I've been writing, deleting, writing, deleting this email.

I wasnt sure what to talk about.

The hits just keep coming and as resilient of an entrepreneur I may be, its been a really tough week for me.

I love writing to this little group, you guys comments and love is really a cool feature to this email newsletter thing.

So thats why I was stumped as to what I wanted to write about... I'll just share it with ya.

Last week 2 artists from Art and Sol finally told me they have been building a new studio and will be fully operational by June 1. (they did give me 1 month notice which I'll take)

Tattooing has been going through a little slump this year. And we've all felt it. We've had meetings about it, tried to come up with new ideas, and its caused me some stress... I love these artists, I want them to feel supported and when they struggle, we are there to help.

I reworked our website, reworked our google presence, started a referral program, developed a script for getting more reviews... and for my work and stress... their solution was to go out on their own. As if I were the cause of the entire tattoo industry struggling.

I'm trying not to be bitter, but if I come off that way so be it lol.

So the future is uncertain and I just happen to have the most liabilities I've ever had. Hence the stress.

Something might have to give, and I have to put my ego aside, and make some tough data driven decisions....

Downsize the shop, layoff employees from the taproom, who knows?

Ill leave you with an amazing story Johnna shared with me yesterday.

She was down at our neighborhood pool with our daughter her friends and their younger siblings.

The 6 year old boy was doing something that looked a lot like swimming and having a great time.

He borrowed Johnnas goggles and was certain they improved his aquatic mobility!

He announced he was going to swim the width of the pool, passing Johnna and making it to the steps!!

Down he went! Giving it his all! Arms and legs moving in a way that he was making forward progress!!!

As he was passing Johnna... he pops out of the water....

"Oh, you almost made it!" Johnna told him

"Thats OK, that means I get to do it again!!!" He gasped

That made my eyes water when she told me the story. This little boy was trying to do something he had never done.

He challenged himself.

But the journey was more important than the goal in some respect.

No matter what happens with me or with any of you in your lives.... maybe we should take a second to realize that if we fail....

IT MEANS WE GET TO TRY AGAIN!

Your friend.

David