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Some of the monkeys behind our company, there's 150+ of us & we're a happy bunch of chimps. Join us... You won't regret it!

Event Organiser Feedback

A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIFE OF A CHEEKI MONKEY

I was 4 months pregnant when I was made redundant from my supposedly stable job. 

I had no notice - I was literally told that morning that the company was pretty much game over, and I was not to come back on Monday. Brilliant! Cue sad music and small violins.

I had a couple of little businesses that I was running at home, alongside working, but they were most certainly not making enough for me to survive. One was just about turning over enough money to keep itself going, and the other....well the other one was a good intention that I never really did anything with. A bit like when you go to the supermarket and you buy all that fancy veg, so that other shoppers think you cook amazing meals at home. Then it goes into the bottom of the fridge to rot, and be thrown out two weeks later. But the intention was there when you started. I actually bought a fennel once doing this. A fennel, the only fennel I was aware of before that day, was on CBBC's Mr Blooms Nursery and it was called Joan.

Anyway, I seriously needed to find a way to increase my income. I am one of those unfortunate women who immediately look 8 months pregnant the second that little blue line appears on the stick. So finding a job was nigh-on-impossible, as it’s not like I could hide the fact I was pregnant, and then have a little "surprise" once I had got the job. Employers are not allowed to discriminate against pregnant woman, but they certainly do.

I started having little stalls at car boots and events, just selling my eldest daughters old things, and my old clothes and household items etc. Some days I would make quite a bit of money, some days I would make nothing at all. I needed something more secure, more reliable. I loved doing the stalls, as I got chatting to people, and could make money whilst having a bit of fun. It seemed like the best way to guarantee an income doing the markets, is to be the person who hosts the events, the organisers. I started looking into ways I could get involved with possibly holding my own car boot. But unless you own your own field, the red tape you hit doing that is enough to lasso an entire herd of horses, whilst tangling yourself up in the process. So I continued with my pointless job search.

And then I saw it. It was like a beacon of light striking through my kitchen ceiling and beaming down onto my laptop, with a chorus of angels humming in the background. Cheeki Monkeys. I found it listed on the jobcentre plus website, and it felt like it had been put there just for me. Exactly what I had been looking to do, with all the red tape covered. I did not hesitate to send an email requesting some more information.

Craig got back to me very quickly. He had answered all my questions and concerns, and sent me the information to buy in to Cheeki Monkeys.

Don't stop reading now. Because I used the words "buy in", do not roll your eyes and think "here we go". I am about to tell you about an experience I have embarked on that is like no other.

My first event (May 2015) at Cheeki Monkeys was an amazing success. It was the hardest event I have held, as no one had heard of me, and so I had to make my mark. But with all the effort, and networking, and late nights online, my event went ahead. I'm super cool, so had no nerves. Had everything under control the night before, no sweat and all going smoothly until the morning of the event... I woke up an absolute jibbering wreck! But that soon settled once the event opened, and the customers poured in. And the best thing was I ended up in profit! (Pretty good for a first event. I might be a little smug ha-ha).

Do not make the mistake of thinking you will be making the sort of money exampled in the manual from your first event. If this was a get rich quick scheme, everyone would be doing it. But that money is achievable. It can be done; it is not an "out of reach" amount to be making. Be approachable, and friendly. Be fun, yet professional. Watch each event grow.

But everyone has to have a first event, to take that first step. Everyone is either about to take it, or can remember taking it. We are a family at Cheeki Monkeys, and the forum is available 24 hours a day for those sudden issues or questions we all face along the way. But you couldn’t be sharing them with a friendlier group of people, all wanting each other to succeed and the desire for each other to succeed is genuine. We are not earning financially off each other. The support is real.

My children love attending the events. Meeting the mascots, getting faces painted, playing on bouncy castles - my daughter thinks it’s her birthday party every month! And of course, she is the child at school who has the coolest mum, as I know Elsa, Anna, and all the other loved characters at the moment! Ha-ha!

