I'm a Broke Ass Student Trying to Become an Entrepreneur

LChrisChen1 on 25/04/2017 - 14:43
Last edited 27/04/2017 - 18:14

Hello,

I'm Chris and i am a 19 year old broke ass nursing student with a dream.

like many people i don't have a damn clue of what to do with my life but have always enjoyed buying and selling on eBay and gum tree or similar websites and really like the idea of owning my own business and becoming a entrepreneur plus the cash money is pretty sweet. anyways i'm looking into what i should sell and found that gaming mouse pads or play mats is something i can sell, i found suppliers and i am currently getting samples of the play mats and they look pretty mint.

I was wondering if the Oz bargain family would be interested in buying these mouse pads or is there any other products you guys could suggest for me to sell.

Cheers for reading.

for real though please help a brother out i told my mom i was gonna quit uni and she is hella mad so i need to make something out of this and make cash money.

Edit: look out for a deal post coming soon in the next couple weeks (start-mid May). I'm gonna go for it and would love your guy's support, will keep in mind money savvy buyers and take care of buyers. Peace

Introduce Yourself

Comments

  • PVA on 25/04/2017 - 14:46
    +50

    Well , don't quit uni, reduce studies to one subject per term if you want. Just do selling on the side until it's built up enough.

    • dealman on 27/04/2017 - 09:53
      +15

      DO NOT QUIT UNI,

      Statistically for every Successful college Quitter there are thousands of failures, just that you don't hear the stories of the failures. Get it done and completed. In Australia it's so easy, you also get government assistance for fees, there should be no excuse for not finishing college.

  • Car-la-la on 25/04/2017 - 14:53
    +42

    troll?

    • derek324 on 25/04/2017 - 20:15
      +12

      No way… unique, sought after product, unusual personal values and beliefs, excellent communication skills…
      </sarcasm>

      • Scrooge McDuck on 26/04/2017 - 14:23
        +21

        Male Chinese nursing student?

        Troll status: Confirmed!

        • zeomega on 26/04/2017 - 23:34
          +8

          That's right. Cause your parents will disown you!
          "You bring shame to the family! I told you study to become a doctor. Not a nurse!"

        • Scrooge McDuck on 27/04/2017 - 01:35
          +6

          @zeomega:

          "Nursing!? You be nursing your bum after I whoop your ass!"

        • frostman on 27/04/2017 - 08:19

          @zeomega:

          "You bring shame to the family! I told you study to become a doctor. Not a nurse!"

          HAHAHAHA

        • tonsta on 28/04/2017 - 23:50
          +1

          @zeomega: "if your not smart enough, at least be a dentist.. not a nurse"

        • CandyMan on 29/04/2017 - 08:04
          +1

          @tonsta: or even a vet

  • Ughhh on 25/04/2017 - 14:54
    +16

    Don't we all want to make money? If I had a money making product, why would I tell you and not cash the money in myself? Maybe start contributing to OzBargain if you want more help and want a better idea of what people want and who you're competitors are.

  • dylanando on 25/04/2017 - 14:57
    +2

    As PVA said, Defiantly don't quit yet. You need something to back up on if selling mousepads fails. How are you going to market them? Are you selling solely on gumtree and ebay?

    What are you really interested? Perhaps make a blog about that? Sell affiliated items add ads, Make one website you actually enjoy as you wont think of it as a 'job' and want to post on it. Once you start making some cash and having a decent track record then 'drop' out of uni (Even though I wouldnt, At least complete it). Certainly in my opinion easy to make decent cash online if you stick to it.

    Good luck, Stay in uni!

    • ShortyX on 28/04/2017 - 11:58
      +4

      Defiantly don't quit

      Stamp your foot and don't quit!

      • pjetson on 28/04/2017 - 16:35
        +1

        That'll only be a "whoosh".

  • timmeh15 on 25/04/2017 - 15:24

    Think of items that people in Australia want but cannot be bought easily (has to go through Amazon US etc.) or at a reasonable price. To put it simply, think in an economic perspective of supply & demand, if there are demands for that item and supply are scarce or not available in Australia then this is where your niche is. Also think outside the box, it doesn't necessarily need to be a product that you are selling, you could be offering a service that no one is currently offering or something you could offer at a cheaper price or better quality than current competitors on the market.

    Good luck!

  • Savas on 25/04/2017 - 15:28
    +65

    You ask OzBargain yet don't listen to your mum. OzBargain says… Listen to her.

