Forty hours and instagram
40 hours doesn't make sense to me. It's an arbitrary number some jerkoff decided a long time ago and our bosses ever since then have agreed that's a perfect amount of time for our work to be done.
I know, I know - some people love working 40 hours. Some people need to work 40 hours. And quite honestly, some people probably thought 40 hours was a good compromise back in the day, so we couldn't force children to mine more coal.
But even though I've always had trouble swallowing that capitalist pill, I've also had to battle guilt for raging against the machine. I couldn't help feeling I was asking for too much and rocking the boat. But with all this technological advancement, shouldn't we be able to chill out a bit? Or pursue our own endeavors?
I kept coming back to the same question: Am I getting paid for my time or for my effort? I brought this riddle to my bosses, pushed past the guilt, and convinced them that I could get the same amount of work done in 4 days instead of 5. They responded with an adjustment on my salary, I countered, and here we are - 32 hours per week! I can officially spend my Thursdays thrifting!
And it's been a great month! The goal is to grow the business, so I'm proud to announce I beat last month's revenue! And, honestly, the mid-week time away from the office has made me appreciate and engage with my full-time job even more.
By the numbers
Profit this month: $540.16
Profit last month: $527.61
Spend: $243.77
Listed on eBay: 22/60
eBay rating: 97.5%
YTD total spend: $2289.62
YTD total net profit: $5025.62
What Sold
Other highlights
I've started to consider building an audience on Instagram as the way to grow my business organically. While eBay and Facebook marketplace offer a great way to reach tons of people, it's a bit of a shot in the dark. All types of people are looking for all types of things. But if I can hone my Instagram audience to a strong core of regular buyers, I think I could be better off with laser focus. So I held a small give-away and offered one of four items as a prize. All you needed to do to enter was refer a friend to follow the Flipshark Instagram. Between that and a plea on my personal IG account, I shot past the 100 follower mark!
My one and only foray into selling discontinued products finally paid off. It only took months! One roadtrip around New Jersey, back in the warmer months, I found myself bouncing around dusty grocery aisles in desperate search of something on clearance. I found a stack of McCormick spices with a sale tag below them. Turns out Perfect Pinch Sweet Onion & Herb was no longer something enough people cared about. I scooped up four bottles for $13 and threw them up on Ebay. They sold this past month for $40 to someone hankering for the flavor.
I had a quick flip from the junk franchise in January, and a few in February! As the junk franchise employees get acclimated to finding things for resale, it's extremely helpful when I can show up on a Thursday and make some moves. It took a few weeks to sell a sealed copy of Call of Duty up on eBay for $10, but I also found a quick buyer for a rolling piece of luggage ($15) and a fancy mountain bike ($60). I'm sure I could have gotten more if I held out and shopped for the highest bidder, but there is something so satisfying about moving product that fast. Now we just need to open the floodgates!
Even more satisfying has been when I pull it off myself. With my own followers. It's always incredibly satisfying to make an instant sale. It makes me feel like I really have an understanding for what someone might want when I grab it off the shelves. That happened this month when I shared my Thursday thrifting finds and someone reached out right away to buy this nifty ship stained glass piece. The profit almost covered my whole haul that day!
I'm always hoping my buyers will send me updates on the new lives of my found treasures. Nick might have shared the best update yet this month. He slapped together a lo-fi Soundcloud tune using the Goodwill keyboard I rescued back in October. I took a chance, ordered some batteries, and it worked! Now, Nick is making it make music. Rad.
Fails
Did I do enough? That's the question I'm left with when each month ends.
With growth as the goal, I can say February was a success and March is a possibility. What I might consider a failure is not failing enough. Total noodle-scratcher, right? Well, I think I need to take more chances and try new things. It's not enough to just do my normal route and wish this will all become a career. I need to carve my own lane to make this into a true success.
It'll never be easy and that's the point. I want to add something to this fail category and learn.
Going forward
With that being said, what can I attempt in March?
It seems like it's easier than I thought to sell at an outdoor flea market. There are a few left in March/April in suburban New Jersey. And it's $45 for a space. I don't know if I'll make a ton of money but it might be a good opportunity to get my face and name and brand out there, and gain some experience.
Plus, I was invited to another marketplace by a fellow Hudson County vintage business - Find and Revive. Not too much detail to share just yet, but I'll definitely have something to report next month.
The Volkswagen is so close to hitting the road. I received an update the other day that the mechanics are dropping a new radiator in shortly. Once I can hit the road myself, it will be a gamechanger.
I've been wondering if there is some kind of reselling that's a bit more consistent and secure albeit boring. I've seen plenty of resellers double-down on shoes, flipped from retail stores, or thrift store books. Either avenue takes a ton of legwork, but I'm wondering if a secure revenue stream could help prop up the fun stuff I like to hunt, such as toys and home decor.
I might need to throw a Spring Cleaning sale. My apartment is still under control in terms of inventory but I did capture an idea from another reseller and Instagram friend, Mallory (@simplymalvintage). She was lazy and shared a quick video update entitled #shopmyshelf. And stuff flew off it! Maybe I just need more exposure for the goodies I haven't hawked on eBay or Facebook yet?
Until then, let’s get back to work!
