As a business owner, what is currently keeping you up at night?

[isabelle]

Hey Seller Community 👋 

Today's question is...

As a business owner, what is currently keeping you up at night?

🤔

[DeannaCarter]

THINKING ABOUT MORE WAYS TO BE SUCCESSFUL 💪

[sugarlab]

My current worry is payroll. Our sales were great with our move and summer tourist season, but September and now October sales have plummeted. And then trying to balance staffing with that decrease. I need to remind myself that I'm a business and not a charity and I can't please all of my employees. I'm also dealing with call-outs, much more than I used to. Of course, I have double the staff so that's also contributing to it. It's for legit reasons and I weed out the ones that aren't actually sick. I'm also 6 months pregnant and trying to find a replacement for me when I go on maternity leave, or staff that can work together to replace me. And with the payroll issues come cash flow. So we're looking at the next few months and coming up with sales goals and payroll limits so we can properly manage our costs. Fingers crossed!

[isabelle]

First off @sugarlab, congratulations 🍼 ! How exciting to be adding another member to your family 💕✨🍰 

Sorry to hear you've been sick and having issues with your staff. Hopefully as we move further into fall, there will be less call outs. I'll be emailing you this week about an opportunity for us to collab over the holidays ⚡️ Stay strong 💪 

[newsandinfo]

Focusing on customers, balancing work/business life and keeping ahead of competition. 

[lisa32skincare]

for me, it's social media marketing, I am horrible at this. Run out of ideas, and it is a little time consuming. One day, I hope to have someone do this for me... LOL.  I always feel like I should be posting, posting, posting! Just wish there was a super easy way to post inventory items directly from website, (weebly) if there is I am totally missing it! 

[weredoughcookie]

lack of consistent foot traffic in my store. some days is regular, most slow, and the occasional swamped.

Its hard to know how much product to bake off, how to schedule my employees, what ingredients to stock up on, etc.

I'm working super hard on my marketing skills, but there's only so much that advertising and social media can do.

[sugarlab]

Oh yea that's so hard with our type of business. If only we could know exactly how many people would come in and what they would buy. Wouldn't that be great?!

[CakeshopByTati]

Push for your customer base to order ahead of time. Always keep a set number of product readily available where it won't hurt your bottom line if some get tossed. We began our business by giving the expectation that all of our products are fresh and "when we run out, we run out for the day". This made people aware that pre-orders are the best way to go about things and actually increased business by having promised amounts of products. I.E. people not worrying if you will have what they're looking for and avoiding the trip because of it. 

[weredoughcookie]

We have pushed for pre-orders. To the point where people are thinking we are pre-order only and not open for walk-ins so we haven't been pushing it as hard lately except with custom items and holidays

[TCSlaguna]

Thinking of new products and services to carry. I want the customers to continue to be engaged with the store and experience something new but familiar every time they come in. Sometimes it only takes moving products and displays around the store. But other times it takes a lot more research and searching. 

[TPring]

Knowing my numbers,  financial literacy and systems and processes. I run a Music Administrative Service company and what I do actually exists inside of a record label. I've managed to create a niche and thrive in it but I'm just not where I know I can be. 

I took an accounting class in college but I promise you I don't remember taking it, but I have the book to prove it. 😊

My solution thus far is I took some free classes with the Small Business Development Center in my city (btw every city has one look it up).  I've been watching The Profit with Marcus Lemonis (that's been on repeat). Also I opened up a Quickbooks account last year but the free trial expired and I wasn't maintaining the bookkeeping so now I need to budget that in but be committed. Systems and Processes is a work in progress...

And I just recently reached out to a Financial Advisor and will soon be looking for an Accountant just to help get me on the right track. 

[Wbjohnson11]

Square continues to freeze my money on a regular basis with no explanation at all with no way to contact support I have ben with Square for 7 years and I am done this continues to cripemy buisness and my family **bleep** Square 

[GourmetOnWheels]

What keeps me up is the fact that I cannot find financing for my expansion.

René at 12:11 AM gotta get up at 4 AM

[Indigenousbeau5]

Nothing keeps me up at night. I'm very tired at bedtime.  When I get in the bed, I'm sleep before my head hits the pillow. 

[CakeshopByTati]

What keeps me up at night is whether or not I'm doing right by my employees. My company always has employee needs and health at a high standard, and I'm always worried if they still enjoy their job or if they're looking for another one for any reasons that I can prevent. 

[BonBonSarasota]

Square up not working properly.

[ccschocolates1]

CC's Chocolates is a chocolate, candy, bakery and coffee store. I am constantly thinking about what I have to make for pre orders, remaking what is sold out or low and rotating new bakery. Add in the fact I have only been open for 3 weeks and having staffing issues. (people don't want to work) and its stressful. 

I know it will get better, just getting though this is tough! But in the end, I am happy to be doing what I love an so happy when I get great feedback. Business is getting better every day. 

[MelaninEnhanced]

Simply Business lol 

[PigWizard]

All of my staff leaving at once....which is really unlikely, because I know they like working with me, but fear is never completely rational. I dreamed that I was working all alone at my deli, and it was horrifying. 

[mark88]

Is my employee is going to come tomorrow? otherwise I will need to change all my plans.. 

[MATTRESS2GO]

The Cost of goods sold vs. Retail Sales Margin. That and the dog next door lol.