Goals

In early 2022, we set a sales goal for PJP that felt aggressive..and actually audacious to consider on some slow days. And we decided that if we achieved the goal, we would take a mid-winter break to one of our favorite vacation destination as a reward. And look, you’ve never seen five people put more hustle into the final weeks of the year as we did. We were RELENTLESS in December and watched our goal like our lives - and not a week of relaxation - depended on it. Which is all just a long way to say that we hit our goal by mid-December and the five of us left on December 31st and came back seven days later. (In general, I’m not a fan of New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day because both feel anti-climatic and melancholy. As it turns out, I only feel that way in mid-Missouri. It was 10/10 on holiday.)

While we were gone, Team PJP ran the ship with no issues and like they never needed us in the first place. We were so appreciative of the gift of time they gave us. Everyone was so accommodating to ensure coverage in both stores and it meant the world to us.

While we were gone, we did relax but we also worked a fair amount. We planned our ENTIRE year out for both stores. Want to know what day pie tasting is on in June? I can tell you. (And you are probably thinking this all sounds more like Jason than Jeanne or I…and you would be correct. We participated but it certainly isn’t our nature.). We also made our plans for all the big events, like National Pie Day later this month and National Pi(e) Day in March. We also worked with a photographer in our favorite destination to do some new pictures for the website and social media.

But most of all, we just hung out and enjoyed each other’s company without sharing a baking table. Or without interrupting our conversation to check oven timers. Those are small things in theory, but big things in practice when you are trying to argue that Egg Custard should stay on the menu and Jeanne is arguing it shouldn’t.

And now that we are back, you know I’m already in a hate-hate relationship with January. We’ve been busy but it doesn’t feel busy in comparison to the crazy days of the holidays. Tomorrow, Ellery and I leave for our semi-annual trip to the home and gift market in Atlanta. It feels strange to be gone and then back and then gone again, and it certainly violates my controlling tendencies. As you might guess, Jason, Jeanne, and Hayden refused to attend market with us, based on the following reasons:

1. It’s too much shopping.

2. We take too long to make decisions when shopping.

3. 18 floors and three buildings of goods is too many goods.

4. It “all looks the same.”

5. We walk too much.

6. We walk too fast.

7. We don’t stop for regular meals, relying only snacks.

8. We visit the same floor multiple times before committing.

9. It starts too early.

10. We stay too late.

Suffice it to say, I’m thankful Elle is the best shopping partner and I’m thankful for a full crew that keeps both stores functioning well here. Because we’ve set the sales goal for 2023…and we’ve got some hustle to do.