Join me as I bring over 20 years of expertise to the table, helping you transform your passion and hobby into a thriving business with proven strategies and insider tips. Not looking to change careers? No problem! Enjoy the thrill of the hunt as we uncover hidden treasures and share our most exciting finds, from rare collectibles to valuable antiques to Mid-Century Modern. Whether you’re here to learn how to maximize profits or just to be entertained by our adventures, we have something for everyone.
Antiques aren’t just my passion; they’re my life. The tutorials I share come from 20 years of experience and countless lessons learned along the way. I’m not here to dictate how you should run your business. Instead, I’ll share my experiences and what has worked for me. It’s up to you to decide what to take from this information.
If you’re stuck in a 9 to 5 job, hesitant to take the plunge, or struggling in the reselling world, my advice is free. Listen, evaluate, and see if there’s anything that resonates with you. I’m no stranger to hard times or hard work. I’m here to support those who want it. Join our community and let’s explore the world of reselling together.
While I can’t promise a multi-million-pound company (I’m still on that journey myself), I can share everything you need to build a successful business within your niche. My goal is to help you find joy and happiness by doing what you love every day. Remember, if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.
It doesn’t matter what your niche is—whether it’s toys, vinyl, antiques, jewelry, or even moon rocks—the skills needed to create a business that pays the bills and gives you the life you deserve are the same. It all comes down to the basics of sourcing and selling stock or information. Whether you’re about to take the plunge or already in the water, the key isn’t just to start a business, but to stay in business.
Here are some hard-to-hear truths that might be holding you back from turning your hobby into a career or from making ends meet in your new venture:
‘I don’t have the time. I’m too busy with work and life.’
Check your phone screen time, and you might find a few extra hours each day. Consider how much time you spend on leisure activities like going to the pub, cinema, or watching TV. It’s about managing your time effectively. If time is still tight, consider reallocating some of your sleep. It sounds extreme, but ask yourself: what’s worse, the discomfort of change or the pain of staying in your current situation?
If you want things to change, there’s no substitute for hard work and commitment. Imagine running a side hustle alongside your current job. It might take longer to establish, but every hour you invest brings you closer to the life you want and deserve. Remember, every bit of effort counts towards your goal. You’re not just building a business; you’re creating a future where you can do what you love every day.
‘I don’t have the skills I need or can’t compete.’
If you’re considering making a career out of the hobby you love, remember that you already possess a wealth of knowledge about your subject. Rather than trying to learn something new right away, focus on becoming an expert in your niche. For instance, my passion is Georgian Glass. By dedicating myself to this specialty, I can now spot valuable pieces from ten yards away. Master your current niche first, and only then think about expanding into new areas.
When I started, I had no computer skills, but I quickly learned what I needed. It’s incredible what you can achieve when you have the motivation. YouTube offers countless tutorials on virtually any topic you need to learn.
You might be surprised at the skills you already possess. The most crucial skill in this business is the ability to talk to people and close a sale. If you can sell an item, you’re already halfway to success. Remember, it’s about making steady progress. Focus on what you love, use the resources available to you, and keep improving. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to enhance your skills, every effort you put in brings you closer to your goals.
If your future is within the antiques or collectibles industry, then I have a dedicated blog post on my website where I tell you how to find items for pennies. I share tips, for example, digging in button boxes looking for valuable coins.
‘I have no money.’
You might be in a similar situation to me, supporting a family, paying for a house, managing car payments, and more. Life isn’t cheap. But taking action, no matter how small, is better than doing nothing. The cost of doing nothing is far greater for me; a potential lifetime of settling is unthinkable. Start by selling items you already have at home or in your collection as your initial startup stock. My videos and website blogs are designed to help you buy items for as little as 50p and transform them into hundreds of pounds sometimes.
I know struggles firsthand. There was a time when I walked the Welsh mountains collecting scrap metal from burnt-out cars to pay for postage on items I had sold on eBay. In the early days of eBay, they would hold the payment until the buyer received the item. Shockingly, even that skill became valuable, teaching me how to take advantage of scrap metals from auctions or house clearances.
