Started from the bottom

[TennisOrDie]

Let's get the ball rolling...

Have $2,000 by Oct 1st.

I currently have...
$350 Cash
$634 in furniture to be sold on Craigslist at a higher value

I also have a job being paid a generous sum of $9.50 an hour, 9-5:30 M-F.

My goal is to be able to generate $500 per week working on my own.

A few of my other goals are

• Study 3 chapters of TMFL every day. Not just read and forget, but study it. We studied and memorized random crap for school, we should at least be doing the same for our real education.
• Hit the gym 5 times a week. I've actually already been doing this most days after work. I never worked out until this summer and instantly liked it. I've played sports my entire life, so transitioning to lifting was easy. It gives me a ton of energy and gets me out of the house. I recommend it.
• Save up 10k
• Learn about real estate. I've decided that this "old school" method of becoming rich is still alive and well. I've been surrounded by tech my whole life, but I could never get interested in coding or programming. For this reason, I am not immediately diving into online businesses. I'd like to in the future once I gain experience. So, I'd like to learn how to pick properties, how to find good areas where the market is about to boom, how to deal with tenants, how to manage properties and then train others to do so for you. Any book recommendations and tips for this are welcome.d
• MOVE OUT. I'm currently 19. I want to move out by the time I'm 22. Right now I have barely any expenses living at home with my parents, so it'll be easy to save and grow my money.

I will quit my job once I am able to do this while holding the job.
I need to quit my job so I can spend more time taking action, reading, learning comp sci so I can move to tech, and workout more. Work is long and i'm making NOTHING. I don't get how people can live like this their entire life. This is just a stepping stone for me.

Here are my Craigslist ads as of right now. All suggestions are welcome.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/fuo/4665316486.html

I paid $200 for all 4 of the chairs. Originally, the price was first set at $800. After only receiving texts from people offering money orders, I dropped the price significantly. However, I have never had any activity since.

I know I need to

• Post better pictures
• Have better copy (Read through some old notes I have and books on persuasion)
• List more items for sale
• Post when traffic is heavy

Do you guys think my price is still too high for Craigslist? Even if I drop it another $100, I'd still be doubling my money. Also, what other ideas do you have for hustling in the beginning when you're just starting out?

 

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[MoneyDoc]

Wish you luck on your journey buddy! On a similar path as you!

Drop the price to $75 (what did you pay for them?) and you should get a buyer. I'm guessing you bought them for $200 total, if so, you'll still make $100.

I sell these locally for $35-60 depending on the model.

 

[TennisOrDie]

Wish you luck on your journey buddy! On a similar path as you!

Drop the price to $75 (what did you pay for them?) and you should get a buyer. I'm guessing you bought them for $200 total, if so, you'll still make $100.

I sell these locally for $35-60 depending on the model.

You really think I need to drop the price by that much?
I am still not used to Craigslist. I am not aware of how much most people are willing to pay on the site. I am going to go look at the furniture section now and just skim through other people's post. It's a shame you can't tell whether an item was sold on Craigslist or not and for what price...Which is actually a good feature Craigslist could add to its site.

 

[MoneyDoc]

You really think I need to drop the price by that much?
I am still not used to Craigslist. I am not aware of how much most people are willing to pay on the site. I am going to go look at the furniture section now and just skim through other people's post. It's a shame you can't tell whether an item was sold on Craigslist or not and for what price...Which is actually a good feature Craigslist could add to its site.

In my place (Canada), when I post an ad on kijiji for a set of 4 of similar stools for $60 each, I usually get a buyer within the week or sooner. Up to $75 works for me, after that, people rather buy them from a store.

 

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[TennisOrDie]

In my place (Canada), when I post an ad on kijiji for a set of 4 of similar stools for $60 each, I usually get a buyer within the week or sooner. Up to $75 works for me, after that, people rather buy them from a store.

I'll lower them to 100 each (400 total) first. The weekend is coming up and this is when Craigslist is most visited. Do you have any suggestions on the ad itself and the pictures?

 

[MoneyDoc]

Tbh, it looks better than most craiglist ads.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rcaraway1989]

You can always split test them right? Sell the same products but change small things like the title, description, price, etc and see what people respond to.

 

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[TennisOrDie]

You can always split test them right? Sell the same products but change small things like the title, description, price, etc and see what people respond to.

You can always split test them right? Sell the same products but change small things like the title, description, price, etc and see what people respond to.

That's a really good idea...I'll post ads in cities that are similar to get the best results. I'll post the ads when I'm done with them. Thanks man

 

[TennisOrDie]

Just realized that two pieces of furniture I purchased were never delivered by Fedex even though it says it was delivered. Had to call up customer support. They opened up an "investigation" and said they'd call me back in the next 48 hours. Hopefully, it was just delivered to the wrong address...That was $240 worth of furniture....

I also re did my Craigslist post

http://longisland.craigslist.org/fuo/4665670045.html

Is the cheesy sales lines too much for a craigslist ad?
Is the title too much also?
Should I make up a fake story to go along with the product?
Also, what do you guys think of the product I picked to begin with? Is this not the type of furniture people are looking for on Craigslist?

