Time off is a conundrum for entrepreneurs

Vacations are hard to come by when every week can be a lucrative week

Sarah Pratt
The Edmonton Journal

Monday, August 25, 2008

EDMONTON - Small business owners face unique challenges when deciding if and when to take holidays.

The decision to close shop may mean losing business while rejuvenating the body and mind. Every business meets different needs in different ways, so it's up to the owner to decide how best to deal with vacation time.

Fabulous Furballs is a dog-grooming shop in Sherwood Park that runs an 11-month operating year. They completely close for two weeks in summer and then for another two weeks after Christmas.

"We work ourselves hard before holidays," said owner Krista Castellarin. "All of our clients know we're going to be closed and they understand. Anyone who's frustrated is going to be frustrated about other things, like me having my daughter here or my dog barking."

Fabulous Furballs is a small, family-run business, and Castellarin says that, like the staff, the clients are family-oriented people who accept the holiday situation. The customers offer their loyalty for what they get in return.

"Every dog is treated like family here," she said. "And that's another reason why having family and friends work here is so great. It's excellent quality labour and people I trust. I would never want to hire strangers and offer sub-quality service just to keep the doors open."

Castellarin moved to Sherwood Park from Las Vegas last year, and she brings a decade of business experience in a highly competitive market where she says people tend to burn out.

"You need a certain level of maturity in business," she said. "You lose perspective if you work too much."

As a small-business owner, Castellarin is responsible for every aspect of the company, and she carries all the numbers, worries and to-do lists in her head 24 hours a day.

"I have to have a break from it all," she said. "One way is that I never open Sundays, ever. I'd rather squeeze in more dogs and stay late on Saturday and then I get a full day away."

Castellarin ensures customers know her holiday schedule so they can book their appointments accordingly.

Not every business is so lucky.

Sheryl Asp owns Swish Flowers, a business that doesn't have down time.

"In summer there are so many events, weddings and such, and it's so busy," said Asp from her shop in Terwillegar Gardens. "And you wouldn't believe how many birthdays are in January, even funerals. There really is no ideal time to take a holiday."

Asp does manage to close for a brief time after Christmas, but throughout the precious summer months she takes long weekends as time to herself. It's easier on the business, and Asp's mind, to take a Friday and Monday off rather than large chunks of time.

"It's not the clients but the business that demands I be here. The clients would understand if I took more time off," she said. "And you get so attached to the business. I want to be here for my customers."

Many small businesses don't take holiday time, said Lloyd Steier, professor in strategic management at the University of Alberta's School of Business.

"It's one way of dealing with the pressure," said Steier. "Sometimes the nature of the work flow doesn't allow time off, but people do need that time off and they need to come up with strategies to make it happen."

It can be risky to shut down completely, said Steier, so businesses often have family or friends fill in for short periods of time. Some people will move their family to a cabin at a nearby lake and commute to the city throughout the weekdays, noted Steier.

It's crucial that small businesses stay on top of competitive pressure and continually meet customers' needs, and with the changing face of business, this becomes even more important.

"It wasn't very long ago that stores were closed on evenings and Sundays," said Steier. "Extended hours are a recent phenomenon. Even electricity and technology change business hours. I was recently driving down Highway 2 and saw they were able to pave throughout the night."

Small businesses in malls are usually obligated to be open during mall hours.

"Businesses need to pay attention to their lease agreement with a mall," said Steier.

A small-business owner can enjoy holiday time and minimize business loss by being flexible and communicating with their clients and fostering loyalty. "No matter what, we keep our core values," said Castellarin. "People not only buy into our business but also our values."

"I knew my life was going to change when I opened the business," said Asp. "We always try to find what works best for us and our customers."