A Word of Encouragement- Episode 99

https://linktr.ee/KarriKennedy

This episode isn’t the rah-rah pep talk you’re used to from me. I’m getting real about the divorce I’m going through, the hit my rating just took, and why I’m rethinking my whole category on Whatnot. I walk through the real numbers on shipping and packing, why the vintage category might not be sustainable for me right now, and why jewelry and purses could be my next move. If you’re in a hard season too, this one’s for you. Keep showing up, keep leveling up, and let’s give ourselves some grace today.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:29

Hey there guys. How's everybody doing? Um I am coming to you with some more random thoughts. And I want to first of all apologize for some of my oh angst and frustration and irritability as of late. A lot of my episodes have been pretty chipper and positive, and let's go get them, guys. We can do this, and very pro whatnot, and yay, go team. And the last few episodes have not been up to uh that par or standard, and and that's okay. I'm not I'm not completely like anti-everything has to be cheerleader, rah-rah, rah, because there is the reality, and there are the tough times and the tough episodes and the difficult circumstances and situations. And I'm I'm totally fine with being raw, but I also do want to just apologize that I feel like it's just been really, oh, I don't know, one-sided that direction, a little bit bent over to that side too much. So I'm coming to you with hopefully a little fresh perspective. My assistant's gonna be here in 14 minutes to help me for two hours, uh, get my room ready, clean up, get some stuff done. And I had a show scheduled for today at 4:30, but somebody, a friend of mine, is coming into town last no last minute. And so I was like, that's fine. You know, what comes first, friends or whatnot? That's a no-brainer for me. So I'm pushed it back to tomorrow. So I'm gonna get a bunch of stuff done around here and get things organized and listed and get ready for those upcoming shows. But anyways, so this is gonna be a quick episode, but I'm just gonna just throw it at you. Um, it looks like I'm going through a divorce. I this started March 13th, so you probably heard this. In fact, I went online to try to make money uh for it, and that just did not go well because I need $7,500 just to retain the lawyers, and they're saying it's gonna be about $1,500 when it's all said and done. I've been trying to talk to my husband about mediation, and so we'll see. He's he's not the best communicator, and uh, so it's just a very difficult situation, and uh I don't have a lot of you know faith and and confidence in that those communications and and all of that. That being said, um I am really reconsidering whatnot right now, just because uh right now I'm on the three-month you know kind of deal where I'm in the doghouse. We've talked about that. Um my rating went from excellent to good, and that has really, really affected me. If it's happened to you, you know what's what it is, and it's it's just a terrible situation. I personally think three months for something that was unintentional and accidental and good intentions, you know, to give money um should not be punished so harshly. Um, it's especially hard on me just because I am trying to go through a divorce. I am trying to get money. I'm really in a difficult situation. But to be sitting around for three months hoping that the algorithm's gonna send people in, and you can listen to previous episodes, even when I gave them $35 per hour, I made 17% more. And with the shipping and everything, it was it was a waste. I lost money big time on my last seven-hour show. So I'm really reconsidering not only maybe not doing whatnot in the future, but before I go there, I'm going to reconsider getting out of the category I'm in because I spent the last oh two days after my seven-hour show packing. And I know I could have had a smaller show, an hour or two hours, and not packed as much stuff, but I was trying to get that algorithm to be happy. I was trying to get stuff moved out. I I was I was trying a different thing, and it it didn't work. And that that's I, you know, I applaud myself and pat myself on the back when I try things, even if they fail, because I'm not a person who's gonna be shy and hesitant and worry and over, you know, I'm gonna go balls to the walls, I'm gonna try it. If it works, great. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. And I think in the vintage category, it's more of raid trains and who you know and getting the algorithm happy and and all of that. And it's so much work for the shipping. I really feel like people who sell jewelry or stamps or marbles or coins, little things, or even clothes, even um, it's an easier thing. And I know that because I've been in like 15, I've sold in like 15 categories, guys. I've I've sold ephemera, I've sold marbles, I've sold jewelry, I've sold clothes, I've been there, I've done that. And after wanting to get into this category because I think it's the most fun, I like the vintage stuff, I like the antique stuff. It's fun for me, and I was able to get some stuff, not near as much as everybody else. My biggest regret on it is the packing and the shipping. I ended up spending $450 on plastic wrap and paper and boxes the other day. $450. When I estimated it in my previous show, I thought maybe $200, $250. The prices have gone up everywhere. It's just ridiculous. Now they're