I started my laser engraving business in 2010 so can relate to the recession timing. Lots of pivots over the years, added printing, jigsaw puzzle making during covid… I love the excitement when it works out!
My December was slow but my January was surprisingly strong. I’d just had surgery for cervical cancer and the influx of cash for fairly easy jobs was perfect timing.
Now I’ve spent it all on moving me, my business, and 4 cats 800 miles to a new home and I’m juggling credit card bills until my house is sold. Also now cohabitating with my partner of 8.5 years (finally!). Her salary is more than I’m earning consistently but we’ll have separate finances. Still navigating the details of that. Lots of changes.
Today is day two of setting up my new shop and catching up on work. If jobs are still slow in a month I might need to try some new things but until then I’m grateful that it’s kind of slow so I can wrap up selling my old house… and maybe unpack at the new one.
Sometimes the famine times are such a gift! I need the pauses, honestly. This particular one has gone on way too long for me but yes...lots of things to try ahead! Good luck in your new digs and congrats on moving in with your partner!
Uff, I feel this. I've been looking for work to supplement my coaching business, and it's been a strange job market. Managing fluctuating symptoms and pain levels adds another layer of consideration. It's taken intentional work to not take the current situation personally, or as a reflection of my talents. I'm definitely trusting that enough 20-second moments of insane courage will connect the dots.
Yes, goodness. I wonder—does your coaching ever focus on business/entrepreneurship? I've heard the most durable form of coaching is business-related...
My coaching always starts with nervous system safe support to build that foundation. Then, depending on what someone wants, we can explore business or entrepreneurship as well. I've co-founded a few ventures myself, and I love supporting people who are navigating purpose-driven work, especially those dealing with chronic illness, neurodivergence, or overwhelm. The goal is always to move towards sustainability and alignment.
As a former CD, I did a deep dive on your website when we first connected and was thoroughly impressed. You read as having gumption, experience, and good taste, the shining trifecta. I'll DM you a potential lead for both you and your sis.
Having just lost a promising permalance gig (which would have also left me time to get my own thing up and running) due to an internal restructuring, I can also validate that it's the economy. I'm inspired by your perspective today. <3
One drum I've been beating loudly for a while now is that this economic mood /is/ unique. So many people want to compare it to the 1930s or the 2008 recession and brush off old tactics and strategies that worked then. I think they are interesting to review, but while this downturn shares some characteristics with those times, it's also surprisingly defeatist this go around.
In 2008, it was all about the margins. What could they squeeze from the margins to keep going. They could "trim" in house marketing down to a coordinator role and contract with agencies as needed. And that worked well. I think companies got used to having fewer highly-specific in-house resources. They got even leaner and meaner with ideas like just-in-time, Six Sigma, flat hierarchies.
I think some of them never put more meat on their bones when times were good again, so being asked to cut again, the general mood is "we just can't." They roll over. I've seen a couple of businesses in town shutter in the last few weeks. Because they just can't with the tariffs and the inflation. Then I was watching a news report last night that said toy companies in the US have started drafting Chapter 11 Bankruptcies, because the tariff situation means they don't know what to order for Christmas, and they actually have to get those orders in now. They've basically held their hands up and said "we are screwed no matter what by this situation." The capitulation has been so hard and so fast.
It sounds horrifying. It is horrifying. But it makes me wonder what might happen to small businesses if legacy competition just dramatically retreated from the market over the course of a few months. If you had a small doll studio, what would you do if suddenly Bratz, Rainbow High, and Barbie weren't so dominant? Or weren't even on the shelves? What if you were competing against people more like yourself, homegrown small businesses? I don't know if the giants will truly 'die' but I wonder if they won't choke out the little businesses the way they have for decades.
I think if businesses are being smart right now, they should work to identify two or three likely scenarios of what might happen to the general market in which they exist if "big players" falter. It may depend on WHICH big players falter. They should then prepare a strategy or posture they can take the minute that scenario is in effect. I realize that this means they will likely be paying for a body of work that won't get used, but the idea is that it will set them up to move quickly in a variety of events. It's a good plan to have a good plan.
And so I'd tell you to do for yourself what I'm also suggesting you do for others. Identify the real competition (it's probably not other microbusinesses.) If they falter, how do YOU fill the gap? Without four clones?
Thanks as ever for sharing what’s working and not for you, and how you’re handling things. Your mix of realism and determination is always a breath of fresh air.
I don’t have a micro business (yet - I’m thinking of doing some freelance editing, maybe for college essays), but you always inspire me. You’re the pluckiest most resourceful little Disney princess voiced spoonie I know.
Also I’d love to hear examples of the brave new things you’re trying!
My business seemed weirdly impervious to whatever was going on in the world for its first dozen years or so. The pandemic was the first time I had saw a clear connection between current events and my bottom line — sales plummeted in May 2020. And now, five years later, it sure looks like I’m seeing the second clear example, another alarming drop in sales … presumably driven by rapidly escalating economic uncertainty caused by Trump's trade war. It is not good.
