This is part 4 in a series where I open for discussion some common topics from the Etsy business forums. And when I say “discussion” I mean “I post, you respond, I node sagely and then mock you.”
Today’s Topic:
“Look! Exposed underbelly! Let’s get her!”or “Seriously, learn to suck it up.”
1.Business is tough and the people you will deal with in business come in a variety of personalities:
Some are super nice.
Some are mean.
Some are vaguely unhelpful.
Some are touchy.
Some are touchy-feely.
Some it really depends on their mood, state of menstrual cycle, fullness of belly, a.m. coffee intake, last night’s sleep, whether or not their boss has reamed them out today, who won the Superbowl, are their panties bunching…and on goes the list.
Some have a different point of view than you on life, politics, business, religion, sports and child rearing.
Stop letting these differences surprise you. Roll your eyes at them, sure. I do. But don’t be aghast that there are people who are the polar opposite of yourself. It’s a big world.
2.Business is tough and sometimes people who run businesses make decisions or do things that you will not like, or agree with – some of which may be as follows:
Not to put you on the front page.
Not to pick you for a treasury.
Not to buy your stuff.
Not to agree to run their business the way you run yours.
Not to listen to you.
To make things you don’t like.
Sometimes it’s useful to speak up about about things like this. Sometimes it’s even more useful ask yourself “Is this comething I really need to complain about, or am I just being Johnny Whineypants again?”
3. Business is tough and we often make it tougher for ourselves when we forget the cardinal rule of the universe (or our solar system anyway)which is that the planets revolve around the sun, not around each of us individually:
A buyer didn’t leave you feedback? Perhaps they are NOT acutally sitting at home, staring at the soap/bracelet/plushie/hat that you sold them and obsessing about its percevied faults and maybe even plotting all manner of negative feedback. They may, in fact, be living their lives and not thinking in terms of what is important to you, Etsy Shop Owner.
Someone unhearted you? Maybe they are just sorting out their shopping list, and not acutally attempting to comment on your worth as an Etsy Shop Owner.
4. Business is tough and so should you be, to some degree:
Yes, Etsy can be a supportive community, but it’s not required to be so at the very least, don’t come into the forums wailing about your business (or worse yet your excruciating personal life) and be upset or shocked when you take a blast to the face. If you are going to put it out there, it’s fair game. I refer you back to my first two points about the wide variety of people here and their varied opinions.
There days when the snark runs rampant in here, but there are also an awful lot of people who post some pretty incredible stuff and are then shocked, utterly shocked, when opposing opinions surface. Dont’ be shocked. Suck it up.
Now, there are times when you should speak up (and we all do), but one of the best attitudes you can take about doing business with others, here and anywhere else, is pull your head out of your arse, don’t think that everything everyone else does is about you, stop worrying what others think of you, and, most importantly, sometimes just suck it up.
If you embrace this for a week or two, when you reach down and rub the skin on your soft underbelly, I guarantee you will feel it toughening up. That’s it, rub it, yeaaa…nice and leathery.
