Auren tagged me for a new potential meme. He's asking entrepreneurs how they made their first $1,000.
He made his selling baseball cards, albeit in a very clever way. It's interesting that Auren brought up baseball cards. I don't think I made a $1,000 this way, but selling coins and baseball cards at the flea market was definitely the first time I made cash as an entrepeneur. I actually have quite a collection sitting in my closet at my parent's house. Although the value of cards have plumetted, I figure they are worth more to me at a later date, than now.
I remember trading a bag of chips for the full 1983 Fleer set of cards in 7th grade from a kid who didn't want his collection anymore. I think his name was Matt. I remember his face, but not his last name. He ended up trading me his whole collection over about a month of school lunches. I have every TOPPS set since 1986. My Aunt Cindy still buys me a box every November for my Birthday.
I used to go to the flea market with my grandparents in the summers in NJ between 6 and 8th grade. My grandfather sold coins and a lot of crap. My grandmother sold small collectibles, costume jewelry, antique glassware and random other things that were actually worth something. My grandfather would try and sell anything he could get for a dollar or less. We stopped at a lot of trash heaps. My grandmother would go to yard sales and find things on the cheap that were actually worth something. Baseball cards were my thing. I had my own table at the flea market where I could spread them out.
I was also the scout. I'd go to yard sales with them and I could always negotiate a cheaper price after I got permission from my grandmother to spend her money. By reading antique price books, I developed a good eye for "gems", as we'd call them. At one yard sale, I found antique play tractors with $10 price tags on them. I got permission from my grandmother to buy them. I asked the seller if they'd take $5 for each. I was pretty cute then, so they'd never say "no". People were taken back that a young guy would actually bargain. They thought I wanted the things for myself, while I was just looking to flip the stuff for a profit. We got home and looked them up in antique books and they were each worth $300. My grandmother sold them the following week at the flea market and she gave me a portion of the proceeds. Although my Aunt - who was down the shore with us that weekend - was pissed that my grandmother didn't give me more of the proceeds, I learned a valuable lesson: own the sale. To this day, that's the way we operate. Owning the transaction is where the leverage is.
My first $1,000 was probably in high school between 10th and 11th grade. I had 2 landcaping clients in a pretty wealthy neigborhood. They'd give me tasks to complete, I'd estimate time and get the work done. It wasn't that sexy of a entrepeneurial venture, but I got to work outside and I was my own boss. My retirement business will be a high end landscape design and installation company. Just so I can buy cool plants and be outdoors.
I am tagging Rick Roberge, Mark Roberge (maybe grandpa can let you guest post), Dave Kurlan, David Beisel, Andrew Bourland, Jason Calacanis, Greg Gershman, Susan Kaup, Scott Rafer, Seth Goldstein, Andrew Teman and Greg Narain.
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