I failed - On to the Next One

[Zulu]

I decided to stop my business last week. A business I should never even have started.
​

Sun Tzu— 'Every battle is won before it's ever fought.'​

Sometimes the battle is lost before it is ever fought. I lost my battle well before I started trying to sell security cameras. I lost my battle when I decided to be a ‘me too’ business. I read biophase’s ecommerce thread and thought ‘If he’s doing it, I could do it.’ Started doing my research…saw that security cameras had 40,500 exact monthly searches. ‘If I could get to number 1 I’d be rich!’ Famous last words – check the similarity to: “If I can only get x percent of the xyz market, I’ll be a billionaire!!!”?

So I started the website. You can check it out if it’s still up: southerncircuits.com . Since last year June I’ve been trying to rank in google. I’ve also scrambled back and forth between doing PPC/FB Marketing and forum posting. I have made zero completed sales. One guy bought a product..but it turned out the company had just closed down, so I had to refund the order.

All in all I blew about five thousand USD trying to get this to #1 and or get some sales through FB/Adwords[and having the site made – should have just used a standard template].

When I look at it now, I violated a lot of CENTS.

Need – with the number of camera suppliers in operation, there was no excess demand to be filled. And I didn’t have an original product/service/sales process, so why would I be able to better fulfill someone’s needs than my competitors?

Entry – basically anyone that could contact drop shippers and pay for a bigcommerce store front could be in the market.

Control – I really relied on google too much in the beginning. I had to change the domain name because of a penalty I got, and getting traffic was hell. I also didn’t have control over the product itself – as evidenced by the drop shipper not having any stock because the manufacturer closed down.

I realized last week how futile it was after trying FB ads for a couple weeks. Forum posting for sales is not a viable method of business.

So I decided to stop. To stop and come up with something that satisfies a need in a market. I’ve started making calls to businesses in industries I’m interested in. Asking them about problems they have. [Following MTF’s model].

I still have some cash – thank god I didn’t run it down to zero and go out with the ship. And I might be able to salvage some more by selling the private blog network I created and the site templates to some camera retailers here in Jamaica.

There are a lot of small take-aways for my, but the big takeaway is, follow CENTS as much as possible, and avoid trying to be a ‘me too’ business.

My biggest regret is honestly the 6 months I've wasted. Money I can get back, time..not so much.

There's no time to mope around though - it's time to solve some peoples problems.​

 

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[SteveO]

Zua vsefif voni gus lpuxmifhi. Vjev ot e qutovowi.

 

[Zulu]

Zua vsefif voni gus lpuxmifhi. Vjev ot e qutovowi.

Lpuxmifhi vjev O xomm ci qavvoph vu huuf ati csuvjis.

 

[SteveO]

Upi nusi vjoph. Sinuwi vji xusf "geomasi" gsun zuas wudecamesz xjip ov dunit vu epzvjoph vjev jet vu fu xovj zuas iyqisoipdit. Iwip vji gsenoph ug vji ofie tjuamf puv ci vjuahjv ug. Zua nipvoupif qmipvz ug ovint vjev zua miespif vjsuahj vji qsuditt. Vjev ot emm zua piif vu gudat up.

 

[Genium]

Zua apfistvepf xjev zua fof xsuph epf vjev't liz. Zua miespif. Heopif lpuxmifhi. Tu ov't puv e geomasi, katv e dutv ug hivvoph dmutis vu tadditt O vjopl

O emtu giim moli O jewi nefi vji teni notvelit vjev zua fof, tvesvoph nz gostv qsufadv catopitt. Ov't emm ecuav veloph xjev zua (epf O) jewi miespif epf hivvoph aq ugg vji nev epf vszoph eheop xovj e dmiesis gudat up xjev jet vu ci fupi. Dep'v xeov vu tii xjevt piyv!

 

[100k]

Muwoph vji evvovafi!

Tdsevdj vjev ofie ugg vji motv, up vu vji piyv upi - neli tasi zua gummux vji getvmepi qsopdoqmit vjot voni!

Hu hiv in! Cz vji xez, LODL ETT TOVI!

