3D Laser Side Hustle | My Numbers Revealed!
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- čas přidán 8. 06. 2024
- Big thank you to Glowforge for sponsoring this video! Want to save up to $500 a Glowforge? Click here: glowforge.com/aprilwilkerson
Glowforge Side Hustle - Video 1: • My New Side Hustle | W...
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Welcome to the official April Wilkerson CZcams channel. I’m April and I’m the creator of Wilker Do’s. I'm not professional or have any training, so I just pick the project I want to tackle and figure it out step by step. On this channel you will find a variety of content like DIY home improvement, How-To’s, construction and more. - Jak na to + styl
I really admire how you approach tasks, projects, and business. You are successful for a reason and you show it freely. Respect!
Aw thank you. I really appreciate you supporting what I do. It's so easy for people to turn nasty when somebody is successful at something, so I'm glad when I hear from those who are happy for me and also recognize that I try and pass along what I know!
I love that you are being so transparent with your numbers. The information is so much more valuable with this kind of transparency!
Thanks! I'm glad you found it useful. The results were certainly surprising. Thanks for watching.
April, I have been watching your channel since the early days when you had less than five thousand subscribers. You didn't really know what you where doing but I knew you where going to constantly improve and become a very talented wood worker because you could see an improvement in every video. I still enjoy watching your CZcams videos because they still seem to have a lot of the same magic as the earlier days of CZcams when it was easier to make money. I will always be a fan of your work and I love to be able to tell people that I knew about April Wilkerson when she was a nobody making CZcams videos in her garge using construction grade lumber.
It's been quite the journey to be sure! Thanks for staying along for the ride. :)
I love this series. I really want a GlowForge but find it hard to believe you can actually make it pay for itself. Now you’ve got my mind going on what I could create. Thanks April!
I was.skeptical as.well. My xtool M1 laser enhances my woodworking for lake art, engraved boxes, cutting.boards, etc.
Very cool side hustle April! Nice of you to share the business info that many people don’t grasp when starting a small enterprise. Understanding your cost and break even point is one of the keys to success. Thanks and looking forward to the next chapter in this series.
Thanks!
Glad you're continuing this series!
I’m so impressed and honestly a little envious of all of your amazing accomplishments! You’re such an inspiration to young women. I wish you had been around when I was a young girl.😊
April, this is excellent content!
Thank you very much for taking the time to put all this information together. I am looking forward to the next episode.
My only suggestion would be to make this an ongoing series to show how products have seasons as well as a lifecycle. You might even show how future input helps you tweak and improve your designs; how increasing or decreasing price might improve sales and profit; and possibly which products to discontinue.
I'm planning on doing something similar with lawn and patio furniture, and possibly some kitchen signage and décor.
Good Work April! proud of you.
So cool! I'm rooting for you
Good series and I hope it continues.
Really great video! Nice work Ms. April 😊
I really want to commend your generosity in sharing this information. How you have time for a side hustle is remarkable given everything else you do, but you go, girl. Kudos.
Thanks! Yes, I stay busy but love it. Thanks for watching.
Great video April! I have a Glowforge Pro in my high school shop for the students to use. Seniors down to 8th graders get to use the Glowforge and they love it. I have had it for two years now and it gets used several hours a day.
Thanks for a great video explaining the business side. I have a one student in particular that has almost mastered the Glowforge and she could possibly make it into her side hustle or college fundraiser job some day. I will show her your video and maybe that will give her more business ideas.
Keep up the good work!
Awesome information April!!! Love your enthusiasm!!!!! ❤❤
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Really appreciate the story here - love the details and appreciate you sharing.
In addition to woodworking (hence - why I follow and love your "can do" channel) I used to do commission crafts (nerdy hobby stuff) but honestly - as most of my stuff was mostly hand made - it did not scale.
still, love hearing about this project - keep us posted.....
(now, to get back to working in the garage while before it gets hot in texas....).
Great video. I've been waiting for part two and it was very well done!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
Really helpful small business strategy. Nicely done April, thanks
I like that you did this video to show how to go about it , thanks and I would also like to see a video on how to use a step by step on 3 d printing
I'm just starting a side hustle with laser and cnc and this video was super helpfull!! I so love all your videos, but this one just hit the mark for me. Thank you so much for all the tips!!
Awesome! I'm glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for your insight April.
Good job and Good Luck!
Very educational! Thank you.
This is extremely interesting April! I have the feeling that even after this experiment you will continue to develop this golfing store. You seem to be enjoying it! 😃👏
Thanks April, interesting video!
Very helpful and interesting. Thanks!
