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Our main business is the operation of the Harmony House Inn.

Here is a picture of the inn of which we are very proud.  Please click on the above link for more information about the inn.  The inn has seven guest rooms and three suites.  Our most popular room has been the Eliza Ellis Suite which was newly renovated and decorated in 1997.  It features a king-sized bed and a heart shaped jacuzzi for two in the bathroom. This suite was so popular that in February 2000 we installed another two person heart shaped jacuzzi in another room which we call the William and Emily Suite.  It features a four poster queen sized bed and has been as popular as the Eliza Ellis Suite.  The Benjamin Ellis Suite is a two room suite.  The bedroom has a queen sized canopy bed; the living room has a queen sized pull out sofa bed.  This arrangement is ideal for families or couples who just prefer a little more space.  The seven other guest rooms have either a queen or two twin beds.  All of our rooms are comfortable and have been personally decorated by Sooki.  All rooms have private bathrooms and our rates include a full homemade breakfast served in our dining room each morning.

Although not a separate business venture, the Gift Shop at the Harmony House Inn has become a rewarding and exciting venture.  Due to space limitations at the inn, it is not a large shop by any measure.  We strive to offer a small number of items at reasonable prices.  Sooki has been active in crafting many of the items offered including homemade dried flower arrangements, hand woven baskets, handmade needlepoint book markers, and floral wreaths.  We have also attained unusual decorative stepping stones with inlaid stained glass designs made my an artist in Morehead City, NC.

Our best selling item has been our hand painted wooden eggs.  Prior to moving to North Carolina, we lived in Florida where we met a very talented artist.  He worked for Walt Disney World as an artist, but wanted to be self employed.  He started painting eggs as a hobby and began selling them in some local consignment shops.  When he started this, he took on the nickname "The Eggman."  He did so well that he quit his job and has been a selling full time for the last several years.  The eggs are regular egg sized wooden eggs with intricate, decorative paintings on them.  We offer many different floral patterns as well as eggs with birds, cats, lighthouses, and, of course, the Harmony House Inn and the Tryon Palace.  These are neat gift ideas for anyone interested in fine arts at an affordable price.  Many sell for less than $30.00.

Before closing this page, I must give brief mention of my two ventures in Network Marketing.  I do not doubt that Network Marketing works for some people.  Over the past 15 years, I have been approached by acquaintances involved with Amway and other Network Marketing companies.  About three years ago, a friend talked me into becoming a distributor for a company called AdvoCare, a manufacturer of dietary supplements.  I hesitantly agreed to try it, but did not have the time to devote to working on it.

Earlier this year, an old acquaintance called me and told me about a company called Nikken that manufactures magnetic products to alleviate muscular pain.  Again, I hesitantly signed up to distribute the products.  My friend told me that by selling these products, I would make a large income in a short amount of time.  He told me that he and I were going to "go to the moon with Nikken".  He told me about how he would work closely with me to build my new business and that he could only do well if I did well.  Less than a month after he talked me into signing up as a distributor, he stopped returning my phone calls.  I later found out that he had a mid-life crisis, left his wife and took off with an old sweetheart.  He told me he was my friend, but I have not heard from him since April 2000.

My point is that Network Marketing is not for everyone (especially me).  It would be easy to label myself as a failure in these business ventures.  I, fortunately, choose to look at the bright side that I am a successful innkeeper.  My shortcomings in Network Marketing have only come about because of my devotion to the innkeeping industry which I have found so much personal reward in doing for the past eight years.  The time that I am not working in our inn, I devote to my family and friends.  Many Network Marketers respond to the rejection of their proposal by criticizing their prospect saying such things as "if all you want do is......, then I can't help you."  This is part of the "pressure play" to get others involved in their Network Marketing company.  If you do well as a distributor, they gain out of it.  If you do not, they still don't lose anything.  So they may as well pressure you into it on the chance that you will do well.

I would urge all people who read this to truly consider what you want do and not give in to the pressure of your peers who are trying to talk you into doing something.  If you are unhappy with what you are doing, then by all means, Network Marketing may be an option.  If you are happy, then you should really put more thought into whether or not a change is in order.

If anyone has any questions or would like to share any experiences with Network Marketing, please feel free to email me.
 


 

This web page was designed by Ed Kirkpatrick.  Last updated August 2002.