Mooloo's "Making my future, one stitch at a time"?

mrmechanic

Been following your thread for quite a while now and well done for actually making a go of it.
Probably going to get shot down for the following but here is my take on things after i have read how things are going.
You need to try and cut down on staff and start to actually earn a wage from your business.
There is no point running yourself ragged to pay your bills and put a wage together for other people without actually earning anything at all for your time and effort.
At the moment you are running a business with all the financial stress that goes with that without actually helping any one but your employees get a weekly wage.
I think a sit down and a remake of daily running is needed to actually find a solution in order for you to actually make a serious weekly wage from running your business.
At the moment you are only providing a job and wage for others without anything left for yourself, when you should be the main earner followed by your staff.
This is in no way a dig and i actually think it is good you have went out and started a business in these difficult times.
I started a business 26 yrs ago and have employed staff over these times so i am well aware of the many hurdles needed to be jumped over.
You need to think of yourself and your wage before anyone else.
If not you are just wasting your time for no financial reward.
Probably not what you wanted to read but i am sure I am not the only person reading your thread who has thought the same.
Good luck however you move your business forward.

airexpert

such a great thread, happy I found it

Savvy_sewing

mrmechanic wrote: »

Been following your thread for quite a while now and well done for actually making a go of it.
Probably going to get shot down for the following but here is my take on things after i have read how things are going.
You need to try and cut down on staff and start to actually earn a wage from your business.
There is no point running yourself ragged to pay your bills and put a wage together for other people without actually earning anything at all for your time and effort.
At the moment you are running a business with all the financial stress that goes with that without actually helping any one but your employees get a weekly wage.
I think a sit down and a remake of daily running is needed to actually find a solution in order for you to actually make a serious weekly wage from running your business.
At the moment you are only providing a job and wage for others without anything left for yourself, when you should be the main earner followed by your staff.
This is in no way a dig and i actually think it is good you have went out and started a business in these difficult times.
I started a business 26 yrs ago and have employed staff over these times so i am well aware of the many hurdles needed to be jumped over.
You need to think of yourself and your wage before anyone else.
If not you are just wasting your time for no financial reward.
Probably not what you wanted to read but i am sure I am not the only person reading your thread who has thought the same.
Good luck however you move your business forward.

I actually agree totally.
My main reason is that I don't want to let the customers down, and personally I am interrupted all the time so I can't sew enough myself.
The aim is that the shop side takes more money to help with the overall costs.
I am my own worst enemy because I know I need to do more analysis of the paperwork, cashflows etc, and trying to do it myself as costs are spiralling.
I think I need to delegate to an accountant, or book keeper.
As my current package I do is too far behind. But was/am reluctant as the money is not really there.
I'm a victim of my own success as in the work is all there, but the behind the scene work is taking a back seat as the sewing work takes up the time.
Your message is a timely reminder that in 8 days I will have been trading 10 months and I need to have better facts and figures to work with.

Savvy_Sue

Pensions: at this stage it's unlikely that you'd have to offer a pension to your staff, because it's being phased in. You can find your 'staging date' by looking at the Pensions Regulator's website. Ours isn't until April 2017, but advice is to start planning a year ahead.

Even when you DO have to offer a pension, as already said, not all staff will have to be enrolled. And of those who DO have to be enrolled, you only have to pay into it IF THE MEMBER OF STAFF ALSO PAYS IN. You mustn't offer any inducement to staff NOT to join, but with small wages and part-time staff, you may find it costs you nothing.

Because this is quite complicated, I personally think that the chances of a small employer being able to manage payroll and auto-enrolment completely legally are remote, unless they're prepared to spend a great deal of time on it. AE is much more work than payroll, IMO, not just a question of doing a few sums.

For that reason, I'd suggest looking around for someone to manage all aspects of payroll for you. It needs a bit of research, costs will vary and some won't want to take a small employer like yourself, but there's bound to be someone specialising in your kind of business.

PA testing small appliances - couple of things. One is that it's worth shopping around because some companies charge a LOT more than others. But if you are thinking that you HAVE to do it every year, you don't. You have to make a judgement about how you ensure equipment is safe, but that doesn't mean you have to get everything tested every year.

Take a look at this: you may decide that this can be put off.

