What a wild ride 2020 was. As a thank you for weathering the storm with us we’re offering a $5 Flash Sale on everything in our Gift Shop. Thank you for being so amazing… thank you for being so powerful.
-Danny
With all of the new Jonathan Adler accessories that I received for my B-day and V-day, I figured I would take a couple of updated photos of how the desk setup is looking at C’s place. It’s really cool that her and I buy each other gifts that we can take with us as our relationship and living space grows. Upgrade coming soon.
-Danny
We celebrated Valentine’s Day with black bean burgers from Café Gratitude and a drive in movie at Cinespia which is now being shown at the Greek Theater. This was honestly one of the best days (dates) that we’ve ever had. From dancing together in the kitchen in the morning and taking polaroids, to eating burgers in the trunk, to the inflatable movie screen getting knocked over by the wind, the entire experience was one of those days that just brings you closer as a couple. We both agree that it was one of those magic moments that really reminds us that we’re exactly with who we were always meant to find.
-Danny
Another year on this earth, another 365 days of lessons, another 365 days of growth. I’m not one who particularly enjoys birthdays and rarely like to celebrate them but this year I have a lot to be grateful for, a lot to celebrate. I’m alive, I’m healthy, I create on a daily basis, I strive to be better than I was; and I have a wonderful person in my life that makes me extremely happy. There really isn’t much else that I could ask for because I know with just that short list, I have more than most. I made a promise to myself that the next 365 days is all about giving back. Giving more than what people ask for and to show up in ways that are new for me. To express being confident enough in myself to fully follow through with my own ideas and not be steered by others. To make a journey through the tough roads in order to get to the places that I was always meant to go. Thank you to my amazing girlfriend and future mother-in-law for decorating and for all of the lovely gifts. I’m truly overwhelmed and so lucky. Thank you to everyone who messaged me and for all of the kind messages, you guys are the best.
-Danny
It’s about to be that special time of the year again when you remind yourself that true love comes from within and remnants of those whom you’ve outgrown are no longer necessary. Available here.
-Danny
This was our first attempt at making a vegan cauliflower pizza. Aside from the disastrous fail and meltdown afterwards, I think it was quite the success.
-Danny
A lot of people ask me how they can make money during the pandemic? I’ve talked about this before but as someone who’s always hustled through numerous outlets, I can honestly say the answer is to get creative and turn your hobby into a money generating outlet. One of my favorite hobbies is thrifting for clothes. Yesterday I stopped by a few of my favorite spots to dig through the racks and show you guys an example of my process.
1. Go to thrift stores on days that offer an additional discount
To maximize the return on your investment it’s always smart to try to get products at the lowest price possible. I’m pretty certain Goodwill’s offer discounts throughout the week as well as most national chains. To get an even bigger bang for your buck you can always hit the Goodwill outlets, also known as the “bins”. There they charge by the pound and not by individual items but be prepared for a crowd and sometimes you dig for hours and still leave empty handed.
2. Know what to look for
I say stick to whatever it is you enjoy. As much as I would love to hunt for valuable antiques, I know nothing about them so I stick to what I’m good at. Know the popular brands and sizes that sell the fastest. For instance, vintage sweaters, sweatpants and activewear seem to sell the fastest for me on one of my platforms yet vintage Harley-Davidson at a reasonable price sells within an hour on another. Steady your market and audience.
3.Stock up
Try to get as much as you can during each thrifting session, especially if you’re busy throughout the week with other businesses and tasks. I usually take two to four hours out of a day to hit as many spots as possible so I have fresh inventory to post throughout the week. This keeps things streamlined. Remember, time is money.
4: Clean your merchandise
If you want return customers to spend money with you, take the extra step and have the courtesy of washing the merchandise as soon as possible. I know this should be common sense but you would be surprised at how many people have no problem shipping out dirty merchandise.
5: A good product shot equals more money
This one is huge. I cannot stress to you enough how important a good product shot of your item is. It literally is the most important factor on getting bigger returns on your merchandise. You have to remember that people are shopping with their eyes so go the extra mile and put effort into your photographing process. I also streamline this as well and shoot as many items as I can within an hour and then batch edit so all of the items have the same vibe. Again, time is money
6: Pricing
This is one of those things that you just sort of learn over time. You want to maximize your return but you also want to be fair. The way I do it is, I take into account all of the effort I put into the product (i.e. digging through the racks, cleaning, photographing, marketing, packaging, shipping) and also the limited factor of the piece. Most vintage items are for the most part a one-of-one type of offering, which adds value to the item. Remember you’re in this to make money but you also want to have some wiggle room for when people try to haggle with you, which they usually will.
