FabSwingers.com forum: Making your own money.

By *enk15 OP Man
8 weeks ago

Evesham

G'day!

My job is ending... again (was ending 2 years ago then didn't... this time it is really ending!)

I have been here 12 years, I will be getting a decent pay out. So I won't get a better opportunity to escape the 9-5 and make my own money.

I want to make and sell items related to houseplants to sell locally and online.

My brain keeps flicking between "Do it, you won't know unless you try" and "Don't be naïve, you won't make any money, get a 9-5 job"

So my question is, has anyone here managed to make a living selling their own stuff?

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By *lowupdollTV/TS
8 weeks ago

Herts/Leeds

You said it yourself you won’t get a better opportunity. 9-5 will still be there later if you need to.

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By *hunderaceMan
8 weeks ago

Dudley

I made beautiful wrought iron gates, fencing and related products as well as being a welding gun for hire.

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By *ranny-CrumpetWoman
8 weeks ago

Crumpet Castle

Do it. You will need a USP that is dynamic tho .....

People latch on the next best thing.

Good luck xx

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By *he MinionMan
8 weeks ago

Surrey

Have you tested the market for your product ?

Have you tried any craft fair type events to see if your stuff sells ?

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By *egnMaxCouple
8 weeks ago

East Midlands

I had my own business in the past.

It feels liberating to be working hard for yourself, but with it comes pressures and responsibility (especially when you start paying other people.)

One of the key things would be to get your marketing / social media strategy sorted and keep a tight rein on the finances.

Luckily for me I didn’t have this to contend with.

But it’s great to make a living doing something you enjoy.

Max

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By *enk15 OP Man
8 weeks ago

Evesham

"You said it yourself you won’t get a better opportunity. 9-5 will still be there later if you need to. "

Yeah, that's what I told the wife 😅 I can also get a part time job initially to help support

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By *enk15 OP Man
8 weeks ago

Evesham

"I made beautiful wrought iron gates, fencing and related products as well as being a welding gun for hire. "

Did that support you financially or did you need supplementary income?

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By *enk15 OP Man
8 weeks ago

Evesham

"Do it. You will need a USP that is dynamic tho .....

People latch on the next best thing.

Good luck xx"

Thank you 💙

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By *enk15 OP Man
8 weeks ago

Evesham

"I had my own business in the past.

It feels liberating to be working hard for yourself, but with it comes pressures and responsibility (especially when you start paying other people.)

One of the key things would be to get your marketing / social media strategy sorted and keep a tight rein on the finances.

Luckily for me I didn’t have this to contend with.

But it’s great to make a living doing something you enjoy.

Max"

I am happy to take on the hard work and pressure of being self employed.

I've spent 12 years in finance so I can handle that side... might have to employ the wife for social media marketing 😊

I don't want to make a tonne of money, I want that liberation, to be able to hang out with my family on a random Wednesday afternoon without asking someone permission for time off.

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By *rLucky777Man
8 weeks ago

Leeds

Do it!

Ikigai

Kaizen

Have a proper business plan. Follow the process.

Fail fast and fail early. Keep going. Keep learning. Upskill your skill set. Leverage Ai to optimise your outputs for social media and marketing etc.

You cannot fail if you never quit.

Good luck for the journey bro!

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By *ndycoinsMan
8 weeks ago

Whaley Bridge,Nr Buxton,

Go for it.If you are thinking plant related,get round Garden Centres,look at their products and prices.Can you compete?

Makers markets/Craft fair type events or your local Market are a good place to have a stall at.Stalls are cheap and about £50 a year gets your £1 million Public Liability Insurance,which is the minimum £ Councils/Organisers require.

Don't get too hung up on Internet/Social media.Its not a magic wand for sales.

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By *inaTitzTV/TS
8 weeks ago

Titz Towers, North Notts

Why not start doing it part time now and see how much demand there is?

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By *oodmessMan
8 weeks ago

yumsville

If there's a market for it - you can sell anything? Having said that if people don't know what you do or have, they aren't going to buy so you need to promote?

There happened to be a clip on the news yesterday about sky or cloud gardeners, essentially people who have balconies. They are taking off as people are being encouraged to make use of their spaces in urban areas to encourage insects, pollinators and habitats, so not indoor but potted outdoor. A woman had taken cuttings from her entire garden when she'd moved.

