gillybob
Hi Robert. My husband and I have had our own business for around 20 years. Recently due to economic downturn (and successive governments not supporting small manufacturing businesses ) things have gotten so bad that we no longer have a life outside of work. We are both either at work (at work) or at work (at home) if you understand what I mean. We are struggling financially and have quite literally put everything we have into keeping going as we have people relying on us for their jobs. I really miss having a "life" and a weekend away or dare I say a holiday would be impossible. How can we get our life back? Do you make sure people fully understand the serious pitfalls of running their own business before they go into it? I would seriously never encourage my children to have their own businesses and given how they see us I doubt by ever will. Sorry I know this thread was about starting a business but I thought it was relevant to point out that it isn't always a bed of roses.
Clearly, I don't know the specific circumstances about your business. But as a rule of thumb, when times get tough, the people who make hard decisions quickly and without regret are those that survive the turbulence.
I also believe that a business is like a human being. It is born, it grows, it learns, it matures and in time, inevitably, either reinvents, merges with another or simply dies.