Heyo!

Well, I made it to Alberta safe and sound – and had an amazing weekend with my family at my cousin’s wedding!!  It’s not easy living across the country – and it’s always great to be back out west, enjoying the prairie landscape and all the fresh air that comes with it!

The Beautiful Prairie Skies…

Here’s a map of my travels thus far: TORONTO TO BEAVERLODGE – I’ve traveled approximately 3,799 km for Week 3!

I left off my last blog about my job at Pennylicks cafe.  To recap and talk about the reality of working in such a position, I should ask myself a few questions…

What’s so great about owning and running your own cafe? I love meeting new people, and consider myself a pretty easy person to talk to.  Personally, I believe that coffee brings people together (Kieley also mentioned this in her blog), and that a cafe can act as a community-centre of sorts.  Coffee can soothe.  It can act as a mediator of conversation and debate.  Coffee is a refuge.  It’s a privilege to be able to sit down and read a great book or visit with a friend while sipping on a great soy latte.  I feel that I would get a great amount of satisfaction out of creating a positive space and experience for others.

What kind of problems can I see? As I’ve mentioned in my 2 previous blogs on Pennylicks, time commitment is key to owning and running a successful business.  I would have to fully commit myself to my store – and work evenings, weekends, and holidays to make it worth while.  That said – I could also make my own hours, but obviously I would have to be open long enough to make some money!

What would my cafe be like? My dream cafe would be more than just a place to drink great coffee.  It would double as an art gallery, and perhaps even a wine bar at night.  I envision local musicians coming in to host open-mics and maybe even spoken word or poetry readings.  I see my cafe as a place where people would come because they felt safe, comfortable and inspired to be there.  I see it as a place that would support local artists and help give them a stage through which they could share their talents.

Realizations: I’m more in love with the idea of the ‘experience’ than the actual coffee itself!  It’s all fine and good to enjoy the community atmosphere, but it’s not all gonna be perfectly steamed milk and roses.  There’s financing needed to renovate a space and buy equipment, you have to be able to make (and stick to) your budget, and then there’s the realization that to succeed it will take TIME.  Cafe’s aren’t overnight successes – a lot are simply built on word-of-mouth, and can take years to establish themselves.

Beans, beans, beans.

Questions: Am I that patient?  Can I put my money where my coffee is?  Am I willing to dedicate that much of my time to making my cafe work??  And importantly – would I be able to handle it if my cafe failed?

A lot to think about…and perhaps I’ll get some added perspective on small business during my week at the Beaverlodge Butcher Shop…should be interesting!

Night night,

Amanda

Man. I love coffee.

The crew at Pennylicks Gourmet Cafe in Toronto – in short – were amazing.  Chris, Steve, Rene, and Diego – THANK YOU!

Even though it was sweltering outside, inside the cafe I learned how to froth milk, deal with crazy customers, and make a mean panini…!

Rene – Hola! At your service!

I spent the majority of my time at the cafe with Rene, a cool dude from Mexico who is Steve and Chris’ “Right Hand Man.”  He’s super laid back, great at milk-frothing, and always willing to help out.  His way of teaching was definitely hands-on – within the first hour, he had me making lattes and washing dishes  Iced drinks were popular thanks to the heat, but a good number of espresso’s were through as well.

Steve would pop in from time to time to check on the cafe in between errands, and speak a few words of wisdom.  When I asked him what he thought the MOST important thing is about making a good cup of coffee – he singled out ‘Consistency’. From the roasting to the brewing, to the frothing and the customer service – each cup of coffee should be as tasty as the one that came before and the one that will come after.

We also chatted about doing business with family, and Steve and Chris are brothers as well as business partners.  Of course there are times when they wanna pull out each other’s hair – but Steve is the first to admit that each brother complements the other.  One is strong when the other is weak, and vice versa.  At the end of the day, they’re still family, after all.

STEAMED!

