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-   -   I love what I DON'T DO. (http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11301)

GordonJ August 12, 2022 01:16 PM

I love what I DON'T DO.
 
Call it a mantra, say its a slogan or a war cry from the Personal/Self-development or even the business arena...it goes like this:

Follow your passion.
Do what you love, the money will follow.
Or be the authentic you, and enjoy your money making adventure.

If you want to make money, do this________ or that______ or whatever turns you on.

So, doesn't it go to goals, and lifestyles? Multi millionaires who operate even small businesses doing 40 to 50M A YEAR, are working very hard in and on their businesses. Because, probably they love what they do.

I don't ebay.

Right now, I'm following a few people who are doing and going the ebay route, following some trusted, proven advice from those that have been successful. One person has spent over 500 hours in the last two months.

Or roughly a full work week, of 40 hours a week, and that may be a little bit of an understatement.

But taking him at his word, that is a lot of work. Daily, he must SOURCE products, currently on a very limited budget, going to Goodwill and thrift stores as a supply source, cleaning, laundry, pics, posting, wrapping, mailing, and awaiting refunds. I have watched a dozen different ebay experts this last couple of months...

And what I see, are...

WORKER bees. Maybe for themselves, they claim to be FREE, but so far, none of them making 100k a year are taking months off at a time. No selling, no income.

Which is why I DON'T eBay. I DO buy and sell stuff, but it is almost 97% local, within 30 miles of me. And instead of investing 1500 dollars into 200 shirts, shorts, trinkets, or whatever...I'd look for ONE item, with stored value in it and flip it fast for a 300 dollar profit, knowing circulation beats storage.

I DON'T have a warehouse, garage, shed, storage facility or basement full of stuff. I love that.

I also don't have employees. Did at one time, didn't like it, or some of them...so like Harvey Brody, I let them all pursue their bliss somewhere else.

I don't do ecom, for most of the same reasons, sourcing, selling...although, I am working on a % basis with some who are getting into it, but only as a consultant on the selling part...not the operational parts. Too much slop and mess for me.

I DON'T do affiliate marketing. Did. I liked selling Jim Straw's stuff when he was with us, today, don't want to waste time offering what in my opinion, are marginally useful products just to make a buck. So, I don't.

I don't work more than 20 hours a week, and for most of the past 22 years here, I haven't. I love that too.

Get to a place, make your dough, maintain, and do other things.

NOT for the highly motivated. NOT for those seeking to make a name for themselves. NOT for big business builders..but it suits ME just fine.

I don't work 12 months a year, even at 20 hours a week, many months may be spent doing other things, older members here have witnessed some of my travel adventures. I think it was the rattlesnakes and black widow spiders of the desert of New Mexico which tamed my want to travel.

So, let me ask the world a general question.

Are you doing what you LOVE to do, like I am?

Life gives us what we ask for, as long as we're willing to pay the price, eh?

Gordon

trevord92 August 12, 2022 02:24 PM

Re: I love what I DON'T DO.
 
Thanks Gordon.

Ebay doesn't have to be like that (although it still involves posting and packing stuff) - the items I sell there are steadily in stock so I've not touched the listings since they were created except to add more inventory or change the price.

Amazon is less work - it doesn't take long to stick bar codes on items and I could outsource that (and will do on a piece work basis at some stage)

But definitely agree follow what you like doing and earn from that - deciding what you don't like doing can be a good way to home in on what you do like!

GordonJ August 12, 2022 04:12 PM

I appreciate this.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by trevord92 (Post 43189)
Thanks Gordon.
Ebay doesn't have to be like that (although it still involves posting and packing stuff) - the items I sell there are steadily in stock so I've not touched the listings since they were created except to add more inventory or change the price.
Amazon is less work - it doesn't take long to stick bar codes on items and I could outsource that (and will do on a piece work basis at some stage)
But definitely agree follow what you like doing and earn from that - deciding what you don't like doing can be a good way to home in on what you do like!


You and others have figured that part out. Unless you are the source of all this merch, are you not still at the mercy of supply side? Again, in the time it takes to post one item on ebay, we can easily post the same item on craigslist, or Facebook market, or just call someone in our network.

I think there are people like you who have simplified the whole ecom, ebay, amazon thing and but am I wrong when I say, if you don't sell, you don't make money?

As an example, a friend has natural gas leases...he gets a check every month for doing nothing but ownership. OR, consider one decent boat, there is a mechanic's special for 2k on marketplace. The stored market value of that is about 1200 to 2200, with 600 for mechanic and parts, a clear 500 profit. OR, that boat would make a nice day rental on either lake Erie or nearby Portage lakes. Rent it for 200 a day, more realistic figures, and it takes 12 rentals a summer to get investment back. Rent it a quarter of the 120 day season, or 30 times, and it looks better than flipping it. Thing is, without networks, a quick flip makes more sense.

I like what you do, and how you do ebay...I just think that for the same amount of time, less work, more profits are to be had.

Again, it is whatever suits us, but selling directly without a platform to pay, fees, etc., etc. works better for us.

Gordon

trevord92 August 14, 2022 08:36 AM

Re: I love what I DON'T DO.
 
Thanks Gordon.

Supply side seems OK generally - have had a handful of products that I can't re-source but they are very much in the minority. Price changes (especially on Aliexpress) are a lot more frequent but a Chrome plugin takes care of that.

