When I Almost Closed My Small Business And What Happened Next

Running a small business is often seen as exciting, creative, and rewarding but behind the scenes, it can be one of the most challenging journeys an entrepreneur will face. This is a real story about small business survival, navigating post-COVID challenges, managing rising costs, dealing with burnout, and finding a way to rebuild. If you’ve ever wondered what it truly takes to sustain a long-term ecommerce brand, this story offers an honest look at resilience, adaptation, and the realities of modern retail.

A couple of years ago, I sat down and seriously considered closing Make Me Iconic. After more than 15 years of building the business from the ground up, I genuinely didn’t know if we were going to survive. It wasn’t a dramatic decision made overnight; it was a slow, heavy realisation that had been building for months, sitting quietly in the background until it couldn’t be ignored anymore.

A Thriving Business Before and During COVID

Before COVID, the business was in a great place. Sales were growing year on year, and we were having some of our best results ever. There was momentum, clarity, and confidence in where things were heading.

During COVID, we actually did even better. Like many e-commerce businesses, we experienced a surge in online shopping. Customers were actively choosing to support small businesses, and it felt like everything we had built was finally accelerating.

At the time, it felt like we had made it through one of the hardest periods a business could face. But what came next was something I wasn’t prepared for.

Post-COVID Business Challenges Hit Hard

When the world opened again, everything shifted. Customer behaviour changed almost overnight. The way people discovered, browsed, and purchased products was no longer the same.

Social media marketing evolved rapidly. What once worked stopped delivering results. Algorithms changed, reach dropped, and connecting with customers became harder.

At the same time, the cost of running a small business increased across every area. Manufacturing costs rose. Shipping prices exploded. Supply chains became unreliable. Interest rates climbed, and consumer spending slowed.

It became a brutal equation: higher costs and lower sales. I was bleeding costs and sitting on too much stock, watching margins shrink and pressure build.

The Reality of Running a Small Business in a Changing Market

Looking around made it even more confronting. Other small businesses were closing, and some that had been around just as long as mine. Even large, established companies were shutting their doors.

The retail and e-commerce landscape was changing fast, and it felt like no one had full control over it.

At the same time, cheaper copy versions of my products started appearing everywhere. Businesses were replicating ideas and flooding the market with lower-priced alternatives.

That’s one of the hardest parts of running a creative business. You spend years building something original, and suddenly you’re competing with copies that didn’t carry the same time, cost, or story.

When Personal Life and Business Collide

At the same time, life outside the business became more demanding. My elderly parents needed more support. We were building a house, which came with its own stress especially with rising interest rates and building companies collapsing.

Then my health took a turn. I started experiencing heart palpitations and ongoing symptoms that led to a diagnosis of Graves’ disease. Not long after, I developed Thyroid Eye Disease.

That was even harder. It affected my appearance and my vision, things I had always taken for granted.

Burnout, Health Struggles and Business Pressure

There was a period where I completely shut down. I had no creative ideas left. I didn’t want to look at the numbers or deal with the business.

As a founder, that’s a difficult place to be because there’s no one else to step in.

So I focused on getting my health back and cutting costs wherever possible. For the first time ever, I cut my own salary just to make sure the business could keep running, and my staff were supported.

It wasn’t strategic. It was survival.

The Turning Point: Choosing Not to Give Up

Eventually, I realised that avoiding the business wasn’t going to fix it. Ignoring the numbers didn’t make them better, and stepping away didn’t make the pressure disappear; it just delayed it.

One day, I made a decision. I wasn’t ready to let go of something I had spent more than 15 years building. Too much time, energy, and belief had gone into it to walk away without trying again.

So I faced it again. Slowly, and not perfectly, but I showed up, and started dealing with what was in front of me. Started learning again and started to dig into the business and worked out how to do things differently. 

Adapting to Survive in a New Market

The market had changed, which meant I had to change too. I had to rethink how we operated, marketed, and created.

Slowly, the ideas started coming back. That meant doing things differently, taking risks again, reinvesting, and reinventing parts of the business.

It wasn’t about going back. It was about moving forward in a new way.

The Truth About Small Business Ownership

Running a small business is deeply personal. It’s not just products or sales, it’s your time, energy, and sacrifices.

It’s not always the highlight reel you see online. Sometimes it’s uncertainty, exhaustion, and tough decisions.

But it’s also resilience.

Why Supporting Small Businesses Matters More Than Ever

We’re still here. And that’s something I don’t take for granted.

If you’ve ever supported Make Me Iconic by buying, sharing, or recommending us, it genuinely means more than you realise. Small businesses survive because people choose them.

Thank You for Being Part of Our Journey

So if you’re still here with us, thank you. Truly.

It’s hard to put into words what that support actually means behind the scenes. Every order, every message, every recommendation, it all adds up in ways most people never see.

And if you run a small business, you’ll understand this on a different level. You’ll know what it feels like to carry the weight of it, to question it, and to keep going anyway.

If you’ve ever supported a small business—whether it’s ours or someone else’s—just know that it truly matters more than you might think.

Frequently Asked Questions about Small Business Survival

What are the biggest challenges small businesses face today?
Rising costs, changing customer behaviour, increased competition, and digital marketing shifts are among the biggest challenges.

How did COVID impact small businesses long-term?
While many saw short-term growth, post-COVID brought reduced spending, higher costs, and major shifts in consumer habits.

How do you survive a struggling business period?
Cutting costs, adapting strategy, reinvesting carefully, and staying resilient are key to navigating tough periods.

What causes burnout in small business owners?
Financial stress, constant decision-making, lack of support, and personal pressures can all contribute to burnout.

Why is supporting small businesses important?
Every purchase directly impacts sustainability, helping businesses survive and continue creating unique products.

Quick Summary

Running a small business is deeply personal and often unpredictable, especially in a post-COVID world where rising costs and shifting customer behaviour have made it harder to sustain consistent growth. I had burnout and personal challenges that influenced my business decisions, making it even more important to stay adaptable. My business survival isn’t just about working harder; it’s about resilience, reinvention, and finding new ways forward. And more than ever, the support of customers plays a real and lasting role in keeping small businesses alive.

Make Me Iconic

Make Me Iconic is an Australian brand focused on creating thoughtfully designed toys, gifts, and homewares inspired by everyday Australian life. Everything we create is about capturing familiar moments in a playful, meaningful way, products that are made to be kept, gifted, and remembered, and you can find our full range here.