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By (user no longer on site)
8 weeks ago

I think this has been illegal since at least King Cnut.

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By *nightsoftheCoffeeTableCouple
8 weeks ago

Leeds

Do it, I wouldn’t be working for the Mrs if she didn’t take that jump.

The mr

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By *arc PolarisMan
8 weeks ago

Birmingham

I have had my own business and it’s not all rainbows and unicorns.

The hardest part for me was everyone that had encouraged me to do soon disappeared when I did. We are no longer in touch

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By *umfun24Man
8 weeks ago

wilmslow

I’ve done a few upcycle projects and sold them. The truth is, the hourly rate is pretty shocking, just in the making alone, but if you then end up doing weekend fairs, the return is very poor for the time you put in, but it’s nothing like the shit of working for others. I’m in my element, working away alone with the radio for company, so it’s more a hobby than a fundraising thing. You can get a small unit in craft and antique emporiums, that aren’t hugely expensive, but I’ve never had enough stock to justify it.

Maybe consider part time real work and part time, your own.

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By *lowupdollTV/TS
8 weeks ago

Herts/Leeds

"I had my own business in the past.

It feels liberating to be working hard for yourself, but with it comes pressures and responsibility (especially when you start paying other people.)

One of the key things would be to get your marketing / social media strategy sorted and keep a tight rein on the finances.

Luckily for me I didn’t have this to contend with.

But it’s great to make a living doing something you enjoy.

Max

I am happy to take on the hard work and pressure of being self employed.

I've spent 12 years in finance so I can handle that side... might have to employ the wife for social media marketing 😊

I don't want to make a tonne of money, I want that liberation, to be able to hang out with my family on a random Wednesday afternoon without asking someone permission for time off.

Someone who knows this topic very well gave me two bits of advice:

It’s not less secure than 9-5. You won’t fire yourself for trans outside your control.

It’s a business OR a hobby. Hobbies earn hobby money. If you want independence run it as a business.

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By *enk15 OP Man
8 weeks ago

Evesham

"Do it!

Ikigai

Kaizen

Have a proper business plan. Follow the process.

Fail fast and fail early. Keep going. Keep learning. Upskill your skill set. Leverage Ai to optimise your outputs for social media and marketing etc.

You cannot fail if you never quit.

Good luck for the journey bro!

Boom! there's the peptalk I never knew I needed 👊

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By *enk15 OP Man
8 weeks ago

Evesham

"Do it, I wouldn’t be working for the Mrs if she didn’t take that jump.

The mr "

aye, I've literally been looking at everything around and thinking "This thing wouldn't exist if someone hadn't taken the risk to make it"

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By *enk15 OP Man
8 weeks ago

Evesham

"I had my own business in the past.

It feels liberating to be working hard for yourself, but with it comes pressures and responsibility (especially when you start paying other people.)

One of the key things would be to get your marketing / social media strategy sorted and keep a tight rein on the finances.

Luckily for me I didn’t have this to contend with.

But it’s great to make a living doing something you enjoy.

Max

I am happy to take on the hard work and pressure of being self employed.

I've spent 12 years in finance so I can handle that side... might have to employ the wife for social media marketing 😊

I don't want to make a tonne of money, I want that liberation, to be able to hang out with my family on a random Wednesday afternoon without asking someone permission for time off.

Someone who knows this topic very well gave me two bits of advice:

It’s not less secure than 9-5. You won’t fire yourself for trans outside your control.

It’s a business OR a hobby. Hobbies earn hobby money. If you want independence run it as a business.

Thanks for the tips 💙

Yeah the security is great, the pay rate is yet to be determined though 😅

I think I have my business head pretty well screwed on, I can do this 💪

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By *hefirewithinMan
8 weeks ago

Could be next door

Definitely do it, I took redundancy around 7 years ago and now have 2 successful businesses, it’s hard work and pretty much 24/7 when you begin, it’s very rewarding and once you are established you have such a better work life balance

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By *moothpussyMan
8 weeks ago

Glasgow

If it makes you feel better get a part-time job, even if it's pushing trolleys and use your spare time to develop your business.

