Living in a paradigm shift

We live in interesting time. It's a cliche to say that -- but oh, so apropos.

The entire business world is being turned upside down. It's fascinating to watch.

My own little niches are being affected perhaps more than most retail. Books, comics, games. All are moving to digital manifestations. Sales of everything else I carry -- toys, t-shirts, etc. can all be found online at basically wholesale prices.

Yesterday morning it was announced that Wizard and Toyfare are ceasing their print editions. This is a big deal; Wizard was part of that comic boom in the 90's; and the go-to price guide for much of the last two decades.

There are rumors of cutbacks at both Marvel and DC; which both moved more into the mainstream parts of Warner and Disney, after being segregated for a generation as an overlooked backwater.

It confirms to me that being diversified is the ONLY way to go. Comics and graphic novels are half my business -- but not my entire business, which they easily could have been.

Strangely, I don't see future overall strength in any of the product lines I carry -- but I see ways to be a stronger player than my competitors, which should be enough to see me through to the end of this paradigm shift -- or the end of my career, whichever come soonest.

In other words, if I'm very savvy and canny, I can assemble the strongest parts of a bunch of weak sisters, into one strongly meshed business.

I find it all interesting to follow, like watching a trainwreck. You know the wreck isn't a good thing, but it's so damn mesmerizing!