Do you tell your friends/family what you do?

sdot10 · #1 01-14-2015

After a conversation with a good friend I realized that I tend to not tell people much about what I do for a living which has caused some of my friends to come to their own conclusions. apparently drug dealer is high on the list

also top secret government stuff

i guess most of it is my fault though. Ive just found explaining stealth to people is harder than youd think. If people havent been exposed to the great monopoly of ebay/paypal saying you are banned immediately makes them think you must've done something wrong or that stealth is identity theft

might have to start playing to these assumptions haha

yankee · #2 01-14-2015

I just say, "Internet marketing" and "Investor"
And then if they ask what, I might talk about the items I market or buy etc..

SilentHill · #3 01-14-2015

funny I say internet marketing as-well. Some of your friends just wont understand.

yotano211 · #4 01-14-2015

I only tell them that I sell fulltime on ebay and that I am on the road a lot. I dont need to tell people any further in what I really do, what I really do is break the TOS of ebay/paypal every single day, or that I import tons of stuff from Thailand and walk around fleamarkets. Or that I have dozens and dozens of ebay/paypal accounts along with many bank accounts.

I really dont need to tell people that.

If they see that I am on my business laptop and they happen to see the many "user accounts", I simply tell them those are suppliers.

The only people that know is my mom, sister, brother in law, but they only know the basic. I think the only person that I really tried to explain it all is with my ex gf, we are good friends. I tried to explain it all but I'm not sure if she got it.

People know that I am home a lot and with the garage sealed off.

Cracker100 · #5 01-14-2015

I'm the same way, people just don't understand so I tell them I do marketing online for furniture dealers. Which I did for years on CL.

sdot10 · #6 01-14-2015

when i say i sell on ebay and people ask what my user name is because they want to check it out. haha always the most awkward situation.

MM78 · #7 01-14-2015

I tell people that I sell garage sale stuff on ebay.

solefoodbk · #8 01-14-2015

I just say I sell clothing on ebay.

I used to say I went to thrift shops and so on to get my product but I like saying "I have connections". It adds to the mystery of what I do. haha..

Like everyone else said, trying to explain "stealth" usually doesn't work out too well. I mean how long did it take us to learn it? If correctly, then longer than a conversation

MM78 · #9 01-14-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by solefoodbk

Like everyone else said, trying to explain "stealth" usually doesn't work out too well. I mean how long did it take us to learn it? If correctly, then longer than a conversation

I tried explaining Stealth to a few family members....their eyes just glazed over about 20 minutes in.....

GreenBean · #10 01-14-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by MM78

I tried explaining Stealth to a few family members....their eyes just glazed over about 20 minutes in.....

Your story must have been good if they lasted 20 minutes of explanation.

bananaappeal · #11 01-14-2015

tried explaining my stealth ebay life to a family member once - realised how stupid it sounded from their reaction.

since then i've just left my ebay empire out of conversation sticking with my webstores as honest discussion.

pokerpro · #12 01-15-2015

I tell everyone at the poker table the truth and NONE of them believe me......I have longish hair, always wearing hawaiian shirts and I can't count the times tourists here in Las Vegas, at a poker table, have asked me where to get drugs...

My best friend is usually at the table and he always cracks up and say's to them......"boy are you misreading that book, this guys doesn't do any drugs, doesn't drink any alcohol, hell, he doesn't even drink coffee"...........they never believe him..........but it's true..........They usually don't believe I do anything on eBay............people are such a crack up.......

pr0wake · #13 01-15-2015

fun thread

I have been victim of the drug dealer assumption as well, especially from neighbors.

I used to make multiple trips daily in my car or truck and return a few minutes to a few hours later, only transporting a backpack back and forth with me lol. Nobody knew I was just scooping up as many iPhones I could get my hands on.

My family began wondering when my quality of life kept increasing at a somewhat accelerated pace... I assured them of my tactics but I saw the skepticism on their faces.