    • alizzan on 28/04/2017 - 09:29
      +1

      Exactly. Even if she's not correct, you'll never hear the end of it.

    • pjetson on 28/04/2017 - 16:37
      +3

      I wish I'd listened to my mum.

      "Why, what did she say?"

      I don't know, I didn't listen!

  • Baebs on 25/04/2017 - 15:29

    Sell Eneloops - an ozbargainer's pride and joy.

  • ihbh on 25/04/2017 - 15:36

    interested in buying these mouse pads
    So you can quit uni, or to use?

    Not sure how many people still use mouse mats; I don't.

    Maybe don't waste resources and just ask for a handout.

    • Crownie on 25/04/2017 - 17:12
      +5

      Not sure how many people still use mouse mats; I don't.

      Old DVD case FTW!!!

      • Kangal on 25/04/2017 - 21:48
        +2

        Old Casette case FTW !!!

        • Seraphin7 on 26/04/2017 - 16:15
          +2

          Old LP case FTW!!!

        • toristo on 26/04/2017 - 21:14
          +2

          Old Reel-to-Reel case FTW !!!

        • Wallyt99 on 28/04/2017 - 07:54
          +1

          @Seraphin7:

          That is actually what I use.

      • serpserpserp on 27/04/2017 - 20:56
        +2

        Old mouse mats FTW!

        • pjetson on 28/04/2017 - 16:38

          I feel really old when I have to go look up what terms like "FTW" mean…

        • Suspect420 on 03/05/2017 - 22:49

          @pjetson:
          Free the whales

        • pjetson on 04/05/2017 - 07:58

          @Suspect420: Thanks for that :-)

  • MiniatureDino on 25/04/2017 - 15:47
    +4

    Kindly, don't quit uni. And, you can start your business to sell laptops or something like technology based.

  • Cheapo333 on 25/04/2017 - 15:56
    +13

    Your target market for gaming mousepads are 12-25 year old males who spend a lot their time playing games.

    Half of your market are not working age so already it will be hard to squeeze money out of this.

    if you are selling a typical chinese made product on ebay you will be competing with sellers from all of south east asia who are able to sell at at a much lower price point than you could possibly dream of.

    You might get lucky if Ebay geo-blocks Australian buyers from overseas sellers from July 1st.

    I would suggest stick with your education. Perhaps change to a business related degree like Commerce or economics if you are ready to drop out of nursing.

    • Ti-au on 27/04/2017 - 04:51

      Avoid economics. Only 3 types of bodies employ these people:
      * Government
      * Reserve Bank
      * Think tanks (inc. NGOs) / consultancies

      Much better to do Commerce - Management.

      • obsolet on 28/04/2017 - 21:10

        Yeah, and they all pay a pittance…
        /s

  • altomic on 25/04/2017 - 16:36
    +16

    just looked up "ass nursing degrees" - no universities offer this course

    • retiredfeline on 25/04/2017 - 17:00
      +2

      They've been merged with the donkey courses due to funding cuts.

    • holdenmg on 25/04/2017 - 17:03
      +4

      Nursing (Proctology)

    • Gronk on 25/04/2017 - 20:55
      +2

      Maybe 'Broke Ass Nursing' is a specialised field where he specialises in the care of broken asses - I'd check that too just to be sure :D

  • PJC on 25/04/2017 - 16:44
    +8

    like many people i don't have a damn clue of what to do with my life

    That is why your mother's reaction makes sense and you should continue University.

  • altomic on 25/04/2017 - 17:06
    +32

    "I want to be an entrepreneur but don't have any idea how to make money" + "tell me what to do" = lazy

    • Kangal on 25/04/2017 - 21:55
      +2

      I want it I want it I want it….

      Too bad I've met some of these kids, who think Entrepreneurial adventures are a cake walk.
      You can't just have a great idea, you need the money to lift it off the ground, then you need to be able to work to get it into a physical/practical/prototype stage. I'm saying this from experience, because I had some ambitions years ago and was able to fulfill the first two criteria. But failing the last criteria caused my plan to end, and the idea was implemented by someone else. That very concept I had, has gone to sell in excess of US$100 M.

      It's not good enough to just "wish".
      You really have to do your homework BY YOURSELF, to have an ounce of success as an Entrepreneur.

      • Car-la-la on 25/04/2017 - 22:56
        +5

        out of interest, what was your $100mil+ idea/concept?

