Jennasis
DIS life goes on
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2000
- Messages
- 35,672
Our small business is running into another crisis moment. These tend to crop up from time to time (as it is the nature of this particular business), but it stresses Dh and I out terribly...AND it happens to be coming less than two weeks prior to our honeymoon trip to WDW (and our only vacation in over 3 1/2 years!).
We run a horse farm where we board other peoples horses, give riding lessons, and train horses. We had 15 horses that we were boarding. 2 left for "training" at another farm for what is supposed to be only 2-3 months. I have that feeling in my gut that they may not be returning. Both owners assured me when the horses left that they absolutely would be bringing their horses back after training and even paid for me to "hold" their stalls, on a month by month basis since they are unsure of exactly how long they will be gone for. Until those horses are back home, I simply am unconvinced they will be coming back. One owner is a "grass-is-greener" type who is CONSTANTLY comparing the way I run my barn to the way the other trainer runs her barn (neither way is right or wrong, just waht works for each of us).
Yesterday a THIRD boarder tells me that she is looking for a place to move her horse to that would be cheaper. PS...my barn has the MOST ammenities and is the LEAST expensive barn in 3 counties for full board (this means the horse has it's own stall, gets turned out in our pasture every day, has it's stall cleaned twice daily, and we take care of all it's feet, scheduling the vet and horse shoer etc...) The owner is looking for a situation we call "pasture board" which is , as a rule, cheaper than full board. Pasture board basically means your horse lives in a field...period. No barn, no cleaning, no extras.
Panicking at the notion of losing another boarder, DH and I discussed the possibility of allowing this boarder to work off some of her board, to make it more affordable for her to stay. She seemed interested in the idea when I presented it to her. I am waiting to hear if she accepts it.
Frankly...we do not need ANY help. People working in exchange for their board is not helpful to me since the farm is my ONLY income. I can do the work myself, so it isn't terribly beneficial to me to allow anyone to work off any of their bill. HOWEVER, being paid for HALF of the cost of the stall is still better than being paid zero for an empty stall right?
My OTHER problem, is that if the other boarders get wind of this lady being allowed to work off part of her board, they may all want to do so as well. I simply cannot afford to let everyone do this. I can't really afford to let this lady do it, but I can't afford to lose her income altogether.
If we lose her, and those other two boarders in training don't return, my business will be ruined...crippled...to the point where I may have to either get another job, or sell the farm completely.
This is the cyclical nature of my business. Like any landlord, people come and go often (sometimes at the worst possible time and sometimes without much warning). I could (God willing) get a phone call tomorrow from someone looking to move in, and in the past this has actually happened after someone has moved out. But it is quite nerve racking waiting and wondering...not knowing if your business will survive.
There are other barns in my area that are much more expensive, some twice as much. I know we will have to increase our board prices (probably right after we return from WDW) but I am terrified that this may prompt others to pick up and leave for cheaper digs. But we can't last very long with an unfull barn charging as little as we are. We haven't raised board prices in over 2 1/2 years! Usually barns raise every 2 years or so.
Any sage advice from other business owners? Or at least send some prayers and pixie dust our way...
We run a horse farm where we board other peoples horses, give riding lessons, and train horses. We had 15 horses that we were boarding. 2 left for "training" at another farm for what is supposed to be only 2-3 months. I have that feeling in my gut that they may not be returning. Both owners assured me when the horses left that they absolutely would be bringing their horses back after training and even paid for me to "hold" their stalls, on a month by month basis since they are unsure of exactly how long they will be gone for. Until those horses are back home, I simply am unconvinced they will be coming back. One owner is a "grass-is-greener" type who is CONSTANTLY comparing the way I run my barn to the way the other trainer runs her barn (neither way is right or wrong, just waht works for each of us).
Yesterday a THIRD boarder tells me that she is looking for a place to move her horse to that would be cheaper. PS...my barn has the MOST ammenities and is the LEAST expensive barn in 3 counties for full board (this means the horse has it's own stall, gets turned out in our pasture every day, has it's stall cleaned twice daily, and we take care of all it's feet, scheduling the vet and horse shoer etc...) The owner is looking for a situation we call "pasture board" which is , as a rule, cheaper than full board. Pasture board basically means your horse lives in a field...period. No barn, no cleaning, no extras.
Panicking at the notion of losing another boarder, DH and I discussed the possibility of allowing this boarder to work off some of her board, to make it more affordable for her to stay. She seemed interested in the idea when I presented it to her. I am waiting to hear if she accepts it.
Frankly...we do not need ANY help. People working in exchange for their board is not helpful to me since the farm is my ONLY income. I can do the work myself, so it isn't terribly beneficial to me to allow anyone to work off any of their bill. HOWEVER, being paid for HALF of the cost of the stall is still better than being paid zero for an empty stall right?
My OTHER problem, is that if the other boarders get wind of this lady being allowed to work off part of her board, they may all want to do so as well. I simply cannot afford to let everyone do this. I can't really afford to let this lady do it, but I can't afford to lose her income altogether.
If we lose her, and those other two boarders in training don't return, my business will be ruined...crippled...to the point where I may have to either get another job, or sell the farm completely.
This is the cyclical nature of my business. Like any landlord, people come and go often (sometimes at the worst possible time and sometimes without much warning). I could (God willing) get a phone call tomorrow from someone looking to move in, and in the past this has actually happened after someone has moved out. But it is quite nerve racking waiting and wondering...not knowing if your business will survive.
There are other barns in my area that are much more expensive, some twice as much. I know we will have to increase our board prices (probably right after we return from WDW) but I am terrified that this may prompt others to pick up and leave for cheaper digs. But we can't last very long with an unfull barn charging as little as we are. We haven't raised board prices in over 2 1/2 years! Usually barns raise every 2 years or so.
Any sage advice from other business owners? Or at least send some prayers and pixie dust our way...
I would rather do so because I was only working for those people who want to pay me, rather than be under the bridge because I was working for everybody at a rate that is below what I need to make a profit, and basically giving away my services.
