Saying Hello ;)

**eyesofhazel** · 08-01-2012, 01:00 AM

Well let’s get started here... I know absolutely NOTHING about scrap metal. I’m actually a married, nursing student with two beautiful children. However, my husband has recently opened up a small scrap metal business in our small hillbilly town and put me in charge. He has a coal mining job and is expecting to be laid off soon because the mines is selling out so he decided to have this back-up plan. We have one employee that unloads and he is a great employee but he falls under the same category im in, college student, young and scrap metal illiterate. Yet I may have a few years on him and he may have a little more intelligence then me when it comes to metal. That being said, I need all the great tips and help I can get. I do, in a way, like it because it is a challenge for me but I’m so out of my element and un-educated about this subject I find myself putting my foot in my mouth often. The embarrassment is so bad I could just walk out some days. For example we had a customer come in wanting a price sheet and I was able to successfully help him with that. When he started reading the price sheet I started feeling anxious. I knew I was fixing to be on the hot seat and of course I don’t want to look like a idiot at a new business trying to gain customers, but he says, "What is breakage?" I paused for a moment and the only thing I could think of was breaks on a vehicle. So I answered with that. Thank God our employee overheard and corrected me (by asking my husband on the phone which he was talking to at the time). Anyways I experienced the "wee man" syndrome for the rest of the day and to be honest, that’s one customer I don’t care to ever run into again. I was humiliated!!! Any help anyone can offer, I would be so delighted. We have quite a lot of money invested in this business , I could go to Hawaii 3 times and stay for a week each time, I really don’t need to screw this up. I need to learn fast and earn so cash.

**Mechanic688** · 08-01-2012, 01:17 AM

Hazeleyes, if your a college student you should be used to this, go back to the main section and find the area your most interested in and start reading. It's kinda like college except no tests, except maybe the ones your customers put you thru. Everyone has to start somewhere. We have a few here that are running a yard of some sort so they'll chime in here with some good pointers for you. It'll take time but good luck.

**DropYoTop** · 08-01-2012, 01:35 AM

you came at a pretty bad time scrap pretty low right now..

**mascraps** · 08-01-2012, 02:18 AM

Welcome to the forum! First off, in my opinion, this is ONLY my opinion, you should probably start by advertising free metal removal for companies, or home clean outs. You could even start by advertising like the big got junk etc clean out companies where you charge the clients for removal of the junk and just cash in on the metal as a bonus. Honestly I feel as if unless your buying in large quantities, your prices will have to be lowball offers. The reason I say that is because your going to have to go and resell that same material to a yard. For me personally, I have zero dollars invested in my little side business, as I just go around collecting metal from trash, and businesses. Heck you'd be surprised what people give away for FREE. When it comes to paying for things your best bet is to buy computer towers at roughly 3-5 bucks a unit. That's an easy 10 +profit fit there alone. Go after anything you can get your hands on, even tvs, monitors, those have roughly 3+ bucks in copper,etc. cellphones are an easy 5.25/lb without the battery to buyers on this forum. There is a lot of money to be made out there, you just have to be creative and willing to work at it. As long as you read rou these forums you can find whatever you desire to know. All it takes to make a buck through scrapping is hardworking, and determination, I'm sure many scrapers here started off in your position, as did myself who can relate to you as a college freshman trying to make some money to get ahead in this world. Good luck -mascraps