Not bad! I’m not a golfer but watching the new deck with the green. Made me think about it and tie into your new products. Great job 👏
Thank you very much for all your time recording and preparing these videos and sharing your insights.
Quick question, what software are you using for designing your products?
Golf Bag Nametag, like a luggage tag but you can use the same material you are currently using, just size and scale it however you want to whatever size you choose. Also customizable or the customer can use a Sharpie or whatever. Just an idea for ya
Great breakdown, thus far. Thanks for including the pay back on the startup cost...
Thank you, very helpful information!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.
Pretty cool to see success. Thanks for sharing this journey
Thank you for your kind words.
You should look at upsell opportunities too. Ie, how much would it cost to add a USB-powered light for some of these displays vs. how much would a "factory-integrated" modification add for value?
Thanks for your video. I just singed up for Etsy ads. I am excited to see how it goes.
Very cool watching everything you do so amazing great job and good luck
Very cool stuff. Thanks for sharing!🤙🏾💯
Appreciate breaking out the numbers and tactics. My wife and I both have aspirations to do something like this, and it's a great point of reference. No competition here... she does jewelry, I do electronics, and neither of us are golfers. 😉👍
Very helpful insight!
Thanks!
Aaw April, I just found you by (a happy) accident and so appreciate the way you explained and breakdown the number! I have been thinking to start my creative business and unsure if Etsy of Shopify would suit, now I known there is no wrong here, it's totally a numbers game. Thank you so much☺
Nice work here, April. I've been watching for years and now my daughter (11) has taken an interest. She's my little entrepreneur and is ready to move on from the summer lemonade-stand stuff. This may be an avenue for her! We're passing by Canyon Lake in mid-May; if the Wood Shed is still open to visitors, I'd love for her to see what you've been able to create.
Awesome stuff! 😃👍🏻👊🏻
Thanks!
I vote for a 19th hole style wall mount bottle opener that you customize. thanks for sharing your stuff!
Very helpful - it gave me some ideas how to up my Etsy game!
Awesome! I'm glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.
Really enjoy this content! Its good to see how the sales are going for you using a "no-name branding" strategy. My sales have gone down the toilet this last year and so have my competitors. Hard times!!!
Someone at my local makerspace had something listed on Etsy for like $100 and it didn’t sell in months. A consultant (just a dude who taught “Etsy” classes for a while - don’t remember his name) told her to bump the price to $700. She did and it sold in a couple of weeks.
Pricing psychology is some strange stuff for sure.
Thanks for the very helpful information. Just a quick suggestion for an established and easy product would be a divot tool and ball marker set, although you'd need to use your CNC machine, i don't think the Glowforge will cut metal for the divot tool. Ball markers, though, these can be wooden or acrylic. Just a thought
Must be legal size paper, way to go!!!!!
Excellent analysis. It's nice to see some success and hopefully continue. Some of us will also need to account for sales tax, income tax and social security tax. Also, utilities need to be spread out amongst all your machines etc. Cool stuff.
Very nice looks like a great tool! And nice business! Have a wonderful weekend 👍
It's funny, I was just looking into the Glowforge as a possible option for engraving and cutting. I really love the breakdown of the side business, and it helps people understand what is possible and can be created. What about a "Best game" display to hold the players score card? Something personalized, slotted to swap out, and opened in the front to display the score. Just a thought for something simple, but more open and accessible to everyday golfers.
I'd be super keen to hear how you manage inventory / raw materials / invoicing for custom jobs.
Very awesome! What is the textured green material you are using for the custom course design?
Would love to see an actual breakdown that shows your true costs - materials, labor, overhead etc. Too many folks look at their sales and forget about what it actually took to generate those sales. For example , labor is not just making the product, but sourcing the materials, picking it up if not delivered, time spent in marketing and analytics etc. These soft costs are really what show the actual profit.
Exactly right, overhead, labor and material is the most important cost before making marketing & sales = fee's at different online websites. Much better having your own store /website and less fee's involved.
If you had to hire someone to do the labour, design, packaging and shipping, even at minimum wage, what would your net profit (loss) be?. So many people out there are working for nothing. A good gauge is, how much does all this work add to your personal income?
I always enjoy your videos, even a sales related one like this one. I'm not a golfer, and i don't know anything about it, but i like collecting stuff and i hace a problem with space. What if you make smaller courses for small houses/apartments or for people who like traveling and play everywhere and want to put them around?
I would like more please!!!
Have you looked at shadow boxes with customizable features like the felt backing, brass plate, golf course cut out? Doesn't have to be golf. Can be anything from sports awards to military. Or custom wall signage, possibly with the golfer in silhouette? Trademarks may get tricky. Or there's commissioned golf course resin tables or golf furniture using some old clubs from a thrift store.
