Sometimes I leave work with a heavy heart. Try as I might, a customer thinks I’ve done them wrong. I employ good communication practices, efficient and fair processes and have a well trained and caring staff, and still it happens. Those of you who know me realize that this is NEVER my intent. But it happens and it makes me sad. There are a host of challenges that go with owning a small business, a heavy heart is one of them. Here are some of my thoughts about it.
Why I Thought Owning A Small Business Was A Good Idea
I was raised by an antique dealer and a small business entrepreneur. My love of old stuff comes from my mom. My desire to be my own boss, definitely comes from my dad. I worked in corporate advertising for a Fortune 50 financial services company before kids, but those hours and that travel just weren’t going to work while raising three babies. Cobble that together with my strong desire to see things reused and repurposed and the energy I get from working with people, and you have the start of a business plan. Twenty years later, this coming October, Consignments Ltd. is still a good idea.
Process Is Key To Owning a Small Business, In Theroy
One huge thing I’ve learned owning a small business is that process is key. At Consignments Ltd. we have a process for just about everything. You bring in consignments, we have forms for you to sign. There’s a contract with our terms clearly spelled out and a returns form, in which you agree to pick up your empty bins and unsellable items. When we inventory your consignments, yup, we’ve got a form for that too. If you’re buying from us, but not taking the item home immediately, you guessed it, a form. It’s a lot of paper, but it keeps us on track and it should, in theory, keep the customer or consignor well informed. But alas, even with all this process there are still misunderstandings. And then, the inevitable response, I’ve done someone wrong. Ouch! Tough skin definitely required for owning a small business.
The Nitty Gritty of Owning A Small Business
Did you know that there are 36.2 million small businesses in the United States as of 2026, according to sellerscommerce.com? Huge, huh? And small businesses represent 99.9% of all businesses in the United States. Read that again, 99.9%! Small businesses are so critical to our economy that they make up 43.5% of the United States’ GDP. Wow! That’s astonishing. And what that equates to is a whole lot of people out there, putting it on the line for their idea and trying to make it survive and thrive. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate the following survival rates for small businesses: 20% of small businesses close within the first year. Fifty percent fail within five years. And 65% do not last beyond ten years. It’s safe to say, owning a small business is not for sissies.
So with all that risk, and with most people bootstrapping with their own money, why do it? Hands down, the number one reason people start and operate small businesses is to make money. Myself included. And that pursuit of the bottom line drives the policies and procedures that make the business succeed or fail. Sometimes I think that is the essence of these misunderstandings between customers and small businesses. It’s a lack of appreciation for this fact: The business is in business to make a profit. Small businesses put these policies and procedures in place, not to penalize or offend but in an attempt to make their business profitable.
And for the record, I am sorry when I hurt your feelings or make you angry with me. It’s never my intent. Just following my own procedures in an attempt to be successful doing what I love, in a community I adore. Thanks for sticking with me through it all.
Hope you go out and support a small business today. And have a lovely Sunday, my friends. Marianne
Still feel like reading? Check out my previous blogs like: Can You Mix Silver and Gold in Home Decor and Why Buying Fake Designer Handbags is Bad.
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