Keep your cool and follow these tips on how to handle them

Being the owner of a small Business has its advantages. You can decide what hours you’re open, who to hire, and pretty much every other important aspect of your company—after all, you’re the boss. But this means you have a huge amount of responsibility, and in the summer, when it seems like everyone else in the world is taking vacations (and you’re not), it can be a total bummer. Let’s face it—summertime, supposedly one of the most carefree times of year, can cause small business owners a lot of stress. Here are some concerns you can totally relate to:

1. You can’t take a vacation—but you really need one

How many years has it been since you’ve taken a vacation? Not just a day off on a long weekend, but a real vacation? If you can’t remember, I bet it was before you opened your business. The reality for many small business owners is that a vacation doesn’t exist—it’s more like a fantasy. Because if you took one, you’d either have to close up shop while you’re gone and lose loads of business or you’d have to trust the company to someone else. Just thinking about that may even give you the shivers. But while it may not be easy, the truth is, everyone, even the head honcho, needs a break now and then, and if you plan ahead and take the right steps, it’s not impossible.

2. Your employees want to take vacations

What’s worse than not getting to pack your bags and head off on a week-long vacation to the mountains? How about the fact that your employees want to do just that—and you have to let them. Well, you don’t have to, but what kind of boss would you be if you said no? Summer is one of the most popular times of year for families to take vacations so it only makes sense that members of your team will ask for time off. This is a real challenge if you have a small crew and not many of them are cross-trained.

3. Business cools off

Some organizations do all their business in the summer, like that guy on the corner of the highway who sells fireworks for 4th of July, or the surf shop near the beach. But for many small businesses, especially those in areas where there are a lot of snow birds, summer means less traffic and very long, slow days. And while this may help you with taking that vacation you really need, it won’t help keep the cash flowing or pay your bills.

4. Business heats up

It all depends on what industry you’re in, but for many small businesses, summertime draws in more customers than other times of the year, which translates into the need to hire more people. Seasonal help is often the solution and comes with its own unique set of challenges, not the least of which is training them early so they’re up and ready when the traffic increases.

5. Weather

Wherever your business is, when summer hits, the weather changes—and often drastically from all the other seasons. In Florida, small business owners have to contend with frequent thunderstorms, tropical systems, and possible hurricanes, and with that, the risk of damage to their business and their property. In other states, excessive heat can be a serious challenge, especially to those who operate outdoors (like golf courses, outdoor amusement parks, and construction firms).

Make sure you are ready

While all of these challenges are real, there are solutions that can make summertime easier and less stressful. From making sure you’ve trained a capable employee to take over so you can take a vacation, to hiring seasonal help and being prepared for the changes in weather. An important thing to keep in mind is that with the right business insurance, you’ll be covered for seasonal slumps (interruption in business), liability (for all your employees, even the seasonal ones), and potential damage from a major storm (commercial property).

The other good news is that at Avante, we can help you with all of these insurance solutions and any other products you need to keep your business running smoothly—all year long. So give us a call at 305-648-7070 and then go enjoy a s’more, you’ve earned it.

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