Well... That Didn't Last Long

So, it would appear I may have spoken too soon last week.

Remember my lovely blog about how relaxed I was after my holiday?

How I was worried my cortisol levels had dropped so low that I could no longer think of anything to rant about?

How I wondered if my grumpy, ratty old lady personality would ever return?

Well...

Good news.

She's back.

And she's not happy.

Now this might be a good thing for some of you because I know how much you enjoy my rant blogs. You tell me every time you come into the clinic.

"Love your blogs!"

"They make me laugh!"

"Can't wait for the next one!"

And yet strangely...

None of you seem capable of actually commenting on them.

Funny that.

As I write this, I can almost see a few eye rolls and hear some of you saying:

"Oh no... what's happened now?"

Settle in.

It's been a week.

The Credit Card Points Incident

The first incident involved a client who came in for treatment and announced she needed to stock up on products.

Excellent.

We selected everything she needed and headed to the till.

Then came the question.

“Can I pay for them next week? I want to use a new credit card because I’ll get points and it seems a shame not to take advantage.”

Now here’s where Holiday Alison made a brief but disastrous appearance.

Instead of my normal business-owner brain kicking in and saying, “No, products leave the clinic when they’ve been paid for,” my relaxed holiday brain somehow thought this seemed perfectly reasonable.

So I said yes.

And let her take the products.

The products.

That had not been paid for.

It wasn’t until later that evening that my normal personality returned and shouted:

“WTAF HAVE YOU JUST DONE?”

Who exactly benefited from this arrangement?

Certainly not me.

I now have to chase payment.

My accounts are now messier.

My monthly figures are wrong.

My yearly figures are affected.

And apparently I've started running a credit facility despite never agreeing to run a credit facility.

The funny thing is, I wasn’t actually annoyed with the client. Well I was little because

the assumption that her reward points were somehow more important than my business.

Because let's turn the tables.

Imagine her employer said:

"We'll pay you next week instead because we'd like to keep the money in our account a little longer and earn some interest."

Would that be acceptable?

I somehow doubt it.

But I was more annoyed with myself.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned from running a business, it’s that every time I ignore my own policies, I end up creating work for myself.

And that’s exactly what happened.

Suddenly I had reminders in my diary to check whether payment had arrived.

Reminders in my booking system.

Mental reminders.

Menopausal-brain reminders.

The sort of reminders that wake you up at 3am and make you think:

“Did that payment come through?”

“Have I checked the bank account?”

“What if I forget to check?”

“Did I put a reminder in to remind myself about the reminder?”

The actual amount of money wasn’t really the issue.

The issue was the stress.

Because for the following week, instead of the transaction being completed and forgotten about, it was still sitting in the back of my mind.

One tiny decision had created an extra job I never needed.

And as any small business owner will tell you, we already wear enough hats.

I don’t need to add Credit Controller to the list.

Thankfully, the payment has now arrived, so all is well.

But it has reminded me of a very important lesson.

I clearly cannot be trusted when I’m relaxed.

The holiday version of me is far too accommodating.

Apparently, two weeks in the sunshine is enough to make me forget basic business principles that have served me perfectly well for years.

So for the safety of my business, my bank account, and my blood pressure, I have reached a conclusion.

I must never become that relaxed again.

The No-Show Chronicles

Unfortunately, the week was only just getting started.

Next came the no-shows.

Now I completely understand that life happens.

People get sick.

Children get sick.

Things come up unexpectedly.

But how people handle those situations tells you everything.

The first was a new client.

Five minutes before her appointment I sent a gentle message asking her to complete her consultation form, which we had already requested multiple times via email.

This then triggered a phone call.

Apparently she had spent the whole of the previous day trying to call us.

The phone just rang and rang.

Interesting.

Considering both clinic numbers go to voicemail.

I gently pointed this out.

Her response?

“Do you not check all your missed calls?”

Now call me old-fashioned, but who returns every missed call with no voicemail?

If I did that, I’d spend my entire life calling back scammers offering me insurance I don’t need, crypto advice I don’t want, and compensation for accidents I never had.

Then came the actual reason.

“I’ve got a rash.”

That’s unfortunate.

“I can’t make the appointment.”

Okay.

But as explained when YOU booked the appointment, and ticked the box confirming you had read and understood the terms and conditions, the appointment fee still applies.

“I don’t remember that.”

Of course you don’t.

Nobody remembers terms and conditions until they need them.

Then came my favourite part.

She asked how much the appointment was.

The appointment she had booked herself.

Online.

With confirmation emails.

And reminders.

After I told her, she said:

“That seems unfair. You get an hour to drink tea and still get paid.”

Excuse me?

First of all, I don’t drink that much tea.

Secondly, that hour is not a “free tea break.”

That hour is reserved.

If you don’t attend, I still pay rent, staff costs, utilities, insurance, and overheads.

The world doesn’t pause because someone doesn’t show up.

That is exactly why policies exist.

Not to be difficult.

But to keep the business running.

The Refreshing Exception

Then came the second no-show.

I sent a gentle message asking if she had forgotten her appointment.

Her reply came immediately:

“Oh my goodness I am so, so sorry — yes I completely forgot.”

No excuses.

No arguments.

No debate.

Just honesty.

And then:

“How do I pay for the missed appointment?”

Honestly?

Thank you.

That level of respect for a small business is genuinely refreshing.

The Return of the Rant

So there we have it.

The relaxed, chilled, post-holiday version of me lasted approximately three weeks.

A credit card points scheme, a payment delay, and a couple of no-shows later…

She’s gone.

The ranty version is back.

And honestly?

So are the blog ideas.

Thankfully, the product payment has now been received, so my short-lived career as a credit controller has officially ended.

Although the whole experience did remind me how often small business owners are expected to be flexible, accommodating, understanding, and occasionally amateur accountants.

We do it because we care.

But every now and then, it would be lovely if people remembered there is a real person behind the business trying to keep everything running smoothly.

Anyway.

Crisis over.

Payment received.

Blood pressure returning to normal.

Until next week’s blog, when no doubt someone will give me something else to rant about.

And on that note…

I’m off to update my job title again.

Skin Therapist.

Clinic Owner.

Receptionist.

Cleaner.

Decorator.

IT Department.

Counsellor.

Tea Maker.

And apparently now… retired Credit Controller.

Let’s hope I don’t get too relaxed again.

Now, I am aware that as a skin therapist my blogs are probably supposed to be about skin health, skincare ingredients, SPF, hydration levels, collagen production and all the other things I spend my working life talking about.

And don't worry, those blogs will still appear.

Eventually.

But the reality is that running a small business gives me far more material than skincare ever could.

Because behind every treatment is a real-life story, a funny conversation, an unexpected challenge, a lesson learned, or occasionally a situation that sends me straight into full rant mode.

So whilst this blog may not have taught you anything about your skin barrier, Vitamin A, or why you should wear SPF every day, perhaps it has provided a small insight into the wonderful, frustrating, rewarding, exhausting and occasionally ridiculous world of running a small business.

And if you've enjoyed this week's rant, agree with me, disagree with me, think I'm completely right, or think I've finally lost the plot, please feel free to leave a comment below.

I genuinely love hearing your thoughts.

After all, most of you tell me in person that you read the blogs and enjoy them.

Now's your chance to prove it!

Go on...

I dare you.