249 : Rich Siok – Group approach to learning to sell on Ebay
Rich (and Nila) have been helping others and allowing others to help him learn (just as much) how to sell on Ebay. He credits that group learning and their monthly meeting in helping them collectively grow their businesses. Would joining a meetup help you get consistency in your business? Would joining a meetup help you get accountability in your business?
Would joining a meetup help you gain a partner in your business? Spend the $3.00 and find out. 
Mentioned:
Sponsors:
Gaye’s Million Dollar Arbitrage List
Transcript: (note- this is a new tool I am trying out so it is not perfect- it does seem to be getting better)
Stephen: [00:00:00] And know this is episode [2:49] 49 to 50 is coming and it is a give back episodes so get ready for the next episode 250. Hope your Q4 is going good. It’s a great time to be selling and sell a lot. Watch your repressors. I just got whacked on one last$15 a unit. I didn’t lose I lost in profit because I showed a blocked one wasn’t paying attention so please do me tell you about a couple sponsors you know scope from solar labs. If you’re not using it to even just to take your wholesale accounts of course you got to use it for a private label. Right you need to understand the key word you want to understand a keyword. Go look at your competitors get their keywords and then use them. That’s smart business right because they already have proven that proof of concept.
Stephen: [00:00:45] But take the same approach to your wholesale accounts make sure that those keywords are in there. If not upload those changes many times you can but many times you can’t take advantage sculped from Selar labs. Go to Sellar labs dot com slash scope use the code word momentum save a few bucks get a few key words get your listings found. Got to find that keyword in scope will be the product that will help you there. Solutions for e-commerce Karen Locher. You know again you hear me talk about her because she is my account manager. She’s been doing a great job. Again I had some stranded listings and I noticed them down there on the bottom right hand corner. They’re gone. I look back and they’re gone and I see stuff submitted. I see stuff return.
Stephen: [00:01:26] It’s such a great process because I don’t have to pay attention. I can pay attention to the other parts of our business. Solutions for e-commerce slash momentum will save you 50 bucks. Lowest price she offers and you still get the inventory Health Report. Take a look at it set up for 2018. Now tell Karen I sent you. When you think about Q4 lists and I hope you don’t use them just Q4 for Hope you use them all year long again you want to learn how to fish right. And so the best thing to do when you’re buying the list is look at what they’re doing and how they’re doing it and then figure that out on your own. That’s the approach that gay lesbian uses and a million dollar arbitrage list. It is closed for the rest of this year however I have asked them and they have said they would do it if there’s an opening.
Stephen: [00:02:14] They will pull from the waitlist. OK so I have the link out on my site. On this episode that will have a link that will take you right onto the waitlist. So get on the waitlist if there’s something that your interest members are going to give you a 7 day free trial so there’s nothing to lose. But then once you get in there take advantage learn how to fish right sharpen your tool you know sharpen your skills I guess is the right phrase I should use. OK so again I have that link out on this episode. So jump out there and get on that list. You know go daddy and grasshopper are both national sponsors of the show. I’m very fortunate. I have a third one coming on in February very excited about that.
Stephen: [00:02:54] But go daddy. I use them. This is somebody who had a great idea for and for a domain and I’m like. Use my link saved 30 percent 30 percent. Yes they pay me. We all know that. However 30 presents real I use it myself because I want to save the 30 percent. So let’s try go daddy dot com slash momentum right. Try Go Daddy dot com slash momentum and you’re going to save 30 percent grasshopper’s the same deal. Try grasshopper dot.com slash momentum and you’re going to save 50 bucks. I saw somebody else just signed up for it. The service makes you a professional. All of a sudden your business has a phone number. Has a vanity phone number you can kind of create your own one if it’s available but you don’t need a second phone.
Stephen: [00:03:38] And I think that’s the big thing. It’s not Google Voice which is choppy Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t. This is professional stuff. Press one for customer service press two for my Amazon account manager which would go to Charon’s. I mean this is a great opportunity. So it’s Try grasshopper dot com slash momentum save fifty bucks. Welcome
Cool voice guy: [00:03:59] to the e-commerce momentum good guys. Well we focus on the people the products and the process of Commerce today. Your host Stephen Peters and welcome back to the e-commerce momentum podcast.
Stephen: [00:04:14] This is episode [2:49] rich Psylocke. I really enjoy talking with Rich because he has reinvented himself and what I love about what Rich says is he has used the knowledge he has gained for others in leading group discussions to advance his business. Again he’s teaching yet learning. Think about that. It’s the best proof of concept or you get a group of people are going to improve on your ideas. How many times has that happened to you. Well enriches world that’s happened a lot. Love is a concept not the fact that he’s been doing it for so long. And I think that that consistency I think we all would agree. Consistency is the key. And Rich and his wife Nolla are just great proof for that. Let’s get into the podcast. All
Stephen: [00:05:01] right welcome back to the e-commerce momentum podcast very excited about today’s guest. Actually I’m excited about two things. First time I’m recording in my warehouse and so hopefully we’ll have good audio quality and the guests that I have on it has more experience than me and my friends and the rest of us all combined. He’s been selling a longtime rich Psylocke. How they do in the name rich.
Rich: [00:05:26] Right. You got it perfect sir.
Stephen: [00:05:27] OK. I was concerned about that. I want to make sure I don’t mess that up. Now Welcome Rich has been a longtime seller a certified eBay trade education specialist which is a pretty cool title and has a retail brick and mortar business. I mean you’ve got a lot of things going on. Rich
Rich: [00:05:51] yes we do this myself my wife did run this and when you say retail we’re we’re still homebase.
Rich: [00:06:00] But it is a commercial site business so that there is a lot of things that go on and in our business. Things change in a in a minute when it comes to something that has to be made or done.
Rich: [00:06:17] I have some commercial real estate companies that I deal with and they need something done rather quickly working on a project right now. But I got the email yesterday and they needed my remarks. So these are not something very small either four by four sheets that have to be made four foot by four foot so they’re rather large. So it’s a pretty good project but that’s how we jump in our business. I
Stephen: [00:06:43] mean do you actually do some of the printing still in-house yourself.
Rich: [00:06:46] Well what we we are a vinyl cutting business and commercial line where we don’t do the actual printing of particular things although we do banners we have wholesale suppliers that do our that are that do are also printing banners and so forth. Matter of fact I got one right now that I’m working on too. So yeah but the whole cutting is is our main niche of what we do. We
Speaker 8: [00:07:11] haven’t gotten into the commercial printing end of it so but you you cut it and then you apply it to whatever type of metal or plastic or something else or to the side of cars or trucks or whatever that is that is correct.
Rich: [00:07:24] And that’s that’s a huge part of our business. And what we do in the in the e-commerce world is we actually manufacture that ready to apply so that the customer actually will get that item what we call mask and ready to apply so they can put it on whatever they want to whether it be a truck a car van a boat whatever whatever it is.
