{"id":2622,"date":"2025-08-20T06:34:48","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T05:34:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2622"},"modified":"2025-08-20T09:40:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T08:40:14","slug":"aint-misbehavin-the-small-business-owners-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/2025\/08\/aint-misbehavin-the-small-business-owners-song\/","title":{"rendered":"Ain\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019 &#8211; the Small Business Owner\u2019s Song"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes : <\/span><\/span><h1>Ain\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019 and the Small Business Owner\u2019s Song<\/h1>\n<p>I was thinking yesterday about my late Dad (as it was 17 years, and a few day, since is passed away).\u00a0 One of my abinding memories was a song that he used to sing, and was played at his funeral and it got me to thinking.<\/p>\n<p>Running a small business is a lot like singing a jazz standard: sometimes smooth, sometimes offbeat, but always from the heart. \u201cAin\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019\u201d might sound like a love song from the 1920s, but if you listen closely, it\u2019s basically the unofficial anthem for small traders everywhere. You work alone, you stay loyal to your dream, and even when the world seems to be out partying, you\u2019re at home doing the books. Here\u2019s how this classic tune lines up with the daily grind of being your own boss.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>The timeless tune that keeps us company<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever heard <em>Ain\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019<\/em>, you\u2019ll know it\u2019s all about loyalty. The singer\u2019s saying, <em>\u201cI could be out doing all sorts, but I\u2019m staying faithful. I\u2019ve chosen my one true love, and I don\u2019t need anyone else.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>If you haven&#8217;t heard it, there&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PSNPpssruFY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a YouTube video here<\/a> (lasts for 2m 46s).<\/p>\n<p>Swap out the romantic partner for your small business and suddenly, you\u2019ve got the theme tune for self-employment.<\/p>\n<p>Because let\u2019s be honest:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>While everyone else is down the pub on a Friday night, you\u2019re still answering emails.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Saturday morning? You\u2019re in the shop before the shutters are up, rearranging stock that only you care about.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Sunday afternoon? \u201cDay off\u201d? Yeah, right. That\u2019s when the accounts finally get done.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You\u2019re not misbehavin\u2019. You\u2019re staying loyal. Faithful. Totally committed to your business. It\u2019s a love story\u2026 just one with invoices.<\/p>\n<h2>\u201cAin\u2019t misbehavin\u2019, savin\u2019 my love for you\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>That one line alone could be sung by any small trader.<\/p>\n<p>You could be out there, flitting between hobbies, jobs, or even employers. But no \u2013 you\u2019ve picked this life. You\u2019re staying faithful to your business idea, your customers, and your future. Even when:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Temptation calls.<\/strong> A shiny new side hustle, a tempting job offer, or a 9\u20135 with an actual pension might whisper in your ear.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Distractions loom.<\/strong> Netflix is suggesting \u201cjust one more episode\u201d but you\u2019ve got stock to check.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Everyone else is out.<\/strong> You\u2019re not. You\u2019re \u201csaving your love\u201d for spreadsheets, stocktakes, and supplier phone calls.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The tune\u2019s about devotion \u2013 and if small business owners are anything, it\u2019s devoted.<\/p>\n<h2>Running your own business: jazz or chaos?<\/h2>\n<p>Jazz, like small business life, can look a bit chaotic from the outside. The beat skips around, the notes wander, and sometimes it feels like everyone\u2019s making it up as they go. (Spoiler: they usually are.)<\/p>\n<p>Sound familiar? Of course it does. That\u2019s the daily soundtrack of self-employment:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Improvisation.<\/strong> The courier\u2019s lost a parcel, your website\u2019s gone down, and you\u2019re suddenly out of milk. No plan in the world covers all that \u2013 you just riff your way through.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Syncopation.<\/strong> Everyone else works 9\u20135. You? Midnight, Sunday mornings, bank holidays. Your rhythm\u2019s a little\u2026 off.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p ><strong>Solos.<\/strong> Unlike in a band, you don\u2019t get to hand the spotlight to someone else. You\u2019re always centre stage.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But here\u2019s the thing: jazz only works because the musician loves it. And your small business only works because you love it too.<\/p>\n<h2>The loneliness of \u201cone true love\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>The song\u2019s all about not straying. That\u2019s touching, sure, but it also means the singer\u2019s alone while everyone else is out having a laugh.<\/p>\n<p>Sound familiar? Small business owners are the masters of FOMO (fear of missing out).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p ><strong>Your mates are on holiday.<\/strong> You\u2019re still in the shop, counting stock.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Family wants a BBQ.<\/strong> You\u2019ve got orders to pack.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Everyone\u2019s bingeing telly.<\/strong> You\u2019re updating your social media page (and wondering if anyone even sees it).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s not glamorous, but it\u2019s faithful. You chose this life, and like the song says, you\u2019re not misbehavin\u2019. You\u2019re putting everything into that one true love \u2013 your business.<\/p>\n<h2>The punchline life of a small trader<\/h2>\n<p>Of course, you\u2019ve got to laugh. If you don\u2019t, you\u2019ll cry. So here are a few tongue-in-cheek comparisons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><em>\u201cDon\u2019t go nowhere, what do I care?\u201d<\/em> \u2014 Sure, except you can\u2019t afford to go anywhere because all your money\u2019s tied up in stock.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><em>\u201cYour kisses are worth waiting for.\u201d<\/em> \u2014 In business terms, this translates to \u201cyour invoices might get paid one day.