Patience a virtue

Today, eBay lifted the restrictions on my account. I am eager to make up some serious ground starting today.

Within moments of posting a phone today, it sold. The money, as meager an amount as it may be, has me excited at the prospect of surpassing my best numbers yet.

My goal is to get to 5000 in profits by one week from today. I don't think I've ever done that, and it seems an excellent starting point.

I will also get all of my receipts and tracking numbers in order.

Leap and the net will appear

My eBay account is currently suspended. This came  as quote a shock to me due to the speed with which I was accumulating positive feedback. The reason it happened was because two international customers claimed never to have received their phones. I don't believe it for a moment, but they froze my funds nonetheless. This set off red  flags with eBay, who now is in the process of reviewing my account. It worries me because this I'd currently my only source of income. So, based on what I have learned from this experience, this is what I would do differently:

1. Never sell to Russia. There are a list of other countries that eBay advises against due to the fraud issues that litter those nations. You can sell there, but it is extremely risky.

2. Don't put all of your proverbial eggs in one basket. In my case, I will be using Craigslist much more often, selling Prepaid Legal, investing in property, and day trading. It would have been much smoother to have several sources of income at my disposal.

3. Get receipts for EVERYTHING. This is especially important come tax time, but you very well be required to offer up proof of ownership of the items you are selling. If you can't provide this, eBay can shut your business down in a hurry and with no warning.

4. Answer every question you are asked quickly.

Those are my pearls of wisdom for today. I'll update soon.

"Daddy, are you going home now?"

That's the question that changed my life. In this economy, we are conditioned to fear. Fear the unexpected: the loss of a job, the loss of loved ones because there isn't enough money or medical coverage to go around. Every day, we are bombarded by horror stories about people who can't make ends meet, and at the end of the day, we become wage slaves. It's a trap, and I fell for it, like so many Occupy protesters. For years, I was under the heel of corporate America, and boy, did I resent it. And soon enough, it was transparent. My boss even told me "If you don't like the rules, go start your own company". That stuck with me, but I was too afraid to pull the trigger. You see, I am a single-income provider for a family of 5. I don't have much of a safety net if I were to fail.

But then, the question:

"Daddy, are you going home now?" came from my 3-year-old daughter Annabelle's mouth. I commuted 5 hours each day to get to a job that would help us maintain our standard of living. It was at that moment that I realized that I was missing my children grow up.

So, with the inspiration of two books written by Brian Tracy, "Eat That Frog" and "Success Is A Journey", I decided to take the leap. In "Success", Brian said "Leap and the net will appear". So I have decided to take him up on that challenge. I have lept. I started my own company, and I am going to be my own boss. At the end of the day, I may make less money, but my goals are lofty ones, so I doubt that it will be that way for long.

So, Brian, if some day you happen to stumble across this blog, know that it was you that inspired me (though I in no way hold you personally accountable if I fall on my face). I am going to use the principles learned in your books to help me achieve my dreams. And I hope to one day thank you in person.

Warmest Regards,
Bill Dayton