Speaker 8: [00:07:49] You know I was thinking about this as I was driving over to the city to be a pest a real estate office and who I’m using for some commercial leasing and I thought huh there’s a role. Somebody who’s in real estate. I’ve seen a bunch of people post about that. They’re either in real estate or thought about getting into it. And I thought boy that’s so complimentary to our e-commerce business in many ways. If you have a warehouse where if you’re dealing with real manufacturers or distributors you know love to meet those guys because I will not distribute their product right or no. And so I thought about your business. And it’s so complimentary and I’m sure it wasn’t always that way. Well let me ask this. Was Ebay would you say that eBay was could have been the saving grace of your business.
Rich: [00:08:40] Oh yes. When the recession hit and I’m going back to you know in any industry like ours the recession starts long before it really hits the real pocketbook of absolutely regular people. So when when we started noticing that we weren’t getting the commercial calls and even to this day right now you see a lot of retail places that are empty and you don’t see many mom and pop shops just opening up in the retail centers and I’m not blaming that on e-commerce. I’m blaming that on a lot of the rights that the the people have to charge. And I think there’s a big fear of people going into retail and and also it’s franchisees. Oh right. When we saw that coming in I’m going to go back to I’m going to say 2007 actually 2008 somewhere in that area. We just were getting calls that we needed to to do and I’ve been in my chamber for almost 25 years and we’re going to events and I’m not getting work or business I’m it’s starting to get a little bit nervous so when what we did is we had started selling on Ebay in 2001.
Rich: [00:09:50] When we opened up our first things to sell and try to you we didn’t have very good success so once we started selling things here and there are long to wait until that recessionary or whatever. What we really want a little bit more go into the into the e-bay area and and it it really it helps immensely. I mean and back then we weren’t doing the ready to apply products as much as we were doing personalized signs and just kind of some funny stuff that we saw on ebay. We’ve got a bunch of different types of things that we sell for buyer signs and things like that and all custom personalized with a person’s name or whatever around it.
Rich: [00:10:32] So that’s what we really pushed and we were we were doing fantastic with that. But as you know competition comes in for change changes your world.
Speaker 8: [00:10:42] But if you didn’t have that option. I mean you know I think about your situation and I think about how many other retail this I mean you help bring people in to learn how to do. That’s one of your things right. But can you imagine if you didn’t have that. You know what. What other options would you have had you might have had to geographically expand and go further out and take it away from your business and your family and the rest of that stuff. So to me what you were kind of a pioneer in and taking your business to the e-commerce world without doing your own web site without trying to drive your own traffic without all that you took advantage of what eBay had the best of what eBay had to offer. And you were able to apply it and I applaud you and I imagine that the conversations you have with other members of your chamber of commerce kind of go like this.
Speaker 8: [00:11:33] Hey you should consider adding e-bay or I guess now Amazon to to your business model. You could do much better. Is that correct.
Rich: [00:11:42] Yeah. Well it’s kind of funny you mention that because I’m I’m very close friends with another company that I told you that just printing for us and they’re you know I never been into this understanding where people won’t talk to other side companies or they won’t talk to bankers or whatever. When we have networking events or whatever they kind of shy away from all that we’re we’ve always made friends with most design companies because they can compliment you with things that you do that they may not be able to do. And we share things all the time. Two of our best friends I just came there just a few minutes to pick up the banner I was talking about. And you know so you are complementing that and late to this day will refuse to do anything e-commerce although I showed him how to sell a bunch of his collectibles but he refuses to do any of the e-commerce world.
Rich: [00:12:34] And as he talked about training and things I’ve got several success stories. A friend of mine that all a forklift leasing company and repair property he went and really wanted to figure out how we could start promoting his forklifts and e-bay and. And I’m like well you know what you’re really missing is is the used parts part. Yeah for sure of your product so many years ago and his brothers were just like I’m totally against this world and he was quite younger and he said you know I want to do something with this and see what we could do with some of these things and go and boy he does. He just took that and drove that amazing numbers that they were doing by taking little parts up with these you know particular forklifts that he had and you know his everything advances the old parts are harder to get right you know.
Rich: [00:13:34] Right. So you need somebody to supply those old parts whether they be used or new. And he just he just went crazy with it and to this day whenever I see him he’s always telling me about how how great you’re are doing but I worked with him for probably three years. And in that business I could tell you the brothers were in their offices and they didn’t want to have anything to do with it but they probably feel pretty good about it now.
Stephen: [00:13:59] Yeah. Well
Rich: [00:14:00] they did actually they were poor more closer to retirement. So they didn’t want to get anything new on whatever and he totally rebranded the cut rebranded the company and and changed the whole company around. So it’s it’s been a great thing but that’s just one of the stories. I mean that I can talk about when you work with somebody is really gone you know wants to move forward.
Speaker 8: [00:14:21] They learned pretty quickly after they have a few sales that hey this is something I’ve got Don’t you know the thing that gets me is what other option did he have. Right. I mean you know they could have just chose me you know you’re right the world is going away it’s only just e-commerce. We’re not going to make it. And just be resigned to that as opposed to branching out. And I mean let’s face it it’s probably exciting. You know especially the first sale. We all know what that’s like. That’s very rewarding right. You you did the work you put your head down you hoped and it actually happens. That’s pretty cool.
Rich: [00:14:58] Yeah. Well actually what they were doing and then is is basically auctioning off all of the used equipment you know pennies on the dollar. Exactly. Pennies on the dollar. I mean what they get for a whole forklift.
Speaker 9: [00:15:13] You know they were probably you know selling us some of the actuators into different parts the electronic parts inside the Stiers the solenoids and things. What they would get for the whole unit. You know when they’re not. So yeah they you know that’s that’s one of the great great stories I have with this business. Bill
Speaker 8: [00:15:34] how did you get into. I mean the sign business came first and he was were you an entrepreneur from day one. Is this your first business. Were you in the corporate world or something else.
Rich: [00:15:47] I call myself and you’ve probably heard that a serial entrepreneur. You know you start out. I started out pretty young.
Speaker 10: [00:15:56] You know I grew up in a more middle class family we had a bunch of kids in the family and my mom and dad always were take care of other folks so you had to fend for yourself if you wanted things you had to fend for yourself. And I learned heart from my dad that you know hard work pays off. And so when I was younger I had paper routes the same old stop snow shoveling grass cutting. I had an aid route I bought wholesale eggs from my uncle’s farm and put him into the one dozen packages and delivered them around the home that’s a lot of people baked the back that a lot of the ladies in the neighborhood like the fresh cakes coming in. So that was kind of interesting but I was always respected if you wanted to buy something. I had the money to buy the things that I wanted.
Speaker 10: [00:16:40] I wanted to go bowling. I had the money if I wanted to go to a movie. I had I never had to ask because I couldn’t ask because I couldn’t get it so. So you know it’s kind of how I started as a young person growing up or whatever and I was in the I went to school for automotives and became a I worked in a couple of carde different car dealerships and started there at one dealership works for me and that is the guy who says hey I don’t have any openings but if you’re willing to you know sweep floors and do all that and stuff and as I got into it or know the managers they start to have me answer the phones and saw that I could sell service and I was doing pretty good for my job as a mechanic and that never came through because I never had an opening with the union.
Rich: [00:17:26] But you know that’s where some of the things I learned to sell all items that people needed for their cars whether it be a tooled up brake job and so on and so I guess I had an entrepreneurial spirit there. And
Speaker 9: [00:17:39] then we went into the packaged ice business where we me my grouched ice yet we we we had an ice company where you took your ice cubes and put them into ten pound bags and and distributed out to the different 7-Elevens and so on and white and pantries back at that time and convenience stores and so forth.