Here I am, October 2015 and approximately 5 events in, and my next event is fully booked one month in advance, I have events booked for the whole of next year, and stall bookings over 14 months in advance of the event. People are approaching me for stalls, instead of the other way around. I have been listed in several local directories, mentioned on the local radio station and had an article about my events in the local community magazine. All after just 5 events! What you put in, is what you get out, and if I can come this far with a 3 year old and a newborn, just think how far you could take it.

Cheeki Monkeys does not rely upon you selling the Cheeki Monkeys brand to someone else. Your success does not depend upon what sales targets you have hit, and how many new customers you have gained that month. Your success does not stem from varying videos of you demonstrating products, or how many pictures you can upload of yourself in the garden with your laptop and a cuppa, with "I love working from home, so free, I'm my own boss, look how amazing my life is" captioned underneath it.

Your success comes from your hard work to build your markets. Not what your "recruits" have sold. Your own work! And there is nothing more satisfying that seeing all your work come together at event day, where all your stallholders are making money, all your shoppers are smiling and have grabbed some fantastic bargains, and all the kids have had a fun time. You did that. No one but you. This is your business. Your successful business. And what a great job you have done. Have fun, love your work, and make money. It really is as simple as that.

Victoria Pyke (aka Pykey)
Cheeki Monkeys Event Organiser

"I AM PROUD TO BE BUILDING MY OWN BUSINESS AND WORKING FOR MYSELF"

I began with Cheeki Monkeys in April 2015 and it's certainly been a huge learning curve!

I became an Event Organiser for two reasons - firstly, my 'proper' job was no longer challenging and I no longer enjoyed it and secondly, there weren't any baby and children's markets in my area. It seemed like the ideal solution to join Cheeki Monkeys as I could put my slightly OCD organisational skills to good use at the same time as being able to easily shop for pre-loved bargains for my own two cheeky monkeys.

I didn’t realise then how much more I would gain from it.

The manual that is provided when you join is brilliant! It really is ‘An Idiots Guide to…’ which covers everything from ‘how to secure a venue’ to ‘how to promote your event’ and loads of other information that you’d probably never even think about! Also, there is the Facebook Forum where other Organisers from all over the UK will help. It sounds very clichéd but it really is like one big Cheeki Monkeys family even though you’ve never met most of these people! With 130+ Event Organisers, there are plenty of people that will share their experiences which helps others to learn quickly. In addition, Gemma and Craig are always on the end of the telephone or an email if you need them. They work tirelessly to support us with our business at ridiculous times of the day and night!

Another great reason to be part of the Cheeki Monkeys team is that you will be eligible for special rates for event insurance, printing leaflets, banners, etc. and all the digital artwork is provided for free too, potentially saving you hundreds of pounds.

Organising successful events requires time and dedication to build up the brand in your area. If you’re lucky though, you’ll have another Cheeki Monkey close by which really helps your advertising as people are already familiar with the company. After a year, I am still not in a position to leave my career for good but I am well on the way to making this dream become a reality. However, it fits in well with looking after my two pre-school children as I can mostly work in the evenings when they are in bed. Most importantly though is that I get paid to have fun – it’s a very sociable job and you get to meet some wonderful stallholders along the way.

I am proud to be building my own business and working for myself for a change. Hopefully, one day, it will inspire my own children to strive for the same success through hard work, self-belief and a lot of determination.

Claire Martin
Cheeki Monkeys Event Organiser

"I CAN RUN MY OWN BUSINESS IN MY OWN WAY. I GET THE FLEXIBILITY THAT I WANT AND I'M NEVER BORED!"

