Life Stories by Mary Thompson
Desperate Times-Desperate measures
Because I've been an Antique Marketeer for over 30 years I've met some amazing Entrepreneurs in that time and their stories have been varied. Stories that I will be bring you in this section will be true stories about real live people and how they not only survived under adversities but, in most cases thrived. These are stories about bread winners who lost jobs, both males and females, and how they went out and against all the odds became sucess stories. Many of them with only pennies in their pockets and familes to support, went on to create very lucrative businesses for themselves. In some cases they created multiple business for themselves that have proved to be quite sucessful. Some have also doubled and even tripled the income that they were making on their "jobs".
These stories are about everyday people doing extraordinary things to survive and in many cases to live their dream. These entrepreneurs have graciously agreed to share their trials and experiences with us. So, for those of you who may be going through the loss of a job right now this should serve as motivation for you to never give up because anything is possible.
These individuals are like human "Candles" that provide light in these dark times of job loss, cut-backs etc. Their ideas and concepts can serve as inspiration for the human "soul". These stories are coming straight from the hearts of those who lived it and are now loving it. As they tell their stories try to feel their emotions along with their zeal for their new life that they've made for themselves and their families.
My sincere thanks goes out to all these Kindred Spirits who have contributed by sharing their stories with us. I hope that you will return often to hear each one tell their story, some in the form of question and answer Interviews and others in a story format.
Desperate Times-Desperate measures
Because I've been an Antique Marketeer for over 30 years I've met some amazing Entrepreneurs in that time and their stories have been varied. Stories that I will be bring you in this section will be true stories about real live people and how they not only survived under adversities but, in most cases thrived. These are stories about bread winners who lost jobs, both males and females, and how they went out and against all the odds became sucess stories. Many of them with only pennies in their pockets and familes to support, went on to create very lucrative businesses for themselves. In some cases they created multiple business for themselves that have proved to be quite sucessful. Some have also doubled and even tripled the income that they were making on their "jobs".
These stories are about everyday people doing extraordinary things to survive and in many cases to live their dream. These entrepreneurs have graciously agreed to share their trials and experiences with us. So, for those of you who may be going through the loss of a job right now this should serve as motivation for you to never give up because anything is possible.
These individuals are like human "Candles" that provide light in these dark times of job loss, cut-backs etc. Their ideas and concepts can serve as inspiration for the human "soul". These stories are coming straight from the hearts of those who lived it and are now loving it. As they tell their stories try to feel their emotions along with their zeal for their new life that they've made for themselves and their families.
My sincere thanks goes out to all these Kindred Spirits who have contributed by sharing their stories with us. I hope that you will return often to hear each one tell their story, some in the form of question and answer Interviews and others in a story format.
Branden Dyke's Life Story
MT: Branden how long did you work at your last "Job" and what led up to your deciding to leave?
BD: I worked at a local Grocery Chain here in town for 9 years. The reason for my leaving is because my boss cut my hours to about 20 hours a week, yet he still expected the same work amount of work from me as I did when I was full time. I had a wife and daughter to support and 20 hours was not going to work for me. The thing that really led up to my quitting was the day that he dared me to quit. He actually said to me, "you can't quit", I did! right then and there. I didn't have 2 nickels in my pocket. I was scared, and it probably wasn't the best decision at the time but a couple days later I found out that It was going to be OK.
MT: Branden, how did your family feel about your decision?
BD: My wife hit the ceiling at first. But I told her to trust me and that everything was going to be OK.
MT: So Branden what did you start to do next in order to make a living?
BD: I didn't really know what direction to take so my wife and I had a yard sale and we made a good bit of money so, I just started having yard sales with everything I could find, even stuff that I found lying along side the road. I soon made enough money to buy me a box truck and I got a bunch of banana boxes from a grocery store. I filled that truck up with a hundred to a hundred and fifty boxes of junk, just stuff. I'd take it to a gas station on Friday and to the Antique Market on Saturday and then Smiley's Flea Market on Sunday. And every day I'd set up this treasure Island where every thing would cost $1.00. I'd set me up 2-300 boxes a day and at that time life was great! I was having a blast selling 3-$400 a day. Then all of a sudden another opportunity would come up, a buddy of mine taught me how to junk cars and scrap metal and I started doing that by putting signs in the ground all around town. Then people started to call me for the junk cars and I would buy one for $200 and crush it for $600 and that made it worth it. I even made signs that advertised me as a junker picker-upper and boy did people start calling me for their left overs from their yard sale and to clean out their garages and junk removal. I even had a man call me to give me a boat which I advertised on Craigslist and sold it. Next, another buddy talked me into going in half with him in an impound lot so I started doing that also at the same time. Then another buddy of mine taught me how to buy and sell Gold and Silver. I went out and bought me a $10 kit and the next day I was buying and selling gold and silver. I told myself that I didn't know anybody who had any gold but I soon found out that I knew a lot of people who had gold and silver that they wanted to sell. That was exciting. In about 2 years then I found myself owning my own Auction house and General Store in a small town nearby Edenton, Georgia. We held an Antiques and Collectibles sale every Friday and Saturday night.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that everything was smooth sailing because it was not. I had a wife who was stressed out with me at times, as well as daycare cost not to mention a mortgage and phone for contacts and the internet for craigslist. It was not the most comfortable position to be in but I had to get up every morning put my shoes on and go out the door and make it happen. It was really non stop work for me. Some days I went from 6 o'clock in the morning until 12 o'clock at night I would be doing something and I never knew what that something might be. I just constantly motivated myself to work until I was OK. It wasn't everyday that I went out and made money but the days that I did outweighed the days that I didn't. For me I love the life that I have now and everyday is a big treasure hunt.
