A friend of mine sent me an interesting article recently about entrepreneurship. It’s funny because these days so many people think they’re entrepreneurs that the meaning of the word is getting lost.
If you want to be an entrepreneur and take control of what you’re doing on a day-to-day basis you need two key things: focus and discipline…oh, and probably a really good idea.
You also have to ask yourself what your tolerance for risk is, among other things. Take a few minutes to read the piece here.
And then I ask you this: Are you an entrepreneur? Are you not, but think you should be? What's your big idea and your plan?
Hello Brandon, I started collecting when I was 10. That was 40 year’s ago. A few year’s ago I looked at eBay’s huge inventory of fake signed Autographs and couldn’t believe people actually would rather pay $60 for a fake item then more to have the real thing! Well I wanted to try and change that so it took me some hard work to find companies like yours and a few other places where I could pay cash (instead of credit) to begin my venture. I have a very good eye and memory to spot fake Autograph’s! Well I wanted my buyer’s to see a known third party Authenticator like PSA/DNA or JSA. I buy from you on many occasions and a few other known dealer’s. I started Philadelphia Sports Autographs using Weebly. I lost alot on the site even though I built it nice and used Adwords for marketing around the country. My name was too long as well. Recently I went to WordPress to restart my online Web business. I taught myself HTML and Javascript but WordPress is a whole different ballpark! I renamed my store Atkins Sports, short and easy to remember. My inventory is probably worth well over $100,000k I have item’s I haven’t even had online yet. I try to sell at a lower price then other dealer’s prices I see them selling theirs and with free shipping and a LIFETIME GUARANTEE on all autographed item’s it’s a win-win. I was a journeyman machinist and programmer since the 1980’s but after an accident in 2008 and another in 2010 I was unable to continually work. I invested my own money in this and have many different player’s and item’s. Sometimes I only make $15 sometimes $100 but I’ve never had any returns nor complaints and that’s really what I want. I want people to have the real item’s at a working man’s price but not everything I have can be that way such as Alex Rodriguez limited edition 13 Authentic signed jersey’s with His final season on it. I hope one day I’ll be larger and through patience, honesty and satisfied customers I’ll be Philly’s Top Guns. You’ve given me much advice over the last few year’s and I do appreciate it. This is the only job I know I can do and if I grow can pass on to my 30 and 14 year old son’s. I’ve raised my son on my own and felt useless after having these injuries but luckily my home is very large and full of merchandise and boxes but this is where I started. As I told my 14 year old every business needs 5 year’s before it turns profitable. Knowledge is the key to success in anything we do.
Robert Atkins