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Dear Amy: I’m a business enterprise owner with a modest retail retailer positioned in an affluent neighborhood. We rent our space, and our employees contains family members members who operate for free of charge so that we can maintain the doors open. The shop is a labor of like, and it is a gathering location for neighborhood members. That stated, business enterprise is really slow, and we are struggling.
The covid years saw our total shutdown (according to state mandates) and business enterprise at a total standstill. The vacationers who employed to be our most important guests/purchasers have not returned considering that covid.
We are continually getting approached by regional firms and nonprofits hunting for donations and sponsorships. These consist of schools asking for donations to raffles, museums asking for 3-figure donations to their fundraisers, nonprofits raising funds for excellent causes, regional theaters and newspapers asking us to obtain advertisements (“for only $275 a week”), and extra.
We have normally supported them when we could, like providing present certificates to our shop, but I’m overwhelmed now. Some days I’m picking out in between acquiring meals or gas for my automobile so I can drive to my other job.
Our business enterprise account is empty, and it is all I can do not to cry when asked for donations. They ask in telephone calls and then comply with up in individual and through emails, copying other individuals on these emails, which tends to make it appear like we’re an uncharitable business enterprise.
Some of the askers even make a comment that we’re in “this town” so hence ought to have the funds and indicates to donate. How do I respond to these folks? I was normally taught to “never complain, never ever clarify,” and I do not know how to inform them that I’d like to donate but we basically can’t.
Our hope is to maintain our retailer going for a couple of extra years as our business enterprise recovers from the pandemic, but I’m also afraid we’re going to shed respect from neighborhood members who feel we are closefisted and uncharitable. Your suggestions?
Worried: My suggestions is to craft a easy, sincere and polite written response: “As our business enterprise continues to recover right after our lengthy closure through the pandemic, we come across ourselves unable to donate to your really worthy result in. We hope to see you in the shop really quickly.”
I hope that your fears regarding your reputation are an exaggerated response to your affluent surroundings. You need to assume that other regional family members-run firms are stretched, also. (Connecting with other individuals in a regional modest-business enterprise networking association may possibly enable you to see that you are not alone.)
Don’t forget that the folks producing these requests almost certainly do not recognize that theirs is the fifth “ask” you have received this week. A swift, respectful and definitive “Sorry — we’re stretched tight, so not this year” need to send them on their way.
Hang in there. You are not alone.
Dear Amy: I reside with my daughter and son-in-law in my personal private quarters, which I paid for them to create. My region covers about a single-third of the residence.
I attempt to give them their space and reside independently in my unit, which is attached by a hallway to their two-story residence. We are a loving family members, and I have a ideal son-in-law.
I stated that I’d spend a single-third of the utilities, which contains heat, air conditioning and garbage pickup. I’m retired and living on Social Safety. They are complete-time, profitable business enterprise folks.
My daughter thinks I need to spend for half the utilities. Granted, I do not endure, and use the heat and air for my comfort. Old folks do not like to shiver all winter or sweat all summer time. Is it equitable to split the expenses 50/50, or need to we spend according to our earning energy?
Cool Buyer: No, it does not appear equitable to split the expenses of these utilities 50/50. Nor does it appear equitable to spend for utilities primarily based on your earnings.
The apparent answer (to me) is for you to spend a single-third of the utilities, considering that you occupy a single-third of the space and are a single-third of the occupants. You may possibly appear into installing a door in between your unit and their residence (for power-conservation purposes), and maybe installing a separate meter for your unit.
Dear Amy: “Organizer with a Trouble” relayed intense aggravation more than how their “politically primarily based affinity group” had devolved into dysfunction. They require to use Robert’s Guidelines of Order: Make a motion, talk about, then vote. That’ll quit the minority from ruling the group.
Been There: I vote “aye!”
© 2023 by Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content material Agency.