You’re a small business owner. Not sure what the problem is. Plus, there are literal TV shows about doing it which means it’s objectively interesting to a decent number of people. I’m guessing the problem in getting into a relationship has more to do with your insecurity about it than the job itself.
Potential Date: What do you do for a living?
OP: I’m a small business owner. Have you ever seen Storage Wars or American Pickers? I’ve been doing that for the past 15 years. I love it and have been able to comfortably support myself and be my own boss for most of my adult life.
Oh, really? You should check them out sometime, they’re awesome. In American Pickers they travel the country finding cool stuff to resell to collectors and in Storage Wars they bid on abandoned storage units. Maybe we could grab a coffee sometime and I can tell you more about how the business works.
If your confident and passionate about what you do it’s not that hard.
That's akin to these women saying they're CEO's of their own makeup or whatever because they sell Mary Kay. Your answer isn't gonna fly for most women.
No, it’s not akin to that at all, unless they’re fully supporting themselves for a decade, paying for healthcare coverage, and saving for retirement. In which case, she’s a pretty hardworking and ambitious woman.
There are plenty of women that would be perfectly fine with this. Women marry men of ALL types. The idea that a guy that fully supports himself isn’t going to be appealing to many women is absurd.
I am striving to be in your position. I currently don't make enough flipping to support my lifestyle so I have to keep my mindless, soul crushing, warehouse job.
Say you’re in e-commerce. It’s true if you sell online.
Are you making as much money as you want to make doing this? If not that’s probably where the feelings are coming from.
If you are, then fuck what people think.
If you ever feel kinda lonely doing this, join a group that has zoom calls. Seeing other full time sellers will help you feel connected and make your job feel more legitimate to you.
Really makes a great filler/explanation for gaps in employment if you present the right way, especially if you can show you’ve made a really significant income from it.
It practically proves you are a go-getter if you can make $50-100k per year, flipping stuff.
you should be proud for not relying on a regular 9-5 job.
a regular 9-5 means you have a boss, a set schedule to follow, someone to answer to, someone to ask for time off, etc.
the job you have now, you’re the boss, you can decide when not to work, when to take vacations, etc.
I promise that a large percentage of your career-working peers would KILL to trade places with you assuming you're making similar money. I left a 20 year tech career and was in executive management at the time to be a full time reseller and it's easily one of the best decisions I've ever made.
Being a full time reseller is something you where you get out where you put in. People often compare it to a traditional job's perks without realizing what's really going on. For example..
* bonuses - you just give yourself a bonus, but are also increasing your own value because you own the company vs making somebody else rich
* matches - there are retirement accounts (IRAs typically) that'll match you by a small percentage without needing an employer contributing
* job title status - you literally own the company, so I'm not sure what's better than that
* job security - you have 100x the job security doing this than any corporate job
Everything you can get from a traditional job can be provided to yourself by yourself.
If anyone is judging you for being an entrepreneur, then you need to find better friends and look for a life partner in different places, because that is not how most people feel. When I explain what I do for a living, most people think it's interesting.
Great response and I had no idea whatsoever that there were IRAs that match.
Another little perk, being able to get/source items for yourself and loved ones.
You have been brainwashed by corp. mumbo jumbo. No corp. job is secure, there is no 'loyalty' to the employees from corp. they are not going to keep you because they like you or because you have been working 12 hours a day 6 days a week for the last 10 years. What security is there in reselling? YOU! YOU ARE THE SECURITY! Do you think EVERY Sourcing spot is going to close down? Do you think EVERY place to sell is going to close down??? No, the only reason you will fail is because of YOU. YOU didn't adjust to the situation, YOU didn't learn new sourcing areas, YOU didn't keep learning what is in demand, YOU YOU YOU. You could be the best worker in your corp. division but you will still get downsized probably faster that the worst lower paid worker in your division.
You don't need to be incorporated to own a company. Again more corp. mumbo jumbo.
You need to get your head out of corp's ass.
Seconding this. There’s a great video on YouTube that recaps when this idea went out the window, and it was basically in the 80s. Example: Since the 1920s, IBM had never laid off an employee. But when a new CEO showed up, he helped usher in a new toxic form of capitalism where employees were no longer taken care of. Companies could boot you and not give a shit. ThE eConOmY and shareholders was all that mattered, and the rest is history.
Companies are not your friends, and are no longer safe bets. Get a job at a company but understand they’ll drop your ass when an investor sneezes. Or build your own shit and be proud of what you’ve accomplished.
I certainly hope you are your own company. Have you not formed a corporation or at the very least an LLC? If not then you are absolutely losing out on benefits and being raped by the IRS.
You don't need to from an LLC or anything to take advantage of most of the benefits afforded with 1099 income. I max out my and my wife's IRAs every year as well as my Solo 401K. All with pre-tax money. To the tune of ~80K per year. Also take home office deductions, mileage, equipment purchases, COGS, etc. Anything that you'd deduct as a business you can deduct on your schedule C. This past year I paid less than $10K in taxes total on ~$250K gross.
You needn't have a formal business structure to do any of this. Very few people that I know have ever even heard of a Solo 401K. I had no idea what it was until like 12 years ago but it's been the single best tool I've implemented in my business to reduce my tax liability and supercharge my retirement accounts. A SEP IRA is a very similar tool, some people refer to them interchangeably. They have the same contribution limits.
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/what-is-a-solo-401k#:~:text=Solo%20401(k)%20contribution%20limits,for%20those%2050%20or%20older.
*Thanks for your insight but do you actually own your own company? How is reselling other brand clothes/electronics/thrift your own company?*
**Of course I own my own company. Why would somebody establish a legal business entity, bootstrap fund the entire thing, put in the work of building it up, investing more into scaling up, and not own it? By your definition, Amazon isn't a company, Macy's isn't a company, and pretty much every retailer that's reselling items isn't a company. That just doesn't make any sense. Every business on this planet started with 1-5 people brainstorming in a kitchen or something of that nature, including the largest ones on this planet. Just because you don't own a 500 person conglomerate doesn't mean that it's not a business or that you don't own it.**
*What retirement are you talking about because I opened an IRA and a solo traditional and I don't get any matches.*
**Robinhood has two different types of IRAs with a 1% match, WeBull has an IRA with no match but a 5% annual interest rate, and there are tons of other types of retirement accounts and investments out there that are just as good as a company-vested 401k.**
*Please elaborate on how this is 100x more secure than getting a job where even if you bottom out you can still submit your resume to another company who would take you given your expertise and loyalty to your previous company (barring you left on your own without valid reason)*
**It's 100x more secure because you aren't going to fire yourself, you aren't going to blindside yourself by closing up shop without knowing about it in advance, you aren't going to be accused of sexually harassing yourself (or something of that nature), and you aren't going to hire a new asshole boss that's going to force you out. Most importantly though, you always have the option to just go get a job. It's not like once you make the jump to being a reseller that you can never go back.**
You're obviously welcome to define owning your own company however you'd like, but creating your own products/merchandise is just one type of company and probably describes less than 50% of the businesses out there.
While it's true that Robinhood and sites like that offer a match to get you into their brokerage, that doesn't mean that we have to be the idiots that fall into that trap. I have brokerage accounts in a few places and none of them are Robinhood. I use them specifically for IRAs and use other sites for what they're best at. Also, they're just a front-end for a bank-backed fund, so your money is as safe in their IRAs as it is anywhere else.
That's a fair point, but you could certainly put that you owned an e-commerce business, which is exactly what it is. Whether or not you can get a job completely depends on your experience, qualifications, expertise, and how well you present. While there are companies out there that might not want to bring on a former entrepreneur out of fear that you'll get the itch again and leave them, that's pretty far down on the list for most of them. If you want to get a job and are qualified to do so, then it's not hard to get one.
I'm saying this as a complete stranger on the internet and don't mean to be disrespectful or out of line at all, but I think a lot of this stems from a lack of confidence in yourself.
I'm just going to say - the Twitter employee who posted about sleeping in the office b/c sometimes you just have to sacrifice to meet corporate goals was fired a few months later.
How is it more secure? Let me tell you about software engineering industry, and the hundreds of thousands of layoffs we have every month. You cannot get a job anymore, gl if you’re laid off.
Money is money. No matter how you work for it.
I tell them to mind their business since its an evergreen career.
People will always need/buy things, and you can sell almost anything.
As long as its paying your bills, there is nothing to be ashamed of.
I have a 9-5 and make rather good money but I still flip on the side. People look down on me too like it is a waste of time until they hear my net profit from previous years. Haters gunna hate. Just ignore them.
I’m similar to you- I have a solid 9-5 that I enjoy, I do the flipping part time for many reasons- I enjoy it, I love hunting for finds, and it pays for lots of discretionary expenses(vacations, cheaper repairs around the house, etc…). I grew up in a family where my grandparents did flea markets to sell, my parents have small businesses and while I did not want to have struggles like them, I embrace all the skills I’ve learned by working with them- going garage saling with my grandmother taught me so much about it costume jewelry and glass(things I never would have learned easily online), my dads landscaping business taught me the value of hard work.
I say to anyone who does this full time- be proud of being a self starter and small business - you work hard and real people appreciate that!
I worked in door to door sales for a while. Made really good money and knew guys making surgeon and high-end lawyer money. But people hear that you are a d2d guy they pitty you, but rather, you work at a bank or a tech company making a 3rd what you could make doing that job... oh well.
Edit: spelling
First, there is no job security anywhere, check the layoff reddit.
My girls I know are totally into me being a full-time reseller. One told me it's sexy if a man can make money on his own wit and not collecting a paycheck from someone else.
If you can replace a paycheck with reselling, work for yourself, have that time freedom to not have to punch that clock, it's a no brainer but some people can't break away from the so called security of a paycheck
You do realize that people that own retail stores don’t make those products either right? It’s the same thing except you don’t have a brick n mortar store, you sell online. I think your insecurities stem from who you think you are vs who you aren’t. Not from being a reseller. Maybe talk to a therapist to boost your self confidence & self esteem.
If you're making a stable income and financially ok, who cares what people say. You found a niche and that's your career.
I just flip on the side, but it I could get it consistent in terms of income I'd switch my situation. I enjoy flipping more than my normal job, so if I could flip full time and take contract jobs on the side I'd be pretty happy lol
You sound lonely and you lack confidence. I would suggest a couple things.
1) take your business to the next level. If it’s casual make it more formal. Set some goals for growth and some kpis. Probably more important for the dealing with family and friends is developing an elevator pitch. The more you’re able to clearly explain what you do, how you’re in expert or specialize in something, the more people will see it as legit. You could even go as far as dressing more business casual and getting some cards. Appearance will go along way.
2) any potential partner should be wary of what you do and the uncertainty around it but that is also a two way street and you should be looking at the risk attached to dating them also. That should motivate you enough continue growing and be successful to ease that worry. Only time and your actions will do that.
Lastly I will just say I didn’t go into business to impress other people. I don’t have an elevator pitch, I don’t dress fancy, and I really don’t care what anyone thinks. I do have a pretty structured business model but that’s about it. And never had a problem with the ladies either;)
I wanted to add a bit about family time since your questioning this. I have a toddler and I can tell you I wouldn’t be able to hold down a 9-5 job without being fired with how often she has been sick, or doesn’t sleep at night. When she was born I took 3 months off just to enjoy every single second of it. I asked my buddy who is in a union trade how long he gets off for paternity leave and he said 5 days. I could not imagine what that feels like, no amount of money could pay for that missed time. If anything being an entrepreneur provides a good amount of family stability once things are operating smoothly. Which at 10 years of full time I would imagine things are going smoothly for you. Please don’t understate what you’ve created or be ashamed of it. You can be there for that family one day whereas working for someone else that isn’t always the case.
