What has the pandemic taught you about running your business?

[Seamus]

Hey Seller Community,

Hope you’re all doing well and keeping safe.

The last 18 months have been tough for Australian businesses, particularly in states that have seen and continue to experience ongoing lockdowns.

In the interest of sharing tips and advice between businesses, today we’re asking the following question to sellers who are keen to share their own experiences:

If there’s anything the pandemic taught me about running my business and what’s needed to evolve in this new world, it’s ________. 

Fill in the blank - what has the pandemic taught you about running your business? What was needed for you to evolve to this 'new world'? 

We look forward to reading your replies ❤️

[Youngbondi]

Endurance 

[RobbieJewellery]

To be flexible.  For example, holding online sales when events are cancelled. 

Try not to stress out over things you can't control. Focus on what you can control. 

Robbie

[Seamus]

Hey @RobbieJewellery, thanks for adding your take!

I think focusing on what is within your control is great life advice in general. Sometimes things seem unfair, or are unfair - but if it's something not within your control, spending energy on it will usually compound problems, by taking away time and energy from things that are within your control. I'd love to be able to go back in time and explain this to my younger self 🙂

[RobbieJewellery]

I agree with what you say, it is so easy to worry about things we have no control over, which is something I do more than I should. But I'm working on it and recognising when I am doing it is the biggest challenge. 

[indochineexotic]

Hello, wow what a classic 18 months, Ive always believed that any business has to be creative at all times but with COVID and the unpredictable issues that have been put on us all. I have seen  so many positive issues at this time as businesses have extended their criteria and become more creative and flexible. Ive started another business. All the best to you all .

Heather at Indochine-Exotic

[Seamus]

@indochineexotic Thanks for your comments Heather!

It's sure been interesting to see a bunch of creative new ideas and shifts in mindset on running businesses - it'll be interesting to see what ideas stick around post-COVID.

While we've not had a lot of opportunities to eat out in Melbourne the last few months, I'm a big fan of using QR codes to order food and drinks to a table! It's more suited to some venues over other, but it's so much easier than trying to catch the eye of waitstaff during busy periods or queuing at a busy bar vying with 6 other patrons for attention☝️😅

Hope things are going well with the new business 🙂

[theroyalctambo]

To keep it as simple as possible.  Staff is going to be a major issue for awhile.

[Seamus]

Good to hear from you @theroyalctambo. The old KISS philosophy - sometimes I need to take a step back and remind myself to do this 😂

[theroyalctambo]

Yeah me to.  We do 90% of our trade in one and a half hours, even though we are open 10-12 hours a day.  Sadly in order to pump out numbers that quickly with constraints on kitchen size and staffing, I have to do things that complicate from a front of house situation, to make it easier back of house.  For a small town country pub, I am the worlds most complicated simple business.  Makes it tough for new staff, they have to remember so much little things.  Firstly how to explain Chicken Races haha

[KateatBreathe]

Flexibility and “going with the flow”. Realising that some things can’t be prepared for or controlled. 

Being open to opportunities that present themselves in surprising or unplanned ways. 

[Seamus]

Thanks for adding your take @KateatBreathe!

Accepting what's out of your control and focusing on what is seems to be a recurring theme - it's certainly not worth exerting all your energy into something outside of your control!

[SBcoaching]

Be flexible and constantly review what you are doing to ensure you are getting best return on the time you are putting in

[Seamus]

Thanks @SBcoaching, that's a great tip - regular reviewing, refining and self-assessing processes is an important one to adapt to new challenges!

[JanelleGray]

One change that I made (started mainly due to wanting to limit the number of times I wanted to leave my home due in lockdowns) was to reduce and limit my postal runs. I did a weekly run during lockdown and now do 2 runs a week (Tuesday and Friday). This has resulted in less interruptions in the work day and made the packing process more streamlined. Jx 

[Seamus]

They say necessity is the mother of invention after all!

Thanks for chiming in @JanelleGray!

[LBmetalsmith]

To be flexible ready to change and think outside the normal boxes, Let hard days be hard and do on the good days.