 

[MoneyDoc]

Just realized that two pieces of furniture I purchased were never delivered by Fedex even though it says it was delivered. Had to call up customer support. They opened up an "investigation" and said they'd call me back in the next 48 hours. Hopefully, it was just delivered to the wrong address...That was $240 worth of furniture....

I also re did my Craigslist post

http://longisland.craigslist.org/fuo/4665670045.html

Is the cheesy sales lines too much for a craigslist ad?
Is the title too much also?
Should I make up a fake story to go along with the product?
Also, what do you guys think of the product I picked to begin with? Is this not the type of furniture people are looking for on Craigslist?

Just a few questions.

Are these branded?

How much did you pay for the set?

 

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[TennisOrDie]

Just a few questions.

Are these branded?

How much did you pay for the set?

I am not sure of the brand. I paid $50 for each chair ($200 total).

 

[TennisOrDie]

I forgot to mention that a former employer of mine also owes me 2 paychecks. This has become a ridiculously frustrating situation. I have no proof that he owes me money besides a couple of text messages that show him not responding to my questions.

I did promotional sales (stand in a supermarket/crowded place/Walmart and pitch people in person) for a company called Exceed. This is there website: http://www.ijustjoined.com/ Basically, people agree that IF they sold their homes, they will use one of the real estate brokers in their network. In exchange, they will receive $500, $1000, $2000...(depending on the value of their homes) worth of gift cards (Visa, Amazon, Home Depot...) over the next 5 years. I had to stand in popular supermarkets and get people over to my little set up by offering a chance to win a $100 gift card to the super market I was in. I mostly dealt with people over 40 in the middle class.

My boss was a little sketchy to begin with. Although I learned a lot from this shit job, I should have known from the beginning that this wasn't someone I wanted to be working with. So I ended up quitting. The problem is is that it takes 2 weeks to process the sales you get. So my paychecks show the results of work I did a month to two weeks earlier. In addition, some of the sales don't go through because the people that sign up have bad credit or entered incorrect information. So, I don't even know how many sales went through and how much money I am actually owed. I don't know how to move forward with this. Tomorrow I'm just going to call him all day non stop on his cell phone and home phone until he answers me.

He can owe me anywhere from $500-$1500.

 

[KLaw]

Look under the seat. There should be a label or sticker with, at least, a sku number and brand. Google the number and brand and see what the actual manufacturer sales copy is. Use the benefits they state. Your latest link does sound extremely cheesy to me though. good luck.

 

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[TennisOrDie]

Look under the seat. There should be a label or sticker with, at least, a sku number and brand. Google the number and brand and see what the actual manufacturer sales copy is. Use the benefits they state. Your latest link does sound extremely cheesy to me though. good luck.

Found the item on amazon. Added some of their copy.

http://longisland.craigslist.org/fuo/4665701864.html

 

[TennisOrDie]

http://imgur.com/653p3TC

This is a picture of my room right now. I have to get rid of this stuff! I can't even walk around in my room anymore.

 

[Tony Nguyen]

Hello Fellow Craiglist Lurkers!

I have theses 4 awesome chair from Swivel all 4 chairs are black with an adjustable hydraulic bar stool chair.

I've gotten theses chairs as a gift however.. I won't be needing them any more since I don't have enough space in my apartment.
as you can see from the picture. they are absolutely stunning chairs, great to spice things up at the office or in your house!

Now here's the good news they retail at $700.00 and I'm selling them today for $400.00 for all 4! or 1 for $100.00

Sounds like a awesome deal Right? well, what are you waiting for my lost is your gain!

What to expect
- Brand new (Received as a gift) a stunning set of Swivel chairs made from PU leather and is design to heghts of 24-30 inches!
- Made from stainless steel frame and is quite durable!
- Has a attractive look to match the bar style. Gentlemen this will impress the ladies and will be quite comfortable for your butt!
- Hot, Sleek, Fashionable they are a must have for the modern home.
- Comes with the orginal packaging boxes if you want them.

Delivery
- I will deliver if the distance is reasonable
- We can meet up at a local coffee joint or park or whatever is at your convience


No trades - CASH ONLY

Communication information.
Call or contact me, Thanks in advance!

Again...
Theses won't be around for long!!


Thanks and have a terrific day! =)

Also Rome wasn't built in my day, it takes time to sell something good luck mate!

 

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[Emanuel]

http://imgur.com/653p3TC

This is a picture of my room right now. I have to get rid of this stuff! I can't even walk around in my room anymore.

I like the book on the chair

I think your ad is too much for Craigslist. People are usually lazy and don't want to read a lot. Give a good reason why you purchased them and why you're selling them. I would sell them individually for $100 each, a pair for $175 or all four together for $325. You're losing a lot of potential customers if you're not willing to sell them separately.

 

[ShadowX]

Hey nice to see another young guy entering the journey, I'm 18 btw let's have a competition keep us updated with progress!

