Hi everyone, just finished school last year and decided to wait for college and try to startup some kind of business. I’ve had multiple “hustles” that I’ve started but never made any real progress with.
A lot of small ones but the 2 major were that I became an authorized seller for 2 dirtbikes brands, became a wholesaler for hand sanitizer (selling 24 count boxes) and now stuck with over 10,000 bottles…
Now I’ve gotten in contact with an electric blinds and shades factory in the country (usa) who will sell me blinds barley above manufacture cost. I’m wondering if this is a good business to pursue, and if it is I’m not too sure how to advertise it locally, everything I’ve done before was online advertising and selling.
I would stop trying to figure out how to make money quickly and easily – if it could reliably be done, everybody would be doing it. Think about blinds – what are YOU going to bring to the table selling blinds that already isn’t being done better (or more cheaply) than anybody else? If you wanted to buy blinds, where would you go? Online? People can buy blinds all over the place online. Or would you go to a local big-box hardware/home improvement store? How would you be able to complete with them? Nobody is going to prefer you over one of these other places they’ve tried before. To do it right – what would that look like? It would be hugely expensive – investment in warehouse space, inventory, website, promotion. Do you know anything about blinds? I don’t think you’re going to be able to find a niche place for yourself doing that.
What DO you know about? I know a lot about my particular hobby, which I started doing when I was ten. I started my business online when I was 27 (back in 1997), before there were a ton of online sites like mine. Because I’m knowledgeable, and have been around a long time, I’ve developed a reputation as a trusted seller with interesting products. Do you have anything – a hobby, experience in another business that you could turn into your own business?
You have to find a need that isn’t being met, and even then, you have to be super hard-working, be willing to invest, and even then, you can fail. Don’t skip thinking about the first steps – what do I know? What can I do? Is there a need? Can I do it? Some of the best businesses are ones most people would think of as just “manual labor.” Products are easy to come by these days – easily and cheaply. But people don’t know how to fix things anymore, and they don’t want to cut their grass, paint their walls, power-wash their driveways, or even (it seems) actually go to pick up food at a restaurant. Think about what kinds of things you can do where people are mainly paying you for your TIME and EFFORT. If you can develop a reputation for being someone who returns calls, shows up on time, and does a great job, that is HUGE! Good luck!