Speaker 11: [00:18:01] And gas stations so and then we bought into a distributorship for a large company here in Chicago where it went and did that for several years. I’d say probably 12 or so maybe. And then competition came in with that they decided they wanted to buy all of the routes back so that they could turn around and sell the whole business back.
Rich: [00:18:22] And I went into a window cleaning service because I know a lot about the different products that did. I mean I do a lot of business. Let’s put it that way. Oh that was you know we started the deal was clean commercial services and stuff with a lot of commercial buildings and hotels and things like that and make a long story short.
Speaker 11: [00:18:45] But it was it was it was a tough business. Climbing up the ladder and so forth like that. And then I had quite a set of 70 but somebody eight blockbuster videos that I was cleaning. So
Speaker 12: [00:18:58] we had several some kind of actors working underneath us and they were done on a weekly basis and it was the huge account when you know it had a blockbuster but long long before they folded. Oh we got a certified letter that said no we are no longer going to need your services you will be dealing with X Y Z company out of Ohio and they will be telling you what you’re going to be getting paid to do the stores on a regular service basis so and so-and-so and that put the kibosh on that because what I was going to get paid was was it possible to run my business that way so that all of a sudden overnight you’re almost like boom out of business because we all know a lot of stories that we were dealing with so many out that that’s all that work and get it from there. Quite honestly that’s how the side business came into play because I was opening up all those new blockbusters as they were opening and they needed window lettering for different things to their hours on and so forth.
Speaker 11: [00:20:00] And at the time I had a friend of mine that was in the same business that was renting from me in my building. And I said hey can you do this stuff and do it fast for me and we get it and I don’t the price I didn’t and I started doing the lettering.
Rich: [00:20:16] And with that we decided well you know I’ll cut the middleman out and go direct So we bought all the equipment and went for training to learn how to do it in the software and everything and. And that’s where it really started which was about two thousand in 1999 2000 somewhere in there. And we’ve been kind of going through there so I guess I am a serial entrepreneur and.
Stephen: [00:20:41] No kidding. Is there a common theme a theme between all those this is I mean it does seem to be relationships you know sitting or listening to you know to be able to manage that account and manage 78 stores there had to be some pretty strong relationships.
Stephen: [00:20:56] And I guess consistency because that’s how you get rewarded right with more responsibility is by delivering what you said you’re going to do. And so they’re going to give you that the dealership gives you more responsibility as they see that you can actually do sweep the floor and then you answer the phone politely and it works. Would you say that those are the common traits that you see.
Rich: [00:21:15] Well yeah absolutely it’s and it’s in any business building relationships even even people don’t realize that we’re building those relationships online with your customers. It is the same way. But yeah I mean and many times you hear people say don’t put all your eggs in one basket while with the blockbusters as I was opening them up and they were they needed cleaning and they needed to be done inside all. I remember the store they had a million mirrors inside. It was just it was a filthy mess to try and get them ready to get open. And as they were opening they were counting on me to get my crew in there to get that because I caught her. [1:00] [2:00] o’clock in the morning so next door could open. And that being that. Kind of aggressive with the managers that the next manager that was taking over another Kerry territory would say hey you’ve got to go to Rick because he’s the one that’s going to get this stuff done for you.
Rich: [00:22:16] So as that progressed then I got to keep the store as an ongoing basis for cleaning the windows. Had I not done that. They’re going to give it to a competitor and the next thing you know the competitors going to get those kinds you know all of the source. So I was more or less forced to do it. But but they liked what I was told because they could depend on me and you know I take as with any business that you want. Being a dependent. So that’s why I kept growing it kept growing and taking over more territory because they could depend on me and you know I’m in Chicago and it’s it’s not funny in winter when it’s 20 below zero. And when it’s in and that’s when they’re the filthiest you know because of the Saltonstall. So they they like the service and that was where the wave started.
Stephen: [00:23:06] You know now I think about what you do with meet up groups. And one of the things I wanted to make sure we hit on is that you have one of the larger largest I don’t know how big it is relative to there I know there are several large you’re up there with ebay meetup group and I think about it again from a relationship point of view. I was just ready come. Chicago. You guys. And then the vines put on and it was incredible. And a ton of people I talked to said oh yeah we’re a part of the local meetup group or part of the local meetup group and they just how it was like a family. Let’s talk about why you do that. I mean how that came about. Why you continue to do it. And it’s I mean it’s big. It’s a lot of effort. Correct.
Rich: [00:23:54] Yeah. I mean basically the meetup started I believe in 2006. I can’t remember where I was like that because we were at eBay live in Las Vegas and at that convention there and I met the folks that were that were starting meet up dot com. And they were going around the boats and at the time I was working an education specialist for not working but I was at the booth and manning it. We weren’t getting paid you know. But anyhow. So they they came by and talk to us and said you know are you interested in doing this. Well if you can as we all know when we’re inside workers that work you know we’re not out in the world visiting people or into an office or whatever. I thought this would be pretty slick to get out there and meet people that are doing the same thing that we are doing. But not only that maybe there are some people that want to learn how to sell. And
Stephen: [00:24:51] at the time I was an educator we hold on to say I messed up there. You thought it would be neat. Were you thinking there would be a benefit for you too. Or just to find somebody else that you could talk to about this distinction.
Speaker 12: [00:25:05] Yeah well I would say both. Yes. Nobody was going to be to help me meet people that I could teach to sell. And then at the same point if I got other people that are in the area that are already selling I couldn’t learn from them too and we can all kind of put our things together and put our heads together and work together. But you know it didn’t work that way. To be honest with it wasn’t easy because many times my wife and I would be at Panera Bread where we started and it would just be like having a dinner. And nobody showed know but that was when meet was kind of in its infancy and stuff. But what did you think about throwing it in then.
Stephen: [00:25:49] I mean because I imagine that would be discouraging. But you persevere. Why why did you keep doing it.
Rich: [00:25:59] Well you talk about thinking about throwing it in. Yes because there was a cost to running them run. They had they had dues. But I just as we started as a few months went by We’ve got a couple of people that came in and then the next thing you know we had five or six and we started growing from there. But good I think about tossing it in. Yeah I mean it was like it wasn’t worth the time sometimes.
Speaker 12: [00:26:26] But we always felt as though you know what we’ve got to eat dinner anyhow so we might as well go out and if anybody shows and it’s kind of funny because people used to wait you could see them at the tables and where we were and I had a sign that said meet up meet up and so on and so forth. And they would wait till somebody else came in before they would come in because they were that weary of it you know and I can understand that now where people would be leery of it you know because they feel as though you may be trying to sell them something or just insecurities you know. And so what it is it’s it’s it’s a huge part of what we go on. I enjoy it. I enjoy meeting the other people. It can be challenging because you are dealing with so many different personalities and but it’s it works out well for us.
Stephen: [00:27:19] And this is a monthly meet up correct.
Rich: [00:27:21] That’s correct. We try to hold our meetings. I do like art. I was the chairman of my chamber for a year and everything that we found so we try to do everything.
