My Story

I started my own independent store because I was attracted to the business model. Before I started my own stores, I was a mailbox customer of a local UPS franchise store. I had that mailbox for several years and they autocharged my credit card every year. I would forget about it, but didn't have the time, effort or energy to cancel it since I would use the address sometimes to avoid using my home address for stuff. I was intrigued by the business model.

Mailboxes are like mini storage units. A low maintenance, low overhead item that has steady, recurring monthly revenue.

The shipping is ancillary and seasonal.

I knew that if I could fill up enough mailboxes, I could use that steady recurring revenue to cover my expenses: rent and payroll.

Once I discovered this business model, I knew I had to learn more.

The only problem was that I didn’t know anything about running a store like this.

So, I went up the street from my house to the independent store that I frequented as a customer. I was friends with the owner, Andrew. I approached him and asked him if wanted to expand. He said no. So, I told him that I wanted to open up a store like his, but far enough away that it wouldn’t be competition.

I would pay him $10,000 if he let me follow him around for 2 weeks, work in his store and capture his processes. I would build him a nice handbook if he wanted and he would have free (actually, paying him!) help. He agreed and I got right to work!

I trained in his store every day for 2 weeks. People thought I was a new hire.

I captured all of his processes and copied everything in his store. The computer system, the counter heights, everything.

Then I modified it and improved it for use in my own store.

This course is an experience share of how I started my stores, using the tools and resources that I have found to work for me. Your results are not guaranteed and are completely dependent on your location, level of effort, preparedness and ability to execute. There are no refunds and no guarantees.