It's not at all easy to run your own business. Over the last 12 years, we grew to have employees, an office, and tons of work. Things were great and then the industry changed. Different technologies prevailed and the work changed to value utility more. We stood by our clients and were loyal enough to tell them when they needed to be future focused, or not create apps when it didn't make sense. Eventually, employees left. We didn't replace them. Our office wasn't needed, so we worked from home. The work was mostly coming from a single company, and then they turned their backs on us too.
We went through a rudderless period and entertained offers to merge with other companies. Those all fell through. It was a bitter time and the idea of having "friends" in business was met with distrust and suspicion. We no longer felt confident. Our relationship was suffering. Our business was struggling. It didn't seem like anything was working out.
I even started working in an office to try and see if I could handle working for someone else. It wasn't bad, and we needed to pay our bills. That lasted for months and got us out of a difficult financial situation. However, the business I was working for decided to pivot their business and I was no longer needed.
Mr. Cobra wanted to focus more on music and he put all he could into it. he was touring, writing, promoting, and then the band broke up. It wasn't something he could control and it was a devastating blow. Just one more person to turn their back.
We decided to lean into getting work and wrangled a few new clients. The new work was different and challenging. We honed our skills in other ways and pivoted our business to focus on niche skills instead of generalists. We had a great summer, but then all the work dried up. We had one client, and gave them so much more than they deserved. Then they backed out of their contract without paying. They got a 400% increase in traffic, but that apparently wasn't enough to pay their bills. That meant we couldn't pay our bills either.
The slow degradation is worse. The slow degradation tests your tolerance. If you have any sense of hope to latch on, it makes it harder to let go. We luckily went onto another project quickly, but it wasn't enough to catch up. The clients continue to pay later and later, if at all. We don't have any money to pursue them.
It's certainly different to be a parent and be put in a position where your kids suffer the consequences. It is one thing that the activities get pared down. It is a whole other when you don't have enough for groceries or barely enough gas in the car to cash the check when it finally comes.
We were exceptionally poor in college, so I know some tricks to getting by. You prioritize. You make sure you have a roof over your head above all else. You get to know the due dates of your bills, and how far you can push them before it's a problem. I thought that was all behind me, except it's been months of that now. A new dark reality.
