Saturday, January 22, 2011
Saturday after the Storm....
Good Morning, Well we have had about a foot of snow dropped on us last night. So I will be headed to the store this morning early so that i might dig out the front door so that my customers may find us open and happy to be there. Stay tuned for some more juicy insides on running your own store.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Recession
What has the recession meant for you? Well from a SMALL shop keeper it has meant this....
R - Respect. Something you will only have from a few of your most loyal shoppers...
E - Energy. You will need more energy than you have ever had before
C - Creativity. You will not be creative enough no matter how hard you try
E - Everyday. That is how much time you will have to spend at your store.
S - Sale. Did someone say Sale, you will be asked even if they know different
S - Stupid. That is the way you will feel because you cannot find ways to bring customers
I - I, Me. The only person who has to hold the weight of the world. Lonely
O - Overboard. You will either want to jump overboard or you will go overboard trying to fix it
N - Nitwits. You will meet several, who verbally abuse you as you stand there smiling
Kind of a big word with lots of little meanings. Recession started this whole feeling of emptiness and being lonely... feeling like your in this alone and never going to get back to where things were better. One thing you all should know. I didn't buy this business to get rich, (maybe that was my first problem) I bought this business to put my heart and soul into it. To be able to go to work and do something I love, to bring smiles to faces of so many, many people. The problem is..... It was working and well. I could even have some time off in the beginning, Now after 3 years of the dreaded R word.. I work alone alot of the time, just trying to keep my business. What was once one of the great loves of my life has become the biggest nightmare I could ever imagine.... What I am worried about most is that the next 3 years might bring more anxiety, a heart attack and a stroke. To be continued.....
R - Respect. Something you will only have from a few of your most loyal shoppers...
E - Energy. You will need more energy than you have ever had before
C - Creativity. You will not be creative enough no matter how hard you try
E - Everyday. That is how much time you will have to spend at your store.
S - Sale. Did someone say Sale, you will be asked even if they know different
S - Stupid. That is the way you will feel because you cannot find ways to bring customers
I - I, Me. The only person who has to hold the weight of the world. Lonely
O - Overboard. You will either want to jump overboard or you will go overboard trying to fix it
N - Nitwits. You will meet several, who verbally abuse you as you stand there smiling
Kind of a big word with lots of little meanings. Recession started this whole feeling of emptiness and being lonely... feeling like your in this alone and never going to get back to where things were better. One thing you all should know. I didn't buy this business to get rich, (maybe that was my first problem) I bought this business to put my heart and soul into it. To be able to go to work and do something I love, to bring smiles to faces of so many, many people. The problem is..... It was working and well. I could even have some time off in the beginning, Now after 3 years of the dreaded R word.. I work alone alot of the time, just trying to keep my business. What was once one of the great loves of my life has become the biggest nightmare I could ever imagine.... What I am worried about most is that the next 3 years might bring more anxiety, a heart attack and a stroke. To be continued.....
A New Year
Here is hoping for a new year, a better year..... something that makes you want to continue to run your own shop.... something, just a brief but significant sign that the times are turning...that once again we will be able to make money, pay down bills and feel like we can hire someone to help us. About 3 years ago I started a journal, one to keep me sane. I wrote in it everytime one of my customers did something or said something mean to me... Expected to much out of me.... Figured I was making a killing and had no qualms requesting things that I would never had dreamed of ...
I decided that I should share some of these things so that the consumer would maybe be a little mindful as to what they say and so that other shop owners can relate... sometimes that is all that has saved me is knowing that other shop owners are going through the same things.
Please don't be offended by this blog, it is written strictly as a way to vent, a way to let go of the things I cannot change.. It is written so that others can get a good laugh and enjoy a smile, sometimes at my expense, sometimes at the expense of others. Read it, enjoy it and let it go...
I decided that I should share some of these things so that the consumer would maybe be a little mindful as to what they say and so that other shop owners can relate... sometimes that is all that has saved me is knowing that other shop owners are going through the same things.
Please don't be offended by this blog, it is written strictly as a way to vent, a way to let go of the things I cannot change.. It is written so that others can get a good laugh and enjoy a smile, sometimes at my expense, sometimes at the expense of others. Read it, enjoy it and let it go...
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