Why The Thrill of Selling Never Gets Old
How a Car Boot Sale Rekindled My Entrepreneurial Fire
I’ve just got back from doing a car boot sale - my first one in about 8 years. And my god, did I learn some surprising business lessons from it - all of which I’m sharing with you in the week’s podcast episode.
Car boot sales formed an integral part of my childhood and we did a lot of them as a family in the late 80’s. I absolutely loved the whole process from start to finish - from pricing up my books, toys and games on the lounge floor with my mum the day before, to coming home - 24 hours later - and tipping my earnings out of the tupperware that mum had labelled with ‘Joanne’s Money’ on a sticker adhered to the top.
I obviously had the entrepreneur genes from an early age. From as young as 8 years old, I found the whole experience of selling totally exhilarating. I mean, I was up at 6am, raring to go, bum bag on before my knickers and butterflies in my tummy at the thought of what possibilities the day would hold. I used to pray the night before that I wouldn’t wake up poorly or that the car would start or that the weather would be kind and it wouldn’t be cancelled last minute.
I was first out of the car when we parked up, unphased by the dealers who were poking their noses in our boot before we’d even set up. My mum used to laugh as my sister would lock herself in the car until this bit was over and she could safely emerge, her tupperware in one hand and Ted - her beloved comforter - in the other.
I guess I just loved making my own money. I still do. It’s why I became self employed in the first place and it’s the reason why I’ll never quit. I never really enjoyed the unpredictability of the sale - watching and waiting and willing for that person who was holding my item in their hand to commit to purchasing it. Had I valued it correctly when I priced it up? What if they thought it wasn’t worth it? Even worse, what if they walked away, muttering that it was totally useless? My little 8 year old heart would be shattered
And it happened. Lots of times. And it still does now - 33 years later - when someone questions my prices, asks me for a discount or walks away from what I’m offering.
But when you get that one person who comes along and truly recognises the value of what they have in front of them, it makes all the agony worthwhile. They won’t put it down or walk away for fear of missing out. They don’t try to haggle with you because they know it’s worth every penny. They want what you have and they happily pay what you’ve asked because they need it in their lives.
It doesn’t matter if you’re 8 or 41 years old. The thrill of the sale is just as exhilarating. I couldn’t wait to get home and count up our takings! And it turns out my daughter has undoubtedly inherited her mother’s entrepreneurial genes, as predicted…she bounded out of bed at 5.30am yesterday shouting ‘IT’S CAR BOOTY DAY!’ and got dressed and buckled in her car seat quicker than she ever has in her lifetime. I’ll leave what happened when we got there for this week’s podcast episode…
I learned some surprising business lessons from our car boot sale yesterday. Ones that apply directly to creative entrepreneurs - so much so that, even though I was knee deep in selling, I knew I had to record a podcast episode to share them with you.
because they were pretty hilarious and
because they will give you some really useful (and unexpected!) tips for selling your creative work confidently.
The episode will be out on Friday 2nd May, a couple of days later than usual, as I have a big day ahead of me today. I’m travelling 100 miles to get myself a pair of 3D nipple tattoos. (honestly, I really am).
I'm a year post-mastectomy/reconstruction now and I'm off to see an amazingly talented creative woman who is a medical tattooist and is giving me some hyper realistic tattoos to replace a body part I lost as part of my preventative surgery. I’m nervous, emotional and excited all at the same time so giving myself a couple of extra days this week to take it all in.
But I’m not gonna leave you without a podcast episode! Don’t miss this one - “5 Surprising Sales Lessons for Creative Entrepreneurs: What I Learned from a Car Boot Sale" - out on Friday 2nd May!
Have a lovely week!
Joanne
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