Turned your hobby into a business?

In February when we got our tax returns back I purchased 10,000 meal worms, putting about 5,000 aside for our breeding colony and to feed to our two bearded dragons. Before we did that we only had about 250 beetles producing. Now we've got a few thousand and it grows. We've already pulled out two clutches of beetle eggs and have thousands of little baby worms growing. Since then it's exploded and I've been able to sell off almost 20,000 meal worms since the middle of March. Besides me, there are two other meal worm breeders in the area, one of which works only with the reptile industry. So I get emails from people over an hour away. I really didn't expect it to get that popular and have had to start rethinking my program. We ordered more worms to add to the colony, to boost our production even more.

Right now what I sell has been more than paying for itself. In fact we've managed to expand from just meal worms, to super worms, dubia roaches and I'm researching places to buy red wigglers. I was completely caught off guard by the amount of people looking for them and the lack of people selling them. One lady who bought a couple thousand meal worms off me, told me that the only place she can find them is at Petco or Petsmart for twice what I offer or Walmart, freeze dried. That tells me that when I switch over to organic, I've got a little bit of room to play with the price to cover the switch some more. Although I'm hoping at that point I will have so many, and be selling so many that I can keep the prices the same and be fine.

Added note: I recently found out from someone buying worms from me, the other person who advertises on Craigslist seems to be out of worms often so even though he has ads up, he typically doesn't have worms. Oh well, his loss I guess.
 
Sounds like you're making a real go of it.
 
I am slowly trying to make a baking business work. Right now I am just selling occasionally to people that my DH works with. I don't drive so I cannot get to the local Farmers Market in town. I have been thinking about an Etsy account but don't know if the fees would offset. I also sell (at DH's work) sweat bands for hardhats. Trying to get that going other places also. I also do other crafts I could sell. I don't like making the same things you see everywhere. I have no other income of my own, so I get supplies as we have funds to do so.
 
cknmom said:
I am slowly trying to make a baking business work. Right now I am just selling occasionally to people that my DH works with. I don't drive so I cannot get to the local Farmers Market in town. I have been thinking about an Etsy account but don't know if the fees would offset. I also sell (at DH's work) sweat bands for hardhats. Trying to get that going other places also. I also do other crafts I could sell. I don't like making the same things you see everywhere. I have no other income of my own, so I get supplies as we have funds to do so.
Click to expand...

A few years ago I started baking and selling bread to a handful of regular customers. It was fun and the customers enjoyed it, but I found the profit margin was way too small for the amount of work I put in, so I stopped after a few weeks.

If you can find a way to get to a farmer's market that will help a lot. Maybe there is someone in the area that you can hitch a ride with?
 
Do you have any construction companies or unions in the area where you might be able to sell the sweat bands?
 
sumi said:
A few years ago I started baking and selling bread to a handful of regular customers. It was fun and the customers enjoyed it, but I found the profit margin was way too small for the amount of work I put in, so I stopped after a few weeks.

If you can find a way to get to a farmer's market that will help a lot. Maybe there is someone in the area that you can hitch a ride with?
Click to expand...
I do have a neighbor I me once that said I could go with her. I'm not sure I want to get that close with her though.
 
Denim Deb said:
Do you have any construction companies or unions in the area where you might be able to sell the sweat bands?
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I might . I will have to check into that. We do have a welding/gas shop I was thinking about asking. They sell the cheap ones that are no good there. I didn't think about const. cos. Good idea- Thanks!
 
sumi said:
A few years ago I started baking and selling bread to a handful of regular customers. It was fun and the customers enjoyed it, but I found the profit margin was way too small for the amount of work I put in, so I stopped after a few weeks.

If you can find a way to get to a farmer's market that will help a lot. Maybe there is someone in the area that you can hitch a ride with?
Click to expand...
I keep getting asked to make wedding cakes. I do it, but I REALLY don't like making them. Too much pressure! Some, when I quote them a price they think it is too much even though I sell them relatively cheap. Then they go and spend much more anyway.
 
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