7: Description
Be sure to be descriptive and honest about any features and flaws of the item but also sprinkle in some of your own personality. Let customers know how they can style the item because then it turns into a more personal experience.
8: Packaging
When it comes to packing orders I really like to give the customer a great experience. I nicely fold and poly-bag the garments, add a sticker that lets the buyer know that their item is clean and ready to wear and also slip in a nice note or a small free gift. If a customer gets more than what they paid for, 9/10 times they’ll be back. That’s the whole objective, to build a return client base who already knows the level of effort that you put into your sales.
9: Shipping time
If I’m at my studio I like to ship the same day I get sales. If I’m out for meetings or projects, I’ll ship the next day but overall I have a 0-2 day shipping window. The faster you ship, the better the chance is the buyer will have a positive experience.
10: Marketing
Use your social media as an outlet to market the new offerings you have. Don’t post everything at once so that way you’ll have fresh products to add throughout the week which then allows you to market the items parallel with the days that you update your stock.
11: Where to sell
I say the more platforms, the better. I use Greymrkt for my personal wardrobe and higher-end items, Grailed for current designer pieces, eBay for vintage items and women’s clothing and then Depop for unique items and lower priced goods. I know there’s tons of other places to sell on but those are my four go-to’s. Keep in mind that unless you’re strictly using your own website to accommodate sales, you’ll be paying fees to whichever platform you’re using, which affects your net profit.
12: It’s a numbers game
A lot of people don’t understand that the biggest factor when it comes to flipping goods for a profit is that it’s a numbers game. The more items you can find for the least amount of money possible sold at the highest profit possible subtracted by the cost of goods and services then multiplied by the number of sales a day will determine the outcome of your net return. In other words, the effort you put into it reflects how much you can make. Someone lazy can make a few hundred a month and someone who goes all in can easily make over $1,000 a day.
So, there’s some of my tips and how I personally flip items. Even if I wasn’t into clothes but let’s say I decided to flip other items such as crafts, electronics, collectables or paintings; I would still apply a lot of the same outline to my business venture. The most important piece of the puzzle is that you need to have fun while doing it or else you’ll get burnt out, unhappy or simply lose interest. I hope this helped get the wheels in your noggin turning on new ways for you to make some extra money. Have fun and try new things until something finally clicks. It almost always does.
-Danny
We heard somewhere that the first 90 days in a relationship is the hardest because that’s around the time when the dopamine rush and love-struck sensations start to fade and all of the true quirks of your partner begin surfacing. If this information is accurate and these our the Polaroid® photos of what our 90th day looked like, then we can’t wait for our next 90th check in.
-C+D
I’ve been listening to podcasts for over two years now and can honestly testify to what a strong impact they’ve had in my life. When I took the first steps into my new journey, one of inner happiness and spiritual growth, one where I leave toxic substances and depression behind, I can truly say podcasts where there to help guide me. I’ve never had a mentor and I’ve always wanted to surround myself with people who can help steer me into a productive realm. People that can help me spiritually grow and initiate the momentum of motivation to become a better human. I never had these types of people in my life before and never knew where I could befriend such individuals. Then I found podcasts and it was like a whole new world opened up for me. A world that I wanted to be a part of. A world where I could pick my family and friends. A world that rewarded you if you were broken, unmotivated or simply just not living on your highest frequency. Podcasts allow you to have full control of your avatars and what kind of information gets distributed into your mind. Podcasts allow you to build a support system of individuals that you may have never met before but yet they add value to your life. Ones that have been in your position and know how to get you out of the dark places. Ones that make you laugh and some that make you cry. Ones that teach how to invest your money and other that teach you how to invest your time. Ones that are just there for you when you feel overwhelmed. Podcasts have a very significant and special place in my heart and I owe a lot of who I am today to them. That’s why I started my own a few months ago, to help, to be there, to talk, to listen and to share my struggles and successes with you in hopes that my words can impact you like others have impacted me. So, the fact that SS/OUND WAVES® is now on Apple® Podcasts makes me feel extremely happy and grateful. It’s one of those “full circle” moments and another sign from the universe that I’m on the right path. Thank you to everyone that has been sending me heartfelt messages in regard to everything that I’m currently trying to create. Some don’t get it, some wonder what happened to me, some simply stopped following me and others are starting to tune in for the right reasons. My new life is much bigger than me and it’s all about being of service and spreading positivity. I’m now simply just an outlet for a higher source of energy to work through.
-Danny
Do what you love, spend time with those you love and be better tomorrow than you were today. Have a wonderful weekend and don’t forget to take a moment for yourself.
Photos: Weston
-Danny
