Going back to the conversation I had earlier this week with Laura, co-owner of the Mischief gift shop in Oakland, she mentioned one theme that really got me thinking: time. The massive amounts of time it takes for her to manage the store and lead the art classes, the time that takes away from her ability to create jewelry, something she did frequently in the past and loved, and the time it takes for the artists she supports to create things and how much they are then willing to sell them for in the store (not a lot apparently!).
So why is Laura bothering to run the store when it's cutting into the hours she could be spending with her family or creating jewelry or anything else? And why doesn’t she just find another job that likely would have a more stable cash flow? She told me that it's really all about the impact she can make in her local community (she lives right down the street from the store).
A few people attending her classes might ignite a creative spark that could remain lit for the rest of their lives. Holy crap! What a purpose! Also, for the local artists who sell their products in her store, she is giving them an opportunity to begin to make a living doing what they love, even if they are initially selling a product for just $20 after 40 hours of work (an actual situation Laura mentioned). Hey, I've written a novel and a number of other stories and have received exactly $0 from them, so I'd take $20!
For Laura, the purpose of the store is not necessarily about profit (which isn't a ton right now but improving) or the ability to show off jewelry she has made. It's about the contribution she can make to artists in her community. And for her, the time it takes to make that happen seems well worth it.