I joined Cheeki Monkeys last year after being unable to find a research position that I wanted. After 7 years at university I didn’t want to go back to a mundane 9 to 5 job that gave me no job satisfaction or flexibility. One afternoon, whilst idly scrolling through jobs on the job centre’s site, I came across an interesting job description about running your own baby & children’s markets. My curiosity was piqued! I spent a little time just thinking about it then decided to email for more information. Craig replied pretty quickly with more information and I began to get a little excited! I was checking out their website when I decided to email one of the other fairly local event organisers. She replied to me but couldn’t answer all my questions as she was only organising her first event. What to do? Eventually I was swayed by the fact that you don’t need a huge investment amount for your territory and your manual. Sure it would be a pain to lose that money but it wouldn’t be a crisis if it all went horribly wrong! So I signed up for my territory later that day.

The manual is amazing! Cheeki Monkeys tell you that all the information you need to run your event is in the manual and it certainly is! I read it all and began to think about organising my first event. Now not every little question that you have is answered in the manual (as that just wouldn’t be possible!) but that’s where the forum (secret and known only to the Cheeki Monkey event organisers!) comes into its own. The other Cheeki Monkeys are very nice, friendly people who are always happy to answer your questions, no matter how silly or trivial you think they are! After all, until you’ve gone through all the planning of an event, there are bound to be many things, big and small, that you don’t know. All of my questions have been answered in the forum.   

Gemma and Craig just could not be more helpful or supportive. Emails are answered pretty quickly and the necessary help is found. It’s more than just the help though; they are genuinely thoughtful and helpful people.

Cheeki Monkeys has been a fantastic opportunity for me. I can run my own business in my own way. I get the flexibility that I want and I'm never bored! That being said, it’s like everything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. Yes it takes work, hard work, and you definitely need to be persistent! A little bit of resilience helps too. Sometimes things don’t quite go to plan and you have to rethink things. You learn huge amounts from each market: what works, what doesn’t, timings etc. I am now on my fifth market and every time I organise a market it’s just a little different from the one before it! If you’re looking for an opportunity to work in your own way, on your own terms then you definitely won’t regret this opportunity.

Karen Hale
Cheeki Monkeys Event Organiser

"I REALLY AND TRULY COULDN'T RECOMMEND THIS ENOUGH TO PEOPLE"

My Cheeki Monkeys experience.

My life had always been ordered and organised, and I knew where I was going. I was a career girl, and had worked my way up to being manager of an estate agent, waiting to get my own branch .. and boom - I fell pregnant! 

Being 39 and pregnant, I knew that once I had my baby, I wanted to be a hands on mummy for as long as I could so I already knew I wouldn't go back to the job after maternity leave, but how do you survive on £150 per week, when you were used to earning upwards of £30,000 a year? Scary, right?! 

I had six blissful (if slightly tiring) months with Isla before I had to make a decision about what to do with regards to working. We were just about coping money wise, but I found a job in a call centre working nights and was due to start a couple of weeks later. Then my life was turned upside down. My mum was diagnosed with lung cancer, and was told she was too poorly for any treatment, so we just had to make her comfortable. I made the decision to decline going back to work, and became mum's carer, which also meant caring for my dad as he had dementia.

She passed away 3 months later. Then my dad's condition worsened and we had to move in with him to care for him round the clock. Not much time for working at a 'proper job'... Between dealing with dementia daily, and having only a 15 month old to talk to I decided I needed to do something to preserve my sanity, as well as adding some money to the family pot as we were really struggling. I researched literally 100's of 'work from home' type schemes and came up with nothing solid. I stumbled across Cheeki Monkeys due to wanting a stall at a local event, but there wasn't one in my area. The advert said, 'why not hold your own?' ... and the seed was planted.