I love plants etc so I'd be a customer. Good luck!

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By *ew2buryMan
8 weeks ago

Forums.

I'm moving from 23 years employee to (about to be) self employed.

The way I went about it was two fold (at least)

Logic wise

Worked out much of my savings I could burn thru and not regret it.

Work through what I need to do to get to "basic costs covered" through to "current income replaced"

What would plan B if it went wrong. (I could go back to employment if needed. I have the right letters after my name)

Sat with that for a few months (I had the time)

I then also looked at

What id leave behind I'd miss (social contact, community

What id leave behind I could do without (office politics, working on things I don't believe in)

And what Id gain (flexibility)

I then did the smallest next step to see how it felt (bought the domain name). At that point I realised this was what I had to do.

Now watch this space !

Don't know if sharing helps. I'm also finance so the numbers bit may resonate.

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By *achelTheAnalSlutTV/TS
8 weeks ago

Haywards Heath

Don't forget to take into account many things some don't think about:

- you'll likely need to file accounts or at least do a tax return (maybe needing an accountant)

- you'll need to pay your own National Insurance

- you'll want to be paying into some kind of pension scheme

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By *enk15 OP Man
8 weeks ago

Evesham

"I'm moving from 23 years employee to (about to be) self employed.

The way I went about it was two fold (at least)

Logic wise

Worked out much of my savings I could burn thru and not regret it.

Work through what I need to do to get to "basic costs covered" through to "current income replaced"

What would plan B if it went wrong. (I could go back to employment if needed. I have the right letters after my name)

Sat with that for a few months (I had the time)

I then also looked at

What id leave behind I'd miss (social contact, community

What id leave behind I could do without (office politics, working on things I don't believe in)

And what Id gain (flexibility)

I then did the smallest next step to see how it felt (bought the domain name). At that point I realised this was what I had to do.

Now watch this space !

Don't know if sharing helps. I'm also finance so the numbers bit may resonate.

Good luck to you, sir 🫡

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By *enk15 OP Man
8 weeks ago

Evesham

"Don't forget to take into account many things some don't think about:

- you'll likely need to file accounts or at least do a tax return (maybe needing an accountant)

- you'll need to pay your own National Insurance

- you'll want to be paying into some kind of pension scheme"

I am an accountant but I don't think I can afford to hire myself.

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By *htcMan
8 weeks ago

Do a full time job plus sale your own stuff, grow the business until enough success. I have done that for over 15 years

The businesses I have run have made more than enough to have a retirement sorted and have a large house paid off.

It is hard work as I run it during evenings and all weekends. If you are work shy don't bother or if you want more time to go and do other things it's not for you.

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By *octor ProdMan
8 weeks ago

Constantly Travelling With Work

Try it, start small and don't invest more than you can afford.

You may need to work part time while you start up, thats fine.

But after working solidly for years, take some down time to recharge

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By *a LunaWoman
8 weeks ago

Wales

You can always do part time freelance work accounting if you need to supplement your income (you said you were an accountant?)

Go for it. You could be the next Richard Branson of the plant world.

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By *lowupdollTV/TS
8 weeks ago

Herts/Leeds

"You can always do part time freelance work accounting if you need to supplement your income (you said you were an accountant?)

Go for it. You could be the next Richard Branson of the plant world.

Seed money today, branches everywhere one day

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By *taffsguy2025Man
8 weeks ago

Lichfield

Go for it, nothing better than ditching the 9 - 5, worse case you have to get a job but at least you have tried

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By *issilia AmoriWoman
8 weeks ago

North Welsh Borders

I would do it around work and see how it flies...

My Daughter in Law kicked in her job and became a dog trainer running her own classes and offering services, it took her around 3 years to build her brand and start making cash. She's doing well and now she is one of only two independent dog trainers in the country who focus on training for disabled dog owners...

I hope to dip my toes into the world of running my own business but I plan on staying in full time occupation to build it.

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By *ellhungvweMan
8 weeks ago

Cheltenham

I think starting your own business is a great idea and we need more people to take that plunge.

If you think there is a market for your houseplant idea then I would start immediately seeing if you can sell it. Until you can get people to part with their money it isn’t a viable business and you want to find that out whilst you have cash coming in from your job.

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