Scotty's Cool Stuff Off the Ground

Here's the Deal:

As most people know, I have been making a go at the resale business, mostly selling used musical instruments, and stereo and hi-fi gear, and it has been lucrative. I have been self teaching some minor electronic repair, and restoring old equipment. I have been out picking each day to find inventory that I can sell to people for reasonable prices. I have been able to cover my bills, but as everyone knows it takes more than monthly generated income to start up a business. Since being in Spokane, there has been one financial obstacle after another, including a funding source for my business venture, who ended up backing out at the last minute.

I am one of those guys who usually scoffs at people using Go Fund Me to ask for money to better themselves financially, or to pay for something they want, such as a trip or pay their bills since they weren't willing to work for it themselves. I feel like, if you're not getting married, or have become debilitated in some way, shape, or form, from unforeseen circumstances, you're begging for it. I don't particularly asking this way, but I guess I am trying to convince you that I am not begging, and this funding source is a benefit to my  family, friends, and the community. I plan to pay it back to my friends and the general community in several ways. First off would be a grand opening party with bands and BBQ, open to the public, with sale prices on my existing inventory.  Discounts for Donors/Investors will reflect below as well.

I have secured a space for this business to become reality, and the landlord is a great guy who is willing to work with me, and is excited with the prospect of having this kind of business in one of his properties. My initial number crunching finds it to be very affordable, and It's it in a great place, right next to a record store in a downtown location. I offer quality gear to people for affordable prices. I have a business plan laid out, but the funding would  need to be obtained for many of the following reasons:

- business license
- tax ID number
- State tax ID Number
- EIN number - because I eventually hope to employ more people
- 3 Months rent, including initial first, last and deposit
- Moving expenses
- materials to spruce the place up (paint, lumber, etc)
- 3 months operating expenses (not income)
- various shop furnishings to make it a warm place for people to visit and feel comfortable
- cleaning supplies
- signage
- advertising

So since this is a rough way for me to take a big gulp, and ask people to help get my business off the ground with a retail space, I feel a little strange and a tad bit foolish approaching it this way, I have resorted to creating this page to ask my friends to invest in me and my family's future. I have no intention of this being a gift, but rather a loan/investment from anyone who cares to donate, with benefits to come from the business I continue to run from a retail space. I plan to pay it forward in droves by making the people that contribute an offer of a discount partnership, from the store inventory during the first two years of business.

I would offer these benefits for donors for the first two years of business:

$25-$50 -  5% off all purchases
$50-$250 - 10% off all purchases
$250-$500 - 20% off all purchases
$500-$1000 - 25% off all purchases

If you wished to come up with any amount over $1000, I would be willing to discuss profit sharing and partnership, by way of devising a business plan devoted to the invested amount. I would love to procure investors who believe in the business venture that I revere so highly.  I think anyone would be impressed with the plans that I have in mind and the direction I plan to take it. 

I am under the impression that most of my friends, family, and acquaintances have my best interest in mind. Please save my sanity and not send me back to the world of social work, where I loved my job for a number of years, before seeing how truly miserable I had become  and the people around me were exuding. FOR PROFIT and Social work never make a good combo. I love what I have been doing, and I am doing it 7 days per week, for about 10 hours per day, and have yet to become sick of it. I know my wife would like it if I had set hours (yeah right), with a place to do it.

So....If you'd like to see happier Scott Kellogg, working, doing something he loves, that serves a population who walks away happy, please feel free to chip in. I would greatly appreciate it, and working for myself has been a dream of mine since the first day I started working at 14 - helping withe construction of the Newport cinemas. It think it's probably everyone's dream to enjoy the freedoms and responsibilities of owning their own business. Thanks for looking. I appreciate all of you, regardless if you can pitch in.

Here is a link to the Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/LHScottysCoolStuff/