Small Business Owners

Small business pressure -How do I keep pushing through when I’m drained physically and mentally.

replies: 5

I took over a hair salon business when I was 24 years old I’m now 31.It started with myself, a close friend who was my business partner and 1 apprentice.i was the hairdresser my friend who I went into business was the Bookeeper.From day 1 it has not ... View more

I took over a hair salon business when I was 24 years old I’m now 31.It started with myself, a close friend who was my business partner and 1 apprentice.i was the hairdresser my friend who I went into business was the Bookeeper.From day 1 it has not stopped with the challenges. My business partner was constantly taking money out aswelll as putting it back, i regularly voiced my concerns and it took me 2 years to finally have enough of the financial strain she put on me. I was already operating the floor, hiring staff, training them, doing clientele, working 44 hours with little to no lunch breaks. I decided to call the accountant to work out a buy out figure to which he told me he hasn’t done the books since we started. Turned out the tax and super that was being paid was straight to her personal account and got spent. I was in court for 3 years disputing it. First year into court, covid hit. Now I was fighting to keep the businesss I worked so very hard for. With lockdowns of a total of 9 months over 2 years without funding was stressful to say the least. I recently decided to put my business up for sale as my mental health has completely deteriorated the last 2 years, I was constantly getting sick, trying to still work and manage 4 employees that iv had since they where apprentices. 2 months into it being advertised and 2 months out from Christmas 2 of my employees handed there resignation in not for any bad reason other than it was time for them to explore a new direction. I was happy for them personally but on a Business level it left me with one hell of situation. It took me 5 years in total to train them up to fall apart in 2 months right before the madness. I’m worried I can’t keep fighting through all these obstacles that come my way with so little energy as it is. I’m having panic attacks during work, I’m run off my feet and I’m working more hours to cover the clients who where booked in with the 2 girls who are no longer here. I’m exhausted mentally and physically and I feel trapt till I can sell it. I’m having manic crying episodes nearly every night after work dreading each day that comes. I’m starting to loose control of my emotions within work and can’t hold back them tears. I can’t take time off now being so close to Xmas with only 2 partimers left and one being an apprentice.financially iv ran at a loss the last 2 years and the pressures are suffocating me.Any advice on how to manage the pressure and self care with little time to do so?!

Big mistakes

replies: 2

6 years ago I was working for family business and my father passed away. I was left to run the business on my own not knowing what to do or how to run a business. In this time I turned to gaming apps to cope with everything. I spent a lot of money on... View more

6 years ago I was working for family business and my father passed away. I was left to run the business on my own not knowing what to do or how to run a business. In this time I turned to gaming apps to cope with everything. I spent a lot of money on these apps without even realising the amounts I was spending. Fast forward to now I have been hit with 160k of tax bills from not knowing what to do or the implications of not being compliant. I have ATO threatening to close the business and potentially bankrupt me.I informed my wife of this and she was supportive and wanting to help find a way to refinance our house and get the debt under control. Since then she discovered my spending on the gaming apps and has completely shut down from me and is extremely angry saying she doesn’t know if we can continue after this debt is sorted. She doesn’t want to leave me because it would ruin our 12 year old son but is so angry that she doesn’t see a future. She says she needs space. I have deleted all games and am waiting on banks answer to refinance.I am completely broken, scared of losing everything, embarrassed that I let it get to this I feel alone with everything and could not live a life without my family. I don’t know what to do to save my family and myself

Business anxiety

replies: 2

Hello. I am finding it really difficult to function atm. I have had anxiety like this for 2 years. My husband and i own our own automotive workshop, which I wanted to sell 9 years ago. So doing something I don't want to has been a stress. Then his me... View more

Hello. I am finding it really difficult to function atm. I have had anxiety like this for 2 years. My husband and i own our own automotive workshop, which I wanted to sell 9 years ago. So doing something I don't want to has been a stress. Then his mental health and health problems added to that. 2 years ago I hit a wall as one of our employees was thinking of leaving, and I lost all thought and function. I rely on him alot and panicked, but a week later with mods and some belt tightening he stayed. Have had a few really good years and in a better position then ever, then last year things slowed down and it flared up again, the panic of going back to juggling everything, but all came good. No it's happening again and this time it feels worse. I can't bring myself to do my work and I just don't want to be here. It's been almost a week but this is the 3rd day like this. I just want the panic to go away. I can handle things without the panic. I don't know what I want from this but I am trapped. BTW the business is on the market and has been for 2.5 years. Good business just no one has the cash. Thanks for reading if you made it this far.