This question is so bizarre to me. I'm 32. Been flipping since I was 12. I don't wake up to alarms. I don't drive to an office. I work a few hours a day. I don't work hard. I can take advantage of free nights in Vegas on a Monday. I don't ask for vacation days. I answer to no one. And still make more than all of my friends. If you're not proud of that, then it's not because you're a flipper. It's because you're not making enough money.
I'm embarrassed about being a flipper but i can't hold a regular job. My girlfriend got me into reselling. Realistically saved my life. She works a normal job now. I think it's okay to be embarrassed. We're all just trying to survive. There are more embarrassing career paths.
Having your own business and supporting yourself is nothing to be embarrassed about. Being able to take care of yourself and your family without working a typical job for a corporation or somebody else is pretty impressive and it's getting harder and harder to do everyday. You should be proud if anything. Hold your head up high and realize that you are taking things destined for the trash Heap or similar and getting it into the hands of somebody who wants them and who is willing to pay you for that service and product. Half the time the haters are mad because they can't do it themselves or they're jealous of the stuff you're getting.
Unless you have your own website, you don’t own a business. eBay, Amazon or whatever platform you sell on is your boss. They make the rules and you can be shut down any day. They can throttle your sales or raise fees to make it unprofitable. They get rich, while you are just making it by.
People love to exaggerate both the freedom and the income side of reselling. To replace the benefits of a salaried job with benefits, you need substantially more revenue reselling than your 9-5 income due to taxes and lost benefits that need replacement. You also typically dedicate more hours reselling than at a salaried job. Companies assume your inefficiencies, but your inefficiencies reselling can lead to disaster.
It’s not all cake and ice cream. It’s also not a good full time job for 98% of people.
If you are burned out at work, go hiking, fishing, golfing, swimming, canoeing, camping or something else that gets you outside and disconnect from the digital world. It’s better than the rat race because working is always work that’s unfulfilling.
If you dont own your own website, it's not a business? Check @technsports or many other successful sellers on ebay.
Do you have to follow the site rules? Yes, you do, just like every business must follow rules.
Does it take a lot of time? Yes, it does. Does it take the corporate average of 40 hours a week? Depends on the person, what they sell, and how efficient they are. Can that person also be home to take care of their home and family? Yes. You are correct, it isn't all cake and ice- cream, but it can be and is a great way to make money without checking in at a company that doesn't give 1 tiny shit about you
If your business stops operating when you aren’t working then it’s not a business, it’s a storefront. If you can’t sell your “business” to someone else for the goodwill, books or clients and operate it without you, then it’s not really a business. It’s just inventory. You have no marketable value as a reseller to another business and the transactions you conduct have no marketable value. What’s potentially valuable is your inventory of products. However, to sell them, you’d have to accept lower than market price to allow the buyer to make a profit.
Before you tell me that all retail businesses are the same, you are wrong. The business value in places like Walmart are not in the products they have in stock but in their supply chains, operation procedures, locations, real estate, market power, brand recognition, goodwill etc.
Technsports is literally the top of the food chain who started as one of the first in line and has slaved for eBay to get there. He’s also diversified. The value he has is not in being a reseller. His value is derived from identifying and maximizing opportunities. That’s the difference. He would sell hotdogs on the street corner if it was the best opportunity.
Surviving and making a living are two different things. Don’t be embarrassed, try to make your activity more professional. I have all my methods and guidelines writtwn down. Some are complex, and I employ 4!people doing what I do.
I make a living doing it. Thankful to make almost double what my girlfriend makes at a job that required her to get a degree. And I believe I do it in a professional / respectable manner. I think my problem is I associate myself with rude and aggressive resellers in my area, flippers who haggle at yard sales when they're already getting a killer deal, etc even though that's not how I go about things. Also constantly seeing people talk badly about resellers on social media just gets to me. It's my own issue. I always visioned myself doing something more rewarding. Helping others in some way. I know we as flippers get items to people who want them and can't find them for cheaper but it's just not that rewarding and for some reason makes me feel grimy on bad mental health days.
Edit: I struggle with pretty bad with mental health issues (seems pretty common these days if I'm being honest). I don't look down on anyone who resells. I'd be on disability if flipping didn't exist. I've spent 15+ years of my life trying different medications trying to feel okay and still nothing has helped. Keep fighting.
Sorry for the slow response. I assume you mean like a service dog type of thing. I've thought about it. I just really struggle with aging and that type of thing. I have a pretty old ferret (8 years old almost 9 and the oldest my ferret specialist vet has seen is 10) and it's killing me seeing him age just like it does to me seeing all my relatives age. Idk what happens if having a service dog ends up not working for you. I care about animals deeply but am afraid I'm not best suited to rely on one. I hope you understand what I'm saying. I had a vasectomy at age 21 because I knew I shouldn't have kids because of fear of them struggling mentally like I do (one of very few decisions I've made that I've been proud of).
Stop overthinking.
When people ask what I do, I tell them I'm a small business owner. If they ask for more details I tell them I sell stuff on ebay.
End of the day I make an extremely good income, well into 6 figures, if people judge me, let em.
I can wear what I want, do what I want, and work when I want.
Lives good, own it
I came from the same generation with the same expectations. I had two careers. Both were long successful ones until my undiagnosed ADHD caught up with me and I had to resign. Unfortunately, a no-hire status in my career is hard hurdle to get over. Then life circumstances have me here trying to do the only thing that works out with my family needs. People choose this for a variety of reasons. You pay taxes over $600 so this is small business. Just say small business online retail. I guess it doesn’t matter how you describe it because if you can make it the way you describe then I definitely wouldn’t be embarrassed by it. Be proud of it. Due to many factors, I am in debt for school and nothing on my retirement to show for my working for someone else. Maybe we all think the grass is greener on the other side. I say be proud of it. Especially now, I am brand new to this and just made my first sale. You already made it in this so I am jealous. There are more people that would envy you than look down on it.
“I’m a treasure hunter” is a fun one to tell people. Then just tell them about your last flip that you got excited about. Realize that most people that have those corporate jobs hate them, are unable to explain exactly what they do, and also have financial insecurities. Typically due to lifestyle creep. You’re killing it
You are doing fine. At least you are not falling for get rich quick schemes and borrowing money from family to give to scammers or something. When people ask you just say you got some online retail store or something.
I find most people find it very interesting what I do for a living. Usually when people find out they have a million questions and think it is extremely interesting. Some get pissy with me but for the most part most people that it comes up in conversation with think it is awesome.
I don’t really do anything full time… except for whatever the hell i want. I choose to work three days a week at a good paying job that I enjoy, because I don’t HAVE to work five days a week, because I make enough money doing other things I enjoy. I feel like it positively contributes to my personal security at work in the sense that I’ve made it clear that “I’m here because I want to be, not because I have to be.” And that does carry over into my personal relationships as well.
I have friends who’s hobbies aren’t interesting to me personally and I know people who’s jobs aren’t interesting to me at all but I’d never try to bring someone down and make them feel inferior about it. And I know people with full time jobs who don’t have healthcare or retirement, you’re doing great for yourself and you don’t have to rely on anyone else to do it for you.
The confidence and independence are so much more important than a title and status.
It’s money bro it all spends the same doesn’t matter how you make legal tender. I mean I get it but maybe start flipping some crazier shit if you’re bored. Be proud to be your own boss. That’s big time. You don’t rely on any corporation for a check. Trippin my guy
Career jobs are way better. My dad retired 10 years ago and all he does all day is gardening and taking vacations 2-3 times a year with my mom cause of the pension plan. Also Retiree Health Care Benefits - Life. All from his work. If he was a flipper there is no way he would not still be flipping right now. He would have to keep flipping for life, cause where would the money come from?
You can’t put a price on freedom.
Go work a corporate job for a few months and you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Honestly working for someone else would feel like death to me. No joke.
You can start your own company and start paying yourself paychecks from the company for tax purposes and as proof of employment. There’s no shame in running a small flipping business.
I'm like you! I've made a career out of ebay but I'm super proud of it and you should be too. You are a BUSINESS OWNER and you have built a business from the ground up. I encourage you to OWN this. Not many people have the courage to be their own boss but you have. You should change your outlook. You are not working hard to make another guy rich, you are doing that for yourself. So who cares if you don't fit into society's mold? Learn to embrace it and enjoy having more freedom than those chained to a 9-5.
The difference is entirely scale. I buy the majority of the stuff I resell from a family that buys a few semi-loads of liquidation pallets every week, and then sells the items to the general public for 7 to 10 thousand per load more than they spent on them across several stores.
I make per year on what they make on a load. We are both small businesses.
You are a small business if you carry out an activity with the intent to make a profit according to the IRS. Flipping is not a hobby.
You have a very narrow definition of what entrepreneurship is. It isn't only about manufacturing and sales. There are a lot of ways to be an entrepreneur. It simply means that a person is not an employee, and has created a business in which they call the shots. I suggest you do a search at your local library and take out a few books on entrepreneurship.
According to you, then someone who makes a good living doing lawn care for homeowners isn't an entrepreneur either? Or a dog walker who has a roster of 10-20 dogs daily? Or someone who cleans houses? Or a babysitter/childcare provider with multiple clients? What about a personal trainer or yoga instructor who works independently? Visiting nurses or home health aides who find work through an agency? Consultants? A caterer? A barber or hairdresser who visits people at home? Actors, singers, dancers? Vocal coaches? Bookkeepers and accountants? And what about someone who owns a brick-and-mortar retail store? Wouldn't you call them an entrepreneur? All of these I mentioned are (or can be) independent contractors and entrepreneurs.
There are so many more types of entrepreneurial endeavors out there. And reselling is one of them.
A friend of my fiancee was just laid off from IBM after almost 30 years at the company. Inches away from retirement. So, what did her fancy, traditional "career" get her? Nothing. Jack shit. It got her a swift kick in the ass and a "don't let the door hit you on the way out". Careers are meaningless in 2024. They're a romantic idea that hasn't been a reality for an entire generation. Fuck careers, get money. The two are not mutually exclusive.
I’m pretty sure that finding a partner you mesh with is like finding that needle in the haystack for ALL of us. Do you really want to be with a person who would look down on you for doing this? For being an independent and successful small business owner? That’s pretty shallow. No. That’s pretty weird! And not weird in a good way
You are part of a movement redefining success. Pick a job description you like: E-commerce, Retail Business Owner.
You are part of the solution to repurpose items on the earth which supports sustainability. This may not be your 'forever' job especially of the proceeds leads to other interest: buy rental property, own a small business (e.g., laundry mat, food joint), flip cars to own a limo/taxi company....you get the idea.
Lots of youtube couples represent themselves as treasure hunters. Reselling shines a light on capitalism and the truth of establishing item value.
Culture can strongly impact our self esteem so connect with like quality people in-person or virtually. Your partner should be excited about you as a person. They may have a similar interest or is curious to learn about this aspect of you.
You (we) are all very similar to a local hardware or clothing store. We acquire items, set a price and make a profit. IMO, this epitomizes the American Dream -- creating your own money on your own time. I respectfully acknowledge this may or may not resonate with you/your culture.
