Single tired mom of four. Lover of chocolate and coffee - not necessarily in that order. Lover of Jesus, photographer by trade, Photoshop junkie and crime TV watcher.
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Today I have an agenda. Not just any agenda, but one very close to my heart. Those of you who know me can attest to the fact that I rarely use my blog to complain, but I was out of phone numbers today and needed to blow off some steam so here it is.
You see, I spent all of today working. I did not see the sunshine or my children at all. From the time I woke up at 6:30 am, I have been busy running our family bookstore, Blue Thistle Books; entering products, answering 2 bazillion emails, and trying to stretch an ordinary 24 hours into 72. I also have the responsibility of caring for ailing parents. My mother has a brain injury that left her without the ability to walk and talk for a very long time. Now that she is better able to care for herself, she will reenter the hospital once again next week to have part of her esophagus removed. This has left me with the big unanswered question, What will my life be like next week? I guess I am part of what’s called “the squeeze generation,” and yet in this single parent home, there is only one person that is being squeezed.
I battle constant stress, have terrible headaches, and constant burning in my abdomen, no doubt also from my hectic-no-room-for-fun-and-games life. There is rarely a day that goes by that I don’t want to throw in the towel and call it quits because the knot in my throat is so large, it’s hard to swallow.
The reason I work at home, is so I, a single parent can homeschool my children. I did not decide to homeschool because of a desire to give up every waking moment of my day, struggling with bad attitudes, or a fondness for lack of sleep and an empty wallet, but because we live in a very bad school system, where my children were in danger. A school system where keeping order is the priority and education is a far second. A school system where my 10th grade daughter was threatened with a gun and not a single phone call from the administration was made to inform me of the incident.
Now, I don’t expect those of you who do not homeschool to care one way or the other about my personal choices or my lack of vitamin D. However, for those of you that do homeschool and understand my heart felt decision to keep my children at home where they are safe and can be taught godly principles, you just might understand what I am about to say.
When I started this business, it was my ultimate goal to provide excellent prices and excellent customer service and I feel we have done a great job in both those areas. Since the beginning, every email that I have received has been answered in a timely manner with a smile…yes, you can read a smile. Every phone call is returned promptly and courteously. Every sales receipt is sent out with a handwritten thank you, including my customer’s first name because… I want each one of them to feel important. Why? Because they are. Without them, I would be working a full time job and my kids would not have a parent at home. They would be part of the lost generation our country is raising.
Aside from those things, I deliver to my local customers, (all ten of them in CT – surprised? Me too,) despite the rising cost of fuel and I open my home to total strangers, just so they can see the curriculum before they purchase it.
Now I am not trying in any way to toot my own horn. My point in telling you all of this is, last week I opened my home to a customer – a customer driving a Lexus. Before leaving, the customer placed a special order for a new product and when it arrived he decided he didn’t want it. That product cost me $50.00 out of pocket to have him change his mind. He then asked how much another book was that he special ordered, only to complain that it wasn’t as low as the BIG GUYS. (This particular product was not one that we carried, I ordered it as a courtesy.) The customer said, “Well, the BIG GUYS sell it for $9.99.” The fact is, it cost me $10.16 wholesale just to buy it. If I were to sell it at $9.99, I would be loosing money. I wish conversations like this were the exception and not the rule, but it’s a story that’s all too familiar.
Now I’m not condemning those of you that shop at the BIG GUY, I just want you to understand, that we little guys, do not buy books and curriculum in palettes, we buy a few of an item, so we don’t get BIG GUY discounts. That being said, we are very close to the BIG GUYS on most items and on some, we are even lower. How is that possible? It is possible because I haven’t kept a 25% profit margin since we started, and after marking every item down to try and compete with the BIG GUYS, we may not make it another year.
Now beyond that, why should you shop at the little guy? I’ll tell you why? Because when you shop at the little guy, whether it be me or another small homeschool store, you are keeping a family alive. You are supporting them, so they can homeschool and feed their children. Isn’t that reason enough?
I know some of you are on a very tight budget, with only one income. I know how that feels, believe me. The only difference is, I don’t have someone to share the burden, yet I still make every effort to buy a gift or product at Etsy instead of the large department store down the street. I know there is a mother with children on the other end of that purchase that may need the money.
The fact is, if we as homeschoolers don’t keep the little guy going, we will all be buying curriculum that is put out by companies like Alpha Omega and Bob Jones.
