Knowing when to throw the towel in !!

[S-Marketing]

If you ever find yourself in the New Forest area get in touch.

Ill buy you a drink to celebrate your new found freedom.

 

[herewegoagain.]

Great stuff,can I recommend Scotland as a great place for touring,beautiful scenery,peace and quite and plenty of free camping spots.
Just don't forget your hot water bottle.

What a great idea ! I have only been to Edinburgh before - but loved it !

 

[Lease4Less]

Just wanted to echo a few of the other posters and wish you well Dave.

I had some of the best holidays as a kid with the family in a Touring Caravan so am quite envious!!

Bets of luck with the shop in the new year.

 

[itjgray]

Hello Everyone, I just wanted to give you an update and to thank you all for your kind words and support - I really do appreciate it....

I have made the decision to close the 2nd shop, I will carry on there until Christmas - and then close it and move the stock to the other shop - I will be concentrating on the online side from the new year and possibly looking for a part time job - not sure doing what yet - but I fancy something totally different from bloody retail !!

I spend nearly all of last weekend with my partner looking at camper vans - we have both had an indepth discussion and come to the (quite simple) conclusion that 'life is far too short' !!

We traveled over 250 miles looking at various campers and found a lovely one - just outside of London !! - diesel too ! - so we shall be hitting the open road over Christmas ! - after all - there is no pockets in shrouds !

I feel a massive sense of relief -and will admit to have had a good cry due to all the stress - but onwards and upwards now ! - x x

all the best Dave x

Congratulations, sounds like a good decision. There's no shame in quitting something that clearly isn't working, and you certainly sound like you gave it every chance.

Enjoy your camper van!

 

[herewegoagain.]

Good Morning Everyone, well, I went and done it !! me and my partner collected the camper van on Sunday from London, - it is the best decision we have made, its slow, noisy, but brilliant !! Freedom Here I Come !!!

Once I have closed my shop after Christmas I shall be looking for work - does anyone out there have anything part-time or full-time for a 42 year old, 20 years experience in the leisure industry and 4 years self employed in retail... PM me !!! (East Mids)

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

Congratulations on the moving on Dave!

The only problem that I have with your decision is that you seriously sound too much like me!!!

I to have a heart problem, just got off the Monitor so they'll decide in the next few days/weeks whether or not I have an operation or stay on beta blockers for the rest of my life...

I to have a passion for camper vans!! - closest I've got though up to now is a Ford Galaxy

I to am in retail - while providing a Locksmith Service

All of my friends and Family call me DAVE! - Even though my name is Lee... (Long story, won't bore you! )

And I've suffered with Depression since I was 15 years old...

Are you by any chance an ex-rugby player, 6ft 4" and 18 stone with a goatie beard!? LOL!

 

[herewegoagain.]

Hello Lee (Dave!) similarities indeed my friend ! hope youre ok - anytime you fancy a chat drop me a message !! - Well I am 18st, with a goatee beard - but I must have 'shrunk in the wash' - (I am 5'11'' !!!)
LOL

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

You'll have to post a picture of your new baby!

What model is it? Will it be like this for you guys...

 

[herewegoagain.]

You'll have to post a picture of your new baby!

What model is it? Will it be like this for you guys...

LOL !!! - Pheonix Nights - more like Derby Nights ! LOL !!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...0548078287731.399565.611022730&type=1&theater

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

You could so pimp that out!

 

All of my friends and Family call me DAVE! -

Is Trigger a friend of yours.?

 

[Pap_sak]

Hello All, sorry if this is a negative post - I really need to vent - hopefully to other forum members who might be sympathetic and understand where I am coming from...

Just feeling a bit sorry for myself at the minute - it has been a really rough couple of years business wise - and I am seriously thinking about packing it in...

I just feel as though it is not worth the aggro any more....

Here what has happened to me in the last two or so years...

*Thieving member of staff took me to a tribunal after being dismissed - lied though her teeth and won.

*The shop was ransacked a few months later, closed for 4 days whilst getting sorted - the insurance company tried to worm their way out of paying out - I had to basically threaten to go the the TV to get them to admit they were wrong - then they paid out !

*Landlord tried to increase the rent 33% when negotiating a new lease - so I moved the shop - which to be honest has been the best thing I have done to date !

*Tried to expand the business - moved into an arcade environment - it was great - took off really well - the escalator was out of order (due to an accident) - the access was blocked off - my shop died overnight (along with 3 others...) - so ended up closing down - no help from the landlords or letting agents - lots of stress.... (the access is still blocked over - now after 9 months....)

*I relocated the above shop, again it took off well - even a lower rent ! - the next door neighbouring shop owner and I had a dispute over him blocking my frontage with his second hand furniture - I was threatened in my own shop !!

*Since this incident my trade has dropped off - I cannot be certain but I feel I am being 'badmouthed' by my neighbour.