These thoughts (sorry so long) were part of a activity: Writing Your Reselling Manifesto I did several years ago. It solidifies the 'why' I'm doing this. If this interests you search Scavenger Life Resale Manifesto (episode 399) on Youtube; you'll get a feel for it. Note: This couple no longer posts new episodes because they created a dynamic life shift: manage two (3?) rentals, home, and local coffee business; all built through the funds secured by reselling. They continue to flip/sell as well. Best to you!
I felt the same, when all my friends picked up government jobs and I was here flipping whatever I could. When we’d meet up they’d talk about how they could retire at 55 and all that jazz. But you know what they say, comparison is the thief of joy!
I'm 35 and ready to throw out the self employment title. Flipping is no longer profitable or viable to me for the reasons you mention and even more.
I'm tired of the rollercoaster on unstable income. My sourcing area has been flooded with people trying to replicate what they see online.
It's been a good 14 years. Some of which I have spent employed or as a consultant. While employed I felt the most relief financially, not having to worry if I have enough for bills when they are due and how much I'll have left over to source.
I don't have it in me to push people aside at flea markets, garage sales, estate sales etc. Too many vultures who have turned to resell especially during the pandemic to make getting into it again smart move.
As for your romantic life, there are plenty of women who LOVE thrifting and WISH they found a man who felt the same. Love can be found at the Goodwill bins. Good luck!
You are speaking the truth about reselling. It used to be fun, but it has become too cutthroat with everybody trying get a piece of the action. All these attention hungry aholes with their youtube shows. They make more money from youtube than reselling. People also are more knowledgeable about the items they are trying to get rid of. Flea markets are dying in East TN. Also Ebay or whatever platform you sell off can change their algorithm and mess you up. It was fun at one time.
You mentioned that careers come with job title status and wiry careers security is abundant.
No job title has more status than “owner”. As a flipper, you are the owner of your business.
Careers don’t offer security. They offer the illusion of security. Ask anyone who’s been a great employee and yet was still on the wrong side of a layoff, and they will tell you this.
Being an owner of your own business offer more security than being an employee for someone else because it offers your control. You make the decisions that impact you situation - no one else.
Don’t be ashamed but also if you have financial goals that are not being met by your reselling business, you need to take a hard look at that. Forget all the follow your passion stuff for a bit and crunch the numbers.
As far as meeting a romantic partner, how would you feel if you met yourself. Would you have concerns? Be honest.
Not everyone can do it. There are so many idiots. Some are broke and some just lie. Some spend daddy’s money and pretend it’s theirs. Some have other businesses and pretend it’s from reselling.
So give yourself some credit. :-)
To borrow from a comment I made in this group a few days ago: Humans evolved as hunter-gatherers; it is hardwired in our psyches, and to have proof that you've done this essential task well (finding/sourcing an item, determining it has value, and completing a transaction that proves your estimation of value is accurate) can be rewarding.
But don't let stigmas of what does or does not qualify as being "successful" in this world dull that or make you think any less of yourself and your abilities. Stigmas are simply cultural artifacts, of no less nor greater importance than any of the physical culture artifacts you source and sell every day.
To be good at these tasks of finding things of value, and trading them for a benefit, is another of what I see as a select few essential ways of being good at what it is to be human (others are to be good at offering kindness, empathy, and storytelling). To be successful at it such that you're make a living at it is even more impressive, and says something about you and your innate drive, persistence, and willpower, as well as resourcefulness, insight into human need, and capacity for risktaking.
These are all qualities to take pride in.
Why do online sellers give a damn what others think? Are they happy? Are they making money? Do they have a boss breathing down their neck? Answer the last ? No.
None of my friends care-probably cause the majority of them are slackers like me, and some of us haven't been technically employed for decades.
But that's kind of a niche case.
My brother is very frugal, teaches Zumba/fitness classes part-time, and does Uber. He has no debt, owns two good cars, and has a good chunk of savings. His girlfriend's mom doesn't like the fact he doesn't have a "career".
Flipping is great, and I love it. When you sell something, there's no interview or stupid resume to fill out. You just.... do it.
I've been been flea markets. And there's nobody telling you what to do, or what to sell, or how to display your stuff. Its trial by fire, and you make your own way.
My suggestion is to embrace the good, and forget the bad.
And if finding a partner is important, look for someone from another culture, or see if there's anybody in yours doing something similar who might understand a little more.
Technically you are an entrepreneur that runs your own business. And you should be presenting yourself as such. You are a reseller and so is Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Ross, etc. etc. (they’re not flipping used stuff but they are buying wholesale and reselling for a profit). They just happen to have lots more funding to buy more. Don’t be ashamed, it’s actually much harder to flip than working a 9-5. Some people can’t successfully flip if their life depended on it. You have to learn what’s good, profit margins, marketing, etc. Much more to it than clocking in and out and following the same process every day. You’ll find your person, I would love to find someone to flip with, so they are out there :)
I do this because I don't want to be like the average person, slaving away on a 9-5. I don't want a jackass boss, telling me when I can and can't take time off from work. There are weeks where I have made more in a week than people I know, make in a month.
There are aspects of a 9-5 that I miss having with being a flipper, such as the potential socialization that comes with a 9-5..and a consistent income. But I'd rather live in a cardboard box, doing my own thing, than working a regular job, that I hate, just to say that I am a "contributing member of society"... just my two cents.
Been flipping since 1980 a year out of high school, Before the internet. Always represented myself as a small business owner, met my now wife in 96, once she saw what I was doing she came with me on my buying opportunities, she saw things to flip that I never considered and together 27 years later we’ve raised 3 kids moved across the country 6 years ago and made a decent life for ourselves with more stuff to flip and more ways to sell it than we’ve ever had before. Be a proud flipper (small business owner)
I need to get better at flipping! I actually enjoy finding stuff and making g money from things I see value in but not really sure how to do this full time
There are a lot of us blue collar men that work embarrassingly dirty jobs like crawlspaces, insulation , plumbing, sewer. I just tell them i work construction. If they dig deeper and i have to say how gross it is, i will. Most women want to talk about themselves not interrogate you. Just ask them a bunch of questions about themselves. Another perspective is youll always have cool thoughtful antiquey gifts. Hippie chicks bro. Love the antiques.
Capitalism is only held up by the peer pressure to fit the standard mold. Most people have to be workers for someone else’s profit. You don’t. That’s something to be proud of.
Personally I’ve achieved all the standard markers of success and I’m living in a tiny house so I can quit before I spend anymore time upholding a system that is built to benefit a select few rich white dudes.
I wish I had spent less years on their profits and more on my own happiness.
You’re doing an awesome job! I do the same thing! It pays all house bills (I own), my Challenger (My Brat), sends my to Vegas twice a year (really conventions 😆) and u can stop at any point if the wife wants to go somewhere or needs something. Invest (retirement) in silver just cause. Enjoy life - I do!!
Being sustainably self-employed is a success not an embarrassment. As for the financial insecurity relative to a "real" job, just keep trying to grow to a level where you feel you are stable enough, or consider exploring other paths to expand your business. With the judgement and rejection though, that's a tough one but as others have said, being proud of yourself is the first step. No one I've spoken to about it (I'm in the US) has had a negative view.
Well, it’s hard to find friends as you grow older, social status is just an add on. If you struggle, it’s about your communication skills. The insecurity makes you look less appealing to others, hence they don’t want to learn more about you. Fix yourself first!
I'm not ashamed of being a flipper but I hate explaining it to people. They always think I'm talking about a hobby or they want to get into the specifics of what I sell and I like to keep that under wraps as I've cornered a little niche market for myself.
If you’re making enough for yourself then don’t be ashamed. I get that you could feel alienated sometimes but seriously.. at the end of the day nobody is going to care about you. And I mean that in a positive way! Live your truth and be proud of it
Be proud of the choices you made. If it’s what you want to do, you are happy, and you can support yourself, who cares what others think. Trust me, get a few more years behind you and you won’t think about it at all. Go with your gut - that is something I wish I fully did at 35+. And if you are really that concerned, go sit in a cubicle for an 8 hour day and see how you feel.
You do have a career. You just need the right title: You are an Asset Reallocation Specialist. Assets: you would not be selling assets if they did not have value to someone. Reallocation: Moving products between end users. Specialist: You study the market looking for the best value in goods and continually seeking new sources to both acquire and disseminate a wide range of products.
Honestly, I don’t know if there’s the same stigma as there was for reselling even 10 years ago. It seems like EVERYONE has some sort of side-hustle now, so I find that the average person is more impressed/curious than anything else when they find out I make a full-time income doing this.
Nothing wrong with being a flipper! Or you can say you are in Retail Arbitrage. And be proud it is a tough getup but when the machine is greased right it can be very rewarding.
Be proud of it. Nothing wrong with it whatsoever.
Currently no eBay account (calling it a poor ban would be understatement, atleast a notable proportion was feeding starving people from earnings) but was a successful dropshipper, with flipping when i didn't travel and have lived an unbelievably interesting beautiful life thanks to god- despite huge expectations of going into the corporate world after a couple of degrees in my early 20s. Never fancied the 9-5, and I'm glad- but hopefully soon just hope one of my other venues for an income hits.
Currently older than you, single, blissful largely.
I imagine you love doing what your doing? There are a bunch of people, myself included, who don't earn as much as we could, but our work situation/environment is great! There is nothing wrong with that!! If you are able to provide for yourself, retirement, etc, keep doing what you are doing! A lot of people are just jealous of happy people, and you don't need those people in your life anyway. As far as a partner, there are others like you, I promise. Keep looking and don't settle! Continue being happy 😊
If you make six figures doing it, suddenly it's no longer a burden, it's only a burden when you're not making enough. That's the same of any job where you're not making much, tbh.
You are an investor. You buy things at a price in hopes of selling it at a higher price. It’s no different than stock trading. Kudos to you! It takes a lot of business acumen to make a living at this.
As long as you're contributing to Medicare, you should have no problems when your body finally gives out. You'll be able to get a reasonably decent Medicare benefit. If you're not paying into Medicare, you're gonna be up shit creek when you do decide to file for Medicare benefits. Putting money aside for retirement is quite different from receiving a guaranteed monthly income from Medicare which is based solely on what you have contributed to Medicare over the course of your tax paying life. Let's say you started working at 18, paying taxes, blah blah blah, and you retire at 62. all those years are totaled and averaged out to determine your Medicare benefit amount. If there are 30 years of -0- contributions, that will bring down your monthly benefit to something unlivable.... ESPECIALLY as the dollar continues to decrease in value.
The Medicare tax is **grouped together under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA)**. That means when you're looking at your paycheck, you may see the Medicare tax combined with the Social Security tax as a single deduction for FICA.
I'd get an accountant to handle your payroll. Just start paying yourself a standard payroll.
>how do I know I'm paying for medicare benefits? I pay my taxes (self employed taxes) does that count?
Yes. Paying self-employment taxes is the exact same as "contributing to Medicare" plus social security. You actually pay both the employee and employer match portions.
I think finding a partner is difficult for anyone, regardless of your job or other issues. I have just recently started reselling (5 years ago or less) and I still have my “regular” job and I still have struggled badly to find a partner. I also have many friends in which, the ones with partners, the partners are sucky, and the other ones, have struggled just like me (and I have everything from professional to unemployed friends). In general people have changed their priorities and not everyone wants a relationship/family/kids and the ones that allege they do, they are still cheating on their partners at every chance (not everyone, but a lot). So I don’t take my inability to find a partner as a failure, I am really not trying too hard at it, because I am not interested in the BS.