        • Kangal on 26/04/2017 - 16:45

          I'd be happy to talk about specifics in-person, don't really want to share online.

          But its about Solar Power, and a patent/company that was acquired by a certain Musk.

        • serpserpserp on 27/04/2017 - 20:59

          @Kangal:

          Why don't you want to share online? If the concept is owned my Musk who cares if it is in the public domain?

        • striker5950 on 29/04/2017 - 09:41

          @Kangal: whats the point of not telling us, its already been made, dont be stingy tell us

      • outlander on 26/04/2017 - 19:40

        Good story. I liked this part

        I had some ambitions years ago

        edit: I want to hear about your epic tale of reaching for the stars and missing by an inch! But you don't have messaging enabled

      • [Deactivated] on 28/04/2017 - 07:09

        Someone would have already had the same ideas Kangal, years or even decades before you

        Unfortunately in life its a constant uphill battle
        There are so many people investing into solar and it's battery storage system it isn't funny

        Tesla has the right ideas but not for the price they're asking

        Solar storage has been around for years, it's the battery technology that's changed mostly

  • Crownie on 25/04/2017 - 17:18

    Uni is about networking and socializing in the 1st 2 years. Have fun meeting new people and potential "customers" while there ;)

    • Cheapo333 on 26/04/2017 - 21:34
      +3

      You obviously have not done an undergraduate engineering degree.

      • serpserpserp on 27/04/2017 - 21:00

        Yeah because Crownie wants a job at the end of it.

        boom-tish

  • Wystri Warrick on 25/04/2017 - 18:00
    +3

    Do not drop out of uni

  • mhk5026 on 25/04/2017 - 19:23

    Have a look into a service called Terapeak.

  • Xetrok on 25/04/2017 - 20:23
    -1

    I heard Kyani or ACN is good /s

  • [Deactivated] on 25/04/2017 - 23:20
    +1

    gaming mouse pads or play mats

    what are these?
    who is your target market?

  • Findo on 26/04/2017 - 00:46
    +2

    Mouse pads? Who uses those? You'd be better off selling USB rechargeable dildos with a million features, you'd have a greater marketing base.

    • Gronk on 26/04/2017 - 20:24
      +2

      More to the point - who pays for a mouse mat? The last 4 I've had were either included with stuff I bought online or came in a showbag that I got from an exhibition / trade show.

  • sifter132 on 26/04/2017 - 07:42
    +3

    Member of the 'it's spelled ARSE in Australia' club, just popping up my head to say hi. Good luck with the venture!

    • Ozbargainite on 26/04/2017 - 13:27

      It pains me to see one of our yoof using 'ass' and 'anyways' in the same post.

  • cheapskatez on 26/04/2017 - 07:46

    You will need to sell a bucket load of these products week in and week out to make a decent income after expenses every year. Can you sell $200k worth annually to enable you to pocket $100k? First of all do not quit uni. Secondly, if you stick to mouse pads do it part time and build your business from there. And thirdly maybe look at a different product range. Look at a market where people have more discretionary income. Plus an entrepreneur normally finds gaps in the market and fills it. Good luck and follow your mums advice.

  • Gotchas on 26/04/2017 - 10:05
    +1

    I'll buy one if you can go lower than this deal

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/246644

  • born2reign on 26/04/2017 - 12:33
    +2

    Do not quit your studies. Nursing would be an awesome stable job with regular/consistent hours (many have 4 rostered days on and 4 off or 5 on 5 off). Perfect for an aspiring entrepreneur to collect the consistent paycheck while having multiple days off in a row to work on a side hustle.

    Once your side hustle is bringing in the income you need, than drop to nursing part-time for consistent salary / social aspect of employment or if you have no desire left in you, than you can drop it altogether.

    Don't limit yourself to one item, start out with the mousepads, if it works than great if it doesn't move on quickly to the next idea.

    tl;dr you need consistent employment while you build up your side hustle. Nursing is as consistent as it gets with many rostered days off to build up your side hustle.

  • Nutrino on 26/04/2017 - 13:31

    Must be a troll, first thing he/she/it does is post a stupid thread.

  • Marrk on 26/04/2017 - 15:29

    Stay at uni, study business units and think long and hard about possible products / gaps in the market. Get rich quick schemes don't work, just like calling yourself an entrepreneur (like many people do), doesn't make you one.

