HI,

I am new as a member on hat Academy, but i have for a long time been regularly reading the discussions, and thought it was about time to get some help from people who are doing the same things as me,

What i am basically after is somebody in a simillar situation as myself with a simillar business to myself, dealing with the trials and tribulations of running a small business singlehandedly, to discuss ideas with and not feel like i am totally alone in this, to just share ideas and to support each other.

My current position is that i have had my millinery business for 4 years, and opened a high street shop in a small market town just over 2.5 years ago. I am in a position where i make all my own hats, with exceptions to casul winter hats and sunhats and mainly cater for the mother of the bride and racing clientelle, my pricing is mid market and i offer a personal design and made to order service as well as having a shop full of ready to wear designed. and so far the business has been sucessful, it is quite stable at the moment and i am experieincing large growth in my client base year on year.

My problems are in terms of where to go next, being such a seasonal business in the summer i get so stressed and busy and have to turn work down but then just plod along only just covering overheads all winter. I have to be in the shop at least 5 of the 6 days a week that the shop is open, but at somepoint i need to make the hats as well, with my name above the door, customers want to speak to me, not a shop assistant, it is a lot of pressure on me personally let alone doing all the admin, marketing, buying, accounts, e.t.c e.t.c It is no longer a creative outlet to make the hats, its more of a process and production line.

part of me would like to take the plunge and employ someone fulltime as a manager but i can't justify this as an expense, and in my experience of emplyoing staff, managing them is almost a fulltime job in itself. i also want to develop a wholesale range and be able to take a holiday and just silly little things like not having to cancel my plans because a customer wants a hat tomorrow!

I would really just like someone who either has been in this situation before or is currently in it just to really support each other.

I'm not whinging as i know am very lucky to be in the postion that i am in, i am just strugling to take the next step without losing the personal customer expereince that has made the business a success so far, but that will also give me my life back outside of hats.

I hope there is someone out there who relates to this in some shape of form

Beverley