Next week a garden centre is to be featured on the show.
The Fixer
The family firm concerned has been a customer of Fenland Ironworks for over twenty years. The weather last year had a devastating effect on their business. Since I knew David was going to appear on the programme, he told me about it a few months ago, I started watching the series, I hadn't watched it before. I have learned something from each programme, from funeral directors, to fish and chip shops there has been something I have learned from each programme to help me in my business.
I don't know what the programme will say or whether or not it all will work out, I hope so, they are decent people who have worked incredibly hard over the years.
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Should be a good watch. It has been an awful 12 months for any garden related business and will be interesting to see what inovations are suggested. Diversification will probably be near the top of the agenda.
It must be difficult competing with the multi national DIY stores, who grab so much of the plant market by offering seasonal bedding way before the recommended planting time. Do you do the same or stick to what you know is best?
I had a green grocer friend who would start selling summer bedding as soon as he could on the basis of "if the frost gets them - they will buy some more"!
Looking forward to seeing the next episode even more now, with some 'local' interest.
Love watching Alex Polizzi, straight-talking, hard hitting but very feminine nonetheless, a heady mix.
Mainly marketing stuff but last week they did a programme on a fish and chip shop, they took the staff to a pizza chain where they were introduced to manuals. We have a system but that gave me some ideas on how to improve on what we use.
chris said:
I think Colin the answer will probably be to find a niche where you can compete or your own terms and define the market you want to work in. I haven't heard much in the way of detail but know they have worked very hard changing things around from what I have seen.
Colin Hunt said:
Her straight talking, no flannel approach is refreshing. No back slapping, no pulling punches and a good, critical business eye - reminds me of the LJN membership ;-)
How many times do you hear the phrase - business plan - where is it ?
If 'Alex' turned up at your business, could you lay your hands on an up to date business plan and current financials ?
Do you know where you stand ? If not, how do you measure your "business journey" ?
It's the type of topic I've seen regularly being discussed in the old KBO and now actively in The Hub by all types and sizes of businesses.
Hi Gary, that's the one thing that does surprise me about most of the businesses. I'm sure I get many things wrong but I could lay my hands on the financials and a business plan within 5 minutes!
Gary RK said:
Jen, more power to you :-)
Do you do financials manually or via accounts software ?
With that info available it is simpler to keep the business going forwards and be aware of any changes either way.
I use Quickbooks; the simple start edition. I do have two extra spreadsheets though. One is to work out how much personal expenditure we need to survive and also from a business point of view 'worse case scenario' what it could cost us to run our business each year. That's all expenses plus an allowance vehicle/machinery repairs and replacement. If we aren't covering the worse case scenario business costs; plus personal 'survival' money I would know there was a real problem!
Business plan gets updated with progress each month because I feel it's easy to write a business plan; file it and duly forget about it!
Gary RK said:
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