*This week I have had my shop window smashed -the high insurance excess is more than the cost of repair - so no point claiming on the insurance - it will wipe out about 3 weeks of profit - it is only a small shop.

*I did something the day after the shop window was broke that I have never done - I have gone in before in thick snow, to serve my customers...

I thought 'sod it' I am not going in - cant be bothered with it today... - it is not worth the hassle anymore - for the small amount I earn.

I do want to keep my other shop, which is profitable, fully staffed - who (luckily) they are great.

I don't have good health, (heart problems) - I started my own business after a heart attack (at age 36!) I never wanted (or needed) to earn a fortune, just a small wage (say £100 a week) would have been great for me.

But lately - all I am doing is covering costs with the 2nd shop...

I am thinking of 'packing it all in' - and just getting a little part time job - and just doing the admin for the other shop - I would be no worse off financially.

Does anyone else on here get like this? - that it is no longer worth the hassle...

- I love my shops, but I get the feeling that nothing I do is appreciated - customers say 'oh, that is 2p cheaper in Wilkinson's - lately I really feel like saying 'well p1ss off to Wilkinson's then!'

It is not in my nature to be like this - I just feel 'ground down' - I used to enjoy and love my shops greatly - but lately, if people want to use the supermarkets and pound shops - let em - they can go - I am tired of fighting.....

Thoughts anyone?:|

Haven't read all the posts but it seems we are very much in the same position.

Closed down my third shop this year as the staff found I nice sneaky backdoor in stealing without messing up the POS. It was a marginal shop, but earning a little, and with our labour laws just gave it up - cost me a bit. Just figure any staff can steal if they really want to given time.

The other shop does ok, but I am just waiting for competition to move in...

And my first shop is just slowly subsiding - mainly due to increase competition from multi's moving in.

Tired of forking out vat,rent,wages, insurance,bank fee's ect ect, with getting little back.

New business will have TINY monthly fixed expenses and NO staff . When I work, I get paid decently.

But good luck!

 

[herewegoagain.]

Haven't read all the posts but it seems we are very much in the same position.

Closed down my third shop this year as the staff found I nice sneaky backdoor in stealing without messing up the POS. It was a marginal shop, but earning a little, and with our labour laws just gave it up - cost me a bit. Just figure any staff can steal if they really want to given time.

The other shop does ok, but I am just waiting for competition to move in...

And my first shop is just slowly subsiding - mainly due to increase competition from multi's moving in.

Tired of forking out vat,rent,wages, insurance,bank fee's ect ect, with getting little back.

New business will have TINY monthly fixed expenses and NO staff . When I work, I get paid decently.

But good luck!

Indeed, we do seem to be in the same position, its hard out there right now, multi's/supermarkets are just a nightmare - staff can be too - as we have both found out - at least we understand each others positions we are in !

This was the feeling I was getting, I was always at the bottom of the pile for getting ANY money from the business - I am just sticking with the one profitable shop now, - doing a couple of days of the week there and Ebay or the rest of the time -

Do you find that these situations make you 'hardened' - where you find yourself putting yourself first a lot more - in effect saying 'sod em' to those people/situations that are not worth the hassle anymore?

I hope it goes well for you in your new venture - can you let us have any more info? regards Dave

 

[Pap_sak]

Indeed, we do seem to be in the same position, its hard out there right now, multi's/supermarkets are just a nightmare - staff can be too - as we have both found out - at least we understand each others positions we are in !

This was the feeling I was getting, I was always at the bottom of the pile for getting ANY money from the business - I am just sticking with the one profitable shop now, - doing a couple of days of the week there and Ebay or the rest of the time -

Do you find that these situations make you 'hardened' - where you find yourself putting yourself first a lot more - in effect saying 'sod em' to those people/situations that are not worth the hassle anymore?

I hope it goes well for you in your new venture - can you let us have any more info? regards Dave

I know what you mean about getting paid last! I have only recently started taking a salary and to hell with the business! My staff get paid every week, why don't I? I just put ALL my money back in (minus things like a swimming pool and m/bike )but ja, did not feel I was doing better. Although the business did grow and I will get most/some of it back.

What I am looking at is buying a new kombi (a large 8/9 seater people mover) and taking people for one day tours around Cape Town and the Winelands. I really enjoy meeting people and funnily enough also enjoy driving! Need to do a few courses before becoming an official guide and a few other regulatory things, but once done I fairly decent, seasonal wage. Will probably buy the car new and for cash - so out goings will be minimal. No rent, already have a huge garage, already have an office at home, I have pretty good web html/css skills and as my wife is a graphic designer working from the home office, so I already have a "receptionist" - but don't tell her that!

But still in the research phase - will need to try get an idea of how much work there is out there, maintenance on the vehicle and a couple of other loose ends, but so far looks good.

BTW found out how much it would cost me to insure the car/van as a taxi - pleasantly surprised at R980 for a R300,000 car!