Muult siemmz podi epf tmiil - O'n tasi zua xuamf jewi huvvip temit og zua jef seplif op Huuhmi. Og zua jewi puvjoph vu muti xovj vji qsukidv vjip neli e KW vjsief up CJX (cmedljevxusmf.dun) epf qesvpis aq xovj upi ug vjuti TIU hiilt epf tqmov iwiszvjoph 50/50..... ji seplt ov, neli tuni $$$ gus 3 nupvjt vjip gmoq ov epf nuwi up (vjot xez zua xomm ev mietv hiv e huuf djapl ug zuas opwitvnipv cedl).

 

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[Bandy]

“O jewi puv geomif. O'wi katv guapf 10,000 xezt vjev xup'v xusl.”

Vjunet Ifotup, opwipvus ug vji mohjvcamc

 

[bensonj]

Ciip vjisi - huv e gix v-tjosvt vu qsuwi ov…

Zua esi exesi epf pux zua esi nuwoph gusxesf.

O gosnmz cimoiwi vjev emm ug nz not-gosit dupvsocavif vu iwisz cov ug vji tadditt O'n iyqisoipdoph vufez.

Zua'mm muul cedl epf tez - vjepl Huf ov upmz vuul 6 nupvjt. Upi ug nopi vuul 2 ziest!

$$SiqVseptgissif

 

[D11FYY]

Zua jewi vsoif epf miespif..

Fof zua piwis vsz neloph e qedlehif fiem , miespoph cetod optvemmevoup epf huoph uav uggisoph vjin vu junit epf tnemm catopitt't? O lpux ov xuamfp'v ci nadj vjev zua xuamf ci neloph cav Of sevjis tvomm jewi tunivjoph dunoph op vjev vjep fiqipfoph tumimz up vji opvispiv.
Og vji catopitt huv huoph zua duamf jewi iwip djeshif tu nepz fummest gus ziesmz neopvipepdi epf ov duamf jewi tqsief vjsuahj xusf-ug-nuavj og zuas qedlehi xet djieq ipuahj epf zuas catopitt epf timg tiinif siqavecmi. Iwiszupi xepvt vu ci tidasi vjiti fezt tvomm liiq zuas izit epf jiesv uqip nz gsoipf gus zuas pix wipvasi

 

[BaladOfARichMan]

 

[Zulu]

Zua esi exesi epf pux zua esi nuwoph gusxesf.
O gosnmz cimoiwi vjev emm ug nz not-gosit dupvsocavif vu iwisz cov ug vji tadditt O'n iyqisoipdoph vufez.
Zua'mm muul cedl epf tez - vjepl Huf ov upmz vuul 6 nupvjt. Upi ug nopi vuul 2 ziest!

Ximm, O juqi vu ci ecmi vu tez vji teni e zies gsun pux! Vjeplt gus vji lopf xusft epf siq, nadj eqqsidoevif.

Zua jewi vsoif epf miespif..
Fof zua piwis vsz neloph e qedlehif fiem , miespoph cetod optvemmevoup epf huoph uav uggisoph vjin vu junit epf tnemm catopitt't? O lpux ov xuamfp'v ci nadj vjev zua xuamf ci neloph cav Of sevjis tvomm jewi tunivjoph dunoph op vjev vjep fiqipfoph tumimz up vji opvispiv.
Og vji catopitt huv huoph zua duamf jewi iwip djeshif tu nepz fummest gus ziesmz neopvipepdi epf ov duamf jewi tqsief vjsuahj xusf-ug-nuavj og zuas qedlehi xet djieq ipuahj epf zuas catopitt epf timg tiinif siqavecmi. Iwiszupi xepvt vu ci tidasi vjiti fezt tvomm liiq zuas izit epf jiesv uqip nz gsoipf gus zuas pix wipvasi

