Sell your talents on the Internet for fun and profit

Holding a full-time job while attending college can be difficult. Landing a job after graduating from college isn’t always immediate either. Some college graduates are serving coffee while waiting to land the job of their dream, although service industry jobs are not essential to making ends meet in the college or post-college world.

One of the ways people make ends meet is by turning to online entrepreneurship. People earn extra cash by selling art, crafts, services or stuff they have lying around the house collecting dust. Some have even mastered the fine art of flipping merchandise for profit by buying low and selling high.

UHCL couple and fine arts majors Donna McClendon and Nick Oberholtzer each have storefronts on Etsy.

McClendon sells all things crochet, including hats, totes and even sandals.

“Being that we live in a social media world, I figured that by using Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook, I could promote my designs/creations on Etsy somewhat easily, allowing my work to get a greater exposure and possibly sell more,” McClendon said.

Oberholtzer sells jewelry made of leather, resin and various metals.

“I want to expand my market to a wider clientele, and the Internet is ever a lucrative tool,” Oberholtzer said.

Both McClendon and Oberholtzer plan to continue their Etsy businesses even after they graduate to maximize exposure to their work.

“The humble profits I have made I always put back into making more jewelry for the shop,” Oberholtzer said about his revenue.

Dave Silverio, who is also a fine arts major, has found more of a technical niche. Silverio primarily buys videogame arcade joysticks to refurbish and resell for profit.

“In the past three to four years there has been a boom in the demand for these [arcade joysticks],” Silverio said.

By adding his own graphic flair to the units, he employs his training in graphic design.

“I made this [arcade joystick] with my own sensibilities in mind, but then people suddenly took interest in the item and wanted to buy it from me,” Silverio said.

Professors are getting in on the action, too. Lee Anne Kortus, lecturer in communication and digital media studies, sells her artwork on numerous forums. In addition to her own website and Etsy store, she posts her paintings, photographs and mixed media designs on deviantART and Redbubble. These websites allow consumers to purchase her artwork on T-shirts, mugs, calendars, prints and a variety of other products.

“You have to market yourself and your products,” Kortus said. “Use as many social media outlets as you can, join groups on Facebook with similar interests and advertise there.”

All these entrepreneurs agree that you have to know a little about business and marketing.

“Promote, promote, promote,” McClendon exclaimed.

S. Venkat Raman is a business counselor with SCORE, formerly Service Corps of Retired Executives, which offers business counseling to small business entrepreneurs at no charge.

Raman stressed the importance of marketing yourself through friends, neighbors and anyone you are not competing with, such as your plumber or stylist.

“Attitude is very important,” Raman said. “You have to be friendly.”

Raman advised the best way to have a good attitude is to keep your stress low, and the best way to keep your stress low is manage your finances.

“There are a lot of unknown factors,” Raman warned.

One way these entrepreneurs manage their finances is to put their profits back into their business.

“Anything I earn is more funding for the next thing I can buy and then sell,” Silverio said.

There are all kinds of products in demand in the online world, whether you are creative, technical or just a good bargain hunter. The online market today is quite vast. There are sites and forums for nearly every hobby or interest. Self-promotion is key.

“I could promote my designs/creations, allowing my work to get greater exposure and possibly sell more,” McClendon said.