They say you need to take the rough with the smooth. 2022 has been a year that I would definitely put firmly in the “rough” category.
If all you do is look at the top line revenue/sales we have generated – then this is our second best year in our ten year history. But that certainly doesn’t tell the whole picture.
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you about the cost of living crisis that has unfolded around us. In January this year there was no war raging in Ukraine and as far as we were concerned 2022 was going to be a post-COVID year for growth. We hit the year running with a healthy marketing budget and a full house of goats (staff), ready to smash everything out of the park. Since then we have been hit with rising costs: everything from the cost of fabric to packaging to logistics to storage, you name it – if it has a price tag then it now costs more. Supply chain issues, and a market that has cooled off somewhat compared to the lock down cycling frenzy that we all experienced back in 2020/21. The government has been less than helpful with their various antics this year, but probably the less said about that the better.
As a result, like many companies in this sector and in the wider market, we have really had to manage our costs and frankly expectations aggressively. The result of this is that sadly, for the first time in our history, we have had to reduce the size of team this year. This has obviously been very painful for everyone involved. Thankfully, given everyone here is so blooming talented, the people that left the company have either found a new role elsewhere or are on the cusp of an exciting new venture. Nevertheless, losing people this year was definitely not on the roadmap and it’s something we don’t want to experience again.
That being said, what has really given me hope and a sense of pride this year is watching the rest of the team rally together during this tough time. We have taken many steps to ensure that not only will we survive next year – but thrive into 2024 and beyond. We are just getting started, and the team here are such an incredible bunch of people, who I am super proud to call my colleagues and friends.
Small business is a roller coaster of emotions and I have no doubt that what lies ahead holds both good times and bad times in equal measures. But when times are challenging, you really find out who’s got your back. Every single person here has massively stepped up to the plate this year (as they always do frankly). I see only good things ahead with this group. So bring it on 2023, we are ready for you!
While 2022 is a year I’m happy to put behind us, it hasn’t been all bad. This year we launched our swim collection which has been very popular. We also made our first foray into mountain bike kit which seems to have gone down well with The Herd. We will be adding to these collections next year and we also have some additional categories launching next year. We’ve been working on these additional categories for well over 18 months now, so we’re all super excited to see them launch.
We’ve also had a lot of success with the Stolen Goat Race Team this year. The goal of the race team is to develop young riders and give them a route to a pro contract if possible. Nevertheless it’s still really nice when they bag podiums very regularly. Simon Jodrell (Team Manager) and all the riders have put a lot of hard work into riding and racing this year and it’s fantastic to watch their progress. We will continue supporting the team into 2023 and beyond.
It’s safe to say it’s been a very busy year here at Stolen Goat, with plenty of highs amid the lows. Check out our 2022 Best Bits blog for some of this year’s highlights.
This year we have added nearly 9000 new customers to the collective Herd. It’s amazing to watch this group of like-minded people grow. Thank you so much to those of you who have discovered Stolen Goat and shopped with us this year. And, as always, a massive thanks to those of you who have continued to support us this year, as in years gone by.
Quite obviously this company can only exist with a vibrant community and we have tried to double down on that this year by continuing to use Stolen Goat customers in our photo shoots and videos. There is plenty more of that to come – it’s vital that you are integrated in this company’s journey as much as possible.
With that in mind, we have a number of exciting projects on the imminent horizon and as such we may potentially consider doing a round of investment next year, ideally via our audience. Nothing is set in stone at this point: it could be a crowdfund campaign that the whole Herd could get involved with, it could be a bespoke round for an angel investor or two. For now we are simply gathering information with regards to who might be interested. So if you think you’d like to help us grow and be a cornerstone of our journey then please consider filling out this form. There’s nothing committal about the form, it’s simply an expression of interest. We will use the results to guide our decision on how to proceed. Many thanks!
Thanks for reading this yearly post and most of all thanks again for your support and your passion for all things SG. On behalf of the whole team I wish you and your family a Happy New Year and all the very best for 2023.