Rich: [00:27:34] The second Wednesday of each month when we can. Now this last month we had the e-com scrum campers so we changed the date. But we try to do it at a regular time on a Wednesday night starting at [6:00] [6:30] or whatever and then being consistent helps people make plans as far as I’m concerned so that they know hey you know what I can’t make October but in November I’ll be able to make it. I know it’s the second Wednesday. Now occasionally we’ll have to change. Coming up next year the second Wednesday happens to be my anniversary of February. You know on Valentine’s Day so I’m going to take I’m going to change that date or in order to save my marriage.
Stephen: [00:28:12] So that’s definitely a priority to say Oh let’s talk about what you get from them because this is 11 years later it’s not like you’re going to go learn a lot. And I’m sure you still every so often get like wow I never thought about it that way. Fresh
Stephen: [00:28:26] perspective sometimes makes it you know a lot less cloudy. But what do you still get from doing it.
Rich: [00:28:35] Eleven years later well I guess I got to be as good if you think you know everything about the e-commerce world. Boy oh boy. I’ll change it the next day so every time I go in we’ll get the last two meet ups that we had prior to this. We just kind of kind of did an open forum and we were looking at people’s listings and getting ideas.
Speaker 11: [00:28:58] And you’re I mean I’m just amazed at the things that I learned that wow I’m doing something wrong.
Speaker 12: [00:29:04] I should change this. This should be gone because somebody is keeping up with the changes a little bit more than I am. And if you don’t have that open mind you know it’s going to be tough to be final.
Rich: [00:29:19] You’re not going to be found in search you’re not going to be able to make more sense. So I never I think I don’t think there isn’t any time that I can walk away from a meet up where I haven’t learned something when we have an open open study or open you know type of situation where people can talk and raise their hands. And I like that because it’s hard for sellers to take criticism about something they’re used to doing. And this is the way they do it. You know it is hard for some. Well this is the way I’m going to do it. And you know people don’t want to listen to what other people are telling me. But when we when we’ve done these open forms you’re definitely going to get some knowledge out of that. And and in 11 years time just about every meeting we go you know we do things for charities like we’ll have our Christmas tree light toy drive coming up or whatever and things like that so there’s other things that you really really know that you’re helping other people out.
Rich: [00:30:24] And you know the soldiers there’s more to that than just this is not a mimis situation everybody needs to learn. Everybody
Speaker 13: [00:30:34] needs to prosper. And if one person gets one thing out of it and I’m sure you look at my feedback on the meet up group and rarely do I get people that are upset about something or you know what was sad or whatever. Everybody’s always very positive that they learn something from our group and that’s that’s what’s important to me. Helping others is just the fascinating way to feel in life if you can make people prosper. And and then learn and they’re going to follow out.
Stephen: [00:31:06] And it sounds like your business got better too. I mean I think it’s awesome and I think that you know other people should consider doing it. I know there was a time that was a more prevalent thing. You don’t see as many anymore because everybody’s so busy. And I think it’s also because there’s so many channels to sell on now. Right. I mean Amazon is so primary for so many people and it’s so secret. You know you can’t share your what you sell on Amazon because somebody will come and take it. Right. And so it’s definitely a little more where generally on eBay most things are like that guy selling forklift parts. I don’t think he has to worry about rich getting into the forklift part business very much.
Speaker 14: [00:31:48] He has and you don’t have access to him. Right. But so. So let’s talk about that. So that limit that I just talked about is it really a limit or is it an artificial limit.
Rich: [00:32:00] I would I would think everybody. What I find is people just are are trying to try to enrich themselves into a field that they may not like and I don’t disagree with that if you’re not going to want to do what you want to do. But if that niche is something that doesn’t sound you know you’re going to get frustrated. And I’ve got a friend of mine that she makes her handmade jewelry or whatever. And it’s a tough that’s a tough market and to sell on e-bay and it’s a tough market to sell on Etsy. She’s got an Etsy store and I think you know in a year she’s only had a couple of sales but it’s tough because it’s so you know it’s so competitive. Everybody’s making handmade do so. And in her case you know selling custom products you know the everything we do is is custom for the individual.
Rich: [00:32:58] So it’s kind of a dog eat dog role because there’s a lot of people that do the same thing that I do but they should say I do we do. And but in my case it’s the early bird gets the worm. And if you answer those questions in your mobile I might I’m. I don’t eat 24/7 but if I get a question and I answer pretty quickly there’s probably close to 95 percent chance that I’m going to get that job. So you know it’s it is a dog doggy dog but I mean when people think so narrow minded and they don’t want to expand their horizons. They don’t want to try different things you’re just not going to succeed and it gets frustrating.
Stephen: [00:33:43] I think just talking to a gentleman going to New York to a conference and he was just saying and I would go to that in a second. Not even to go to the conference just to get to hang out and talk business with the group because that’s where the real knowledge gets transferred. Right you get a chance to start talking about your business and then all of a sudden you drop a kernel that relates to my business and I’m like oh you’ve dealt with that and you’re going to be like oh yes Steve I’ve dealt with this six times Here’s how. And then boom it’s like it’s like the clouds open the lights come down and it’s an epiphany moment you know. And here you are thinking Jesus that was the easiest thing in the world Steve you should’ve just asked but I didn’t know that I could have asked you know until we were in that environment where we were sitting down having a meal and it wasn’t so formal that that’s where I think a lot of the learning comes in. How about you.
Rich: [00:34:39] Yeah. Absolutely. And again I go back to my chamber when I first started my chamber I shadow of a gentleman there by hard time will never forget and I wasn’t very good at talking with people. Networking events and stuff like you know I wish I knew what I was doing in my business plan you know how you know the elevator pitches and things that they tell you that you need. But that networking is key to my business and I just had a girl that I was at a networking event the other day and got a little bit off topic here. You know one of the stories that I always tell everybody about my chamber is that I have succeeded with it. I got one of my best customers and cauliflower. And I don’t recall if I can empower the chamber to go and golf at that party to help them out with the golf outing.
Rich: [00:35:30] And that could be you know doing whatever driving around on the golf cart making sure everybody’s got the stuff that they need at the holes because the sponsors are the holes. But the whole thing there is that I found by B being there and doing that when you reach those holes those golfers are coming in.
Speaker 9: [00:35:49] You’ve got x y z braker is bringing his best customers to that event. He’s not bringing his brother and sister and cousins. He’s bringing his best customers. And when they have the best customers what do you do when you’re at a hotel. You get to talk to those folks. You would never be able to get into their offices if you tried. And now you’re talking to them direct. And then you say hey you guys mind if I have dinner with you when you’re done because you’re going to be staying for the dinner. And if they invite you go. And I I had gotten one of my best customers that way and had them for years the sense of going somewhere else or changed names different different groper or whatever. But all I told this girl the other day and I’ll tell anybody that story.
Rich: [00:36:34] There is no better way than to meet and bypass all of the gatekeepers at the at the banks or lawyers office or whatever it may be other than just going out and meeting them at a at an event they’re going to have They’re there to have a good time and they want to have fun and they do. And but you’re there to be able to meet them and all you have to do is volunteer. So included in your dues.
