Time flies, doesn't it? It's hard to believe that it's almost June, and we've been running our small family business for ten years already. With a growing family and always something on our plate, we've mastered the art of juggling it all and keeping our priorities straight- family, marriage, and our business. We've learned so much over the past decade and have come out even stronger. Get ready to learn from our experience and discover our secrets to success.
Our days are long and sometimes feel never-ending. Even though our official shop hours are from 12-5 pm on weekdays and 10-5 pm on Saturdays, our days start at dawn and end way past dusk. But we can't complain because we absolutely love what we do and the lifestyle it has given us. Our mornings are packed with taking care of the kids and animals, managing our online presence, and even going on local picks before our doors open.
Once we're in the store, our main focus is serving our customers. We love creating a positive experience for everyone who walks through our doors. We also spend our time organizing and cleaning, displaying new inventory, and creating fun social media posts. There's always something that needs to be done, but we wouldn't have it any other way.
Adapting to change is key to our success. Whether it's starting or being at the beginning of trends or selling in different marketplaces, such as our website, Etsy, eBay, Mercari, and social media. We keep a close eye on current trends and the needs and wants of our customers. Social media is constantly evolving, so we're always learning something new. However, word of mouth and online engagement through liking and sharing our posts have been a significant factor in helping us and our vendors thrive.
Being a family business presents its own challenges, but it also presents some distinct benefits. And yes, James and I have our days where we tell the other they need to go work at home for the day. LOL We're all in this together, and we help each other out whenever we can. We've learned to communicate openly and honestly, and that has helped us maintain our strong family bond. Regular time away keeps our relationship strong, even if it's just hanging out on our front porch. It's important to take time for each other and keep the love alive amongst all the hustle and bustle.
We've learned to be intentional about our priorities. Our family comes first, followed by our business. We structure our work schedule around our family's needs, making sure to spend as much quality time as possible with them. We work hard to create a healthy work-life balance and instill those same values in our kids.
After ten years in business, we've learned a lot, but most importantly, we've learned to put family first. We've adapted to change, made the most of social media, and kept our focus on creating a positive customer experience. It hasn't always been easy, but with our strong family bond and love for what we do, we've come out even stronger. We hope our experience has given insight into what it takes to achieve success while keeping your priorities straight. Remember to focus on what's most important in life, and success will follow.