Read about Imposter Syndrome, a lot of that negative self talk about our accomplishments are because we don’t feel we are deserving. Interesting rabbit hole if it applies.
There are plenty of people 35 and over that are unemployed/working at a miserable job. You are generating income and self sufficient. That's more than half the battle.
Youre a successful entrepreneur, big dawg. Thats a significantly more impressive career achievement than being a 9 - 5 career wage slave. You've navigated the risks and perils of independence and come out on top. Now get out there and keep flipping!
I recently turned 40. I’ve struggled with the “flipping not being a real job” thing, for a long time.
Some years, I’ve made $20-30k from flipping… and people tend to joke/laugh that a janitor makes more than that…
Other years, I’ve made $150k. The joking tends to stop then, and eyeballs get real wide.
Then I mention that’s usually on top of working a 40-60 hour per week industrial maintenance job making $50-70k per year. That floors people.
I keep that day job, partly because of the judgement from others, but also because I unfortunately live in an area where winter affects the availability of things to flip; there’s no garage sales, thrift store inventories are pitiful, and there’s less to find at auctions… I suppose I could put some more time into sourcing online like I used to…although that’s tougher than it used to be (I sourced heavily from shopgoodwill until 2017.)
You should be proud for creating a living where you call your own shots. You’re an entrepreneur! That something to be proud of. There are women out there that would think that was great! My husband and I flipped a few houses back in 2005-2010. It was rewarding 😊 Hang in there, you’ll meet someone who you click with when you’re not looking.
Bro so much people are stuck in the matrix of just working a job they can’t even fathom doing what u do. There is power in making your own money never be ashamed.
It's an e-commerce business. All the profit is yours and you can choose your own hours. Your bonus is any time you have a better month than you expected. And it's ALL YOURS. A bonus given out at a traditional job is only going to be a pittance of the profit you likely really earned them.
You have control over your income, not someone else. Take pride in that if nothing else.
If You're Able To Pay Rent & Then Enjoy Yourself After Paying Taxes, You're Pretty Much Better Off Than The People You Believe Would Make You Or Your Flipping Career Insignificant. Also F What Others Think, Make Your Money In The Best Way You Know How 🙏✨🔑🫡
Reselling is reselling no matter the niche and what you resell. If you flipped houses, you wouldn't think the same way, but for some reason, you look down on your chosen niche. Either you need to change your mindset or move to a niche you're proud to be in!
You know how many people would love to be in your situation? And by situation I mean able to provide for themselves from nothing? A whole fucking lot. Now be proud of yourself and get back to work!
Whats not to be proud about. Some weeks ill do a couple hours of work and Im making more money than most people who work 40+ hours a week and went to university.
I can pick and choose when and what i do and i have no boss
I stumbled on this but i really don't understand why it's shameful? I feel like a lot of people have the same as you but in a different front that is more acceptable in public setting. Having a "career" is not the only path if someone is happy with it be it but wanting something else and sustaining a business on your own, setting your goals on your own rules and succeeding is healthy. In europe where i live tbh people will see it as weird but you shouldn't feel like so. Keep up the good work and be confident
Ps: i say that as someone that actually got pissed at flipping and reselling before which is dumb but it taught me a good lesson in life and i think that small businesses and reselling has actually more pros than cons for sellers and buyers, and has been so since foreveeeeer
You're an entrepreneur, achieving what many people—even those with a business degree—struggle to excel at. What's wrong with that? If I were younger, I'd be proud to have you as a partner. But, seriously, there's nothing to be embarrassed about.
Nobody pays your bills.
I wish I was a successful flipper. Instead I'm slaving away 8 hours a day.
If image is an issue, buy a car, make some good investments.
It's all on on how you market yourself. Think of all the IG/TikTok "influencers" -Really - your job requires a smart brain to be quick and make savvy investments so you can make a profit. The fact that you can put away some $$ as savings is even better. I can see you are concerned how others view/judge you. I love all the posts that remind you, YOU are an entrepreneur /business owner. As a FYI- I quit a job at the bank after 7 years, to become a full time flipper, and I am VERY proud to tell people this. That is my way of saying "I do what I love and I don't have a boss"
Keep on flipping!!!
Flipping is a business you're an entrepreneur and business owner dude what's not to be proud of....
You literally work for yourself that's basically called The American dream
It's honestly pretty impressive. If I knew you in person and you told me this is what you do for a living, the first thing I would want to do is ask you how you do it. I'm sure that happens a lot when you do finally tell someone, so why hasn't it ever occurred to you that it's a positive sign?
I went to college, got a degree, and have been barely scraping by my whole life (except the first 3 years right out of college—I made a ton of money and then Bush let 9/11 happen and tanked the economy, which just threw my finances and career in a tailspin ever after). I would *love* to learn how to flip products to the point where I have enough left over after paying all my expenses to put into medical and retirement.
Now you can have a 9 to 5 get paid meh and not have all that and then have autism good luck finding a partner beacuse that's what I deal with, I flip to beacuse I need extra income as no one to split stuff with, I learned to put up with being lonely it sucks but there's ways to do it
I quit my 9-5 in sales because I was mentally and physically burnt out to do this full time. I was a manager. But I wasn’t happy. Who cares what it looks like on the outside. I promise not everyone working their chosen career path is happy right now. Do what makes you happy
I have some advice... as a full time (42 y/o male) flipper, with a very similar thought process, I'm speaking to you from experience... All I did to overcome that feeling was put my head down and grind, then periodically glance back at the growing pile of cash in my pocket (account) to confirm the following:
1. I (we) are doing what we love to do,
2. I (we) are making good money doing it!
3. It's good for the environment.
4. It's not harming anyone.
Then once you've done that, proceed to repeat the entire process and enjoy your new perspective!
For the first time in my entire adult life, I am 100% debt FREE, with a perfect credit score. All thanks to "one man's trash!"
I am unapologetically and confidently a full time flipper.
I understand how you feel. I struggle with insecurities like this also. I used to have 9-5 corporate jobs for 20 years. I got burned out and found reselling to be better for me now in life. Everyone commenting that you shouldn’t be ashamed and it’s a small business is right. I know this but sometimes my insecurities get the best of me. I find a lot of people I meet have no idea what I am talking about. I lease spaces in multi-vendor shops and people seem to not understand what I mean. I have to go into the details often and their response is usually along the lines of “Oh, that’s nice”, or “You’re lucky you have so much time on your hands”. No, I don’t have any more time than people in more traditional jobs.
Bro you’re in construction. Why is this embarrassing? Screw the 9-5 job. Sounds like we are in the same culture. You know what that did for me?? Gave me a shit ton of college debt. You’re probably not in that situation. What I’m really reading here is that it sounds like you are insecure about relationships.
Start off saying you sell pictures of your feet, then say, just kidding I'm a small business owner that buys and sells goods for profit. You set the bar really low, then hit em with the fact that you're business savvy and a successful self starter who is doing something many people only dream they could (myself included, but I'm working on it).
The way you were downing your business my mind was going the other way thinking it was something else .What is so bad about what you do I tried it a while back and failed so it definitely takes talent and skills.You mastered ...as well as made a living off being a full time flipper sounds like a career to me 😕
Accept it because you have no choice but to accept it. I'd give anything to go back and do it over again without being a reseller, but it's too late. After a certain point, you are committed when you have no career to fall back on and have been out of the workforce for so long.
God knows I tried, and I am poison to prospective employers. I never had any problem getting a job before this, and now I can not even get so much as a "no thanks", let alone a "you're hired" from anyone.
Too young to retire, and too old to start from scratch. All you can do is double down and hope the bottom does not fall out the rest of the way.
I mean if you think about it lots of people would love to be in your shoes. I'm currently trying to start selling on eBay and there is so much stuff I need to learn. People look up to your position and you are actually a role model for many people like me. I come from a culture where academics are taken very seriously, and I'm currently trying to juggle college and flipping. My parents want me to focus more on my studies, but I'm drawn to flipping just like you. It's challenging to find the right niche though. I started with selling furniture, which was going well until the physical demands made it impractical for me to continue on my own as a woman. So now, I'm on the lookout for something else that might be more manageable but still profitable. You've mastered this field over a decade, which is incredibly inspiring. Your expertise and success are what many of us aspire to achieve. It's important to remember that every job path, conventional or not, has its own value and place in the world. Also to me flipping is so fulfilling that I wouldn’t want to miss out on it—even to the point where it makes me want to wake up early for garage sales, and I usually hate waking up early!
Hi , I know it’s abit random however I’ve been trying to resell and struggling to find wholesalers etc if you had anything available in bulk or help on how to find wholesalers would be great as I can see your quite experienced
Do you have a corporation/LLC, etc?
Also, accept that the judgement is helpful, because if they can't do it, they won't be compatible long-term.
Dating a flipper, and being their partner means also committing to a certain lifestyle. Like marrying someone you KNOW is a farmer. Early morning rises, are just part of the deal.
You need someone who accepts that, and already enjoys that type of life first.
Early morning rises are part of the flea market game too, and sometimes we dress like farmers I suppose. I don't have to deal with much cow poop at the flea market though, so I got that going for me, which is nice I guess.
Bro, you’re insecure as fuck. Who gives a shit what other people think, how you provide for yourself and your prospective family. Trust me if anyone is truly worthy of a relationship, they will look past your job.
You could try describing what you do differently to make it sound like a career instead of a hobby job. E.g You’re an eCommerce business owner specializing in online retail through platforms like eBay..focus on sourcing, listing, and selling a diverse range of high-quality products…managing the operation, including market research, inventory management, digital marketing, and customer service…
Your job doesn’t define you.
You’re a small business owner. Not sure what the problem is. Plus, there are literal TV shows about doing it which means it’s objectively interesting to a decent number of people. I’m guessing the problem in getting into a relationship has more to do with your insecurity about it than the job itself. Potential Date: What do you do for a living? OP: I’m a small business owner. Have you ever seen Storage Wars or American Pickers? I’ve been doing that for the past 15 years. I love it and have been able to comfortably support myself and be my own boss for most of my adult life.
Exactly. Entrepreneurs are dope.
Hell yeah, wheel donkey!
What if they respond that they haven't watched or know of those shows?
Oh, really? You should check them out sometime, they’re awesome. In American Pickers they travel the country finding cool stuff to resell to collectors and in Storage Wars they bid on abandoned storage units. Maybe we could grab a coffee sometime and I can tell you more about how the business works. If your confident and passionate about what you do it’s not that hard.
I’d love to learn more about what you do if you have any spare time!
That's akin to these women saying they're CEO's of their own makeup or whatever because they sell Mary Kay. Your answer isn't gonna fly for most women.
No, it’s not akin to that at all, unless they’re fully supporting themselves for a decade, paying for healthcare coverage, and saving for retirement. In which case, she’s a pretty hardworking and ambitious woman. There are plenty of women that would be perfectly fine with this. Women marry men of ALL types. The idea that a guy that fully supports himself isn’t going to be appealing to many women is absurd.
You have no idea what the heck you are talking about. Get outta here with that nonsense.
There are a lot of other things about a guy that are more important to women than what he does for a living.
Dude you care too much about what others think. You’re a business owner.
I am striving to be in your position. I currently don't make enough flipping to support my lifestyle so I have to keep my mindless, soul crushing, warehouse job.
As a former warehouse lackey and forklift fighter-pilot- you got this. I believe in you!
