By Cynthia and Ron
Another year as an independent business has quickly gone by. Retail wasn’t initially on our life’s agenda, but as we transitioned into post-corporate life, the idea of opening a shop on a Bath high street emerged as the perfect avenue to connect with people, integrate into the community, and infuse a sense of joy into our entrepreneurial journey.
Reflecting on our past corporate experiences, we recall the annual ritual of presenting our year in numbers to the leadership team. Despite its initial drudgery, the exercise proved to be insightful. Determining which numbers to report spoke volumes about our values. As expected, our company prioritised cash, profits, and revenue… not atypical of an A-listed multinational company.
Closer to home in our own venture, however, we’ve embraced a more meaningful approach to reporting numbers. Our focus has shifted towards metrics that resonate with our personal mission in this season of our lives.
So here is our year in numbers:
• 250 litres of water for our dog bowls
• 9 kg of dog biscuits distributed
• 255 restaurant bookings made for Bath visitors
• 293 cups of coffee served to visitors and friends
• 258 tourist maps distributed
• 447 Bath food guides issued to new residents and tourists
• 8 part-time staff
• 28 home trials for local home owners
• 53 personal deliveries to visitors at local hotels
Oh, and a few too many glasses of wine shared.
In the age of impersonal online shopping, going back to good old shopkeeping has been rewarding. We’ve been heartened by numerous positive comments from those who have missed the experience of buying from a physical shop with personalised service.
We are excited about continuing our contribution to our wonderful local community by doing more of the same in the year ahead.