Have you ever felt like your business is stuck, no matter how hard you try? Maybe sales are slow, customers aren’t biting, or products are getting damaged in transit. It’s easy to point the finger at something outside your control—the platform you sell on, the economy, or the shipping company. But here’s the truth: Blame gets you nowhere. Responsibility moves you forward.
Taking responsibility isn’t about accepting fault—it’s about taking control. When you own the problem, you own the solution. Let’s break this down with real-world examples.
Slow Sales? It’s Not Just the Platform’s Fault
Imagine you’re selling on eBay, Etsy, or Facebook Marketplace, and sales are barely trickling in. It’s tempting to blame the platform: “eBay must be suppressing my listings,” or “The algorithm is broken.” But if you stop there, you’re stuck, waiting for change that might never come.
Instead, ask yourself: What can I control?
- Traffic: Are enough people seeing your listings? If not, is your SEO strategy solid? Are your titles, tags, and descriptions optimized with keywords buyers actually search for?
- Conversion Rate: If you have visitors but no sales, what’s stopping them? Are your product photos clear and professional? Are your descriptions detailed and persuasive?
- Product Fit: Are you selling what people want right now? Trends change—are you keeping up?
- Pricing: Are you overpriced compared to competitors? Or are you so cheap that customers doubt the quality?
- Brand Trust: Even if the product and price are perfect, do customers trust you? Are your reviews strong? Does your store profile look credible?
Taking responsibility means you stop waiting for sales and start making them happen. You adjust, test, improve—and regain control over your success.
For a deeper dive into how tracking can make or break your success, check out my video: Track to Succeed or Fail: The Crucial Role of Tracking in Every Business.
Success Story: From eBay Struggles to Profitable Independence
Many sellers blame platforms like eBay when sales slow down. Some even suggest you can “list your way out of a slump.” But let me share my personal story of how taking responsibility changed everything for me.
I’ve been selling on eBay since its early days. For years, it was my main income source. But over time, I found myself struggling to pay bills and keep my business afloat. Something had to change.
That’s when I decided to track my metrics properly. What I discovered shocked me: I was spending the equivalent of 10 days’ worth of sales just on eBay fees, another 10 days on stock costs, and the final 10 days on personal expenses and profit. In other words, one-third of my income was disappearing into platform fees.
With this insight, I took action. I reviewed my products, pricing, and expenses. The biggest change? I launched my own website and slowly shifted sales there, reducing my reliance on eBay. This move alone eliminated those 10 days of fee-driven losses, saving me between £1,500 and £2,000 a month in platform fees, stock losses, and associated costs.
Today, my website generates as much revenue as eBay once did—if not more—and my monthly expenses have dropped to just a few hundred pounds. By taking responsibility, tracking my metrics, and choosing a more cost-effective platform, I turned my struggling business into a profitable one.
Broken Shipments? Don’t Just Blame the Courier
Now, let’s talk about shipping. Picture this: You sell a beautiful antique, pack it up, and ship it off. A few days later, you get an angry message—the item arrived smashed. Frustrating, right? It’s easy to say, “The mail company is useless!” and move on.
But here’s the thing—blaming the courier doesn’t stop the next item from breaking.
What if, instead, you took responsibility? Not for the damage itself, but for how you handle shipping moving forward. Ask yourself:
- Can I use a different shipping company? If not, how can I make my parcels nearly indestructible?
- Is my packaging really up to scratch? Bubble wrap, double boxing, corner protectors—are you using best practices?
When you take control, the problem becomes solvable. You’re not helpless—you’re proactive. And that means fewer broken items, fewer refunds, and happier customers.
Car Trouble? Is It Just Bad Luck?
Let’s step away from business for a moment and look at something we all relate to—car trouble. Imagine your car’s engine suddenly fails. You might think, “Well, that’s just bad luck.” And sometimes, it is. But ask yourself:
- Was the car well-maintained? Regular servicing can catch issues before they become disasters.
- How do you drive it? Aggressive driving wears down an engine faster than you’d think.
- Were there warning signs? Strange noises, warning lights, or performance drops often show up long before a breakdown.
By taking responsibility for how you maintain and use your car, you can greatly reduce the risk of major failures. It’s not about blame—it’s about control. And the same mindset applies to business. Control what you can, and you’ll face fewer breakdowns along the way.
The Mindset Shift: From Victim to Problem-Solver
At the heart of this is a mindset shift. When you blame external factors, you’re saying, “I can’t fix this. It’s out of my hands.” But when you take responsibility, you say, “This might not be my fault, but it’s my problem to solve—and I can solve it.”
Blame leaves you stuck. Responsibility gives you power.
Remember what Albert Einstein once said: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” If you want better results, you need to change your approach. And that starts with taking responsibility.
Taking Responsibility = Taking Control
Business is unpredictable. Platforms change, customers can be fickle, and parcels get tossed around. But the moment you take responsibility, you stop being a victim of circumstances and start being the master of your success.
So, what part of your business have you been blaming on something outside your control? What’s one thing you can change today to take back your power?
If you’re ready to build a brand people trust, don’t miss my video: Branding Made Simple: Build Your Brand, Build Success.
Because here’s the bottom line: When you take responsibility, you take control. And when you take control, you can fix anything.
5 Ways to Take Control Today
- Track Your Metrics: Know where your traffic, sales, and engagement stand.
- Improve Your Packaging: Secure your products properly to avoid shipping issues.
- Maintain Your Tools: From cars to computers, regular upkeep prevents breakdowns.
- Adapt to Trends: Stay informed about market shifts and adjust accordingly.
- Build Trust: Invest in your brand’s reputation and customer experience.
What step will you take today? Share your thoughts below!
Success Tracking Checklist
To truly take control of your business, start tracking the right metrics. Use this checklist to stay on top of what matters most:
✅ Website Traffic: How many visitors are you getting daily or weekly?
✅ Conversion Rate: What percentage of visitors turn into customers?
✅ Average Order Value: How much does each customer spend on average?
✅ Customer Satisfaction: Are reviews positive? Any recurring complaints?
✅ Shipping Performance: How often do packages arrive on time and intact?
✅ Product Fit: Are you offering what customers actually want?
✅ Marketing Effectiveness: Are your ads, posts, and promotions driving results?
Tracking these metrics gives you clear insights. And with those insights, you can make informed decisions, solve problems faster, and build lasting success.
