Thanks to the Struggle

We were so naive!

When we started on this quest to create a game company, we admittingly thought it was going to be smiles and sunshines. Creating a game. Bringing it to market. Sure we expected there to be challenges, but we didn’t expect the absolute shitshow that would ensue. It seemed opportunities shut as we entered the market. Between iOS 14.5, Shipping/Freight fluctuations, and Amazon policy changes, we genuines felt we were cursed.

And we weren’t alone.

After talking to a few colleagues, we realized we shared something in common. We thought we would take the world by storm through the brilliance of our ideas. We drank too much of our own Cool Aid and temporarily felt indestructible…

Originally this was going to be a bitchfest of all the struggles we had (I had already written 4 pages of it). Instead, I would like to give thanks to the struggle.

For every sobering moment, we were presented a opportunity for humility and humanity. We developed a deeper appreciation for the tabletop game community. We met friends through common struggle. We found fans through vulnerability.

There are many times we faced difficult decisions of giving up, or giving it another month. Faced with the possibility of starvation, we needed to really dig deep to find our why. We already knew many reasons to hang it up. But through community and friendship, we found more reasons, beyond rolling success, to stay. Looking past all the panic and pivots, we re-discovered our message and mission through adversity.

If we were pushing just another game, I’m sure Darylle and I would have gotten off this train at the next stop.

Even if it worked out, would we have something we were truly passionate about? Or would Darylle and I eventually just fall back into the drudgery that drove us insane in our previous businesses?