September 8, 2025 • 49 mins
As we introduced last week, we’re focusing FIRST on community as we prep for Q4. In this episode, we’re sharing some more conversations with amazing sellers in the spirit of community. This is kind of a first for Seller Club, to interview other sellers about their journeys and businesses, so we are making a big deal about it! We hope you enjoy all of these delightful people and their perspectives. There are SO many ways to be successful as a seller; and there’s no question, we and our businesses are better together!
If you love podcast content created for eBay sellers, don’t forget to follow us @sellerclubpodcast and @ebayforsellers and @sellerledger on Instagram.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_03 (00:00):
Hey everybody, welcome to episode 94 of the
Seller Club Podcast.
Let's drop that beat.
What's up, Ken?
SPEAKER_05 (00:12):
Hi there.
We're back again.
SPEAKER_03 (00:14):
We're back again.
We're back again because we'rejust doing another quick intro
today.
We have some more really awesomecommunity content on deck this
week.
So we wanted to get straight toit because we got to have some
in-depth conversations and someconversations with people we'd
never even met before.
So we're sharing everything umother seller-wise that we have
(00:36):
from eBay open with you today tokeep that spirit of community
going as we continue to prepareduring September.
But just a little preview ofwhat we have for the rest of
September.
As you know, Ken, we've beentalking about how this is all
about prepping for Q4.
And so we're gonna have somemindset stuff, we're gonna have
(00:58):
some tactical stuff, we may evenhave a special guest or two, and
we wanna really look at everyangle to help you guys and
ourselves get ready for a Q4.
So remember what Jen Deal toldus a couple episodes ago, and
make sure you're listening andgetting everything you possibly
can listed while you'relistening to this, okay?
SPEAKER_05 (01:15):
Don't be slacking.
Don't be slacking.
This is a time to grind.
This is a time to grind, and wepromise you if you're grinding
in September, there will bemajor results by Q4.
You shout out again to eBay forsponsoring this podcast.
Make sure you follow him at eBayfor Sellers on Instagram.
And we'll see you in the nextone.
(01:36):
Peace.
Bye.
Alrighty, so welcome everybody,and we are here with a fellow
seller.
We are here at eBay Open 2025.
And Yona, is that how you sayyour name?
SPEAKER_04 (01:48):
Yeah, Yona.
SPEAKER_05 (01:49):
Okay, Yona.
So why don't you introduceourselves and uh tell us a
little bit about your sellingjourney?
SPEAKER_06 (01:55):
Alright, so my name is Yona, and when I first
started, um, was actually mybrother's idea.
I was in college and I wasworking part-time at a frozen
yogurt shop making like$10 anhour, which was uh pretty awful,
not a fun job.
SPEAKER_04 (02:08):
Right.
SPEAKER_06 (02:08):
But uh he was like, you should start selling
sneakers, and I was just like,that's a dumb idea.
Like, who's gonna buy sneakersfor me if they could just go to
Ross or Burlington or Nikethemselves and like you know,
grab it for themselves?
But he's like, I'm your olderbrother, like listen to me,
throws me in the car, we go toRoss, I buy one pair of like
Under Armour cleats, yeah, anduh, you know, like maybe two,
three days later, I made 20bucks, and I was like, alright,
(02:30):
that'll take me, you know, threehours at uh standing at the
Burlington yogurt shop.
So I was like, alright, youknow, I'm gonna go to a couple
Ross's Burlington Marshalls andgrab, you know, two, three
pairs.
It started from there, and Ijust kept going, and I uh just
recently passed uh 10,000 saleson eBay.
Wow, congratulations on that.
SPEAKER_05 (02:48):
So when you said that you kind of know the Ross
Burlington, how did you likewere you a shopper there just
for personal stuff?
SPEAKER_06 (02:56):
Um, not really.
I mean, I saw a lot of like yourvideos with Hustler Hacks and uh
showing that kind of stuff, andthen I went to the Nike
Clearance store one time out inuh Grapevine.
I don't know if you're familiarwith that one.
Dallas is great.
SPEAKER_05 (03:09):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We did an hustle there, uh Ithink back in 2018 or 2019, so
that's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_06 (03:14):
Yeah, so uh that's one of my main stores these
days.
I go out there a lot, and uh thefirst time I was there, they
were bringing out like VapormaxPluses.
No.
And this was like during COVIDwhen like stuff was like really
flying off the shelves.
There was probably like a lineof like 10 people following the
employee around the store tryingto grab them, and I was like,
alright, like something has tobe going on here.
I remember actually trying tograb a pair from the restocker
(03:36):
to be like, oh, you mind if Icheck those out?
He's like, whoa, whoa, whoa,like no touching the merchandise
until it's off the shelf.
SPEAKER_05 (03:40):
And I was like, you know, hands up, like so you so
you had to learn how it works,yeah.
You know, in first hand.
Well, one of the things that Itell everybody is like, yes, uh,
there's a lot of information outthere in the internet, you know.
Like, we we share a story.
Hustler hacks have documentedhis Ross journey, but but it is
really up to you to go do it.
You know, like he says, go outand get it.
(04:00):
So you have to physically dothat.
So uh Johan, so tell me whatlike what what drives you uh you
know to build this business,like what makes you excited
about the business?
SPEAKER_06 (04:09):
Um, I mean it's always kind of just like fun to
like find that next pair ofshoes, and like you never know
what you're gonna find.
You know, it's it's really thatconsistency I've learned, like
going to the stores every day,uh making connections with other
resellers.
Like I have different buddies umwho like sometimes, you know,
I'm even out here or he's ingrapevine and uh hitting the
Nike Clearance store last night.
(04:30):
He's like hit me up being like,hey, like I don't really want
these for my page, like you wantthese.
So shout out Gennaro, he'salways helped me out.
And I've met a lot of like coolpeople.
SPEAKER_05 (04:37):
Uh that's good, that's good.
I mean, I think what you youjust revealed is like, you know,
a lot of people think uh aboutother sellers as competition,
but as you have seen with me andGlenn Hustler hacks, we saw
ourselves as co-workers, and youknow, we collab and we kind of
like help each other.
And I'm glad that you're doingthat too.
SPEAKER_06 (04:57):
Yeah, and you never know like what kind of other
business adventure like venturesyou can get into.
Like I uh I've been having likeDallas Mavs season tickets for
the last handful of years, andlike I uh I'll piece those off
and like make some money doingthat.
When the Lakers come to town,you know, tickets go for like
five, six X.
So I actually uh I just got himin on it.
He's gonna be doing uh we havefour seats next to like two
seats, two seats next to eachother for next season.
(05:18):
So that'll be pretty fun.
SPEAKER_05 (05:20):
Man, Glenn's gonna be gonna be wanting to see that
game.
Um he's a big Lakers fan.
So okay, yeah.
So Glenn's gotta hit me up andget some tickets from it.
Yeah, um, so that that's prettycool.
So um, what's your uh futureplans?
Anything uh that that you you'rethinking of, um, or maybe what
what are the challenges thatyou're facing?
Are you trying to grow thebusiness?
(05:41):
Are you trying trying to keep itthe same?
SPEAKER_06 (05:42):
So, you know, I'm always trying to grow the
business and find different waysto get inventory and just kind
of keep, you know, just flip,flip, flip.
I guess the more you flip, themore money you make, the more
you list, the more people, youknow, find your page.
Correct.
Um, some of the challenges I'mlook dealing with these days,
though, like especially theclearance store, like the prices
keep going up as like how muchyou have to spend to uh buy
(06:05):
inventory, but then you kind ofhave to pivot because it's like
okay, the clearance store hasbeen a little more expensive
lately.
So I've been hitting like someof the outlets, and like yeah,
their prices have come down alot since COVID.
You know, they're doing 30, 40percent back up.
SPEAKER_05 (06:17):
Yeah, they're doing 40%.
That's you know, like during theCOVID COVID season, they didn't
know.
No, there was nothing.
It was yeah, it was like 20% orsomething like that, or or they
priced it at retail, you knowwhat I'm saying?
So it's kind of high.
Right.
So that's pretty cool.
Um, so it so for somebody thatwas, you know, if you want to
give an advice to somebody thatwas just in your, you know, when
(06:38):
you were starting and that'sworking a job that they don't
like, what would be your biggestadvice to the people that are
trying to build a side hustleand eventually make it their
main hustle?
What would be your advice?
SPEAKER_06 (06:49):
Um, I guess the biggest thing is just just
start, just buy the first pairor two pairs, because like like
I was saying, like, I didn'tbelieve in it.
I was like, right, why wouldthis work?
So the hardest thing is astarting and then B, I guess
like just having the capital tokeep buying is also like a
little bit of a struggle.
But if you like push past that,like at first I had one credit
(07:11):
card, I uh you know, I was inMarshalls and like, do you want
a credit card?
I was like, all right, and likehow much do you make?
And I didn't I was making likenothing, I was working part-time
while I was a student incollege, but I was like, all
right, I'll you know, fib alittle bit.
I was like, I make like 50grand.
I'm like, all right, here's ahere's a credit card with the
$3,000 uh like uh credit limit.
So sometimes, you know, justjust figuring it out, and then
like even I filled that up andI'd be like, you know, I'm
(07:34):
waiting on six hundred dollarsfrom eBay tomorrow.
I'd tap my card out and hit afriend up, be like, send me$130
today, I'll send you$140tomorrow.
Like money's coming in fromeBay.
So just having that belief inyourself and just you know, try
different stores, try differentitems, right?
Just keep hustling, I guess.
SPEAKER_05 (07:51):
Man, that's a great advice, and there you have it,
you know, to anybody that'slistening, that's on defense on
trying to build this hustle, ormaybe you're hesitant to grow
your business.
I mean, you've heard greatadvices uh from our friend here,
and and it's it's simple, but itwill take time, it will take
time and consistency, and likeall what always me and Glenn say
(08:13):
you have to go out and get it,you never settle.
So thank you for that uhconversation.
I know it's pretty quick, butum, we just met here literally
on the expo hall at eBay open2025 here in Las Vegas.
So thank you so much for comingup and saying hi.
Yeah, thank you so much forhaving me.
Appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00 (08:32):
Brian Enuma drop that beat.
SPEAKER_03 (08:37):
All right, Brian, welcome to the Seller Club
Podcast booth.
What are you doing at eBay Open?
SPEAKER_00 (08:42):
Thank you, thank you for having me.
Uh this is my first time at eBayOpen.
I'm a seller of 15 years.
SPEAKER_03 (08:48):
Oh my gosh, welcome.
That's incredible.
It's my first uh in-person onetoo.
SPEAKER_00 (08:52):
Beautiful.
Yeah, how do you like it?
SPEAKER_03 (08:54):
I love it, it's so fun.
Um, I've been part of some ofthe content um for the virtual
ones over the last three or fouryears, but I've never been to
one in person.
So all the things I loved aboutthose experiences is like that's
what I love about this, but it'slike next level here.
It's just so much bigger scaleand so many sellers, you know.
(09:15):
When we're when we've done thatkind of virtual content before,
there's usually like 20 or 30other sellers, which is already
really cool.
But being surrounded by so manypeople and getting to connect
with so many people has beenawesome.
So, what about you?
Have you been to the virtualones before, or is this your
first like of all time?
SPEAKER_00 (09:31):
This is my first one.
SPEAKER_02 (09:32):
Oh my gosh, are you like overwhelmed at all?
SPEAKER_00 (09:35):
Very I feel I feel like I've been hidden all this
time.
I've just been staying in mywarehouse, just shipping it.
SPEAKER_03 (09:42):
I totally get it.
Yeah, I was I always tell peopleI was like just doing my
business under a rock, you know,and just anonymously shipping
things off to people in whoknows where.
And that anonymity is great,right?
It's like you get to do your ownthing.
Um, but now you have the chanceto connect with the community,
and it's like so worth it.
(10:02):
It's awesome.
So I'm so glad you're here.
I'm sorry you're overwhelmed,but I'm so glad you're here.
SPEAKER_00 (10:07):
Yes, my.
SPEAKER_03 (10:08):
So, what do you sell?
Like, what's your eBay uh storelike?
SPEAKER_00 (10:12):
So I sell home automation equipment and
everything related to that.
And my eBay handle is broomsticksix.
And I think we celebrated200,000 items sold recently.
So we're gonna be.
SPEAKER_02 (10:23):
Oh my gosh, congratulations.
SPEAKER_00 (10:24):
And my crew back home is uh in Gilbert, Arizona,
and I just uh want to shout themout.
So if this ever makes it, it'dbe great.
SPEAKER_03 (10:32):
Oh, I love it.
Well, I'm sure you know they'rethey're doing the hard work,
keeping the business running.
You're doing the hard work,getting totally fire hosed by
information and new people hereat eBay Open.
So you gotta do all of it, youknow.
But have you um had any specificexperience here yet that has
just been like really standoutto you?
SPEAKER_00 (10:53):
Yeah, I really like the keynote.
It's just so nice to hear fromother sellers their experiences,
and then one thing in particularthat one seller said is that
everybody has their own path,and it's nice to hear that that
uniqueness that only eBayprovides.
Like every business owner orevery seller has their own
unique path, and it's just niceto just appreciate that.
SPEAKER_03 (11:14):
Absolutely.
It's it's really cool.
Like you said, in the keynotes,you know, a lot of times if you
just hear the word keynote, youthink like, oh, that's just
gonna be an executive.
But like they they actuallyincluded sellers in the keynote
segment to kick off theconference, which tells you
right there, right?
How much they value sellers andwant to support our businesses,
and like they really do careabout our individuality, which
(11:37):
is so cool.
