Today’s challenge is to identify the obstacles and opportunities of each idea listed yesterday.  I am really enjoying the chapter a day approach to Side Hustle, and that each chapter begins with a real world Side Hustle story to illustrate the point. The book really breaks this process down into easy to follow baby steps.

So, what are the opportunities and obstacles with each of the three ideas:  Pouches/Purses; Prints; and potentially, Painted furniture.

Making and Selling Pouches and Purses

Obstacles:  I think that this is a fairly saturated market, from my observation both on-line and at Craft Shows.  I also need to improve my zipper sewing skills, which, based on limited experience, and my mom’s voice inside my head I perceive to be hard. I am also confident that I can learn how to do this neatly and repeatably.

Opportunities:  There are a few specific purse and pouch shapes that I have really loved over the years, and I want to focus on a few – but in a wide variety of fabrics, and set up my sale site so that people can pick their own combinations.  Another option is that I could link to sites that sell fabrics – and let people choose from those, but I think that would likely be overwhelming.  Generally, when I am buying something – I want good pre-made choices in a pretty wide variety,  but would have a hard time making the decision on fabrics if I had a choice.

Selling Vintage Advertising Copy/Prints/Maps

Obstacles:  One of the first questions that came to mind was around copyright concerns, and what I learned from an on-line search is that selling images from books that I have purchased does not infringe copy-right, but to make copies of those images would.  combining an image or parts of an image with other images, or artwork and selling it in a new form seems to not violate copy right laws.  I am not a lawyer, just restating what I read on legal advice pages.

Opportunities:  This is a fairly low investment option, fairly easy to ship via normal mail channels, and their is likely some market for it, if I have enough variety.  I know that where I work, people often give gifts using old advertising copy to colleagues for Anniversary celebrations, etc.  I think part of the key would be getting my tags specific enough and doing my internet posting in a way that my shop would come near the top of a search list (something I need to learn – but I know there is a lot of info out there about how to do that).

Artfully Re-painted Small Tables/Chairs

Obstacles:  Distribution.  These items would really need to be targeted to a local audience, as shipping could cost almost as much as the item itself, and that is not practical.  Also the size would not make them super conducive for sale at Craft Shows – as transport to the show, and customers taking them from the show would be difficult (though I have bought large items at larger shows before, and they will have people help load large items into your car.

Time & Materials.  The time to make the designs, and paint these items would be significantly longer than for the above two ideas.

Opportunities:  Hmmm.  Tough to say.  There are folks out there that do these kinds of things today.  I need to do more research on this, as it is a relatively new idea, and I’ve invested about $44 in it so far.