Learning to Play a Bigger Game


Yo yo yo! Reader,

There's a funny thing that happens when your business grows.

You spend years dreaming about having more opportunities…

…and then one day you wake up and realise your biggest challenge isn't finding opportunities anymore.

It's choosing which ones deserve your attention.

That was this week.

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The Snapshot

On paper, it was another busy one.

We:

  • Continued transforming the warehouse after last week's racking install.
  • Added another regular consignment partner.
  • Cleared a huge amount of old inventory through eBay Live.
  • Started preparing a new fulfilment service that launches next week.
  • Continued building systems around live selling rather than just reacting to it.
  • Finished another week with solid revenue despite a noticeably quieter core eBay store.

The business is changing.

Not dramatically overnight…

…but enough that I'm having to think very differently about where I spend my time.


Behind The Scenes

This week wasn't about listing more.

It wasn't about sourcing more.

It wasn't even about selling more.

It was about creating room.

We spent hours clearing shelves, moving stock, building new storage, preparing for another 4,500 incoming items and setting up space for a completely new recurring revenue stream.

None of that shows up immediately in the sales figures.

But it changes what the business is capable of six months from now.

That's the part people rarely see.


The Lesson

Growth Doesn't Solve Problems.

It Replaces Them.

When I first started, the question was:

"Where do I find stock?"

Now the question is:

"How do we process everything we've already committed to?"

A year ago I was worried about buying inventory.

Today I'm thinking about warehouse flow.

Hiring.

Recurring revenue.

Service offerings.

Consignment relationships.

Fulfilment.

The problems haven't disappeared.

They've simply evolved.

And honestly…

I think that's a good sign.

Because every new challenge means you've already solved the previous one.


What I'm Thinking About

One thing has become incredibly clear this month.

The business is no longer relying on one engine.

Yes, eBay is still at the centre of everything.

But around it we've quietly built:

  • Consignment partnerships.
  • Camera sales.
  • eBay Live.
  • E-waste.
  • Wholesale.
  • A new fulfilment service.

If one area slows down, another has the chance to pick up the slack.

That doesn't happen overnight.

It happens after years of saying yes to opportunities that align with where you're trying to go.


Numbers Corner

A few highlights from the week:

  • ~$55k+ revenue for the month with around 10 days remaining.
  • Core store ASP sitting around $63, exactly where we're aiming.
  • Camera sales surpassed $14,000 for the month.
  • eBay Live generated over $10,000 this month before the final week's shows.
  • Another regular consignment client officially joined the business.
  • The garage sale Live moved 145 items and generated just over $2,400, clearing a huge amount of warehouse space.

Perhaps the most satisfying number wasn't revenue. It was the amount of space we created for what's coming next.

For those wanting to know profits, here is my current P&L:


The Bigger Picture

People often ask when things start feeling easier.

The truth?

I don't think they do.

The challenges simply become more interesting.

A few years ago I was learning how to sell a shirt.

Today I'm thinking about warehouse layouts, staffing, recurring revenue, fulfilment, customer acquisition and how to build a business that isn't dependent on me forever.

Same journey.

Different problems.

And I'd choose today's problems every single time.


Question Of The Week

If the version of you from five years ago looked at the problems you're dealing with today…

Would they see them as stress…

Or as proof that you've grown?

Sometimes the problems we complain about today are the exact opportunities we once wished for.

Chris

Building a Business to Suit My Lifestyle

Hi! I'm a Chris

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