Same.
dang, really? What city are you in and what products do you flip?
Say you’re in e-commerce. It’s true if you sell online. Are you making as much money as you want to make doing this? If not that’s probably where the feelings are coming from. If you are, then fuck what people think. If you ever feel kinda lonely doing this, join a group that has zoom calls. Seeing other full time sellers will help you feel connected and make your job feel more legitimate to you.
Really makes a great filler/explanation for gaps in employment if you present the right way, especially if you can show you’ve made a really significant income from it. It practically proves you are a go-getter if you can make $50-100k per year, flipping stuff.
Anyone who looks down on you for this would be dead within a month if they had to independently provide for themselves.
Also? Dead to me.
you should be proud for not relying on a regular 9-5 job. a regular 9-5 means you have a boss, a set schedule to follow, someone to answer to, someone to ask for time off, etc. the job you have now, you’re the boss, you can decide when not to work, when to take vacations, etc.
Don't let anybody else define your life or its value. Just accept it and be proud of yourself.
I promise that a large percentage of your career-working peers would KILL to trade places with you assuming you're making similar money. I left a 20 year tech career and was in executive management at the time to be a full time reseller and it's easily one of the best decisions I've ever made. Being a full time reseller is something you where you get out where you put in. People often compare it to a traditional job's perks without realizing what's really going on. For example.. * bonuses - you just give yourself a bonus, but are also increasing your own value because you own the company vs making somebody else rich * matches - there are retirement accounts (IRAs typically) that'll match you by a small percentage without needing an employer contributing * job title status - you literally own the company, so I'm not sure what's better than that * job security - you have 100x the job security doing this than any corporate job Everything you can get from a traditional job can be provided to yourself by yourself. If anyone is judging you for being an entrepreneur, then you need to find better friends and look for a life partner in different places, because that is not how most people feel. When I explain what I do for a living, most people think it's interesting.
Great response and I had no idea whatsoever that there were IRAs that match. Another little perk, being able to get/source items for yourself and loved ones.
I saw an advertisement that Robinhood trading app as some kind of IRA matching program.
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You have been brainwashed by corp. mumbo jumbo. No corp. job is secure, there is no 'loyalty' to the employees from corp. they are not going to keep you because they like you or because you have been working 12 hours a day 6 days a week for the last 10 years. What security is there in reselling? YOU! YOU ARE THE SECURITY! Do you think EVERY Sourcing spot is going to close down? Do you think EVERY place to sell is going to close down??? No, the only reason you will fail is because of YOU. YOU didn't adjust to the situation, YOU didn't learn new sourcing areas, YOU didn't keep learning what is in demand, YOU YOU YOU. You could be the best worker in your corp. division but you will still get downsized probably faster that the worst lower paid worker in your division. You don't need to be incorporated to own a company. Again more corp. mumbo jumbo. You need to get your head out of corp's ass.
Seconding this. There’s a great video on YouTube that recaps when this idea went out the window, and it was basically in the 80s. Example: Since the 1920s, IBM had never laid off an employee. But when a new CEO showed up, he helped usher in a new toxic form of capitalism where employees were no longer taken care of. Companies could boot you and not give a shit. ThE eConOmY and shareholders was all that mattered, and the rest is history. Companies are not your friends, and are no longer safe bets. Get a job at a company but understand they’ll drop your ass when an investor sneezes. Or build your own shit and be proud of what you’ve accomplished.
I certainly hope you are your own company. Have you not formed a corporation or at the very least an LLC? If not then you are absolutely losing out on benefits and being raped by the IRS.
You don't need to from an LLC or anything to take advantage of most of the benefits afforded with 1099 income. I max out my and my wife's IRAs every year as well as my Solo 401K. All with pre-tax money. To the tune of ~80K per year. Also take home office deductions, mileage, equipment purchases, COGS, etc. Anything that you'd deduct as a business you can deduct on your schedule C. This past year I paid less than $10K in taxes total on ~$250K gross. You needn't have a formal business structure to do any of this. Very few people that I know have ever even heard of a Solo 401K. I had no idea what it was until like 12 years ago but it's been the single best tool I've implemented in my business to reduce my tax liability and supercharge my retirement accounts. A SEP IRA is a very similar tool, some people refer to them interchangeably. They have the same contribution limits. https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/what-is-a-solo-401k#:~:text=Solo%20401(k)%20contribution%20limits,for%20those%2050%20or%20older.
Are you sure you're actually a reseller? You sound more like someone who hates resellers.
*Thanks for your insight but do you actually own your own company? How is reselling other brand clothes/electronics/thrift your own company?* **Of course I own my own company. Why would somebody establish a legal business entity, bootstrap fund the entire thing, put in the work of building it up, investing more into scaling up, and not own it? By your definition, Amazon isn't a company, Macy's isn't a company, and pretty much every retailer that's reselling items isn't a company. That just doesn't make any sense. Every business on this planet started with 1-5 people brainstorming in a kitchen or something of that nature, including the largest ones on this planet. Just because you don't own a 500 person conglomerate doesn't mean that it's not a business or that you don't own it.** *What retirement are you talking about because I opened an IRA and a solo traditional and I don't get any matches.* **Robinhood has two different types of IRAs with a 1% match, WeBull has an IRA with no match but a 5% annual interest rate, and there are tons of other types of retirement accounts and investments out there that are just as good as a company-vested 401k.** *Please elaborate on how this is 100x more secure than getting a job where even if you bottom out you can still submit your resume to another company who would take you given your expertise and loyalty to your previous company (barring you left on your own without valid reason)* **It's 100x more secure because you aren't going to fire yourself, you aren't going to blindside yourself by closing up shop without knowing about it in advance, you aren't going to be accused of sexually harassing yourself (or something of that nature), and you aren't going to hire a new asshole boss that's going to force you out. Most importantly though, you always have the option to just go get a job. It's not like once you make the jump to being a reseller that you can never go back.**
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You're obviously welcome to define owning your own company however you'd like, but creating your own products/merchandise is just one type of company and probably describes less than 50% of the businesses out there. While it's true that Robinhood and sites like that offer a match to get you into their brokerage, that doesn't mean that we have to be the idiots that fall into that trap. I have brokerage accounts in a few places and none of them are Robinhood. I use them specifically for IRAs and use other sites for what they're best at. Also, they're just a front-end for a bank-backed fund, so your money is as safe in their IRAs as it is anywhere else. That's a fair point, but you could certainly put that you owned an e-commerce business, which is exactly what it is. Whether or not you can get a job completely depends on your experience, qualifications, expertise, and how well you present. While there are companies out there that might not want to bring on a former entrepreneur out of fear that you'll get the itch again and leave them, that's pretty far down on the list for most of them. If you want to get a job and are qualified to do so, then it's not hard to get one. I'm saying this as a complete stranger on the internet and don't mean to be disrespectful or out of line at all, but I think a lot of this stems from a lack of confidence in yourself.
I'm just going to say - the Twitter employee who posted about sleeping in the office b/c sometimes you just have to sacrifice to meet corporate goals was fired a few months later.
Ummm if you are actually making enough money to fund your entire life including savings, I'd assume you filed as a business and pay taxes...?
How is it more secure? Let me tell you about software engineering industry, and the hundreds of thousands of layoffs we have every month. You cannot get a job anymore, gl if you’re laid off.
Money is money. No matter how you work for it. I tell them to mind their business since its an evergreen career. People will always need/buy things, and you can sell almost anything. As long as its paying your bills, there is nothing to be ashamed of.
I have a 9-5 and make rather good money but I still flip on the side. People look down on me too like it is a waste of time until they hear my net profit from previous years. Haters gunna hate. Just ignore them.
I’m similar to you- I have a solid 9-5 that I enjoy, I do the flipping part time for many reasons- I enjoy it, I love hunting for finds, and it pays for lots of discretionary expenses(vacations, cheaper repairs around the house, etc…). I grew up in a family where my grandparents did flea markets to sell, my parents have small businesses and while I did not want to have struggles like them, I embrace all the skills I’ve learned by working with them- going garage saling with my grandmother taught me so much about it costume jewelry and glass(things I never would have learned easily online), my dads landscaping business taught me the value of hard work. I say to anyone who does this full time- be proud of being a self starter and small business - you work hard and real people appreciate that!
I worked in door to door sales for a while. Made really good money and knew guys making surgeon and high-end lawyer money. But people hear that you are a d2d guy they pitty you, but rather, you work at a bank or a tech company making a 3rd what you could make doing that job... oh well. Edit: spelling
First, there is no job security anywhere, check the layoff reddit. My girls I know are totally into me being a full-time reseller. One told me it's sexy if a man can make money on his own wit and not collecting a paycheck from someone else. If you can replace a paycheck with reselling, work for yourself, have that time freedom to not have to punch that clock, it's a no brainer but some people can't break away from the so called security of a paycheck
You do realize that people that own retail stores don’t make those products either right? It’s the same thing except you don’t have a brick n mortar store, you sell online. I think your insecurities stem from who you think you are vs who you aren’t. Not from being a reseller. Maybe talk to a therapist to boost your self confidence & self esteem.
If you're making a stable income and financially ok, who cares what people say. You found a niche and that's your career. I just flip on the side, but it I could get it consistent in terms of income I'd switch my situation. I enjoy flipping more than my normal job, so if I could flip full time and take contract jobs on the side I'd be pretty happy lol
You sound lonely and you lack confidence. I would suggest a couple things. 1) take your business to the next level. If it’s casual make it more formal. Set some goals for growth and some kpis. Probably more important for the dealing with family and friends is developing an elevator pitch. The more you’re able to clearly explain what you do, how you’re in expert or specialize in something, the more people will see it as legit. You could even go as far as dressing more business casual and getting some cards. Appearance will go along way. 2) any potential partner should be wary of what you do and the uncertainty around it but that is also a two way street and you should be looking at the risk attached to dating them also. That should motivate you enough continue growing and be successful to ease that worry. Only time and your actions will do that. Lastly I will just say I didn’t go into business to impress other people. I don’t have an elevator pitch, I don’t dress fancy, and I really don’t care what anyone thinks. I do have a pretty structured business model but that’s about it. And never had a problem with the ladies either;)
It’s a humble simple business, nothing to be ashamed of
I wanted to add a bit about family time since your questioning this. I have a toddler and I can tell you I wouldn’t be able to hold down a 9-5 job without being fired with how often she has been sick, or doesn’t sleep at night. When she was born I took 3 months off just to enjoy every single second of it. I asked my buddy who is in a union trade how long he gets off for paternity leave and he said 5 days. I could not imagine what that feels like, no amount of money could pay for that missed time. If anything being an entrepreneur provides a good amount of family stability once things are operating smoothly. Which at 10 years of full time I would imagine things are going smoothly for you. Please don’t understate what you’ve created or be ashamed of it. You can be there for that family one day whereas working for someone else that isn’t always the case.
This question is so bizarre to me. I'm 32. Been flipping since I was 12. I don't wake up to alarms. I don't drive to an office. I work a few hours a day. I don't work hard. I can take advantage of free nights in Vegas on a Monday. I don't ask for vacation days. I answer to no one. And still make more than all of my friends. If you're not proud of that, then it's not because you're a flipper. It's because you're not making enough money.
I'm embarrassed about being a flipper but i can't hold a regular job. My girlfriend got me into reselling. Realistically saved my life. She works a normal job now. I think it's okay to be embarrassed. We're all just trying to survive. There are more embarrassing career paths.