Good work keep it up 👍
Hey, you probably thought about this, but have you talked with the pro shops in your area to see if they can stock and sell some of this for you? Some shops may want to buy the hole in one stuff and give to members when the score one. Just a thought.
Very useful! Have a few questions though...what is your total setup cost (not just the machine, but my understanding is that the machine requires venting, for example, so those costs need to be considered), and what are the consumables cost (do parts need to be replaced after some service period - every 500 items as an example) that also needs to be figured into the cost.
Also, how long does it take to get up to speed and actually producing something! Do you need extra software or is the software that is provided for the machine (I assume) good enough.
Last thing that comes to mind, and in thinking about it part of the consumables, what is the electric usage(cost). I realize it will depend on usage, for your items in the store providing some examples would be useful.
Thanks for all your help!
I'm not sure how much data you have on it, but do you plan to stick with exclusively the niche of golf? I know with diversifying and having too many product designs creates additional work. I'd love to hear an update maybe 6 months down the line and see if the store establishes better over time. Thanks for the info!
You are such a smart young lady!!
Real pretty too.
Thank you, this was very helpful. I'm trying to start my own side hustle woodworking business, and marketing is actually terrifying to me. I'm retired, and don't want to do this full time; I would like to make enough money to feed my woodworking addiction🙂. Good luck in your endeavors; I wish you much success.
Are you customizing the course maps? You could add dates, names, and scores asa customization. I love this series! Thank you for sharing your journey.
Yes, I customize it to the Customer's request. I can make any course or hole they choose. Thanks for watching.
April that is roughly $ 375 a week from just 2 platforms , i think that is awesome since you are just starting out. Way to go keep it up !
Revenue though, right??
Please share where you buy your materials for the glowforge, especially the grass layers of golf courses.
April, the one thing about golfing that stands head and shoulders above other sports or rec activities is the thousands of golf tournaments held each year around the US. Non profit associations, corporations, & charities are all looking for unique gifts. They have raffles, swag bags, sponsored holes with table games and other opportunities. I’m not a golfer anymore but my firm is asked to provide gifts for a half dozen fundraiser tournaments each year. I could see buying 100 items for a small discount as one example, maybe w my firm name? Possibilities are endless. I have a friend who invented a golfing gift. He would be asked to provide dozens of gifts for real estate tourneys. For a fee of course. Good luck!
Perhaps a golf ball rack would work. Most clubs have there own name/image printed on balls..
I use to sell lolly tins with clubhouse or favourite holes printed on lid. Golfers could reuse the tins to store tees,markers etc.
Tree of Life from wood decorative objects in big for walls love ya ❤
Suppose you try to sell the more common items like the pencil display and best round display to the golf courses? Maybe personalize them with the clubs mane on them?
It would seem to be an easy task to add a custom image to the pencil holder/display specific to a particular golf course as a cost adder.
This is awesome April. Interesting the breakdown for what Etsy takes and the additional advertising costs. Hopefully with the added cost of the materials, you’re still making a nice margin. I know the Glowforge is expensive and even if you only make enough money to pay for it, it’s worthwhile. I have a drone aerial photography side business and while it doesn’t pay my everyday bills, it does pay for all of my drones, which I consider my hobby.
The things you are making are really cool. Keep at it!!!
Btw, you already have the best advertising amongst your competitors……it’s called “Made By April Wilkerson” 😉. No one else can say that 😊
My Etsy shop that sells these golf products does not have my name associated with it just to keep the figures pure. Thanks for watching.
16:25
thank you!
Hi April. Been watching your channel for a few years now. I have a good idea for your golf products that is along the custom course branch of products. What is a good way to pass on my idea?
Hi April, just a thought. Could you figure out how to hit the High School and University Athletic Departments for the "Favorite Courses" product. You could also create the Season Record Sign/Plaque and open it up to other sports. Love your creative juices and entertaining presentation. Be Safe, Stay Healthy and Keep Creating!
Have you ever thought about making a golf ball holder. Several golfers who play on different golf courses collect the balls with the logo on them. I'm thinking something like your pencil holder, not a display case.
Very smart & talented young business owner. Can she her doubling the size of her great shop to keep up on orders and new products. She understands that you have to spend money to make money and smart to only purchase top if the line equipment.
Just a thought...make pencil/paint/brush racks for artists.
I'm glad you added the cost of the glow forge, but didn't mention material costs.
Love all your information, very helpful.😃
I'd gladly make whatever the customer requests but with them not knowing it's available is the problem, just like with these gold products. Thanks for watching.
How has this adventure done sine this video? I would love an update. Something I’m looking to get into.
