Page 46 of Making Home with You
I spend the better part of the afternoon finishing up Kelsey’s business plan and branding for the inn, and it reminds me why I majored in marketing and public relations.It’s something I truly enjoy doing, but hell, it’s nearly impossible to break into the business when you have virtually no experience.
I’m hoping Kelsey profits from what I’ve done and lets me add it to my portfolio, because right now I need all the help I can get to get out of this stupid job with my own personal harasser.
As I’m finishing up the last branded image, I can’t help but let my thoughts wander to Finn and his predicament at work.I know he’s trying to be casual about what is happening, but there’s no way he’s not completely worried about it.He is extremely devoted to his job and the idea that he might not be the chief anymore has got to be eating away at him.
That job has been his identity for too long to let it slip between his fingers over some woman who has a vendetta.
I want him to be able to share how he’s feeling with me.I want him to know that I am a person he can vent to with no judgment.I want him to share everything with me.But as I sit here thinking this, I realize I have told him nothing about what is happening at my job, and a part of me wonders why I’ve been so secretive with him too.
Am I embarrassed by what my boss is doing?Am I worried Finn will blow me off, dismiss my feeling about the situation?Or is it that I’m concerned we don’t have that kind of relationship?Whatever it is, saying something now just overshadows what he’s going through or makes it seems like my situation is more important.Like I gave what he’s said a hot second to sink in and then I tried to top it.
I shake my head as I grab my laptop, hoping that if I just ignore it everything will sort itself out.I send Kelsey a text letting her know I’ll be by the inn in just a few minutes because I am actually a few minutes earlier than I expected.I never thought I’d be able to finish an entire business plan, marketing images, and the setting up of social media sites, but I guess when you enjoy something the time files by.
I head back to Kelsey’s office as soon as I arrive at the inn.I don’t even bother to go through the inn, but rather use the back door that connects to her office.The view is amazing even in the winter, something I discovered when I was photographing the inn for her social media pages and advertising material.I’ll need to make some adjustments as the seasons change so her material stays up to date.That is if this becomes a job or if she even wants to continue working with me.
I really hope she does because at least this is a nice mental break from my current job.
Kelsey is at her desk when I knock on the door.I don’t just want to walk in and anyway, I’m sure the door is locked.Given what happened to her in the past, something Erin mentioned to me, I imagine that having someone stalk you probably makes you a bit more cautious.
Kelsey smiles when she sees me and quickly opens the door.
“Get in here.It’s freezing out there,” she says, giving me a hug and taking my coat from me.
“Thanks.It is freezing and I’m already sick of the snow and I know we still have like an endless amount of months left before it’s over.”
I stomp the snow from my boots while Kelsey adds my coat to the rack by the door.I grab my laptop and sit down at the small table where Erin, Kelsey and I had dinner recently.
“You ready?”I ask, suddenly feeling extremely nervous.If she hates everything I’ve done, maybe that’s a sign that I’m not cut out for this.
“Absolutely!Let’s see what you’ve got.I’ve been waiting somewhat patiently,” Kelsey says, giggling a little.
I open my laptop and begin with what her business and marketing plan will look like and how she can begin to profit just from clicks through her social media pages.I share with her all the images of inn I took and how I used them in brochures, business cards and on her website.I have a folder of scheduled social media posts, all branded with her colors and theming.I’ve even redesigned her signage and linked it to a business in Boston I worked with in grad school.
I know that the inn has been in her family for years, but her logo and her sign is outdated and definitely doesn’t reflect the image or the design she created inside.All I can hope is that she doesn’t think I’ve overstepped my boundaries since we never really discussed what I would be creating or what she expected from me.
When I finish, she’s silent for a few seconds and my heart begins to race, taking her silence to mean everything is too much.
But when she beams at me and says, “Oh my god, Sarah.This is fucking unbelievable.”Along sign of relief leaves my body and I feel the tension in my shoulders finally relax.
“I don’t think I can pay you for all your time and effort, but I will make it up to you any way I can.”
“You told me what your budget was and I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think what you could pay was worth my time,” I tell her, smiling back, thrilled that she’s happy.
“Thank you,” she says, sincerely.“I love everything you’ve done.You managed to pick an amazing color scheme; the pictures of the inn are unreal.How in the world did you get them?”
“Most were taken with my phone and edited, and the overhead shots, I used a drone.”I roll my eyes and shake my head.“Who would’ve thought Ryan’s stupid toy would come in handy?”
We both laugh and Kelsey continues to carry on about how great the work I did is, and asks me about tracking the profits she could gain through social media clicks.
After spending a good hour or so talking about how I’ll continue to help manage her social media pages and how I’ll update her branding and theming to reflect the current seasons, she asks about sharing what I’ve done with other local inn owners.
“I have a lot of friends in the business, B and B’s in Gloucester and some of the other small beachside towns, would you mind if I passed your name along to them?Do you have a business card?”
I smile at her, grateful for her enthusiasm, but I’m not sure I have the time or resources to take this on as business.“This is just a side job for me, a hobby.I’m not sure I have the time with my current job to take on anyone else.”
“That’s a shame because you have a real talent for this, and I know you can’t make a career out of it working for me and the measly amount I’m paying you.”
“I’d love to do this fulltime and I’m hoping I land a job doing it one day.Speaking of, would you mind if I use what I created for you in my portfolio?”