The time it takes to start up your own business is MASSIVE.  Maybe you’re only physically at the business for a few hours a day, but even your time ‘off’ is spent running errands for the business, dealing with the finances of the business, and planning for the business.  It’s definitely not something to take lightly.  Vacations will be few and far between due to time commitments – not to mention the financial pressure to succeed.

Something I really loved about the cafe, were the customers who came in.  There are a lot of other small, local businesses in the area, and everyone tends to come out and support one another.  I quickly grew to know the owners of the clothing store next door, the restaurants down the street, and the regulars from the neighborhood.  I could see myself running a place like this and getting to know my customers as friends… now, if only they would all write poems like ‘Wunder’…

'Wunder' and his poetry-cape

Wunder came in around 11am one morning…he wasn’t wearing a shirt, but had some sort of cape-like-contraption strung up around his neck to protect from the sun.  He offered a banana muffin in exchange for an espresso, and then threw in a poetry reading as well!  Haha!  The muffin was dangerous (don’t take candy from strangers – right?), the espresso was great (even if I do say so myself!), and the poem was fantastic (even if it was a little racy…)!

Something I’ve really loved about my first two jobs is that the people I’ve worked with have actually become my friends.  I’ve been invited out to suppers, tea parties, and even poker nights!  Steve even stopped in today and dropped off a book for me to read: ‘Achieving Success in Specialty Coffee’ – all about the first espresso machine, the roast, the art of latte making, customer service, and even starting your own business.  It’s going to make some great airplane reading!!

You see, I’m actually writing this from the airport as I wait for my boarding call, as I’m flying to Edmonton, Alberta tonight!!  And believe me – words cannot describe how insanely excited I am to be visiting my home province!!  My cousin is getting married on Saturday, and this will be a family-reunion of sorts.  There will be farm-living, cat-petting, and family-bonding.

…BOTH of those bags are mine…

I. Cannot. Wait.

I’ll be doing my next One Week Job in my hometown of Beaverlodge, Alberta – as…get this…a butcher. !!

More to come from my cafe experience – but I think I have to board my plane now…

In the words of the great Matt Mays:

“Good-bye girl gone to see the world,
Out to see every thing you choose
Now it’s becoming so clear
That your feet are planted deep
In your travellin’ shoes”

See you on the other side of the country folks!!

MWA!

-Amanda

Man…I don’t know why I always get the urge to write these things so late at nite…but here I am…1am on a Monday…blogging.

Toronto’s going through a major heat wave at the moment, so it’s not like I’d be able to sleep anyway, and with the humidity it’s more like I’m going to “swim” to bed…

BUT!  That’s not gonna stop me from talking about Day 1 of Week 2.

Helping a customer inside 'Pennylicks'

Today, I found myself at ‘Pennylicks Gourmet Cafe‘ – a cute little coffee shop in Kensington Market, Toronto.  This is a totally bohemian area of the city, with plenty of graffitied walls, screen-printing shops, and hipsters riding bikes.

The shop owner, Steve, was interested in the OWJ program right off the bat – stating that it was something he wishes he’d had the opportunity to do 20 years ago!

I spent the morning with Steve’s brother (and shop co-owner), Chris – getting the shop ready for the day.  We went over the basics of coffee making, brew strengths, taste, and some important points of small-business ownership.  Steve came in for the afternoon, and very kindly sat down with me to chat.

WATCH Steve discuss his tips for finding a career that makes sense HERE: “Life Points with Steve”

The brothers have owned the shop just over 2 years.  Steve has worked his other job as a Mechanical Engineer for years, but coffee has always meant a lot to him. During his teen years he often found himself working in cafes, and eventually the thought of being his own boss really started to appeal to him.

Steve and Chris found the cafe (formerly a furniture store), and snapped it up.  After gutting everything and rebuilding it up to city codes and standards, they opened Pennylicks.  Apparently the name comes from an old ice cream cup that was called a “penny lick” because of the price and what you had to do to the cup in order to get your money’s worth of ice cream…an interesting precursor to the ice cream cone.

My first soy latte – burnt milk and bitter espresso. Needs more work…

Now the cafe serves gelato, sandwiches, and COFFEE!!