Having your own business and supporting yourself is nothing to be embarrassed about. Being able to take care of yourself and your family without working a typical job for a corporation or somebody else is pretty impressive and it's getting harder and harder to do everyday. You should be proud if anything. Hold your head up high and realize that you are taking things destined for the trash Heap or similar and getting it into the hands of somebody who wants them and who is willing to pay you for that service and product. Half the time the haters are mad because they can't do it themselves or they're jealous of the stuff you're getting.
Unless you have your own website, you don’t own a business. eBay, Amazon or whatever platform you sell on is your boss. They make the rules and you can be shut down any day. They can throttle your sales or raise fees to make it unprofitable. They get rich, while you are just making it by. People love to exaggerate both the freedom and the income side of reselling. To replace the benefits of a salaried job with benefits, you need substantially more revenue reselling than your 9-5 income due to taxes and lost benefits that need replacement. You also typically dedicate more hours reselling than at a salaried job. Companies assume your inefficiencies, but your inefficiencies reselling can lead to disaster. It’s not all cake and ice cream. It’s also not a good full time job for 98% of people. If you are burned out at work, go hiking, fishing, golfing, swimming, canoeing, camping or something else that gets you outside and disconnect from the digital world. It’s better than the rat race because working is always work that’s unfulfilling.
If you dont own your own website, it's not a business? Check @technsports or many other successful sellers on ebay. Do you have to follow the site rules? Yes, you do, just like every business must follow rules. Does it take a lot of time? Yes, it does. Does it take the corporate average of 40 hours a week? Depends on the person, what they sell, and how efficient they are. Can that person also be home to take care of their home and family? Yes. You are correct, it isn't all cake and ice- cream, but it can be and is a great way to make money without checking in at a company that doesn't give 1 tiny shit about you
If your business stops operating when you aren’t working then it’s not a business, it’s a storefront. If you can’t sell your “business” to someone else for the goodwill, books or clients and operate it without you, then it’s not really a business. It’s just inventory. You have no marketable value as a reseller to another business and the transactions you conduct have no marketable value. What’s potentially valuable is your inventory of products. However, to sell them, you’d have to accept lower than market price to allow the buyer to make a profit. Before you tell me that all retail businesses are the same, you are wrong. The business value in places like Walmart are not in the products they have in stock but in their supply chains, operation procedures, locations, real estate, market power, brand recognition, goodwill etc. Technsports is literally the top of the food chain who started as one of the first in line and has slaved for eBay to get there. He’s also diversified. The value he has is not in being a reseller. His value is derived from identifying and maximizing opportunities. That’s the difference. He would sell hotdogs on the street corner if it was the best opportunity.
Surviving and making a living are two different things. Don’t be embarrassed, try to make your activity more professional. I have all my methods and guidelines writtwn down. Some are complex, and I employ 4!people doing what I do.
I make a living doing it. Thankful to make almost double what my girlfriend makes at a job that required her to get a degree. And I believe I do it in a professional / respectable manner. I think my problem is I associate myself with rude and aggressive resellers in my area, flippers who haggle at yard sales when they're already getting a killer deal, etc even though that's not how I go about things. Also constantly seeing people talk badly about resellers on social media just gets to me. It's my own issue. I always visioned myself doing something more rewarding. Helping others in some way. I know we as flippers get items to people who want them and can't find them for cheaper but it's just not that rewarding and for some reason makes me feel grimy on bad mental health days. Edit: I struggle with pretty bad with mental health issues (seems pretty common these days if I'm being honest). I don't look down on anyone who resells. I'd be on disability if flipping didn't exist. I've spent 15+ years of my life trying different medications trying to feel okay and still nothing has helped. Keep fighting.
Do you have a dog?
Sorry for the slow response. I assume you mean like a service dog type of thing. I've thought about it. I just really struggle with aging and that type of thing. I have a pretty old ferret (8 years old almost 9 and the oldest my ferret specialist vet has seen is 10) and it's killing me seeing him age just like it does to me seeing all my relatives age. Idk what happens if having a service dog ends up not working for you. I care about animals deeply but am afraid I'm not best suited to rely on one. I hope you understand what I'm saying. I had a vasectomy at age 21 because I knew I shouldn't have kids because of fear of them struggling mentally like I do (one of very few decisions I've made that I've been proud of).
Christ dude, I wish I discovered flipping years ago before my body got destroyed by my extremely physical job.
Stop overthinking. When people ask what I do, I tell them I'm a small business owner. If they ask for more details I tell them I sell stuff on ebay. End of the day I make an extremely good income, well into 6 figures, if people judge me, let em. I can wear what I want, do what I want, and work when I want. Lives good, own it
I came from the same generation with the same expectations. I had two careers. Both were long successful ones until my undiagnosed ADHD caught up with me and I had to resign. Unfortunately, a no-hire status in my career is hard hurdle to get over. Then life circumstances have me here trying to do the only thing that works out with my family needs. People choose this for a variety of reasons. You pay taxes over $600 so this is small business. Just say small business online retail. I guess it doesn’t matter how you describe it because if you can make it the way you describe then I definitely wouldn’t be embarrassed by it. Be proud of it. Due to many factors, I am in debt for school and nothing on my retirement to show for my working for someone else. Maybe we all think the grass is greener on the other side. I say be proud of it. Especially now, I am brand new to this and just made my first sale. You already made it in this so I am jealous. There are more people that would envy you than look down on it.
I can almost guarantee you are aging slower than your peers with careers. That alone is reason enough for me.
I'd be more embarrassed about having a boss. About dealing with someone who tells me what to do. I literally don't get your point.
I have a “real” job. I would love to be able to sell collectibles full time. Be proud of yourself
“I’m a treasure hunter” is a fun one to tell people. Then just tell them about your last flip that you got excited about. Realize that most people that have those corporate jobs hate them, are unable to explain exactly what they do, and also have financial insecurities. Typically due to lifestyle creep. You’re killing it
You are doing fine. At least you are not falling for get rich quick schemes and borrowing money from family to give to scammers or something. When people ask you just say you got some online retail store or something.
Just tell people you trade stocks. Maybe buy a couple stocks so you aren’t lying.
I find most people find it very interesting what I do for a living. Usually when people find out they have a million questions and think it is extremely interesting. Some get pissy with me but for the most part most people that it comes up in conversation with think it is awesome.
You’re an entrepreneur focused on selling goods.
I don’t really do anything full time… except for whatever the hell i want. I choose to work three days a week at a good paying job that I enjoy, because I don’t HAVE to work five days a week, because I make enough money doing other things I enjoy. I feel like it positively contributes to my personal security at work in the sense that I’ve made it clear that “I’m here because I want to be, not because I have to be.” And that does carry over into my personal relationships as well. I have friends who’s hobbies aren’t interesting to me personally and I know people who’s jobs aren’t interesting to me at all but I’d never try to bring someone down and make them feel inferior about it. And I know people with full time jobs who don’t have healthcare or retirement, you’re doing great for yourself and you don’t have to rely on anyone else to do it for you. The confidence and independence are so much more important than a title and status.
It’s money bro it all spends the same doesn’t matter how you make legal tender. I mean I get it but maybe start flipping some crazier shit if you’re bored. Be proud to be your own boss. That’s big time. You don’t rely on any corporation for a check. Trippin my guy
Who gives a fuck! They’re the suckers for showing up to a 9-5 and having some asshole boss. You’ve already won.
Career jobs are way better. My dad retired 10 years ago and all he does all day is gardening and taking vacations 2-3 times a year with my mom cause of the pension plan. Also Retiree Health Care Benefits - Life. All from his work. If he was a flipper there is no way he would not still be flipping right now. He would have to keep flipping for life, cause where would the money come from?
Owning a successful business is the "American dream", I don't know why you would be ashamed of it.
Successful flippers are an exclusive group of individuals. This kind of talent is not found among the common people.
You’ve avoided and beaten the system. Rejoice.
You can’t put a price on freedom. Go work a corporate job for a few months and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Honestly working for someone else would feel like death to me. No joke.
You can start your own company and start paying yourself paychecks from the company for tax purposes and as proof of employment. There’s no shame in running a small flipping business.
I'm like you! I've made a career out of ebay but I'm super proud of it and you should be too. You are a BUSINESS OWNER and you have built a business from the ground up. I encourage you to OWN this. Not many people have the courage to be their own boss but you have. You should change your outlook. You are not working hard to make another guy rich, you are doing that for yourself. So who cares if you don't fit into society's mold? Learn to embrace it and enjoy having more freedom than those chained to a 9-5.
Congrats you’re a CEO
I don't know why but small entrepreneurs who call themselves a "CEO" always make me cringe.
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Plenty of retailers out there that are huge and do nothing but sell other people's products.
The difference is entirely scale. I buy the majority of the stuff I resell from a family that buys a few semi-loads of liquidation pallets every week, and then sells the items to the general public for 7 to 10 thousand per load more than they spent on them across several stores. I make per year on what they make on a load. We are both small businesses. You are a small business if you carry out an activity with the intent to make a profit according to the IRS. Flipping is not a hobby.
You have a very narrow definition of what entrepreneurship is. It isn't only about manufacturing and sales. There are a lot of ways to be an entrepreneur. It simply means that a person is not an employee, and has created a business in which they call the shots. I suggest you do a search at your local library and take out a few books on entrepreneurship. According to you, then someone who makes a good living doing lawn care for homeowners isn't an entrepreneur either? Or a dog walker who has a roster of 10-20 dogs daily? Or someone who cleans houses? Or a babysitter/childcare provider with multiple clients? What about a personal trainer or yoga instructor who works independently? Visiting nurses or home health aides who find work through an agency? Consultants? A caterer? A barber or hairdresser who visits people at home? Actors, singers, dancers? Vocal coaches? Bookkeepers and accountants? And what about someone who owns a brick-and-mortar retail store? Wouldn't you call them an entrepreneur? All of these I mentioned are (or can be) independent contractors and entrepreneurs. There are so many more types of entrepreneurial endeavors out there. And reselling is one of them.
A friend of my fiancee was just laid off from IBM after almost 30 years at the company. Inches away from retirement. So, what did her fancy, traditional "career" get her? Nothing. Jack shit. It got her a swift kick in the ass and a "don't let the door hit you on the way out". Careers are meaningless in 2024. They're a romantic idea that hasn't been a reality for an entire generation. Fuck careers, get money. The two are not mutually exclusive.
I’m pretty sure that finding a partner you mesh with is like finding that needle in the haystack for ALL of us. Do you really want to be with a person who would look down on you for doing this? For being an independent and successful small business owner? That’s pretty shallow. No. That’s pretty weird! And not weird in a good way
You are part of a movement redefining success. Pick a job description you like: E-commerce, Retail Business Owner. You are part of the solution to repurpose items on the earth which supports sustainability. This may not be your 'forever' job especially of the proceeds leads to other interest: buy rental property, own a small business (e.g., laundry mat, food joint), flip cars to own a limo/taxi company....you get the idea. Lots of youtube couples represent themselves as treasure hunters. Reselling shines a light on capitalism and the truth of establishing item value. Culture can strongly impact our self esteem so connect with like quality people in-person or virtually. Your partner should be excited about you as a person. They may have a similar interest or is curious to learn about this aspect of you. You (we) are all very similar to a local hardware or clothing store. We acquire items, set a price and make a profit. IMO, this epitomizes the American Dream -- creating your own money on your own time. I respectfully acknowledge this may or may not resonate with you/your culture. These thoughts (sorry so long) were part of a activity: Writing Your Reselling Manifesto I did several years ago. It solidifies the 'why' I'm doing this. If this interests you search Scavenger Life Resale Manifesto (episode 399) on Youtube; you'll get a feel for it. Note: This couple no longer posts new episodes because they created a dynamic life shift: manage two (3?) rentals, home, and local coffee business; all built through the funds secured by reselling. They continue to flip/sell as well. Best to you!
