Don't Fall For The Hard Sell!

Hi! I'm AndieJ. Welcome to AndieJ Studio. I am an artist working from home, and trying to figure out this whole "ecommerce" thing.

I've wondered: Is it possible to start and run a successful business from home with little to no startup capital?

We live in an amazing time. Never before in the history of humankind have so many people had access to so much opportunity. The internet, & the ecommerce giants have made it possible for pretty much anyone to earn a little extra with a side gig. Amazon, the biggest ecommerce giant on the planet, affords a number of opportunities: FBA, Merch, & Affiliate marketing to name a few. While there are many claims that anyone can make a fortune by selling their own sourced product on Amazon, it does raise a few questions: How many regular people are actually turning a substantial income this way? How many try and fail miserably, having wasted precious financial resources in the attempt? How easy/difficult is it, really, to figure out where to invest those dollars in sourcing products?

Then, of course, there are the guru types who claim that affiliate marketing on your own website, or drop shipping via your own website, is the way to easy money. I saw a Youtube video where one guru guy claims to have set up his own site (as an experiment to demonstrate to his would-be clientele how easy it is to amass a fortune)for a golf related product (a mug, I think). Only one or so items on the site. Within 3 days it was bringing in $1,500 in sales per day. Problem: He's already got a substantial net worth from doing seminars for his would-be clientele. How does anyone know that he's not getting some of his business buddies or family members to place these orders, knowing that his loss will actually be minimal compared to what he'll rake in on his next seminar teaching others how to do what he's done? And, if you fail it isn't his fault because he's already proved it could be done, AND shown how easy it is to make money this way?

I DO believe that "work smart, not hard" is a truism.

I DON'T believe in something for nothing. - You're either going to spend your time & effort, or your money, or all three to get results.

So, what's the best way to start a business on a shoestring?

You may notice that I am prepping an online store to plug into my blog. It may take me a few weeks to get it up and running. Why? Because the plugin I am using is free. Hence, very labor intensive. But it does plug right into my blog. I am not a techie person. This could take a while.

I'm interested in YOUR opinions and input. What has worked for you? Have you been scammed? Have you poured your heart and soul into an endeavor to end up with amazing results? Disappointing results?

Let's take a journey together. You can watch me build something awesome, or crash and burn - repeatedly, as I figure this whole crazy thing out.