Mooloo’s Managing it in 2018

beanielou

whiteguineapig wrote: »

No not failing, just sometimes things don't work out

Agreed.

ognum

Mooloo wrote: »

I can see why you are saying all of this. I can totally get it.
I don't feel very happy about failing. It is not an option I want to be in.
I am not sure what job I would want to do. Most of my life I have been self employed.
I don't know what I will decide but I realise that I am not achieving much except hard work.
I couldn't go back to living on benefits when I just got myself off of them.
I am not going to make any rash decision at the moment. I have a lease to pay for anyway for 18 months. I will need to read the fine print before I make any decisions.

Failing is a state of mind.

You are not failing if you make positive choices rather than continuing in a cycle that is not working, that is failing.

You are not failing if you are considering your Health rather than continuing to push your body in a way that is putting you in pain daily.

You are not failing if you develop a new concept, sewing classes, crafting workshops and holiday courses, Hen night projects and children’s birthday party fun days rather than repeatedly putting in new zips and sewing trouser hems for minimum wage. You actually write that you hate that, That is failing.

You are not failing if you put yourself first, love yourself and move forward instead of standing still.

So what is it that says you can’t work for someone else, history? 99% of the worlds population work for others and get a living wage, pension and benifits, I truly can’t see how being self employed is such a privilege when you have none of those.

Sorry, I know I’m being tough but I can only react to what you write. I also know I have written this before! Sorry.

*max*

I absolutely agree, this is not failing. This is simply taking another path.

Fact is, your business is NEVER going to allow you to live comfortably, let alone save up for your dream of moving away. You have never made a living wage out of it, for all the time you've been having it.

You have tried, hard - for how many years now? 2, 3? It's simply not working out.

You need to think of your future now, and start thinking sensibly. "Plans" are great if
they are built on facts and figures too, not just "positive thinking".

You need a proper, employed, job Mooloo, the business as it is is not working, never has been.

grey_lady

this Mooloo ---> :j "Hen night projects and children’s birthday party fun days" why not expand the crafty courses side to encompass more than sewing,

there is a very popular place near me that does pottery painting, e.g. you buy whatever item and just paint it, decopatch, foam clay and baby hand/foot prints, they provide coffee and nice biscuits - there is also stitch n !!!!! (knitting groups) tapestry, quilting

Savvy_sewing

Ok. I get the message.
It's time to change the picture.
Firstly I am going to have to stop looking for extra staff, and just do it myself while I work out my next moves. The company that valued the business charge huge fees. If I sell up I will be lucky to get about £9,500 after their fees.
If I close the business I will have to check my liability for the lease, as there is another 18 months on it.
I am not sure what job I would do, but I agree that I would earn more money than I do at the moment.
I should be paying into my pension plan even if it's not going to be much.
I need to look at what I can do around Dgd etc.
I must focus on us two, and not the adults.
I will just have to look forward to finding the solution.
If I am going to stop sewing alterations etc I will need to have another plan in place that I will be happy with. I will need to brain storm and research I suppose. I can't just stop.
I have thousands of pounds tied up in the shop, and I don't know how to face people if I fail.
I know that you are not seeing it as failing, and maybe I won't eventually, but today I feel like I am.
I realise that I am doing something wrong to be so busy and yet not earn anything myself.
We are weeks away from the end of the financial year. I will have better knowledge of the exact position I am in then.

I have a lot to think about

Feral_Moon

Have you thought about making yourself known to the local travelling community? You have the skill and talent to make wedding dresses so it's not a huge leap to make the more extravagant dresses and costumes they require. They pay top dollar too so you could forget all about hems & zips once you establish a good rapport and steady flow of business.

Savvy_sewing

Feral_Moon wrote: »

Have you thought about making yourself known to the local travelling community? You have the skill and talent to make wedding dresses so it's not a huge leap to make the more extravagant dresses and costumes they require. They pay top dollar too so you could forget all about hems & zips once you establish a good rapport and steady flow of business.

I have worked with them, the ones near here have stolen from me, when I had second hand clothes, nearly new etc. I have had to chase and chase to get things collected and still have jobs over two years old they never paid for or collected.
My granddaughter's other granny is currently working with them, and I am doing her extra work. But I will not make Wedding Dresses again. Not for love nor money. In the 1990's it nearly killed me. It put me into a nervous breakdown and I lost three days of my life, and gained a live in Nanny, while my friend found me in a gibberish mess, and the doctor sedated me.
I could have lost my children if my friends hadn't taken control, and hired that Nanny for me.
I woke up three days later with a stranger in my bedroom seeing to my baby in the cot. He was just over 1 years old. That baby was DS!

I don't think I will be going down that route.
I want to Sew less not more, and although I detest zips in general. I am ok with altering trousers.
They are not my grief.

What ever I do, today I still have to work.
I still have to honour the jobs that are there, and that are booked in.
I still have to try to make it profitable and turn it around, so I don't loose all my money tied up in the business.
I have to find where I stand legally if I sell up or if I close down, and what I will want to do, and where exactly I will work from home if I do cherry pick the work and build on the work that I enjoy.
I live too far away from the places that I would have expected to be to bring people to workshops etc at my home.
I think if I downsize back to working at home, I would need to build a cabin or office or something fairly large to work and blog etc from in the garden as the house is too small. So I would need permission from the housing Association. And funds to do that.
If I change carrier and Sew for a hobby again, I don't know what I would be employable doing.
All through my uncertainty now, I have to keep positive etc for Dgd.
We go away for a week at Easter. I will see how I can brainstorm etc there.
Especially as I will be working on the year end figures.
Today I just need to keep going and be as productive as I can.
Easier said than done.

whiteguineapig

Don't shoot me for this Moo, but would it be an option to go and live with your mum?
I know she is getting on in years and she might see it as a good move for both of you.
A little job for you and a safety net for her.
You could continue sewing as a hobby and start to save towards the future before its too late.

Slinky

Put up your prices! Grab the bull by the horns and stick at least £1 or £1.50 onto everything you do. I bet the people who want things done really aren't as price sensitive as you think they are.

And payment up front for absolutely everything so you don't do jobs you don't get paid for. If you don't have staff working for you, there's nobody to chicken out or 'forget' to get payment other than yourself or your daughter. Make it your mission!

Keeping_Motivated

If you were able to get the 10k for the shop that would pay for the workshop in your garden.

May be worth investigating your rights re working from home etc and then you know if that is even an option. Then you would have no overheads and could work your hours to suit etc