Whether you operate a retail store or spa selling Candles of Eden and other quality lines, you cannot, or should not, work 52 weeks a year. There will be weeks when you work every day. There will be those hectic times when you seem to work with no hope of days off in sight. However, in general you cannot keep that pace up for the long haul without it affecting your performance and your business’s performance.

You have to make time for R & R, and during those away-from-work times, you have to make sure a qualified assistant is running your show for you. The best time to start training an assistant manager for your retail or spa operation is now…right now. If you start now you can also begin to plan that well-deserved vacation right along with it. When the time comes to hop on that plane, or cruise ship, or whatever, you will have a person ready to slide behind your desk and handle the operations while you’re away.

You begin the process by first selecting that one employee you deem the most reliable and mature (regardless of age). You will also want to make sure this person has the business acumen the managerial position requires. To top it all off you want to ensure the person you choose as your assistant has the necessary enthusiasm, experience, and energy for the position.

Next, you begin the training process by giving this employee a general overview of what their major responsibilities will be while you are away. This may mean relieving them of some of their normal responsibilities. The reason being, you do not want to overload them with work from two job categories. If their normal responsibilities include the ordering, stocking, and selling of SoyLuscious® Soy Candles and other lines you may want to give this responsibility to someone else while your assistant concentrates on your banking and bookkeeping duties. If you overload them with too many responsibilities while you’re away, they may stress out. When you return, they may make a beeline for that cruise ship without even taking the time to say “Welcome back.”

Make sure you allow ample training time for your chosen assistant. You do not want to rush the training process. Two things happen when you rush the process. You end up not training them properly on major functions you perform. You also tend to forget to show them certain responsibilities in the mad rush to prepare them for the position they will soon occupy. This adds to the stress they will feel while you’re away. It also means you may have more problems to deal with when you return. This is due to their not being able to handle a circumstance or issue because you forgot to explain a process to them.

When you train an assistant to take over for your vacation or any other time you need off, you are telling this person that you have complete confidence in their abilities. You are also subtly letting other staff members know that the qualities that earned this particular employee this honor are qualities you value. Those who want to increase their standing with you and your company will them aspire to develop those qualities.

When you train an assistant for your business, you need to show them the importance of each new job duty they will take on. You also need to show them how they should prioritize these duties each day they are in your position. When you do this, you ensure they will operate effectively, right now. You also get them used to your position so they can perform it even better the next time you’re away. You also prepare them for the day when they may choose to own and operate, or manage a spa or retail shop of their own. While you would hate to lose this person, you do not want to hold them back either. They will forever treasure the valuable experience you afforded them.

When training an assistant, do not micro-manage. Do not try to show and tell him or her every minute detail of your business; and do not hover over them making sure they are doing every little task correctly. If they are to take a department inventory and count all of your Candles of Eden candles and accessories and related products show them how you want things recorded and then leave them alone to do it.   Again, don’t hover and jump in when you think there’s a problem.

It is tempting to do this because you want to cover all bases and not leave anything out. This is the other extreme of rushing training and leaving things out. The danger here is that when you’re away they will try to do everything little thing and end up not accomplishing much. Alternatively, what they do accomplish may not be performed properly. Train them by giving them the essentials – enough to keep your operation running smoothly, while allowing them the time to operate your business in their own creative way with their unique operating style.

Take the time to train an assistant to run your business for you when you cannot and should not be there. You will help this individual grow as an employee. You will give your business a person who looks at the operation from a different perspective. Above all, you get the chance to get away- with peace of mind - knowing your business is in good hands.