I think that's something thatmakes eBay so special as a
platform.
And yeah, it there's like 101ways to have a successful
business on eBay, and everybodydoes have a different path.
So it's definitely worthrepeating.
And I think it's so cool thatthat was said from the stage.
Um, there's so many amazingsellers here, too.
Like, it's so cool to learn fromthem and just hear about those
(11:58):
differences in you know how theygot started or what challenges
they faced and how they solvedfor things or how they pivoted
or how they evolved.
Like it is really encouraging,right?
Because at the end of the day,like we're all finding our own
path.
So absolutely helps to hear likehow it's possible.
And I don't know, you're gonnafind your own way regardless,
(12:18):
but like hearing some uh someexamples of how that can happen
is really encouraging.
SPEAKER_00 (12:23):
Yes, it'd be fun too.
SPEAKER_03 (12:25):
Yeah, it is really fun.
Well, do you want to tell usanything about like about your
your path so far or where youwant to go in the future with
your business?
Because that's so cool, that'sreally specific.
SPEAKER_00 (12:35):
Yeah, speaking on own path, so uh I feel like I
have a unique story.
I have seven children.
SPEAKER_03 (12:41):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing!
SPEAKER_00 (12:42):
Yeah, seven children, a wife, and I have a
huge work ethic.
So I really, really love towork.
I get up military time, 345every morning, and just start my
day off and very disciplined andall that.
But uh the key to having the.
SPEAKER_02 (12:59):
I was like, you're like, um, I've already wrote.
SPEAKER_00 (13:01):
No, even for me, because we're in Vegas, it's
it's still different, like it'sit's very unique.
SPEAKER_02 (13:06):
Yeah, Vegas is a different place.
SPEAKER_00 (13:07):
Yeah, you can't you can't have all that focus and
energy here.
SPEAKER_04 (13:13):
For sure.
SPEAKER_00 (13:14):
But for me, yeah, with the family and uh and all
the the the uh demand at home, Ineeded to keep it all at home.
And so for me, just keeping thebusiness at home has been the
key.
So in order to stay stay busywhile keeping the family life
intact, I moved to a home and Iwas able to build a warehouse
(13:35):
from my home.
SPEAKER_03 (13:36):
That's incredible.
Like we call it a warehouse,yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (13:43):
But you you gotta you gotta call it you gotta call
it a warehouse, you gotta callit an R V garage, but it's a
warehouse.
SPEAKER_03 (13:49):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (13:49):
So I built the warehouse, and so I just kissed
my kids goodbye, put on my shoesand go next door and work.
I love that.
SPEAKER_03 (13:55):
So isn't that amazing?
SPEAKER_00 (13:56):
So amazing.
SPEAKER_03 (13:57):
My setup is similar.
I always say I have it ine-basement because my whole
whole basement is like my store.
Um, but I love that like thecommute is like down a flight of
stairs, you know, in my pajamasoften still.
Um, but that is so cool to hearthat you got the opportunity
through eBay to not have tochoose between your business and
(14:19):
your dreams and and that toapply that work ethic that way
and your family.
Like you literally found a wayto have it all.
It's amazing.
Yeah.
Are you on any other platforms?
SPEAKER_00 (14:29):
Yes, Amazon, and I have a website.
And the website is just moreinformational to drive people to
inform them.
Hey, I'm a credible business andthe I'm real.
SPEAKER_03 (14:38):
I'm real.
Don't find the RV garage.
I'm real.
Hey, entrepreneurs are scrappy,like that's what it's about.
Yeah, I love it.
Wow.
So can you tell me more aboutthe actual products?
Because that sounds really fancyand cool.
SPEAKER_00 (14:51):
Yeah, it's really unique.
Um, so custom installer homeautomation is a is a whole thing
in and of itself.
Yeah, it's uh something that endusers don't typically buy.
Like if you're looking forsomething, you typically go to
Best Buy and you buy like anApple Home or Google Home
powered device, and then you candownload the app on your phone
(15:12):
and you can install it yourself.
Yeah, well, custom installerstuff is kind of like
landlocked.
You can only buy it through aninstaller in your area, like a
network installer for aparticular product.
So yeah, I deal with a lot ofbrands like Prestron, Savant,
Control Fork, and a little bitof AMX because they're still
around.
Uh those brands deal with custominstallers only.
(15:35):
And so the people that buy myproducts are those people.
That's or maybe customercustomers that know how to do
it, but they're verysophisticated.
SPEAKER_03 (15:41):
Like they're kind of like uh it's not like your plug
and play, DIY.
Yeah, it's nerds, they're nerds.
SPEAKER_00 (15:47):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (15:48):
I mean, I I'm saying it, not you.
You're not calling yourcustomers nerds.
That's me.
I'm the one doing that.
SPEAKER_00 (15:54):
Yep, cheap, cheap nerds.
Cheap nerds.
SPEAKER_03 (15:56):
Yeah, honestly, I feel like across many
categories, there are probably alot of cheap nerds on eBay, as
buyers and sellers.
But I love it.
I love, you know, that's onething I love about both buying
and selling.
I'm definitely an avid eBaybuyer myself too, but I always
like love a good deal.
I love to be able to give mybuyers a good deal too, you
know.
Like that's a win-win.
(16:17):
That's what it's all about.
SPEAKER_00 (16:18):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (16:19):
So, well, is there anything else you want to share
with us?
I don't want to take up too muchof your time because there's
literally so much to do and seehere, as we've already
discussed.
SPEAKER_00 (16:27):
No, I'm just very impressed with how eBay supports
their sellers.
Yeah, that's probably the keytakeaway is to how much they
really do support their sellers.
SPEAKER_03 (16:36):
Awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (16:36):
And it's just nice to be around other people that
do the same thing.
SPEAKER_03 (16:39):
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, dude, thank you so muchfor joining us.
And uh, yeah, you'll have tolisten out for when we release
this.
SPEAKER_00 (16:45):
Nice, awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (16:46):
Thank you so much.
My name is Sherry Smith.
Drop that beat.
Oh my gosh, we're ready forthat.
Have you been practicing?
Never.
That's the best way.
If I don't practice, if Ipractice, there's a problem.
SPEAKER_03 (17:03):
Well, I love that you're here with me right now
because you're like a legitprofessional seasoned podcaster.
So no wonder you just knockedthat out of the park.
But tell me about your eBayOpen25 so far.
How's it going?
SPEAKER_01 (17:16):
It's been amazing.
SPEAKER_03 (17:18):
Has it?
Yes.
How many have you been to likelive like this?
Because this is my first one.
SPEAKER_01 (17:22):
Oh my gosh.
Do you love it?
Yes, I love it.
It so I went to, I think itmight have been their 20th
anniversary in San Jose.
SPEAKER_03 (17:33):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (17:34):
And I went to one in 2012 because I was teaching
selling 101.
Oh my gosh, I love it.
That was in Denver, and that'swhen I lived in California.
But I was talking to one of theeBay staff, and they're like,
yeah, everyone is sick.
Everyone has altitude sickness.
Oh no.
(17:54):
And I'm like, oh, that thatfits.
Oh my gosh, that's funny.
But I didn't have altitudesickness.
And now I live in Colorado.
But when I have visitors, I haveto be like, oh, drink a lot of
water.
Yeah.
Maybe we shouldn't hike a 14ertoday.
SPEAKER_02 (18:11):
That's very kind of you.
I know, but sometimes I forget.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (18:15):
Sometimes I forget my visitors, like, I have a
headache.
And I don't know why.
SPEAKER_02 (18:20):
Like, she seems mad.
SPEAKER_01 (18:22):
And then um, the last one I went to was the last
one they had.
I think that was 2019.
Yeah.
And that's what I hear.
SPEAKER_02 (18:30):
I wasn't at that one.
SPEAKER_01 (18:32):
It was so fun.
Uh, so I was one of four peopleinterviewed on stage for the
closing thing.
SPEAKER_03 (18:40):
Oh, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (18:42):
And I was up there with some big wigs.
SPEAKER_03 (18:44):
Yeah.
You're a big wig, Sherry.
SPEAKER_01 (18:46):
No, I'm such a little wig.
SPEAKER_03 (18:46):
I know you're such a little wig.
Tiny wig.
unknown (18:50):
Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_02 (18:51):
No, you're like, you're in the hall of fame for
me.
So it's fine.
Yeah.
I would not be shocked at all tosee you amongst mini big wigs.
SPEAKER_01 (18:58):
Oh, you're so sweet.
Says the girl who inspires mywardrobe.
Oh my gosh.
Stop.
And let me just share that notonly does she have the romper or
jumper on.
SPEAKER_03 (19:08):
Yeah.
What do we call these?
Romper, jumper, boiler suit.
Like, what are we going with?
SPEAKER_01 (19:12):
Yeah, it's probably more boilers.
You think?
Okay.
But it's crushed velvet.
SPEAKER_03 (19:16):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (19:16):
It is crushed velvet.
So my love.
I still need, I mean, she'salways got the next one.
Oh man.
SPEAKER_03 (19:23):
It's so mini though.
It's like they take up a lot ofspace in your closet.
So I need to stop getting more,honestly.
I mean, I really love all theones I have though.
I try to wear them for likespecial things like this.
Like this is an event, you know.
I wouldn't just wear this aroundmy house, probably, because I'd
rather wear sweatpants.
But you know, for today, a daylike today, you gotta bust one
(19:44):
of them out.
SPEAKER_01 (19:44):
Yeah, it's dressing up when you have an extra thing
to do when you go to thebathroom.
SPEAKER_03 (19:49):
Right.
Right.
It's like, is it worth that?
However, I will say, probablyTMI, but you know, we're in the
desert, so I'm like, maybe Ijust won't have to pee at all
because I'm just gonna bedehydrated the whole time.
SPEAKER_01 (19:59):
Oh, exactly.
SPEAKER_02 (20:00):
Maybe that'll work in my favor for once.
SPEAKER_01 (20:02):
You know, you are supposed to drink while you're
here.
SPEAKER_03 (20:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (20:06):
I I noticed that.
Drink a lot of water.
Yeah.
So, okay, so at the last eBayopen, they interviewed us for
the closing thing.
Yes.
And the audience reallyresponded because I cried when I
was up there.
And they're like, Pulled out thewater works.
I know, it wasn't.
SPEAKER_03 (20:24):
Cried with like emotional overwhelm, or like you
were scared of being on thestage.
Why were you crying?
SPEAKER_01 (20:28):
Oh, because they asked me, um, has there been
like some obstacles?
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (20:33):
And you're like, have there?
SPEAKER_01 (20:34):
I'm like, um, let me tell you my story.
SPEAKER_03 (20:37):
Yes, there have been.
SPEAKER_01 (20:38):
So I I was sharing that and how eBay made all the
difference in my life.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Um, and the in the audience,they're like, I love we love
you, Sharon.
They're cheering, and yes.
It was amazing.
And then because they had to getour mics off, everyone went
through the clapping tunnel whowas at eBay open.
(20:59):
And then it was like me andthree people going through and
having 150 eBay employees, youknow, cheer us on.
Yeah.
And then they had the closingparty where I danced the whole
time.
Oh my gosh.
It was incredible.
Then I'm at the airport the nextday and I was selling my house
in California.
(21:20):
Oh, at the time?
Yeah.
So I was just like spendingeverything I had because I'm
like, you know, my house isselling.
Yeah.
I already had my new house inColorado, which is why I also
like didn't have that much moneyleft.
Yeah.
But I'm like, rock star.
And then I get a text while I'mat the airport.
Oh, the people pulled out, andit was the moment before they
(21:43):
had no could do that.
And I'm like, damn, that was ashort career of being a rock
star.
SPEAKER_03 (21:52):
Darn it.
I mean, it was great while itlasted.
I mean, so many.
You're just an Icarus, flew tooclose to the sun, an eBay open.
That is such a bummer.
SPEAKER_01 (22:02):
But obviously your house did sell eventually.
It all worked out.
Yeah.
So I had, and it was really badbecause I had this equipment
that I was gonna get to buy.
I had made a bid like with thebig boys.
Yeah.
And I had it was gonna cost me$17,500.
But it was all taken care ofwith my sale of my house.
And I'm like, ooh, darn it.
(22:23):
Yeah.
Because we're on air.
Shucks.
What am I gonna do?
I won this bid, and now I'mgonna be like, never mind, I
don't have the money.
Right.
Um, things have changed.
So I uh contacted someone who'dbought equipment for me before.
I'm like, hey, um, I'm about toget this.
Do you wanna rebuy it?
(22:45):
Oh, so smart.
And he did.
SPEAKER_03 (22:48):
And then you were like, and flip on the rock star
switch again.
And let's go back to the stage.
That is hilarious.
SPEAKER_01 (22:55):
Where's my clapping tunnel?
People at the airport are like,well, okay, stay away from her.
SPEAKER_03 (23:01):
Whatever.
You are a legend.
That is what a whirlwind,though.
Also, like, oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_01 (23:06):
Living on the edge.
SPEAKER_03 (23:08):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (23:08):
So that kind of brings you to what is so special
about these because I met theguys in the trust and safety uh
department.
It was funny because I went upto Philip when I saw him, and
I'm like, hey.
Uh oh, but he was busy talkingto some eBay people.
Yeah.
So I left him alone.
And then he came over and he'slike, sorry, I was talking to
Trust and Safety.
I'm like, Trust and Safety leftPhilip there, ran over.
SPEAKER_02 (23:32):
That's what I need.
SPEAKER_01 (23:33):
Yeah, because I had this crazy return with a
freighted item.