gonna get rid of um the flat rate shipping, and that's gonna hurt a lot of people. And so I'm really thinking, what can I do to go and get in a smaller category? So it doesn't take over my whole house. So shipping doesn't take days and days. So I move on. Um, somebody called me the other day, yesterday actually, to ask me some questions. And um, when I was talking to her, she's nine months in, she's got her wings, she's making money. I'm two and a half years in, and I know it's because I've changed categories so many times, etc., etc. I wasn't as consistent. I know where I've I've I'm not gonna say failed, I made choices not to, you know, go that way. Um, because I'm I still have kids at home, I was homeschooling, whatever. Um, and I I started off, you know, I even went to estate sales, you know, doing estate sales shows here. So that being said, I think instead of, you know, knee-jerk reaction, you know, the best thing if if you're a boss and you're doing your employee review and your business review, the best thing to do is look at all your options. You know, what are my options right now? I know what I don't want to do. I don't want to keep spending two days shipping out stuff or even a day. I don't want to keep spending so much money on boxes and packing materials and the glass, it is so much work. If I was making, you know, 30, 50, 70 bucks per glass piece that I sold, and I had a way to get that, those products and and sell them and make that money, I sure as hell would do it. My profit margin is not there for the amount of money I'm spending on just the materials. There were certain people who bought things at my show. It was like three dollars. They bought two. This one lady bought two items, nice big items, for three dollars. It was a um mirrored glass that you put like the perfume bottles and stuff on with the brass, you know, filigree edges from like the 70s. She got that for a dollar. I guess nobody was paying attention, and I was doing dollar starts. She got it for a dollar, and then something else, like a wine bottle thing for two bucks. So I had to pay probably eight bucks, honestly, for the different boxes, the shipping and everything. And she paid three dollars. Plus, they took the money out. So I literally was losing money on this, and I'm like, this is the stupidest thing. It's just and it has been since I've gone to good rating instead of the excellent, and whatnot's not working with me, they're not talking to me, you know how they are. So I am thinking I need to go to jewelry or purses. And the reason I'm saying that is number one, jewelry and purses are things I love. I I do love jewelry and purses. Um, I don't, I couldn't go high category or something, um, like Gucci or Louis Vuitton, because I don't know enough, but I do know Betsy Johnson and Kate Spade and Michael Kors and you know, some of the uh other ones, Brahmin and and whatever. Uh, so I could do some purses or jewelry, but I have to find if I can get them at good prices, you know, who are gonna be my vendors? What does that look like? And being able to source the inventory is my biggest issue right now. But like I said at the beginning of this, I'm going through a divorce. I'm trying to figure out who's getting custody, who's getting the house, are we having estate sales? Are we having garage sales? Am I trying to sell this stuff on whatnot when my category is good? You know, if it was excellent, I'd have no problem selling it on whatnot. But quite honestly, if I'm not gonna make enough money to to pay for the boxes and my time and my energy, it's just crazy. So I'm in a I'm in a tight spot, and I'm I'm obviously being as honest and up front as always. Um, it's it's a rough situation. I'm I'm sad, I'm depressed, I'm crying. I I got three hours of sleep the other night, three hours and seven minutes. So between the emotional stress, the physical stress, the financial stress, it's taking its toll on me, to be quite honest. And it just makes me want to cry. It's just like I just want to call up whatnot and say, really, could you please review this? Could somebody talk to me? Could I pay a certain amount? Could we work out a deal if I sell a certain amount of items or something, you know, instead of just cold turkey? Nope, that's it, three months off, you know. There's just nothing to do with it. And it's just put me in such a predicament. So I know now, you know, go once again, employee review, business review. I know I don't think I want to do vintage. I just I don't have the I don't have the sourcing. I don't know where I'm gonna end up living, I don't have the time and the energy to keep doing this as far as shipping and the packing and and all of that while I'm in the good category. I say this now. If somehow I can get out of the good category in time and find a good source, I do love vintage and antique. I truly do. However, um, I think that my big my big factor here is just because I love it. Hold on, I'm gonna tell her. Okay, um yeah, Sarah's here a little earlier, so I'm gonna wrap up. But um I do I do love selling on whatnot. I love the people. People constantly are messaging me, checking on me, calling me, texting me, saying they love me. I feel so appreciated. Um, people appreciate the podcast, even if it is kind of bleak and depressing and frustrating at times or rambling. Um, so I know I I have some uh people who are 100% pro what not and don't like me saying anything negative, and I get a one-star review um with no no review, like