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Naive idealism mixed with immaturity leads to these things. Wishing for things to be so doesn’t make them so. Someone somewhere has to work for things to happe

by mc32 1y ago

Naive idealism mixed with immaturity leads to these things. Wishing for things to be so doesn’t make them so. Someone somewhere has to work for things to happen. To me it feels like when a parasite finds a weak host. Neither will survive long. The relationship can be symbiotic but that requires effort as well as conscientiousness on both sides. The place was not running at break even but they wanted more despite that. They wouldn’t even accept cuts in staffing… They bled it to death with idealism.

bruce511 1y ago
Business is hard. It's hard enough to "start a bookshop". And while I admire folk who have a bigger vision, the whole thing rests on the business being successful. Given the right priorities, it can work. A business can be profitable, and also embody progressive principles. It can be both an income, and socially responsible. But most businesses fail. 90% or so don't survive 5 years. That's before adding externalities. So starting a business with goals orthogonal to successful business is twice as hard. I was struck by the demand by employees to be a collective. Thats an unusual request. It suggests that, even hired, that was floated as a path. It suggests the owner wanted employees to be "part of the family". So suddenly getting decisions from on high was jarring for them. Unionising is a strange response. (Even the union was surprised.) Frankly the writing was on the wall at that point. A more experienced business person would just have closed then and there. Obviously the employees thought that they could have succeeded had they just got the stock for free. I suspect not. They wanted more pay, would have had no incoming monthly investment, and would be short at least 1 worker (enough was likely doing a lot of work.) Doesn't sound like a solid business plan to me. So yes, idealism is fine, but it doesn't make the business work. And I agree, in this case it killed it. But frankly, starting a bookshop these days is a pretty doomed approach. A (good) coffee shop (with some books) may have had a chance.

by mc32 1y ago

bruce511 1y ago

Business is hard. It's hard enough to "start a bookshop". And while I admire folk who have a bigger vision, the whole thing rests on the business being successful. Given the right priorities, it can work. A business can be profitable, and also embody progressive principles. It can be both an income, and socially responsible. But most businesses fail. 90% or so don't survive 5 years. That's before adding externalities. So starting a business with goals orthogonal to successful business is twice as hard. I was struck by the demand by employees to be a collective. Thats an unusual request. It suggests that, even hired, that was floated as a path. It suggests the owner wanted employees to be "part of the family". So suddenly getting decisions from on high was jarring for them. Unionising is a strange response. (Even the union was surprised.) Frankly the writing was on the wall at that point. A more experienced business person would just have closed then and there. Obviously the employees thought that they could have succeeded had they just got the stock for free. I suspect not. They wanted more pay, would have had no incoming monthly investment, and would be short at least 1 worker (enough was likely doing a lot of work.) Doesn't sound like a solid business plan to me. So yes, idealism is fine, but it doesn't make the business work. And I agree, in this case it killed it. But frankly, starting a bookshop these days is a pretty doomed approach. A (good) coffee shop (with some books) may have had a chance.