The Analog Craftsman

Remember when fixing a radio meant opening the case instead of blaming the batteries? Funny how ecommerce works the same way. Every time sales slow down, people scream, "My ads are dead." But half the time the ads aren't the problem. Slow fulfillment. Unreliable suppliers. Inventory you don't actually control. Customers waiting forever. Those are operational problems wearing an advertising mask. That's one reason I like what Droplox is doing. You actually own your inventory while they handle the warehouse, shipping, returns, and fulfillment, so you're fixing the engine instead of repainting the hood. Better operations won't magically make bad ads profitable, but great ads can't save a broken business either. Be honest... when was the last time you blamed your ad account for a problem that was really happening behind the scenes?

Remember when every gadget on your desk was actually yours? You could crack it open, fix it, paint it, mod it, and nobody could flip a switch and take it away. That's kinda how business works too. Myth: once you launch a store, you're the boss. Reality: if someone else controls the product, the supplier, or the stock, they're holding the keys. One supplier disappears and your "business" can vanish overnight. It reminds me of those old floppy disks. The data only mattered if you actually had the disk in your hand. Same deal today. AI can help automate the grind, but it can't create ownership where there isn't any. Automation is awesome, but craftsmanship still starts with having something that's truly yours. So here's the real question… at what point do you think a business actually becomes yours?