MT: What about partners that you teamed up with in your different businesses, did it always turn out good for you? Do you recommend having a partner? What are the pros and cons?
BD: Partners are tough. There's conflict of interest and you have money and your partner doesn't and that is one tough situation to be in. I had several in the past but in my opinion it is best to stay by yourself if you can. That way your action will fall back on you. And you only have your self to blame for the outcome whether good or bad. If you get too much work that you can't keep up, then just hire someone to work for you.
MT: Branden I know how busy you are with your 3 businesses so we will stop the interview right here and let's get together again next week to finish up the interview for our reader.
BD: That sounds good to me so we'll get together next week. Thanks a lot Mrs. Thompson.
So dear readers there you have it for now, come back again in 2 weeks and read the rest of Branden's Story. You don't want to miss out because the best is yet to come.
MT: Branden how long did you work at your last "Job" and what led up to your deciding to leave?
BD: I worked at a local Grocery Chain here in town for 9 years. The reason for my leaving is because my boss cut my hours to about 20 hours a week, yet he still expected the same work amount of work from me as I did when I was full time. I had a wife and daughter to support and 20 hours was not going to work for me. The thing that really led up to my quitting was the day that he dared me to quit. He actually said to me, "you can't quit", I did! right then and there. I didn't have 2 nickels in my pocket. I was scared, and it probably wasn't the best decision at the time but a couple days later I found out that It was going to be OK.
MT: Branden, how did your family feel about your decision?
BD: My wife hit the ceiling at first. But I told her to trust me and that everything was going to be OK.
MT: So Branden what did you start to do next in order to make a living?
BD: I didn't really know what direction to take so my wife and I had a yard sale and we made a good bit of money so, I just started having yard sales with everything I could find, even stuff that I found lying along side the road. I soon made enough money to buy me a box truck and I got a bunch of banana boxes from a grocery store. I filled that truck up with a hundred to a hundred and fifty boxes of junk, just stuff. I'd take it to a gas station on Friday and to the Antique Market on Saturday and then Smiley's Flea Market on Sunday. And every day I'd set up this treasure Island where every thing would cost $1.00. I'd set me up 2-300 boxes a day and at that time life was great! I was having a blast selling 3-$400 a day. Then all of a sudden another opportunity would come up, a buddy of mine taught me how to junk cars and scrap metal and I started doing that by putting signs in the ground all around town. Then people started to call me for the junk cars and I would buy one for $200 and crush it for $600 and that made it worth it. I even made signs that advertised me as a junker picker-upper and boy did people start calling me for their left overs from their yard sale and to clean out their garages and junk removal. I even had a man call me to give me a boat which I advertised on Craigslist and sold it. Next, another buddy talked me into going in half with him in an impound lot so I started doing that also at the same time. Then another buddy of mine taught me how to buy and sell Gold and Silver. I went out and bought me a $10 kit and the next day I was buying and selling gold and silver. I told myself that I didn't know anybody who had any gold but I soon found out that I knew a lot of people who had gold and silver that they wanted to sell. That was exciting. In about 2 years then I found myself owning my own Auction house and General Store in a small town nearby Edenton, Georgia. We held an Antiques and Collectibles sale every Friday and Saturday night.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that everything was smooth sailing because it was not. I had a wife who was stressed out with me at times, as well as daycare cost not to mention a mortgage and phone for contacts and the internet for craigslist. It was not the most comfortable position to be in but I had to get up every morning put my shoes on and go out the door and make it happen. It was really non stop work for me. Some days I went from 6 o'clock in the morning until 12 o'clock at night I would be doing something and I never knew what that something might be. I just constantly motivated myself to work until I was OK. It wasn't everyday that I went out and made money but the days that I did outweighed the days that I didn't. For me I love the life that I have now and everyday is a big treasure hunt.
MT: What about partners that you teamed up with in your different businesses, did it always turn out good for you? Do you recommend having a partner? What are the pros and cons?
BD: Partners are tough. There's conflict of interest and you have money and your partner doesn't and that is one tough situation to be in. I had several in the past but in my opinion it is best to stay by yourself if you can. That way your action will fall back on you. And you only have your self to blame for the outcome whether good or bad. If you get too much work that you can't keep up, then just hire someone to work for you.
MT: Branden I know how busy you are with your 3 businesses so we will stop the interview right here and let's get together again next week to finish up the interview for our reader.
BD: That sounds good to me so we'll get together next week. Thanks a lot Mrs. Thompson.
So dear readers there you have it for now, come back again in 2 weeks and read the rest of Branden's Story. You don't want to miss out because the best is yet to come.