Today, most curriculum is published by small family operations that are struggling to make ends meet. They work tirelessly, running to conventions and giving of their time to bring us the curriculum we love. And then there are the local homeschool stores that are scattered across the country. How many people go into those stores to view the curriculum and then go home to order it online from the BIG GUY online for a lower price?
Now I’m not saying there is any crime in looking for the best price, I used to do the same thing, but I then read an article that had the same tone as this post and I suddenly saw things a little differently. And now I am hoping that this post will cause you to feel the same way. So please remember this the next time you are shopping for your curriculum. And don’t worry about the BIG GUYS. They will do just fine without you. And thank you to all our faithful customers. You mean the world us.
JoAnn says:
Hallie,
Thank you so much for such a well written post. I will admit, I have gone to the BIG GUYS to buy curriculum, though now I do buy most of my curriculum from a different, homeschool family run business. But it’s a big company, and truly, I’ve never really thought of smaller ones like yours. But you have made me think, and I will start remembering you and other small, homeschool family run businesses from now on. Actually, I think I will start a file that I will put a link for your company and such in it so I can easily do searches when I’m looking for curriculum. So sorry for the way you were treated by that gentlemen and others, that is sad.
I do pray things go well for your mother and you next week.
JoAnn
June 21st, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Shutterbug says:
Hallie,
I’m glad you posted this. It is an eye opener, and a good reminder to support the “Little Guy”. Romans 15:1-2 “We then who are strong ought to bear with the weaknesses of the week, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leaading to edification.”
I love you Hallie.
You are in my prayers.
Love,
Marie
June 21st, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Marsha says:
Thanks for the excellent reminder, Hallie!
And one more thing for everyone else, I’d like to remind you to please be courteous and polite to others! There really IS a person at the other end of that 800 number or customer service e-mail address. There is no need to curse, be rude or just plain ruin someone else’s day just because you are feeling grumpy or entitled. Being kind gets you VERY far!
June 21st, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Kim says:
Seems like the ones who can most afford it are the ones who seldom do. Not to make a blanket statement that all those who are well off are like the jerk you had to deal with, but experience does attest to the fact that the well-to-do often just.do.not.get.it. Frequently it takes those who have “been there, done that” to understand.
Sorta like the best tippers are often current or former waitresses
And your girls may not let you know they appreciate the sacrifices you’re making now, but believe me, they will! Now grown, my kids often tell me how much they loved our homeschooling “lifestyle” and how they both want to do the same when they have their own families.
I’ll be praying for you especially during the next couple weeks as your mom undergoes surgery and life becomes even more complicated.
June 21st, 2008 at 9:36 pm
carrie-the gremlin wrangler says:
I’m so glad you didn’t chicken out at the last minute and posted this. I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to link to this post because it really is important that people be aware of this issue.
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:32 am
Heather says:
(((HUGS))) to you! Your post reminded me of The Shop Around the Corner in the movie “You’ve Got Mail”. I’ve always hated that part of the movie. I’d much rather shop with a small family than a big anonymous store! When we homeschool again I’ll be buying from you
~Heather
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:55 am
Heather says:
p.s. do you have a store badge that I could put on my website? I’d love to promote your store
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:57 am
Gina says:
It sounds like you are doing an incredible job in all areas of your parenting and business ethics! I would also love to promote your store badge on my website if you have one! Keep your chin up!:)
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:58 am
halfmoon girl says:
I think a store badge for us to put on our blogs is a great idea. I am up here in Canada, so don’t often order from the States. This post sure reminded me that it is not always about the bottom dollar. Thank you for writing this. We live in a town where it has been what we call “mom and pop” stores, but the big boxes are starting to move in. I much prefer to shop at the locally owned ones. The service cannot even start to compare!!!!
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:40 am
Hallie says:
Thank you ladies for your most gracious responses during my mental breakdown yesterday.
I never want to come across as a whiny self involved person that cannot see how blessed she is, but some days when you work as hard as I do and see nothing come of it, it eventually takes a toll on your state of mind.
