Survived Huricane Sandy

The Northeast has had a rough couple of days thanks to Hurricane Sandy.  I am thankfully safe and sound and had no extreme damage to my home or store. This did open up my eyes to another aspect of business you do not often think about when you are in small business (small business by definition is one that makes under 250,000 a year according to our President and his incumbent).  You should have a disaster plan and good insurance coverage. 

A typical new entrepreneur has very little down time and often is planning their next move even after they leave the work site.  I do this often, sometimes it is my home life or work life that is my distraction but when I lock the door to go home, I am no longer at work.  I may still do things for work, like writing my blog after hours, shopping for supplies, and picking up my next load but my mind is no longer worried about the site.  I have an alarm system in place over there so that is one thing I do not worry about after the door is locked(unless of course something would happen).   So when I locked my doors on Saturday afternoon I left everything as normal.  I was a little frazzled from the business of the day and was ready to have 2 days off so I left.  Meanwhile the next morning, I eagerly prepare for Hurricane Sandy at my home.  We spent time removing things that can blow in the wind, digging trenches to prevent build up of water in my basement, and so on.  Later that night we crashed and waited to see what was to come.  The shop is closed on Monday so I did not have to go over to it at all and I was not sure if  I could make it to the store on Tuesday.  When I awoke Tuesday am, the route to the store was closed so I closed for the day and had some much needed R&R.  When you start a business any R&R time disappears for the first few years so you take it when you can even if it is a hurricane that prevents you from opening.

So after the storm we evaluated the house and looked for damages.   I am glad to say our prep work prevented water from entering the basement.  Even though we had puddles, we had success.  Then I contacted close family and friends and checked Facebook to see how others made it through.  Praying for those still out and about fixing all the destruction.  After hearing that those dear to us were safe and sound,  I started to suffer from cabin fever.  I was worried about the store. (note now you have another worry to add to the list).  Is it still standing, are there any damages, leaks, power outages, and etc?  I researched closed roads to map out a safe route to get there and see for myself.  Thankfully had my hubby along to help with any damages I may encounter. 

As we got closer, I begin to worry more as I saw the damage leading up to the shop.  I saw gas pumps crushed, trampolines destroyed, power lines down, and trees uprooted laying on cars and houses.  As soon as I can see the roof top from afar, I know it is still standing(sigh).  As we pulled in, my husband says "didn't you bring in all the stuff outside?"  I said "nope, didn't think about it then."  Probably should have but thankfully it is all still here.  I do have problems with the wind on an weekly basis anyway since I am in the middle of fields and nothing to stop it so I have everything anchored down normally.  My signs were all intact and everything as it was when I left and locked the door.  I checked inside for leaks and any other damage that could have happened.  I finally relax when I found out I have more debris at home than at the store. 

Now I must have a disaster plan in case something worse happens.  In management I have often made decisions about closing for snow but hurricanes are not a normal thing for us in Pa.  Just a thought for other businesses.  Do you have enough insurance coverage?  I thankfully have had a friend that used to sell insurance and explained to me in (Lehman's terms) about different coverages and even though I rent and do not own the property, I have great coverage for the shop and could have replaced anything that was damaged in time.  Please know that it is not the landlords responsibility to cover your assets.  Check your lease if you have questions and maybe if you have been in business for awhile, you need to update your coverage.  I updated my coverage already to reflect the increase in inventory and I have only been open a year so stay on top of it as your business grows.

"View change as the one constant in your life.  Welcome it.  Expect It.  Anticipate it."  Denis Waitley.

Celebrating 1st year

Well, it is official I have now been in business for over 1 year.  The first year has had many ups and downs and I have learned many new things but I now feel like a true business woman.  Before this point, I was chasing a dream and I was not sure how it would end up. Even though I do not know how the future will be, I have many expansions and growth yet to complete for the store.

My business plan for the first year is done but this is where the long term goals come into play and I do not know what experiences will happen along the way.  I have never been good at long term goals, too impatient I guess but I truly believe the best things in life are those things you wait for that can not be achieved overnight.  My marriage is a great example.  When I married my husband 11 years ago I wanted a relationship to compliment me.  I was very independent and would not let down my guard enough to let my relationship grow to what it is today.  We have always been close to each other and tried to work out any problems instead of ignoring them but in our relationship today he completes me and I have come to rely on him more than anyone else.  I am now looking for those kind of growing pains with my business.  I understand it more now and look forward to finding more ways to expand and make it more permanent.  In doing this , my business has become a part of me not just another job. 

I have several customers who say my store has a lot of my personality in it.  I believe in a great product at a great value and presentation means a lot.  Some people call Thrift Stores junk shops but I have found some awesome treasures in my years shopping and managing them.  One key is to treat it much like a retail shop with different categories and changing sales and layout regularly.  Discount stores are similar because they do not know what the next deal they are going to get and may have to change several departments to make it all fit.  But that is part of the fun in a thrift store.  I am always in search of new ways to recycle things I am not able to use in the store but as most of you that have shopped my store know, I try to sell everything!  Some resale shops specialise in a few items but for me it is all about carrying everything because you never know what you may need next.

I have really enjoyed the experience of writing my blog and it gives me ways to look back on all my challenges and helps me face the next one but I do not feel it has helped as many other business people as I had hoped for. So I am considering writing an ebook to share my secrets in the thrift store and resale industry.  That also will be a new adventure and I will post more if and when I finish.  I have helped start over 5 thrift stores and helped other businesses when I can so I am hoping to share some of that detailed knowledge so I can help more than just people in my local area.  The quote I want to leave you with today is:

"What I know is,  that if you do work that you love, and the work fulfills you, the rest will come."  Oprah