Resale business ideas can begin with something as simple as learning how to spot a bargain. For Amber, that lesson began with her Gran, who knew how to find value in second-hand items long before “upcycling” became a popular word.
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This short post begins Amber’s New From Old series. It is the starting point for her resale enterprise, where she learns to find old or unwanted items, improve them and sell them for profit.
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Resale Business Ideas: Amber’s New From Old Enterprise
My family immigrated here to Australia from Kenya back when I was just a kid in 1970.
They came out with little qualifications, money or possessions and were supporting a young family. In order to make ends meet, my mother became very good at hunting down a bargain at a variety of places, including op shops, lawn sales, second-hand shops and markets.
Years later, she opened her own second-hand goods shop and did exceptionally well out of it as a small business.
So, when Amber was looking for an enterprise idea, she knew exactly who to speak to.
Learning Resale Business Ideas from Gran
Amber knew her Grandmother was an expert at finding bargains and then on-selling them for a profit.
Her Gran suggested that Amber start her search at the local tip’s recycling centre, a place where thrown-away items are put aside, then sold to the public for next to nothing.
Here was a wonderful opportunity to buy something, fix it up and resell it.
For families in the area today, the Shire of Dardanup Waste Transfer Station and Recycling Centre is a useful reminder that recycling, reuse and waste recovery can create opportunities for families to think differently about what gets thrown away.
One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure
The old saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” was to ring very true here.
So that is the basis of Amber’s new business.
To create something new from something old.
That is why resale business ideas can be so powerful for kids. A child does not always need a huge amount of money, a shopfront or a complicated business plan.
Sometimes they simply need:
- someone who can teach them how to spot value,
- a place to search for bargains,
- a small amount of starting money,
- a practical eye for what can be cleaned, repaired or improved,
- and the confidence to try.
Amber’s New From Old Business Plan
Amber’s business plan was simple and sound.
Find something old.
Look for the hidden value.
Buy it for a low price.
Clean it, repair it or improve it.
Then resell it for a profit.
She was definitely onto a winner.
More importantly, she was proud of what she had come up with.
That pride matters. When children own their enterprise idea, they are much more likely to take action and follow it through.
Why Resale Business Ideas Are Great for Kids
Resale business ideas are wonderful for kids because they teach practical business skills in a very hands-on way.
Children can learn how to:
- notice opportunities,
- compare prices,
- think about what other people might want,
- clean or improve an item,
- take a good photo,
- advertise clearly,
- talk with buyers,
- and understand profit.
They also learn that value is not always obvious.
Some people see rubbish.
Others see opportunity.
Amber was beginning to learn how to see opportunity.
Amber’s New From Old Series
Follow Amber’s New From Old journey: This article begins the series. The next posts show Amber putting the idea into action and learning how to buy, improve and sell for profit.
Next we will share Flynn’s business plan for his new enterprise.
It is really a honey pot of gold!
Key Takeaway: Resale Business Ideas Can Start Small
Key takeaway: resale business ideas can help children learn how to spot value, buy carefully, improve second-hand items and sell for profit. Amber’s New From Old enterprise began with Gran’s bargain-hunting wisdom and a simple idea: create something new from something old.
Where to Next?
- Read Part 2: Amber’s Rabbit Hutch Flip
- Read Part 3: Amber’s New From Old Project 2
- Read Flynn’s Honey Turns to Gold
- Explore more Kids Business Ideas
- Explore more Money Lessons for Kids
What old item could your child turn into a new opportunity?