What was the first big breakthrough for your business? ✨

[isabelle]

Hi Seller Community ✨

Today we're wondering...

What was the first big breakthrough or win for your business? 

Can't wait to read your replies! 🤓

[Yelibelly]

Our first break through was really surviving some traumatic experiences when we were a younger company and realizing if I can navigate back after that...then we really need to push forward and not let anything stop us!

Specifically, We were subletting a storefront from another company. At some point, the subleasing company stopped paying the landlord and was pocketing our rent checks every month and we had no idea. After about 5 months of non-payment, the landlord locked us out and we were poised to lose everything in our store. The entire business. 

After a lot of crying and swearing, I gathered my documentation, called the landlord and stated my case for not being at fault. I provided cancelled checks and our subleasing agreement. It turns out that they had no idea that the original company was subleasing to us. Our contract was null and void and the landlord had no obligation to let us back in the store. 

The landlord gave us ONE hour to remove all of our equipment and belongings from the store. 

We did it with the help of friends. Moved everything to a storage facility an to our home. 

Moved our production to a friend's facility short term, found a new home for our company and we have not looked back. 

[homeprogreen]

I would say the first major breakthrough for my business happened about 2 1/2 years after opening. That was when I was finally able to pay myself for the first time. Up until then I poured every dime of profits back into the business to expand products offered. We managed to pay all the bills and survive off my wife’s paychecks from her job. Also that was when we were able to move the shop into the location I actually wanted to get at first but it was out of the budget range. The location I started in was tiny. It was only 154 square feet total. It only had room for 2 display cases, 12 feet of slat wall for some shelves, and tops 2 customers at a time. It wasn’t much but it was in budget and got us thru the first 2 years until the business grew enough to move to the current location 

[HC_Charlie]

Thanks for sharing as I'm about at that same mark in my business (at my current brick and mortar location), and I hope to be able to start paying myself a real paycheck very soon! I feel so close, but like you I want to keep supporting the biz with more advertising and getting people into my business.

@isabelleI'm not really sure I've had that big breakthrough yet LOL, but I've had quite a few big steps completed which makes me feel accomplished. Over the last 4+ years I've gone from being a seasonal vendor at art fairs (setting up a temporary white tent and enduring wind and rain!) to finding a tiny weekly indoor booth...to moving into my own HUGE 633 sq ft retail space (seems huge to me after working with a 10x10 booth!). I think the success for my business has been more steady and incremental up to this point...but I'm open to the next amazing BIG thing that might be waiting around the corner.

[homeprogreen]

Yeah that first check is nice, it wasn’t much. Probably around 300 bucks for the week but man it felt like redemption for the almost 3 years of doing without. We still only pull 60% of the profits off and invest the other 40% back in.  Not getting rich but I eat decent and I live modestly so I am able to just get whatever I want when I want it without having to worry about the cost

[WagBend]

When I marked on our paper desk calendar, that doubled as a check in list for dog, and we averaged 10 dogs a day for the first time ever. It meant that the business finally was able to pay the rent for itself. Still was working 2 other jobs besides our Dog daycare, but the future finally looked bright 

[thegoddess_98]

After countless mistakes the first 3 years from being a young entrepreneur, I decided to give it one last shot this year to get it right and make all the smart budgeting, investments & planning right this time. Sometimes you make mistakes and that's okay, all apart of the journey. But what really has showed me my breakthrough is being able to pay myself a full wage now after 4 years, getting to travel when I want & I'm able to modestly splurge every once in awhile with my bills paid. It's taken endless nights & emotions to get here, but the stats reflect one of my best years this year in 2021. The one thing I can say for everyone who reads this is even if you make mistakes, don't give up. Pick yourself back up once more, learn from what mistakes you had made & get right back to planning, budgeting and let all the good opportunities flow to you. 

[groomguy]

Hi there! My big break through for my business was securing a brick & mortar location partnering with a hotel in downtown DC. To know the concept has been done closer to 60 + years ago and my business was able to restore that with our own style was so fulfilling. 

[Minion]

My biggest breakthrough was probably when we secured accounts with 2 of the 3 local vehcile dealers a couple years ago. While we get plenty of business from word of mouth customers, I'ts always nice to have a general steady idea of what we can expect for vehicles to come in for bed liners or undercoating based on previous months sales. Convenient for the customer to roll their purchases right up into their loan as well as no sales tax since the check is cut from the dealer. Win Win 🙂