I launched Tabletop Wire a year ago last month. Today, I am shutting it down.
The idea for the site came from an industry Facebook forum where someone suggested there was an opportunity for a tabletop trade publication. As someone who enjoys building things, I thought I’d give it a go.
The plan was simple; build a site, find some writers, sell some advertising. But, as I am often reminded, nothing is that easy.
Over the last year I have struggled.
Tabletop Wire is unfortunately a side hustle, and it has impacted my other businesses, and my life. It is a beast that needs to be fed daily, if not hourly.
And as some have noticed, I haven’t been able to dedicate the time it needs to succeed. I have hours and hours of interviews that I haven’t been able to turn into stories, while at the same time I’m barely keeping up with the daily updates.
Trust is easily lost when you can’t meet your obligations. I asked for people’s time, the least I could do is write the story.
This is not what I planned. The original idea was to find writers so I could focus on revenue building. But for various reasons, I was not successful in doing that.
I still believe the industry needs journalism, not marketing. It needs stories on the trends and the companies forging them. It also needs an independent voice.
But, I’m tired. I’m turning 50 in January and I want some time to enjoy things, like camping, fishing or playing games.
So, I am going to stop updating the site starting today. I will continue to work on the stories I have in the queue for the Essen Edition before they get stale. But, the daily updates will stop.
Early after Tabletop Wire launched, a member of the industry ask why they should support us. They wanted a guarantee that we’d be around. I told them the truth. There are no guarantees.
That said, thank you for those who have supported me. Your kind words and support have meant a lot to me. Tabletop Wire never made money, but the money you did give helped keep the lights on.
Andrew Long