2008: CAS Felt No Economic Pinch

I know, I'm a bit late on this now that it's Jan. 4th but here's my little look back of 2008, my anime site during 2008 and other cool events.

For many, it was a crappy year. The warnings I gave many who threw their money and time into things like expensive college degrees for so-called "good jobs", to stocks to a new home sure got their rude awakening. I feel bad for those who didn't fair well in 08 and I do hope for a better 2009 but I'll say it again....if you don't get control of your life (instead of depending on a job or boss to take care of you), this will happen over and over again. The financial morons who caused many problems will go away free and those who thought that working hard for a job will once again get the short end of the stick. You all work hard, so do what you love and love what you do. Don't get a degree or job just because your parents said "There's money in it" That's nothing but slavery with a paycheck attached to it. Anyways, on to the anime site.

As some of you know as of a few weeks ago I claimed my freedom from my job. Well, I'm still at my job but only on a part-time deal (two days a week to be exact). I did leave out of anger and frustration plus the anime biz has been growing like crazy. The full "Leap of Faith" will happen but I'm basically a free man as of x-mas eve.

Anyways (sry ranting again ^^), some of you might have noticed a lack of updates..that's mainly from the the anime biz getting well...busy. Economists and the public cried how sad sales and business was for 2008 but I sure saw different.
Here's a list of what happened in 2008 for me:

(Please note that I'm not doing this to brag, I wanted to show you all that 2008 didn't have to suck and if you just follow your dreams and ignore society's crys for unneeded extended college time, jobs and drudgery, you'll do fine. Of course anything you do, you got to work for it. Make sure you work for yourself and you are not wasting your life filling you're boss's pockets and ego.)

• Aquired anime.fm
• Started my own personal blog at charlesgaffney.com
• CAS version 4.0 redesign
• Gave out figures for contests
• Gave out Free Death Note Movie II Tickets thanks to a deal with Fathom Events
• Anime sales in 2007 $40K. In 2008: $90K! Thats a 125% increase in sales! Screw 2008 economics
• became a videogame reviewer
• expanded current anime items on hand from $2000 to $12000 making my store the largest storage of anime figures this side of NY!
• Got on BusinessWeek's front page a few times
• CAS traffic maxes out at about 170,000 rank on alexa.com...that's about 2000 people a day. Not amazing but not too bad.
• Qualified for a Google Adsense check for the first time.
  
• Became a BusinessWeek columnist
• turned my day-job into a two day a week p/t (almost a no time ^^;) thus making me a full time anime blogger and store owner!
  

See! 2008 didn't suck for everyone. Us otaku don't follow the norm and while everyone was crying we just stayed in our own anime-loving world doing what we like.

I really want to thank all the fans of the site and all my customers for making 2008 a wonderful year. 2009 will be even better. I do plan on doing at least one anime con appearance and with my store, I should once again get professional passes to SDCC . It's one heck of a trip from NY but it would be great to first see it in person.

Labels: chucksanimeshrine, updates