I wholeheartedly commend anyone who owns and runs a small business. Even 40 years ago it was a brave and bold undertaking. And now, with the internet boom and the market goliaths that you must contend with, you are certainly more likely to fail than succeed in the business. And that is a downright shame. Because more people should be willing to support those brave souls who risk everything in order to run a business that they feel passionate about, and not pay the corporate fat cats any more.
That being said, it can be very difficult to keep your head above water in the market saturated with that big business. It is like being in a kayak on the ocean with a bunch of battle ships. You do not even register to them. But, take some solace in that you are not alone. There are plenty of small businesses all over the country that feel the same way that you do. One of the best ways to stay positive, and to see what other businesses like yours are doing, is to subscribe to some small business magazines.
A small business magazine will expose you to the often unexplored world of small business, where you can glean all sorts of information to help you with keeping your business alive and thriving. You can learn best practices from the pros who have been doing it for generations. You can see what does not work, finding cautionary tales. You get access to resources that you would normally never have, perhaps business organizations that could help you, that you never even knew existed. And you can even learn about new business techniques that are being tried, and that have been proven to work, so that you can stay ahead in the game.
If you feel at a loss for your business, do not give up hope just yet. Try a resource like a small business magazine. That way you can experience how other small businesses manage their companies, and how they deal with very the same stresses and difficulties that you could be facing yourself.