Time to get out your crystal balls for 2022!

ended 05. December 2021

It's that time of the year when journalists start bashing out endless articles about looking into crystal balls (yawn) and predictions for 2022 (double yawn). But hell, you gotta be in it to win it so let's do this thing. A few simple Qs…

As a small business owner, are you upbeat about 2022, or concerned? Please explain why.
What do you expect to be the main threats to, and opportunities for, your business (and your broader sector) in 2022?
Are you planning to set yourself any New Year Resolutions in terms of your business, e.g. what do you want to do better as a business owner next year?
And finally, what's the best and worst thing that's happened to you as a small business owner this year?

As ever, Premium user responses will be edited by an experienced news journalist to make them as sharp and punchy as possible. They will also appear at the top of the viewsWire. Deadline is Sunday afternoon at 16:00 - we will issue this to all relevant media Monday AM.

17 responses from the Newspage community

Legend

Eddie Young

Director at Eddie Young Magic

2020 SURVIVE and got Screwed - No help for hospitality during the epidemic 2021 SURVIVE and got screwed again the last sector to have restrictions lift and a new variant on the block 2022 SURVIVE and getting screwed with an increase in NI, Interest raise and economy crashing

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Robert Payne

Director at Langley House Mortgages

The property market has been extremely busy in 2021 and we are optimistic about 2022 as well. Demand for property has been and continues to be high as interest rates are at an all time low. It is true that rates are set to rise but this is unlikely to curb demand, unless the increases are significant which in my opinion is unlikely. The pandemic has affected different industries in different ways and the property market has certainly seen a boost as a result, at Langley House we will continue to service as many customers as we can with our fee free advice to help them achieve their property goals going into the New Year!

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Scott Gallacher

Director at Rowley Turton

Despite the challenges of the pandemic 2021 has been a good year for Rowley Turton and I see no reason why 2022 shouldn't be even better as we continue to return to normality. That said, the Omicron variant is obviously a concern but initial reports seem to indicate the symptoms of this are relatively mild. So fingers crossed we'll be ok. Like many employers, the biggest issue we face is the current labour shortage. Being able to recruit good staff is essential to enable us to continue to grow.

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Jessica Ross

Founder & CEO at Smashtag Social

Businesses need to wake up and start including tech and automation in their marketing strategies as standard. While 2021 saw a much more empathetic approach to marketing from brands, 2022 is gearing up to head in more of a consumer-centric direction, as businesses look to make up their losses from the last 18 months. This year has been a bumper year for us, with record sales and some new hires. As we look forward to the year ahead, we plan to make plenty of noise and shake up the content marketing industry.

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David Long

Founder at Babouche! Golf

Who knows what 2022 will bring us, only last week we were all planning our family Christmases etc and then Omicrom turns up out of the blue! You need to be incredibly agile to be a small business owner, and an eternal optimist, so I’m excited about 2022 and the challenges that we may face. For my business, the big opportunity for next year is to expand our sales of Made in the UK hand-made golf head covers and towels into north America and having just been invited to join a mentoring programme run by Amazon to support that objective I’m very confident that we can make a huge success of it. I don’t believe in NY resolutions but my big desire for 2022 is to create more manufacturing jobs here in the UK and to get smarter at launching new products faster. The best thing that happened to our business this year was to introduce a new product variant that has become our #1 seller within a few months and has opened up new audiences within our target market. The worst thing that has happened is the dreaded Brexit trading regulations – our European sales have fallen off a cliff.

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Sally Haslewood

Founder & MD at Mumbler

"I am hugely upbeat about 2022. The biggest threat will be if schools close again and we go into yet another lockdown. I feel like parents, particularly working parents, have had just about all they can take. We are parents, not teachers and we aren't doing right by our children (often badly!) homeschooling them. Throw into the mix trying to run your own business and it's practically impossible. The biggest opportunity is the change in working patterns and societal change towards flexible working and working from home. Mumbler thrives on our flexible working ethos and it now feels like the rest of world is catching up. "The best thing this past year has been reaching so many parents and keeping them connected and informed about what was going on locally. We get so much lovely feedback from parents about how we've made their lives recently. Most recently one of our Facebook groups was able to reunite a woman with her engagement ring that she'd lost in a local park. It's stories that this that make me so proud of Mumbler. The worst was getting sued for using a photo without a licence. It was entirely accidental and non-malicious however it was very stressful getting it sorted out. I honestly believe that you learn more from the mistakes that you make as a business owner though and this certainly made us focus as a company."