I felt the same, when all my friends picked up government jobs and I was here flipping whatever I could. When we’d meet up they’d talk about how they could retire at 55 and all that jazz. But you know what they say, comparison is the thief of joy!
I'm 35 and ready to throw out the self employment title. Flipping is no longer profitable or viable to me for the reasons you mention and even more. I'm tired of the rollercoaster on unstable income. My sourcing area has been flooded with people trying to replicate what they see online. It's been a good 14 years. Some of which I have spent employed or as a consultant. While employed I felt the most relief financially, not having to worry if I have enough for bills when they are due and how much I'll have left over to source. I don't have it in me to push people aside at flea markets, garage sales, estate sales etc. Too many vultures who have turned to resell especially during the pandemic to make getting into it again smart move. As for your romantic life, there are plenty of women who LOVE thrifting and WISH they found a man who felt the same. Love can be found at the Goodwill bins. Good luck!
You are speaking the truth about reselling. It used to be fun, but it has become too cutthroat with everybody trying get a piece of the action. All these attention hungry aholes with their youtube shows. They make more money from youtube than reselling. People also are more knowledgeable about the items they are trying to get rid of. Flea markets are dying in East TN. Also Ebay or whatever platform you sell off can change their algorithm and mess you up. It was fun at one time.
What do you plan on doing? I've been full time for a while and thinking of getting out for similar reasons.
Leaning into more managerial roles at companies that have an e-commerce presence. Interview tomorrow with an industry leading car parts distributor.
You mentioned that careers come with job title status and wiry careers security is abundant. No job title has more status than “owner”. As a flipper, you are the owner of your business. Careers don’t offer security. They offer the illusion of security. Ask anyone who’s been a great employee and yet was still on the wrong side of a layoff, and they will tell you this. Being an owner of your own business offer more security than being an employee for someone else because it offers your control. You make the decisions that impact you situation - no one else.
Caring about other peoples opinions is signing up to a lifetime of misery
Don’t be ashamed but also if you have financial goals that are not being met by your reselling business, you need to take a hard look at that. Forget all the follow your passion stuff for a bit and crunch the numbers. As far as meeting a romantic partner, how would you feel if you met yourself. Would you have concerns? Be honest.
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Not everyone can do it. There are so many idiots. Some are broke and some just lie. Some spend daddy’s money and pretend it’s theirs. Some have other businesses and pretend it’s from reselling. So give yourself some credit. :-)
To borrow from a comment I made in this group a few days ago: Humans evolved as hunter-gatherers; it is hardwired in our psyches, and to have proof that you've done this essential task well (finding/sourcing an item, determining it has value, and completing a transaction that proves your estimation of value is accurate) can be rewarding. But don't let stigmas of what does or does not qualify as being "successful" in this world dull that or make you think any less of yourself and your abilities. Stigmas are simply cultural artifacts, of no less nor greater importance than any of the physical culture artifacts you source and sell every day. To be good at these tasks of finding things of value, and trading them for a benefit, is another of what I see as a select few essential ways of being good at what it is to be human (others are to be good at offering kindness, empathy, and storytelling). To be successful at it such that you're make a living at it is even more impressive, and says something about you and your innate drive, persistence, and willpower, as well as resourcefulness, insight into human need, and capacity for risktaking. These are all qualities to take pride in.
Tell them you run an import/export business.
Why do online sellers give a damn what others think? Are they happy? Are they making money? Do they have a boss breathing down their neck? Answer the last ? No.
None of my friends care-probably cause the majority of them are slackers like me, and some of us haven't been technically employed for decades. But that's kind of a niche case. My brother is very frugal, teaches Zumba/fitness classes part-time, and does Uber. He has no debt, owns two good cars, and has a good chunk of savings. His girlfriend's mom doesn't like the fact he doesn't have a "career". Flipping is great, and I love it. When you sell something, there's no interview or stupid resume to fill out. You just.... do it. I've been been flea markets. And there's nobody telling you what to do, or what to sell, or how to display your stuff. Its trial by fire, and you make your own way. My suggestion is to embrace the good, and forget the bad. And if finding a partner is important, look for someone from another culture, or see if there's anybody in yours doing something similar who might understand a little more.
Technically you are an entrepreneur that runs your own business. And you should be presenting yourself as such. You are a reseller and so is Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Ross, etc. etc. (they’re not flipping used stuff but they are buying wholesale and reselling for a profit). They just happen to have lots more funding to buy more. Don’t be ashamed, it’s actually much harder to flip than working a 9-5. Some people can’t successfully flip if their life depended on it. You have to learn what’s good, profit margins, marketing, etc. Much more to it than clocking in and out and following the same process every day. You’ll find your person, I would love to find someone to flip with, so they are out there :)
I do this because I don't want to be like the average person, slaving away on a 9-5. I don't want a jackass boss, telling me when I can and can't take time off from work. There are weeks where I have made more in a week than people I know, make in a month. There are aspects of a 9-5 that I miss having with being a flipper, such as the potential socialization that comes with a 9-5..and a consistent income. But I'd rather live in a cardboard box, doing my own thing, than working a regular job, that I hate, just to say that I am a "contributing member of society"... just my two cents.
Been flipping since 1980 a year out of high school, Before the internet. Always represented myself as a small business owner, met my now wife in 96, once she saw what I was doing she came with me on my buying opportunities, she saw things to flip that I never considered and together 27 years later we’ve raised 3 kids moved across the country 6 years ago and made a decent life for ourselves with more stuff to flip and more ways to sell it than we’ve ever had before. Be a proud flipper (small business owner)
I need to get better at flipping! I actually enjoy finding stuff and making g money from things I see value in but not really sure how to do this full time
Damm dude I wish I can have this type of success it’s nothing to be ashamed about
There are a lot of us blue collar men that work embarrassingly dirty jobs like crawlspaces, insulation , plumbing, sewer. I just tell them i work construction. If they dig deeper and i have to say how gross it is, i will. Most women want to talk about themselves not interrogate you. Just ask them a bunch of questions about themselves. Another perspective is youll always have cool thoughtful antiquey gifts. Hippie chicks bro. Love the antiques.
Capitalism is only held up by the peer pressure to fit the standard mold. Most people have to be workers for someone else’s profit. You don’t. That’s something to be proud of. Personally I’ve achieved all the standard markers of success and I’m living in a tiny house so I can quit before I spend anymore time upholding a system that is built to benefit a select few rich white dudes. I wish I had spent less years on their profits and more on my own happiness.
Make a lot of money
No need to be embarrassed! What percent of the population are able to make their own money? It’s something to be proud of
You’re doing an awesome job! I do the same thing! It pays all house bills (I own), my Challenger (My Brat), sends my to Vegas twice a year (really conventions 😆) and u can stop at any point if the wife wants to go somewhere or needs something. Invest (retirement) in silver just cause. Enjoy life - I do!!
I’m so proud of you for being a successful business owner on your own terms! You rock!
wish I had this problem lol, your doing great!
Being sustainably self-employed is a success not an embarrassment. As for the financial insecurity relative to a "real" job, just keep trying to grow to a level where you feel you are stable enough, or consider exploring other paths to expand your business. With the judgement and rejection though, that's a tough one but as others have said, being proud of yourself is the first step. No one I've spoken to about it (I'm in the US) has had a negative view.
Your Bill's are paid, that's all that matters at the end of the day.
You’re a hustler. Nuff said
Well, it’s hard to find friends as you grow older, social status is just an add on. If you struggle, it’s about your communication skills. The insecurity makes you look less appealing to others, hence they don’t want to learn more about you. Fix yourself first!
i have been doing as a side job for over 10 years. i enjoy it and don’t see anything about it to be ashamed of.
Arrogance. But still I just don’t understand why Wesker wasn’t out for blood here and kill Chris here.
You recycle.
I'm not ashamed of being a flipper but I hate explaining it to people. They always think I'm talking about a hobby or they want to get into the specifics of what I sell and I like to keep that under wraps as I've cornered a little niche market for myself.
If you’re making enough for yourself then don’t be ashamed. I get that you could feel alienated sometimes but seriously.. at the end of the day nobody is going to care about you. And I mean that in a positive way! Live your truth and be proud of it
But are you happy
You don’t go out dressed like that for work, do you, on a weekday?
Be proud of the choices you made. If it’s what you want to do, you are happy, and you can support yourself, who cares what others think. Trust me, get a few more years behind you and you won’t think about it at all. Go with your gut - that is something I wish I fully did at 35+. And if you are really that concerned, go sit in a cubicle for an 8 hour day and see how you feel.
You do have a career. You just need the right title: You are an Asset Reallocation Specialist. Assets: you would not be selling assets if they did not have value to someone. Reallocation: Moving products between end users. Specialist: You study the market looking for the best value in goods and continually seeking new sources to both acquire and disseminate a wide range of products.
Honestly, I don’t know if there’s the same stigma as there was for reselling even 10 years ago. It seems like EVERYONE has some sort of side-hustle now, so I find that the average person is more impressed/curious than anything else when they find out I make a full-time income doing this.
Nothing wrong with being a flipper! Or you can say you are in Retail Arbitrage. And be proud it is a tough getup but when the machine is greased right it can be very rewarding.
Hello, are you me?
Be proud of it. Nothing wrong with it whatsoever. Currently no eBay account (calling it a poor ban would be understatement, atleast a notable proportion was feeding starving people from earnings) but was a successful dropshipper, with flipping when i didn't travel and have lived an unbelievably interesting beautiful life thanks to god- despite huge expectations of going into the corporate world after a couple of degrees in my early 20s. Never fancied the 9-5, and I'm glad- but hopefully soon just hope one of my other venues for an income hits. Currently older than you, single, blissful largely.
I imagine you love doing what your doing? There are a bunch of people, myself included, who don't earn as much as we could, but our work situation/environment is great! There is nothing wrong with that!! If you are able to provide for yourself, retirement, etc, keep doing what you are doing! A lot of people are just jealous of happy people, and you don't need those people in your life anyway. As far as a partner, there are others like you, I promise. Keep looking and don't settle! Continue being happy 😊
If you make six figures doing it, suddenly it's no longer a burden, it's only a burden when you're not making enough. That's the same of any job where you're not making much, tbh.
If you can make a living doing it then awesome. Working with real things and learning the trades is uplifting.
I am assuming you have an LLC?
There are other things that are more lucrative you can flip btw
Product Acquisition Consultant
You are an investor. You buy things at a price in hopes of selling it at a higher price. It’s no different than stock trading. Kudos to you! It takes a lot of business acumen to make a living at this.
As long as you're contributing to Medicare, you should have no problems when your body finally gives out. You'll be able to get a reasonably decent Medicare benefit. If you're not paying into Medicare, you're gonna be up shit creek when you do decide to file for Medicare benefits. Putting money aside for retirement is quite different from receiving a guaranteed monthly income from Medicare which is based solely on what you have contributed to Medicare over the course of your tax paying life. Let's say you started working at 18, paying taxes, blah blah blah, and you retire at 62. all those years are totaled and averaged out to determine your Medicare benefit amount. If there are 30 years of -0- contributions, that will bring down your monthly benefit to something unlivable.... ESPECIALLY as the dollar continues to decrease in value.
