Smash into the Yellow Brick Wall

As I mentioned in my last entry, I really like to win.  Even more than that, I hate to lose.  I really hate it, in a way that causes me to break down into silent sobs of rage.  One of the things that frustrates me as a small business owner is that often it seems like I'm losing.  Ashley and I put tons of hours into these cards that we love, so when they don't sell right after we list them it feels like a defeat.  

You see, I like to thank of myself like Dorothy, and my business as the Land of Oz.  While overwhelmed at first, I quickly defeat the first evil witch (bureaucracy) and dance and sing with my new friends, Scarecrow (creativity), Tin Man (revenue), and Lion (public awareness).  Everything shines in glorious technicolor, and the worst obstacles we have to face are flying monkeys which are awesome and really just serve to keep things interesting.  We make our way down the Yellow Brick Road of success and financial independence, and then I get to live happily ever after with my dog and pretty red shoes.  

Needless to say, life isn't really like that.  Rather than following a brightly colored path to success, I seem to have smashed into a yellow brick wall (it's yellow to mock me with it's cheeriness).  Ads we've run have produced little results, and despite increasing the frequency of listing new cards and improving the quality of photography, site traffic continues to go down.  I'm running out of ideas.  It's pretty disheartening.

Nevertheless, like any plucky heroine, I shan't give up.  Maybe I'll take up rock climbing and learn how to scale that wall.  Or maybe I'll just sing an inspirational song.  Or maybe I'll take a nap in the poppy field first.