Recently, we’ve been going through a few changes in our business, some pleasant, some, shall we say not so pleasant. As a small business and talking to other retailers i realise that we are not alone in some of the dramas that befall us.

One of the biggest hurdles to get over is staff leaving (or being asked to leave) In a small business where everyone knows everything about everyone, and emotions can run high, its easy to get caught up in all the emotion.

But what if its all a story? The story of your business ! What kind of story would it be? Is it an epic drama, with lots of adventure, or a fireside ramble through familiar territory. A cookbook or a thriller? Is there espionage and a plucky heroine?

When staff leave us, its easy to be upset about it, but what if we chose to see it as the close of a chapter, or a space for some new narrators to come in. After all no-one is irreplaceable, people will come and people will go and that’s the long and short of it… But if you were to choose what kind of story would you choose.

Sometimes its not whats happening to us thats important, its what we make it mean, and standing back and seeing it as all a chapter in the story might make it a bit less personal…?

So, Chapter one, the beginning, high hopes, new shopfittings and excitement.

Chapter two, settling in, slight change in direction, taking on staff

Chapter three, the website adventure

Chapter four, getting down and dirty with social media…

I leave the rest up to you… I’d like to think of my shops as an adventure story, complete with choppy waters to overcome (rise in rent and rates, and some shoplifters for good measure) a villain or two (I’m undecided on them as yet) a quest and a community to welcome us back….

As John Lennon said, “you may say I’m a dreamer….” but it beats the heck out of sitting back and feeling sorry for yourself, and if life really is what we make it, then we might as well make it a fun adventure….

Now I only need to convince my staff …….