I appreciate every one of you and thanks for being that phone number I was short of. Thanks for offering to put up our button. I will put the code up later today.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:29 am
Emily says:
I’m speechless. Sometimes posts like this is what people need. I usually am looking out only for MY family budget when I buy books. Thanks for opening my eyes about helping another HS family budget.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:59 am
Amy Bayliss says:
Hallie,
I can so sympathize with you. You won a place in my heart the first time I was referred to your blog (by Marsha) and stopped to read it. I’ve been that struggling, single, homeschool mom taking care of a parent (actually grandparent in my case). I worked from home first doing CAD blueprints and then moved onto blog designs. It is so important to remember that we are supporting each other through purchases. I applaud you for making this stand. With your permission, I would love to post part of it on Heart of the Matter. I think more people should read this.
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Peapodsquadmom says:
good for you! great, passionate post. and thank goodness your kids have such a caring mom. going to school should not be scary! you’re doing the very best thing for them. do you sell homeschool preschool materials? i’m about to start teaching the peapod squad & need to look @ various choices.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Rachel (Carrie's friend) says:
I totally know where you’re coming from. I used to manage a small Christian bookstore in our small town. We ran into the exact same thing with “The Big Guy” selling it for cheaper than our wholesale cost. People would a lot of times say: I can get it cheaper online (at those big guys). (Maybe, but you pay shipping and have to wait a week.) I can get it cheaper at _______ up in the city. (Yeah, but you’re going to pay at least $10 in gas just to get there, not to mention the time.) Or I can get it cheaper at the local big box store. (Who are never consistent in carrying Christian literature – they’d have it one week, but not the next.)
To me it’s worth a couple extra bucks to know you’re getting personalized service from someone knows their stuff and who would bend over backwards to make their customers happy.
Good luck with your business. I wish you the best.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Kimmie says:
Thanks for sharing your heart Hallie, obviously God is using it to bring all of us into a greater understanding of what
‘our neighbor’ is going through.
You do such an excellent job in all that you do, I am proud of you my dear friend.
Praying for all the details with your sweet mum.
xoxox
Kimmie
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:43 pm
jewlsntexas says:
Hallie –
I didn’t read this until today – but let me reiterate – you are my hero.
I work from home too – and feel the squeeze here for different reasons –
But if it helps at all – here is one person who will always cut you slack if you ever take time to reply to an email – I pinkie promise.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:27 pm
sprittibee says:
You go, girl. I love your story and your company. Thanks for reminding me to order something.
I’m almost done with my year so I can buy curriculum for next year… maybe… in August… 
I’m the slowest homeschooler ever.
I love the little guy! Long live the little guy! SHOP THE LITTLE GUY!
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:27 am
CrossView says:
Popping over from Carrie’s….
Thanks for the eye-opening post!
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:01 am
Jenn4him says:
My family owns and operates a small bakery. We feel similar pressures. I don’t think people realize how much work it takes to have a family business. We have a hard time competing with big grocery store chains where quality is not the name of the game. But, that is life and the nature of business, so hopefully those who do appreciate quality and service, will remember the little guy!
Jenn
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:33 am
kspin says:
I’m late reading this too, but wanted to say thanks for the reminder. I think most people really don’t think a lot about their purchases and it takes someone like you to provide the needed perspective. I don’t homeschool, but I’ll be looking for that badge!
June 23rd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Ginny says:
Hallie,
I had no idea you had this blog. I feel so terrible to have lost you. I’ve been waiting for my RSS to let me know when you had a new post and you were here all the time. I am so bad.
As to your post, you are so right. I am embarrassed to say that I look for the best bargain I can find, usually opting for second hand, but since reading your post, I promise you have a convert who will do her best to support the ‘Little Guy’.
So happy to read your posts again.
Blessings,
Ginny
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Bahama Mama says:
Yay for you Hallie! You are 100% correct in all of your observations. I don’t know the guy in the Lexus but I don’t like him. People must start having consideration for others in this world and stop only looking out for themselves and their greedy bottom lines. I can’t tell you how many similar experiences we have had in our business, including one customer sending me an irate email becuase they found out they could get a product similar to ours cheaper at Walmart! But I do keep having to remind myslef that not everyone is in business and not everyone understands the struggles of trying to make a business succeed. This post illustrates that difficulty very well… thanks! And tehre is sun out here in the Bahamas if you ever need a break.
June 24th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Tiany says:
Hallie,
I couldn’t agree with you more!!!
I’m on my way to get your button up on the site (that I forgot to do)
If we can ever help in any other way please don’t hesitate to ask us over at The Homeschool Lounge!
June 24th, 2008 at 9:42 pm