Bring it on! Are you wondering what 2022 is going to be like? Are you worrying about coping when the tsunami of fittings happens this spring/summer? You’re not alone, says Ellie Sanderson, who is in planning mode financially achieve in 2022 and we will numbers for May, June and July 2022. need to plan our cash flow wisely. Unquestionably, there will be a ceiling Our turnover ceiling will be capped in 2022 and so it is a year to make sure on a number of levels: that you don’t commit financially to • We will see wedding venues hit things you can’t unpick. Keep your capacity, and many have reported that business nimble in terms of costs, and they are already fully booked for next always remain flexible. year. Clearly, this will force the newly engaged couples into 2023. But the Think about this ceiling is there for 2022. Our current state of over-trading is not • Our supply chain will hit capacity sustainable, and I believe the factors levels and have serious struggles to listed above, which are largely outside fulfill orders. Many suppliers have our businesses, will cap our turnover. already removed “rush order options”, However, brides that cannot fit into with others unable to produce in 2022 will be spread into 2023. All in under six months. This is particularly all, we will be looking at 24 months of noticeable in the luxury end of the good trade, but careful planning of our cashflow is crucial. t’s fair to say most retailers I speak market, but not exclusive as many Now is the time for strategising, and to feel the same way. We have just manufacturers are having the same creating a plan for 2022/23. been through two years of massive issues. ➢• Registrars across the UK are I am drafting up my battle plan this uncertainty. reporting that they are fully booked week as I want to make sure everyone We’ve not known if we are coming on my payroll or going during this time. We have had at the weekends for 2022 and now some strong months, some average I firmly believe that there is engaged in it only able to take and accountable months, and some months when we is a ceiling on what we can for it. I have my weekday bookings were running to keep up with sales for the year; this, too, ‘planning and fittings. We have had to change financially achieve in 2022, annual will put a cap on the day’ with my direction, shift priorities, recruit and number of weddings train new people – frankly I feel and we will need to plan team booked in for 12 months ahead. for the second stressed just typing that. our cash flow wisely. week in January But, we can’t complain. Busy shops ➢• Photographers and when everyone are what we all hoped for this time last florists are booked is fresh and open to new ideas. year, and busy shops are what we had up for 2022 already, as are hair and One very important part of my right up until we closed for Christmas. makeup artists, and bands. A chunk of their business is rescheduled from battle plan is self-care. Frankly, we all deserve a huge pat on 2020/2021 into 2022, again creating a Maintaining a work/life balance the back for surviving 2021. cap on what they can offer. is not easy. You don’t always have So, onwards we march into 2022, someone to hand over to, and it’s so which I believe will be a solid year for • Independent seamstresses have started to hit capacity levels as easy to bring work home and just keep us all. However, I also firmly believe most of us are looking at enormous going, but if we are to survive we must that there is a ceiling on what we can
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