Hi Reader,
One of our readers, Kathleen, emailed to say,
"You wrote a little pep talk about how challenging it is to run your own business and I have to say it made me feel relief. I think often when I am reading through blog posts that you write or other folks with information about growing your business it can get overwhelming and one can feel they aren't doing enough. So it was nice to have your words of encouragement and support. Thank you."
I don't remember writing a pep talk, so in case it wasn't me, I wanted to send an official pep talk as we head towards the midpoint of this challenging year. If it was me, you can't really have too many pep talks in 2025, can you?
Has your business made it through the first five months of this year? Congratulations, good job! ⭐️ Tons of extra credit and gold sticky stars if you also survived the pandemic; that was rough. Have you seen these small business stats? Half of businesses don't make it to their 5th year. Take a minute and appreciate how far you've come and the problems you've overcome.
You are doing enough! Most of us entrepreneurs like to do more, though, so here are some thoughts on staying afloat through the next few years.
Through the pandemic, I saw that businesses that froze or paused had a harder time than those that pivoted or doubled down on what was working well. This economy feels similar. Many shops didn't survive then, and we will lose some small businesses now. Working with dozens of companies of all sizes, we understand the big picture of what is working now and what's not worth the effort.
This year, you may be on one side or the other of several important issues:
- The tariffs are destroying your profit margins OR you aren't impacted directly or strongly by the tariffs.
- Your product is something people tend to cut their spending on during tough financial times OR it's the kind of thing people buy through good times and bad.
- You have most of your eggs in one basket OR your revenue is spread across multiple products and sales channels.
If this year has been tough:
If you're struggling with tariffs, customers are cutting spending, and your eggs are in one basket, this is not the time to freeze; it's the time to pivot. What could you do differently? Since you're still here, you've been making good decisions but may have run into some bad luck. Did you see my email about scientific thinking for your business? What could you do next? Not everyone is going to make it through this year.
If this year has been good:
If tariffs haven't affected you, customers are still spending, and you have a healthy spread of sales channels, that is amazing. You've been running your business well, got a bit lucky, and have a strong foundation to make it through tough times. Now is not the time to pause; it's time to double down on what's working. You're going to lose some of your competition this year.
In either case:
Increased margins from selling directly to consumers make your retail website more important than ever. If you need to raise prices, you must tell your brand story and develop a deeper connection with customers who aren't bargain shopping. We aim to support you through these challenging economic times, helping you emerge as an essential customer favorite.
This is a good year to ensure that your branding is polished and professional and that your website is up to date, working well, and selling your products and business strategically.
Some results from investing in your brand & site:
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During these difficult times for retail our DTC sales are up 8%, (due to our Aeolidia website) which I consider a WIN!
What I appreciated most about working with Aeolidia was your team’s ability to truly understand (and elevate!) our brand aesthetic. The visual cohesion across our website and product line has strengthened our brand identity. Plus, the website functions beautifully!
— Joanne Krueger, Little Apple Treats
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I wanted to share some YTD data; there's much improvement over the same period last year, and I definitely think it's due in part to my website improvements.
• Sales are up 108%
• AOV is up 30%
• Sessions over time up 92%
• Conversion rate is up 22%
• Newsletter revenue is up 472% 🤩
The website revamp both contributed to and synced nicely with recent publicity I got (a TV spot on a local affiliate), an uptick in my YouTube subscriber base, and introducing myself to a new market at Nash Yarn Fest. I can't thank Aeolidia enough.
— Paige Sato, m.a.b.e.l.
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My friends, even seeing flat sales is good in these troubling times, so an increase is a big deal. Congrats to m.a.b.e.l. and Little Apple Treats! Neither of these shop owners is a venture-backed startup or a huge enterprise. My team at Aeolidia can do a lot to help small and sturdy businesses stay strong and grow.
I hope you'll reach out if you're curious how my team can help, or if there's a question you always wanted to ask me. Reply to any of my newsletters and you'll be a VIP in my inbox. What's on your mind for your business this year?
