How to Start Something from Nothing

This story has been developing for the last 6 years, I’ve wanted to share it for a few months now. I frequently get asked questions about my business and it’s beginnings, so lets start there, the beginning.

learning how to sew

 

Alternate Post Title – ‘The Summer That I Banged on Glass to Recycle Aluminum to Make Money to Buy Supplies to Start a Shop to Make Money.’ Or, ‘If You Give a Girl a Hammer and an Idea…’

We were living in Florida the summer of 2007, we were on break between college semesters and Chris was working for my brother installing impact resistant windows.  And we were poor, boy were we poor. Before we made the trek from Utah to Florida for the summer, I had a chat with one of my good friends about what I could possibly do to make extra money. She told me that she was going to make stuff and sell it online, and a lightbulb went off in my head. I thought to myself, I can totally do that – I’m can totally make stuff.

So there we are in Florida and I now had a plan, I was going to make ‘stuff’ and sell that ’stuff’ online. Before we left, I packed my sewing machine and the teeny tiny small stash of tools and fabric that I had. I started making a couple of quilts and sold them on ebay. But, I still needed fabric and thread and needles and ’stuff’ to make ’stuff’ with. And again, I don’t know if you understand by now, but we had no money.

my first quilts that I sold online

 

Part of my brother’s business consisted of removing old windows and replacing them with the new windows. He had a big ole pile of old windows sitting on the side of their house collecting dust and around each of those old windows was aluminum. I asked my brother what he was going to do with all of that aluminum. He said that if I wanted to pound out all of the glass from the windows, I could have the aluminum. And then it started, every day for a week, I would put my one year old baby down for a nap and go outside in the hot Florida sun and pound glass out of aluminum. By the end of a week we took the aluminum to the scrap yard and I had pounded $100 worth of aluminum.

I took that $100 and my Joann coupons to the fabric store. I was able to buy yards of fabric and handles and needles and more fabric – supplies! With those supplies I made my first bags. And those bags were the first things that I sold on Etsy. Bless mine and my first customers’ heart.

first online sales

 

The thing was/is, I’m not the best seamstress. I taught myself how to sew that summer, I sewed every day and I got much better. I sold my very first bags on etsy for $10 and I actually lost money with the first couple of things that I sold online. But, those first couple of sales that I made online bolstered my confidence enough that I kept at it. I kept pounding windows and I kept sewing. I left Florida with a car full of bags and quilts and a head full of ideas.

On the long drive from Florida back to Utah, I kept thinking about how I really wanted to make a business out of selling stuff online. Could I make this work as a career? Would I be able to make enough money to justify the time that I put into it this summer? Time would only tell. I learned something really important about my entrepreneurial self that summer, I can hustle way better than I can sew, and this reality is still true.

Comments

  1. Jamie :
    Inspiring! Thank you for sharing! One day I aspire to be successful selling my "stuff" online.
  2. lucy :
    Thank you!
  3. Danielle :
    Oh I am really excited to read this story as it unfolds. Creativity, confidence, &being able to hustle are things I think about a lot. I am too afraid of not being good enough at things to hustle. I love your gumption! Also I wanted to say hello at the Mom's best thing last night but didn't get a chance to awkwardly introduce myself --"Hey I totally know you but you don't know me cause I follow your blog". I'm sure you get it all the time. :) Anyway you are totally inspiring!
  4. Leigh :
    I love your story! I didn't know you started with quilts. I can't wait to hear more!
    • Susan :
      Thank you Leigh!
  5. Hilary :
    I have mad sewing skills and no hustling skills whatsoever! I need to find a friend who has the hustle and hare her sell my stuff for me! I love your blog and your tutorials are so clear. Thanks for sharing. Hilary
  6. Melanie Saucier :
    Wow, you must feel proud looking back at all the efforts you've put into your business! Did you think at that time it would be what it is today?
  7. claire :
    Thank you for this story! I make stuff and want to sell them one day :)
    • Susan :
      thank you, claire!
  8. Eva @ Sycamore Street Press :
    I love your story, Susan. I just read the $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau which was really inspiring, and this reminds me of the stories he tells in that book. I love the new shop, too. p.s. One of these days we need to hang out again!
    • Susan :
      eva, thank you so much! i would love to hang out, we have to hurry before the holidays get here! xo
  9. Bea @ CancunCOOKIES :
    I love your inspirting story, Susan!
  10. l o v e l y t h i n g s :
    Susan, I'm so glad I went back and read a bunch of your older posts so that I saw this one and learn about how you got started. It's an amazing story of how to never give up...have a plan and be resourceful, very resourceful. I mean, wow, pounding glass out of aluminum in the hot Florida sun while baby naps...now that's a start up story! I love that re-use bag and of course your darling baby moccasins. annie
  11. Kaelee Everett :
    Glad I read this today. I have been sewing little dolls as gifts and im starting to get really good. I keep getting to a point where I feel ready to start a little shop, and then I get discouraged. I find an excuse. My last doll was so perfect though, and it gave me the boost I need, so im jumping in.

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