Small business owners 'can't keep passing costs onto customers'

As cost of living and inflationary pressures continue to grow, small business owners are trying to keep a positive outlook for the year ahead.

But while cafe owner, Kristina Carson said she had a good run over the Christmas break, things aren't going to become better overnight.

"As increases keep coming and the energy prices start going up and we're experiencing more bills, we can't keep passing it on to the customers," Kristina told Today.

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"We have done all that we can and they are doing their bit so we just kind of have to wear the rest of it, I guess."

While she and her husband have had to make sacrifices to family time so at least one of them is at the cafe to ease wage payments, Kristina said they still value their staff.

"We have a great team, and it's really important to keep them in check as well," she said.

"We still have a positive outlook on the year ahead, but we need a really consistent, uneventful year to help us all get back on track and if we can just hope for that, I think we might be in with a chance."

See what else Kristina had to say in the video above

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