After a year of hard work and heatache my business just made its first sale!

[ANTagony]

The DS (2 & 4) are a little concerned for my mental health at present having just screamed and jumped around the house. They eventually joined in but don't have a clue why. My business just made its first ever money £25 via our eBay shop we set up to sell our own branded produce to promote the real business (careful not to mention not trying to advertise!) Thing is the boys know I'm happy but don't understand the significance and now I've bumped back down to earth I've no one to share it with, need to get them to finish their tea, run their baths, get them to calm down having got them excited, read a bedtime story or three and then hope I don't fall asleep before I watch the, by then, recorded doctor who. My parents are out, my sisters out and my XP just emailed about changing access arrangements. So I thought I'd post it hear and see who's online.

Congratulations! Go on, what is it you sell? I know you don;t want to advertise but is it jewellery, handwoven yoghurt, teddy bears, home grown marijuana or what?

nosy what did you sell as well !

Congrats !

The business is a services version of eBay. Its ideals are that it creates a fair marketplace for all services where the price is set by market demand and the service providers (and those buying services) rate one another so when you're looking for a gardener, plumber or accountant you can see who is reliable and people rate rather than choose at random from a directory.

Its also about allowing people to set up and sell services for free. Its so hard and costly to try and set up and it allows people to advertise the services they can provide and bid on work advertised without any financial outlay. They don't pay anything at present and wont for some time but when fees are introduced you'll only pay out if money comes in i.e. you bid for and win some work.

The idea came from a post thread I was watching a couple of years ago on a parenting site about people wanting to earn money flexibly but the problem with regular eBay trading is holding the stock. So many mums can't get flexible hours that are really flexible and allow you to stop when the kids are sick or for school holidays - my dream being a terrible romantic is this enables us all to find our work life balance. Its definitely not a get rich scheme but anyone who is prepared to work really can be fairly rewarded theres such a shortage of workers be it someone to do the ironing of the rich bloke at the end of the road who works till 10 each night and doesn't have the time or do conveyancing for a house move - why does that need to be a 9-5 task but so many solicitors aren't able to work flexibly!

The item we sold was a set of company branded overalls. We brought some branded merchandise to wear to shows to attract attention and needed to buy a certain amount so we decided to sell the excess! Its paid of.

Sorry got a bit carried away very enthusiastic with the potential for social change can be a bore. Thanks for asking I feel like I've shouted from the rooftops now without having to go out in the rain

Well done, so whoevers wearing the overalls willbe promoting you whether they know it or not? Cool lol

Thats the plan. I think the logos quite fun. When I forget I'm wearing one of the branded tops people often comment on it.

BTW thanks for the positive feedback - its like having shared my news I'm allowed to be happy. That really weird. I know that sharing the bad stuff really helps and makes it seam less bad and I've had my odd moan but I didn't realize sharing the good makes it better - bizarre. Guess it makes sense.

I think that I should scream and jump around more often - its all gone quiet upstairs. They must have tired themselves out with the jumping.