The leading killer in starting up a small business could be the time needed to keep up with the business. The idea of starting up any kind of business or company always sounds good at first. Being able to be your own boss making up your own hours, but looks can be deceiving. For anyone with a desire to start their own business knowing things like assets equal liabilities plus equity is essential, but time management seems to be the forgotten killer for anyone planning to start up their own business.
Lucky’s Smoke Shop started business around a year ago courtesy of owner Brian Haj. Having previously worked in a family owned business that he stated, “sold a lot of the same things smoke shops sell.” The idea of starting Lucky’s Smoke Shop seemed like a no-brainer. It didn’t come without its challenges and few of which he mentions are, “knowing where to go when it came to remodeling the store, the lay out, where to order the products from, and finding the qualified staff.” But Brian recently had to sell his store and had some advice for anyone wanting to start up their own business, “Dedicate your full time to it. I had to sell my store because my full time job just became too much for me to juggle the store and my job. The positive side is I didn’t lose my initial investment in it.” We live in a fast-paced world now and time seems like something everyone has less of, so what if you do have the time?
Dan Crawford owns Cabbage and Kings Games alongside his wife Stefanie. The store was perviously named Titan Games before their business suffered from its biggest challenge, the pandemic. They re-opened last year changing their name to what it is now, Cabbage and Kings Games. A business not only family owned but family ran, along with a few other employees. They have been managing their time in their business effectively to say the least. With three kids and Stefanie working another job they’ve made time for their business by treating it as part of their family. In a brief interview Dan stated, “Our family loves games and the bonds that can be formed through gaming. Every family has played a game together at some point whether it be what we primarily sell in Magic the Gathering to simple playing cards or a board game. The community we’ve managed to build through Magic the Gathering, through our business it really is like an extended family.” Having been in their store plenty of times I can say through my own experience they are always so warm and welcoming making it feel more like a second home as opposed to some simple card shop.
Anything you desire comes with a challenge, so you better believe starting up your own business comes with its fair share of challenges. But time is the key as there always seems to be too much, too little, but never enough. When planning to start your own business the first thing you should ask yourself isn’t what the name of your business will be or what you’ll sell just ask yourself one simple question, do I have the time?
If you are interested in the stores mentioned visit their website or social media page:
Lucky’s Smoke Shop https://www.facebook.com/LUCKYSTOREPEORIAIL/
Cabbage and Kings Games https://www.cabbagesandkings.games/