    Thinking you can make money off of a commodity / non proprietary product, on a website frequented by tight arses isn't the best strategy. It is impossible to compete solely on price, when the product can be purchased / shipped from China for around $1. You would need to sell high quality mousepads that were cool enough for people to spend $20 - $30, and OzBargain certainly wouldn't be your target demographic.

    Coming up with a good idea is hard, and bringing that idea to fruition is even harder.

  • scrimshaw on 26/04/2017 - 16:11
    +5

    Nursing is a stable job. Finish your course first and then think about a business later.

    Unlike many young wannabe entrepreneurs I've met at uni (who wear a suit to lectures everyday and think they are hot stuff) nurses actually have a decent income.

  • PJC on 26/04/2017 - 16:12
    +2

    An aspirant entrepreneur would have posted a deal, not "i don't have a damn clue of what to do with my life".

  • aerona on 26/04/2017 - 16:56
    +1

    Terrible idea. From your paragraph alone. I'd suggest to stay in school. Make your way out from your mother's basement and go from there.

  • Rorschach on 26/04/2017 - 16:59

    How about you study, AND do this part time?
    Maybe work for a couple of years after studies as well? Believe you me, you'll be able to make better decisions after some real life experience.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/04/2017 - 17:06
    +2

    if you are willing to work hard (really really hard and quite often 80 hrs-100hrs a week incl study) for at least 6 years at medical school, 1 year internship residency, 2 years rmo, and hopefully get accepted into a good specialty (may take 2-5 attempts if highly regarded one) and most importantly pass the exams in 4 years, then become a consultant…. before 40; you will be earning decent money and be recession proof professional.

    it will not be income at big 4 bank ceo or silicon valley levels. but enough to afford a nice house in a good sydney suburb once you become one.

    so complete your nursing degree and then try to get into sydney uni postgrade medical school.

  • Zondor on 26/04/2017 - 17:47
    +1

    I've never really seen someone "try" to be an Entrepreneur and succeed at it. Everyone I've seen do it who is successful has stumbled into it essentially.

  • serpserpserp on 26/04/2017 - 18:46
    +1

    Is this a troll post?

    • derek324 on 26/04/2017 - 20:37

      Already noticed: see 2nd response from the top.

  • greatlamp on 26/04/2017 - 19:32

    Nursing is probably one of the most valuable degrees at the moment, most likely to find employment

    Instead of using your entrepreneuring passion on worthless mouse pads, you could put your business mind toward the medical field.

    Continue ypur degree, and Keep your eyes open while working, write down your ideas, study and read well rated business texts, biographies of successful people, and join any entrepreneur clubs you can find.

    Seriously, there is no money in consumer goods

  • outlander on 26/04/2017 - 19:45
    -1

    You know all a business is technically an ABN? Those don't cost money

    • derek324 on 26/04/2017 - 20:36
      +1

      No idea what you saying. Note however that a business can operate unregistered (without ABN) if your business name is your, or your partner's, first name and surname.

      • outlander on 26/04/2017 - 21:42

        really like the idea of owning my own business

        Minimum requirements: ABN

        • derek324 on 26/04/2017 - 23:12

          Minimum requirements for what? It is allowed to operate a business without ABN and without registering it if:

          "If you are using your own name - your given name(s) and/or initial(s) followed by your surname - as a business name, it does not have to be registered"
          Reference: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/starting-business/types-lega…

          Please check the above source before making any further comments.

        • sudoroot on 27/04/2017 - 08:20

          @derek324:

          You are wrong, a business name is completely separate to your ABN. You still need an ABN to trade under your own name.

        • derek324 on 27/04/2017 - 08:58

          @sudoroot: Not so:
          "If a business decides not to register for GST, because it's income will not exceed the $75,000 threshold, the decision also needs to be made whether it will register for an Australian Business Number (…) There is no requirement for a business to register for an ABN".
          http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/finance/when-do-you-nee…

          "(…) it isn’t compulsory to have your own Australian Business Number (ABN)".
          http://abn.com.au

        • outlander on 27/04/2017 - 17:32

          @derek324:

          I think you're missing the point I'm trying to make, and its not really a serious one
          You want a own a business. You didn't say successful business, or even a business with customers. So if you want to check off "I own my own business" and be able to tell people that without lying, all you need to do is register for an ABN

        • derek324 on 28/04/2017 - 08:25

          @outlander: no need to lie, you can truthfully operate a business without an ABN and without registered a name. Not any business, of course, only some types of businesses, as explained above.