Ever since I traveled overseas, coffee has become very dear to me.  To me it means comfort, community, and inspiration.  The feeling I get from sitting down with a great cup of coffee can’t really be paralleled. Whether my company is that of a good book or a good friend, a good coffee can lift my mood after only a few sips.

I even got to try my hand at making a few drinks, although I wouldn’t really recommend anyone actually drinking them…;)

And even though it’s almost 2am now, tomorrow I’ll be up bright and early to head to work…good thing I’ll be at a coffee shop!

Nite!

- Amanda

Week One – Photographer

It all started off with a whim and a worry,

Not knowing who, where, or how hard to hurry.

But the woman I met put my worries to rest,

She explained the whole thing, without any stress.

She called clients and agents, models and friends,

She figured and triggered and spared all expense.

On shoot day she shot and she shot and she shot,

And she laughed the whole time, without getting caught.

It’s all about attitude, knowledge and trust,

Knowing your f-stops, your lighting, and just…

Believing your skills, and doubting not one,

Do your job well, but know when to have fun.

And so ends Week One, filled with photos galore!

Henrieta’s to thank, that girl I adore.

Go out and take pictures, and love what you do,

The great thing ’bout Week One, is it leads to Week Two!

-Amanda

Check out Henrieta’s Website: www.henrietahaniskova.com

Henrieta and I at her photo showing – celebrating Week One!

So, Wednesday was the big day.  The day of our photo shoot.

The studio was sweet, the models were hot, the crew was organized, the agency was happy, and and the photos were fantastic!

Setting up the studio, the night before the shoot

The day started at 8am when crew members started arriving.  We had stayed late at the studio the night before, and set up the basics so that we didn’t have to worry about it the morning of.  There was a role of white-seamless paper serving as the backdrop, which was then highlighted by 2 sets of strobes, and a huge strobe out in front to highlight the models.  Watch Henrieta and her assistant Zach set it up here:  Shoot Set-Up

The shoot flowed like this: A model would come in, get their hair and makeup done, Henrieta would talk with the Creative Agency about how they wanted the model to pose, and then tweak any lights based on the positioning of the models.  Then there was about 45 minutes to an hour where the actual shooting would happen.

Henrieta was constantly chatting to the models, encouraging them, cracking jokes, and basically setting the tone of the shoot.  That’s what amazed me the most, I think – how calm everyone was!!  I’ve been on film and television sets where people seem almost frantic.  In the end, that’s not going to prevent any heart attacks – and Henrieta knew her stuff, so why by worried?!  One of my favorite quotes from her is referring to the set up as (ear muffs!) ”Dog Shit Simple.”

Models in place, and some last minute instruction from Henrietta

Even when the clients of the National Canadian chain store arrived to check everything out – Henrieta never wavered.  That really impressed me.  Even when my eyes were starting to bug out a bit from the constant flashing, and I was getting tired – Henrieta was in her element.  When I asked her about this later – she admitted that she would definitely be bagged later, but that in the moment you just do what you have to do!  And Henrieta obviously loves what she does.

I did what I could to help out – clearing dishes, making coffee (with the sweet studio espresso machine!), and learning from the camera assistants and watching the shoot go down.  Everyone was incredibly kind to me – and really interested in the One Week Job program!  I love the team atmosphere of shoots like this…I definitely enjoyed that about television production and can see myself continuing to work in this kind of environment.  Everyone has a job, but they help out where they can.

Some other gems I’ve learned from Henrieta so far include:

- Pictures with people in them, are much more interesting than those without.  When doing travel photography, Henrieta would often wait until her shot of the beach or garden was free of people.  When she got back she says it looked like there wasn’t anyone living in that country…!

Henrieta behind her camera

- It’s all about connections.  If you’re a photographer’s assistant just starting out, and you’re a hard worker and gain the trust of established photographers, you can often access their studio space or equipment – for FREE.

- As a photographer, you’re also often a psychologist.  You’re dealing with emotion constantly, and have to be able to listen and read people just as well as you direct them.