No.
Well, they got it taken care of.
Wow.
As of today.
SPEAKER_03 (23:42):
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (23:42):
It's all set.
The customer's taken care of.
I'm taken care of.
SPEAKER_03 (23:46):
I love it.
It's so good to meet the people.
Yes, there's nothing like beingable to like interact with
everybody from all these eBayteams, right?
It's so special.
It's amazing.
It's so cool because number one,there's some freaking amazing
humans that work for eBay.
SPEAKER_04 (23:59):
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (24:00):
Um, that's been like always just the most pleasant of
surprises, right?
When you're thinking about likea corporation and then you meet
the people and you're like, ohmy gosh, you're like the coolest
people ever.
Like really good, amazingpeople.
And they're all like sopassionate about what they do,
which is to make our jobs easierthan sellers.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:19):
So they're just and to make it possible, right?
SPEAKER_03 (24:21):
And you can just like iron things out in a
conversation here sometimes, andit's incredible.
So I was talking to Jaren Mooreearlier, and this is for both of
us, this is our first time likeat a live event, a live eBay
open like this.
But we've been part of eBay openvirtual and like seller week in
filming for the last three yearsor so.
Um, like both of us have been,you know, each year, and so
(24:43):
we've gotten like this littletaste of what it actually is
like in person now, you know,and it's like all the things I
loved about Seller Week, I loveabout this too, but it's like
kind of on a larger scale.
So it's been super cool.
But yeah, well, I don't want tohold you up because there's so
much to do and see here, butthank you so much for hopping on
with me.
It's just an honor and apleasure.
(25:04):
And do you want to plug any ofyour podcast things?
SPEAKER_01 (25:07):
I thank you so much for asking because I have to go
face Philip and I don't want toget in big trouble.
For forgetting to plug.
No, please, shameless plug,shameless plug.
Okay, so what I do with PhilipJackson is the selling on eBay
radio show.
We're polar opposites.
He's the pro with the radiovoice.
And I'm the opposite.
(25:28):
That's awesome.
I love that.
And uh the only podcast, and Isell on eBay, Sherry underscore
sells.
And that's all.
But and I'm so glad I know you.
Awesome.
SPEAKER_03 (25:41):
I'm so glad I know you.
You're the best, and thank youagain for coming on.
This is so fun.
Thanks for having me.
We're gonna have the best timefor the next day and a half.
Yeah, they're dancing.
Oh, yes, we'll be dancing.
Oh, yeah.
You will catch me in sherrydancing.
SPEAKER_07 (25:55):
My name is Alec Larson, and let's drop that
beat.
SPEAKER_03 (26:00):
You're on air with us here at the Cellar Club
Podcast booth at eBay Open 2025live in Las Vegas.
SPEAKER_07 (26:05):
Exciting.
Is that correct?
SPEAKER_03 (26:07):
All those facts are correct.
Okay.
So normally when you're on air,you are in the air.
SPEAKER_07 (26:13):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (26:14):
In an airplane.
SPEAKER_07 (26:16):
Yeah, I'm usually a mile or two high.
SPEAKER_03 (26:20):
Um but right now you're like totally sitting on
the ground.
SPEAKER_07 (26:23):
Now we're here safe on the ground with you guys.
SPEAKER_03 (26:25):
How has your eBay open been so far?
SPEAKER_07 (26:27):
It's it's been credible.
Uh, because I don't know if youfeel the same way, but I'm kind
of alone at the business allday.
Yeah.
So you're sitting there all day,you know, you're in your own
head mostly, you're doingcomputer work.
You don't necessarily have muchsocial interaction aside from
the post office and maybe yourneighbor at the warehouse next
(26:49):
door by the way.
And let alone, even if you havea social circle, you don't talk
about your eBay business withthem.
It's hard to so being here witheverybody that is eating,
sleeping, and breathing eBay,it's uh it's incredible to
bounce ideas.
You you talk to you can sitthere, your voice is you lose
(27:11):
your voice by just talking to uhrandom people.
It's so that's what I love aboutit.
It's my social outlet.
Um it's a good dopaminerecharge.
And then you get the excuse totravel.
So what about you guys?
How is it?
SPEAKER_03 (27:27):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, it's been great.
I mean, it's been great for us.
So for me, tell me if this isthe same for you.
Um, this is my first likein-person eBay open event.
Like, I know I know we've bothbeen part of eBay open for the
last several years, but it's allbeen virtual events as far as
the ones I've been involvedwith.
Have you been to an in-personone before?
SPEAKER_07 (27:47):
This would be the first actual official in-person.
We did we went to like the thethe LA version of this where
there were some people.
So that was sort of like a verysimilar, but yeah, yeah.
Yeah, uh, so yeah, essentiallythe first time.
Cool.
SPEAKER_03 (28:02):
Yeah, my I mean, we've both had this same
experience the last couple yearsof flying out to San Jose for
seller week where we're likepre-filming stuff or the virtual
event, and um that was had itsown magic, but I do feel like
this eBay open is like is likemaking me realize that that was
just a microcosm of this.
Like, yeah, like I love I lovethe same things about this, but
(28:26):
it's much bigger scale um andkind of overwhelming, but it's
great.
Like we're just like immersed init.
What are the things you're likea very seasoned seller?
Um don't laugh, it's true.
SPEAKER_07 (28:39):
Like I said, I like the old low standard stuff.
SPEAKER_03 (28:42):
I like the caveat though.
I'm gonna veto any caveat youtried to put on that.
No, but but you are you're avery seasoned seller, and so
you're not here learning.
You're welcome.
You're not here learning likehow to sell 101.
So what are the things that youare like picking up, or have you
had like a favorite moment orfavorite thing you've learned or
something so far?
SPEAKER_07 (29:01):
Yeah, the a couple couple of points where I my next
my next move is to either to getto my the next goal would be to
purchase a commercial property,uh expand with more employees.
So I love talking to somebodythat's three or four times the
size as what I am now.
(29:21):
Yeah.
Um because I can ask them, sodid you use an SBA loan to get
the commercial property or didyou do seller financing?
And then you learn these otheryou know, you're talking to
somebody that's done it, and umand and then you you looking
back, that's how you kind of gotwhere you are now is by somebody
else, somebody else's path.
SPEAKER_03 (29:41):
You followed it along in some sort of uh not
coattail, but but notreinventing a wheel or like
finding out that stuff that likeyou don't know that you don't
know.
SPEAKER_07 (29:50):
Yeah, right?
Exactly.
And so that's kind of what whatI get from here is I want to be,
I want to feel like I'm reallysmall.
Because it you see your ownnumbers.
And you get hyped up and you go,I've met that goal and that
goal, and then you talk tosomebody that's like 14 times
the size of that, and you go,Oh, okay.
It's it that's also possible,and that's how they did it.
(30:14):
So that's my blueprint now thatI can I can form in my head is
not that far-fetched, and uhhere's what I'm gonna do when I
get back to start the first steptowards that direction.
So that's what I look for here,you know, and then and then just
well, I don't know about how youfelt about this, but by by being
invited out the first couple ofyears um by eBay themselves, you
(30:38):
kind of get a differentvalidation of your business.
You don't really have you haveyour you don't the only person
that's really sitting theregoing, You're doing a great job,
keep keep it up, is kind of likeyourself.
SPEAKER_03 (30:48):
When you look in the mirror every morning, yeah, you
kind of have to do it.
SPEAKER_07 (30:51):
You're doing great, Alec.
SPEAKER_03 (30:51):
Yeah, keep it up.
SPEAKER_07 (30:52):
You know, you don't have a manager that's like,
we're recognizing yourecognizing you with this plaque
you've done, you know, you kindof have to so when you have you
know when you have that not it'slike external recognition, yeah.
Yeah, so you go, okay, so thatmakes me feel good.
I have I feel like you getpermission to continue growing,
and so that so those things iswhat what I get out of it um for
(31:15):
sure is that's awesome.
Uh meeting everybody, obviously,the the community, of course.
Um so yeah, if that answersthose those two.
SPEAKER_03 (31:28):
It does.
It makes me think of anotherseller I was talking to earlier
today who shared that somebodysaid basically made the comment
that um everybody has to likefind their own path, and that he
was so encouraged.
He he had a lot in common withyou.
Um, you know, he has a prettybig business and he's very much
flying solo running it.
(31:48):
So it this was his first eBayopen, also, you know, at all.
Like he'd never even been to avirtual one or anything, but he
was saying that that commentinspired him so much because it
made him realize, like, yeah,it's possible for me to keep
forging ahead.
And I think that is so cool.
Like, you know, on this podcast,one thing that we love to do is
figure out, you know, the threeof us who host it have really
(32:10):
different businesses.
We have different businessmodels, different types of
inventory.
And so whenever we're talkingshop with each other, sometimes
it's like all the all the greatinsight is where things
intersect, and sometimes it'swhere they don't intersect,
right?
And we can learn stuff from eachother because we're different.
And I think that's just like themagic of an environment like
(32:31):
this.
You can have like 50 of thoseconversations, you know, in the
short window of time while we'rehere at the conference, and it
can really show you, maybe itdoesn't show you, like you said,
it's not coattail writing, it'snot your exact step for step,
just do what I did in these 10easy steps, but it's like giving
you a lot of insight into how tocarve your own path forward,
even just like showing you howpossible it is, like that is a
(32:53):
huge part of it because youknow, a lot of us are these kind
of scrappy entrepreneurs andwe're figuring it out as we go.
And it is super encouraging tomeet other people who have
already like they're not likenecessarily better than you,
they're further down the road,and they've you know, they've
carved out more of their path,and it's really inspiring to see
that.
SPEAKER_07 (33:13):
Yeah, and that's sometimes all it takes is just
to observe someone doingsomething, yeah.
And then uh yeah.
Uh somebody climbing a mountainor something or climbing a tree,
see them do it.
SPEAKER_04 (33:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (33:24):
Uh and you could you could you see now that it's
possible, so you climb up andit's yeah, it's uh it's the same
thing with building something,you know.
SPEAKER_03 (33:33):
Yeah.
Speaking of building something,oh yeah.
Tell me what you've beenbuilding.
SPEAKER_07 (33:39):
I've just been working on software for my own
business a little bit.
SPEAKER_03 (33:43):
Uh I use casually developing software, it's fine.
SPEAKER_07 (33:45):
Yeah, I guess I as as a pretext, I should say kind
of what I do, what I sell.
Uh I do automotive parts andsourcing inventory for me is
buying one-off items.
So I, you know, I don't have asupplier per se where I have
multiple, multiple quantities ofone SKU and I'm always
replenishing that.
(34:05):
It's once I buy a part and Isell it, I'm probably never
gonna have it again.
So I have to continuallyreplenish it.
SPEAKER_04 (34:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (34:11):
You know, I'm selling, I'm doing shipping 50
orders a day, so that meansevery day I'm I'm adding 50 new
products and sometimes more totry to keep growing.
SPEAKER_03 (34:19):
Right.
SPEAKER_07 (34:19):
So sourcing inventory requires me going
through thousands of partnumbers, essentially appraising
a list of inventory to decideI'll buy this, this, that, skip
this, skip this.
SPEAKER_04 (34:31):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (34:32):
Uh and the way I do that is I use the product
research tool in eBay.
SPEAKER_03 (34:36):
Shout out product research, three years of data.
SPEAKER_07 (34:39):
It's the secret sauce to my entire business
model.
Um, you know, it takes the riskout of every possible aside from
like a hurricane destroying mywarehouse.
SPEAKER_03 (34:49):
Which I mean you do live in the world.
SPEAKER_07 (34:50):
Which is a possibility, yeah.
So using that, the the problemwas it was a very tedious
process for me.
I would I would I would get alist uh from a dealership or an
auction, and it would have athousand line items on it that
I'd have to go through.
So I'd copy and paste one, two,and it would take me two days to
go through like one list, andjust the whole day is taken up
(35:12):
by doing that.
SPEAKER_03 (35:13):
Just manually processing like data, basically.
SPEAKER_07 (35:17):
And so with eBay's help uh and using the product
research API, I created a bulktool to do that.
So taking I can instead ofmanually copying and pasting
part numbers, I can take anentire Excel spreadsheet, upload
it into my software, and then itappraises the entire list for
(35:37):
me, tells me here's what youshould buy, here's what you
should skip out on in about youknow 15 minutes or so.
SPEAKER_03 (35:44):
That's incredible.
So what a time saver.
Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_07 (35:48):
It's a time saver, and then you know, there's
implementing it and andexecuting on it, it has it has
utility for I can think of a fewways that it could be utilized
for sellers.
SPEAKER_04 (36:00):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (36:01):
And one way I'm thinking is uh, you know, I'm
using it for parts where youhave a unique identifier, a part
number on every part, or uh, youknow, with with with other
products, it might be a UPC codeor a ASIN number.
But you could essentially use itas a tool to appraise your own
(36:22):
store inventory.
So it could run against your ownstore, tell you, you know,
here's all your inventory that'sgrade A that you should focus on
selling, right?
And here's here's you know, 20items that are probably better
off being scrapped, or you canbundle these and try to auction
them and clear out the space.
SPEAKER_03 (36:37):
Liquidate it.
SPEAKER_07 (36:38):
And I think that would be something extremely
useful.
SPEAKER_03 (36:42):
Also, could be extremely depressing.
SPEAKER_07 (36:44):
Depressing, yeah.
You know, you're looking at thedollar amount in inventory and
you go, well, only this muchmight be sellable.
But I think it would be sothat's what I'm thinking of
right now.