I’m going to be blunt. Are you standing in designer clothes, wearing a top-brand watch, or dripping with gold? If you’re serious about improving your life, you need to stop unnecessary spending immediately. Focus only on bills, food, and essentials. Do you want to look rich or get rich? Instead of buying a £100 pair of trainers, buy budget ones or go to a charity shop and invest the difference in your new venture.
It’s about making sacrifices now for a better future. Every small step you take brings you closer to financial freedom. Remember, investing in your dreams is the best investment you can make.
‘I can’t drive.’
Learning to drive is a significant commitment and expense, and it’s not for everyone. The cost of lessons, buying a car, insurance, and maintenance really adds up. I know that most car boot sales start early in the morning and are often in areas not accessible by public transport. So let’s consider the cost of a taxi. A return trip to a car boot sale might cost you £40 or £50.
While many of you may focus on the cost of the taxi, I want to highlight the cost of not taking the taxi. If I told you to give me £51 and I would give you a £200 necklace or a £500 silver vase, you’d jump at the chance. I often showcase car boot sale finds where I buy items for 50p or £1 and sell them for hundreds. So the real question isn’t whether you can afford the taxi, but can you afford not to, considering the lost potential profits and benefits of new stock.
New stock in your shop or on your website does multiple things: it keeps customers interested and coming back, constantly refreshes your display, and offers profit opportunities. Without regular new stock, buyers lose interest, stop browsing, and profits drop—costs that will soon far exceed the price of a taxi.
Additionally, the thrill of the hunt is why many of us get into the reselling business in the first place. It’s fun and beneficial for your mental health. For the cost of a meal out or a cinema ticket, you get the excitement of treasure hunting, plus a chance to make a profit. So, if you’re willing to invest in eating out, why not invest in improving your life?
I understand that not every trip to a boot sale will result in a profitable gain, but if you look at it over a season of three months. £50 each Sunday for the season at a cost of £600. If you earn more than £600 off the things you buy from a car boot sale surely it’s worth the effort?
These are just a few examples of the excuses some people use to procrastinate and not take the steps towards the life they want. I will cover all these and many more in more detail in my upcoming book.
Most people have no idea what it takes to run a business. The pressure of knowing that if you don’t work, you don’t get paid, and that bills will still arrive regardless of your success, is immense. The fear of failure alone can discourage ninety percent of people from even trying.
I have worked minimum-wage jobs where bosses constantly questioned my every move, treating me like a mere placeholder. You stop for a drink and it’s, “Don’t you have something you can be doing?” Or they demand you give up your weekends with no notice, for a pittance.
For the past two decades, I have been self-employed, and for the last six years, I have run AntiquesArena. I’ve tried everything from a brick-and-mortar shop to selling on eBay. I worked tirelessly and planned meticulously to build a website, moving away from platforms that had control over my business.
Make no mistake, working for yourself means working not just twice as hard as everyone else, but ten to twenty times harder. Some days, I’m up at four or five in the morning, queuing for boot sales long before they open. I sell at these sales to gain early access to items. After a full day of selling, I go home and start another full day’s work—researching, cleaning, and listing items. I create films to promote my items and my website and then wrap and ship my sales.
In a live film, I was once asked how many hours I work a week. At the time, I was working close to 100 hours a week, including studying. When asked about my weekly wage, I said £1,000. Some criticized me, pointing out it was less than minimum wage.
They missed two key points:
- When you do what you love, it doesn’t feel like work. It comes easily and naturally.
- While I was earning less than minimum wage then, I was building a future. This hard work now means my future self can work ten or twenty hours a week and earn significantly more. It’s about hard work now for an easier future.
Conclusion:
My goal is to live my life doing what I love and to share my passion, helping others achieve their potential goals. Reselling isn’t for everyone, but if you’re brave enough and willing to work hard, the benefits are unlimited. If I can help you realize this, then I have succeeded in my goal.
If you found this article helpful or inspirational then please follow me on my YouTube journey at https://www.youtube.com/@AntiquesArenana