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Dr Marianne Trent

Clinical Psychologist at Good Thinking Psychological Services

I'm personally and professionally excited for 2022! I have lots of projects lined up which will work for clients and I whatever happens with the continuing pandemic situation. I work in mental health and in supporting aspiring psychologists so both of these areas have been a key focus as being needed within the restrictions we have seen in 2021. I would expect this to continue into 2022. My 2022 Resolution is to launch a podcast and publish a new book. I feel energised and hopeful for the upcoming year ahead. We are starting it off in style too.....lockdown-permitting we will be enjoying some glitz and glamour with our Hollywood Meets James Bond themed New Year's Eve party albeit in the West Midlands rather than LA! Being a mental health professional the pandemic has helped me and my business to thrive in these testing times. As a result, 2021 was the year I went 'all in' with my self-employed business for the first time. It felt a bit daunting but has been wonderful and has been such a time of productivity and achievement. It has also meant I have achieved better work life balance and a able to spend more time with my young children.

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Graham Cox

Director at Self Employed Mortgage Hub

What do you expect to be the main threats to, and opportunities for, your business (and your broader sector) in 2022? The obvious threat is higher interest rates and an accompanying drop in consumer confidence. House prices have risen dramatically since the pandemic began. However, if inflation becomes embedded, forcing central banks to raise rates, property prices could soon go into reverse. With many homeowners struggling with increased energy and food prices, it wouldn't take much for forced sellers to hit the market.

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Mark Green

Business Owner at DJ Mark Green

I'm absolutely buzzing for 2022. Bookings for weddings & events are already through the roof and there's a constant stream of new enquiries pouring in on a daily basis. As long a we can avoid any more restrictions, it'll be without doubt my best year to date. 2021 has been a year of two halves for me. Doing absolutely nothing in the first 6 months, to delivering nearly 100 shows in the second. It's been really tough at different ends of the spectrum, but I'm now looking back on it all with a big smile on my face.

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Andrew Deighton

Owner at AWD Development Solutions Ltd.

I was upbeat about 2022 as I’ve already got bookings in my diary for next year which doesn’t usually happen. But I’m a bit more concerned now as we might be moving towards some form of tighter restrictions. These could close things down and stop businesses spending money again. For me, the main threats will be the potential of further limitations on face-to-face events, and the reintroduction of some form of restrictions which cause businesses to stop investing in the training and development of their people again as it’s an easy thing to cut. I see opportunities around the continuation of remote and hybrid working in businesses and organisations. One of my areas of focus is helping teams to work in this way more effectively. I don’t set New Year Resolutions as I think they’re pointless. But I have set myself some goals and specific areas to focus on as part of my planning for 2022. The best thing that’s happened this year is that I’ve started face-to-face training delivery again, but nicely balanced with online delivery work. I’ve also started to work with my ideal client which is great. The worst thing has been having to decide which subscriptions and memberships not to renew, and which events to stop attending so I can reduce my costs. I've had no government support since the pandemic began. I have to focus on the effective investment of my money and my time so I'm in the best position for 2022.

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Rob Peters

Principal at Simple Fast Mortgage

This year saw us massively expand, so we're vastly upbeat about 2022 and looking forward to implementing new plans, and growing the business further. As a business owner, you have to be excited about the future - the opportunities, AND the challenges it brings. If you aren't, then you're probably in the wrong job! 2021 provided lots of buoyancy in our sector, the property market. Many people were looking to move home due to greater flexibility with working remotely, and a desire for better work life balance having realised they did not need to live in the city to 'be' in the city. The Government provided a huge catalyst, with a Stamp Duty holiday, meaning lower tax for property buyers. Ultimately, the combination of these factors presented us with a fantastic opportunity to grow the business and we have been inundated with enquiries. But, welcome 2022! The Stamp Duty holiday has ended, a Bank of England interest rise is predicted, and therefore the property market may slow down in 2022. Some even predict a receission. So we have to be ready for this. For all businesses, the eternal, communal, fear is, "where will the new business come from". In addition there will be many factors that are out of our control, such as social attitude shifts, Government and legal changes, political decisions, international events, COVID, etc. But that's part and parcel of running a business. Any business. If it doesn't work, it's your fault, not anyone else's! Emotionally and psychologically, a business owner should be comfortable with a healthy measure of 'fear', it should excite, and drive you forward, keep you sharp and on your toes, and force you to adapt and improve. The key for us, is to have a solid business plan for 2022, with goals to measure against, but at the same time, to be prepared to adapt and change that plan according to the market and wider situation. Digital is key.