I am stuck in my small business

replies: 5

I felt much better previously when I had nothing than now. Now I have my own house, some savings and a small business started a year ago. I feel very stressed and feel too much to do and in a lot of time I feel very depressed although I manage to fin... View more

I felt much better previously when I had nothing than now. Now I have my own house, some savings and a small business started a year ago. I feel very stressed and feel too much to do and in a lot of time I feel very depressed although I manage to finish my tasks. I don't understand myself now, I tell myself my current situation is much better than previous, but I am so unhappy. When I fail to turn a potential customer into a new customer, I feel very sick and hopeless. I feel very bad about myself, although I know I am one of the best in the field. I had HDs in my professional exams. I just cannot take the rejections from the potential customers anymore. I figure maybe I am not good at talking to people or I don't look confident enough when meeting people, but I can't make myself look confident or outgoing because I am not an outgoing person. I am an introvert. How can I change myself to become confident and talkative. It is not my personal quality. I don't enjoy looking confident. It is not me I am not used to being confident and talkative. Moreover, I have to do marketing besides my current work. When I don't do marking, not even potential customers. I feel very bad and sick. Maybe I am still not getting used to the new routines of doing small business. I had been working for others previously. Any suggestions to me. Thank you.

Being well

replies: 5

Hi all,I write to ask how to over come and beat these feelings of hell. I have a beautiful wife and 2 young boys. I’m 43 and feel helpless. Self employed with 5 staff. Depressed and crying everyday with no motivation or happiness. Yet, I know it’s al... View more

Hi all,I write to ask how to over come and beat these feelings of hell. I have a beautiful wife and 2 young boys. I’m 43 and feel helpless. Self employed with 5 staff. Depressed and crying everyday with no motivation or happiness. Yet, I know it’s all around me. Can we get well. What’s happened?

Totally Gutted

replies: 5

Hi im feeling totally gutted - like i have been smacked in the head with a hammer. (so hard to put words on paper to explain)I run a small business with my wife married for 15years over 16 years together - we are in our mid 40s, we have two teen age ... View more

Hi im feeling totally gutted - like i have been smacked in the head with a hammer. (so hard to put words on paper to explain)I run a small business with my wife married for 15years over 16 years together - we are in our mid 40s, we have two teen age kids.our marriage has always been strong, we have our ups and downs- just like any couple. we don't usually fight. Ive always tried to keep the spark going as well-we just booked our holiday overseas with the kids- When i met her i moved to the city to be with her -worked in a few jobs before diving into business together. we are on our second business now, will be our last. i have seen my wife take on alot of work - i try to be there to support her as much as i can - but its not enough. end of finical year we get bombarded with bills. so we pull back on ordering so i do . my wife said she is going to be stressed to say the least. however last night she lost it at me. said she was ready to sell the business and divorce me as she can not cope anymore- drumming up past events. my poor kids heard it they reacted as well. She did calm down after a while still not ok though- but it left me in shock and very fragile to say the least.i am so scared of loosing her and my kids they are my world. it is horrible - i sat in my car this morning crying as a stupid supplier did not have a order ready for us- worried that this would set her off as well. See my wife has never said that she wanted to leave me let alone divorce me. i am hoping time heals wounds - any advice navigating tricky times and getting a relationship back from the brink would be appreciated.

My Anxiety and OCD is impairing my ability to run my business and be a husband and farther.

replies: 1

Hello dear friends, my name is Luke.  I am a 32 year old business owner who has been suffering from anxiety and OCD for most of my life. As of the last 5 years my disorder has really begun to impair my ability to run my business. I have been unable t... View more

Hello dear friends, my name is Luke.  I am a 32 year old business owner who has been suffering from anxiety and OCD for most of my life. As of the last 5 years my disorder has really begun to impair my ability to run my business. I have been unable to make decisions without them going around and around in my head. I can not make any work related purchases unless everything is falling onto line on that day and being the right time/date and perfect day when I buy them. For example I have been needing to update my work computers now for 3 years and every time that I purchase one if anything that I would consider negative/bad happens on that day I would then return the computer to the store because it hasn’t been a good day and that computer won’t bring me good luck. For some reason I can only make purchases on certain dates and times and even then if anything doesn’t feel right or perfect I would not make the purchase or will return the item.The other pain haunting me is my ability to use computers. I am unable to use a computer as they are designed to be used. It will take me 30 minutes to open a single web browser after turning on a computer and then another 10 minutes to visit a website. For each simple tab I will wait 5 minutes and a work task that should take me 1 hour to complete will blow out to over 5 hours. Once I have finally completed my work I will wait 30 minutes to turn off the computer and I will repeat this process everyday. As one could imagine this has significantly effected my quality of my life and the life of the family. I am currently seeking help with a Psychiatrist and Psychologist but am yet to find help to correct these problems.I have built a successful business and a good life my family but it would seem my illness is impairing me to the point where I am far from the husband and father that I could be and I fear without any help this will not improve. I am trying to talk to people but maybe my situation can be confusing for many of my friends and family. I have turned to beyond blue to seek any potential advice or guidance if available or any direction that could improve my quality of life and that of my family.