Speaker 8: [00:36:59] But it is it is it’s the it’s that freaky that that conversation it’s having that comfort and having that conversation. So let’s talk about because I think this is a good segue into e-com Chicago right there. Right. For three days. Couple hundred people having exactly those kind of conversations right. That comfort level and you wouldn’t get to talk to some of the especially the vendors. I said this when I was talking you know I meant that that this is a chance where you got these incredible vendors who talk to hundreds of sellers every single week have seen every single problem you have. I’ve seen the ways others have addressed it. They are valuable information that they have a wealth of information that they would love to share with you because that’s what they love to talk right. And to me you wouldn’t get to spend that much time with Jeff Cohen. Chris Green or John Lawson or speakers and Robin Johnson and yet for three days you got that time with them you wouldn’t get that opportunity without that without going to an event like that.
Rich: [00:38:07] Yeah that’s absolutely true and I’ve always found that you talk about learning new things. Oh my gosh. Just listening to those speakers and it is phenomenal to me. I mean these people are the people that are going through the trenches and they know what you’re talking about and to be able to go in and even if you were at karaoke party or whatever to sit there and have some fun and talk with these people. I mean you can’t you can’t do that on Facebook. You can’t do that you know. Well even as we’re talking here. But I mean you just can’t get the knowledge and listen to them.
Speaker 11: [00:38:43] And if you saw other people that are there talking to other people I don’t care what size salary you were if you’re a million dollar seller or just somebody’s little mom and pop that just started out. I mean to have watched Omega like I do because I’m sitting on the sidelines and I believe you were two. You saw a lot of that going on during the during the lunch and after you walked out into the hallway you saw these people get real knowledge. And it’s just phenomenal to me. And you can’t you can’t get that on Facebook.
Rich: [00:39:16] And I know people don’t like to attend they think it may be costing too much money. Boy I’ll tell you if for as long as I’ve been in the side business and in my chamber I attended many a luncheon and many in that working event I wouldn’t miss it for any anything. It’s just phenomenal what you learn from the other first folks and what you can do. You know help them with you know what can we do to help you if you help somebody else they’re going to help you you know 100 people.
Stephen: [00:39:50] And with no expectation I have a great story so I’m checking out of the hotel I had to get back early and I’m checking out and someone in the lobby recognized me. Oh and you know we chat for a bit. And he’s from California I identified but a seller from California. And I said Oh why did you come to this event. He goes Well you know I heard it on your podcast. Oh that’s awesome right. And then I started feeling really good right. And I said Well did you get the value that you thought because here’s a guy who flew in from Chicago or from California probably expensive spent a few nights in a hotel right pay for the event. He said Oh my God. He said I it answered so many things. Whatever his particular situation was it was like the lights went on you know what I mean it was like.
Stephen: [00:40:33] And so I left a little taller. When I left it was like such a good feeling to be able to connect with somebody and them to get the answer. And I still don’t know what his answer was whoever it was somebody there gave him the answer that he was looking for. And it led him on a what he described is a much better pace and path. And I’m thinking oh my goodness. Isn’t that awesome to leave with that. And again a guy came from California for that to Chicago not cheap and yet he was able to advance his business so I would say he would say that was the best conference the cheapest conference the cheapest way to learn for him from that particular time. And I just think that those stories are so powerful. Where did he come. Chicago come from I mean most people shy away from a conference. That’s not easy stuff for me. That’s a lot of moving pieces there.
Rich: [00:41:23] Yeah. MARGARET my grass has out Rob and my wife we when we first started like four years ago Mark attends a lot of different conferences throughout the country. And I generally go to the events or whatever but anyhow he said we should get some takers together Aaron and try and do something or whatever and I said Well that would be fun you know. And you know and I’m all about learning from other people and you know I’ve definitely given them opportunities and stuff. So
Speaker 11: [00:41:55] let’s let’s try it and I get the people out there we just you know will start talking about the people or if you want to run the logistics end of it.
Speaker 9: [00:42:07] And so that’s kind of like what my wife and I do we handle all of the banquet facility at the conference center and the hotels and speakers.
Speaker 11: [00:42:17] As far as arrangements for the hotel arrangements and so forth so that’s kind of where we started but I thought it was fascinating that first we started and I think we had maybe a hundred and twenty seven people I can’t remember exactly.
Speaker 9: [00:42:32] It was a pretty small location in in Rosemont and we decided we need to make it bigger and with. And then open it to alcohol. So what is it I’m all about the networking and that’s what I told Mark is that the people in there were going to make this exciting and and make sure that people are getting a good bang for their buck. And as you know$199 or whatever you got in early was honored. I think we had a hundred fifty nine in the original. So I mean keeping that in mind that we have a little breakfast thing going on lunch included. You know it’s it’s really good. Good value for what you get. And our goal is to be making millions of dollars on these things. I don’t want to fiddle around with 500 people I’ve told you that.
Speaker 9: [00:43:23] Or whatever. When I talk about it it doesn’t make it fun doesn’t it that that I don’t know that personal view where people can talk to each other. And so we leave that right around that 200 something Mark and what it is it’s exciting to hear people talk. I
Speaker 11: [00:43:43] went to the dinner Saturday night after work totally exhausted and to listen to these people still talk to me I was just tired. I was taking everything down. But they were just so fired up. It was just incredible to hear these people and then when you’re leaving they’re like thank you so much. This is the best thing that happened you know that makes my day.
Stephen: [00:44:06] Well you’re really are investing into other people selflessly. And to me again I was blown away and I just I continue to sit back and I think about it and I’m like the takeaway for me. Now tell me if I’m wrong on this. This is my observation. There were a whole bunch of good size to large size ebay sellers relative to e-bay when you know how much an average seller and eBay sells. There were some pretty good size to large sized ebay sellers they’re looking for information to get into Amazon or possibly expanding into Amazon or whatever. But still and a bunch of people are selling in Amazon I don’t want to downplay that but this was one of the events I was surprised at how to see such a large group of large ebay sellers and I’m assuming that’s related to your meet up and the themes of your meet up because there are a lot of local sellers there. Is that about. Is that a fair estimate.
Speaker 12: [00:45:00] Yeah yeah you’re right. I think the outreach on the meet up this is just I think with our [13:00] member somewhere in that neighborhood. But those are all actually I have some international members as well but those are nationwide. So when I set up or meet up or when I set up e-com they know what’s going on.
Speaker 9: [00:45:20] So it’s not all local but there’s a good team that are doing very very well on the platform. And yes I think I think what their take is on it is how can I move some of this product into into other platforms. Is this going to help. And that’s kind of what we know so we’re all on our own Web site and we sell on Amazon and we sell on e-bay. But it’s kind of complements each other so something might be a little bit slower in one week that you know other things may pick up. So. So you know you kind of have a little bit more around the business and when somebody changes something on a platform that you that you just can’t figure out how to fix or whatever. Like search algorithms and things you know it gives you that opportunity when sales are slow to push other products and other things.
