Candles, a Spreadsheet, and a Really Long Week

I've been working for my son-in-law since last Monday, getting Spiral Light Candle's budget and sales forecast set up for next year. He provided the math, and how data is supposed to relate to other data.

I set up a spreadsheet, turned his math into functions the spreadsheet understands, put the pieces in place: and then tried to figure out why the results looked funny.

After that, I'd do the same thing over again. All week.

I took Sunday off, pretty much, got back to work last evening, and around 4:30 this morning noticed that I was making lots of mistakes. The good news is that by that time I was also working very slowly, so I hadn't messed up too much of the analysis.

After over half of a good night's sleep later, I got back to work this morning. My son-in-law generously estimates that I've saved him well upwards of a thousand dollars in consultant's fees: but hey, that's what family is for.

Now, some blatant self-promotion:

• Our Spiral Light Candle Corp. Storefront
  on Amazon.com
• Spiral Light Candle Corporation
  (spirallightcandle.com)
  P.O. Box 868, Hillsboro, ND 58045
  (701) 425-0682
  info@spirallightcandle.com
  • Spiral Light's Spiral Burning Self Filling Candle
    (also on YouTube)
  • Brocuhre (pdf)

That's it. I've eaten lunch, had a cup of coffee, and written this post. Time to get back to work.

Related posts:

• "Candles: Analysis, News, and Very Odd Questions"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (December 3, 2011)
• "Spiral Light Candle's New Amazon.com Photos"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (November 24, 2011)
• " 'A Candle With a Twist' at Grand Forks Trade Show"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (November 18, 2011)
• "Trade Show Trip: Everything's Ready (I Think)"
  (July 29, 2011)
  • This was 'the big one'
    • Near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • One of the my posts from the show:
    • "Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show: Second Morning on the Floor"
      Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (August 4, 2011)
• "Candles That aren't Candles; Candles With a New Twist, and a '50s Diner"
  Sauk Centre Journal Blog (Sunday, June 26, 2011)