BUSINESS AS USUAL

This is my 69th blog in a total run planned to stop after my next one. That would make 70 blog this year to celebrate my existing on this planet for 70 years. My 70th blog should be released into the world of everyone’s else blogs on 9th September and no doubt consigned to the greyness of a society suffering from information overload. It’s been sort of fun but not that much fun that I would rush to repeat the exercise and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else. I have learnt a little about myself which hasn’t always been constructive or helpful. Truth is always painful in short term but not thankfully all or every time. Afet my blog orgy then its back to business as usual.

In business there is nothing normal about being able to work on as usual. That is a state that doesn’t exist, yet many seek it out. This is especially true after the pandemic where everyone seemed desperate to turn the clock back to a life before any Covid restrictions. It isn’t going to happen. Life will never be the same again. Imagine me wanted my life back as it was before when my wife Maureen died in 2005! It just doesn’t happen, and life moves on whether we like or agree with that concept or not. Business is the same. I am not making the same items as I did when I first started my business over 33 years ago. If I just kept on making the same things, I certainly would have a poor business and probably wouldn’t actually have any business to enjoy.

I call myself a professional amateur when it comes to business. I don’t really know what that term means but I like it so that’s that. I have made my hobby and passion for glass into a sort of business where I have no staff (been there, done that), don’t take a salary and just about break even. That’s good enough for me and has provided enough creative stimulus for me since 1990. I can’t complain. I do try to wear a business head on and act accordingly but my mask slips at times and I give in to sentimentally and charity. Thus, I have made many glasses object and sold at a loss. Part of this is because its hard work how to find out how much it costs to make something.

I do believe that to some extent charities should be organised and managed as if they are a business. That way that would eliminate or reduce wate and increase funds raised which then would be directly to the people that the charity is meant to help. All this with little cost of admin! Sounds so easy but in reality, as business grow so does management. Key of a good business is to feed that gap in the market that is the objective of any business. So often businesses are making things or providing a service that no one wants.

Take an artist who is a really great crafts person. Top of their game with all the required skills but can’t sell anything. Goes to all the craft fayres possible and exhibits all over the World but still no sales. It is a simple case that people don’t want to buy what the artist is providing. That is a very sobering thought. To think that no one wants your work. To think that you can spend years making things that no one wants. Sounds stupid but people do it and I have done that. Why do we then continue? It’s because we can, and we enjoy what we are making. Also, it’s the main reason why I am not and never will be a businessman.