This past Sunday morning my toddler and I were happily playing a McDonald’s toy version of Monopoly. He’d trounced me in every single game we'd played. 

But then it happened. I won.

Now, we’d prepared him for the possibility of losing. We told him it was inevitable. We catalogued all the other things he was good at besides Monopoly. There were many reminders of, “You might not win every time,” to which he always replied, “I KNOW YOU KEEP SAYING THAT.”

But when the moment came...he cried for a solid 15 minutes. And not just little sniffles. He was devastated. It was impossible for him to be happy for me. He felt like his entire world was crashing down. Because the entire focus of his little mind at that moment was bent towards winning.

The point is sometimes you’re on top, and sometimes you’re not. Sometimes the word-of-mouth business is flowing and sometimes it seems all but dried up. Be sure to diversify your marketing strategies, develop multiple revenue streams, and keep thinking of fresh ideas for your business.

That way, when the game stops going your way--you’re better prepared than my wonderful, creative, energetic, very sensitive toddler.