A newsagent suicided two weeks ago leaving a young family without a parent and a business without leadership. Things had been tough for the business with landlord challenges and difficulties dealing with magazine supply. Colleague newsagents had suggested help was needed. Unfortunately, the first meeting to sort out help was two days too late.
I have known about this situation since it happened and wondered whether to write about it here. This is not the first newsagent suicide I have heard of. Each situation is different and it is unlikely anyone knows all of the factors involved.
I am writing about this today because we need to talk about mental health, the mental health of small business newsagents and how we can deal with challenges where we feel helpless. We need to work together to help any who may feel that suicide is the only option. When I say we, I mean all of us in this channel: newsagents, associations and suppliers including landlords.
Some landlord representatives are bullies. They push small business owners into a corner. I hear too many stories of intimidation of small business owners who are in vulnerable situations.
Some of our suppliers are bullies. They create financial stress and add to this by cutting off product supply when accounts over which the small business newsagents have little control are not paid on time. yes, I am talking about magazine distributors here as they control supply, they control the level of indebtedness and they, sometimes, place newsagents under extraordinary personal pressure to pay them ahead of other creditors.
These people dealing with small business newsagents need to take care in their communication, they need to be aware of the emotional and other consequences of their actions and words, or their refusal to act. They need to consider decisions of the company they represent that could have helped create the situation. They need to consider their culpability.
I am all for personal accountability and often say we need to own our own situation – we sign our leases, we sign magazine contracts. However, we do these things expecting fairness. Too often there are people of the other side of a commercial relationship who do not believe in the same fairness.
It is hard to know the mental health of anyone. That person smiling at you or joking with you could be in a dark place in their mind. This is why it is important we talk and ask colleagues how they are doing and why we all need to help when we think help could be what is needed.
We owe it to each other in small business to do this. I think it starts with talking openly with each other about challenges and how we feel about them and their impact on us personally. It can start within the business with more open communication among all involved. Sometimes, the initiative for this will have to come from the team communicating up to the owner, to open the discussion.
Our suppliers need to play a role. Take the accounts department at a magazine distributor. They are probably the first to see a newsagency in a stressed situation. They have details of calls and emails that can reflect on the mental health of the newsagent in contact with them who is struggling to pay the bills. What do they do about this? Do they have a process of care and support for the business or do they aggressively pursue payment of the debt? My experience is they do the latter with considerable intensity. They will say they can’t do much because of privacy obligations. I’d say that is nonsense. Lives are at stake.
Given the early warning signs in the accounts department of magazine distribution businesses they ought to have a process for rallying support for a newsagent in trouble.
Owning and running a small business can be tough – on families, relationships, finances and your mental health. The ABC published a terrific report about mental illness and small business. I urge you to read this and share it. At the bottom of the ABC article is an excellent list of resources:
Mental health crises don’t always happen during office hours. But if you find yourself having to help someone there are people who can help – at any time.
National crisis and counselling contacts available 24/7:
- Ambulance/police/fire – 000
- Lifeline – 13 1114
- Kids Help Line – 1800 55 1800 – Provides counselling and support for young people aged 5-25.
- Men’s Line Australia – 1300 78 99 78 – Provides counselling and support services for men – especially those involved in the breakdown of relationships.
- Suicide Call Back service – 1300 659 467 – Provides free nationwide professional telephone or online counseling.
Other national information and support services contacts available during business hours:
- beyondblue information line – 1300 22 4636
- SANE Helpline – 1800 18 SANE (1800 18 7263)
- Telstra directory assistance – 1223 Call this number for contact details to the nearest public hospital, which can provide information on local services.
