Sherene Headley was surprised when she looked at the invoice from her manufacturer.
The founder and CEO of Mokkah ordered 57 pairs of black boots to sell to their customers.
The invoice was more expensive than Ms Headley had anticipated.
Her company's overseas buying power dropped when the British pound fell to a record low against the US dollar. Goods that are priced in dollars are more expensive to purchase.
It can be a shock for a new business.
A lot of small businesses have small margins when trying to get their businesses out there. I knew from the beginning that I wouldn't be able to compete with the high street on price.
Mokkah has been lean from the beginning. Ms Headley used Crowdfunder to raise over $13,000 to start the firm.
Ms Headley's products are high enough to protect against increased costs, thanks to advice from her mentor.
Ms Headley says that she was able to put some measures in place so that her selling rate for the UK would work out.
It would allow me to plug back in and get another pair of shoes or another sample made.
The pound is currently low against the US dollar.
You might think that this would help Ms Headley increase her exports to the US as her shoes are cheaper to buy in dollars than in pounds. The weak pound has led to a rise in the cost of global shipping.
When it does come, the real challenge is if I was to increase my sales abroad. The majority of my sales are in the UK.
The high value of the dollar makes it hard for small manufacturers in the US to get export orders.
Molly Fienning, the CEO of Red Clay Hot Sauce, wants to expand her company's overseas sales in the future.
She says that they need to find a partner oversea. We want to own our backyard and the South, then we want to own the US.
The cost of key business expenses, such as the price of cardboard boxes and how much she has to pay freight firms, have reached their highest levels since she became chief executive.
Red Clay only sources its ingredients from within the US to protect it from currency fluctuations. Sweet peppers, raw honey and white wine vinaigrette are included.
"We started with all Southern products, and then as we've scaled, we've needed more peppers and more honey."
The company sources peppers and honey from up and down the east coast of the US, from Florida to New York.
Currency volatility is not the only challenge small firms face. Todd Benjamin says that small UK companies are being challenged.
Higher labour costs due to wage inflation, higher taxation, and an economy that is weaker for the foreseeable future are included in the list.
In Istanbul, Pinar Bykbalci, associate professor of entrepreneurship at the Yildiz Technical University, says that global investors are increasingly wary of investing in emerging economies that have seen their currencies fall against the dollar.
"Over the last year and a half, we have seen a very strict and cautious approach of foreign investors when considering further investment in start-ups in Turkey and all other emerging markets," she says.
According to Timuin Bilgr, the president of the Turkish investor network, it is now more difficult to find overseas investment. He says investors want to see more proof of success before taking the plunge.
Funds are more expensive now that global rates have gone up. Mr Bilgr said that the money is not cheap anymore.
Adding padding to prices to allow for shocks is one of the things new businesses need to prepare for.
Mokkah's Ms Headley said that she was able to build in a certain room for issues when creating her brand. I didn't think it would be a currency thing, but I'm hoping it will improve over time.
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