We recently connected with Sam Kahn and have shared our conversation below.
Sam, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us today. We’re excited to dive into your story and your work, but first let’s start with a broader topic that might be stopping many of our readers from pursuing their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. How have you managed to persist despite haters and nay-sayers that inevitably follow folks who are doing something unique, special or off the beaten path?
I’m lucky enough to have a wonderful support network. As is typical of existing in the public sphere, I have encountered people that are negative and critical, but I have fantastic friends and family who are not only deeply on my side, but also honest and ready to offer me constructive criticism when I need it. Throughout the process of running my business, I’ve learned to respond to criticism calmly and intentionally, and developed the skill of not taking criticism of my product and business as criticism of my self.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Raven & Riddle is, on the surface, a company that sells dice for tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons & Dragons. Outside of the visible function of creating new and exciting dice for people to add to their collections, Raven & Riddle is a meeting place for anyone who is interested in TTRPGS, regardless of experience level. All are welcome to join our community, to learn and play and socialize with other wonderful nerds. It also allows me to try out ridiculous ideas that don’t exist, such as dice that look like salami and bleu cheese. Experimentation, acceptance, and mutual support is at the core of Raven & Riddle. And we also sell shiny dice.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
One of the largest jumps I’ve made is in my ability to think laterally, and to discover new ways of doing things. Rather than accept the way that things are normally done, I’ve designed new molds for dice, new dice shapes, and discovered a plethora of new things along the way. The second, a necessary offshoot of the first, is the ability to accept when something hasn’t worked, knowing when to push through, and allowing oneself to realize when to try a different method. While there are some problems that can be gotten through on stubbornness alone, quite a few benefit from invention. Finally, I’ve learned to trust myself and my instincts, while balancing my more impulsive or absurd ideas with advice from people I trust.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
I’ve recently been working on balancing my work with rest, whether productive or not. Scheduling my days so that I work 8 hours and using the rest of the day to make dinner, clean the house, and spend time with my dog has absolutely changed the way I approach not only my business, but the rest of my life. I am clearer, more focused, and make fewer mistakes when I take the time to rest my mind and body. Finding the cut off where I know I am starting to be overwhelmed is a a process I’m still working through, but segmenting my time and my week so that I only have one or two segments of the business to focus on in any given day has allowed me to be completely attentive to each element of my business in its own time, which has not only allowed me to feel calmer, but also increased my productivity and effectiveness. For instance, I currently spend three days a week on filling a Kickstarter I ran, one doing administrative work, and one building up my stock for local sale and upcoming cons. In this way, I’m not worried about everything all at once, and can focus on what I’m working on, rather than being overwhelmed by the seemingly endless tasks that are involved in running a business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ravenandriddle.com
- Instagram: @RavenandRiddle
- Facebook: @RavenandRiddle
- Twitter: @RavenandRiddle
