Making the most of my mind
Catching covid this month made it all the more clear that something needs to be done. While thrifting and flipping is a great hobby, I want to turn this into a business. I want to make my own way. And going to a few thrift stores once a week still isn't going to cut it.
Ryan Holiday shared a quote on his blog that spoke to me. He said, the Stoic "Epictetus quipped that, 'You can always win if you only enter competitions where winning is up to you.'
I feel like it's time to carve my own destiny and build my own business.
Let's see what that means.
By the numbers
Spend: $153.66
Net profit: $642.23 (vs. $776.54 last month)
Listed on eBay: 56 (vs. 44 last month)
eBay rating: 100%
What Sold
Highlights
You’ve got mail
I'm ecstatic to announce I've begun the Flipshark Bolos email project. I'm offering resellers a free, weekly email outlining 3-5 toys, games, plush, or more that are worth flipping. I'd like to grow an email list to 100 by the end of the year. But, honestly, worst case scenario, this decision will be more of a personal homework assignment with the added benefit of helping me find more too. Knowledge is power!
Spread it out and sell it
Like any true reseller, I'm always looking to shrink the death pile. Naturally, it's easier to list the smalls and stash them away. But I've been staring at a big pile of Strawberry Shortcake something for a while now. It was a "gift" of sorts from a friend, but I had no idea to start with it. It's massive and multiple pieces. But I finally took some time this month and spread 'em all out in my living room, as far as they would go. Turns out it was a bedspread and a set of curtains! They're listed now but no bites yet.
Fails
It happened again
Covid #2 stuck this month. It wasn't so bad. I slept through a weekend and got an official test on Monday. The worst part was that I wasn't able to go thrifting one week. Oh well, less to list!
So long, sucker!
Resellers are bound to make bad buys. It's important to recognize when you've done so and move on. I did that this month and decided to take the L and re-donate a big Garfield plush taking up space and a sealed horsie puzzle. Both might one day make some money but they weren't worth the space they were taking up.
Going forward
I think I scratched an itch when I finally put that shadowbox of toys together last month. I had all these ideas and aspirations to make an art gallery, but as soon as I started digging into the idea of sending emails, I changed my mind. Plus, I think it always suited my strengths a bit more. I've been a writer by my own volition for a long time. I like to help. And I'm doing the darn research anyway. Why not offer it up?
With that being said, that's the plan going forward. I want to start sending some helpful emails and writing some better blogs. Let's grow this audience and this business.
