Corryne's Golden Rules of Small Business
Corryne Keelty, Special Guest at The Soulpreneur's Garden Network Thursday 21st February 2025
A massive thank you to Corryne Keelty for sharing her practical, down-to-earth business wisdom from her decades working with her and her sister’s businesses: Corryne’s Natural Soaps, The Soap Factory, and Goanna Gallery. Corryne is an amazing market gardener and avocado grower, and you can find her produce at local markets.
Corryne’s talk was a huge download of wisdom, with plenty of ‘common sense’ gems.
Now, the thing with common sense is that it ain’t so common, and it can be good to set these systems in place before we need them.
Corryne’s talk was a huge download of wisdom, with plenty of ‘common sense’ gems.
Now, the thing with common sense is that it ain’t so common, and it can be good to set these systems in place before we need them.
- Health- this is the most important thing. Don’t skip sleep too often, as it affects everything. If you don’t nurture yourself, you simply can’t keep up. Typically, when you’re healthier, you’re also happier, which is much better for your business. Everything shines through. This all ties into self-respect and self-worth, but we won’t go down that rabbit hole. One important note for older women: apparently, when you start going through menopause, your adrenal glands take over the production of hormones (previously managed by the ovaries). This means you may not be able to cope with stress as well, which can be detrimental to your health. Keep in mind that you can’t do the same things you did when you were younger without potentially harming yourself.
- Enjoyment- If you're not enjoying your business, that’s a big concern. Having a business is all-consuming, so you need to enjoy it, or what's the point? If not, you should consider stepping away or selling. There’s no benefit in doing it poorly or making yourself sick. Try not to let it consume you, which is part of being disciplined. Make time for a walk, see friends, and have quality time with your family. Life whizzes by. Your body also thrives on routine, so it’s better to have a structure to guide you—set times during the day for work. There needs to be a balance for business longevity. One good idea for balance is to do the complete opposite of what you do in your business. If it’s physically strenuous, try something relaxing on your day off or after work. If you’re on the computer all day, something physical is necessary. If you’re hunched forward all day, make sure to counteract that several times a day. Sometimes, even a quick walk around the block every two hours can help with mental clarity and circulation.
- Use lists- Make lists and tackle the difficult tasks first. You'll get them done quicker and enjoy the rest of your day more. It's satisfying to complete your list, and staff generally appreciate having lists to follow.
- Strategic planning- Making a plan is crucial. If you jump in your car without a plan, you’ll just go around in circles. It doesn’t have to be major, but think about things like: Are you doing this business to sell? If not, you can be more organic, but if you plan to sell, you really need to cross your T’s and dot your I’s. How big do you want this business to be? How many hours per week are you willing to commit? How long are you giving your business to make a profit? You can review your plan from time to time to track your progress.
- Consistency- Being consistent is essential—whether it’s your product or your service, consistency is key. The same smell, taste, or level of attention (if it’s a service) is crucial for keeping customers. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes: What was the package like when you received it? Were the goods wrapped properly? Was the jar full? Were you thanked for your order? Value your customers, as repeat business is the best way to grow.
- Quality control and record keeping- Double-check everything you make or send out, and document it. An external file works well, as it’s easier than constantly looking at a computer. You can handwrite on an order (e.g., when it's posted out), tick off to check, and sign—it’s much easier. Organize everything by date, so it’s easy to find. Have a file for orders you’re sending out and a file for purchases you’re expecting.
- Stocktake and Inventory- Stocktake regularly so you can easily see what’s selling best, how much you need to make seasonally, and what items to drop. If your business is growing, it’s a good practice to start this from the beginning. Batch numbers are also important, as they allow you to isolate any problems to a specific batch if necessary. For example, if you receive three complaints from customers that the jar isn’t full, you can look up that batch and possibly identify who was involved (just kidding, but you get the idea).
- Market Research- Where does your product or service fit? Who’s your target audience? Everything about your business revolves around this. Your selling price is very important, as it determines where you sit in the marketplace. Is your audience made up of 30 to 50-year-old females, teenagers, or retirees?
- Feedback- is crucial. You need to listen and observe all the time. Take it all on board, as it helps you modify or change things. Don’t be overly reactive to every comment, but it's good to take note in case a pattern is forming. People love giving advice, so ask for it. Most people won’t tell you to your face if they didn’t like something, so you need to read between the lines a little.
- Mentors are great—someone who has been there and done that. Take advice, ask people, do courses, read books, and take holidays to see what others are doing elsewhere. You need to keep up with trends, or you’ll be left behind
- Environment- Make your environment pleasant: temperature, lighting, fresh air, good shelving, and mats to stand on.
- Donations: Don’t just hand your product or service over for free. What are they going to do for you? Will they put posters on every table or talk about your business on stage? This is very important. There is paperwork available online that you can download to give to anyone requesting donations. If they complete it, you can gift your products knowing you have a better chance of them promoting you to their audience. A win-win.
- Starting Out: Have a separate bank account to keep everything separate, making it easier to do your accounts and taxes. Try to complete invoices and payments on the same day you conduct business, or your mind will become overloaded. If you don’t do this, you might forget details when billing your clients or lose track of what you ordered, especially if it was six weeks ago—did you pay or not?
- Cyber Attacks: The soap factory has experienced two cyberattacks, and it’s not pleasant. I had already left the business by then, but it’s another reason to have a backup of your files outside of your computer. The government doesn’t want you to pay the ransom, but you’ll be left high and dry if you don’t. Protect your computer as best as you can, and make sure your internet host is covered as well.
- Valuing Staff: With a small business, it’s personal. You are usually very close to your staff, so it’s essential to have a comprehensive list of expectations that you discuss with them and that they sign off on when they start employment. No grey areas. Cover things like clothing, working hours, job descriptions, wages, lunch breaks, and time off for holidays. For example, we said no holidays after November because that was our busiest time. You might not want them to look up their banking or holidays online at work or have their mobiles with them. You may need them to commit to a certain number of weekends, so make sure they know the rules. It’s easier at the beginning. You can always use the history button on your computer to check up on a sneaky employee. Obviously, you need to lead by example, which usually means working even harder. It’s a tough gig to have employees, and it can be all-consuming, so think carefully about it and get all the legal advice. Wages are always changing, and the responsibility is on the business, so you’ll need to pay back wages if you don’t keep tabs. If you’ve done everything you expect from your staff, then time certain jobs to create a guide to work with. Have a double-checking system in place—not for everything, just for areas where mistakes can happen. It may be a pain, but it will save you money. People like lists, so have procedure lists for everything. You’ll need to micromanage until they gain your trust. Also, you can’t expect your staff to multitask like you do. Be reasonable with your expectations. It’s always better to keep your staff than constantly train new people. Always have a trial period as well. If you have good staff, reward them. Don’t take them for granted—a little praise goes a long way. If they’re invested in your business, you’re incredibly lucky.
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