If you're like me, by now you have had your fill of positivity in 2022. We've been told to constantly think on our feet, pivot, look for new ways to sell, to make, and what to make, to improve our SEO, our photos and our reels. It's draining because it's relentless. Every week there's a new challenge I am supposed to master to win at being a small business, and of course we're all doing this whilst trying to stay positive amidst a cost of living crisis. Add to that, all these changes, rarely make much difference. There is no such thing as an overnight success.
The truth is that in times of need, that desperation to keep going inspires people. The 2020 pandemic was the perfect example of that and it's something I have never experienced in my life. Recessions create opportunity because they force businesses to think outside the box. It becomes an unavoidable necessity if one wants to remain viable. 2020 inspired me to make new products, open new departments in my store, and find new ways to upcycle and recycle left over materials from other projects into sellable products, thus reducing my outgoing expenses for new stock.
It certainly worked during lockdowns, but of course the shopping environment was very different and perfectly set up for small businesses who were restricted to online. 2021 heralded a stuttered return to the way things used to be, at least in principle, and of course, good habits change when price and convenience become the priority. Once again, Amazon took over, and supermarkets clawed back the customers they had lost to small food and drinks brands who delivered a more personal and less risky experience.
2022 has been more of 2021 only with added economic turmoil, and I can't say it's been a good year. I am mentally tired of it all, and I have a sense of foreboding about 2023 even before it's begun. But I am trying, if sometimes failing, to look on the bright side. Yes, recessions create opportunity in the same way pandemics do. But it doesn't mean it's a good thing. All you can do right now, is find the holes in industry and in your own business, work out the wants and the needs of your customer base, and try to fill them.
Seeing that opportunity isn't easy. For many businesses, especially those who need bricks and mortar premises, navigating huge price rises adds pressure, especially if you are a manufacturer or food producer. This clip on the BBC News website featuring this bakery shop, is an example of how thinking outside the box is difficult and in some cases near impossible.
I try to expand my shop without adding to outgoing costs. I have an idea I want to try in the new year, and I will preview it here but for now, I am focused on the prize - getting to 2023.
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