I started my laser engraving business in 2010 so can relate to the recession timing. Lots of pivots over the years, added printing, jigsaw puzzle making during covid… I love the excitement when it works out!
My December was slow but my January was surprisingly strong. I’d just had surgery for cervical cancer and the influx of cash for fairly easy jobs was perfect timing.
Now I’ve spent it all on moving me, my business, and 4 cats 800 miles to a new home and I’m juggling credit card bills until my house is sold. Also now cohabitating with my partner of 8.5 years (finally!). Her salary is more than I’m earning consistently but we’ll have separate finances. Still navigating the details of that. Lots of changes.
Today is day two of setting up my new shop and catching up on work. If jobs are still slow in a month I might need to try some new things but until then I’m grateful that it’s kind of slow so I can wrap up selling my old house… and maybe unpack at the new one.
Sometimes the famine times are such a gift! I need the pauses, honestly. This particular one has gone on way too long for me but yes...lots of things to try ahead! Good luck in your new digs and congrats on moving in with your partner!
Uff, I feel this. I've been looking for work to supplement my coaching business, and it's been a strange job market. Managing fluctuating symptoms and pain levels adds another layer of consideration. It's taken intentional work to not take the current situation personally, or as a reflection of my talents. I'm definitely trusting that enough 20-second moments of insane courage will connect the dots.
Yes, goodness. I wonder—does your coaching ever focus on business/entrepreneurship? I've heard the most durable form of coaching is business-related...
My coaching always starts with nervous system safe support to build that foundation. Then, depending on what someone wants, we can explore business or entrepreneurship as well. I've co-founded a few ventures myself, and I love supporting people who are navigating purpose-driven work, especially those dealing with chronic illness, neurodivergence, or overwhelm. The goal is always to move towards sustainability and alignment.
As a former CD, I did a deep dive on your website when we first connected and was thoroughly impressed. You read as having gumption, experience, and good taste, the shining trifecta. I'll DM you a potential lead for both you and your sis.
Having just lost a promising permalance gig (which would have also left me time to get my own thing up and running) due to an internal restructuring, I can also validate that it's the economy. I'm inspired by your perspective today. <3
One drum I've been beating loudly for a while now is that this economic mood /is/ unique. So many people want to compare it to the 1930s or the 2008 recession and brush off old tactics and strategies that worked then. I think they are interesting to review, but while this downturn shares some characteristics with those times, it's also surprisingly defeatist this go around.
In 2008, it was all about the margins. What could they squeeze from the margins to keep going. They could "trim" in house marketing down to a coordinator role and contract with agencies as needed. And that worked well. I think companies got used to having fewer highly-specific in-house resources. They got even leaner and meaner with ideas like just-in-time, Six Sigma, flat hierarchies.
I think some of them never put more meat on their bones when times were good again, so being asked to cut again, the general mood is "we just can't." They roll over. I've seen a couple of businesses in town shutter in the last few weeks. Because they just can't with the tariffs and the inflation. Then I was watching a news report last night that said toy companies in the US have started drafting Chapter 11 Bankruptcies, because the tariff situation means they don't know what to order for Christmas, and they actually have to get those orders in now. They've basically held their hands up and said "we are screwed no matter what by this situation." The capitulation has been so hard and so fast.
It sounds horrifying. It is horrifying. But it makes me wonder what might happen to small businesses if legacy competition just dramatically retreated from the market over the course of a few months. If you had a small doll studio, what would you do if suddenly Bratz, Rainbow High, and Barbie weren't so dominant? Or weren't even on the shelves? What if you were competing against people more like yourself, homegrown small businesses? I don't know if the giants will truly 'die' but I wonder if they won't choke out the little businesses the way they have for decades.
I think if businesses are being smart right now, they should work to identify two or three likely scenarios of what might happen to the general market in which they exist if "big players" falter. It may depend on WHICH big players falter. They should then prepare a strategy or posture they can take the minute that scenario is in effect. I realize that this means they will likely be paying for a body of work that won't get used, but the idea is that it will set them up to move quickly in a variety of events. It's a good plan to have a good plan.
And so I'd tell you to do for yourself what I'm also suggesting you do for others. Identify the real competition (it's probably not other microbusinesses.) If they falter, how do YOU fill the gap? Without four clones?
Thanks as ever for sharing what’s working and not for you, and how you’re handling things. Your mix of realism and determination is always a breath of fresh air.
I don’t have a micro business (yet - I’m thinking of doing some freelance editing, maybe for college essays), but you always inspire me. You’re the pluckiest most resourceful little Disney princess voiced spoonie I know.
Also I’d love to hear examples of the brave new things you’re trying!
My business seemed weirdly impervious to whatever was going on in the world for its first dozen years or so. The pandemic was the first time I had saw a clear connection between current events and my bottom line — sales plummeted in May 2020. And now, five years later, it sure looks like I’m seeing the second clear example, another alarming drop in sales … presumably driven by rapidly escalating economic uncertainty caused by Trump's trade war. It is not good.