Claire Taylor

Founder at Raspberry Flamingo Copywriting And Content Marketing

Businesses need to review their 'packaging' of services and products and move forward quickly in the new climate. 2021 has been an awesome year of expansion - 2022 will see changes in the current business and new services launching. Exciting times ahead for many!

Chloe Cotton

Company director at Trainmaster

Going into 2022 I feel more upbeat than this time last year. Running events and parties for children has been very unpredictable through covid with the lockdowns and restrictions but now we are running almost back to normal. Customers are booking parties in advance once again and planning to meet friends at events months ahead! It is wonderful to have children attending events regularly. When we first reopened we were seeing lots of shy children who were worried about seeing other people due to months of being at home. A threat for us is definitely sensational headlines and scaremongering from the press. I think if we started posting daily how many have been diagnosed with cancer or how many people have a cold that day then it would also put those illnesses in the front of everyone's mind. The press have a huge part to play in the publics perception and can actually make or break small businesses. For me a new year's resolution is to keep in growing, keep building great tracks and working closely with our local community. The best thing this year has been being able to reopen and run birthday parties, seeing the joy of friends playing together and some children experience their first ever party.

Nicole Woodcock

Clinical Hypnotherapist and Lecturer at Humm at Hummingbird Hypnotherapy

Very optimistic for 2022. I think many are readjusting to an outlook of showing up in business whatever is in the media. We’re all very aware of the situation but we also need to continue to make a living and support others. Small businesses included. 2021 has seen a huge shift in mental health support. 2022 will be no different.

Debbie Porter

Managing Director at Destination Digital Marketing

What a difference 12 months makes. This time last year, everything looked pretty grim but 2021 has been a year of expansion of our team, our revenue and our service offering. It’s been a good year. We’re heading into 2022 positively with one eye on Omicron developments. One thing that Covid19 has taught us is that nothing is certain and that in the face of uncertainty, we all need to make hay whilst the sun shines.

Marianna Boguslavsky

Founder and Digital Strategist at Boguslavsky & Co

I'm pretty optimistic about 2022 - I work in the digital industry which has experienced tremendous and accelerated growth during the pandemic so more & more businesses need help with their digital strategies, and marketing.

Dr Felicity Baker

Co-Founder at Ultimate Resilience Ltd

The last 20 months of pandemic has brought with it so much change in so many industries and has really tested everyone’s resilience. The cost of this to businesses has been huge, not least because of the impact on staff mental health and the associated financial and functional costs of burnout. For us at Ultimate Resilience Ltd we have seen a major shift towards businesses prioritising staff support in the workplace. Whilst a handful of organisations have typically been truly focused on staff wellbeing, we have seen this number grow as the costs of not taking care of staff have become drastically apparent. So we are upbeat about 2022 and see it as the year that tired old doctrines and dogmas of employee relations are overhauled to make way for more compassionate and psychologically safe workplace cultures in which staff can thrive. Being at the forefront of the workplace resilience and wellbeing industry, we at Ultimate Resilience Ltd have had our own resilience journey through the pandemic. We too have had to change and adapt to find new ways to deliver our products online. This has opened the door for us to reach so many more people. Pre-COVID we wouldn’t have believed that the resilience training, coaching and supervision we offer would have been effective delivered online. But we found it’s worked brilliantly, way beyond our expectations. Our research study focusing on the wellbeing crisis in NHS Keyworkers, which is due to be published shortly in the Journal of Technology in Behavioural Science, also supports the feasibility of offering web-based resilience training in the form of an online course or app. So in 2022 we want to build on this to increase our client base and reach even more people and businesses both in the UK and worldwide. Whilst the wellness industry has seen a massive boost due to increased mental health need in the general population, it is important to recognise that lack of expertise is rife. There are increasing reports of unqualified people offering mental health services to vulnerable people with extremely damaging consequences. This is a threat to the industry as well as to the individuals it serves. When people are struggling with their mental health, they are more vulnerable to abuse and may make ill-informed decisions. The sheer numbers of businesses offering wellbeing solutions that may have no expertise in mental health is staggering and for someone who is desperate for help of any sort it can be a minefield to know what to look for. The best thing that has happened to us as a small business this year was the publication of our model of resilience, The Skills-based Model of Personal Resilience, in the Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology in January. All our training, coaching and supervision is based on this model and its acceptance for publication in a peer reviewed journal was a great accolade. The worst thing that’s happened to us as an SME was not having time to do it all!