What is the hardest thing about business right now? What is the best thing?

[Lovewell]

The world is in a weird place and owning a business is feeling HARD. You are not alone! 

What is the hardest thing for you right now- navigating this current season our world is in? 

What is the BEST thing happening right now? When times get hard we have to remind ourselves to remain grateful even for the smallest things! 

We are celebrating FIVE years in business this week and ONE year at our newest location (yes in the same week it is wild). 

Just think we need a space to chat! The square community is seeming quiet at a time we feel we could use a little extra connection 🙂 

[JUYBoutique20]

For me right now the hardest thing is balancing out my personal and business. Alot more has been put on my personal plate, so my business stuff is being delayed.  I'm usually pretty good at this and I've just fallen off here lately.  The best thing happening in business is sales are up and we're getting more customers which is the reason we switched locations.  Personal things going great right now is me and my family are in great health and my youngest just graduated from elementary school so this next school year I don't have to be up at the break of dawn to start my day...I'll get to sleep in another 2 hours 🎊.  

[TheRealChipA]

Uncertainty. Can someone in charge please make up their mind and have the courage of their convictions? Either we are going to tariff the world or we aren’t.  Either we are going to reduce the deficit or we aren’t. Either we want smaller government or we don’t. But this wish-washy, I have no clue governance is killing me (later than most, thankfully because I’m smarter than them)

my business, (later than most, thankfully because I’m smarter than them), my country and my world. Figure it out and have time courage of your convictions. I’m tired of cowardly populism. 

[DinaLRosenberg]

THIS 100% Chip- make a decision and stick with it! The wishy-washy crap is really making it difficult. 

[DinaLRosenberg]

Great question.

I think the uncertainty. Everything seems shaky and the overall sentiment is cautiousness. We feel like we are in a holding pattern while simultaneously waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

[Lovewell]

Totally understand! 

[CareyJo]

I'm hearing this in a lot of places.  Sorry you're feeling that and hoping it ends soon!

[CareyJo]

I feel like I'm in my own little world - my own bubble.  I avoid the news and rarely look at what's going on in the world when I'm on FB.  But hear me out - I don't have my head in the sand.  I just can't handle constant negativity.  I literally stopped watching the news on TV 30+ years ago because I couldn't handle less than 5 minutes of something positive.  I also have a husband who's a conspiracy theorist and watches waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more news than I need to see in my lifetime.  If it's something I should know, he will tell me.

I'm also in my own little bubble because living in MT is so different than most of the US.  I think the only other state that can truly relate to us is Alaska.  We have a very different culture and lifestyle here.  One that you will not experience anywhere else, except maybe AK.... Our public world here is very different.  I can literally just focus on my business and my personal life and everyone else is doing the same thing.

Our business is doing super well right now but we've had so much work with our largest client that we've been unable to do much for other clients.  Luckily, we're not turning people away but it also means we don't have regular income coming in because that one big client takes 30 days to pay, so it's been very tight this month.  We just put out our largest bid ever, and I mean EVER.  Hoping that comes back as a yes!  Say prayers and positive thoughts please!

Personally, we're well balanced right now.  Managing things well and looking forward to vacay at the end of June.  My husband's nephew is getting married and we're heading over to Green Bay.  We found out that there's a bar there named Cranium's.  We have to go because that's been my husband's nickname for decades!  Anyone in here know it?

Thanks @Lovewell for posting!  It IS awesome to have a place to chat, with no particular need.  We all just need someone who can relate to us to visit with from time to time.  It helps us stay sane!!

[Lovewell]

You are an inspiration! Truly. Wanting to be more like you when we grow up. Praying you get the big job!!! 

[CareyJo]

Awwwwwwwwwh, thanks!  I appreciate that!  I'm praying we do to!  It would be AMAZING!  I don't brag often, but we've slowly been increasing our YOY since 2021.  We did have a big dip from 22 to 24 because in 22 we had several really large jobs that put us out of our norm.  Our annual average went from around 300k to over 400k.  We've actually gone over 1/2 mil in sales twice, last year being the biggest ever at over 560k.  This one big job would literally be 1/4 of our entire year!

And there's nothing special about me that you can't be, right now!  Why wait to grow up?!?!  It just takes a little effort daily/weekly/monthly to build new habits.  Remember what I always say?  Well.....  add to that, that it only takes 21 days of doing the same thing everyday to form a new habit AND what you do TODAY will pay off in 3 weeks!!!

[Lovewell]

Noted ✅

thank you so much! 

[CareyJo]

I just re-read what I wrote and part of what I mean totally came out wrong... it should've been "you don't have to wait until you grow up!"  You can be whatever you want to be, right now!  No waiting required! 😊

[DinaLRosenberg]

 I heard someone say they were running top speed to stay in place and honestly that's how it feels right now

[Lovewell]

THISSSS.

[CareyJo]

Feel that.

I'm so afraid if I sleep past 5 am that there won't be enough hours in the day.  Then I remind myself that I cannot work 24/7.  I'm too old.

It's tough some days.

[doc_choc]

@Lovewell right now our sector is challenged more than ever, not just by inflationary pressures and cost of living but by the cost of cocoa being at an all-time high due to poor crops and low volumes of trade cocoa. So you have to think out side of the box more than ever and be creative with how you use your chocolate. We are always looking at every aspect of our business, for example the Dubai Chocolate trend and leveraged this, not so much because of the use of Kanafa and pistachio (very expensive and eats your margin) as an ingredient but that the trend to have supper chunky bars that are filled with Instagramable goo, bigger bars more fill and less chocolate so value/size perception is much better.

The take away from is there is always a way forward, even when its tough going out there...or as we do have team chocolate scoffing parties every morning! 😁

[Lovewell]

There is ALWAYS a way forward! Love that & so so true. 

Seeing that mindset is so key. Getting creative.