SecondMoonshot

Where to start? Back in January of 2021 I was cleaning my attic and saw all the [worthless] collectibles I have been lugging around for 40+ years and thought I would give eBay selling a try. First I sold my 2016 ND Mazda Miata Launch Edition and then lots more things. Then that grew into acquiring inventory with the thought of having more listings will create a steady revenue stream, which partially was true. My picking improved over time and now that I have seasoned reasonably well and can pick with the best of them, the shine has gone and there is a new shiny object in front of me (Custom Picture Framing).  I’m not leaving eBay as I am slowing down and just being more discriminating in what I sell. Over the last 2.5 years, the best thing that has happened has been all the awesome people we have met along the way…Betty & Robert, Stan & LeaAnne, John with JMS, Kim with Grannies Panties, Wayne (I guess there are a few Wayne’s, so take your pick which one I mean), Jeff & Lori

Since most of us will never really be interviewed (or even be asked), I decided that I would just interview myself…who better to ask the compelling questions that no one else is going to ask or care about. It was a joke conversation Zabrina and I were having in the car and thought it would be fun to do and a non-traditional way to share some information about us and SecondMoonshot. Part II, A Year Later is here . John: Welcome John, thank you for taking the time to talk with me. Let’s start with the basics, tell us in a nutshell the fundamentals of yourself. JOHN: Thanks John, it is truly [emphasized excessively] a pleasure to meet you in person! Well, I was born in Indiana in 1965, as a child I rode bikes and skateboards with no helmet, probably didn’t wear a seatbelt until I was 25 too. Average middle class raising in a military (Marines) family with 2 sisters and 1 brother - all older. Divorced 13 or so years ago, hope the ex is happy, she’s a good person, we had 2 wonderful childr

I thought I would discuss a little about my brand philosophy and some product examples and rationale that support the brand. When I started this, and I mean really started it vs. just selling my comic collection and McD Happy Meal toys in the attic, I put some thought into what was important to me to make it worthwhile. It really wasn’t about the money, but not lying that it wasn’t a component, but the money without some other form of ‘do the right thing’ mentality puts me back into the same state which pushed me into this to begin with. So I felt there should be no (or little) compromises on a few key core value statements: * If I am not happy, I will stop this. Non-negotiable. * I don’t want someone to pay for something they don’t want.  Non-negotiable. If someone doesn’t want what I sold them, then either I missed the boat or they did, but either way the right thing will always be to take it back and refund their money (all of it, including shipping and return postage if I want it

Let me give out some history of how all this [SecondMoonshot] started, a small family business created by me and my partner, Zabrina. To begin with, from the age of 13 I have never not had a job, whether it be mowing lawns, delivering newspapers, short stint doing Sunday night DJ at a local radio station (well sorta, more an operator of pre-recorded content), pizzerias (more than a few), office supply and furniture clerk/manager/delivery, Family Dollar as assistant manager (while the manager blew coke in the office), sold Apple Macintosh’s at the Charleston Naval Station PX, and on and on. Much of this was to work my way through college, at which I was not a great student. It only took me 9 years to get my degree (with a probation and a couple DUIs thrown in). Once I graduated with a BS Computer Science degree, I did what we did back in the day, printed out 200 resume’s and sent them to every IT company in South Carolina and landed a job in the Healthcare IT space in 1990. Fast forward