Day 315 of 362

It's Saturday at the store. We supposedly have Warmachine going on at the store, but no one is here for it. To that end, I blame myself as I really didn't advertise it well. That's something I/we will have to change with the new place, but part of that is an issue with manpower. With a larger space, we'll have to hire two to four more people. We have most of those people lined up, already in one form or another, but it brings me to face an aspect of myself I hate... Even with doing twelve years in food service management, I know that I absolutely *SUCK* as a manager.

I'm great as an employee. Set a task down in front of me, and once I know how to do said task, I will do it as well as anyone who's ever done it. I can work without supervision, and honestly prefer to, and my employers always knew that things would get done. As the guy who does the bulk of the day to day work here, I do okay, as I have pretty much only myself to direct. No, my problem is letting go and TRUSTING people to do the things I need done to put my mind at ease in terms of business.

I have this mindset where it is easier for me to just do the work that needs to be done than it is to train people to do it to my expectations. That's a very short-sighted mindset to have, and it needs to change if the Gopher is going to continue to grow. I've read advice from other game store owners who went into this with full blown business plans and how they planned their staffing from the start, and I am amazed and terrified. We didn't do that. We bought a store from two guys who started it on a tax return. They didn't have much of a plan, and we didn't have much of a plan when we took it over other than I would run it long enough to either grow the place, or realize we should shut the doors.

As has happened three years ago when we moved the store to its current location, we stand on the edge of a precipice... The store HAS to move... Not to survive, but to grow... It's needs space... With space comes added necessary manpower. We (Loq, Skribl, and I) can't do everything here in the space we have now. We NEED the help, and I know it. As with the previous move, I feel, in my gut, the upcoming move will make or break the store, and I don't know what scares me more...

Failing, which means I would have to get a real job again in order to help support my family... I enjoy working for myself. I highly recommend being your own boss if you can manage it. The job stress is higher, but it's different and satisfying. At the end of the day, though, what you have is yours. Failing would take that away...

...or...

Succeeding... I honestly do not know how I would act if this move made the business explode. I do not know if I could personally handle it, mostly because I have never been in that sort of position before, and the unknown always scares me more...

GopherDave