And, of course, if I don't sell I don't make money but with a good mix of items (and fingers crossed I don't jinx things by saying this!) generally sales get made.

Ebay & Amazon are relatively low fee to list and then it's pay when sold. I prefer Ebay's basic advertising model - pay them extra money if they introduce the sale.

Of course, it would be good to be on the Ebay side of the equation - have a website, get paid whenever anyone buys anything on it.

You've set my mind thinking again about that kind of model - software as a service (which is essentially what Ebay is) is on my radar. Thanks!

GordonJ August 14, 2022 12:47 PM

I come here to agitate, stimulate or provocate...hopefully, in a NOT so boring way.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by trevord92 (Post 43197)
Thanks Gordon.

Supply side seems OK generally - have had a handful of products that I can't re-source but they are very much in the minority. Price changes (especially on Aliexpress) are a lot more frequent but a Chrome plugin takes care of that.

And, of course, if I don't sell I don't make money but with a good mix of items (and fingers crossed I don't jinx things by saying this!) generally sales get made.

Ebay & Amazon are relatively low fee to list and then it's pay when sold. I prefer Ebay's basic advertising model - pay them extra money if they introduce the sale.

Of course, it would be good to be on the Ebay side of the equation - have a website, get paid whenever anyone buys anything on it.

You've set my mind thinking again about that kind of model - software as a service (which is essentially what Ebay is) is on my radar. Thanks!


You know, I am all about when the aliens attack, and we are thrown back into the middle ages. So, mostly, I should be taken with a grain of salt with a little pepper thrown in.

I'm all about people doing their own thing, whatever works for them.

I've taken a long road to get to my current attitudes...I've dealt with the slop and mess of business; the employee headaches, the partner betrayals, the supply side snatched away...so I am jaded.

Any given Software, is a rug and although most are nailed to the floor, I don't want to be standing on the one that gets pulled out from under me.

We advoacte multiple streams, and I especially like off line relationships, where both parties perform given duties and are compensated appropriately.

I say all this for some of our newer members, who haven't been exposed to my attitudes yet and may wonder; "Where does this guy come off..."

Anyhow, if anything IS WORKING, then find ways to scale, maximize profits, eliminate time spent and carry on.

I don't ever know what is right for someone else, and when I post, it is mostly me telling the world what is right for ME. If that somehow stimulates, or provocates, then I've done my job...and I happily accept the big bux Dien pays me to be here.

Gordon

trevord92 August 15, 2022 05:45 AM

Re: I come here to agitate, stimulate or provocate...
 
Thanks Gordon, always good to have different points of view. Life would be boring if we all did/liked the same thing.

Personally, been involved in "retail" since I was a teenager selling home made lucky bags at school & retrieved golf balls back to golfers at the local course.

Retail is kind-of people watching and been doing that since well before big data became fashionable. Nowadays I tend to use the big online platforms as they're the easiest place to find buyers instead of getting lost at the back of the search results.

Agree multiple streams of income is necessary - had lots of rugs pulled out from under my feet over the years and the big internet companies are especially adept at that and/or changing the rules without notice.

GordonJ August 15, 2022 02:33 PM

Some random thoughts.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by trevord92 (Post 43202)
Thanks Gordon, always good to have different points of view. Life would be boring if we all did/liked the same thing.
Personally, been involved in "retail" since I was a teenager selling home made lucky bags at school & retrieved golf balls back to golfers at the local course.
Retail is kind-of people watching and been doing that since well before big data became fashionable. Nowadays I tend to use the big online platforms as they're the easiest place to find buyers instead of getting lost at the back of the search results.
Agree multiple streams of income is necessary - had lots of rugs pulled out from under my feet over the years and the big internet companies are especially adept at that and/or changing the rules without notice.


Today, as a retired old man, my hope is (maybe) to help a youngin or two, avoid some of those rug falls I experienced. IF I had listened and followed some very good instruction earlier, I might have avoided some of the knocks the school of a stubborn life taught. But, maybe also, I would be depriving those folk of their own hard earned wisdom?

Anyhoo...just some random thoughts.
I believe everyone, and I do mean everyone...should have at least one information product for sale. It is so easy today, with sites like GUMROAD, which we're testing...a no cost, no code site to sell your product, albeit, minus the traffic of a big platform...however, there is no reason one cannot use eBay, Amazon, Facebook, etsy too, or wherever to also sell that product.

I think that one mistake I made, which I try to guide people toward now, is that I did not get into passive income, tolls, or automatic paydays, much sooner than I did.

Of course, age plays a big part. But everyone under 50 should have ownership of a TOLL position, and if possible, an automatic income stream.

I have had a lot of success with JOINT venutures, once I learned how to properly structure them, and to eliminate partnerships and co-dependents of the business sort.

I wish I would have done much more BARTER than I did, although I've had some great deals...still, trading for stuff, especially business stuff, would have made some many roads much smoother.

And although I had to wade through my share of slop, mess...and out of quicksand...it is hard to watch so many people TODAY, right now, get started on something which is way more complicated and time consuming than it needs to be.

We aren't educated enough on EVALUATIONS and assessments, even of a personal kind...we don't often play to our strengths, and we tend to take far too long to get the kite in the air, too much running, huffing and puffing, when going to hill and catching the wind is so much better.

Anyhow, just had some random thoughts, so might as well get them down here.

Gordon
https://gordonj.gumroad.com/l/wzard

https://gordonj.gumroad.com/l/free


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