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At least, that's the conclusion I've reached after years of trying to predict which games people will love before they arrive on my shelves.

Ordering new releases is a big of a FOMO nightmare. If I order too many, I watch my cash flow disappear into stacks of boxes that sit patiently waiting for a home. If I order too few and I spend months telling customers that the game they want is out of stock everywhere.

I've done both more times than I'd like to admit.

I've overcommitted to games that seemed destined to be huge successes, and I've been far too cautious on titles like Sky Team and Lairs, only to watch them disappear faster than I ever expected.

The thing that makes it difficult is that I genuinely love board games.

Every week brings another clever design or beautiful production or exciting idea that makes me want to find room for just one more title. It's kind of irresistible and it makes my job a never ending balancing act of enthusiasm and discipline.

But the longer I do this, the more I think the challenge is worth it.

Technology has made it easier than ever for us to consume things alone. Most of our entertainment, communication and even our hobbies increasingly happen through screens. Board games offer people a reason to gather around a table, focus on one another and spend a few hours sharing an experience instead of scrolling past one.

I still get excited when a new game pops into my inbox because I get to decide whether it deserves a place on the shelf. I get to introduce people to games they might never have discovered otherwise. I get to play a small part in helping families, friends and couples spend more time together.

The best businesses aren't always the easiest businesses. Sometimes they're simply the ones you believe are worth building.

And for all its frustrations, board games feel worth building a future around.