Small business owner shares advice on starting a business

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – With the growing popularity of online shopping, especially during the holidays, more people are becoming “accidental entrepreneurs”, according to a new Small Business report.

Angie Nelson, of electronic recycling company Angie’s GreenGo Surplus, joined Everyday Northwest to share tips for those who want to follow their passion and start their own business.

Nelson explained she started her businesses after she and her husband were at an auction shopping for furniture for their newlywed apartment. Instead of furniture, however, Nelson said they ended up finding electronics and e-waste.

“That’s when the passion was born,” Nelson explained. “We discovered that there was a way to divert electronics from the landfill by recycling them properly but also extending the life of some.”

“We started selling them locally, but there’s only so much we can sell, so we picked eBay as our partner and so we started listing items on eBay and reaching out to customers around the United States and globally,” Nelson said.

The small business owner added “forty-five percent of the business owners [in the Small Business report] were actually ‘accidental entrepreneurs’ like me, and out of all those people like 80% were just doing something that they love. So, the fact they were able to turn that passion into a business is just fascinating.”

With the rise of eCommerce and the concept of buying local, Nelson also highlighted the importance of supporting small businesses.

“We know that when you’re supporting us, you’re supporting our entrepreneurial spirit, our dreams and local economy,” Nelson said.

For those who want to start their own small business, Nelson advises entrepreneurs to “stop thinking about it and start acting on it.” Nelson added that you should “know your niche, know your competitors and make sure you pick the right partners to help you succeed.”