Speaker 9: [00:46:17] So same thing happened with Mirch for us. We won’t have to search by Amazon. Chris Greene doing it last year. It’s not a big money maker for us but we’ve got a lot more to do with that. So
Stephen: [00:46:31] but it’s related to what you do. So it’s a natural. Here here’s the other thing though is that my observation if someone was a big Amazon seller and they want to diversify for logical reasons this is probably a good event for them to go because they’re going to meet some pretty good scaled ebay sellers with a lot of information. And the other thing was is that eBay was sitting in the back of the room. I made a contact with one of the gentlemen. He’s the he’s he’s in charge of bringing new sellers on to eBay. That’s his job. His whole team is that’s their role. And he was at this event and he was just sitting there ready to have a conversation with every person in the room right there. You didn’t have to you could look him in the eye and pull up your store and have this company. Here’s what I said. Here’s what he was showing. Well here’s what they’re looking to sell. People are looking to buy. Could you could you source these and to have that level.
Speaker 12: [00:47:20] That was a very very exciting yes I know you’re target Matthew move. Exactly is and he’s part of acquisition. I had a talk with him today because it’s interesting to me is when he made that statement that you know how like the Amazon sellers that want to come over to e-bay or whatever. And I’m like why are you bringing all those views over there because it’s just kind of like not the way eBay is for you. If we’re starting out. You get restricted on certain amounts you can sell and you know they hold your money out of that.
Speaker 9: [00:47:55] And he says well we’re we always assume Amazon sellers that has 5000 or 10000 use. They know what they’re doing. So we can make sure that they get on that platform and they still are being watched they have restrictions or whatever a little bit here and there but both they want that product out there because it’s just more sellers to come out more buyers to come on to the platform and know which is better for everybody. It’s a win win for Amazon it’s a win win for the sellers. Like us on e-bay. And so that’s what he his job is. And I didn’t even know he was going to be coming up quite honestly. So that was surprising.
Stephen: [00:48:36] And you know he he said Oh I have incentives that I could give people some free stuff some free promotional stuff to get them started on the platform. And I’m like wow this is the right guy. So I did have his email contacts. Somebody wants to message me. I can put you in touch with them and Mike. My comment is this and maybe I can’t imagine you disagree with me. You need eBay will throttle you right when you get started eBay throttles it so we’ll pay pal to separate companies and they both will throttle you. So if you’re playing is oh I’ll just sell all my stuff on ebay my Amazon account get suspended. Good luck. You know you’ll be limited very very quickly. You need to get that stuff established now before you’re ready to launch before you need it and the network when it’s ready. You know God forbid you need it. You can go do it. And so you know you have the same advice.
Rich: [00:49:25] Oh absolutely yeah. And that’s why we expanded out into different areas as matter of fact. One of the girls. Well so was talking about Shopify everything and I’m going to see my sons and my grandkids and everything and I want to talk to him because we’ve been talking about a Shopify store where are appealing signs a Web site and moving forward with that. So yeah I mean it’s all about so that if something happens to us you know in Amazon and let’s say and they they restrict us he details we can’t do what we’re doing then you know at least I have another another out of it. Now is it easy to learn. Probably not. But you know there’s people that will teach you such as Aaron now.
Stephen: [00:50:09] How old are you. I mean I’m asking you. I’ll be 66. OK. So 66 year old dude is saying I can learn. Yeah it’s probably going to be hard. So that takes away everybody else’s excuse. Right. You got family kids grandkids business.
Stephen: [00:50:25] Couple of businesses and yet you can find the time to do it.
Rich: [00:50:30] Yes. And I totally do depend a lot on my wife. She loves to learn different things.
Speaker 12: [00:50:39] And she she’s wiling to learn those things I figured out she totally runs the Web site. It’s not perfect the way it looks and we know what needs to be changed and that’s why we’re talking about a different platform.
Speaker 11: [00:50:53] But yeah I learned a long time ago that when my son was first growing up that I want to build the computer and I’m like you want to do what is. And keep in mind I’m in the trucking business. I’m in an ice packaging business and I’m like you want to build a computer and use a computer. Yeah. Yeah exactly exactly. Well you know we’ll buy this stuff like e-bay and get everything in here is all of the parts and by Obama and we’re going to put this thing together and he says it’ll be for the family or whatever because we are running an apple two ears open at that time. And I’m like wow. Right. Well you know what do you need. Well you’ve been to me a check at the time to this guy for this part and that part and I’m going to get the case from somewhere else.
Speaker 11: [00:51:39] And sure enough I was fascinated with even I was fascinated with it. I mean. Wait wait. We’re out in the garage building this thing and I’m like wow. And the darn thing worked. And I was like holy cow. And I remember getting on the internet for the first time and mail with AOL.
Rich: [00:52:02] And this is all my songs that were at home. Thankfully they’re both engineers now and you know doing very very well. But it was like I was just it it blew me away and you know you’re talking when I was you know 40 something or whatever younger than that even. And so you never know when you’re never too old to learn. And it’s it’s a fascinating world out there ever changing.
Speaker 13: [00:52:32] Every day there’s a ton of webinars to learn from listening to you and all of the different people that are willing to give up their time and and teach other people. It’s fascinating.
Stephen: [00:52:42] I think we’re lucky though. I mean here we are two old dude just talking about this modern technology. I feel very very fortunate to be part of it. And I you know count it as a blessing. I mean I really do I honestly believe that anyone who is interested. I mean if this is interesting to you again if it’s not I get it you know maybe something else is. But man it’s such a great life. It can be for a lot of it and it could be miserable right. It could be. I would say that you know you heard me do my talk it’s the first five minutes of that hour. It’s the best business in the world than you’re five minutes later. This is the worst decision I’ve ever made in my whole life.
Stephen: [00:53:21] Isn’t that true. Yes. Many times you have to wonder. That was like that when you did Windows that was like that when you were cleaning carpets a blockbuster that was like that when you were selling cars or answering the phone. Right. Isn’t
Speaker 11: [00:53:33] it the truth oh yeah there’s you know there’s ups and downs of people every day and situation that you have to go through. The thing that with this I always tell everybody you know with being an entrepreneur what’s the good thing is OK you don’t have a boss. Well that’s not true. Every customer is my boss. My boss just told me that they need to sign tomorrow. So I jump through hoops to go get the product the substrate to put it on and we’re working on it now and it’s going to be done for them that’s my boss that’s doing that. And unfortunately I probably have like in a week I’ll have maybe 50 or 60 of those bosses. You can talk. Tell me what to do. You do it right. Well yeah. I mean that’s that’s the goal doesn’t always happen that way.
Speaker 11: [00:54:17] But yeah everybody needs everything yesterday. And we’re used to that in some respects but when it comes to eBay with one day in late and one day you know you you know that’s what we have 100 percent positive feedback in order to stay top rate and that’s what I got to do. So when somebody buys something it doesn’t give me the information that I need. It’s difficult. I will call those people I just called somebody yesterday I got on a phone like a real call. Yes sir. I get out of the phone but that’s what I need to do to stay in that you know so I give the item out to them and they are shocked when you call.
Stephen: [00:54:54] Wait wait. My phone is actually ringing. What is it. What do you want.
