The Juggling Act

I called this site Stretching Thin because life always seems to get a little bit wider, even if you feel like you have gone as far as you can go. Sometimes you do it to yourself because you see an opportunity, and even though you know it is going to stretch you a little further, you know it’s worth the investment. Other times, the world just throws you a curve ball and you have to stretch out further to make sure that you stay in the game.

I was in the security industry for over fifteen years and, while I loved that job, it was always a job. I was good at it and I made good money. I had to push myself and, at times, the industry to meet my creative needs in that journey. I started to reach the walls though, so I had to create other outlets. I started designing and started my first business – DownLowPins. My friend Marcus, who is an amazing artist, was my business partner and it was a lot of fun, so I stretched myself a little thinner to make it the best I could. Then the world had other ideas. we took a chance, spending our full investment on a couple of designs that trended well when we put out the teasers, but did absolutely terrible in sales. Of course, we could recover but it would take time and money. That’s when I got laid off. So there goes the money.

The business is still active, we make a few sales a month on our old stock, but we stopped designing new pieces. Marcus continues to be a force in the art world, and I switched my focuses to drawing full time. So, I built my second business – SOS (Sean O’Dell Studios). I went to art school and that’s when things started to get really out on control. I built Big City Grind Media (Yes, third business in under five years.) with my partners and that took on some steam that we weren’t expecting. We started building a pretty good network until Covid swept our legs out from under us. That’s the world for ya, never quite satisfied when a good thing is happening.

Covid really put a lot of people on their asses, but it’s the response that matters. How did I respond? Built another business, of course. Haha

The entertainment industry was shut down, so if they can’t come to us, we had to figure out a way to go to them. And so, Echo Limitless (#4, woohoo!) was born. We started recording our own audio and video, then branched out to doing it for everyone else.

So, I have four businesses and that is just the tip of the iceberg. I’m sure I’ll be elaborating on all of the other side projects I am working on, but in the meantime, this is all a very long-winded lead-in to a plea.

The world will stretch you whether you want it to or not. You can try not to let it, but that is a losing game and often ends worse than if you had just dealt with it head on. So, don’t fight it. Respond to it.

It’s your response to the hardships that will define you in the end.

I have doubted myself. I have cried at the thought that I would let down everyone that rely on me every day. I have hated myself for not being strong enough. But…I have never failed.

Failure only happens when you quit. Don’t be afraid to re-imagine who you are or where your path may lead. But whether you stay on the path you’re on or you take a new route, you have to step forward to win.