When I've been talking to customers, cubers and friends about the store, I think a word I keep going back to time and time again is risk. It was a very big risk opening up the store, and I knew that going into it. The previous time I ventured into the world of cubing, I was still at college, still studying, and had much more to fall back on. This time, I'm using a lot more money, and a lot more of my own time, despite still having a couple of other jobs to work on!
I have been working as an administrator for a few months now, and I have to say I have not enjoyed it! I have always loved the challenge of being self-employed, setting up my previous cubing stores, as well as my own dog-sitting and walking business. I think that perhaps the security of working for someone else, for a full time wage, really makes it an easy choice for a lot of people. However, I value my freedom, and I think working in such a dead end job really made me re-evaluate what I wanted from my life.
So, when my dad asked me if I'd thought about selling cubes again, it came at an ideal time. There's nothing quite like intense dissatisfaction to make you change course! Within a few weeks of him bringing it up, I had thought about it, and decided to make it happen. I reflected on past mistakes, and what I think really works and makes stores successful. Taking the first step is always the hardest, but I'm very glad I took it.
This first week of opening the store has been brilliant. There's been fantastic support from the community, as well as a brilliant promotional video by my friend CanChrisSolve, and it truly does mean the world. If any of you are perhaps considering a drastic change in your life, I'd definitely recommend jumping right in. I did, and I certainly don't regret it!
Thank you for all the support, and here's to a happy cubing future.
Joe