Speaker 11: [00:54:58] But then again on the other hand you know you’ve broken the ice with them. Sure. And actually the call yesterday you know where somebody wanted to buy something extra He goes oh by the way can you do this as long as I’ve got you on the phone. Yeah. Let me send you a paper invoice for that. And you get an extra 20 bucks to go to a sale or something like that. So sometimes it’s most of the time. It’s so easy to deal with people. And I was talking about it compared to waiting for money like I’m doing this real estate site. I’ll
Rich: [00:55:33] probably wait 30 days or more. I’ve got one of the large livery companies I won’t mention names. I will wait 90 days for money from them. And
Speaker 11: [00:55:44] you know so it’s this is hey I’m paid and I ship it. And everybody’s happy and nobody.
Stephen: [00:55:52] You’re not financing their business for them. Right. And so that’s that’s a real positive. All right. Let’s talk about this. You also to coaching courses I guess. What have you. And so now is this bidding pros is that you guys yes the are getting proses dot com and I’m going to let him pitch his stuff. And again I don’t benefit but I benefit because seeing you at these conferences you knew ebay sellers you knew Amazon sellers as rich explained and we and I’m right we’re with them right there with them. We learn something every single time. So the more the more that come in the better. And so you teach people the basics of selling on e-bay because it is hard. Right. I mean it’s not it’s easy once you get it but there is a learning curve.
Speaker 12: [00:56:45] Yeah. And what I found. Well the education specials program has actually been stopped by EBV no longer has that program going. And it started years and years ago with CREF and they would come out with CDs when you could show people how to actually go to a CD of the powerpoint and show them what to do. But I kind of did a little tweak and all of that because I found that people if they actually came here rather than try to show them how to open up it at E-Bay Id know how to open up a PayPal account blah blah blah blah blah. That’s the basics that they can do at home. So what I do now is when I teach a class I have people come in they have their I will open up the account with them on the phone if they have problems otherwise I tell them to bring back Id ring your Paypal account bring your passwords I don’t want the password and I want you to bring some items that we can list to so nice when they physically come here.
Speaker 12: [00:57:44] We will do a little bit of a PowerPoint that I’ve come up with or whatever. But basically what we’re doing is to show them how to search for the items that they brought on and see what their work. If they’re selling at all if they sold. And then we will actually photograph. Do a description on the item. Generally people bring a cell phone now we’ll do the photography right through the photo and I show them how to use the back of the phone and get them start. Now my listings are not perfect I’ll be honest with you. But you know when at least they’re going and I tell them hey good enough here.
Speaker 12: [00:58:21] Right. They’re good enough to get started or whatever. And we try to list the one that’s most likely going to sell and we forget the right price. We will actually physically package that up for them so we’ll put it in boxes.
Rich: [00:58:33] And if it’s a breakable or whatever I don’t know how to wrap them breakable with the proper bubble wrap and things like that. And then we wait it out and they’re ready with that item sells it’s ready for them to ship out.
Stephen: [00:58:46] And the question in there because I mean that’s a that’s a one on one. Is this at your at your home based business. Yes. So you you contract with somebody they come in by themselves or you’re not doing a group of people at this at this point in this description right now.
Speaker 14: [00:59:04] Now this is why I don’t want one. That’s what I endure. How long does it take.
Speaker 13: [00:59:11] It’s a nice four hours but sometimes it will be a little bit longer you know depending on how far advanced they are whatever. You know sometimes it’s a little bit longer so.
Stephen: [00:59:20] And so you take them all the way through. Now do you give them a list of the necessary resources that they need to they need to scale to they need you know pecking to you know tape and all that kind of. I mean do you have that kind of stuff outlined.
Speaker 12: [00:59:33] Yeah. Generally what I’ll do is I’ll send them home with boxes of stuff and he base given me take throughout the time so I’ve got nine so I could give them but I will I actually have some of my favorite colors and I will e-mail them where they can buy a scale if they want to buy the photo. I have that photo that I use. They don’t need to have that. They can make your own. What I have that linked to another e-bay seller that sells those.
Rich: [00:59:59] And as far as the packaging material less homework can go to purchase from Pinball fast you know and buy any kind of packaging material from them and but I send them home with quite a bit of stuff so that they’re they’re prepared to you know get up and go. If they keep going and they continue to go back and list they’ll be in good shape. But you don’t see some real friends on or they want it all.
Speaker 13: [01:00:25] And I don’t leave them in the weeds either. I don’t believe in that philosophy of just. OK take the money and run. That’s not the idea. You’ve got questions. Please call me before you have a problem. If somebody gave you an offer you don’t know what to do. Please call me. I can help you go through it. Now keep in mind when there’s a weekend or whatever. You know I’m not going to be a hassle but you know I try to I try to get the people that are interested in going and then I really try to get them to come to our meet ups and meet the other people because that’s where you get a lot of knowledge from other people that are better than me and you get that confidence because to me that’s what it is. And
Stephen: [01:01:00] when you hear other people saying oh my god I struggled you should have seen the first the first package I sent out you know or I didn’t know how to telescope. I didn’t know any of those things you know. And boy I had to learn. And then it gives you a little more confidence because it’s like oh wait. OK. I’m not alone in this. I know other people struggle too. I think that’s just so important. Love it. So this service again if you go to bidding pros dot com there’s a contact us there’s a group classes course information private counsel to all that stuff and you share your store you’re not embarrassed to show your store and you could show that you walk the walk and talk the talk.
Speaker 9: [01:01:35] Yeah. Yeah we we actually there was an early but we had our store professionally done and I liked the way it turned out or whatever and I get a lot of compliments about my ebay store anyhow. So it’s. Yeah. The consultations run on hourly depending on what you know what you know what you want to get out of it or how much time you want to spend or whatever. So I’m working with somebody I met at the counter and she wants me to help her with a whole list of things that she wants to do. So I met her in the parking lot as we were as we were leaving on Saturday.
Stephen: [01:02:12] So we’re very grateful to you as I think you have the right approach though and to be honest with you I think this is a fair statement to you become a better seller as you help others. Right you get more confident in yourself. You’ve repeated a bunch of times. You become a better seller. Right. It just reinforces what you know too or at least that’s my experience.
Speaker 13: [01:02:32] Yes and very true because there’s so many things that change after next meet up in November we have Brian Burke coming in from from eating sandals and we haven’t had anyone from out from San Jose in several years but Bryan’s been with them since 2002. I think he’s been with them since 2001 I believe. And we know Brian for many many years and I’m grateful to have him up but he’s going to be going through some of the changes and when he sent over his itinerary I’m looking at what what are you going to go look at these two.
Speaker 15: [01:03:06] So if you’re going to get busy with e-commerce.
Speaker 9: [01:03:10] Haven’t you know I haven’t had time to go through some of these things so it is it’s fascinating and if you don’t stay with the changes you know you’re just not going to move forward. And a lot of these things are amazingly for the greatest good for everyone. Truly it’s what they do. They’re not doing this to her.
Stephen: [01:03:30] It’s painful however logical in the long run right in what I like. This is the second conference I was at where e-bay was actually had and you actually got to meet a real person that you can have a conversation and explain Oh yeah here’s why we’re doing that. That’s the Miss. I think that they’re still missing. They’re not communicating why they’re making some of these changes in the real long term impact because generally you’re right they help for the most part. But you do have to go through some pain and now that you can actually talk with somebody and it’s like oh OK that makes sense. Now I get it. And that that is really valuable. You know it sounds to me like you really still enjoy what you do. Is that fair.