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><em >\u201cWhat do I care, your kisses are worth waiting for\u201d<\/em> \u2014 Replace \u201ckisses\u201d with \u201ccustomers actually leaving a Google review\u201d and it makes perfect sense.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Running a small business is basically a comedy sketch nobody else rehearsed for.<\/p>\n<h2>Customers: the applause at the end of the song<\/h2>\n<p>Jazz musicians live for applause. Small business owners live for that one customer who says: <em>\u201cThanks, this is brilliant.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Because let\u2019s face it:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>For every kind word, there are ten awkward silences when you hand someone the bill.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>For every loyal customer, there are dozens who \u201cjust want to have a look.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>For every glowing review, there\u2019s that one person who complains the delivery took 25 hours instead of 24.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But when someone claps, sings along, or even just smiles? That\u2019s the moment that makes all the late nights and dodgy instant noodles worth it.<\/p>\n<h2>Why this song sticks<\/h2>\n<p>You might wonder why <em>Ain\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019<\/em> is such a perfect anthem for small traders. It\u2019s because it taps into that feeling of loyalty. Devotion. Sticking with something even when it\u2019s hard.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong It\u2019s about patience.<\/strong> Waiting for love \u2013 or in our case, waiting for customers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s about focus.<\/strong> Not wandering off into other distractions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s about pride.<\/strong> Being able to say: \u201cThis is where I\u2019ve chosen to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And that\u2019s small business life in a nutshell.<\/p>\n<h2>Everyday verses of a small business owner<\/h2>\n<p>If <em>Ain\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019<\/em> had a modern \u201csmall trader remix\u201d, it might sound something like this (don\u2019t worry, no copyrighted lyrics here \u2013 just a cheeky nod):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t go nowhere\u201d ? <em>I don\u2019t leave the shop in case the courier finally shows up.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m savin\u2019 my love for you\u201d ? <em>I\u2019m savin\u2019 my sanity for my next tax return.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>\u201cYour kisses are worth waiting for\u201d ? <em>Your online review is worth begging for.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s playful, but true. Every small business owner has their own secret soundtrack of loyalty, stress, and devotion.<\/p>\n<h2>The late-night soundtrack<\/h2>\n<p>Here\u2019s the thing nobody tells you before you start: most of small business life happens after hours.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>The shop shutters are down, but the paperwork\u2019s just starting.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The last email pings in at midnight \u2013 and you still answer it.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The supplier in another time zone finally replies, and you\u2019re bleary-eyed at 2am.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That\u2019s where the song really fits. While the rest of the world is asleep (or out misbehaving), you\u2019re still singing along, faithful to your dream.<\/p>\n<h2>Balancing the melody with real life<\/h2>\n<p>Of course, loyalty\u2019s great \u2013 but you\u2019ve also got to look after yourself. Even jazz musicians stop to breathe. Small business owners? Not so much.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Don\u2019t forget to eat something other than instant noodles.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Take a walk \u2013 fresh air\u2019s free, and your phone can buzz while you\u2019re out.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Remember: one day off now and then won\u2019t kill your business (even if it feels like it might).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The song might be about being faithful, but you don\u2019t have to chain yourself to the desk 24\/7.<\/p>\n<h2>Why humour keeps the tune alive<\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s be real \u2013 if you can\u2019t laugh about self-employment, you\u2019ll burn out. That\u2019s why joking about invoices, late nights, and that one customer who wants a discount on everything is essential.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>If you\u2019ve never cried over an Excel spreadsheet, are you even self-employed?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>If your partner\u2019s never asked, \u201cAre you still working?\u201d then you\u2019re not doing it right.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>And if you\u2019ve never looked at your tax bill and muttered <em>\u201cWell, that\u2019s jazzy\u2026\u201d<\/em>, then you\u2019ve got it too easy.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2\">So, what\u2019s the takeaway?<\/h2>\n<p><em>Ain\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019<\/em> isn\u2019t just an old jazz song \u2013 it\u2019s the small business anthem. It\u2019s about choosing one love and sticking with it, even when the world\u2019s telling you to go out and have fun. It\u2019s about loyalty, patience, and staying true.<\/p>\n<p>Every trader, maker, crafter, and shop owner is basically singing the same tune:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>I\u2019m faithful to my dream.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>I\u2019m not misbehavin\u2019 \u2013 I\u2019m just busy keeping this going.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>And yes, even when I look tired, this is still my one true love.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So next time you hear that smooth old melody drifting through the speakers, remember: it\u2019s not just a song from the 1920s. It\u2019s <em>your<\/em> song too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes : <\/span><\/span>Ain\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019 and the Small Business Owner\u2019s Song I was thinking yesterday about my late Dad (as it was 17 years, and a few day, since is passed away).\u00a0 One of my abinding memories was a song that he used to sing, and was played at his funeral and it got me to thinking. Running [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-advice","category-general","category-marketing-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2622"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}