- Be persistent!  Find the people who can help you get work – and bug the crap out of them until they get you work!!

The day finished an hour or so EARLY! That’s how organized this crew was…insane.  I helped Henrieta back to her house with the left over craft services, where we hung out on her patio and snacked on left over sandwiches and drank some delicious beverages…;)

BUT!  I should make a move…I’m meeting her for afternoon tea!!

Tonight, we’re headed out to a show where Henrieta’s showing off some of her prints – sounds classy.  I’ll be back with a full report!

Love love love

Amanda

Check out Henrieta’s website: http://www.henrietahaniskova.com/

Ah!! I just got home from Day #2 as a professional photographer.

Henrieta.is.so.cool! On day #1 I met her at her house, where she promptly started feeding me(!). We chatted for over an hour – everything from her immigration to Canada at 19yrs old, how she started shooting, and how she’s “bullied” herself into working for other photographers.

I sat in on a conference call from the creative agency and the client behind the shoot (hello Skype!), as they talked about licensing fees, wardrobe, the shot list, and the shoot schedule for Wednesday.  In this case, Henrieta’s job isn’t just that of photographer – she’s been contracted to organize a huge portion of the shoot.  This includes hiring the hair and makeup artists, the casting agent and ‘talent’ (models), as well as her own assistants.  She’s also in charge of renting the studio space, renting the gear for the shoot, and picking up craft services (the food on-set). I had no idea photography consisted of such organization…

Henrieta in her livingroom, preparing for the shoot

For the entire afternoon, Henrieta was either on the phone or online, planning and organizing everything around the shoot.  What kind of food should we bring to set?  Was the talent available?  In this case, a model had declined the shoot and another had to be found – 2 days before the shoot.  A few phone calls (To the hair stylist: “The agency thinks she looks too young, can we grey her hair a little bit?”) and emails later, we had our models and were good to go.

I definitely get the sense that to be a freelance photographer, you have to be willing to hustle.  No one’s going to come to you – you have to go to them. And even if you DO manage to get to them (“them,” being a photographer, a creative agency, or a client), and force-feed them your portfolio, there’s still no guarantee that they’ll remember you when the time comes for a shoot.  You have to constantly fight for position in their mind, reminding the photographer/agency/client that you’re the best for the job.

This takes an insane amount of self-confidence and persistency – of which Henrieta has in droves.  She told me a story of one photographer who was known throughout the city for not hiring women.  She was a fan of his work, and would call his office every couple months to try and set up a face-to-face meeting. It got so his assistant would flat out tell her, “He doesn’t work with women, you know that!”  Every year, this photographer held an “invitation-only” shooting event, and Henrieta was dead-set on shooting it.  During the show for this event one year (which she forked over $45 just to attend), she tried to meet the man behind the lens – and succeeded to have a short conversation close to the end of the nite.  The next Monday, she called him: “Hi!  Remember me?  We met Friday.  I’m 10 minutes away from your studio, and I’m going to stop by.”

Henrieta with the cover of a Harlequin Romance novel she was a photo assistant on – which we found at the grocery store!

He agreed, and met with her for a couple minutes – just long enough to casually flip through her portfolio, and just as quickly – dismiss it.  ”Why should I hire you?!  I need someone who’s going to be able to pack gear!  My studio’s on the second floor – and you need to be able to handle it.  I never work with women.”

Maybe she was slightly discouraged – but I doubt it.  Henrieta called the photographer back the NEXT DAY.  ”Hi, this is Henrieta. We met yesterday? Well, I thought about what you said, and I get your point.  When can I start working for you?”

Henrieta got a call from him 3 days later – and worked with him for the next 5 years!  And as for the “invitation-only” event – she was invited to shoot it last year.

I love this!!  This girl doesn’t take “NO” for an answer.  And that’s what kind of attitude you HAVE to have, if you’re going to make it in the freelance world.  There’s a lot of competition out there, and you have to make yourself stand out.

