionally need to rent more equipment for larger jobs (over 800 guests). Maybe this is the route you are going?

I'm so confused!
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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

[Harry Nutczak]

Currently I can do whole hogs 3 different ways, I have used them all in the past for various things, and it is hard to actually pick a favorite.


Along with the stumps, I have a 2'x5' charcoal fueled grill with a rotisserie that will handle 130-140 pounds. for regular grill-work I can use the long legs. for pig-work it gets the short legs
I can use an above the ground pit set-up for cooking them butterflied, and my favorite option of doing them is luau style, underground in a pit. I can change cooking styles as per customer needs.

I got what I could afford to get, when that investment is recovered, I will look to go bigger. I feel I chose the best equpiment out there right now for what i will be doing. I know if i upgrade to the GF hog cooker, I will still hang onto my vertical Stumps.

All I had for start-up was $5,500.00, for everything including all my equipment, Logo, printing & vinyl cost's. it all had to come from that $5,500.00, thats it, no more to be had.

If i would have had $8,000-$10,000 for start-up, the GF hog-cooker would have been my first choice. I had to choose my equipment wisely, and the hog cooker was out of reach at that time.
I do not like buying on credit,

I could have waited until next season & come out of the chute fully rigged
with a huge trailer unit. I did not want to owe anyone any money.

I calculated my stumps to have 240 square feet of rack space, that should handle most anything that may come my way. And my the other whole-animal cooking options are well practiced.

I might even think about using a "La Caja China" type set-up too if a customer requests it.
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

[Big Tom]

BBQMAN, I have revised the price estimate of the Stump's GF Hog cooker on the other post, it is $8300 mounted on a single axle trailer. This would be a huge chunk of anyones "start-up" money.
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Big Tom
Pigs-R-Us Cooking Team
Owensboro, KY / Corinth, MS

[BBQMAN]

Wow, thanks for the update on that price Big Tom!

This is certainly a business where it takes money to make money!

Lot's of hard work, lots of money, and a great deal of self-determination will take you places though!
_________________
BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.