Shame and guilt

replies: 5

Does anybody find that standard small talk questions can be stressful and difficult to answer when you have anxiety? Questions that cause me panic include What are you up to today? How’s work? What do you do for work? I am an accountant by trade. I w... View more

Does anybody find that standard small talk questions can be stressful and difficult to answer when you have anxiety? Questions that cause me panic include What are you up to today? How’s work? What do you do for work? I am an accountant by trade. I worked in the same company for many years, and worked my way up to part owner and director. Unfortunately, as a result of a marriage breakdown and subsequent family law issues, as well as a lot of emotional abuse from my ex husband, I have developed crippling anxiety. I am on extended leave from my business and don’t think I’ll ever be able to return. I feel a lot of shame and guilt about my situation, particularly that I am not currently working. Today one of the school mums asked if I had a busy day ahead. If I answered honestly I would have said “No, I’ll probably just be sitting on the lounge stressing and overthinking everything in my life, until I’m finally so mentally drained I take a nap. Then it will be time for school pick up”. Instead I said “No, just housework”. Do everyday questions like this trigger your anxiety? Do you feel shame and guilt around not being able to work or live the way others do? How do you handle small tall, and how do you answer seemingly simple questions that are actually quite difficult?

newbie, struggling with biz managment and drinking

replies: 2

HI, I rang BB on Monday. The first time I have ever called an online counsellor. Im glad I did. I went from feeling really low to a bit more realistic and with 1-2 small actions to undertake this week, that gave me a small plan and a reason to get of... View more

HI, I rang BB on Monday. The first time I have ever called an online counsellor. Im glad I did. I went from feeling really low to a bit more realistic and with 1-2 small actions to undertake this week, that gave me a small plan and a reason to get off the couch. Part of my problem is a drink too much. I have nights I don't drink and I feel optimistic and open-minded the next day, conversely days after drinking, I'm slow, tired, irritated, solemn, woeful, gloomy and so on. Im tired of the Jessy-Hyde (Jekyl) rollar coaster. I decided on Monday to start to write a book about my drinking and what works to have nights off. Just writing this down has been enormously helpful. So Ill keep going with that. I also took 2 "mental health days" off from my business (yesterday and today). I found it really draining having the responsibility of 8 employees, and the lack of time for myself. Im glad I've taken these 2 days for ME! I found on BB a new Small Business Owner counselling course, so Ive signed up. I haven't for confirmation yet, but I think that will be helpful to share biz worries with a counsellor. cheers.

Hi Everyone

replies: 5

Starting here 'from scratch' ie setting up my profile and information. So here's a short intro. Have been in business as sole trader for 6 years (the years before that are 'history' Survived the Covid crisis in 2020 only to lose my beautiful Mum in O... View more

Starting here 'from scratch' ie setting up my profile and information. So here's a short intro. Have been in business as sole trader for 6 years (the years before that are 'history' Survived the Covid crisis in 2020 only to lose my beautiful Mum in Oct after a tumultuous year with her health and my own Came back in 2021 still in the throws of grief and a struggling business. We are implementing a succession plan and a little bit of pivoting to strengthen our business however for various reasons we are not growing beyond break even (and sometimes less) Very thankful for Covid19 resources and funding and suspect the Beyond Blue resources will also be right where I need them at this stage of 'almost giving up' on my vision/s. I continue to reflect and use my support networks but sometimes it's nice to be anonymous and 'say it how it is' especially when on the downslide. Look forward to using these forums, hopefully for a mutually supportive experience. Take care everyone

Small Business Owners

Small business pressure -How do I keep pushing through when I’m drained physically and mentally. replies: 5

Big mistakes replies: 2

Business anxiety replies: 2

I am stuck in my small business replies: 5

Being well replies: 5

Totally Gutted replies: 5

My Anxiety and OCD is impairing my ability to run my business and be a husband and farther. replies: 1

Shame and guilt replies: 5

newbie, struggling with biz managment and drinking replies: 2

Hi Everyone replies: 5