Struggling with bitachon re business income

amother

Tue, Feb 11 2014, 4:01 pm

For the past 2-3 years, I built a business that started off struggling, but did well over the last half year or so. Suddenly over the last few weeks, it declined significantly and I'm struggling to pay my bills. I'm not sure but it may be due to a recent negative online comment from an angry customer. Anyway, I'm now struggling financially again like I did at the beginning of building this, and I feel so sad and desperate. (Half the pain is from the financial struggle, the other half is feeling abandoned by Hashem whose help I rely on to support my family!)

I keep going back and forth about how to deal with this nisayon. There are things I can do - using time and money I don't have - to try to get my business back up to previous levels. There's also the other route, working on my bitachon to accept that whatever is bashert for me to earn this month is what I'll earn and there's nothing I can do to change that. Or maybe this is a nisayon in some way - such as to remain cheerful and upbeat despite being broke?

Any words of hashkafa/comfort/advice?

curlyhead

Tue, Feb 11 2014, 6:28 pm

if it is your own website you should be able to remove the comment or if it is another website maybe you can see if you can get the comment removed.

Could you get customers and friends to write positive comments. If there is a lot of positive and only one negative people will look aside at the negative comment.

If you have less businesses you probobly have more time. Use this time to find ways of bringing in new customers by doing some more advertising and promoting of your business and in a place or way which you have not done before.

TwinsMommy

Tue, Feb 11 2014, 7:22 pm

one negative online comment is unlikely to be so devastating to the bottom line..... but is this a very local/ word of mouth business such as a shaitel macher? or a very national or international business such as ebay sales? If it's a local/ word of mouth business you'd want to respond one way (make a huge deal out of making that client happy again) and if it's another type of business you'd want to respond another way, putting your eggs in other baskets and not worrying so much about one client..... do you have REPEAT clients or are your clients one time clients? Is it a service business or a product business? Where are you located and are your clients local or not? Are you mostly online or mostly offline? Maybe we can help you brainstorm.

As far as investing more money or more time, that's ALWAYS the case that you'll be investing in your business each and every day--- sometimes you won't have the time and will need to spend and sometimes you won't have the money and will need to put more effort. When you're not seeing the income you're used to it's frustrating. I used to be in the top 2% of my primary direct sales company. I stepped down out of my leadership position by choice because of my kids' special needs--- I'm glad I did and now I have the flexibility to work other businesses and volunteer in their schools and take them to plenty of appointments, but I'm missing the income I once had...... I used to invest $$$ without a second thought because I would easily see the income coming right back in. Right now I'm more careful about trimming down my preferred customer list and following up with specific people who spend $$$, etc. At this point, spend the time. When you're on top again, you'll be able to invest more $$$ in advertising and keep momentum going.

MaBelleVie

Tue, Feb 11 2014, 7:54 pm

I think you're on the right track in recognizing that parnassah is determined solely by Hashem Smile

So number one would be to daven to Him and demonstrate through your actions that you believe He can and will provide for all your needs. It sounds as though you are putting in your hishtadlus as well.

Hugs- I know how stressful it is to have your parnassah up in the air all the time. Try to see the beauty in your close relationship and reliance on Hashem to provide for you. I hope you make it through strong!

amother

Tue, Feb 11 2014, 9:28 pm

OP here
Its a national service business. We do have good reviews - about 30 positive and 3 negative, 2 of which are about a year old, the other is recent. Other then that, the SEO is performing well, we used to get a lot of repeat business.....I just can't figure out why it's so quiet lately - fewer and smaller orders then the previous months. It's not a seasonal business at all.

So it must mean it's just bashert for me to struggle now.

If so, should I spend money that I need for household use, and time I really need to give to my kids - to try to improve what's bashert to remain slow?

It's frustrating. The concept of bitachon is on the one hand calming and liberating, OTOH it feels like my hands are being tied behind my back.

amother

Tue, Feb 11 2014, 9:52 pm

I am curious what you sell online. I also have an online business that has been doing very poorly the last year. Do you come up when people do a google search? I always said that I wished I had more time for my family. Now I have the time but I realize that we cannot live with money coming in - so I am not relaxed at all. It is so, so hard ... harder than I ever imagined it would be. I am not able to invest to grow my business now. It is sad, since I have done very well at times but now I'm thinking of selling the business. The thought of receiving a nice chunk of money for the sale is reassuring now.

I heard a shiur given by a sick woman recently. She said that when something challenging happens we can have 2 different approaches. One approach is to say to Hashem "Hashem, how could you... goodbye for now" and she said she will not judge anyone who takes that approach. The other approach is to say "Hashem, this is from you .. I feel close to you now ... You made this happen to me and I will figure out what You want me to do". Right now I am taking the 2nd approach ...there are no overnight answers but I know Hashem ultimately knows what is good for me and I will keep turning to Him.

I hope things work out for you soon.