“What does shoveling snow, selling computer equipment, and serving alcohol have in common?”
 

Answer: You Get paid the Same day for your service. CASH in your Pocket. You don't have to wait 2 weeks for a paycheck! or wait for orders to roll in!

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Day 2

I awoke to the sound of my pager! I knew that my flyer was only for ONE DAY, so I knew that it couldn’t be to shovel driveways. Boy was I wrong. I had one new customer and a repeat customer. (Yes it snowed again that night). Another $30 (I only charged $15 each since it was lighter snow).

IDEA #2 "HIT THE BALL DUANE! HIT THE BALL!"

I called up some buddy’s of mine and asked if they had any old computer equipment that they wanted to get rid of. They did not, however I did! I gathered all of equipment (hubs, ram, print servers) that I wasn’t using ( I was a computer helpdesk supervisor in my previous contract :->)

I took $10 dollars and put gas in my car. I had located a place in the local “buy and sell” newspaper a couple of days previous, that would pay money for used computer equipment. I checked online at a variety of vendors and estimated that I could get at least $300 dollars, since some of the equipment had never been used and was retailing for over $200 US dollars (5million Can. Ha!)

The man at the computer store, asked me, “How much do you want” I boldly told him “Only $300! I even had the print outs of the Retail shops online!

He laughed and told me that the equipment was not worth that much. How could this be?? I had printed proof of current prices on this equipment??
He went online to …….YOU GUESSED IT EBAY!!! My “wonderfully expensive” equipment was being sold on E-bay for about $30-$50 bucks. Soooh when he offered me $120 dollars, I TOOK IT!

I also took his business card, as he had a BUNCH of old computer equipment collecting dust that I could probably sell in some way.

$120 dollars + $30 dollars = $150

Day 3

I had read a report on Don Alm’s website entitled Get an "Instant" job in ANY town! In it he describes how you can get a job in any town as a cook! (click on the link to see the report
http://www.pjbux.com/ideas/page2b.htm

After reading the report, I thought to myself if you knew how to bartend or wait tables, that you could get your money in tips, the very same day. Hmmm….

There was an ad. I had seen for a New Casey’s Restaurant that was opening up in my area. I knew this bar and grill would be a gold mine. You see the bar was built right by a new cinema complex. The biggest complaint that my friends had, was that there was no place within walking distance to grab something to eat after a movie. They ad said that they were hiring for ALL position AND that they would train. I was a “shoe” in for the job.

About 5 years ago I was a busboy at the Four Seasons Hotel. So I saw how much money Servers and Bartenders were making per night about $200 COLD CASH on an average weekend. I told myself then, if I ever needed money or extra cash, I would do waitering part time.

HIT THE BALL DUANE!

I got a haircut and printed a resume. I walked into the interview, and within 30 minutes was a waiter. (JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS)

I have earned anywhere between $70 - $140 (this is TIPS ) per night as a waiter. I get to See my FRIENDS, meet People and Re-acquaint myself with old University classmates. All this while getting paid CASH DAILY too for a couple of hours in the eveing.!

NET RESULTS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER

SNOW SHOVELLING $110 (I informed my repeat customers that I was only doing a test to see if there was a demand for such a service. My pager still goes off when it snows)

SOLD: Old Computer Equipment: $120

TIPS: Over $800

EDUCATION: Priceless

Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to share my story.

To come: "What I learned! and Why it is relevant"

Thanks for reading!

Duane Adolph

I'm curious...
 

Where are you located in Canada?

Cornell

Why? Doesn't it snow in your area...
 

Cornell, or are you looking for a used snow shovel???

Hope the kids loved the snow for their vacation...

Re: “What does shoveling snow, selling computer equipment, and serving alcohol have in common?”
 

Great post! Thanks! How about this as a (totally) off-beat supplement to your snow-shoveling business: What does everyone (illogically) stock-up on the night before a snow-storm is predicted? Bread, milk and toilet paper! (At least they do here south of the great white north border - perhaps Canadians are more sensible.)

Anyway, what about going out the night before a storm and buying bunches of the foregoing and then offering to sell these valuable commodities door-to-door and to your snow customers? (At a moderate profit of course!)

I'm laughing myself - but I wonder what would happen?

Tim Spencer

Re: “What does shoveling snow, selling computer equipment, and serving alcohol have in common?”
 

Duane,

That's a great story! It shows you can't keep a good man or woman down!

You've got a great go-get-'em attitude!

It also shows that the world is abudant with opportunities, if you do what you did and evaluate the possibilities, choose the most appropriate, then tackle it with a can-do-it smile.

Thanks for the empowering real life story. I'm waiting with high anticipation to read your next part about what you learned! :)

- Dien

P.S. Working in the hospitality industry -- as a waiter or waitress, chef, or bartender -- has a lot of advantages if you like travel, because it seems you can always find work.

A friend of mine travels the world, working as a waiter or bartender everywhere he goes. He usually stays in each place between 3 months and a year before moving on to the next place! So far he's lived in England, Japan, Germany, Holland, and Australia (he was born in Mexico, but he's a Canadian citizen). He told me that the next place he'll probably go is Taiwan.

When he's in a new place and wants a job, he doesn't look in the paper at the job ads. He hits the pavement, and goes to the restaurants directly, until one takes him on.