On Day #2, I met her for lunch, shopped for on-set food-stuffs, and then headed to the studio to start setting up.  It is such a gorgeous space: huge windows take up one wall and the ceilings are about 15 feet high – a totally open-concept-loft-type space.  As we set up (I helped a bit with the light stands), Henrieta talked about how she loved the technical side of all this, “It’s like Kindergarten – we’re building stuff!”

The famous 'TD Chair' in the studio!

The studio we’re using is also used for the TD bank ad campaign, so the famous ‘TD Chair’ was there – and I got to sit in it! (for those of you in the U.S – it’s just a big, comfy, green chair – that is in every ad you see for this bank!)

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, we’ll be at the studio to set up the food for the clients and the agency reps who will be there, as well as the 10 models coming in for their close-up.  No doubt it will be a long day, but with Henrieta’s hard work, I have no doubt the shots will come out looking fab.

Until then…!

x.o.x

Amanda

Alright! Pop Quiz! Remember when I mentioned that these jobs would morph and grow, and morph again?!  Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to OWJ Lesson 1!

Lesson #1: Communication

You’d think that a University Grad with a Degree in Communications (me.), would realize the importance of this action!  I guess a little reminder is always a good thing…

As I plan (and keep planning) for these jobs and weeks coming up, I admit that I tend to get a little carried away. The second an idea enters my mind, I instantly start to assume/plan/tweak that idea – even when it’s still simply that.  Nothing is concrete or confirmed, but in MY mind, it is.

This recently got me into a bit of a mix-up in regards to my first job.  An employer had given me a positive response, and for some reason, in my mind, I took that to mean ‘MONDAY START DATE.’  Of course, when I went to reconfirm, it was definitely late notice, and a complete surprise to the employer!  In the meantime, of course, I’d told all my friends and family that I was going to be working at this job, and was now unsure if I even had a job for Week 1, only three days before the start date!

Super.

To make a semi-long story short – if I had been more clear and precise in my words and actions – this mix-up wouldn’t have happened. Instead of getting all excited and then forgetting to communicate my desire to start the next week, I should have called the next day to officially set it up. It was my fault for assuming, and should have shown more respect for the time of the business involved – it’s not easy to take on a stranger for a week!

In the end, I apologized for putting the employer in a tight spot, and both of us expressed our desire to work together on this OWJ project sometime later this summer (with more notice, of course!).

Now I had to find another job!  Haha!  For starters, I am so lucky to have such an amazing support group of friends all over this country.  I’ve only lived in Toronto for a short while, but have met some incredible people who I have become close with.  I met Henrieta through one of these friends, and Henrieta is a photographer.

The first time (and come to think of it, the ONLY time) we met, was over a year ago to discuss a joint video and photography project.  The project didn’t come to fruition, but we became Facebook friends and I kept tabs on her that way!

She grew up in Socialist Czechoslovakia, where she actually trained and worked as a nurse.  Here’s a quote from her website biography:

“And then, unexpectedly, came the Velvet Revolution of 1989. Soon after, I packed a small suitcase and flew across the ocean, to Canada. My first job was as a Nanny, and with my very first paycheck, I bought myself an OM1 Olympus manual SLR.”

A few years down the road, Henrieta is a full-time photographer, and winning all sorts of awards for her work.  Lucky me – she has agreed to let me spend my first week with her!!  I’m excited to learn more about her journey, and help her do a job that I’ve so often dreamed of doing…

'Photographer Amanda'

I’ve always felt that photography is a big part of who I am.  I’m definitely a visual person, always trying to find a new angle or way of looking at things.  I actually looked into photography before committing to Television production, but decided that I would rather use a video as my medium, as opposed to still-shooting.

Photography is pivotal.  Whereas in video you have hours of tape at your disposal, in still-photography you have one moment to capture an entire story.  The best photographs make you feel something – disgust, anger, wonder, elation.  A good photograph can make you cry.  Those are the kinds of pictures I want to take – I want to make people FEEL.

“I found that while the camera does not express the soul, perhaps a photograph can!”  - Ansel Adams

This week Henrieta has invited me to help her with an advertising piece she’s doing for a national Canadian chain store.  We’ll be meeting with clients, gathering props, setting up the studio, and then shooting!!