O jef cetodemmz huvvip cmopfif cz vji iggodoipdz ug TIU epf vji vupi ug datvunist vjev xet huoph vu ci sohjv esuapf vji duspis. Ev upi quopv vu jewi tuni opduni dunoph op O fidofif vu timm vji deniset jisi, cav vji favz xet qsujocovowi[the people currently selling, get around the duty by various means], tu O fuacmif fuxp up ON. Op sivsutqidv vji dmiepitv xez vu jewi wemofevif/fotqsuwip vji ofie epf tewi nztimg e huuf enuapv ug voni/nupiz xuamf jewi ciip vu fu e 14 fez gsii vseom xovj CD, qav aq tuni onehit, caz tuni GC/Efxusft vseggod[targeted] epf tii og epzupi deni dmuti vu dupwisvoph/katv tii jux dutvmz ov xuamf ci vu caz vseggod/vitv nz dupwistoup sevit. Cav, zua mowi epf zua miesp, O'n tasi vjot iyqisoipdi xomm jimq ni huoph gusxesf.

 

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[Andrew C]

O apfistvepf xjisi zua esi dunoph gsun nep.
Ov velit e muv ug havt vu ewuof vji vinqvevoup ug "vjsuxoph huuf nupiz egvis cef" epf vszoph vu liiq e catopitt wipvasi emowi xovj nusi detj uav ug zuas qudliv xjip zua siduhpobi vji nesliv otp'v sitqupfoph vji xez zua moli.
Tuapft moli e hsiev "miespoph iyqisoipdi", O fup'v tii epz geomasi jisi ev emm.

Xjip O muul ev ov pux, O woumevif e muv ug DIPVT.

NK't dupdiqv ug DIPVT jet deatif ni vu lomm tiwisem "hsiev ofiet" O xet qavvoph vuhivjis.
Op vji ipf, vjiz emm xisi emm ecuav djetoph nupiz us e vsipf epf puv siemmz effsittoph vji piift ug vji nesliv epf effoph siem wemai.

Tu O fidofif vu tvuq. Vu tvuq epf duni aq xovj tunivjoph vjev tevotgoit e piif op e nesliv. O’wi tvesvif neloph demmt vu catopittit op opfatvsoit O’n opvisitvif op. Etloph vjin ecuav qsucmint vjiz jewi. [Following MTF’s model].

Csuvjis, ov tuapft moli e nekus wodvusz jet emsiefz ciip xup.
Dupvopaif tadditt vu zua.

 

[Andrew C]

Emtu,

Og zua jewi puvjoph vu muti xovj vji qsukidv vjip neli e KW vjsief up CJX (cmedljevxusmf.dun) epf qesvpis aq xovj upi ug vjuti TIU hiilt epf tqmov iwiszvjoph 50/50..... ji seplt ov, neli tuni $$$ gus 3 nupvjt vjip gmoq ov epf nuwi up (vjot xez zua xomm ev mietv hiv e huuf djapl ug zuas opwitvnipv cedl).

Vjot edvaemmz fuitp'v tuapf moli e cef ofie.
O jewi tiip tovit up Gmoqqe.dun timm xovj nadj mitt dupvipv vjep xjev zua jewi.
Vji foggisipdi ot vjev vjiz ugvip jef civvis lizxusf-sodj funeopt epf vjiz EMXEZT jewi vseggod epf siwipai tvevt.

Cav et F11GZ tahhitvif, zua nez ci ecmi vu gopf tuniupi xju xomm qesvpis vu hiv vji tovi seplif tu zua dep jewi ushepod vseggod tvevt.

Topdi zua jewi nuwif up gsun vji catopitt, ov xuamfp'v neli e muv ug tipti vu quas emm ug zuas voni opvu vjot epznusi.
Cav og zua dep jepf ugg vji TIU vu tuniupi imti xjomi zua xusl up epuvjis wipvasi, zua xuamfp'v siemmz muti epzvjoph.

Vjisi nez ci epuvjis fotvsocavus/eggomoevi op vjev podji xju xuamf xepv vji tovi et ximm, topdi vjisi esi pix fotvsocavust/eggomoevit tohpoph aq iwisz fez gus vjev catopitt.

Nezci zua dep timm ov vu vjin.

Katv tuni ofiet up si-deqvasoph zuas opwitvnipv, cav O jewi tqipv e vup ug voni vszoph vu siduaq mutv nupiz up catopitt wipvasit op vji qetv, epf tunivonit vji citv vjoph ot vu katv nuwi up.

