Opening Balance: £1702.80
2 days to go - that's 48 hours till 5.00 on Thursday when it has officially been 4 weeks.
I wanted to thank everyone again, but also I thought it was time to explain to you all on a personal level why these 4 weeks have been so important to me.
Business for many of us, is the equivalent to having a child or a baby. We start with a small sum of money and then put it towards creating a business. With effort and energy we try to watch it grow. We say goodbye to everything, good bye to a regular guaranteed income, good bye to spare time, good bye to a social life, good bye to clothes shopping and instead we say hello to long days of hard work, and evenings of paper work.
So then why do we do it?
I did it because I feel strongly about natural relaxation, about essential oils, about working with kids in a positive way and about being in charge of my own life. I love every day of running my business.
But like parenting, there isn't always a correct way to do something and sometimes mistakes are made. No ones perfect after all. Business isn't a guaranteed success and yes businesses do have to fight for survival. Especially in these economic climates.
As I said we all make mistakes, we have to, because no business will take off without a well thought out gamble or two. Sometimes these pay off and sometimes inevitably they don't.
On Saturday I celebrated the shop being open for a whole year. Until September the shop was a huge success. But Winter has been harsh and due to the nature of having a shop at a seasonal tourist location of which 7 weeks will be fantastic, but only 4 months being good, and the rest a struggle, I have had to think outside of the box. But inevitably the business has suffered.
Someone said to me yesterday after asking how the 4 weeks are going, "Makes you wonder, if you'd tried this hard from the start, your business may be successful." Despite the initial reaction of annoyance, I considered the statement. I can honestly say that I put my life and soul into the business from the beginning, and if nothing else, that is why I'd be devastated if the business failed. But this four weeks was about proving it isn't a failure.
This four weeks was about proving that if you want something enough, and work hard enough and get enough people of board anything is possible, despite how difficult the odds are, and the result would hopefully be that I could rescue my business. What the four weeks actually proved so far, is that you are all amazing, and that there are some truly fantastic supportive people, willing to support small businesses not just corporations. And each and everyone of you proved to me that even if I don't make the 4K then the business hasn't failed, and I may not have a shop, and I may have to think outside of the box again, but I certainly shouldn't give up and that perhaps all it takes is one last burst of energy and enthusiasm mixed in with creative thinking and this business could be a success.
I still believe it should be possible to rescue a business in 4 weeks, its not fair that the energy and effort that we all put in to make money, to get off the benefit ladder, to make a difference to either our own lives or other peoples lives, should fail. And the odds are stacked against us, the government and the banks aren't exactly supportive, business rates and rents are extortionate, and there's a lot of people that find convenience more easier than local or handmade, (in fact I think we all suffer from that sometimes!)
But its not over yet... there are two days and two days make a HUGE difference. Following the success of last weeks Facebook Sale there will be another sale on Wednesday (tomorrow) which will have the lowest prices I've ever had.
Crowd Funder deserves another HUGE push as well.
So lets do it.... lets prove it is possible and lets spend the last 48 hours REALLY making a difference.
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/investment/relaxahh-rescue-an-ethical-business-1818www.relaxahh.netwww.facebook.com/relaxahh
Thank You all of you.
Closing Balance: £1718.82
Crowd Funder Balance: £415.00
