I'm Tevya?

Fact is, I'm enjoying the store a lot, right now.

I never thought I was one of those people who would find the bright side in every situation they were in. I see it in Linda, I see it in my family. But not me. I mean, I enjoy reading the grumps more than the fatally optimistic, and like to think I'm a cold, hard businessman.

But reading this blog, I realize I'm like Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof, with his big plans that always get waylaid by life. A handy attribute for a small business owner, I guess. "What could possibly go wrong? I have this figured out this time! The Acme Co. assured me this contraption will work."

"Dear God, you made many, many poor people.
I realize, of course, that it's no shame to be poor.
But it's no great honor either!
So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?"


You are forewarned:

I thought when the year started that working every single day would wear me down. That it would become pure drudgery. If it got to be too much, I intended to hire a part-timer.

Instead, I'm feeling revived. I'm enjoying it. I feel an anticipation every morning about the store, wondering what the day will bring. (Every new store owner knows how this feels. And -- apparently -- every long-term store owner whose establishment is doing well...)

Here are some of the reasons I feel recharged:

1.) Part of the reason I'm enjoying the store so much, is because it's operating at such an high level. It's become very efficient, and cost effective, and I just love watching my long running plans come to fruition. There is also something pleasant about staying dry in the storm, about feeling strong in the disaster.

2.) I've actually been able to relax more than usual. I have a plan in place, I'm doing as well as I thought I'd do, and I need but show up every day and do my job.

3.) I'm a workaholic. That sense of virtuous industrious nose-to-the-grindstone working man feel. (I've got a new saying: even the stupidest businessman will learn something after 30 years....)

4.) I'm a bit of a loner, and like my time to myself. I don't have to confer or confab or explain or worry about anyone else. It's good to be be King. Duncan's Kingdom.

5.) I've learned to pace myself, to take care of myself. I'm pretty regular in my habits in every way. I'm completely boring.

6.) Fact is, I really didn't make very good use of the time off when I did have time off..

Except for the vacations. Those 3 and 4 day trips were lots of fun, but you know what? Our little trip to Ontario felt pretty much the same, and it was only a day and a half. Just getting out of town felt good.

I may just push through to the end of the year. I don't think I'll go much beyond that, because I do think it's important to get away once in a while, not just for relaxation, but also because of the danger of losing perspective.

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Speaking of losing perspective.

Recently, I've had three or four guys come in all concerned about me, because they heard that the competition was taking all my game sales away.

I looked at the first two in shock. "Look around, dudes. Do I look like I'm having trouble?"

But when a couple of more guys came in asking the same question, it became too much of a trend to ignore.

I think this is one of those cases where I've probably been too honest for my own good. Especially because I didn't bother to put things into context.

That 47% drop in Magic sales from last year sounds very dramatic. But to put it into perspective, even if I'd had those sales, it would've added all of 6% to my total sales. Even that isn't really getting to the crux of the matter. By applying the money I saved on cost of goods to some other product, chances are I made the money somewhere else.

Also, when I compare my situation with my compadre in Ashland, who is even more of a game store than I am, he says Magic sales are down -- period. Nothing to do with competition.

I think it's O.K. for me to be forthright, but I probably also need to explain the context.

My fault for not making it clear.

Perhaps people are so used to business's not admitting to any weakness, that they inflate the importance of any admission. Whereas I can see it as a strength.

I've enjoyed being able to say to my customers, "We're doing fine. We're doing really well, actually. Sales are down a bit, but our store is probably more solid than it's ever been."

And to say it without a hitch in my voice, with obvious authenticity, which I think people can pick up. Harder to judge tone and body language on a blog, I guess.

If I ever do go through a bad stretch, I'll probably have to quit blogging, because I don't think I could help myself -- I'd have to tell everyone. But even then, it wouldn't necessarily mean the worse. I've had some dire times over the years, but I was always going to hang in. Whereas, I can't tell you the number of businesses I've heard tell me they're doing "Great!" only to see them fold shortly after.

My candidness is more in the nature of airing the simple ups and downs which all businesses endure, but very few admit to.

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The Budget Game.

O.K. You have to trust me on this.

I had already thought of this loophole in the Budget Game. A sort of "Get out of Jail Free" card.

No, really.

I know it looks like I'm just making up the rules as I go along, but I knew going into summer that it was going to be difficult to keep the store stocked if sales were too much higher than my projections.

I had decided that I would spend half of the total of any sales above a certain amount.

Come back here!

I'm not joking.

I really had already thought of this. Trust me!

O.K. So maybe I was thinking I'd apply this money at the beginning of the following month, but what if it's completely obvious I'm going to overshoot my projections, and the sale I want to take advantage of is going to be out of date by then?

Hmmmm? What then?

I'm running 20% above my best-case scenario. So...it's only 5 days so far, but it shows every indication of being a new norm. But....I've been fooled before.

If I take advantage of the "Appreciation Sale," and we have a sudden dropoff later in the month, will I be able to hold back ordering the Evergreens? And if I do, won't that defeat the purpose?

Or, can I make the case that the profits are going to be enough to divert a portion of them to making the store stronger?

What you're seeing here, my friends, it the constant dilemma I feel between making the store as strong as possible, and actually pulling cash out of the place. It's also a matter of feeling engaged in the business, and enjoying it. (See above.) But I also very much enjoy the cash reserve in the bank.....

I'm fighting it. I'm fighting it.

But, you know....... One little puff wouldn't hurt.....