I'm using it to, you know,source inventory, but I'm also
thinking of I can put this toolin the field of you know, my my
customers that are automotivedealerships, where oh yeah, you
(37:07):
know, instead of using me tojust buy their inventory, I can
help them uh sell it themselves.
Yeah.
Uh using the software.
Um so those that's what I'mplaying with now, and it's
almost done.
I'm probably I'll probably putout like a you know, I use it
every day.
Um, but I I'll probably put outsomething and maybe get some of
my friends to test it.
(37:27):
Maybe you guys, if you want totest it.
SPEAKER_03 (37:29):
I bet some of your friends would be happy to test
it.
And uh depressing though it maybe.
No, just kidding.
SPEAKER_07 (37:34):
Yeah, I don't think it would be depressing.
SPEAKER_03 (37:35):
It's tough love.
You need to know if some of yourinventory is not gonna do it.
SPEAKER_07 (37:39):
Like, you know, we do, I don't know if you guys you
guys use promoted listings andand ads and stuff.
Yeah.
Um, for me, I I tend to becauseI have so much inventory, I
blanket put that those ads oneverything.
Right.
Well, if you have a really hotselling product, like a like an
item that sells a hundred timesa month, you probably don't need
to pay for advertising.
SPEAKER_03 (37:58):
Right.
And you could be saving thatfive percent or whatever.
SPEAKER_07 (38:01):
Yeah, and then maybe it would be better off put on an
item where it's you know uhreally slow moving.
Um like a ton of competition andso that's where like the the
software I'm working on couldcome in and and and help in that
regard too.
SPEAKER_03 (38:15):
So that's really cool.
Those are the Does eBay knowyou're doing this?
SPEAKER_07 (38:18):
Yeah, I talked to them because they gave me this
was this was the other coolthing about being um involved.
I think they they were veryfriendly to me with the develop
the the developer team.
Um and I sat and had a littlemeeting with them when I got to
um visit the HQ in 2022.
I sat I sat with them and thatwas uh that was amazing.
SPEAKER_03 (38:41):
I didn't realize you've been working on it for
that long.
SPEAKER_07 (38:43):
Yeah, because I would use it, I had it in a I
had it basically written as ascript and a Google Sheet to
where it didn't have like afancy interface.
It was just something that um Iwould copy and paste the whole
list into and it would it wasvery hard to use a crunch of
that.
Yeah, you would like to do it.
Like at the end, user would belike, What is this?
SPEAKER_03 (39:00):
Yeah, a couple times.
SPEAKER_07 (39:02):
And I was like, okay, well let me, you know, why
not?
Now that building software withAI is a lot easier, why not try
it?
And put it in it, and it's it'sa lot of fun.
You would love it.
I know you would love to messwith it.
SPEAKER_03 (39:15):
I mean, twist my arm, like yes, I'll test it,
okay?
Yes.
I mean, I would love it.
It sounds really, it soundsreally cool and really valuable,
like really helpful.
Um, okay, so Alec, you have somany hats.
Like, we know you a lot ofpeople probably have seen you in
eBay like eBay stuff becauseyou're like their poster child
for a lot of things, which isreally fun.
(39:36):
So, you know, you're a rockstar, you're a pilot, you're
like an auto parts empire guru.
I know you're gonna hate theword guru, but I think it's
hilarious I had to say to yourface.
But um what what kind of uhskill set or expertise do you
have about something that peoplewould like never guess?
Like what's a a secret expertisethat you have about something?
SPEAKER_07 (40:00):
That's a good question.
SPEAKER_03 (40:01):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_07 (40:01):
I'm definitely not a rock star.
I'm used to be a uh like acontracted musician, if you
could even say that.
It was but uh the pilot stuff.
Um, you know, I think I'm reallygood at troubleshooting.
Uh like if you're you know, Ican I I can fix says guy who
builds his own software to solvehis problem.
(40:22):
Yeah, I can fix things, youknow.
Your car doesn't start, I canput a new starter on it in a
couple hours.
Um uh the airplane, I I couldessentially rebuild the airplane
and work on all the maintenanceon the airplane and
modifications are allinspections are all done by me.
(40:42):
I don't know, skill levelskills.
I don't consider my I I'm youcould say I could I would yeah,
I would consider myself like ajack of all trades, master of
none.
Maybe master of I would say no.
Okay, jack of all trades.
SPEAKER_03 (40:56):
Like off the top of your head, I would say you're a
master of anything.
SPEAKER_07 (40:58):
I would never call myself a master of anything,
because that would just be thatwould just be arrogant, but like
I I like to I it's it's fun tolearn new things and um
implement them and because likeyou you can sometimes get burnt
out of doing business all thetime, so then you have an
outlet.
Okay, I'll go turn wrenches onthe plane today, and now I'm
(41:19):
recharged there, or I'm sick ofbeing out here in the heat, I'll
go back to going on thecomputer.
So it's nice to have thoseoutlets.
SPEAKER_03 (41:28):
Are you like secretly like an expert on
leopard geckos or something?
SPEAKER_07 (41:33):
No, let me think if there's anything else I'm an
expert in.
SPEAKER_03 (41:37):
What about Florida man stuff?
SPEAKER_07 (41:39):
You would think I could come up with something
like that, like lore, likeFlorida lore.
SPEAKER_03 (41:45):
You just emerged out of the swamp one day.
SPEAKER_07 (41:47):
No, I'm not, you know, I'm not like.
Let me think.
I'll get back to you on that.
For now, it's for now I'm reallyI'm really just nerded out on on
the business, airplanes, andmaybe some guitar stuff, but I
don't pick up the guitar as muchas I used to anymore, anyway,
either.
SPEAKER_03 (42:07):
Do you miss it or did you need a break from the
side?
SPEAKER_07 (42:08):
I miss it a lot.
Do you?
I miss the camaraderie of theband and the friends.
SPEAKER_03 (42:12):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (42:13):
Uh i i because you're going, you're not just
going and playing music.
Uh you're you're going to hangout with four of your best
friends, you know, you'replaying a show, that's fun.
But then you're in the greenroom and you're just laughing
hysterically at the meme thatAndre just showed me, and you're
just you're it's there's nothinglike it.
And you go out to eatafterwards, and you just you
(42:34):
it's very hard to get that,especially as an adult.
You hang out with friends, youhave to make a plan.
We're going out to dinner.
SPEAKER_04 (42:40):
Why to Vegas to hang out with your friends?
SPEAKER_07 (42:42):
Yeah, and that's like it's this big thing, but
with the music stuff, it'd belike, well, we're at Disney four
nights a week, I'll see youThursday.
Okay, I'll be there.
And y'all you know you're gonnabe there at five and everything.
I miss that so much.
Um hopefully, you know,hopefully sometime when I if I
get more time and you know, thethe the space maybe opens up um
(43:02):
without stepping on anybody'stoes.
Because that's the thing is whenyou get everybody who wouldn't
want to go play music.
SPEAKER_03 (43:08):
So yeah, so every you know, yeah, some somebody
had to take your place, somebodyhas to take your place and then
back out.
SPEAKER_07 (43:13):
Yeah, and it's so so you pass you you let the baton
get past and then so but youknow, it's it's all there I I
cannot complain about the lifeI've had over the past decade.
I I I didn't think I would makeit that far.
I thought if I can do this musicthing until I'm 30, I'd be
happy.
This would be great.
And so if you're able to do thatwith music, um then you know
(43:38):
that's that's you take what youcan get and and be grateful for
it.
So that's where I how I look atit now.
SPEAKER_03 (43:44):
I love it.
I think that's a really goodperspective.
Is there uh sorry, we're aphoto's being taken of us for
those of you listening.
Is there um anything else youwould want to tell somebody who
maybe is having major FOMOhearing this, not in Vegas with
us right now?
Like, what would you say toanother seller who's maybe
looking for how to how tocontinue to carve out their path
(44:07):
or yeah make some connections?
SPEAKER_07 (44:10):
It is for me, because you could see you can
come up with all kinds ofadvice, and the thing with
advice is it's always gonna bedifferent.
Yeah, it's gonna be perceiveddifferently.
Everybody's situation is ahundred percent different.
Um but I think the commondenominator in all of it is
consistency, the patience, umconsistency number one.
(44:36):
If you're if you're consistentlydoing this, you're gonna see
some results.
And that result's gonna continueto push you to be move even more
consistent.
Yeah, and then you're gonnareinforce and then you're gonna
get to the point where you haveto be consistent because your
food on the table depends on it.
Yeah.
So it it'll just snowball.
So can if you can consistentlydo something like this, you
(44:57):
know, for a couple weeks and seeresults, you're gonna that
that's all it takes.
Because the rest you'll figureout.
Because you're it you're gonnahave it, it's gonna be a maze,
you're gonna hit a wall, you'regonna hit this, you're gonna hit
that, you're gonna have to solvethis puzzle, that puzzle, the
your landlord's gonna doubleyour lease, you're gonna get
sued maybe.
But you know, you're gonna haveall those things, but the the
(45:18):
consistency the consistency isgoing to equip you to have the
tools to handle all thosechallenges and then grow and
yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (45:29):
And I mean, even if you're even if you are at eBay
open or you're attendingvirtually or you're re-watching
stuff later um that's that'sbeen recorded, you know, and
you're watching after the fact,like any any little change that
you implement, you also stillhave to do that same consistent
application process, right?
Like that's on the large scaleand the small scale to see your
(45:49):
business grow.
SPEAKER_07 (45:50):
Because even if you had the secrets, if you had the
secret recipe, if I gave my, youknow, that's why I I stopped
really caring about I used toalways kind of be scared about
telling my story of businessbecause well then I won't want,
you know, maybe I'll people willfigure out that they can I can
get they can compete with me andthen there won't be it was a
sort of a scarcity feeling whenin reality it's kind of like uh
(46:12):
you know the the the right wayto think about it is all the
ships will rise with the waters.
Um but but you even with knowingeverything under the hood, you
still have to implement thatconsistently, and that's really
yeah again, that's really all itis is just consistently doing
it.
Which is a the secret toeverything.
SPEAKER_03 (46:29):
It's a difficult barrier though, because not many
people are willing to do that.
SPEAKER_07 (46:32):
Yeah, you have a job and you have this.
Yeah, you have kids maybe, andit and it is difficult.
I I think the cool thing withthe eBay stuff though, as like a
I guess like a final thought toois uh I started the eBay thing
while I had two other jobs.
I was I was flying and workingon airplanes and the musician at
Disney.
Uh, but the cool thing about theeBay is you can start you can
(46:54):
dip your feet in just a littlebit.
SPEAKER_03 (46:56):
Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (46:56):
You know, you can do it two hours a day and you're
still gonna see a result, andthen you can slowly let it creep
into your life.
And you know, it's not like youhave to go commit.
There's not a there's really nobarrier to entry as far as like
capital.
You're you're not having to goput a down payment on a lease.
SPEAKER_03 (47:13):
You can start with one item.
SPEAKER_07 (47:14):
Yeah, so that's what's so cool about the eBay or
just reselling in general, islike you can start it very small
at your own pace, you know.
SPEAKER_04 (47:24):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (47:25):
Um, what more can you ask for to start something?
SPEAKER_03 (47:29):
Nothing.
Everyone should never ask foranything else, and that should
be it, right there.
SPEAKER_07 (47:33):
Very hard to disrupt it.
You know, it's it's gonna bevery hard to disrupt with AI
going and thrifting and andfinding things that are uh
neglected or auctions, and it'salways gonna be mismanaged
inventory to buy and sell.
Uh unless we all end up livingin like a virtual reality
simulation, then it's then it'sover.
(47:53):
But like until that, like Ithink there's always gonna be
we've got a long runway.
SPEAKER_03 (47:58):
We do we do, and that's that's just it.
You can build your own runway oneBay and it can fit into your
life however your life alreadyis.
SPEAKER_07 (48:06):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (48:06):
I think we can drop the mic right there, Alex.
We solved it all.
SPEAKER_07 (48:10):
Thank you for talking to me.
SPEAKER_04 (48:13):
And uh thanks for coming on the show.
SPEAKER_07 (48:15):
Yeah, it's always good to hang out with you guys.
Always, it's it really does makeme happy and coming out here and
all that.
So awesome.
We will have to go fly some timewith everybody.
SPEAKER_03 (48:26):
I don't know.
I rode in a Tesla with you onetime, and I'm not sure I could
get in airplane.
SPEAKER_07 (48:31):
Oh, yeah, the rented Tesla, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (48:33):
Yeah, I think my soul left my body um for a
little bit.
SPEAKER_07 (48:36):
Yeah, I'd never force you to get into the plane.
SPEAKER_03 (48:38):
Well, I would never really trust anyone else enough
to like even having ridden inthe Tesla.
Like, I trusted you with my lifefor real.
It's very smart, you know.
And I didn't die, so that shouldreally be something.
SPEAKER_07 (48:48):
Yeah, yeah, you should I it's smart to not trust
everybody with your life.
SPEAKER_03 (48:53):
Yes, it is.
SPEAKER_02 (48:54):
That's good advice, I would say.
SPEAKER_07 (48:56):
I would say I'm I'm not I'm definitely one of those
that's not gonna that's gonnatell you, like, yeah, the
aviation, it's not that it'sinherently dangerous, it's that
it doesn't forgive carelessnessin any way.
So you just have to uh be awarethat you know, in a car, looking
at your phone, you're you mightbe forgiven by hitting a curb or
(49:17):
something, but in like you know,the plane sometimes won't
forgive you, it'll just yeahtake you.