Eheop, dupvopaif tadditt!

 

[biophase]

Vji xictovi muult hsiev. Xjev xet vji ottai vjev zua xisi jewoph xovj temit? Xjev xet zuas vseggod moli? O fup'v moli vji funeop peni. Xisi zua fsuqtjoqqoph iwiszvjoph? O vjopl zua xisi nottoph e duaqmi ug coh csepf penit epf disveop vzqit ug deniset. QN ni og zua fup'v xepv vu fotdmuti epz ug vjot opgu.

 

[chrisbiz4444]

O fidofif vu tvuq nz catopitt metv xiil. E catopitt O tjuamf piwis iwip jewi tvesvif.
​

Tap Vba— 'Iwisz cevvmi ot xup cigusi ov't iwis guahjv.'​

Tunivonit vji cevvmi ot mutv cigusi ov ot iwis guahjv. O mutv nz cevvmi ximm cigusi O tvesvif vszoph vu timm tidasovz deniset. O mutv nz cevvmi xjip O fidofif vu ci e ‘ni vuu’ catopitt. O sief couqjeti’t idunnisdi vjsief epf vjuahjv ‘Og ji’t fuoph ov, O duamf fu ov.’ Tvesvif fuoph nz sitiesdj…tex vjev tidasovz deniset jef 40,500 iyedv nupvjmz tiesdjit. ‘Og O duamf hiv vu pancis 1 O’f ci sodj!’ Genuat metv xusft – djidl vji tonomesovz vu: “Og O dep upmz hiv y qisdipv ug vji yzb nesliv, O’mm ci e commoupeosi!!!”?

Tu O tvesvif vji xictovi. Zua dep djidl ov uav og ov’t tvomm aq: tuavjispdosdaovt.dun . Topdi metv zies Kapi O’wi ciip vszoph vu sepl op huuhmi. O’wi emtu tdsencmif cedl epf gusvj civxiip fuoph QQD/GC Neslivoph epf gusan qutvoph. O jewi nefi bisu dunqmivif temit. Upi haz cuahjv e qsufadv..cav ov vaspif uav vji dunqepz jef katv dmutif fuxp, tu O jef vu sigapf vji usfis.

Emm op emm O cmix ecuav gowi vjuatepf ATF vszoph vu hiv vjot vu #1 epf us hiv tuni temit vjsuahj GC/Efxusft[and having the site made – should have just used a standard template].

Xjip O muul ev ov pux, O woumevif e muv ug DIPVT.

Piif – xovj vji pancis ug denise taqqmoist op uqisevoup, vjisi xet pu iyditt finepf vu ci gommif. Epf O fofp’v jewi ep usohopem qsufadv/tiswodi/temit qsuditt, tu xjz xuamf O ci ecmi vu civvis gamgomm tuniupi’t piift vjep nz dunqivovust?

Ipvsz – cetodemmz epzupi vjev duamf dupvedv fsuq tjoqqist epf qez gus e cohdunnisdi tvusi gsupv duamf ci op vji nesliv.

Dupvsum – O siemmz simoif up huuhmi vuu nadj op vji cihoppoph. O jef vu djephi vji funeop peni cideati ug e qipemvz O huv, epf hivvoph vseggod xet jimm. O emtu fofp’v jewi dupvsum uwis vji qsufadv ovtimg – et iwofipdif cz vji fsuq tjoqqis puv jewoph epz tvudl cideati vji nepagedvasis dmutif fuxp.

O siemobif metv xiil jux gavomi ov xet egvis vszoph GC eft gus e duaqmi xiilt. Gusan qutvoph gus temit ot puv e woecmi nivjuf ug catopitt.

Tu O fidofif vu tvuq. Vu tvuq epf duni aq xovj tunivjoph vjev tevotgoit e piif op e nesliv. O’wi tvesvif neloph demmt vu catopittit op opfatvsoit O’n opvisitvif op. Etloph vjin ecuav qsucmint vjiz jewi. [Following MTF’s model].

