I wasn’t sure whether to title this “Did Light of Islam fail?” or “Did I fail?”
Even though LOI was mostly me, you could argue that there were factors working against LOI that even my greatest efforts couldn’t have overcome. Then again, there are blurry boundaries between the two – for instance, in the end it seemed like its location in Clear Lake was perhaps an insurmountable obstacle to success. I am the one who chose the location. LOI, like most independent bookstores, competes with Amazon, Half Price Books, etc. Not much I can do about industry-wide problems, but did I do enough to differentiate LOI? There is probably a combination of fault in both issues.
It may be that the biggest determinant of failure of a business is the reason for closing. So did LOI close because it was failing financially or because it faced tremendous competition from the CLIC or because I was ready to move on? Probably a combination of all issues, with some weighing heavier than others, but without all three the bookstore’s fate might have been different.
I guess what I’m really wondering is if I can say I’m a success because LOI lasted three years and we were able to choose the time to close the doors (i.e., rather than getting evicted), or you can say I’m a failure because Light of Islam only lasted three years.
The question of failure has come to mind several times as I plan my new business venture (Written to Perfection). Do I have a track record of success or not? Were my marketing materials good enough? Did they keep LOI afloat or drag it down? Or were they mostly irrelevant in the end, overwhelmed by the larger factors that led to the bookstore closing? And am I offering WTP clients a marketing plan that could make or break their business, or am I providing just one of the tools in their plan? If I write a brochure or a flyer or manage a Facebook page, can the client and I gauge success by the quality of the work, or by increased sales? I suppose that last question is something the client and I will need to work out in the first consultation so that I understand their needs and we are both clear on our mutual expectations.
I have been focusing lately on freelance copywriting, with poor results, probably because I lack a portfolio or even much experience. I will need to focus on starting slow with just a few clients, mainly people with small businesses whom I know personally. Building a portfolio and a reputation is key right now, and I have the luxury of taking my time. I also don’t want to lose sight of my larger writing goals. I feel like I’ve spent too much time surfing blogs and websites concerned with copywriting and not enough time pursuing the creative writing I really want to do. Focus. Perspective. Breathe deep, be optimistic, trust in Allah, and carry on. I’m 50. No time left for messing around.
