Growing a small business
Discussion
Shrimper said:
I started a small business two years ago in the retail sector, starting on facebook marketplace (great place to test an idea) and then progressing to selling through eBay and Etsy mainly. We are acheiving 50-70 sales per week which is a good place to be for a small sideline project around my other commitments. For the time being I won't state what it is we are selling, as it is fairly niche with limited competitors.
So you are aiming for the double turner, the ones who turn a penny twice before spending them.What kind of merchandise you are selling?
MattsCar said:
He is selling wine...a few posts back.
Question about hiring someone for just one day a week, is that not a lot of effort in terms of admin and pension for relatively little labour input? Or am I missing something?
Question about hiring someone for just one day a week, is that not a lot of effort in terms of admin and pension for relatively little labour input? Or am I missing something?
You are certainly missing what he is actually selling. Take a look at the his website
Gear thread. Congratulations to OP for getting the business this far. I think it is a nice business idea with decent potential to be sustainable.
Making money relies on not messing around with wrongly shipped, lost or damaged goods. For the time being, having that total control over the picking, packaging and dispatch is essential. Not sure outsourcing is always the answer or cheap.
DS Liverpool’s idea of employing one or more workers on flexible (ish) hours is good. Whoever you employ, ensure they are a good fit.
FWIW I watched this when it came out last month and thought it well worth a watch for anyone who employs people:
Making money relies on not messing around with wrongly shipped, lost or damaged goods. For the time being, having that total control over the picking, packaging and dispatch is essential. Not sure outsourcing is always the answer or cheap.
DS Liverpool’s idea of employing one or more workers on flexible (ish) hours is good. Whoever you employ, ensure they are a good fit.
FWIW I watched this when it came out last month and thought it well worth a watch for anyone who employs people:
Digga said:
Gear thread. Congratulations to OP for getting the business this far. I think it is a nice business idea with decent potential to be sustainable.
Making money relies on not messing around with wrongly shipped, lost or damaged goods. For the time being, having that total control over the picking, packaging and dispatch is essential. Not sure outsourcing is always the answer or cheap.
DS Liverpool’s idea of employing one or more workers on flexible (ish) hours is good. Whoever you employ, ensure they are a good fit.
FWIW I watched this when it came out last month and thought it well worth a watch for anyone who employs people:
Thanks for your input - I have heard James Timpson on some podcasts and find his insight interesting. I’ve always taken a view of ‘if you look after your staff they will look after you’ - and it’s served me well in various previous jobs and endeavours. It’s not hard to be nice, slightly flexible or open to ideas.Making money relies on not messing around with wrongly shipped, lost or damaged goods. For the time being, having that total control over the picking, packaging and dispatch is essential. Not sure outsourcing is always the answer or cheap.
DS Liverpool’s idea of employing one or more workers on flexible (ish) hours is good. Whoever you employ, ensure they are a good fit.
FWIW I watched this when it came out last month and thought it well worth a watch for anyone who employs people:
Your points on having control of picking and packing is very true - we often have requests for certain aged boxes or particular types of wine - so it’s unlikely we will ever be able to outsource this. These requests often open a conversation with a customer and result in repeat business as well. I’ve found the hard way with eBay recently with regards to stock control - one blip over in a weekend saw my seller level drop below standard resulting in 120 sales one month dropping to almost 0 the following month. I think I’ve solved that problem now but it was tough lesson to learn!
MattsCar said:
He is selling wine...a few posts back.
Question about hiring someone for just one day a week, is that not a lot of effort in terms of admin and pension for relatively little labour input? Or am I missing something?
They are self employed and invoice me for their work. It works well for both of us at the moment but that may change as/if the business grows. It allows for flexibility without commitment on both sides. Question about hiring someone for just one day a week, is that not a lot of effort in terms of admin and pension for relatively little labour input? Or am I missing something?
Shrimper said:
They are self employed and invoice me for their work. It works well for both of us at the moment but that may change as/if the business grows. It allows for flexibility without commitment on both sides.
That makes a lot of sense. Seems like a good setup.Didn't work for Uber though lol.
Good luck with the business!
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