This is the hardest episode I’ve written so far. A completely raw and open look at the mistakes I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned from being in business for 13 years. Being made to cry. The guy at the print shop did not appreciate being told he’d made a mistake. He got quite angry and made me feel small and inexperienced, like I didn’t know what I was doing. I went home and actually cried. I vowed never to cry in business again after that experience. Trying to appeal to ‘everyone’. It’s very easy to get sucked into the idea that to get more customers you need to appeal to more people. It’s actually the complete opposite. To get more customers you have to narrow down who you are appealing to.  Being able to adapt to new situations. The biggest lesson I learned was that to survive you have to be able to adapt. You have to be able to take a new set of circumstances and switch what you are doing around to make it work for you. Taking on projects you just don’t love. At one point I took on a side business. The products were all eco friendly and I loved using them. But I got it so wrong.  I want my customers to fall in love with my products so that they absolutely want to buy them. No matter how eco friendly someone is, they are never going to fall madly in love with cleaning spray. It’s just not going to happen. Employing staff and not being able to trust them. I also launched a cleaning company with my husband, Chunky. We thought we could create a great team of staff if we paid above the national living wage and treated them fairly. It went wrong when our cleaner was seen on CCTV sat outside the cafe drinking and smoking. Making people’s minds up for them. The pole dance community is quite a small one and so very tight and everyone seems to know everyone. I did wonder if they would accept me into their community. I use a wheelchair full time and so I’m certainly not a pole dancer. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The Prince's Trust (0:46)Being made to cry (1:08)Niching down Trying to appeal to ‘everyone’ (5:24)Being able to adapt to new situations (9:14)Taking on projects you just don’t love (13:16)Employing staff (15:20)Making people’s minds up for them (20:51)Where we are now (23:01)Pricing course and 1:1 (25:36)End of season 1 (26:09) Links and previous episodes mentioned in this episode: Some of these are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission if you purchase from them. You won’t pay any more, but you will be helping to support the podcast and keep it free for everyone. You can read more in my disclaimer here. Digital Playbook PDF ’10 Things you can do in your sewing business right now’ - https://www.pinkgiraffe.co.uk/shop/10-things/ How to price your custom costume for profit - https://www.pinkgiraffe.co.uk/courses/ Get updates from The Dance Makers’ Show Podcast - https://www.pinkgiraffe.co.uk/podcast-updates/ S1 E2 From hobby sewing to small business owner - https://www.pinkgiraffe.co.uk/s1e2/ S1 E3 5 Ways To Handle Customer Objections - https://www.pinkgiraffe.co.uk/s1e3/ S1 E110 Things to do in your sewing business while the world is in lockdown - https://www.pinkgiraffe.co.uk/s1e1/ Thank you for listening to season 1 of The Dance Costume Makers’ Show. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed making it for you.  Where you can find me Website – https://www.pinkgiraffe.co.uk FB Page – https://www.facebook.com/PinkGiraffe FB Group – Grow Your Dance Costume Business – https://www.facebook.com/groups/GrowYourDanceCostumeBusiness/ FB Group – The Sparkly Club – https://www.facebook.com/groups/sparklyclub/ Pinterest – https://uk.pinterest.com/PinkGiraffeUK Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/pinkgiraffeuk Twitter – https://twitter.com/PinkGiraffeCC YouTube – https://www.pinkgiraffepolewear.co.uk/YouTubeChannel LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicky-merrick-/