Closing Down A Business

5/4/2014

You drive by businesses and see the banners across the front of the store "going out of business", or you happen to see one of your favorite haunts closed and locked up.  I used to see those signs at wondered what had happened to the store.  Too few sales?  Rent too high?  Couldn't quite make the dream happen?

For years Jeff and I and our oldest son, had a thriving mobile battery business and employed 14 drivers and had almost as many vehicles.  We rented a warehouse space, which unfortunately, has a long term lease.  It never entered our mind at the time that we as a family owned business, wouldn't be able to go the long haul.

And for a time we were successful, at least in terms of a small business.  When our son walked away from the business, leaving us with no income, we had to close our doors.  We learned very quickly that closing down a business isn't an easy or fast process.  It's been over a year and just this weekend, removed the last of the contents from the warehouse.  

There is as much paperwork involved in closing a business, as there is in setting one up.  One big difference is that when you're starting a business, you're optimistic and believe that you can be successful.  When you close a business, even if you were successful for a time, by the closing of the doors, you impact the people that worked for you, and you also know that your vision of running that business, is ending.

So when you notice a business closing down, even if it's a franchised business, know that somebody's dream is closing down too.  I used to give little regard or thought to those signs strung up along a storefront, now I can relate and think about the people, who couldn't quite make their dream happen.

P