  • TheOtherLeft on 26/04/2017 - 20:50
    +3

    Since when did we become America? Ass…mom???

  • panek on 26/04/2017 - 21:25

    Sell dildos and other assortments of sex toys. Apparently Amazon sells heaps, so you can't really go wrong.

  • captobvious on 26/04/2017 - 22:21

    Sell ice at Uni
    Become Chris the Ice king

    • [Deactivated] on 28/04/2017 - 07:11

      And land in jail like the other morons who sell that shit

      Stupid illegal advice

      • captobvious on 28/04/2017 - 11:42

        Morons dont become ice kings

  • [Deactivated] on 26/04/2017 - 22:24

    I aint going to give you my ideas so the best advice is to finish up nursing as that in itself is a good card plus if you go into mental health will be your trump card.

    What you have going with the mouse pads is pretty much it but expand into every possible nook and cranny, dont go down one narrow path but spread the idea in other areas other then IT.

  • Thenarrator on 26/04/2017 - 22:28

    sell condoms. I acquired myself a reliable supplier who can supply thinnest condom in Australia- maybe the world.That fulfills the unique criteria. Its a japanese brand- so that fulfills the credibility criteria. I can be your supplier. PM if interested. :)

    • serpserpserp on 27/04/2017 - 21:03

      Why is it credible if it is from Japan?

  • OneJay on 26/04/2017 - 22:58
    +20

    I met my business partner at a bus stop mid-2012. I was a Tier-1 Service Desk guy, he was a fresh produce worker at a supermarket and a dishwasher at a restaurant. 12 months later, 2013, he asked me to set up a company so we could peel onions and sell them to the restaurant he worked at because all the kitchenhands hated peeling onions and it was time-consuming. We sourced onions from the supermarket, peeled them in the evening after our day jobs, and delivered peeled onions to the restaurant at night. We took something people didn't like doing, value-added to the product / sold our labour, and sold it accordingly at a mark-up.

    Come 2017, our company turned over $1.8m last financial year (not just from peeling onions mind you), I bought an investment house, drive a 2016 Ford Mustang GT + 3 other vehicles, and am financed to the hilt. I can't take extended holidays and usually work 60-70 hrs a week. I'd say I am content with where I am at this point.

    All new business start small. Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith. Always have a back-up plan like your day-job because you still have to eat and pay bills.

    • PJC on 26/04/2017 - 23:11

      Excellent story - have a plus-vote.

    • Dave Id on 27/04/2017 - 02:45
      +7

      Brings a tear to my eyes.

      • scrimshaw on 27/04/2017 - 03:29
        +1

        Were you chopping onions while reading this story

    • syousef on 27/04/2017 - 12:50
      +1

      What were you making on peeling the onions? I suspect what you did afterwards is what mattered. This step just helped you set up a business.

      I sincerely hope for your own well-being that you have a long term plan that doesn't include 70hrs/week and no holidays. If not you WILL crash and burn. It's just a question of when.

      • outlander on 27/04/2017 - 17:35
        +1

        Yeah. I worked in fast food, and they buy onions pre-peeled, chopped and sealed in a bag, so the idea itself isn't a new one. The execution of that idea might be

    • serpserpserp on 27/04/2017 - 21:05
      +1

      There are so many layers to this story.

    • [Deactivated] on 28/04/2017 - 07:13

      That's nice
      I'd much rather holidays and less stress than drive a terrible car

      Good concept though but the show off factor is high on this post

  • smit0847 on 26/04/2017 - 23:25
    +2

    You’ve chosen a very niche market with a very low-margin product. You are going to need to sell hundreds of thousands of these to make any real money/scale your operations and Im not sure that market exists in Australia. As others have said, teenagers have no money and adults don’t usually pay for mousepads – they either don’t use them or like stubby holders, they just seem to randomly turn up in your house without needing to buy them. You’re also unlikely to have repeat customers as you don’t really ‘wear out’ mousepads, nor do you have multiples for the one computer, nor do you change your mousepad regularly. New customers are much harder to acquire than repeat customers.
    What is your cost price and what are you planning to sell them for? You can easily find mousepads on ebay delivered for under $5. Im guessing you are not going to compete on price so what does yours have that is different or better?
    If you are interested in e-commerce my advice to you is to keep studying and then look to get some sort of graduate job in e-commerce and learn everything you can about the industry. Get paid to learn rather than wasting money yourself learning. You don’t have to work there forever, just a few years learning the ropes and then you can go out on your own.

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