Is it me?

A question I seem to ask myself more often.

Why do these people make me question myself?

It must be me - perhaps I'm too simplistic, too cynical, small-minded, I might even be stupid.

When in business, it's a constant to look at weekly, monthly and end-of-year figures and budget accordingly during that current year and to survive the next.

Having run an independent retail business for 40 years, albeit I've been retired for nearly 20 years, and I thank my lucky stars I am now.

There were many lean months and a few prosperous months and fewer months out of 12 where there is nothing at all to be worried about to keep your head above water, many expenses are out of the owner's control - business rates, rental increases, insurances, shop security/fire regs, shoplifters, employee responsibilities (that's a minefield on its own now and increasingly becomes more difficult legally and morally for the employer).

Even the weather could make or break a day's takings!

And none of these battles end when you shut the business doors, it's a constant search and thought process of how to improve, look for another supplier, new line.

All of these scenarios need to be dealt with all the time, be it a different POS, different configuration, a new interior design - whatever, I was constantly looking and thinking about what could be done to improve the 'figures' and footfall, all of which would come out of these figures I was constantly watching, often what could be reduced or cut because the figures weren't stacking up.

Never in the whole time of being in business have I known of, or even considered, or been in the privileged position to even consider taking on more staff in response to a budget overspend, (HRB EDDC Exmouth Journal Wed Oct 23).

Only in the public sector can staff be increased regardless of running constantly in a huge deficit (or to coin the Public Sector phrase 'budget shortfall/overspend').

To me, this was a bank loan that I needed to reduce or get rid of and if nothing else could be reduced then I'd have to work harder and longer - for LESS!

Susan Robinson
via email