I couldn't honestly see any reason why I couldn't make it work, even with just a couple of hours a day, and I'd get to interact with other adults, and make some money too hopefully. I figured for the set up fee and insurance etc, it was a worthwhile investment. It is hand on heart the best decision I ever made. I have a life back, I make my own money, I've made great friends and lots of contacts. I am busy when I want to be, and not when I don't. I only have to physically work out of the house on event day, and when I do I can take my daughter with me too!. I get out what I put in, and that keeps me motivated to make each event bigger and better. My first event in August 2015 was a small affair, but it taught me important lessons, and was a great training ground for what was to come. I went from event one with 20 stalls, to event two (Nov 2015) in a huge venue with 45 stalls, a bouncy castle, entertainment and people lining up waiting to get in on the day. As long as the basics are right, then you can have so much fun experimenting with new things you can do to make your events fun AND lucrative!  It is now April 2016, I have just expanded into another area, and have booked another three venues. I have events booked every month until the end of the year, and my Christmas event is already half sold. I have regular stall holders who book 3 or 4 events at a time, and I have a waiting list of stallholders for some events too. I can work in my PJ's on my laptop at 2am if I want, I can have Mondays off if I want, I can hold an event a week or once a month, I decide. I don't have to pay for childcare, and I never have to get stuck in rush hour traffic. Cheeki Monkeys has literally changed my life, all for the better and I couldn't be happier. 

I absolutely love doing this, it doesn't even feel like work to me. The Event Organiser Facebook Forum is brilliant for advice, best practice tips and questions we all have, and for sharing resources etc. Gemma and Craig are so supportive and helpful, and most importantly they are 100% realistic about the business, and are always ready to listen to new ideas too. 

I really and truly couldn't recommend this enough to people, if you don't have an organiser in your area, and you're reading this, go do it! sign up! what are you waiting for?

Cate McNeal
Cheeki Monkeys Event Organiser

"MY SECOND MARKET HAD APPROX. 500 ADULTS THROUGH THE DOOR AND I TOOK NEARLY £2000"

I joined Cheeki Monkeys last year after being unable to find a research position that I wanted. After 7 years at university I didn’t want to go back to a mundane 9 to 5 job that gave me no job satisfaction or flexibility. One afternoon, whilst idly scrolling through jobs on the job centre’s site, I came across an interesting job description about running your own baby & children’s markets. My curiosity was piqued! I spent a little time just thinking about it then decided to email for more information. Craig replied pretty quickly with more information and I began to get a little excited! I was checking out their website when I decided to email one of the other fairly local event organisers. She replied to me but couldn’t answer all my questions as she was only organising her first event. What to do? Eventually I was swayed by the fact that you don’t need a huge investment amount for your territory and your manual. Sure it would be a pain to lose that money but it wouldn’t be a crisis if it all went horribly wrong! So I signed up for my territory later that day.
 

The manual is amazing! Cheeki Monkeys tell you that all the information you need to run your event is in the manual and it certainly is! I read it all and began to think about organising my first event. Now not every little question that you have is answered in the manual (as that just wouldn’t be possible!) but that’s where the forum (secret and known only to the Cheeki Monkey event organisers!) comes into its own. The other Cheeki Monkeys are very nice, friendly people who are always happy to answer your questions, no matter how silly or trivial you think they are! After all, until you’ve gone through all the planning of an event, there are bound to be many things, big and small, that you don’t know. All of my questions have been answered in the forum.   
 

Gemma and Craig just could not be more helpful or supportive. Emails are answered pretty quickly and the necessary help is found. It’s more than just the help though; they are genuinely thoughtful and helpful people.
 

Cheeki Monkeys has been a fantastic opportunity for me. I can run my own business in my own way. I get the flexibility that I want and am never bored! That being said, it’s like everything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. Yes it takes work, hard work, and you definitely need to be persistent! A little bit of resilience helps too. Sometimes things don’t quite go to plan and you have to rethink things. You learn huge amounts from each market: what works, what doesn’t, timings etc. I am now on my fifth market and every time I organise a market it’s just a little different from the one before it! If you’re looking for an opportunity to work in your own way, on your own terms then you definitely won’t regret this opportunity.

Kirsty Higgins
Cheeki Monkeys Event Organiser