Case Study

Folks,
Here is a note from a fellow from whom I have obtained permission to quote
for you. This fellow was scheduled to take my class but got too busy with
starting his company. He was surprised to find me tell him his experience is
fairly common. Review his tale and feel free to advise him in "reply to all"
on how he ought to have proceeded. The products were existing items, not his
own designs.
***
A lot of things have happened since I decided to make a go of this course and
business. We went to a gift show and received a lukewarm response from our
products as did everyone else. A large amount of money was spent on
brochures,
a pop-up booth, importing using a broker, order forms, travel etc. The
products were priced incorrectly too cheap(not my decision) and our minimums
were
a little unreasonable...1st $1000, then $750, then $500, then ...

We got about 10 orders under our minimum. My partner, a relative, wanted to
fill
a container from this one show. I wasn't really thinking about it, but now
it
sounds outlandish.

The sources were Eastern European which I had a feeling were not the most
dependable or trustworthy either.

We have decided to cancel all but one order and close the company.
***
Our rules reveal our weaknesses...I stress the means I do in the course
because tales such as this are so common, yet so easily avoided. All that
creativity, enrgy, time and money wasted! This is probably the most common
story I hear about people who try import/export. What I laid out in the class
for you is the second most common story, the one that is told by anyone who
thrives in import/export at the small biz level. I'll quit teaching when
what I taught in the class becomes the most common story. Feel free to
question away...(but hit the "reply to all" button)
John

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