This is what’s actually happening right now

With everything going on right now — the war, the constant doom and gloom in the news, and the very obvious rise in costs (don’t even get me started on fuel prices) — it would be very easy to feel a bit despondent as a small business owner in the UK.

We’re told over and over again:

“No one has any money.”

And yes — costs are rising.
And yes — businesses are under pressure.
And yes — those increases ultimately get passed on.

But here’s what I’m actually seeing on the ground.

We’ve sold out — twice — of these viral “squishie dumplings” in our stores.

If you’ve got younger kids, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
If you don’t… you’ll be wondering what on earth I mean.

They’re £5.99.
They’re squishy.
And that’s about it.

And yet — they’re flying off the shelves.

There’s also a blue wine doing the rounds just now… and again, selling out everywhere.

So what does that tell us?

• People are still spending money.

• They’re just being more selective about what they spend it on.

This is where most business owners get it wrong.

They assume the problem is:

When the reality is often:

Because when something feels:

• desirable

• relevant

• exciting

• or scarce

People will buy.

Your job as a business owner isn’t to sit back and accept that “times are tough.”

Your job is to:

• Create offers that feel compelling enough to act on

• Position what you do so it feels like a no-brainer

• Market in a way that builds urgency and demand

• Make the value exchange feel obvious

Because if people don’t buy, it’s rarely because they can’t.

It’s because they haven’t been convinced.

And this is where most businesses sit stuck — not because they don’t work hard, but because there’s no structured thinking behind:

• their offer

• their pricing

• their positioning

• their marketing

Which means everything feels harder than it should.

And right now, more than ever, that matters.

If there’s one thing to take from this…

It’s that the businesses that continue to grow — even in uncertain times — aren’t the ones working the hardest.

They’re the ones who make it easiest for people to say yes.

Have a great week,
Speak soon,

Cherie