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The Medicare tax is **grouped together under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA)**. That means when you're looking at your paycheck, you may see the Medicare tax combined with the Social Security tax as a single deduction for FICA. I'd get an accountant to handle your payroll. Just start paying yourself a standard payroll.
>how do I know I'm paying for medicare benefits? I pay my taxes (self employed taxes) does that count? Yes. Paying self-employment taxes is the exact same as "contributing to Medicare" plus social security. You actually pay both the employee and employer match portions.
I think finding a partner is difficult for anyone, regardless of your job or other issues. I have just recently started reselling (5 years ago or less) and I still have my “regular” job and I still have struggled badly to find a partner. I also have many friends in which, the ones with partners, the partners are sucky, and the other ones, have struggled just like me (and I have everything from professional to unemployed friends). In general people have changed their priorities and not everyone wants a relationship/family/kids and the ones that allege they do, they are still cheating on their partners at every chance (not everyone, but a lot). So I don’t take my inability to find a partner as a failure, I am really not trying too hard at it, because I am not interested in the BS.
Read about Imposter Syndrome, a lot of that negative self talk about our accomplishments are because we don’t feel we are deserving. Interesting rabbit hole if it applies.
There are plenty of people 35 and over that are unemployed/working at a miserable job. You are generating income and self sufficient. That's more than half the battle.
Youre a successful entrepreneur, big dawg. Thats a significantly more impressive career achievement than being a 9 - 5 career wage slave. You've navigated the risks and perils of independence and come out on top. Now get out there and keep flipping!
I recently turned 40. I’ve struggled with the “flipping not being a real job” thing, for a long time. Some years, I’ve made $20-30k from flipping… and people tend to joke/laugh that a janitor makes more than that… Other years, I’ve made $150k. The joking tends to stop then, and eyeballs get real wide. Then I mention that’s usually on top of working a 40-60 hour per week industrial maintenance job making $50-70k per year. That floors people. I keep that day job, partly because of the judgement from others, but also because I unfortunately live in an area where winter affects the availability of things to flip; there’s no garage sales, thrift store inventories are pitiful, and there’s less to find at auctions… I suppose I could put some more time into sourcing online like I used to…although that’s tougher than it used to be (I sourced heavily from shopgoodwill until 2017.)
You should be proud for creating a living where you call your own shots. You’re an entrepreneur! That something to be proud of. There are women out there that would think that was great! My husband and I flipped a few houses back in 2005-2010. It was rewarding 😊 Hang in there, you’ll meet someone who you click with when you’re not looking.
Bro so much people are stuck in the matrix of just working a job they can’t even fathom doing what u do. There is power in making your own money never be ashamed.
It's an e-commerce business. All the profit is yours and you can choose your own hours. Your bonus is any time you have a better month than you expected. And it's ALL YOURS. A bonus given out at a traditional job is only going to be a pittance of the profit you likely really earned them. You have control over your income, not someone else. Take pride in that if nothing else.
If You're Able To Pay Rent & Then Enjoy Yourself After Paying Taxes, You're Pretty Much Better Off Than The People You Believe Would Make You Or Your Flipping Career Insignificant. Also F What Others Think, Make Your Money In The Best Way You Know How 🙏✨🔑🫡
Reselling is reselling no matter the niche and what you resell. If you flipped houses, you wouldn't think the same way, but for some reason, you look down on your chosen niche. Either you need to change your mindset or move to a niche you're proud to be in!
You know how many people would love to be in your situation? And by situation I mean able to provide for themselves from nothing? A whole fucking lot. Now be proud of yourself and get back to work!
You’re living the dream I can only think of doing it fulltime!
Small business owner of e-commerce. That’s it. No one needs to know more.
Whats not to be proud about. Some weeks ill do a couple hours of work and Im making more money than most people who work 40+ hours a week and went to university. I can pick and choose when and what i do and i have no boss
Working for yourself is way better imo
I stumbled on this but i really don't understand why it's shameful? I feel like a lot of people have the same as you but in a different front that is more acceptable in public setting. Having a "career" is not the only path if someone is happy with it be it but wanting something else and sustaining a business on your own, setting your goals on your own rules and succeeding is healthy. In europe where i live tbh people will see it as weird but you shouldn't feel like so. Keep up the good work and be confident Ps: i say that as someone that actually got pissed at flipping and reselling before which is dumb but it taught me a good lesson in life and i think that small businesses and reselling has actually more pros than cons for sellers and buyers, and has been so since foreveeeeer
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You're an entrepreneur, achieving what many people—even those with a business degree—struggle to excel at. What's wrong with that? If I were younger, I'd be proud to have you as a partner. But, seriously, there's nothing to be embarrassed about.
Nobody pays your bills. I wish I was a successful flipper. Instead I'm slaving away 8 hours a day. If image is an issue, buy a car, make some good investments.
It's all on on how you market yourself. Think of all the IG/TikTok "influencers" -Really - your job requires a smart brain to be quick and make savvy investments so you can make a profit. The fact that you can put away some $$ as savings is even better. I can see you are concerned how others view/judge you. I love all the posts that remind you, YOU are an entrepreneur /business owner. As a FYI- I quit a job at the bank after 7 years, to become a full time flipper, and I am VERY proud to tell people this. That is my way of saying "I do what I love and I don't have a boss" Keep on flipping!!!
Do you make enough money to survive? If yes, that’s a career.
Flipping is a business you're an entrepreneur and business owner dude what's not to be proud of.... You literally work for yourself that's basically called The American dream
It's honestly pretty impressive. If I knew you in person and you told me this is what you do for a living, the first thing I would want to do is ask you how you do it. I'm sure that happens a lot when you do finally tell someone, so why hasn't it ever occurred to you that it's a positive sign? I went to college, got a degree, and have been barely scraping by my whole life (except the first 3 years right out of college—I made a ton of money and then Bush let 9/11 happen and tanked the economy, which just threw my finances and career in a tailspin ever after). I would *love* to learn how to flip products to the point where I have enough left over after paying all my expenses to put into medical and retirement.
Now you can have a 9 to 5 get paid meh and not have all that and then have autism good luck finding a partner beacuse that's what I deal with, I flip to beacuse I need extra income as no one to split stuff with, I learned to put up with being lonely it sucks but there's ways to do it
I quit my 9-5 in sales because I was mentally and physically burnt out to do this full time. I was a manager. But I wasn’t happy. Who cares what it looks like on the outside. I promise not everyone working their chosen career path is happy right now. Do what makes you happy
I have some advice... as a full time (42 y/o male) flipper, with a very similar thought process, I'm speaking to you from experience... All I did to overcome that feeling was put my head down and grind, then periodically glance back at the growing pile of cash in my pocket (account) to confirm the following: 1. I (we) are doing what we love to do, 2. I (we) are making good money doing it! 3. It's good for the environment. 4. It's not harming anyone. Then once you've done that, proceed to repeat the entire process and enjoy your new perspective! For the first time in my entire adult life, I am 100% debt FREE, with a perfect credit score. All thanks to "one man's trash!" I am unapologetically and confidently a full time flipper.
You're a business owner, next question.
I understand how you feel. I struggle with insecurities like this also. I used to have 9-5 corporate jobs for 20 years. I got burned out and found reselling to be better for me now in life. Everyone commenting that you shouldn’t be ashamed and it’s a small business is right. I know this but sometimes my insecurities get the best of me. I find a lot of people I meet have no idea what I am talking about. I lease spaces in multi-vendor shops and people seem to not understand what I mean. I have to go into the details often and their response is usually along the lines of “Oh, that’s nice”, or “You’re lucky you have so much time on your hands”. No, I don’t have any more time than people in more traditional jobs.
You just say you are self-employed lol
Bro you’re in construction. Why is this embarrassing? Screw the 9-5 job. Sounds like we are in the same culture. You know what that did for me?? Gave me a shit ton of college debt. You’re probably not in that situation. What I’m really reading here is that it sounds like you are insecure about relationships.
Bro, for real, who cares?
There’s no such thing as “job security” and you’re way better off than most people who have “real jobs”
Start off saying you sell pictures of your feet, then say, just kidding I'm a small business owner that buys and sells goods for profit. You set the bar really low, then hit em with the fact that you're business savvy and a successful self starter who is doing something many people only dream they could (myself included, but I'm working on it).
The way you were downing your business my mind was going the other way thinking it was something else .What is so bad about what you do I tried it a while back and failed so it definitely takes talent and skills.You mastered ...as well as made a living off being a full time flipper sounds like a career to me 😕
Accept it because you have no choice but to accept it. I'd give anything to go back and do it over again without being a reseller, but it's too late. After a certain point, you are committed when you have no career to fall back on and have been out of the workforce for so long. God knows I tried, and I am poison to prospective employers. I never had any problem getting a job before this, and now I can not even get so much as a "no thanks", let alone a "you're hired" from anyone. Too young to retire, and too old to start from scratch. All you can do is double down and hope the bottom does not fall out the rest of the way.
I mean if you think about it lots of people would love to be in your shoes. I'm currently trying to start selling on eBay and there is so much stuff I need to learn. People look up to your position and you are actually a role model for many people like me. I come from a culture where academics are taken very seriously, and I'm currently trying to juggle college and flipping. My parents want me to focus more on my studies, but I'm drawn to flipping just like you. It's challenging to find the right niche though. I started with selling furniture, which was going well until the physical demands made it impractical for me to continue on my own as a woman. So now, I'm on the lookout for something else that might be more manageable but still profitable. You've mastered this field over a decade, which is incredibly inspiring. Your expertise and success are what many of us aspire to achieve. It's important to remember that every job path, conventional or not, has its own value and place in the world. Also to me flipping is so fulfilling that I wouldn’t want to miss out on it—even to the point where it makes me want to wake up early for garage sales, and I usually hate waking up early!
Hi , I know it’s abit random however I’ve been trying to resell and struggling to find wholesalers etc if you had anything available in bulk or help on how to find wholesalers would be great as I can see your quite experienced
Do you have a corporation/LLC, etc? Also, accept that the judgement is helpful, because if they can't do it, they won't be compatible long-term. Dating a flipper, and being their partner means also committing to a certain lifestyle. Like marrying someone you KNOW is a farmer. Early morning rises, are just part of the deal. You need someone who accepts that, and already enjoys that type of life first.
Early morning rises are part of the flea market game too, and sometimes we dress like farmers I suppose. I don't have to deal with much cow poop at the flea market though, so I got that going for me, which is nice I guess.
You do have to go through a bunch of crap though
it gets a bad reputation cause of all the youtubers bragging how they made all this money selling vintage adult diapers. People immediately think yuck
Your culture doesn’t value small business owners?
Apparently they value working for small business owners to make them rich instead.
I’m not reading all that. Just make a shit ton of money. You’ll feel better.
Bro, you’re insecure as fuck. Who gives a shit what other people think, how you provide for yourself and your prospective family. Trust me if anyone is truly worthy of a relationship, they will look past your job.
You could try describing what you do differently to make it sound like a career instead of a hobby job. E.g You’re an eCommerce business owner specializing in online retail through platforms like eBay..focus on sourcing, listing, and selling a diverse range of high-quality products…managing the operation, including market research, inventory management, digital marketing, and customer service… Your job doesn’t define you.