“It's a hard life if you don’t weaken”

Arthur Seaton wasn’t a business owner or entrepreneur, but this is a quote that applies to every business founder I’ve ever met as much as it did to a man who operated a lathe all day, every day, dreaming of a better life in the movie Saturday Night and Sunday Morning*

Being the boss is tough, not only does the buck stop with you, people will betray you, customers will pay late (and sometimes not at all) that sale you’re chasing to buy materials, pay the rent or put food on the table for your family will fall through, employees will steal from you and when the unexpected happens it’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed because chances are you’re too busy just surviving to put a contingency plan in place.

There will be times you’ll not only doubt whether it was a good idea to go into business in the first place, you’ll doubt in your own ability to deliver on a product or service you’d easily cope with if you didn’t have all the other shit in your life to deal with.

Which is why I admire you, Mr, Mrs or Miss Business Owner and have a huge amount of respect for you and your determination to not only do things right but do the right thing by others too.

Out there, day after day, facing the world with courage and purpose, building your dream, and with luck and some hard work and grafting, reaching your goal of living it too.

I see a lot of people struggling right now, I'm struggling too, but if, like me, you’re willing to reach out to your network and open to new ideas as well as new opportunities, you’ll get through this, I promise.

Take each day as it comes, ask yourself the question my business coach asks me every time we speak...

“Have you done everything you can, is there anything more you can do?”

And if the answer is yes to the first part and no to the second, just relax, let the universe take care of things and this too shall pass.

It's a hard life if you don’t weaken but here's to going through hell together to reach the other side!

*Albert Finney played Arthur Seaton in the 1960 movie Saturday Night and Sunday morning based on the classic book by Alan Sillitoe.

** If you’re struggling with your business and need a hand, believe me there’s always a way through it even if it sometimes doesn’t feel like there is.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to me personally and I’ll do what I can or point you in the direction of others who may be able to help.

We’re all in this together. You’re not alone ??