SPEAKER_03 (49:26):
So can we please end on that note?
I love that so much.
Oh my gosh.
Alec Larson, you're wonderful.
Thank you for coming on theshow.
SPEAKER_07 (49:34):
Thank you.
I'll see you.
Talk to you later.
SPEAKER_03 (49:36):
Bye.
Bye.
Hey everybody, welcome to episode 94 of the
Seller Club Podcast.
Let's drop that beat.
What's up, Ken?
SPEAKER_05 (00:12):
Hi there.
We're back again.
SPEAKER_03 (00:14):
We're back again.
We're back again because we'rejust doing another quick intro
today.
We have some more really awesomecommunity content on deck this
week.
So we wanted to get straight toit because we got to have some
in-depth conversations and someconversations with people we'd
never even met before.
So we're sharing everything umother seller-wise that we have
(00:36):
from eBay open with you today tokeep that spirit of community
going as we continue to prepareduring September.
But just a little preview ofwhat we have for the rest of
September.
As you know, Ken, we've beentalking about how this is all
about prepping for Q4.
And so we're gonna have somemindset stuff, we're gonna have
(00:58):
some tactical stuff, we may evenhave a special guest or two, and
we wanna really look at everyangle to help you guys and
ourselves get ready for a Q4.
So remember what Jen Deal toldus a couple episodes ago, and
make sure you're listening andgetting everything you possibly
can listed while you'relistening to this, okay?
SPEAKER_05 (01:15):
Don't be slacking.
Don't be slacking.
This is a time to grind.
This is a time to grind, and wepromise you if you're grinding
in September, there will bemajor results by Q4.
You shout out again to eBay forsponsoring this podcast.
Make sure you follow him at eBayfor Sellers on Instagram.
And we'll see you in the nextone.
(01:36):
Peace.
Bye.
Alrighty, so welcome everybody,and we are here with a fellow
seller.
We are here at eBay Open 2025.
And Yona, is that how you sayyour name?
SPEAKER_04 (01:48):
Yeah, Yona.
SPEAKER_05 (01:49):
Okay, Yona.
So why don't you introduceourselves and uh tell us a
little bit about your sellingjourney?
SPEAKER_06 (01:55):
Alright, so my name is Yona, and when I first
started, um, was actually mybrother's idea.
I was in college and I wasworking part-time at a frozen
yogurt shop making like$10 anhour, which was uh pretty awful,
not a fun job.
SPEAKER_04 (02:08):
Right.
SPEAKER_06 (02:08):
But uh he was like, you should start selling
sneakers, and I was just like,that's a dumb idea.
Like, who's gonna buy sneakersfor me if they could just go to
Ross or Burlington or Nikethemselves and like you know,
grab it for themselves?
But he's like, I'm your olderbrother, like listen to me,
throws me in the car, we go toRoss, I buy one pair of like
Under Armour cleats, yeah, anduh, you know, like maybe two,
three days later, I made 20bucks, and I was like, alright,
(02:30):
that'll take me, you know, threehours at uh standing at the
Burlington yogurt shop.
So I was like, alright, youknow, I'm gonna go to a couple
Ross's Burlington Marshalls andgrab, you know, two, three
pairs.
It started from there, and Ijust kept going, and I uh just
recently passed uh 10,000 saleson eBay.
Wow, congratulations on that.
SPEAKER_05 (02:48):
So when you said that you kind of know the Ross
Burlington, how did you likewere you a shopper there just
for personal stuff?
SPEAKER_06 (02:56):
Um, not really.
I mean, I saw a lot of like yourvideos with Hustler Hacks and uh
showing that kind of stuff, andthen I went to the Nike
Clearance store one time out inuh Grapevine.
I don't know if you're familiarwith that one.
Dallas is great.
SPEAKER_05 (03:09):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We did an hustle there, uh Ithink back in 2018 or 2019, so
that's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_06 (03:14):
Yeah, so uh that's one of my main stores these
days.
I go out there a lot, and uh thefirst time I was there, they
were bringing out like VapormaxPluses.
No.
And this was like during COVIDwhen like stuff was like really
flying off the shelves.
There was probably like a lineof like 10 people following the
employee around the store tryingto grab them, and I was like,
alright, like something has tobe going on here.
I remember actually trying tograb a pair from the restocker
(03:36):
to be like, oh, you mind if Icheck those out?
He's like, whoa, whoa, whoa,like no touching the merchandise
until it's off the shelf.
SPEAKER_05 (03:40):
And I was like, you know, hands up, like so you so
you had to learn how it works,yeah.
You know, in first hand.
Well, one of the things that Itell everybody is like, yes, uh,
there's a lot of information outthere in the internet, you know.
Like, we we share a story.
Hustler hacks have documentedhis Ross journey, but but it is
really up to you to go do it.
You know, like he says, go outand get it.
(04:00):
So you have to physically dothat.
So uh Johan, so tell me whatlike what what drives you uh you
know to build this business,like what makes you excited
about the business?
SPEAKER_06 (04:09):
Um, I mean it's always kind of just like fun to
like find that next pair ofshoes, and like you never know
what you're gonna find.
You know, it's it's really thatconsistency I've learned, like
going to the stores every day,uh making connections with other
resellers.
Like I have different buddies umwho like sometimes, you know,
I'm even out here or he's ingrapevine and uh hitting the
Nike Clearance store last night.
(04:30):
He's like hit me up being like,hey, like I don't really want
these for my page, like you wantthese.
So shout out Gennaro, he'salways helped me out.
And I've met a lot of like coolpeople.
SPEAKER_05 (04:37):
Uh that's good, that's good.
I mean, I think what you youjust revealed is like, you know,
a lot of people think uh aboutother sellers as competition,
but as you have seen with me andGlenn Hustler hacks, we saw
ourselves as co-workers, and youknow, we collab and we kind of
like help each other.
And I'm glad that you're doingthat too.
SPEAKER_06 (04:57):
Yeah, and you never know like what kind of other
business adventure like venturesyou can get into.
Like I uh I've been having likeDallas Mavs season tickets for
the last handful of years, andlike I uh I'll piece those off
and like make some money doingthat.
When the Lakers come to town,you know, tickets go for like
five, six X.
So I actually uh I just got himin on it.
He's gonna be doing uh we havefour seats next to like two
seats, two seats next to eachother for next season.
(05:18):
So that'll be pretty fun.
SPEAKER_05 (05:20):
Man, Glenn's gonna be gonna be wanting to see that
game.
Um he's a big Lakers fan.
So okay, yeah.
So Glenn's gotta hit me up andget some tickets from it.
Yeah, um, so that that's prettycool.
So um, what's your uh futureplans?
Anything uh that that you you'rethinking of, um, or maybe what
what are the challenges thatyou're facing?
Are you trying to grow thebusiness?
(05:41):
Are you trying trying to keep itthe same?
SPEAKER_06 (05:42):
So, you know, I'm always trying to grow the
business and find different waysto get inventory and just kind
of keep, you know, just flip,flip, flip.
I guess the more you flip, themore money you make, the more
you list, the more people, youknow, find your page.
Correct.
Um, some of the challenges I'mlook dealing with these days,
though, like especially theclearance store, like the prices
keep going up as like how muchyou have to spend to uh buy
(06:05):
inventory, but then you kind ofhave to pivot because it's like
okay, the clearance store hasbeen a little more expensive
lately.
So I've been hitting like someof the outlets, and like yeah,
their prices have come down alot since COVID.
You know, they're doing 30, 40percent back up.
SPEAKER_05 (06:17):
Yeah, they're doing 40%.
That's you know, like during theCOVID COVID season, they didn't
know.
No, there was nothing.
It was yeah, it was like 20% orsomething like that, or or they
priced it at retail, you knowwhat I'm saying?
So it's kind of high.
Right.
So that's pretty cool.
Um, so it so for somebody thatwas, you know, if you want to
give an advice to somebody thatwas just in your, you know, when
(06:38):
you were starting and that'sworking a job that they don't
like, what would be your biggestadvice to the people that are
trying to build a side hustleand eventually make it their
main hustle?
What would be your advice?
SPEAKER_06 (06:49):
Um, I guess the biggest thing is just just
start, just buy the first pairor two pairs, because like like
I was saying, like, I didn'tbelieve in it.
I was like, right, why wouldthis work?
So the hardest thing is astarting and then B, I guess
like just having the capital tokeep buying is also like a
little bit of a struggle.
But if you like push past that,like at first I had one credit
(07:11):
card, I uh you know, I was inMarshalls and like, do you want
a credit card?
I was like, all right, and likehow much do you make?
And I didn't I was making likenothing, I was working part-time
while I was a student incollege, but I was like, all
right, I'll you know, fib alittle bit.
I was like, I make like 50grand.
I'm like, all right, here's ahere's a credit card with the
$3,000 uh like uh credit limit.
So sometimes, you know, justjust figuring it out, and then
like even I filled that up andI'd be like, you know, I'm
(07:34):
waiting on six hundred dollarsfrom eBay tomorrow.
I'd tap my card out and hit afriend up, be like, send me$130
today, I'll send you$140tomorrow.
Like money's coming in fromeBay.
So just having that belief inyourself and just you know, try
different stores, try differentitems, right?
Just keep hustling, I guess.
SPEAKER_05 (07:51):
Man, that's a great advice, and there you have it,
you know, to anybody that'slistening, that's on defense on
trying to build this hustle, ormaybe you're hesitant to grow
your business.
I mean, you've heard greatadvices uh from our friend here,
and and it's it's simple, but itwill take time, it will take
time and consistency, and likeall what always me and Glenn say
(08:13):
you have to go out and get it,you never settle.
So thank you for that uhconversation.
I know it's pretty quick, butum, we just met here literally
on the expo hall at eBay open2025 here in Las Vegas.
So thank you so much for comingup and saying hi.
Yeah, thank you so much forhaving me.
Appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00 (08:32):
Brian Enuma drop that beat.
SPEAKER_03 (08:37):
All right, Brian, welcome to the Seller Club
Podcast booth.
What are you doing at eBay Open?
SPEAKER_00 (08:42):
Thank you, thank you for having me.
Uh this is my first time at eBayOpen.
I'm a seller of 15 years.
SPEAKER_03 (08:48):
Oh my gosh, welcome.
That's incredible.
It's my first uh in-person onetoo.
SPEAKER_00 (08:52):
Beautiful.
Yeah, how do you like it?
SPEAKER_03 (08:54):
I love it, it's so fun.
Um, I've been part of some ofthe content um for the virtual
ones over the last three or fouryears, but I've never been to
one in person.
So all the things I loved aboutthose experiences is like that's
what I love about this, but it'slike next level here.
It's just so much bigger scaleand so many sellers, you know.
(09:15):
When we're when we've done thatkind of virtual content before,
there's usually like 20 or 30other sellers, which is already
really cool.
But being surrounded by so manypeople and getting to connect
with so many people has beenawesome.
So, what about you?
Have you been to the virtualones before, or is this your
first like of all time?
SPEAKER_00 (09:31):
This is my first one.
SPEAKER_02 (09:32):
Oh my gosh, are you like overwhelmed at all?
SPEAKER_00 (09:35):
Very I feel I feel like I've been hidden all this
time.
I've just been staying in mywarehouse, just shipping it.
SPEAKER_03 (09:42):
I totally get it.
Yeah, I was I always tell peopleI was like just doing my
business under a rock, you know,and just anonymously shipping
things off to people in whoknows where.
And that anonymity is great,right?
It's like you get to do your ownthing.
Um, but now you have the chanceto connect with the community,
and it's like so worth it.
(10:02):
It's awesome.
So I'm so glad you're here.
I'm sorry you're overwhelmed,but I'm so glad you're here.
SPEAKER_00 (10:07):
Yes, my.
SPEAKER_03 (10:08):
So, what do you sell?
Like, what's your eBay uh storelike?
SPEAKER_00 (10:12):
So I sell home automation equipment and
everything related to that.
And my eBay handle is broomsticksix.
And I think we celebrated200,000 items sold recently.
So we're gonna be.
SPEAKER_02 (10:23):
Oh my gosh, congratulations.
SPEAKER_00 (10:24):
And my crew back home is uh in Gilbert, Arizona,
and I just uh want to shout themout.
So if this ever makes it, it'dbe great.
SPEAKER_03 (10:32):
Oh, I love it.
Well, I'm sure you know they'rethey're doing the hard work,
keeping the business running.
You're doing the hard work,getting totally fire hosed by
information and new people hereat eBay Open.
So you gotta do all of it, youknow.
But have you um had any specificexperience here yet that has
just been like really standoutto you?
SPEAKER_00 (10:53):
Yeah, I really like the keynote.
It's just so nice to hear fromother sellers their experiences,
and then one thing in particularthat one seller said is that
everybody has their own path,and it's nice to hear that that
uniqueness that only eBayprovides.
Like every business owner orevery seller has their own
unique path, and it's just niceto just appreciate that.
SPEAKER_03 (11:14):
Absolutely.
It's it's really cool.
Like you said, in the keynotes,you know, a lot of times if you
just hear the word keynote, youthink like, oh, that's just
gonna be an executive.
But like they they actuallyincluded sellers in the keynote
segment to kick off theconference, which tells you
right there, right?
How much they value sellers andwant to support our businesses,
and like they really do careabout our individuality, which
(11:37):
is so cool.
I think that's something thatmakes eBay so special as a
platform.
And yeah, it there's like 101ways to have a successful
business on eBay, and everybodydoes have a different path.
So it's definitely worthrepeating.
And I think it's so cool thatthat was said from the stage.
