A note to my backyard growers.
Here’s something to think about.
We are all here, in this group, growing plants, because about 20 years ago some blue collar knucklehead took a chance and bought a personal computer when almost nobody had one. He didn’t know how to use a computer.
Then the brazen jerk decided to spend an entire winter writing a book on plant propagation. As if anybody would buy a book written by a blue collar knucklehead!
Took about a thousand trips with a wheelbarrow full of topsoil to pay off the $2,500 he spent on the computer and chintzy computer desk.
The book was written, but back then you needed about $4,000 to get it published. Once again he was broke. Sat on the book for an entire year.
Finally decided to roll the dice and put $4,000 on a credit card. Knowing full and well that he’d probably have to refi the house to cover that credit card balance. Which is pretty much what happened.
When that semi trailer pulled up in front of my house and I started wheeling those 3,000 books into the garage muttering to myself, “What have I done?”
Friend’s laughed at my foolishness. “How’s Pam like all of those books in the garage? Have you sold even one yet?”
I worked hard trying to get the big book stores to carry my book. Finally! The two biggest book retailers in the U.S. decided to stock my book. If I’d give them 65% off the cover price. I agreed, shipped them books.
Friends, the two biggest book sellers in the country, combined, sold less than 100 copies of my book.
I sold the other 2,900 myself. That book has been out of print for years.
My point to this story?
1. You have to believe in yourself.
2. You have to do the arithmetic.
My investment in those books was $4,000. My cost per book was $1.08 delivered to my door plus cover art etc.
That meant that I only needed to sell 400 books at $10.00 each to break even.
At the time the big gardening magazines each had about 350,000 subscribers.
How could I not sell 400 books?
But I will tell you this, to this day, books are still the slowest moving item that we offer.
So don’t think that magic was in “books”.
The magic was in being willing to take a chance and believing in yourself enough to follow through on a multi year plan.
And I truly was a blue collar knucklehead and I still am today.
It’s not who you are, it’s what you are willing to do.
Don says
October 12, 2016 at 9:35 pmI came across your sight looking for information about how the propagate arborvitae. You are a goldmine of information. Thanks!
Mike says
October 13, 2016 at 6:57 amThanks Don, I appreciate that.
Frank smith says
August 19, 2016 at 2:16 amHi mike,
I loved watching your YouTube channel but it seems your not active on it anymore. I loved hearing the good knowledge and tips you gave on the videos. Hope you can start posting new videos soon.
Mike says
August 19, 2016 at 7:04 pmFrank,
You’re right, we haven’t shot any new videos lately but really need to. Thanks for the reminder. We have a lot other content here; https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/directory/
daudi rono says
August 15, 2016 at 1:29 amthank you for your reply. l hope to learn more from you.
Toni says
June 27, 2016 at 5:36 pmHi Mike!
Found your site through a YouTube search on weed identification. Thank goodness I did…your knowledge will undoubtedly help our struggling school garden to flourish!
Thank you!:)
Mike says
June 27, 2016 at 7:41 pmThanks Toni, great to have you aboard!
Lisa W says
June 9, 2016 at 9:05 pmWow! What a great personal experience. Thanks for sharing. That’s the third time in 3 days I’ve ran across something talking about believing in yourself. Now you are an actual inspiring example of that. Just the last push I needed to let go of my fear and forge ahead on starting my own backyard plant business. I’m going to join and become a member. I look forward to working with you and the community on the Backyard Growers Business Center. Thanks again Mike for all the knowledge you share with folks. :0)
P.S. Your one of the coolest knuckleheads I’ve ever seen! ;0)
Mike says
June 10, 2016 at 6:40 amThanks Lisa, I’ll see you on the inside.
CHARLENE NORMAN says
June 7, 2016 at 11:12 pmThank you we are not at our clay acre yet, but man , my poor trees would of drowned, I will be trying raised beds, flowers to bring in the good beds, and we would like to do an underground garden. Lots and lots to learn. Thank you for the start.
CHARLENE NORMAN says
June 7, 2016 at 11:13 pmGood bugs
Jim Alter says
May 29, 2016 at 11:10 pmFrom one knucklehead to another; Thank You for the inspiration and the endlessly entertaining and knowledgeable reading.
Mike you are an inspiration.
Mike says
May 30, 2016 at 6:38 pmThanks Jim, I appreciate that.
Brigita says
May 28, 2016 at 11:53 amI have a plant in not sure what it is I have a picture of it could you help me on what it is.?
Mike says
May 29, 2016 at 4:56 pmBrigita,
I never see incoming email, it’s all I can do to do the things that I do.
Pam Lee says
May 30, 2017 at 4:00 pmThere are NUMEROUS plant ID groups on Facebook. Join those and post it on several and you will get an answer