they won't text why. But uh, anyways, guys, if if you could keep me in your prayers, if you could say a prayer and help me. Um, I'm on my fourth day of fasting. I am looking for answers, I'm looking for solutions, I'm looking for decision making. I know I'm not the only person in this situation. Um, you know, I'm coming back from being gone for a month. The algorithm's not too happy when you do that. And my ratings and just my whole situation is just difficult. So where I'm at right now is I'm praying, I'm fasting, I'm gonna keep going. And I've got two shows scheduled. I haven't gone past that because I'm gonna see how these next two shows go. And then I might just stay off until my rating, you know, till that three months is off because I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels. I'm either just barely making even, or I'm losing literally losing money, time, and energy. And so because of that, yeah, I don't, I don't know. So please say a prayer for me. Um I I yeah, I'm trying to be positive. I I am not leaving whatnot, which would be a knee-jerk reaction to the situation. I'm going to assess, I'm gonna look for sources, I'm gonna think and pray and hope and dream and really evaluate my next few shows, and maybe it'll be okay, maybe it won't. I don't know. But I just wanted to kind of give you a heads up on where I am, what I'm thinking, and also just encourage you to do the same thing. You know, if things aren't going good, and I know this happens with a lot of people because I do consultations on a regular basis. Um, it happens, it happens, and it's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean we're gonna be here forever. You know, I I could be talking to you in six months or a year from now and just be kicking ass with maybe wings, I don't know, um, but making a lot of money and and doing a lot better than I am. I have been there, I've made thousands and thousands of dollars in shows and kicked ass and just been elated and you know, amazed and so grateful. Um, so I know it's possible, guys. But if you are like me and you're going through like a valley, a season, a difficult time, a difficult circumstance, I would just say pull yourself back for a second, you know, spend some time thinking, praying, evaluating, seeing what works, seeing what doesn't work, you know, just kind of going, okay, there's a bunch of changes coming. Can I keep going? Can I can I afford to do this? Am I doing can I find a better source? Can I go on different hours? You know, ask yourself the different questions and see what you can do and try to level up. You know, that's one of the reasons my husband and I are getting divorced is he doesn't want to level up. Um, and and even when I suggested it, he didn't even like the words. Like he felt felt offended by that. Like he didn't like that. And I was like, fine, we can change the words if you don't like you know what it is. But I think we all need to try our best to level up. And I'm not just saying on whatnot, I'm saying in our lives, our diet, our health, our friends, our family, our church, our spirituality, our households, whatever that looks like. I'm here today to encourage you, me, all of us, to just try our best to evaluate, to think about things, to pray about things, to level up and really come into whatever we've got today ahead of us. It's eight o'clock in the morning, whatever we have ahead of us today, to do our best, you know, to change your stinking thinking, think positive thoughts, try our best, you know, and it's only for this is the other thing. Just remind yourself, this isn't forever, guys. This divorce that I'm going through, it's not gonna last forever. This season on whatnot, where I'm, you know, in this rating and it's difficult, it's not gonna last forever. You know, um, your financial situation that might be bleak like mine right now, it's not gonna last forever. So, so keep that in mind. Keep the faith, keep the, you know, energy and the effort working in there, keep plugging in and do your best, guys. And that's all I'm I'm here to say today is just try to encourage you a little bit and say we all go through it if you're in those times. Um, we're all there, you know, and and maybe that gives you a little bit of comfort to know that people like me who've been on here for two and a half years, I'm still struggling here and there. You know, it's it's not always fast fortune and fame for everybody. And um, it's not because we're not trying, it's not because we don't work our butts off. There's a lot of uh factors, you know, where do you live? Where are you sourcing? You know, how what how's the algorithm treating you? What category you're in, what your time frame is, what your energy level is, etc. etc. There's a lot of factors, but at the end of the day, you guys pat yourself on the back because you're doing the hard work, you're showing up, you're trying, you're giving your time, you're giving your energy, and you know, you're listening to the podcast, you're going on YouTube and watching the shows, and you're looking at how other people are doing it and getting ideas and and you're you're putting in the time and the energy and the effort. And for that, pat yourselves on the back. Let's all give ourselves a little bit of grace today as we go out and do our best, you know? And uh that's it. That's all I got for you guys. But I hope this hits and helps, and I hope you guys have a really great day. All right, talk to y'all later. Love you. Bye.