An Idea on the course maps. Make one and give it to a local popular club with a sign advertising availability and cards with your contact info to order. That way you may sell multiples of the same course reducing the setup time thereby increasing profit.
Great start… haven’t checked your store yet. But do courses have custom golf balls with their names on them? A display that lets you collect and show the various golf balls?
I'd gladly make whatever the customer requests. Thanks for watching.
Thank you for being transparent with your sales info. Can you please post a follow-up video in approximately 2 months? I would love to see if there is a boost in sales after revealing your "side hustle" on this main website. (I had no idea you were selling these items!)
I believe she is selling these things under a false name, so as not to influence the sales.
I created a name for my golf products store and it did not inflect my name or Wilkerdos at all. Thanks for the support and for watching.
@@AprilWilkerson What were your material costs?
@@ZrubekFamily The Etsy shop is literally her name and logo... Not saying that is a bad thing but it's not totally unknown.
an idea for you. a center target shot at 1 mile or 1000 yards
Favorite golf tee display? Just an idea
I can make whatever the customer wants. I've customized many already and it's such fun to see what everyone likes. Thanks for watching.
How about high school or college graduation gifts?
April, if its not on your list yet, a monogrammed scorecard clipboard that hangs on the golf bag. I hope that your sales increase, which I know they will.
I’ve believed that the very best advertisement is word of mouth and its been true for me for 21 years. So last idea, go to a few local courses and chat up the head golf pro and find out what their best score is and what course it was on. Then create a small score card plaque that has their name, name of the course and their final score.
Go back to the pro-shop. Say you are doing some market research and you would like their opinion on an idea. Then give it to them as a gift with your wooden business card and ask them if it would be something they believe would sell?
They won’t say no to a gift that displays how great they are 😂 and they have so much contact with the public that your cool stuff will get out there more quickly.
Keep letting us know how it goes!
B
Pencil holder for wood worker shop. Large pencil, standard and carpenter pencil?
Always having trouble finding pencils soup cans not cutting it 😂😂.
You should also realize that part of your success with this project is name recognition. You are known among woodworkers already. Not everyone has this audience on their social media.
Actually no. My name is not on the site and I am not advertising my Brand. I set it up just like anyone else would with a store name that no one associates with me. Thanks for watching.
April do you feel that some of these sales came from your fans on CZcams searching for your stuff on Etsy? Just wondering
Market to golf courses!
In time I will. Right now I'm just doing the experiment of setting up an Etsy store and seeing what sells and doesn't, etc. Thanks for watching.
April, I like that you teach people how this works. But in all fairness, you need to consider the taxes on the items sold, then all your OPEX of lights, space, storage, shipping, etc, and maintenance on the equipment, depreciation of the equipment. Then when you calculate what is left over please divide this by all the hours you worked on this and you get to a value of your labor. I tought this to my daughter and she was shocked to find out that her hour rate was only 5 dollars or often less.
Again, I appreciate you teaching this as it is absolutely necessary for people to learn this and understand before they go out and spend a fortune on a CNC machine in hopes to make big bucks.
As in all business, profit comes from efficiency and repeatability. So the more you standardize the better you can squeeze that buck out.
For all that want to start a business - please go ahead and look at this. I personally believe we all should learn a trade and be able to run a little business. Keep the country turning!
This to me seems like something to target wives of golfers with ads. These would make great gifts.
I found the shop etsy but did not see 18 hole of golf was shipping and size too much trouble
So, instead of manually lining up your material and taping it down, why not cut yourself a template that will allow you to slot the cuttable into the spot you want it in. Yes, you'll still want to tape it, but it will go much faster! That'll allow for a much quicker turnaround on your cutting and allow you to make more for your time.
Your furry helpers sure wanted out of that door. Great information!
They were outside in the garage shop with me. :) I think they just like being on camera. Thanks for watching.
@@AprilWilkerson been watching your content since your home shop build. Love your channel.
The pencil holder and the course maps i think would almost be better suited to be sold to the actual golf course/country club instead of to the golfers themselves
Try an eagle flying over the putting green flag with the golf ball in its claws. More people get the eagle than the hole in one. 🤔🤔😁❗ If this gets more results, let us know.
Question for next video: How offten do you 'have to' add new products to keep customers coming?
I'm still trying to get these products seen but would custom make any Customer's request. Thanks for watching.
April, How about a Laptop table?
I want to share that best round display for my brother in law. What is shop name?
I see a Best Round beside the laptop. I'm sure that wasn't cut on the Glowforge.....What did you use to cut that?
There seem to be a few CNC made parts as well as other woodworking involved beyond the pencil stands.
Are shipping the pencil holder assembled or unassembled?
They are shipped assembled. Thanks for watching.