Ask About Business

Maggie Harding runs Garbo Antiques, a retail business selling vintage clothing, accessories and antiques. Having started trading on eBay, she has developed a retail presence online and has a dedicated company website: www.garboantiques.co.uk.  She also provides eBay training across Greater Manchester and the north west.

How long have you been running your own business?

I started in July 2004.

What did you do before? Did you have any business experience?

I worked for 11 years for a local authority helping homeless families, then moved to a health project for homeless people. I worked there for 4 years. And then I quit! But I did have some business experience because when I was a student I ran a stall at college selling clothes I bought at jumble sales. I'd buy things for 20p or 50p and then sell them on my stall at the Poly Union for £20! So I did have an entrepreneurial streak.

Why did you choose this type of business?

Because I love old fashioned clothes, and I'd always been interested in them. I should have been born in the 1930s!

Was there a moment when you thought - "I'm going to do it!"?

I did actually yes. Part of my job on the health project was having to inform families if a body had been found on the streets, and tell them it was their relative. It was an awful thing to do and often they were young people that had been homeless. And then it happened three times in about six weeks, and I just thought there must be more to life than this. It was too much: the job was stressful, long hours and I was exhausted. I thought I can't do another 20 years of it.

Did it take you long to take action?

Once I made that decision it didn't take long at all. Within two months I had given my job up!

Where did you go for help?

I saw an advert for Manchester Business School, offering a grant to anyone starting a new business. They interviewed me and offered me a place. The course was one day a week so I wanted to keep working and do the course, which is quite a good way of starting. But it wasn't possible so I gave up my job. I did a dramatic "I quit"!

Where did you get the funding to start your business?

I got a grant of £2500 to start me off, and the course covered things like writing a business plan, working out profit and loss, and tax. I really enjoyed it. I also received some more money from a business support scheme. I bought weighing scales to work out postage costs, envelopes, and loads of bubble wrap! I also paid for adverts in local newspapers advertising that I wanted to buy clothes.

What sort of research did you do? How important was your research before deciding to go for it?

I did LOTS research because I was determined that I was going to succeed. On the course we were taken to the Commercial Library in Manchester Central Library because of the range of resources available. I found things like Mintel market research, which was free to look at. To buy that sort of information would have cost too much to a new business like mine. And they have company information so I could research what other businesses were doing, and where they were based. I could find who the competition was likely to be, and also suppliers. It was all vital to writing my business plan - which you need to do to get your funding. I thought it was important to understand everything about the business side: things like tax returns. So my research was really an important part of starting up.

What are the highs of being self employed?

The best thing is the freedom I have. I have time to do other things if I want to. I can fit my work around my life, instead of the other way around. I can be really flexible with my time. I get lots of positive feedback too and that is very motivating. It encourages me to work harder. When I open my email in the morning I have lots of positive feedback waiting for me which sets you up with a smile. I like the money too!

What are the lows?

It can be lonely - at the end of the day it's just you and your computer. I don't have colleagues in the usual sense. Sometimes it can be hard to motivate yourself if there's something you would prefer to be doing. Although I can be flexible I still have to put in the hours. And I have to do everything - so if the computer goes wrong I have to sort it out. There's no IT support like you would have in an office. You have to try and do things yourself to keep costs down. But I do have work colleagues in a different sense. I'm very friendly with the post office staff because of all the parcels I send and receive. And with the launderette where I get my garments dry cleaned, and the people in the charity shops. So my office is just a bit different.

What is a typical day like?

I get up at 8.00 and turn on the PC first thing. I check feedback and any overnight sales that have gone through. Then I will wrap parcels for those items I have sold. I go to the Post Office and send them off, an then I'll go out buying. I go to markets, and charity shops, sometimes house calls if I have replies to my adverts. Then it's back home to start listing items for sale. That can take me until 7.30 in the evening. I'll spend the rest of the time answering any enquiries. So it's a very full time business. I usually finish work around 8 - 9pm most nights and I work at weekends too.

Do you work longer hours than when you worked for someone else?

Yes absolutely! But it doesn't matter because I like it and I like the money. It's satisfying see the results of my work.

How important is your website to your business? How much of your business is conducted online?

It's become much more important over the last 18 months. I have regular buyers and now they buy from my website rather than eBay. I have a big theatre company that regularly ask for things and they will send me an order instead of checking eBay. That works better for me because for one thing I don't have to pay fees to eBay, but also it means I can buy stock knowing that I have a customer for it. There's less risk for me. So for example the theatre company wanted six top hats, so I bought them knowing I had already sold them. Now I sell mostly online. I used to attend a lot of trade fairs but not so much now because of being able to sell directly online. I have buyers from abroad that will just ask to see pictures of items. It's much more cost effective than driving down to some trade fair, with all its costs and my time.

Tell us about your new website

I have recently updated the website. Initially I used a website designer to create it. They also gave me lessons on updating it. Now I do most of the work myself. The address is www.garboantiques.co.uk

Would you have any advice for someone thinking of starting their own business?

DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST! See who else is selling the same products, and how much for. And be prepared to put the work in. And get advice, advice, advice. There's loads of help out there - use it! You can pick up really useful tips and help that save you a lot of money if you know about it - for example things like what is tax deductible. Because in the early days you won't have much money so you need to maximise your income.

You've done a lot of work spreading the message about "selling on the web".

I also run workshops and eBay sessions where I show you how to start trading, etc. I started doing the odd one and now I'm asked to do them all over the region. So much so that it's become a part of my business. I'm really keen that people know about the opportunities that are out there and show that you can get started very easily if you do your homework. It's how I started - I went straight onto eBay selling my own personal items so I could start trading. I sold a Rolling Stones record for £31!

The first month is terrifying because you think what am I going to eat! But you stick with it. You don't have to be technical or brainy, but you have to be determined. You can't just pack it in at the first big obstacle. You keep going and you find a solution.

Top 3 business tips:

• Check out what other people are doing and use their good ideas.
• Develop a web site so you don't just rely on eBay
• DO YOUR RESEARCH!