I love to write about the adventures of running my own small business. And I talk to ALOT of others whom are doing the same. They are passionate about a business in a field that is exactly what they want to be doing, being their own boss. But there can be challenges of running your own small business.
Of course there are the rewards of flexibility, control, doing what you love and hopefully creating a sustainable income stream. I asked a few of my Mrs Mummypenny Money Saving Tips Group members what they found hard about running their own business. With lots of solutions they have found to help.
Clare runs the Fitting Room Bra Shop in Stevenage.
I have known Clare for a few years now and have watched her proceed from premises out of town, into the centre of Stevenage town centre. And now she is moving the operation back to her home. Its been tough in the retail game..over to Clare
Stock Costs
For me its having to spend out such a huge amount of money to buy in new stock to keep people interested without knowing if it will sell. There are over 150 size ranges these days and bras are not cheap to buy I , even at cost. As an independent retailer I have to buy stock (bras and swimwear) in and do not get sale or return. Plus we have to order 6-10 months in advance and your customers may not like the seasons colours or their taste may change.
A Working Mum dealing with Family Illness
Being a working mum is a huge issue and one that has been a massive challenge since my daughter became unwell 2 years ago. Someone is looking for a shop so I’ve taken the decision to close my high street shop in a few months so I can take my daughter back and forth to hospital without worrying about the rent costs. I can’t afford to pay someone full time to cover my absence unfortunately. I’ll be going back to running my shop from home on a smaller scale – the place I started – but with the benefit of a huge customer database to keep my business running. This means I can be open for more hours each day too.
And there is a clearance sale on right now at Clare’s shop as she prepares to move back home.
Jane has just set up a Roofing Business with a business partner
Where do I start with a new business. From understanding websites to remembering to chase quotes to knowing what to price. Thankfully the accounts side of things I can do but it’s hard juggling everything . The business www.manningroofing.co.uk .
Emma runs four websites, the latest being Beautiful Home Ideas
Emma has been blogging for many years now and is considered quite the expert in the blogging world. And of course we wrote the book Blogging Your Way to Riches together. Over to Emma….
The biggest struggle for being self employed is diversifying your income so that you are not relying on one income stream. This requires forward thinking and being proactive. Blogging is my preferred way to be self employed but I have four blogs so that I am not relying on just one. This requires really good time management skills as you need to prioritise and be able to switch between tasks with ease.
Andy Webb runs the website Be Clever With Your Cash
Andy is a busy bee. He runs a fabulous personal finance website, I highly recommend signing up to his newsletter which is always packed full of great money saving tips. Its not just the website for Andy, he is a TV presenter, a freelance writer and organises an annual UK money blogger conference! Phew Andy..and hence he says this…
I struggle sometimes with balancing personal time with the work load. The idea of being sick and not being able to work is scary!
Charlotte runs BangonBlanks
I have loved watching Charlotte’s business grow and go boom over recent months. Part of her business is selling personalised gifting ideas with a certain elf drinks bottle going slightly viral on Etsy! I cannot imagine that production run! Over to Charlotte
BangOnBlanks is our (Charlotte and her sister) main side hustle. Finding enough hours in the day to keep up with everything (when I’m working full time and my sister has two kids 3.5 and 1 year old) we currently work into the early hours at least 3 times a week!
Knowing when the right time to look at premises is a challenge, we’ve outgrown our houses but the idea of paying for premises seems like too big of an outlay for us since there isn’t someone ‘in the office’ all day.
Also, paperwork! Knowing what to keep for records and the accountant and what’s OK to throw away!
Ruth from Ruth Makes Money
Ruth is a new superstar in the world of blogging and quite the expert when it comes to knowledge on freelance writing. Over to Ruth
I love being my own boss, but I do sometimes miss having colleagues to bounce around ideas with. Sometimes when you’re so involved with something it’s hard to see the wood for the trees, and it can be tough to be completely on your own when it comes to all the big decisions. Thankfully I’ve got some great blogger friends and we all help each other to stay on track and talk through and ideas that we might be struggling with!
Kirsty Runs The Choccie Drop, Chocolate Making Parties
I have know Kirsty for many years as she shes to be my boss when we worked together at Threshers (before they went bust!). I have loved seeing Kirsty set up her own business in something that she is so passionate about. Over to Kirsty.
The marketing is the hardest part for me. I have lots of different potential customer groups, and a very limited marketing budget. So it’s hard to know how/ where do I spend my money, and time.
A myriad of small business stresses and concerns. Do you run a small business? What do you struggle with?
4 Responses
Thanks for including me Lynn! Obviously it’s great reading about people’s wins and successes, but there’s so much value to be found in hearing about their challenges too, and how they tackle them. It’s all part of the journey!
Everyone has something that they struggle with. Thanks for your contribution:-)
Running a small business can be tricky especially when it is a side hustle and you are required to pay more attention to your main job. You also have to balance between family and work which can be hard.
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