Have you ever had a friend look at a business and randomly throw out numbers that made it seem like that business owner must be making serious bank? We’ve experienced that many times, and know from conversations with operators and owners in those industries that their real profitability is often far, far less. The reason is often that there are unique challenges to profitability in almost every industry and so we wanted to create a space for entrepreneurs from across industries and markets to discuss the challenges to profitability in their industries.

Clarissa Keller

The biggest challenge would be consistent volume. There have been many times where Social Stir Bartending has been booked and unable to take on additional bookings, and there have been moments where we have struggled to find viable leads. I’ve worked in sales, so I understand that is the risk we take in this field. Low volume can affect the survival of the business. Another challenge to the field is the lack of knowledge on the benefits of hiring a bartender and or full bartending services. There is a misconception that we’re just there to pour, when in fact, it takes a great deal of preparation and skill to bartend an event, no matter the size. Read more>>

Ian Mccall

Cash flow, labor and food costs are, ultimately, the greatest obstacles to profitability in my chosen business. Honestly, I underestimated their overall impact as a first-time business owner and am paying dearly for it, almost 9 months in. We opened our brewpub in December 2023. Not the most optimal time for beer drinking, but I knew we had to open our doors as quickly as possible and start turning malt and hops into cash. At the same time, I made an overly confident and fool-hardy decision to take on the restaurant ourselves, to bring in a chef, and to go all in. I don’t regret those decisions, but I now see the error of my ways. It’s hard enough to turn a profit in the beer industry, let alone a restaurant, but I felt I had the brewing aspect under control with years of experience and a clear plan for a path to success. Read more>>

Bethany Meyer

There are so many small skincare companies out there. I spent a large chunk of time not building a business and selling my skincare products because I thought that there were too many and the competition would be way too difficult. If you look on Etsy and type in “natural skincare” you will be bombarded with 1,000+ results. Frankly it’s overwhelming for a person looking to purchase skincare or looking to try a new line of skincare. Basically the biggest challenge to profitability I think is the competition. Read more>>

Clayton Felman

One of the biggest challenges to profitability in contracting is the unpredictable nature of the work. Unexpected issues can arise at any time, whether it’s hidden damage in a building or a sudden increase in the cost of materials. I remember one project where we discovered significant structural problems that hadn’t been identified during the initial inspection. Fixing these problems was essential, but it also meant that the budget and schedule were stretched. Balancing the need to do the job right with the financial realities is a constant challenge in this industry. Read more>>