In the last days, many newspapers have published article regarding the synchronized growth of the world economy. Without any doubt we could come to believe that the daily economic situation of the people around the world is improving. So how come the majority of the population in the western world do not feel that way?
I’m operating retail stores in Europe for many years, at the moment in Barcelona. My occupation is categories as a small family business, which for many years allow me to live respectfully and proudly. Reading those newspapers surprised me and made me feel a bit uncomfortable, as the reality around me do not reflect in any way those publications. For the sake of checking my sanity and make sure I didn’t lose my business professionality, I called a few of my friends around Europe that are occupying themselves in business to ask about their reality.
I shared with them that the last year (2017), was one of the hardest years of retail I ever had. That the amount of taxes that I’m paying comparing to my sales cycle are growing and suffocating my capacity to pay respectful salaries to my employees and to maintain a business in general. I spoke with them openly about the bad feeling in the streets and the amount of small businesses that are closing around due to lack of sales. And ask them if the same is happening around them.
The reaction of all of them was the same. The retail market is suffering everywhere in Europe. The last summer was the weakest in years, Xmas was hardly felt. the capacity of small retailer to maintain a dissent income is diminishing and their team of employees has been cut by 50%-100%. Some of them has closed their store and joined the employment pool for the first time in their life.
Such a gap between media publication and actual life is normally a symptom of a sick society.
How do you perceive it in your life? Share your opinion and make it count.
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