 

[TennisOrDie]

Dealt with my old boss for most of the day. He owes me $800. Hopefully I will have the money this week. It will dramatically bring me closer to my 2k goal by Oct 1st. I will also be listing the other products tomorrow. Didn't have a chance to do them today.

 

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[TennisOrDie]

Finally got started on listing my other products. I need to get this furniture sold ASAP. I have to turn over my money and get all this stuff out of my room for activities

 

[TennisOrDie]

This is from my post Execution is Everything
I will be continuing my progress in this progress thread

What a couple of weeks it has been.

I have spent the last 10 days in a psych ward. Apparently I'm bipolar. I had a "high" for 48 hours where I could not sleep and my thoughts were racing. It was weird though, I felt like I could control the future with my current actions. Almost like I knew what buttons to push, what words to say to people to get what I wanted.

It was a very strange feeling. I think it's the same feeling that Napoleon Hill describes in his book as "hunches and flashes of brilliance". There's a anecdote in Think and Grow Rich where he describes an inventor that has a room that's completely empty besides a desk. This man would scribble notes down for 2 hours straight. That's how I felt.

My doctors describe it as being bipolar.

So, what did I learn while locked up in a psych ward?

• I don't care if you're Snoop Dogg or a bum on the street, if you smoke weed every day you are an addict. If you think it's not F*cking with the chemicals in your brain you are delusional.
• Try your best to not break the law under any circumstance. I was locked up in one of the nicest mental illness facilities in the entire country and it still felt like a prison. We were told when we could eat, when we could go outside, when we can talk with friends and family. If I could barely last 10 days in a hotel like prison, there's no way I could even last one day in an actual prison.
• TIME IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET. When 10 days of your life is taken from you and then you're released back into the real world, you realize how much you missed. I had many things I needed to get done in those 10 days that couldn't get done. Thankfully I am on academic leave from school, so I didn't miss any school.

I am currently on medication to stabilize my mood. I will hopefully be off the medication within the next 6 months to a year. Weed was not the only cause of my episode, but definitely was the largest contributing factor. I smoked weed nearly every day for almost two years. This was my rock bottom with the drug. This is the turning point.

So where do I go from here?

Tomorrow

• My mom gave me a bunch of old handbags and clothes that she wants to sell on Ebay. I will list them tomorrow because Sunday is the best day to list things on Ebay
• Still have 2 different chairs I need to sell on Craigslist

Monday

• Go to school and sign up for spring semester classes. I have decided to stay at the same college I am at. I'm still a teenager. I still don't know what the real world is like. College is that transition period where I can safely continue to absorb knowledge on this forum and books without having to worry about bills. In addition my father has said that with the money I saved by commuting to school/going to a school that gave me a large scholarship, he would be willing to invest in my business in the future.
• Go see my psychiatrist. This is mandatory. Hopefully this doctor that I am going to go see for the first time realizes that I am not bat shit insane, but just a tad bit crazy that's required to be successful. Even if I am bipolar, I really don't like the idea of being on medication for the rest of my life.

Tuesday-Friday

• Resume. Still haven't gotten around to it. I feel like a pussy for not doing it. I keep telling myself, "you're an entrepreneur, start a business instead of getting a job". So, I just end up doing nothing all day. A job will make me crave my freedom and give me the push and emotion I need to really get started on my entrepreneurial journey.
• Get a job. I want a phone sales job that gives an hourly base + commission. I gotta learn to hustle
• Sell all handbags/clothes/chairs on ebay/craigslist

Right now I have 1.3k saved up. If I can sell everything I have, I should have around 2.2k if I sell everything. Then with a job, I can make an additional $500+ per week if the commissions are good.

My daily goals are to

• Read every day for at least an hour
• 5 business ideas every day. The ideas will be unoriginal. They will mostly be online businesses that I know can be improved. I'm getting so stuck on the great idea, that I don't have any EXECUTION.

My long term goals are:

• Stay away from weed. It was fun while it lasted, but now it's causing way too many problems for me

 

[Charnell]

• I don't care if you're Snoop Dogg or a bum on the street, if you smoke weed every day you are an addict. If you think it's not F*cking with the chemicals in your brain you are delusional.

I wish one of my good friends could get that though his head. He's a personal trainer with a bunch of clients, yada yada yada...but he wakes up and smokes, smokes on his midday break, then smokes when he gets off work. On the weekends, it's non stop. I just don't understand it.

 

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[TennisOrDie]

I wish one of my good friends could get that though his head. He's a personal trainer with a bunch of clients, yada yada yada...but he wakes up and smokes, smokes on his midday break, then smokes when he gets off work. On the weekends, it's non stop. I just don't understand it.

Weed is bad because it's so good. It's honestly too good to be true. All it makes you do is eat sleep and be happy. So that's why it's bad. It's instant gratification without too many side effects. Which is why it's so easy to get hooked on. In addition, weed culture only emphasizes the good parts of weed. There are barely any real academic studies on the long term side effects of smoking weed every day. I can tell you from experience that smoking every day is definitely 100% bad for you.

I've come to a crossroads. Do I want to get high on my weekends or do I want to go on an adventure and be rich?