Happy Independents' Week!

No, that's not a typo or spelling mistake.  Independent businesses all around the country recognize July 1-7 as "Indendents' Week", celebrating local, independent merchants, restuarants, and services!

This is an issue about which I am quite passionate, both as a business owner and as a customer.  For each dollar spent at a local, independent business, approximately $.68 stays in the community!  Compare this with $.13 that stays in the community for each dollar spent at a "big box" store.

Local businesses employ local workers; you, your family members, and your neighbors.  The other businesses that they choose to work with for their services, such as accountants, waste pickup, cleaning, etc., are more likely to be other local, independent businesses, too.  The profit dollars are invested back into the same community and not sent on to a large corporate headquarters.

When doing business with a local company, you are more likely to get a better product and almost always guaranteed more personal service.  At the bookstore that I frequent, I get book recommendations from the owner herself.  The coffee shops right near my business will often hand-deliver or call me when my favorite items are on special!

In our family's drycleaners, I cannot count the times that my dad has given special care or free delivery to a customer who needed a piece of clothing or a household article "immediately".  At my bridal store, I can guarantee better quality and service to my brides than the large, "big-name" bridal warehouses; I promise!

Now, I am not naive about the fact that even the large stores with out-of-state headquarters still hire local workers.  I also will admit to enjoying my weekly trip to Target, with it's dollar deals and cute, cheap clothes that I wear for a season and then toss.  But, I will always invest my time and money in a local, independent business when quality and service is a priority.

So, ask you to join me in celebrating "Independents' Week" by visiting a local merchant, building a relationship, and then enjoying the best that our marketplace has to offer!

September's Bride is a proud member of LIBA- Lakeshore Independent Business Alliance

Great Business Blog!

As you know, there are myriads of blogs here in cyberspace about business.

My latest find and daily "must-read" is Create Small Business Success.  Nothing new or revolutionary, but just regular reminders of all the things we should already know and be doing as small business persons and entrepreneurs.

Breakfast Boost

If you lead employees or a team, you know how important it is to be sure that all of the individuals are "meshing" and can at least tolerate, if not enjoy, working together.

At our family's business, we have nearly 35 employees working at 3 different locations, so this can be a little challenging sometimes.

My bridal store, however, only has 6 employees who all work at the same place.  Over Spring Break, I gave them a pretty big challenge; which they worked together to achieve. 

As a reward, we went to a great local restaurant for breakfast this past Saturday morning where I also gave them each a gift certificate for a manicure.  We had a great time and it allowed each member of the staff to "bond" just a bit more with the others.  The shared experience of meeting the goal and then celebrating together was work the extra money that it cost the business.

A Full Moon?

So, yesterday was rough.

Do you ever have one of those days in your business where everything you touch goes wrong and no matter how hard you try, no customer is happy?  That was yesterday for me.

Two business associates then told me that it was a full moon and that was the reason. 

Whatever the cause, those kind of days are going to happen to all of us, especially if you are involved in customer service.  (Aren't we all)

Some of the difficulties were my fault; I forgot to sew a monogram patch into a wedding gown and had to try to do it quickly while the bride and her Mom were waiting. 

Most of the challenges were caused by another:  a bride whose gown came in too short from the designer, another bride who soiled her gown before the wedding, a wedding file with two different dates listed...

In business, it doesn't matter who caused the difficulties and we can never use the word "fault".  The customer service rep, the manager, and ulitimately, the owner, bears the responsibility for correcting the mistakes and making the customer as happy as possible.

So how we do handle these days?

For me, my faith in God reminds me that He is in control and nothing surprises Him.  When I consciously turn difficult issues over to Him, my mind can clear and sometimes  see a solution that I had not thought of before.  Sometimes, I just have to work through the problem and know that "tomorrow is another day" (to quote a favorite movie)

May I encourage you in knowing that you are not the only small business manager or owner who faces tough days and customers who will not be pleased nor even satisfied.  Offer the best solution you can, give the customer your sincere apology and move on. 

Blessings,
Tami

New Logo for Lemon Fresh Cleaners!

In my own business, September's Bride, I can make marketing decisions and change things up at will.  If something does not work or I decide that I do not like the way it looks, I can change it again.

However, I also help my parents' in their business, Lemon Fresh Cleaners.  At Lemon Fresh, Dad is the boss and even my best ideas have to get past his approval before being tried or used.  Personally, I can get very frustrated by this; but then I remember that the accountability is good for me.  I have to think through my ideas and proposals and present them concisely.

Something I have been working on is a new, "fresh" logo for Lemon Fresh Cleaners!   My criteria from the boss was that it had to include a lemon and the same colors as the previous logo that we have used for 35 years.  Both my parents and I are happy with the finished product, pictured above.

Do you like our new logo?

What are your challenges in a family business?

How do you handle working with your family?

Tight Times & Priorities

Every business has ups and downs. There are times of the year when cash flow is wonderful and times when cash is very tight. In my world, the bridal business, September through December is usually tough. "Bridal season" is over for the year, and next year's brides are not buying in droves quite yet.

When running a debt-free, cash-only basis, it is absolutely necessary to prioritize your payables during this time. You cannot pay invoices based on which vendor is "yelling the loudest". When you have a great day and have some cash, you must be careful to thoughtfully manage the influx of money so that you can get through next week, when you may not have those sales.

I have a prioritized list that I follow when paying bills and invoices. I work through the list as the money comes in. At the top of the list is rent and utilities. Most of my inventory suppliers are paid on a COD basis, but those that send me invoices are next on the list. Advertising, office supplies, and other non-essentials follow.

During our "high season", I try to pay all my bills BEFORE they are due. In this way, I am building a relationship with my vendors that allows me to ask for extra time and grace when things are slow. They know that I will pay and will pay early when I can.

When is your "down time"? Do you have a plan for it?

Paying Cash & Buying Local

Being in the bridal business, I know that many customers will shop their local stores for the gown they want and then they will purchase that gown from an internet vendor. Of course, they have used the purchased inventory, time, and resources of the local store to make their decision. Obviously, this does not sit well with me.

So, over the past three years, I have re-evaluated my own purchasing habits. In my "old life", when I used credit cards for purchases, I was an impulse shopper (still am, a little). Now that I am careful to only spend what I have budgeted for an item, it is tempting to turn to an online vendor to find it "cheaper" than I can find it locally.

However, I have purposed not to buy anything online that I can buy from a local store. Sure, I may pay a little more, but I know that I am supporting my local economy, my neighbors, and the customers who will buy from my store. When I shop at my local yarn store, fingering the beautiful skeins in their inventory and asking advice from the manager, it is only right to reward them for their time and investment with my purchase. I feel it would be ethically wrong to go home and purchase the yarn from an online site.

Do you buy local? Imagine what would happen if all Americans supported their local merchants!