I want to learn what it takes to be a pro – how to get the clients, how to build a portfolio, what kind of cost is involved, film vs digital work, photo editing, and much, much more.

One more sleep…let the adventure begin!!

Love Love Love

Amanda

To check out Henrieta’s work, visit: www.henrietahaniskova.com

I’ve been on my feet for the last 3 days.  Standing in one place.  For 12 hours a day.  I’m pretty sure my legs are gonna start to bleed soon…but no worries, its not like I haven’t done this before…

I’m shooting a conference in Toronto, and by “shooting” I mean camera operating.  I’ve been working in television production for the last 5 years, and have held positions such as art assistant, editor, reality TV production coordinator, videographer, and many others in between.

To be honest, it’s been amazing!  I’ve made some of my best friends and had some great life experiences. I mean, how

First time in a chopper, with a camera attached to my hand!

many people can say that they’ve shot exotic sports cars while hanging out of a helicopter and flying through the rocky mountains (I have)!  I’ve met celebrities, made decent money, and traveled (if you count going from southern Alberta to northern British Columbia traveling?).

As a female shooter, I have felt privileged. There are definitely women out there, but just the other day I had a camera guy from the Toronto Sun ask me how it felt to be one of only 5 camera girls in the city… Wow.

I definitely enjoy the team aspect of these jobs – working together with a crew to create a newscast, an episode, a story. At one point in my life I could legitimately say that I didn’t know anyone who wasn’t involved in television in some way. The bonds created on set are strong, and I would often find myself spending up to 12 hours a day with these people.

But, as much as I’ve learned and experienced, and as amazing as my “career” has been, I still get the sense that there’s something else out there for me.  I have my Bachelor of Communication Studies degree, but have never used it…and I’m curious.  Shouldn’t I get a “grown-up job?!”  Ha!

Enter One Week Job.

I was reading the newspaper on the subway one day, and came across an article on Sean Aiken and his 52 jobs in 1 year. I kept it. Literally cut the piece out of the paper, and stored it away. The story mentioned a program (and if you’re reading this, you obviously know what I’m talking about!) where contestants would work through a mini-version of Sean’s 52-week extravaganza, and come out with a stronger idea as to what their passion is.

Why not?  I’m young.  I’m fearless (except for the occasional Toronto driver and bad smelling deli meat).  I thought that this program could really change things…shake me up in a good way.

When I entered the One Week Job contest, I had NO idea how many people would lend their support! It was overwhelming and hilarious and humbling, to see so many of my friends and family get on board and spread the word! Complete strangers joined my cause on twitter, new friends added me to Facebook, and my Facebook newsfeed was literally taken OVER by posts, urging people to “Vote Amanda!” I even heard stories of family members in rural areas waiting an hour and a half on dial-up internet, just so they could cast their vote!

The last night of voting in particular was social networking at its finest!  It seemed like everyone I knew was sitting at their computers, counting the votes and cheering me on!  A huge thank you to everyone who voted – it’s only because of you that I’m here.  The generosity and movement of the fans behind this program is incredible.

Also – a huge congrats to the other OWJ girls!  Michelle and Kieley, I hope you guys have a great time, and get as much out of this program as possible. And thanks for making the voting that much more intense!

Since being voted into the program, these last few weeks have been filled with a massive amount of emails, phone calls and advice-giving. Trying to figure out some kind of schedule for my 8 weeks it’s a lot tougher than I thought it would be! It almost seems like too short a time to do everything I want to do! My list of jobs has morphed and grown, and morphed again.

As I write this, I have one week to go before I launch myself into this program.  The jobs are arranging themselves and some great people have stepped up to the plate for me. This summer is going to morph and grow and morph again. And if there’s one lesson I need to learn, it’s the patience needed to just let that change happen.

I’m still on my feet, but no longer in the same place.  These next 8 jobs, will be something I’ve never done before.

Love Love Love

- Amanda