Um, there's so many amazingsellers here, too.
Like, it's so cool to learn fromthem and just hear about those
(11:58):
differences in you know how theygot started or what challenges
they faced and how they solvedfor things or how they pivoted
or how they evolved.
Like it is really encouraging,right?
Because at the end of the day,like we're all finding our own
path.
So absolutely helps to hear likehow it's possible.
And I don't know, you're gonnafind your own way regardless,
(12:18):
but like hearing some uh someexamples of how that can happen
is really encouraging.
SPEAKER_00 (12:23):
Yes, it'd be fun too.
SPEAKER_03 (12:25):
Yeah, it is really fun.
Well, do you want to tell usanything about like about your
your path so far or where youwant to go in the future with
your business?
Because that's so cool, that'sreally specific.
SPEAKER_00 (12:35):
Yeah, speaking on own path, so uh I feel like I
have a unique story.
I have seven children.
SPEAKER_03 (12:41):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing!
SPEAKER_00 (12:42):
Yeah, seven children, a wife, and I have a
huge work ethic.
So I really, really love towork.
I get up military time, 345every morning, and just start my
day off and very disciplined andall that.
But uh the key to having the.
SPEAKER_02 (12:59):
I was like, you're like, um, I've already wrote.
SPEAKER_00 (13:01):
No, even for me, because we're in Vegas, it's
it's still different, like it'sit's very unique.
SPEAKER_02 (13:06):
Yeah, Vegas is a different place.
SPEAKER_00 (13:07):
Yeah, you can't you can't have all that focus and
energy here.
SPEAKER_04 (13:13):
For sure.
SPEAKER_00 (13:14):
But for me, yeah, with the family and uh and all
the the the uh demand at home, Ineeded to keep it all at home.
And so for me, just keeping thebusiness at home has been the
key.
So in order to stay stay busywhile keeping the family life
intact, I moved to a home and Iwas able to build a warehouse
(13:35):
from my home.
SPEAKER_03 (13:36):
That's incredible.
Like we call it a warehouse,yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (13:43):
But you you gotta you gotta call it you gotta call
it a warehouse, you gotta callit an R V garage, but it's a
warehouse.
SPEAKER_03 (13:49):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (13:49):
So I built the warehouse, and so I just kissed
my kids goodbye, put on my shoesand go next door and work.
I love that.
SPEAKER_03 (13:55):
So isn't that amazing?
SPEAKER_00 (13:56):
So amazing.
SPEAKER_03 (13:57):
My setup is similar.
I always say I have it ine-basement because my whole
whole basement is like my store.
Um, but I love that like thecommute is like down a flight of
stairs, you know, in my pajamasoften still.
Um, but that is so cool to hearthat you got the opportunity
through eBay to not have tochoose between your business and
(14:19):
your dreams and and that toapply that work ethic that way
and your family.
Like you literally found a wayto have it all.
It's amazing.
Yeah.
Are you on any other platforms?
SPEAKER_00 (14:29):
Yes, Amazon, and I have a website.
And the website is just moreinformational to drive people to
inform them.
Hey, I'm a credible business andthe I'm real.
SPEAKER_03 (14:38):
I'm real.
Don't find the RV garage.
I'm real.
Hey, entrepreneurs are scrappy,like that's what it's about.
Yeah, I love it.
Wow.
So can you tell me more aboutthe actual products?
Because that sounds really fancyand cool.
SPEAKER_00 (14:51):
Yeah, it's really unique.
Um, so custom installer homeautomation is a is a whole thing
in and of itself.
Yeah, it's uh something that endusers don't typically buy.
Like if you're looking forsomething, you typically go to
Best Buy and you buy like anApple Home or Google Home
powered device, and then you candownload the app on your phone
(15:12):
and you can install it yourself.
Yeah, well, custom installerstuff is kind of like
landlocked.
You can only buy it through aninstaller in your area, like a
network installer for aparticular product.
So yeah, I deal with a lot ofbrands like Prestron, Savant,
Control Fork, and a little bitof AMX because they're still
around.
Uh those brands deal with custominstallers only.
(15:35):
And so the people that buy myproducts are those people.
That's or maybe customercustomers that know how to do
it, but they're verysophisticated.
SPEAKER_03 (15:41):
Like they're kind of like uh it's not like your plug
and play, DIY.
Yeah, it's nerds, they're nerds.
SPEAKER_00 (15:47):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (15:48):
I mean, I I'm saying it, not you.
You're not calling yourcustomers nerds.
That's me.
I'm the one doing that.
SPEAKER_00 (15:54):
Yep, cheap, cheap nerds.
Cheap nerds.
SPEAKER_03 (15:56):
Yeah, honestly, I feel like across many
categories, there are probably alot of cheap nerds on eBay, as
buyers and sellers.
But I love it.
I love, you know, that's onething I love about both buying
and selling.
I'm definitely an avid eBaybuyer myself too, but I always
like love a good deal.
I love to be able to give mybuyers a good deal too, you
know.
Like that's a win-win.
(16:17):
That's what it's all about.
SPEAKER_00 (16:18):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (16:19):
So, well, is there anything else you want to share
with us?
I don't want to take up too muchof your time because there's
literally so much to do and seehere, as we've already
discussed.
SPEAKER_00 (16:27):
No, I'm just very impressed with how eBay supports
their sellers.
Yeah, that's probably the keytakeaway is to how much they
really do support their sellers.
SPEAKER_03 (16:36):
Awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (16:36):
And it's just nice to be around other people that
do the same thing.
SPEAKER_03 (16:39):
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, dude, thank you so muchfor joining us.
And uh, yeah, you'll have tolisten out for when we release
this.
SPEAKER_00 (16:45):
Nice, awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (16:46):
Thank you so much.
My name is Sherry Smith.
Drop that beat.
Oh my gosh, we're ready forthat.
Have you been practicing?
Never.
That's the best way.
If I don't practice, if Ipractice, there's a problem.
SPEAKER_03 (17:03):
Well, I love that you're here with me right now
because you're like a legitprofessional seasoned podcaster.
So no wonder you just knockedthat out of the park.
But tell me about your eBayOpen25 so far.
How's it going?
SPEAKER_01 (17:16):
It's been amazing.
SPEAKER_03 (17:18):
Has it?
Yes.
How many have you been to likelive like this?
Because this is my first one.
SPEAKER_01 (17:22):
Oh my gosh.
Do you love it?
Yes, I love it.
It so I went to, I think itmight have been their 20th
anniversary in San Jose.
SPEAKER_03 (17:33):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (17:34):
And I went to one in 2012 because I was teaching
selling 101.
Oh my gosh, I love it.
That was in Denver, and that'swhen I lived in California.
But I was talking to one of theeBay staff, and they're like,
yeah, everyone is sick.
Everyone has altitude sickness.
Oh no.
(17:54):
And I'm like, oh, that thatfits.
Oh my gosh, that's funny.
But I didn't have altitudesickness.
And now I live in Colorado.
But when I have visitors, I haveto be like, oh, drink a lot of
water.
Yeah.
Maybe we shouldn't hike a 14ertoday.
SPEAKER_02 (18:11):
That's very kind of you.
I know, but sometimes I forget.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (18:15):
Sometimes I forget my visitors, like, I have a
headache.
And I don't know why.
SPEAKER_02 (18:20):
Like, she seems mad.
SPEAKER_01 (18:22):
And then um, the last one I went to was the last
one they had.
I think that was 2019.
Yeah.
And that's what I hear.
SPEAKER_02 (18:30):
I wasn't at that one.
SPEAKER_01 (18:32):
It was so fun.
Uh, so I was one of four peopleinterviewed on stage for the
closing thing.
SPEAKER_03 (18:40):
Oh, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (18:42):
And I was up there with some big wigs.
SPEAKER_03 (18:44):
Yeah.
You're a big wig, Sherry.
SPEAKER_01 (18:46):
No, I'm such a little wig.
SPEAKER_03 (18:46):
I know you're such a little wig.
Tiny wig.
unknown (18:50):
Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_02 (18:51):
No, you're like, you're in the hall of fame for
me.
So it's fine.
Yeah.
I would not be shocked at all tosee you amongst mini big wigs.
SPEAKER_01 (18:58):
Oh, you're so sweet.
Says the girl who inspires mywardrobe.
Oh my gosh.
Stop.
And let me just share that notonly does she have the romper or
jumper on.
SPEAKER_03 (19:08):
Yeah.
What do we call these?
Romper, jumper, boiler suit.
Like, what are we going with?
SPEAKER_01 (19:12):
Yeah, it's probably more boilers.
You think?
Okay.
But it's crushed velvet.
SPEAKER_03 (19:16):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (19:16):
It is crushed velvet.
So my love.
I still need, I mean, she'salways got the next one.
Oh man.
SPEAKER_03 (19:23):
It's so mini though.
It's like they take up a lot ofspace in your closet.
So I need to stop getting more,honestly.
I mean, I really love all theones I have though.
I try to wear them for likespecial things like this.
Like this is an event, you know.
I wouldn't just wear this aroundmy house, probably, because I'd
rather wear sweatpants.
But you know, for today, a daylike today, you gotta bust one
(19:44):
of them out.
SPEAKER_01 (19:44):
Yeah, it's dressing up when you have an extra thing
to do when you go to thebathroom.
SPEAKER_03 (19:49):
Right.
Right.
It's like, is it worth that?
However, I will say, probablyTMI, but you know, we're in the
desert, so I'm like, maybe Ijust won't have to pee at all
because I'm just gonna bedehydrated the whole time.
SPEAKER_01 (19:59):
Oh, exactly.
SPEAKER_02 (20:00):
Maybe that'll work in my favor for once.
SPEAKER_01 (20:02):
You know, you are supposed to drink while you're
here.
SPEAKER_03 (20:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (20:06):
I I noticed that.
Drink a lot of water.
Yeah.
So, okay, so at the last eBayopen, they interviewed us for
the closing thing.
Yes.
And the audience reallyresponded because I cried when I
was up there.
And they're like, Pulled out thewater works.
I know, it wasn't.
SPEAKER_03 (20:24):
Cried with like emotional overwhelm, or like you
were scared of being on thestage.
Why were you crying?
SPEAKER_01 (20:28):
Oh, because they asked me, um, has there been
like some obstacles?
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (20:33):
And you're like, have there?
SPEAKER_01 (20:34):
I'm like, um, let me tell you my story.
SPEAKER_03 (20:37):
Yes, there have been.
SPEAKER_01 (20:38):
So I I was sharing that and how eBay made all the
difference in my life.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Um, and the in the audience,they're like, I love we love
you, Sharon.
They're cheering, and yes.
It was amazing.
And then because they had to getour mics off, everyone went
through the clapping tunnel whowas at eBay open.
(20:59):
And then it was like me andthree people going through and
having 150 eBay employees, youknow, cheer us on.
Yeah.
And then they had the closingparty where I danced the whole
time.
Oh my gosh.
It was incredible.
Then I'm at the airport the nextday and I was selling my house
in California.
(21:20):
Oh, at the time?
Yeah.
So I was just like spendingeverything I had because I'm
like, you know, my house isselling.
Yeah.
I already had my new house inColorado, which is why I also
like didn't have that much moneyleft.
Yeah.
But I'm like, rock star.
And then I get a text while I'mat the airport.
Oh, the people pulled out, andit was the moment before they
(21:43):
had no could do that.
And I'm like, damn, that was ashort career of being a rock
star.
SPEAKER_03 (21:52):
Darn it.
I mean, it was great while itlasted.
I mean, so many.
You're just an Icarus, flew tooclose to the sun, an eBay open.
That is such a bummer.
SPEAKER_01 (22:02):
But obviously your house did sell eventually.
It all worked out.
Yeah.
So I had, and it was really badbecause I had this equipment
that I was gonna get to buy.
I had made a bid like with thebig boys.
Yeah.
And I had it was gonna cost me$17,500.
But it was all taken care ofwith my sale of my house.
And I'm like, ooh, darn it.
(22:23):
Yeah.
Because we're on air.
Shucks.
What am I gonna do?
I won this bid, and now I'mgonna be like, never mind, I
don't have the money.
Right.
Um, things have changed.
So I uh contacted someone who'dbought equipment for me before.
I'm like, hey, um, I'm about toget this.
Do you wanna rebuy it?
(22:45):
Oh, so smart.
And he did.
SPEAKER_03 (22:48):
And then you were like, and flip on the rock star
switch again.
And let's go back to the stage.
That is hilarious.
SPEAKER_01 (22:55):
Where's my clapping tunnel?
People at the airport are like,well, okay, stay away from her.
SPEAKER_03 (23:01):
Whatever.
You are a legend.
That is what a whirlwind,though.
Also, like, oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_01 (23:06):
Living on the edge.
SPEAKER_03 (23:08):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (23:08):
So that kind of brings you to what is so special
about these because I met theguys in the trust and safety uh
department.
It was funny because I went upto Philip when I saw him, and
I'm like, hey.
Uh oh, but he was busy talkingto some eBay people.
Yeah.
So I left him alone.
And then he came over and he'slike, sorry, I was talking to
Trust and Safety.
I'm like, Trust and Safety leftPhilip there, ran over.
SPEAKER_02 (23:32):
That's what I need.
SPEAKER_01 (23:33):
Yeah, because I had this crazy return with a
freighted item.
No.
Well, they got it taken care of.
Wow.
As of today.
SPEAKER_03 (23:42):
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (23:42):
It's all set.
The customer's taken care of.
I'm taken care of.
SPEAKER_03 (23:46):
I love it.
It's so good to meet the people.
