Hey bootstrappers,

>> What the alchemists of old (and new) teach us.

Yes, I know, you can’t turn base metals into gold. 

But some of the smartest people in history tried it, including Sir Isaac Newton.  

Their experiments failed but led to new insights into medicine and chemistry. (A reminder to embrace failure for who knows what value you might create.)

Today’s alchemists work a different sort of magic, and perhaps you’re one of them.

I'm thinking of people who make or buy stuff for next-to-nothing and then sell it at big margins online.

Not true alchemy, perhaps, but just as rewarding. The ecommerce market is worth $5.5 trillion after all. 

What could you make or buy for little cost that you could turn into big profits?

This week’s founders all found their winning entrepreneurial (alchemical?) formula in ecommerce. 

Where will you find yours?

Former accountant Samuel Gumbie’s chili sauces were a hit at home and the office, so he decided to sell them online. Now, his business enjoys 200 percent growth every year.

This Chili Sauce Went From Hobby to Hot Commodity Thanks to a Layoff and a Dream

“Resilience is very important. I have thick skin but the biggest piece is staying positive and constantly moving forward. Small steps add up.”

Hemant Chava delivers the in-store experience to online brands without the cost of owning or renting premises. Omnichannel customer journeys are the future, Hemant believes.

By Bringing the Online and Offline Retail Experience Together, Brik + Clik Made $450,000 Last Year

“People like to touch and try products. That’s innate human nature and it’s not going anywhere. We tap into that. Physical retail is making a comeback. What’s old is new, right?”

After dominating the cannabis market with extraction paper, Brandon Howard now sells parchment paper to the cooking industry. The mother of all pivots?

Want to Make a Profitable Cannabis Business? Try Parchment Paper

“I was in it before it was cool and legal. I did 10 months in jail when I was 19 for selling weed. I was on probation and everything. People said to me, ‘What are you going to do now, sell weed your whole life?’ Now they want my advice.”

“If it doesn’t cost money, it takes time. My goal years ago was not dealing with people that I didn’t want to deal with and not trading time for money. I didn’t do that. Now I’m 35 and want to experience other things in life.”

 - Brandon Howard, ParchmentPaper

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