Speaker 9: [01:04:11] Oh yeah. We we do. I’m not my wife. I mean I don’t know how she puts up with me at the time because my mind is always going a different direction or whatever. But I think it keeps us young.
Speaker 11: [01:04:25] I mean just just for your for your knowledge there be an event on Thursday at on Thursday which 6.1 miles on Friday and put out a 4.5. And then Saturday was five miles just running around the campus center and putting up and taking up and down. So yeah there’s a lot involved but I like the fact to learn and it’s just it really does fascinate me and sometimes it probably drives my wife nuts when I think of different avenues and ways of you know making more money or whatever it may be.
Speaker 9: [01:05:02] But it’s I do like it. I can’t see that I. I wake up like you know where I go like oh man I’ve got to I got to go do this. I enjoy listening to the people and learning you know thinking back to all the different things you did.
Stephen: [01:05:22] Was there another point where you were able to get this close with your spouse any of these other businesses where you were able to get this close and this involved together. Because I mean I saw the two of you clearly together. I mean she’s finishing your sentences no question. Vice versa. I mean seriously I mean if where I was going with it is I was thinking about your chamber of commerce you know experience how many of those people still love what they do. You know I’m sure there are some Don’t get me wrong but generally speaking you know they don’t get the time with their families. They
Speaker 8: [01:05:53] don’t get to travel or you know you know stay in hotels with their spouses for these kind of things right.
Rich: [01:06:00] Like you do yeah I.
Speaker 9: [01:06:04] Well actually we were in the window cleaning service when I was in the package because I was partners with my brother. And that was quite a challenge in being in partnerships. But then when we went into the into the window cleaning service we were doing that together and then with this business that’s a lot closer because there’s so much more involved all with with what products do we put out and what should we do. What can we do.
Speaker 13: [01:06:33] You know everything that I that we design has to fit into a packaging situation so we can get it out for a very reasonable rate and everything so we don’t sell the big stuff. So yeah we were very very close together on everything we do. We’re going to see the grandkids taking them out trick or treating today. So it’s it’s quite exciting to do that and we do a lot of things together. She’s got it. My mother lives 93. We’re planning on going to see her again Thursday. We were with her on Sunday of being able to do all these things together. And is it easy now always there’s there’s some arguments that are going to be brought up and rightfully so I listen and tell her she’s right.
Speaker 15: [01:07:19] Let’s see if that’s the way it should be done right. I understand. I’ve got a I’m happy to welcome them the way I do sometimes but that’s ok.
Stephen: [01:07:28] I want to close out but I want to make sure we get your contact info so if you go to bidding pros dotcom there is a contact and there’s also a phone number there so you can call rich. And I mentioned if I hit that contact us it’s an e-mail that will pop up to get to you. Any other ways that if somebody wants to follow up with more more questions especially if you’re in the greater Chicago area and this is a meet up group know how much does it cost to come to your meet up.
Speaker 12: [01:07:53] The event the charge$3. Oh come on so people come out.$3. We asked the people please buy a meal because if I sell a certain amount of meals I don’t have to pay the rent of the road. And generally we’re always in good shape. We don’t have a problem with that. What we have to pay for the rest. So if you can come in Breyers files or whatever come out enjoy a dinner out away and learn stuff new people. The I don’t have direct contact but it’s if you search google the Chicagoland eBay e-commerce sellers group meetup group or there is somebody else that opened one up in the city and can use the same name. So you’re going to look for the Chicago way and I believe it might be a Chicago area.
Stephen: [01:08:45] Writes Chicago Chicago land yes your Chicago land. Ebay sellers. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 9: [01:08:51] And we have like 3300 members or whatever. So that’s a good place to get all of us are. Our other remail is sales of appealing signs dot com. Our Web site is appealing signs dot com our ebay ideas appealing signs. Noticing Panner. Yes and that’s branding and that’s that’s what helps us with a lot of things with our business. It truly does. And expanding real quick and the band is just going to bring this out. One of the best things that people don’t think about an e-commerce world is once you’ve sold something on E-bay that those customers are going to be yours. So you know and some great marinas and things that we deal with in Florida and New York and things like that. We have regular e-commerce customers that email the stock and say this is what we need and we bring it out. So
Stephen: [01:09:42] it’s like a sales force the silent sales force right. That sells for you. Love it.
Speaker 11: [01:09:47] Yeah it’s it’s awesome. There’s nothing better than that. I don’t I don’t have to go find the customers they’ve found me already.
Stephen: [01:09:53] What you want to take that trip let me come down to Florida and check that out. Especially in the middle of winter. I better let me let me go measure. I want to make sure the measurements are correct. I’ll take one for the team for you on that one.
Speaker 11: [01:10:03] Yeah there’s some there’s some huge yachts that we’ve done it’s just phenomenal. These I’ve got pictures that are just oh my gosh I mean we’re talking you know 50 60 70 footers and it’s been I’m just up.
Speaker 8: [01:10:17] Well I love what what can be and I think you’ve done a great job explaining it. So the goal of the podcast is to help people move forward and get past stuck. Give
Speaker 11: [01:10:25] us your closing thought of what your advice would be for somebody who is at that point where they’re stuck here saying if you’re stuck in something that’s selling or you’re doing something where you’re your stock try to get help.
Speaker 9: [01:10:42] Don’t always depend strictly on something that might be on Facebook and YouTube or whatever because not all the information you’re going to get is is necessarily going to be geared towards you. So find somebody to talk to get some consultation from somebody. Yes you’re going to have to pay some money to do it. But it’s like my e-bay store we’ve paid. We have other things we pay an account survey. You have to pay for an education that’s going to win you over. It’s worth every penny that you can do. And you know maybe you just have the wrong product. You need to search out there first stop and you know that’s maybe as simple as that you may be able to do that with a phone call Otherwise you just look at it and say hey you know you’re not good enough why this is not a problem there you know you know you’re spinning your wheels and wasting your money you are wasting your time.
Stephen: [01:11:41] It can be simple so yeah. Very good. Man I appreciate it so much. Thank you. I wish you nothing but success. Take care. Thank you sir.
Stephen: [01:11:53] And what a great story rich. Again I love the consistency. I think that that’s the key to pretty much anything get better and better and better over time. And Rich is proof that you’re not too old to learn new tricks. I mean I think that’s another great piece of the puzzle here. And it’s just a great story. Hey remember the sponsors just want to thank him again scope from solar labs and learn the key word solutions for e-commerce Karen Lochore her team save 50 bucks get your inventory health report. When you think about you know Q4 list we’re just buying lists gave Lesbia’s not going to the park. I’ve got a waitlist. You only can get on it through click through my link and it’s going to put you on the list of when she has an opening they said they would Poppea.
Stephen: [01:12:34] And so it’s a free seven day trial so come through and click on the link. Go Daddy grasshopper. In national sports I’m so thankful for him. And then remember next episode [2:56] give back episode I’m very excited about it. This is a chance for you and me to give back and I think you’re going to love it. Take care.
Cool voice guy: [01:12:53] Thanks for listening to the e-collars momentum podcast. Bobolinks mentioned today can be found at the combers momentum dot.com under this episode number. Please remember to subscribe and like us on iTunes.
