**Public Disclaimer: The views expressed in this Q&A Section are not a representation or reflection of the other authors here at The Beartaria Times, nor are they a representation or reflection of The Beartaria Times in itself. They are the individual thoughts, opinions, and suggestions of the author himself, based on his knowledge of business. Anything read in this section should not be taken as concrete business advice, but rather helpful suggestions if you find them applicable to your own business**

Welcome to our first Q&A session, my friends! For those who did not see my first article, I’ll be answering business questions to the best of my ability for all to read and learn from. This week’s set of questions comes from Ben, who wrote:

“Hi,

Im trying to set up a small business writing and publishing tabletop RPG adventures.
So many people and organizations in this area are SJW/converged, including all the market leaders. Should I hide my right leaning opinions from people? If so, at what point can I stop hiding and be myself?

I have no money to advertise, is it worth using traditional social media in the current environment?

How can I reach out to other people who like crushing and not get bogged down with soy boys?

Thanks for any advice,
Ben”

First, that sounds epic. Please include a character who looks like a Dwarf from the world of Tolkien, but 6’3″ tall and loves woodworking.

1.) Your first question regarding whether or not to hide your right leaning opinions is, for me, an easy answer. Absolutely not. I am a huge proponent of authenticity, and the world is starving for it right now. Do not ever fear being ostracized by the mob because of your morals. Many businesses these days are bending the knee to the mob and throwing artificial support behind causes which they do not truly care about. These causes are never good for people or their clients. Businesses do so to try to capitalize on rage most of the time. I find this practice abhorrent, and am much more fond of running a business quietly and only using your business platform to spread morals if asked (unless of course the spreading of your morals ties into your business). For every one person who has a problem with it, you’ll find 5 people who agree with you and would love to support whatever business endeavor you’re on simply because they want to help boost up like minded people.

I recently had a woman express interest in my products via social media before quickly informing me that she would not be supporting my business after all, citing my personal page which she snooped on and found issue with. I was given a choice in that moment to either bend for a few dollars or hold my ground. I held my ground very strongly. That particular incident spread around a bit, and opened some doors for me. I don’t know if some of those doors would have ever opened had I not stood my ground.

Sometimes God tests our resolve, and the prize we win is based on our decision in that moment. Stand your ground with feet planted firm, and keep faith that upholding morality is more important than any amount of money.

In summary, I would advise you to state your beliefs and opinions if questioned on them, but let your business speak for itself all other times. Your morality will come through in whatever you do, without the need of you being vocal. This is not something that should be feared. Those who understand will be supportive, and those who take issue will quickly fall away.

2.) Regarding your question about using social media in the current environment. I would absolutely suggest you do so. I don’t find any problem with using the tools at our disposal to help grow, as long as they’re being used responsibly and with good intent. Many wish, myself included, that we still lived in times where you simply brought your potato harvest to the market and sold them right then and there. While this is still an option with local farmers markets, it is not the same as it used to be. Try as we might to keep things simple, it is human nature to complicate. As long as you are not creating problems for your business, utilize the infrastructure while you need to. Fingers crossed that someday your business will grow to the point of no longer needing to rely on social media, as your reputation will precede you.

3.) For your last question, as it pertains to business, I would combine answers from your first two questions to answer this one. Be who you are, stand up for morality, spill Logos everywhere, and utilize social media. It may be a slow start, but that’s alright. The things that matter the most in this life are not quickly obtained. As you grow your business, you will grow as a human as well. Let it happen. Burn the dead wood, and continue on. In life, we attract what we give our energy to. Give no energy to the type of people you don’t wish to be in your life or support your business. I live just outside of Portland, OR. I am in the midst of a fallen city full of people I have nothing in common with. I’m still thriving and crushing. Put your faith in God, that He will provide whatever it is you need in this life to grow. When done so with the purest of intentions, you will find that what you need most will enter your life.

This concludes our first Q&A session. Thank you to Ben for the questions, and I hope some of this can help others who may be experiencing the same dilemmas.

If you would like to have your questions answered, please send an email to: Business@beartariatimes.com

Keep crushing everyone!

-Woodshop Bear