I own a hair salon. Typically, November is my busiest season. It has been SO quiet. A lot of my colleagues are also saying the same thing and have had to close up shop because of it - or get a second job.

People keep saying it will get better and the economy will bounce back but I don’t know. I am so close from just throwing in the towel, closing up shop and getting a corporate gig.

  • peanutym@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Run an IT business. Best year ive ever had. Sorry to hear so many in this thread are struggling. i hope it gets better.

  • PositiveSpare8341@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I’m pretty much restructuring my business right now to accommodate the changing economy. My market is probably stronger than many, but things aren’t normal right now.

  • lmaccaro@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    One of my businesses had its best summer ever. November has been uncharacteristically slow.

    Other business is having its best November ever.

  • Jeeze_burger@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I’ve been a stylist for 10+ years and this is the slowest I’ve been during the holidays. Ever. Other stylists are saying the same thing, prebooked appts are late rescheduling or no call no show, then the card on file is expired when you go to charge the fee.

    People are spacing out their appts more, starting to feel like 2008 all over again. I bought reusable gloves and foil from Costco, gunna hit Instagram harder and hope for more new clients. I’m blaming student loans cause this all started in September.

  • sofa_king_weetawded@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Home designer here. In normal times, 80% of my biz is new construction. That has now flipped as 80% of my business is now remodel work. I think even that will probably drop off greatly in 2024.

    Welp, time to hone my craft. 2008 was an insanely scary time that saw most of my competitors lose everything. I barely hung on, but also used that time to get better and market myself. It paid off huge dividends in the years after. I will do the same now, although I am 50 years old now and not as energetic as I once was LOL.

  • vulcangod08@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I am in packaging and its slowing. We make corrugated boxes and sell other shipping supplies plus do 3PL. Picked up some business because suppliers have gone under.

    I have been in business since 1968 so we have weathered it before and will again. Just grind it out longer than the competition is about all you can do.

  • arowz1@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I’m an office worker and major consumer of goods and services. There’s been little to no office work, so I am putting off hair cuts, eating out, buying new toys and vacations while I figure out of lay offs are coming.

  • cynthiachan333@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Yeah this is a rough year. After all that free money that was spent in 2022 people are not spendind at all in 2023

  • zdravkov321@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I keep reading posts like this and yet every store I go to is mobbed and busy as hell. Is all business just funneled to large companies and small businesses are squeezed out?

  • Pernicious-Peach@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    My partner usually goes to the salon once every couple months. When student loans started back up, the salon, movie, dinner night out and entertainment budget dried up with it.