Obviously you should make a visual inspection of plugs and cords before using anything, and train your staff to do the same. If you have an iron in the shop that's the thing which I find is most often dodgy, the cords kink and wear and become damaged. As soon as that happens, you need to condemn and replace.

If you don't know how to safely fit a new plug or check a plug is correctly wired, it would be worth learning!

grey_lady

I was reading last week that the reason most new businesses go under is due to a lack of cashflow / liquidity.

A book-keeper or accountant would probably give you a free initial meeting.

Also - they should save you money, not cost you.

Savvy_sewing

Thanks, savvy sue.
Yes my date is August 2017 for the workplace pensions, and currently I don't have any staff that qualify. 2 are already on a pension and the 3rd doesn't work many hours, or regular ones.
I didn't know about the PAT testing, but I do now! Thankyou.
That's what I love about all my friends on here.
I think I will talk to one of the mums at school who offered to help with my book keeping and see if she can spare some time to get me back up to date.
I need to find a more suitable package for the business as since I changed to the shop the one I am running doesn't seem to work so well.

Today I spent the morning clearing the clutter etc in my bedroom, and packing up my winter clothes etc.
This afternoon I started to reclaim the workroom as well.
They are both now looking so much better.
This evening we went for an hour down to Folk in the Park, then came back and did dinner.
I've done the PAYE etc
And will sort out the wages to be paid in the bank in a few minutes.
It leaves me perilously close to the call, but I know that there are several hundred pounds worth of transactions on their way via my Card machine company.
My mission is to keep the turn over flowing as best as I can, and some jobs I will need the customers to pay deposits etc.
Like the kit for the roman blinds that I ordered yesterday for a lady who came in this weekend.
There is still plenty of work at the moment, so I hope it will continue.

Savvy_sewing

Morning.
Today will be a busy one, but I will be going home early as I am back to the doctors at 3.30.
Then DGD can be collected a bit earlier so se can get ready for Brownies. She has her Promise today. ( not that I am sure she is ready!).
It was nice to go to be in a much cleaner and tidier bedroom. This morning when I woke up it seemed so mucho bigger in here!
Although there are still miscellaneous boxes that really don't belong in a bedroom.
However I didn't wash up last nigt, so better Brackley myself and go and do it now.
I am hoping the doctors can do something better for me for the taument this skin rash is causing me. I feel as if I am on fire!

Savvy_sewing

The doctor has put me on steroids. Something called Prednisolone 5mg twice a day.
Go back in 10 days.
I had two beep beep jobs today, shortening men's jacket sleeves, with vents, and selling, booking in etc. As reception lady came in this afternoon to cover for me so that I could go to the doctors and the shop to stay open. My young work experience girl started today, and I got her culling the children's clothes section, and my sewing lady worked her way through some of the easier jobs. Then we got the young girl to have a go on the overlocker, and she was doing the hems on scarves that I have had waiting for the Cat Lady. she gave me masses of sewing stuff, and we overlock the fabric into scarves that she sells for her cat sanctuary. But I haven't done any for a while so getting her on board was a big help.
This evening Dgd did her Brownie Promise.
I started to cut the lawn but it's so big I didn't have time to get it all done.
Do a bit more tomorrow.
Going to take time out to do Lunch with my Mum and my brother tomorrow, I have now got the work space back in my house, so I will bring home some easy jobs to keep me on track.

*Robin*

Mooloo wrote: »

Hi Robin,
I do cushions, with piping and zips etc for seats.
I have been charging £20 labour if the customer provides all the fabrics etc. However after checking my timings I think I need to at least double it.
I worked out that the shop costs me £22.50 an hour so I needto adjust my prices accordingly. But the main prices went up in January and I'm reluctant to put them up again.

Think I'd better come over one day and show you what is required.. Will need heavy-duty cushion fabric sourcing too though.

Savvy_sewing

*Robin* wrote: »

Think I'd better come over one day and show you what is required.. Will need heavy-duty cushion fabric sourcing too though.

There is a Factory type outlet shop in Rothersthorpe Road Industrial estate, stacked with fabrics from £1 well worth a trip. Think they are called The Fabric Shop. You could try googling them. They sell some mail order too.