The postal strike is dragging on and that’s creating yet another challenge for small business across the country.

Small business owners have had to adjust to a wide range of challenges in recent years, and the postal strike is yet another cause for concern.

Just this week, owner Kim Paddon announced that she is closing two well-established businesses on Water Street in St. John’s due to mounting difficulties, not the least of which is changing consumer habits.

Beverlee Rasmussen of Langley, British Columbia is an author and the owner of a company that provides business coaching services to small business.

She says the mental health of small business owners is suffering, and the postal strike has just added to the stress.

“They’re exasperated, they’re stressed-out, there’s just no hope in sight. This is the time of year when they should be making money and greeting customers, ” says Rasmussen, “but instead, there’s just this overall sense of dread.”