This morning I caught up with my business partner as we are both trying to gauge what to do next. We bounce off ideas and see what sticks agreeing on a way forward. For now nothing is going to stick as unfortunately there is no raw material available. This has set us back by nearly 2 weeks and what we have left is for our preferred clientele only. Every other manufacturer must be in the same boat so this we can live with for now.
We are all in these bloody bubbles again as things are fairly serious this time around and don't kid yourself. My business partner has lost 7 people since Christmas those being family and friends. I have lost two acquaintances who I would have thought could beat this virus. Things are bad out there and government has contacted all businesses ordering the bubbles be put in place.
Our factory doesn't have loads of employees but they do travel from other regions so they have all been sent home. We expect this to continue for the remainder of January and if I need to help out by driving down for a few days to help run the machines in the factory I will not hesitate. Now is about making things work and nothing else.
The company email has been down as it was compromised late last year and the service provider has been building a new firewall. This should be back tonight or tomorrow at the latest and I am keen to see if there are any orders that need processing and catching up with clients. I hate having gaps of silence as communication is everything today.
Plans for this year are nothing special as we have to coventrate on what we can do to add to the business whilst keeping what we have already. I don't see much movement over the month of January as suppliers will not change right now with so much uncertainty. This was expected and why February was such a big month yet that now looks like that could become March.
We have managed our overheads very well as we haven't paid ourselves for just on 1 year now and this is the way it has to be. All good things come to those that wait is what I keep telling myself and the waiting continues. We are hoping it squeezes our competitors to breaking point as they must be on their final legs right now. Sitting it out could actually be growing our business without us even knowing it and something that has crossed my mind. The fringe businesses would have folded already leaving only the core behind.
Many see this as doom and gloom yet I am still smiling as in a sick world the harder this gets the easier it becomes for businesses like ours. We don't need staff and can literally do this with just the two of us if we have to and it may come to that. The bigger companies cannot compete on what we have and will be in financial turmoil especially with no raw materials available. Lets hope the suppliers take another few weeks to deliver those squeezing everyone even more.
Not nice I know but I have become slightly warped in how I think as I have to think of myself first as the other businesses in our sector are more crooked than legit. The more that disappear the more legitimate it can become as more companies will call on our services.
