Beetroot stains: learnings from small business
The theme for YTM Business Connect in July is storytelling. As we learnt from our recent speaker, Sandy McDonald “If you can’t tell your story, you won't attract those who need your services & would love to support what you’re doing—your potential followers, clients, partners and investors. Storytelling informs your most powerful communication, because it runs deep - it educates, resonates and it sticks. Humans NEED to hear stories and share stories”.
Hope you enjoy this story, written by YTM Business Mentor and Strategist, Leigh Powell:-
Small business is the sandpit for life
“My parents owned and operated a licensed grocery (bottle shop) in the 1960’s and 1970’s in Highett Road Highett. It was open 6 days a week including until 12 noon Saturdays, but no later than noon.
They had to go to the Supreme court to have their license application approved by demonstrating they were of the appropriate character to have a license. This was because a local teetotaller objected to a licensed premises in Highett.
My father was a large man and the front of house icon of the business. My mother did all the books, re-ordering and stock takes…you know did all the work for little of the glory.
Dad wore a white shirt and a maroon tie most days… but every day had a ham and beetroot sandwich which also every day, he splashed onto that white shirt.
Licensed grocery meant that you could not have a bottle shop only, it had to have groceries too. You know, dry and sweet biscuits you had to count into a paper bag, flour by the scoop and some canned food. Nothing like the packaging today.
Delight your customers
Talk about delight your customers. Every customer was welcomed by name, we knew what they wanted, we remembered about what they had said last time they were in the shop and asked them how that was going.
That was instilled into the staff, Rocky and Wendy, and they just loved the interaction with customers who became friends.
Well friends, until there was a beer strike and Carlton and United Breweries! Which were a regular event. Stock became low so we made the decision to ration customers to bottles of beer. So generally that meant we have a six fold increase in customers who came in and went out an came in 6 times to get the dozen they were after. .
Managing Cashflow
Cash flow was often in short supply to establish the business. Ire call that mum and Dad had to raid my sister’s piggy bank to pay for some school shoes in the early days!
I was charged with the responsibility from an early age to take a large bag of cash (under my jumper) across the road and up the street to the National Bank for deposit. Having to count cash, give change and remember something about that customer to enquire about was great grounding that only small business can provide.
By luck or good management in those days we had few competitors with the only packaged beer outlets at pubs which were a fair distance away in Moorabbin, Sandringham meaning that we had a monopoly of sorts for local trade. We also had free local delivery (me in my HD holden station wagon) to our mostly Italian and Yugoslav customers who mostly worked in the factories in Moorabbin. My first lesson was do not be late with a delivery (i.e., after 4.30) for a returning factory worker.
I served behind the counter from about 14 years of age (illegal) and got my grounding in understanding the benefits of remembering and nurturing customers, how cash IN through the till looked plentiful but not always enough to pay the bills as and when they fell due, and how each person had a role.
Dad as large as life (resplendent with beetroot stains), Mum just getting things done, me not realising just how important these lessons were in later life.
So while I have fond memories of staples like VB, Corio whiskey, Cold Duck, Spumante, Ben Ean Moselle, flagons of McWilliams sweet sherry and the rise and rise of Wynns and Coolabah Wine casks,….. I have practical learnings that I use everyday that I’m so grateful for.
Small business is in fact a sandpit for life! “
What stories have you tell? Join us at upcoming events and on the 26th July, hear from 7 speakers as they share their stories on the theme WHY ME and compete for the 2022 YTM Award Our event formats help you to unlock your business potential by having conversations that count and connect you on a deeper level.
Hello, I am Leigh Powell and I joined Your Time Matters as a Business Strategist and Mentor in 2016.
Having talked to a lot of small business owners and people in the corporate environment, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say, “Tell me what to do.” Most of them know what they want to achieve and they need help exploring the implications and thinking through the details. That’s why I call myself a mentor rather than a coach.
My role is to help you lean into what you know you should do, take responsibility for it, and turn it into a profitable strategy. How do I do this? Well, asking questions is the first step: discovering where you are and where you want to be, learning about your networks, resources, budget, cashflow, constraints, and more…please reach out if I can be of service.
