I'll be using this thread to update my progress on starting a new e-commerce store and business. Here's some background on me:
I'm 27, college educated (Economics, Cal Poly SLO 2009), have less than $1500 in the bank, and currently have a full time job. I'm single, without kids, little debt (under $3k), I don't own a home (I rent), and keep my life as simple and expense free as possible (while still having some expenditure for fun). I have over 5 years of experience in the e-commerce field. Previous websites I've worked on are Poly Performance and Starwest Botanicals (my current employer). My boss from Poly Performance is a mentor of mine; he started his e-commerce business from nothing a little over ten years ago, and he's doing quite well now.
This thread isn't a straight up how to guide; this is how I'm doing it, the roadblocks I've run in to, and how I've handled it. I'm going to throw somethings at you that some of you probably won't understand. That's ok...it happens. Ask me questions, or Google it.
My short term goal is to earn enough money from this business to quit my job and work on it full time.
My long term goal is to build the business to $5 million in sales in 5 years. I will do this by growing the initial e-commerce site, and/or expanding into new niches.
I am prepared to do whatever it takes, to not have much of a social life, and to lose out on some fun to get ahead in life and be able to free myself of having to work for someone and to free myself from having to work my whole life.
I don't know what's going to happen. I could fail. I could have tremendous success. I'm hoping for tremendous success. But here's what I do know. I will do my very best to succeed in this venture. If I don't see it becoming as successful as I want it to be, I'm going to find a way out and pursue another venture. I have had one previous business venture which failed, and was a huge learning experience. Here's to failing forward.
Let's get started.
I'm 27, college educated (Economics, Cal Poly SLO 2009), have less than $1500 in the bank, and currently have a full time job. I'm single, without kids, little debt (under $3k), I don't own a home (I rent), and keep my life as simple and expense free as possible (while still having some expenditure for fun). I have over 5 years of experience in the e-commerce field. Previous websites I've worked on are Poly Performance and Starwest Botanicals (my current employer). My boss from Poly Performance is a mentor of mine; he started his e-commerce business from nothing a little over ten years ago, and he's doing quite well now.
This thread isn't a straight up how to guide; this is how I'm doing it, the roadblocks I've run in to, and how I've handled it. I'm going to throw somethings at you that some of you probably won't understand. That's ok...it happens. Ask me questions, or Google it.
My short term goal is to earn enough money from this business to quit my job and work on it full time.
My long term goal is to build the business to $5 million in sales in 5 years. I will do this by growing the initial e-commerce site, and/or expanding into new niches.
I am prepared to do whatever it takes, to not have much of a social life, and to lose out on some fun to get ahead in life and be able to free myself of having to work for someone and to free myself from having to work my whole life.
I don't know what's going to happen. I could fail. I could have tremendous success. I'm hoping for tremendous success. But here's what I do know. I will do my very best to succeed in this venture. If I don't see it becoming as successful as I want it to be, I'm going to find a way out and pursue another venture. I have had one previous business venture which failed, and was a huge learning experience. Here's to failing forward.
Let's get started.
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