Yes, there's nothing like beingable to like interact with
everybody from all these eBayteams, right?
It's so special.
It's amazing.
It's so cool because number one,there's some freaking amazing
humans that work for eBay.
SPEAKER_04 (23:59):
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (24:00):
Um, that's been like always just the most pleasant of
surprises, right?
When you're thinking about likea corporation and then you meet
the people and you're like, ohmy gosh, you're like the coolest
people ever.
Like really good, amazingpeople.
And they're all like sopassionate about what they do,
which is to make our jobs easierthan sellers.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:19):
So they're just and to make it possible, right?
SPEAKER_03 (24:21):
And you can just like iron things out in a
conversation here sometimes, andit's incredible.
So I was talking to Jaren Mooreearlier, and this is for both of
us, this is our first time likeat a live event, a live eBay
open like this.
But we've been part of eBay openvirtual and like seller week in
filming for the last three yearsor so.
Um, like both of us have been,you know, each year, and so
(24:43):
we've gotten like this littletaste of what it actually is
like in person now, you know,and it's like all the things I
loved about Seller Week, I loveabout this too, but it's like
kind of on a larger scale.
So it's been super cool.
But yeah, well, I don't want tohold you up because there's so
much to do and see here, butthank you so much for hopping on
with me.
It's just an honor and apleasure.
(25:04):
And do you want to plug any ofyour podcast things?
SPEAKER_01 (25:07):
I thank you so much for asking because I have to go
face Philip and I don't want toget in big trouble.
For forgetting to plug.
No, please, shameless plug,shameless plug.
Okay, so what I do with PhilipJackson is the selling on eBay
radio show.
We're polar opposites.
He's the pro with the radiovoice.
And I'm the opposite.
(25:28):
That's awesome.
I love that.
And uh the only podcast, and Isell on eBay, Sherry underscore
sells.
And that's all.
But and I'm so glad I know you.
Awesome.
SPEAKER_03 (25:41):
I'm so glad I know you.
You're the best, and thank youagain for coming on.
This is so fun.
Thanks for having me.
We're gonna have the best timefor the next day and a half.
Yeah, they're dancing.
Oh, yes, we'll be dancing.
Oh, yeah.
You will catch me in sherrydancing.
SPEAKER_07 (25:55):
My name is Alec Larson, and let's drop that
beat.
SPEAKER_03 (26:00):
You're on air with us here at the Cellar Club
Podcast booth at eBay Open 2025live in Las Vegas.
SPEAKER_07 (26:05):
Exciting.
Is that correct?
SPEAKER_03 (26:07):
All those facts are correct.
Okay.
So normally when you're on air,you are in the air.
SPEAKER_07 (26:13):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (26:14):
In an airplane.
SPEAKER_07 (26:16):
Yeah, I'm usually a mile or two high.
SPEAKER_03 (26:20):
Um but right now you're like totally sitting on
the ground.
SPEAKER_07 (26:23):
Now we're here safe on the ground with you guys.
SPEAKER_03 (26:25):
How has your eBay open been so far?
SPEAKER_07 (26:27):
It's it's been credible.
Uh, because I don't know if youfeel the same way, but I'm kind
of alone at the business allday.
Yeah.
So you're sitting there all day,you know, you're in your own
head mostly, you're doingcomputer work.
You don't necessarily have muchsocial interaction aside from
the post office and maybe yourneighbor at the warehouse next
(26:49):
door by the way.
And let alone, even if you havea social circle, you don't talk
about your eBay business withthem.
It's hard to so being here witheverybody that is eating,
sleeping, and breathing eBay,it's uh it's incredible to
bounce ideas.
You you talk to you can sitthere, your voice is you lose
(27:11):
your voice by just talking to uhrandom people.
It's so that's what I love aboutit.
It's my social outlet.
Um it's a good dopaminerecharge.
And then you get the excuse totravel.
So what about you guys?
How is it?
SPEAKER_03 (27:27):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, it's been great.
I mean, it's been great for us.
So for me, tell me if this isthe same for you.
Um, this is my first likein-person eBay open event.
Like, I know I know we've bothbeen part of eBay open for the
last several years, but it's allbeen virtual events as far as
the ones I've been involvedwith.
Have you been to an in-personone before?
SPEAKER_07 (27:47):
This would be the first actual official in-person.
We did we went to like the thethe LA version of this where
there were some people.
So that was sort of like a verysimilar, but yeah, yeah.
Yeah, uh, so yeah, essentiallythe first time.
Cool.
SPEAKER_03 (28:02):
Yeah, my I mean, we've both had this same
experience the last couple yearsof flying out to San Jose for
seller week where we're likepre-filming stuff or the virtual
event, and um that was had itsown magic, but I do feel like
this eBay open is like is likemaking me realize that that was
just a microcosm of this.
Like, yeah, like I love I lovethe same things about this, but
(28:26):
it's much bigger scale um andkind of overwhelming, but it's
great.
Like we're just like immersed init.
What are the things you're likea very seasoned seller?
Um don't laugh, it's true.
SPEAKER_07 (28:39):
Like I said, I like the old low standard stuff.
SPEAKER_03 (28:42):
I like the caveat though.
I'm gonna veto any caveat youtried to put on that.
No, but but you are you're avery seasoned seller, and so
you're not here learning.
You're welcome.
You're not here learning likehow to sell 101.
So what are the things that youare like picking up, or have you
had like a favorite moment orfavorite thing you've learned or
something so far?
SPEAKER_07 (29:01):
Yeah, the a couple couple of points where I my next
my next move is to either to getto my the next goal would be to
purchase a commercial property,uh expand with more employees.
So I love talking to somebodythat's three or four times the
size as what I am now.
(29:21):
Yeah.
Um because I can ask them, sodid you use an SBA loan to get
the commercial property or didyou do seller financing?
And then you learn these otheryou know, you're talking to
somebody that's done it, and umand and then you you looking
back, that's how you kind of gotwhere you are now is by somebody
else, somebody else's path.
SPEAKER_03 (29:41):
You followed it along in some sort of uh not
coattail, but but notreinventing a wheel or like
finding out that stuff that likeyou don't know that you don't
know.
SPEAKER_07 (29:50):
Yeah, right?
Exactly.
And so that's kind of what whatI get from here is I want to be,
I want to feel like I'm reallysmall.
Because it you see your ownnumbers.
And you get hyped up and you go,I've met that goal and that
goal, and then you talk tosomebody that's like 14 times
the size of that, and you go,Oh, okay.
It's it that's also possible,and that's how they did it.
(30:14):
So that's my blueprint now thatI can I can form in my head is
not that far-fetched, and uhhere's what I'm gonna do when I
get back to start the first steptowards that direction.
So that's what I look for here,you know, and then and then just
well, I don't know about how youfelt about this, but by by being
invited out the first couple ofyears um by eBay themselves, you
(30:38):
kind of get a differentvalidation of your business.
You don't really have you haveyour you don't the only person
that's really sitting theregoing, You're doing a great job,
keep keep it up, is kind of likeyourself.
SPEAKER_03 (30:48):
When you look in the mirror every morning, yeah, you
kind of have to do it.
SPEAKER_07 (30:51):
You're doing great, Alec.
SPEAKER_03 (30:51):
Yeah, keep it up.
SPEAKER_07 (30:52):
You know, you don't have a manager that's like,
we're recognizing yourecognizing you with this plaque
you've done, you know, you kindof have to so when you have you
know when you have that not it'slike external recognition, yeah.
Yeah, so you go, okay, so thatmakes me feel good.
I have I feel like you getpermission to continue growing,
and so that so those things iswhat what I get out of it um for
(31:15):
sure is that's awesome.
Uh meeting everybody, obviously,the the community, of course.
Um so yeah, if that answersthose those two.
SPEAKER_03 (31:28):
It does.
It makes me think of anotherseller I was talking to earlier
today who shared that somebodysaid basically made the comment
that um everybody has to likefind their own path, and that he
was so encouraged.
He he had a lot in common withyou.
Um, you know, he has a prettybig business and he's very much
flying solo running it.
(31:48):
So it this was his first eBayopen, also, you know, at all.
Like he'd never even been to avirtual one or anything, but he
was saying that that commentinspired him so much because it
made him realize, like, yeah,it's possible for me to keep
forging ahead.
And I think that is so cool.
Like, you know, on this podcast,one thing that we love to do is
figure out, you know, the threeof us who host it have really
(32:10):
different businesses.
We have different businessmodels, different types of
inventory.
And so whenever we're talkingshop with each other, sometimes
it's like all the all the greatinsight is where things
intersect, and sometimes it'swhere they don't intersect,
right?
And we can learn stuff from eachother because we're different.
And I think that's just like themagic of an environment like
(32:31):
this.
You can have like 50 of thoseconversations, you know, in the
short window of time while we'rehere at the conference, and it
can really show you, maybe itdoesn't show you, like you said,
it's not coattail writing, it'snot your exact step for step,
just do what I did in these 10easy steps, but it's like giving
you a lot of insight into how tocarve your own path forward,
even just like showing you howpossible it is, like that is a
(32:53):
huge part of it because youknow, a lot of us are these kind
of scrappy entrepreneurs andwe're figuring it out as we go.
And it is super encouraging tomeet other people who have
already like they're not likenecessarily better than you,
they're further down the road,and they've you know, they've
carved out more of their path,and it's really inspiring to see
that.
SPEAKER_07 (33:13):
Yeah, and that's sometimes all it takes is just
to observe someone doingsomething, yeah.
And then uh yeah.
Uh somebody climbing a mountainor something or climbing a tree,
see them do it.
SPEAKER_04 (33:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (33:24):
Uh and you could you could you see now that it's
possible, so you climb up andit's yeah, it's uh it's the same
thing with building something,you know.
SPEAKER_03 (33:33):
Yeah.
Speaking of building something,oh yeah.
Tell me what you've beenbuilding.
SPEAKER_07 (33:39):
I've just been working on software for my own
business a little bit.
SPEAKER_03 (33:43):
Uh I use casually developing software, it's fine.
SPEAKER_07 (33:45):
Yeah, I guess I as as a pretext, I should say kind
of what I do, what I sell.
Uh I do automotive parts andsourcing inventory for me is
buying one-off items.
So I, you know, I don't have asupplier per se where I have
multiple, multiple quantities ofone SKU and I'm always
replenishing that.
(34:05):
It's once I buy a part and Isell it, I'm probably never
gonna have it again.
So I have to continuallyreplenish it.
SPEAKER_04 (34:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (34:11):
You know, I'm selling, I'm doing shipping 50
orders a day, so that meansevery day I'm I'm adding 50 new
products and sometimes more totry to keep growing.
SPEAKER_03 (34:19):
Right.
SPEAKER_07 (34:19):
So sourcing inventory requires me going
through thousands of partnumbers, essentially appraising
a list of inventory to decideI'll buy this, this, that, skip
this, skip this.
SPEAKER_04 (34:31):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (34:32):
Uh and the way I do that is I use the product
research tool in eBay.
SPEAKER_03 (34:36):
Shout out product research, three years of data.
SPEAKER_07 (34:39):
It's the secret sauce to my entire business
model.
Um, you know, it takes the riskout of every possible aside from
like a hurricane destroying mywarehouse.
SPEAKER_03 (34:49):
Which I mean you do live in the world.
SPEAKER_07 (34:50):
Which is a possibility, yeah.
So using that, the the problemwas it was a very tedious
process for me.
I would I would I would get alist uh from a dealership or an
auction, and it would have athousand line items on it that
I'd have to go through.
So I'd copy and paste one, two,and it would take me two days to
go through like one list, andjust the whole day is taken up
(35:12):
by doing that.
SPEAKER_03 (35:13):
Just manually processing like data, basically.
SPEAKER_07 (35:17):
And so with eBay's help uh and using the product
research API, I created a bulktool to do that.
So taking I can instead ofmanually copying and pasting
part numbers, I can take anentire Excel spreadsheet, upload
it into my software, and then itappraises the entire list for
(35:37):
me, tells me here's what youshould buy, here's what you
should skip out on in about youknow 15 minutes or so.
SPEAKER_03 (35:44):
That's incredible.
So what a time saver.
Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_07 (35:48):
It's a time saver, and then you know, there's
implementing it and andexecuting on it, it has it has
utility for I can think of a fewways that it could be utilized
for sellers.
SPEAKER_04 (36:00):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (36:01):
And one way I'm thinking is uh, you know, I'm
using it for parts where youhave a unique identifier, a part
number on every part, or uh, youknow, with with with other
products, it might be a UPC codeor a ASIN number.
But you could essentially use itas a tool to appraise your own
(36:22):
store inventory.
So it could run against your ownstore, tell you, you know,
here's all your inventory that'sgrade A that you should focus on
selling, right?
And here's here's you know, 20items that are probably better
off being scrapped, or you canbundle these and try to auction
them and clear out the space.
SPEAKER_03 (36:37):
Liquidate it.
SPEAKER_07 (36:38):
And I think that would be something extremely
useful.
SPEAKER_03 (36:42):
Also, could be extremely depressing.
SPEAKER_07 (36:44):
Depressing, yeah.
You know, you're looking at thedollar amount in inventory and
you go, well, only this muchmight be sellable.
But I think it would be sothat's what I'm thinking of
right now.
I'm using it to, you know,source inventory, but I'm also
thinking of I can put this toolin the field of you know, my my
customers that are automotivedealerships, where oh yeah, you
(37:07):
know, instead of using me tojust buy their inventory, I can
help them uh sell it themselves.
Yeah.
Uh using the software.