I can understand their perspectives, hell I would even assume the same haha

user83 · #14 01-15-2015

its funny pokerpro

slokor · #15 01-15-2015

I bought a couple of properties so officially to the tax authorities Im a landlord.
To friend and family as well as others who ask Im an Ebay consultant specializing in assisting people develop their accounts/businesses on ebay - pretty close to the truth

trosky · #16 01-15-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokerpro

I tell everyone at the poker table the truth and NONE of them believe me......I have longish hair, always wearing hawaiian shirts and I can't count the times tourists here in Las Vegas, at a poker table, have asked me where to get drugs...

My best friend is usually at the table and he always cracks up and say's to them......"boy are you misreading that book, this guys doesn't do any drugs, doesn't drink any alcohol, hell, he doesn't even drink coffee"...........they never believe him..........but it's true..........They usually don't believe I do anything on eBay............people are such a crack up.......

So do you invest your eB profits into your poker bankroll or you give them away at 2/5 at the Aria?

123 · #17 01-15-2015

Ha I use to have the same problem when I would go into too much details, but I've learned to just say internet marketing which is pretty accurate in a sense anyways and much easier to explain thats for sure!

pokerpro · #18 01-15-2015

No.......I'm pretty much a tourney player......and I have a bad habit of investing my profits back into product......seriously, all my buddies tell me to stop keeping myself broke and just sell and enjoy the profits, but I'm paranoid I'll never have enough stuff to sell......

I need to see a therapist.......

outofluck · #19 01-15-2015

Funny thread!

I use to take PRIDE in telling ppl that I sell online.
After eB shut me down 3 years ago, I lost total faith in my "pride" of owning an eB store.
Sounds bitter, maybe so, but eB dusted me off like a used piece of gum.
How can anyone have trust, faith or pride in something like that.

I agree with aspkin, it is good to have the non majority of your business (not in eBay).
I use to keep my eB biz quiet even to my closest acquaintances.
That is stupid, in hindsight.
I did think that if I told them what I do, then everybody would start doing it.
Truth is eBay IS that way now.
It's a copy cat league.

My goal for the long term future is to build a reputable business that sells good products to repeat buyers.
Ps. A little off topic but is anyone a member of the six figure boss forum?
Message me, I'd love to hear you.

trosky · #20 01-15-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokerpro

No.......I'm pretty much a tourney player......and I have a bad habit of investing my profits back into product......seriously, all my buddies tell me to stop keeping myself broke and just sell and enjoy the profits, but I'm paranoid I'll never have enough stuff to sell......

I need to see a therapist.......

I'd say that's a good bad habit to have lol, but a little balance is good. If I'm spending my profit traveling I'm happy to spend it.

yotano211 · #21 01-15-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokerpro

I tell everyone at the poker table the truth and NONE of them believe me......I have longish hair, always wearing hawaiian shirts and I can't count the times tourists here in Las Vegas, at a poker table, have asked me where to get drugs...

My best friend is usually at the table and he always cracks up and say's to them......"boy are you misreading that book, this guys doesn't do any drugs, doesn't drink any alcohol, hell, he doesn't even drink coffee"...........they never believe him..........but it's true..........They usually don't believe I do anything on eBay............people are such a crack up.......

Omg same here. I used to work at the Barbara Coast when it still named that. I worked in the employee cafeteria, when I got get work and walk my car, at least once a week I would get asked by tourist if I knew someone with weed or a connection to a weed seller.
I love Vegas, esp., on the weekend when you see drunk tourist fight is out. Or at the Piano bar at New York New York, around 1am is when the drunk girls really get wild.

I would work at Sirrico's Pizza at New York New York Casino, this was 5 years ago before I started selling full-time on ebay. I would see these women take off tops, smash tables and fights. At was the most exciting job I had, the pay really sucked but it got me on my feet again.

pokerpro · #22 01-15-2015

Yea, living in Vegas, even for the short time it will be, has given me stories for life.....it's all here for the viewing........