Something Fishy's' Going Down !

Evening All,

Last week I promised myself that I would go back to writing a weekly blog about life as an SME owner & keep you updated, amused &  comforted that:

a) you are not alone if you too are self employed

b) that boring but pensionable job, you have considered forfeiting 

might not be quite so bad after all.

All businesses depend on one thing above all else & that is THE CLIENT. Without clients there would be no business.Clients are the oxygen that breathes life into our dreams of self fulfilment. It's important to have a good spread of clients, to never be over dependent on one, although we all wish for that special one, The Mr Big, who's business takes care of ours, with orders rolling in & the ultimate bonus of prompt payment that appears in the bank on the same day every month, without ever having to ask.

Last week I got a call from a key client, could I meet him to discuss where management were going with their expanding  business

I stock a number of their stores & whilst  not quite Mr Big, this is a piece of business I value & would not want to lose.

I went to the meeting, dressed to impress, yet feeling defensive. I knew what was coming..they are revamping their fresh food business, somebody "up North" will provide Crayfish sandwiches...it's a very sexy EXCLUSIVE  proposition & by exclusive I not talking about the Crayfish.

So I did what I do best when faced with Beechers Brook, I held on tight, dug deep & tackled it head on.

Now, I can't match the fantastic prices of a mass producer, my products may not be the best packaged product on the shelf ,but

my sandwiches are made the morning they are delivered. The bread  is made locally by The Bretzel Bakery, we buy all our vegetables in Smithfield, we employ five of us in our kitchen  Every penny we spend & make supports local jobs.

We matter !

I urged the client to consider this; that we like so many others need his business to do what we do. The success of a business is not just in the bottom line, it's how it supports so many small businesses like us and it is the small businesses like us who are the backbone of this economy.

Later that evening I got a call, the owner had heard my pitch and if I am willing to be flexible, he is willing to be flexible too, so as they sayin the music business
 "it's not over 'til the fat lady sings"


As for our sandwiches...forget Cray Fish, we'll be filling ours with nothing less than
 Dublin Bay Prawns.

 Delicious !