Um so those that's what I'mplaying with now, and it's
almost done.
I'm probably I'll probably putout like a you know, I use it
every day.
Um, but I I'll probably put outsomething and maybe get some of
my friends to test it.
(37:27):
Maybe you guys, if you want totest it.
SPEAKER_03 (37:29):
I bet some of your friends would be happy to test
it.
And uh depressing though it maybe.
No, just kidding.
SPEAKER_07 (37:34):
Yeah, I don't think it would be depressing.
SPEAKER_03 (37:35):
It's tough love.
You need to know if some of yourinventory is not gonna do it.
SPEAKER_07 (37:39):
Like, you know, we do, I don't know if you guys you
guys use promoted listings andand ads and stuff.
Yeah.
Um, for me, I I tend to becauseI have so much inventory, I
blanket put that those ads oneverything.
Right.
Well, if you have a really hotselling product, like a like an
item that sells a hundred timesa month, you probably don't need
to pay for advertising.
SPEAKER_03 (37:58):
Right.
And you could be saving thatfive percent or whatever.
SPEAKER_07 (38:01):
Yeah, and then maybe it would be better off put on an
item where it's you know uhreally slow moving.
Um like a ton of competition andso that's where like the the
software I'm working on couldcome in and and and help in that
regard too.
SPEAKER_03 (38:15):
So that's really cool.
Those are the Does eBay knowyou're doing this?
SPEAKER_07 (38:18):
Yeah, I talked to them because they gave me this
was this was the other coolthing about being um involved.
I think they they were veryfriendly to me with the develop
the the developer team.
Um and I sat and had a littlemeeting with them when I got to
um visit the HQ in 2022.
I sat I sat with them and thatwas uh that was amazing.
SPEAKER_03 (38:41):
I didn't realize you've been working on it for
that long.
SPEAKER_07 (38:43):
Yeah, because I would use it, I had it in a I
had it basically written as ascript and a Google Sheet to
where it didn't have like afancy interface.
It was just something that um Iwould copy and paste the whole
list into and it would it wasvery hard to use a crunch of
that.
Yeah, you would like to do it.
Like at the end, user would belike, What is this?
SPEAKER_03 (39:00):
Yeah, a couple times.
SPEAKER_07 (39:02):
And I was like, okay, well let me, you know, why
not?
Now that building software withAI is a lot easier, why not try
it?
And put it in it, and it's it'sa lot of fun.
You would love it.
I know you would love to messwith it.
SPEAKER_03 (39:15):
I mean, twist my arm, like yes, I'll test it,
okay?
Yes.
I mean, I would love it.
It sounds really, it soundsreally cool and really valuable,
like really helpful.
Um, okay, so Alec, you have somany hats.
Like, we know you a lot ofpeople probably have seen you in
eBay like eBay stuff becauseyou're like their poster child
for a lot of things, which isreally fun.
(39:36):
So, you know, you're a rockstar, you're a pilot, you're
like an auto parts empire guru.
I know you're gonna hate theword guru, but I think it's
hilarious I had to say to yourface.
But um what what kind of uhskill set or expertise do you
have about something that peoplewould like never guess?
Like what's a a secret expertisethat you have about something?
SPEAKER_07 (40:00):
That's a good question.
SPEAKER_03 (40:01):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_07 (40:01):
I'm definitely not a rock star.
I'm used to be a uh like acontracted musician, if you
could even say that.
It was but uh the pilot stuff.
Um, you know, I think I'm reallygood at troubleshooting.
Uh like if you're you know, Ican I I can fix says guy who
builds his own software to solvehis problem.
(40:22):
Yeah, I can fix things, youknow.
Your car doesn't start, I canput a new starter on it in a
couple hours.
Um uh the airplane, I I couldessentially rebuild the airplane
and work on all the maintenanceon the airplane and
modifications are allinspections are all done by me.
(40:42):
I don't know, skill levelskills.
I don't consider my I I'm youcould say I could I would yeah,
I would consider myself like ajack of all trades, master of
none.
Maybe master of I would say no.
Okay, jack of all trades.
SPEAKER_03 (40:56):
Like off the top of your head, I would say you're a
master of anything.
SPEAKER_07 (40:58):
I would never call myself a master of anything,
because that would just be thatwould just be arrogant, but like
I I like to I it's it's fun tolearn new things and um
implement them and because likeyou you can sometimes get burnt
out of doing business all thetime, so then you have an
outlet.
Okay, I'll go turn wrenches onthe plane today, and now I'm
(41:19):
recharged there, or I'm sick ofbeing out here in the heat, I'll
go back to going on thecomputer.
So it's nice to have thoseoutlets.
SPEAKER_03 (41:28):
Are you like secretly like an expert on
leopard geckos or something?
SPEAKER_07 (41:33):
No, let me think if there's anything else I'm an
expert in.
SPEAKER_03 (41:37):
What about Florida man stuff?
SPEAKER_07 (41:39):
You would think I could come up with something
like that, like lore, likeFlorida lore.
SPEAKER_03 (41:45):
You just emerged out of the swamp one day.
SPEAKER_07 (41:47):
No, I'm not, you know, I'm not like.
Let me think.
I'll get back to you on that.
For now, it's for now I'm reallyI'm really just nerded out on on
the business, airplanes, andmaybe some guitar stuff, but I
don't pick up the guitar as muchas I used to anymore, anyway,
either.
SPEAKER_03 (42:07):
Do you miss it or did you need a break from the
side?
SPEAKER_07 (42:08):
I miss it a lot.
Do you?
I miss the camaraderie of theband and the friends.
SPEAKER_03 (42:12):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (42:13):
Uh i i because you're going, you're not just
going and playing music.
Uh you're you're going to hangout with four of your best
friends, you know, you'replaying a show, that's fun.
But then you're in the greenroom and you're just laughing
hysterically at the meme thatAndre just showed me, and you're
just you're it's there's nothinglike it.
And you go out to eatafterwards, and you just you
(42:34):
it's very hard to get that,especially as an adult.
You hang out with friends, youhave to make a plan.
We're going out to dinner.
SPEAKER_04 (42:40):
Why to Vegas to hang out with your friends?
SPEAKER_07 (42:42):
Yeah, and that's like it's this big thing, but
with the music stuff, it'd belike, well, we're at Disney four
nights a week, I'll see youThursday.
Okay, I'll be there.
And y'all you know you're gonnabe there at five and everything.
I miss that so much.
Um hopefully, you know,hopefully sometime when I if I
get more time and you know, thethe the space maybe opens up um
(43:02):
without stepping on anybody'stoes.
Because that's the thing is whenyou get everybody who wouldn't
want to go play music.
SPEAKER_03 (43:08):
So yeah, so every you know, yeah, some somebody
had to take your place, somebodyhas to take your place and then
back out.
SPEAKER_07 (43:13):
Yeah, and it's so so you pass you you let the baton
get past and then so but youknow, it's it's all there I I
cannot complain about the lifeI've had over the past decade.
I I I didn't think I would makeit that far.
I thought if I can do this musicthing until I'm 30, I'd be
happy.
This would be great.
And so if you're able to do thatwith music, um then you know
(43:38):
that's that's you take what youcan get and and be grateful for
it.
So that's where I how I look atit now.
SPEAKER_03 (43:44):
I love it.
I think that's a really goodperspective.
Is there uh sorry, we're aphoto's being taken of us for
those of you listening.
Is there um anything else youwould want to tell somebody who
maybe is having major FOMOhearing this, not in Vegas with
us right now?
Like, what would you say toanother seller who's maybe
looking for how to how tocontinue to carve out their path
(44:07):
or yeah make some connections?
SPEAKER_07 (44:10):
It is for me, because you could see you can
come up with all kinds ofadvice, and the thing with
advice is it's always gonna bedifferent.
Yeah, it's gonna be perceiveddifferently.
Everybody's situation is ahundred percent different.
Um but I think the commondenominator in all of it is
consistency, the patience, umconsistency number one.
(44:36):
If you're if you're consistentlydoing this, you're gonna see
some results.
And that result's gonna continueto push you to be move even more
consistent.
Yeah, and then you're gonnareinforce and then you're gonna
get to the point where you haveto be consistent because your
food on the table depends on it.
Yeah.
So it it'll just snowball.
So can if you can consistentlydo something like this, you
(44:57):
know, for a couple weeks and seeresults, you're gonna that
that's all it takes.
Because the rest you'll figureout.
Because you're it you're gonnahave it, it's gonna be a maze,
you're gonna hit a wall, you'regonna hit this, you're gonna hit
that, you're gonna have to solvethis puzzle, that puzzle, the
your landlord's gonna doubleyour lease, you're gonna get
sued maybe.
But you know, you're gonna haveall those things, but the the
(45:18):
consistency the consistency isgoing to equip you to have the
tools to handle all thosechallenges and then grow and
yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (45:29):
And I mean, even if you're even if you are at eBay
open or you're attendingvirtually or you're re-watching
stuff later um that's that'sbeen recorded, you know, and
you're watching after the fact,like any any little change that
you implement, you also stillhave to do that same consistent
application process, right?
Like that's on the large scaleand the small scale to see your
(45:49):
business grow.
SPEAKER_07 (45:50):
Because even if you had the secrets, if you had the
secret recipe, if I gave my, youknow, that's why I I stopped
really caring about I used toalways kind of be scared about
telling my story of businessbecause well then I won't want,
you know, maybe I'll people willfigure out that they can I can
get they can compete with me andthen there won't be it was a
sort of a scarcity feeling whenin reality it's kind of like uh
(46:12):
you know the the the right wayto think about it is all the
ships will rise with the waters.
Um but but you even with knowingeverything under the hood, you
still have to implement thatconsistently, and that's really
yeah again, that's really all itis is just consistently doing
it.
Which is a the secret toeverything.
SPEAKER_03 (46:29):
It's a difficult barrier though, because not many
people are willing to do that.
SPEAKER_07 (46:32):
Yeah, you have a job and you have this.
Yeah, you have kids maybe, andit and it is difficult.
I I think the cool thing withthe eBay stuff though, as like a
I guess like a final thought toois uh I started the eBay thing
while I had two other jobs.
I was I was flying and workingon airplanes and the musician at
Disney.
Uh, but the cool thing about theeBay is you can start you can
(46:54):
dip your feet in just a littlebit.
SPEAKER_03 (46:56):
Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (46:56):
You know, you can do it two hours a day and you're
still gonna see a result, andthen you can slowly let it creep
into your life.
And you know, it's not like youhave to go commit.
There's not a there's really nobarrier to entry as far as like
capital.
You're you're not having to goput a down payment on a lease.
SPEAKER_03 (47:13):
You can start with one item.
SPEAKER_07 (47:14):
Yeah, so that's what's so cool about the eBay or
just reselling in general, islike you can start it very small
at your own pace, you know.
SPEAKER_04 (47:24):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (47:25):
Um, what more can you ask for to start something?
SPEAKER_03 (47:29):
Nothing.
Everyone should never ask foranything else, and that should
be it, right there.
SPEAKER_07 (47:33):
Very hard to disrupt it.
You know, it's it's gonna bevery hard to disrupt with AI
going and thrifting and andfinding things that are uh
neglected or auctions, and it'salways gonna be mismanaged
inventory to buy and sell.
Uh unless we all end up livingin like a virtual reality
simulation, then it's then it'sover.
(47:53):
But like until that, like Ithink there's always gonna be
we've got a long runway.
SPEAKER_03 (47:58):
We do we do, and that's that's just it.
You can build your own runway oneBay and it can fit into your
life however your life alreadyis.
SPEAKER_07 (48:06):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (48:06):
I think we can drop the mic right there, Alex.
We solved it all.
SPEAKER_07 (48:10):
Thank you for talking to me.
SPEAKER_04 (48:13):
And uh thanks for coming on the show.
SPEAKER_07 (48:15):
Yeah, it's always good to hang out with you guys.
Always, it's it really does makeme happy and coming out here and
all that.
So awesome.
We will have to go fly some timewith everybody.
SPEAKER_03 (48:26):
I don't know.
I rode in a Tesla with you onetime, and I'm not sure I could
get in airplane.
SPEAKER_07 (48:31):
Oh, yeah, the rented Tesla, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (48:33):
Yeah, I think my soul left my body um for a
little bit.
SPEAKER_07 (48:36):
Yeah, I'd never force you to get into the plane.
SPEAKER_03 (48:38):
Well, I would never really trust anyone else enough
to like even having ridden inthe Tesla.
Like, I trusted you with my lifefor real.
It's very smart, you know.
And I didn't die, so that shouldreally be something.
SPEAKER_07 (48:48):
Yeah, yeah, you should I it's smart to not trust
everybody with your life.
SPEAKER_03 (48:53):
Yes, it is.
SPEAKER_02 (48:54):
That's good advice, I would say.
SPEAKER_07 (48:56):
I would say I'm I'm not I'm definitely one of those
that's not gonna that's gonnatell you, like, yeah, the
aviation, it's not that it'sinherently dangerous, it's that
it doesn't forgive carelessnessin any way.
So you just have to uh be awarethat you know, in a car, looking
at your phone, you're you mightbe forgiven by hitting a curb or
(49:17):
something, but in like you know,the plane sometimes won't
forgive you, it'll just yeahtake you.
SPEAKER_03 (49:26):
So can we please end on that note?
I love that so much.
Oh my gosh.
Alec Larson, you're wonderful.
Thank you for coming on theshow.
SPEAKER_07 (49:34):
Thank you.
I'll see you.
Talk to you later.
SPEAKER_03 (49:36):
Bye.
Bye.
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