State-based resources
NSW
- Salvo Crisis Line (suicide prevention) – 02 8736 3295
- Salvo Care Line (regional) – 1300 36 36 22
- Salvo Youth Line – 02 9360 3000
Victoria
- Suicide Line – 1300 651 251
- Victorian Government Mental Health Advice Line – 1300 280 737
South Australia
- South Australian Assessment and Crisis Intervention Service – 131 465
Western Australia
- Mental Health Emergency Response Line – 1300 555 788 for Peel residents 1800 676 822
- Rurallink Psychiatric Emergency Team – 1800 552 002 | TTY: 1800 720 101 (rural WA only)
- Samaritans Suicide Emergency Line – 1800 198 313
- Crisis Care Helpline – 1800 199 008 | TTY: 08 9325 1232
Tasmania
- Tasmanian Mental Health Services Helpline – 1800 332 388
Australian Capital Territory
- Mental Health Triage Service/Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team – 1800 629 354
Northern Territory
- Northern Territory Crisis Assessment Telephone Triage and Liaison – 1800 NTCATT (1800 682 288)
Queensland
- 13 HEALTH – 13 432 584
General information about depression
Thank you for your outstanding article. I can personally relate to the situation of immense stress and personal problems which can have an adverse effect on a person’s health. Can I relate my experience. When my husband suddenly took sick, we both had to step immediately from our business. I did not get into the business for eight months. Our loyal staff rallied and reappointed their rosters and shared extra workloads. There comment to us was we must keep the business going for you as you have been so good to us when we have had personal problems over the years. I was open with our suppliers to explain the situation and I must say that I was never taken advantage of by any of them. I would rush in to work for a few hours now and again to check out buying etc. and thank and guide the staff which was an important time for them and me. My husband and I and the staff talked openly about the position we were in with our customers as they gave great strength to our staff who were also going through a very traumatic time. It is so important to keep an open dialogue and be sympathetic to each other’s needs and don’t under estimate the support that comes from your customers. Without all this I don’t think I would have coped as I did. After my husband’s death our staff and customers were so supportive and from being a very shy person I learnt to talk about my ordeals in a sensitive way and this personally helped me so much to get back on my feet. There were many gaps in the store but you’d be surprised how our customers stood by us until we are now getting the business back on its feet. I humbly write this as I have learnt that by discreetly speaking about my inner thoughts and needs you never know how a few simple words from someone can turn your life around. We are all different people but if by briefly sharing my story I hope that even one person can help make someone’s life better and for someone not to be afraid to talk discreetly about their inner fears. There is someone out there who can help.
J, thanks for sharing your personal and heartwarming story.
Great stuff J. It is great that you have shared this on the forum for us. You are getting my mental support as I write this. And I would hazard to say that the fact you have had 30 likes so far to your post means there are lots of people supporting you.
Blogs like this are great to share how you feel and if any of you out there are struggling or feel under pressure please share open and honest thoughts and we can try and help you through it. Business is just business and as hard as it gets which can be pretty hard, there is always a solution.
Mark,
Beautifully written. There is so much more I would like to add to this discussion topic but am not sure where to start. Those close to me know of the battle with mental illness. I’d like to talk more openly one day, even if it helps save one person in our industry.
Open communication and asking for help is the beginning.
Great and (for me) very timely post Mark,
15 years ago I lost a close friend who was driven to the brink by an unrelenting ATO and suppliers whose attitudes were very similar to those being displayed by magazine distributors today. Even though he was not looking for charity and had demonstrated a willingness and ability to repay his debts as he negotiated to sell his business, no ground was given and he lost his business and home, his family lost a loving father and grandfather and the community lost a stalwart and generous supporter of many organisations and causes.
On Friday, the caring accounts people at one of the magazine distributors informed me that I would receive no magazines for the next 2 deliveries because although my cheque was received by them on the 20th (according to Aust Post) it was not processed until the 21st making me 1 day late. When I mentioned that the cheque was actually cleared through my bank on the 21st and therefore must have been processed on the 20th, the less than satisfying response was “Bad luck, it’s too late to change anything now”.
I have paid their account on time, nothing is owing yet their arrogant treatment and disregard for people in small business leaves me cold – no one is asking for preferential or favoured treatment, just a fair go.
15 years ago I didn’t understand the pressures my friend was under – today I think I know how he felt.
This is an incredibly important topic for everybody. Mental health issues can and do pop up at many different times in many peoples lives. In many cases the signs are just not visible, this is what makes actions of affected people so hard to understand. If anybody has troubles I would implore you to reach out to somebody….anybody…just reach out. A simple phone call to somebody you trust and can rely on can make the world of difference but YOU have to make that call. I know there are support groups and days like RUOK day on social media but there is also another 364 days of the year in which people need to get through and that can be tough. When I hear of people committing suicide I shudder…..Suicide is perhaps THE bravest act an individual can commit…..however it is also THE most SELFISH act they can commit….and thats what makes it harder to understand. The people left behind are left with unanswered questions for the rest of their lives. Take the time to check in on a mate who might be doing it tough.
Cheers
Al
Suppliers, especially those who do not provide us with the ability to reasonably control our level of indebtedness, have a duty of care to be respectful and flexible when chasing payment.