TIME TO SAY GOODBYE?

10 WHO WEARS THE PANTS?

Trouser suits are becoming main stream and acceptable – no longer will the bride’s great aunt keel over at the sight of her niece in trousers (in fact, one of the good things about the current situation is that as numbers are limited, you can be much more selective about who gets an invitation!). Most designers and manufacturers are producing cool jumpsuits and trouser suits – I loved this easy-to-wear one from Marylise, another favourite company of mine who have been working so hard to produce eco-friendly bridalwear. The joy of this trouser suit is that you could certainly wear it afterwards so although it’s white it’s green too!

Oh FYI, The dog enjoyed the shows too!

OLGA MACIA

MARYLISE

When It Is Time To Move On

Sue Lovell takes a long, hard look at the realities many businesses are forced to face as a result of the global pandemic, which has changed, irrevocably, the way we were

We have all been there, you a failure, it is just an acceptance running bare foot in the that two people want different things. rain after someone who No one is ever wrong for wanting just didn’t want to be in something different, but how we go the relationship any longer. Promising about getting it, or the timing of when you will change, that you will do we share that information – that may things differently, may buy you some be the questionable part. time, but often it just prolongs the Ultimately, a sad situation will not heartache and delays the inevitable. define you, it is how you deal with it

Surprisingly, begging someone not that will. We are more than who we to leave you at 2am, in the street, in the once loved, and where we work. We puddles, in the dark, rarely changes are much bigger than that. I believe anything, nor will it feature in your that what defines us is our strength to top ten finest moments. But perhaps find a way through a tough situation, when you look back, it will feature in not to just lie there, in the rain, sobbing your top 10 life-changing events – about things you can’t change, but to ones that seemed unbearable at the get up, get dry and move on. time, but you later learned to value Sadly, in these testing times, many the experience, as it put you on the small business owners will be facing right path. Regardless of how you the equivalent of a break-up. Maybe remember the break-up, one thing is the decision is yours to make: fight for sure… you got over it. or flight, borrow a bit, invest in more

A failed relationship doesn’t make marketing, try a different angle, or look

at other opportunities. Or perhaps the decision has been made for you and is out of your hands so that you just need to take the next steps.

Across the UK, many people will be going to bed tonight dreading waking up tomorrow. Their sleepless night will be filled with worries and woes that are too painful to share and too personal to vocalise to others. The knowledge that the business they fought hard to start, have heavily invested in – both in terms of emotional and financial commitments – the project that was fuelled with passion, excellence and pride is suddenly faltering.

Admitting that the business you love, which you identify with, is no longer working for you, but is draining you and sucking at your soul is a tough conversation to have with yourself. But it is a good place to start.

Be honest with yourself. It is harder 1 Get financial advice Speak to 6 Do not take in deposits when than it sounds, getting to that genuine your accountant to get an overall, you know you cannot honour the moment of truth, but once there, the independent view. Can you close agreement, especially cash or healing and the progress to the next without any debt, or should you bank transfers. There is a fine line chapter of your life starts. You may employ an insolvency practitioner? between trying to turn things around identify with your business, but it isn’t Can you get the funds to start the and deceit. the sum of you: you are so much more. insolvency process? Realistically, 7 Are you able to find a buyer for

The dynamics and the can you trade out of it in time? your business? Be realistic with your circumstances have changed for 2 Speak to your landlord if you have valuation. A business in trouble is not everyone this year – and it really isn’t one. Do you have a break clause? an attractive proposition, but it may a case of “it’s not you, it’s me” – the Can you assign the lease? If you own be an option for someone to take blame 100% can be put at the door of the building, can you sell it, or would over the lease, purchase your stock Covid; the circumstances the virus has finding a tenant bring you in enough at a sensible price, freeing you of created, are beyond our control. What income to cover the costs? your ongoing commitments, whilst matters now is not how loudly we 3 Speak to your suppliers Let them giving them an established platform scream at how unfair it all is – we are know you won’t be buying a new to start from and build on. allowed those moments of grief – but sample collection for the moment; 8 Be kind to yourself Mental health that doesn’t get you off the road and there is no point in placing big orders issues are very much at the forefront out of the rain. when you know you can’t honour during this pandemic. None of

No one wakes up on Monday them. Let them know your priority is us know what others are facing. morning and realises that today is the honouring customer orders first and Closing a business can have a huge day they go out of business. It doesn’t foremost, and that your intention is to impact on our wellbeing; personal come out of the blue; the signs have manage your ongoing commitments attacks and a rush to judgement been there for a while, bubbling in to them honourably and to relook at doesn’t help anyone. Business is the background. You’ve ignored it, or the situation at a later date. just that: a series of transactions and made fantastic plans to avoid it, to turn 4 Look at your forward order book paperwork. Any business venture things around. Fingers are crossed, Your focus should be on getting in has the opportunity to rise and prayers are said and positivity mantras dresses to fulfil your orders. Your to fall, but remember whilst any are recited, but if all efforts have failed supplier may not be keen to help company can fold, people just bend. in finding a positive, solvent outcome, you with individual orders, but there We do get up again. then the decision has to be made. This are plenty of other people who is no longer working for you, and you know that the integrity of the bridal The economic impact Covid-19 deserve more. So now what? industry depends on brides not has had on the UK cannot be

Think about it: is this a rough patch? being let down. Don’t be afraid to underestimated, and there is no doubt Can you survive it and do you want to, reach out to others in the industry that times may get tougher. But the or do you want to wake up tomorrow who you can trust. You already important thing is to remain positive, and this to all be over? You know deep know who they are. At a time when and even in the face of a closure, in yourself what the answer is… follow wedding insurance is not a given, walking away from what you know as your instinct. A business is a life choice, and brides have already suffered a great love in your life, doesn’t have to not a life sentence, and certainly not enough turmoil, getting their gown be a negative. one that takes us to the brink. to them before possible closure I have called a number of people

If you know you need to start should be a priority. It isn’t always recently who have closed their preparing for closure, then start now, possible, but often there will be bridal businesses in the past 18 don’t leave it until it is out of your a way, if you ask the right people. months. Some employed insolvency hands. The more control you have over A bad closure has far reaching practitioners and found that to be a how you exit the business, the better consequences for the entire quicker, cleaner break; some closed place you will find yourself when it is industry; a managed, controlled their shop, but behind the scenes all over. one affords some level of trust and fulfilled outstanding orders, sourcing

Just because you start putting integrity for everyone. dresses with the help of industry plans in place, doesn’t mean it is 5 Sell from stock Stop taking in friends, and paid off outstanding debts inevitable, you are allowed to change orders until you are 100% sure you with personal finances. It may have course if the situation improves. will continue. If you have staff, let taken time, but they did it. Regardless The important thing is that you have them know you are wanting to of how they closed, they moved on, a strategy, so you can be in a position liquidate stock. Always take credit taking the happier memories with of clarity when the final decision is card payment, never take cash if you them, and leaving the negative ones made. know you may not fulfil the order. out in the rain, where they belong.