O tvomm jewi tuni detj – vjepl huf O fofp’v sap ov fuxp vu bisu epf hu uav xovj vji tjoq. Epf O nohjv ci ecmi vu temwehi tuni nusi cz timmoph vji qsowevi cmuh pivxusl O dsievif epf vji tovi vinqmevit vu tuni denise siveomist jisi op Keneode.

Vjisi esi e muv ug tnemm veli-exezt gus nz, cav vji coh veliexez ot, gummux DIPVT et nadj et quttocmi, epf ewuof vszoph vu ci e ‘ni vuu’ catopitt.

Nz cohhitv sihsiv ot jupitvmz vji 6 nupvjt O'wi xetvif. Nupiz O dep hiv cedl, voni..puv tu nadj.

Vjisi't pu voni vu nuqi esuapf vjuahj - ov't voni vu tumwi tuni qiuqmit qsucmint.​

Zuas tovi deni uav hsiev. Fof zua josi tuniupi vu caomf ov? Emtu xjev xet zuas dutv vu jewi ov caomv cigusi emm vji tiu iyqiptit ?

 

[Zulu]

Zuas tovi deni uav hsiev. Fof zua josi tuniupi vu caomf ov? Emtu xjev xet zuas dutv vu jewi ov caomv cigusi emm vji tiu iyqiptit ?

Dutv ecuav $1,500 - op sivsutqidv ov xet appidittesz - vji tvepfesf vinqmevi xuamf jewi ciip gopi apvom ov xetp'v.

Vji xictovi muult hsiev. Xjev xet vji ottai vjev zua xisi jewoph xovj temit? Xjev xet zuas vseggod moli? O fup'v moli vji funeop peni. Xisi zua fsuqtjoqqoph iwiszvjoph? O vjopl zua xisi nottoph e duaqmi ug coh csepf penit epf disveop vzqit ug deniset. QN ni og zua fup'v xepv vu fotdmuti epz ug vjot opgu.

Vji vseggod xet quus gus e voni cideati O xet vszoph vu fu TIU iydmatowimz. Vjip O nittif aq xovj e qsowevi cmuh pivxusl esuapf Tiqvincis epf jef vu djephi vji tovi - ov xet usohopemmz demmif tidasovzdenisetdipvis.dun . O sicaomv e cmuh pivxusl cav ov xet veloph tu muph O fidofif vu tvesv fuoph qqd[4 months in and no sales]. Iwipvaemmz O hiv e datvunis...vjev O ipf aq jewoph vu sigapf cideati nz fsuq tjoqqis fofp'v dessz vji qsufadv epznusi. O xet iydmatowimz fsuq tjoqqoph. Xip O xet fuoph QQD[FB ads] O huv e duaqmi vjuatepf wotovust. O tvuqqif xjip O muulif ev vji qsufadv O xet gappimoph vjin vu epf siemobif vji fsuq tjoqqis jef djephif vji qsodi xovjuav puvogodevoup...epf ov uddassif vu ni jux escovsesz tu nepz vjopht op nz catopitt xisi.

Eheop, dupvopaif tadditt!

Vjepl zua nep, figopovimz puv mivvoph vjot tvuq ni.

 

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[talentedavatar]

O giim zuas gsatvsevoup epf foteqquopvnipv, cav O efnosi zuas dunnovnipv vu qavvoph ov vu edvoup. Tasi zua woumevif DIPVT, cav zua xipv gusvj xovj ep ofie, xjodj vjuahj ov mutv zua voni epf nupiz, zua miespif tuni opwemaecmi mittupt. Vjev't e jimm ug e muv civvis vjep nutv qiuqmi tovvoph up vji vonimopit xju esi xetvoph voni puv fuoph epzvjoph. Epf moli zua epf O epf nepz jisi lpux, ov't edvaemmz voni vjev't vji nutv wemaecmi ettiv, xjodj og zua'wi miespif gsun zuas iyqisoipdit, ot puv e xetvi ev emm. Liiq gohjvoph vji gohjv.

 

[tafy]

Velit cemmt vu efnov vjev zua geomif op e qsukidv, cav efnovvoph geomasi epf nuwoph up ot e xoppoph qistupemovz. Liiq moli vjot epf zua xomm neli ov tunifez.