Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamiah Eady.
Jamiah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was a younger, I’ve always loved anime growing up. I thought it would be one of those things that you grow out of as you get older, but as time passed it became more and more interesting to me. When I was younger there was a Naruto Bandai collectible card game. I had some of the cards from when it first came out, then the game eventually died. I then was sitting on a big collection of the cards. During my senior year, I decided that the cards really weren’t doing me any justice sitting there so I began to list them on eBay. The funny thing is I didn’t really think of it as a business model but me selling something that I was interested in. The cards started to sell pretty quickly and I began to build a customer base. This was back in 2012ish. As the months went by, I noticed that the cards continued to sell. I was only selling Naruto cards until 2018. During the beginning of 2019, I thought about how cool it would be to sell all kinds of anime. All I remember is getting a couple pops and fast-forward to 2022 I have figures, statues, wall scrolls, TCG, and more!
I just continued to add to my collection as if I was a normal collector, but in bulk, as time passed.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like they say “life is a bumpy road” There were some struggles along the way for sure!
The very first mistake I made was I didn’t research which products sell more than the others so I dived in and bought a bunch of inventories some old some new. I sat on a lot of the stuff that was old since it’s been out for a while as well as some of the new stuff because I did not build my community up first so I had people to sell to.
Another issue is I would get heavy products and not realize how much it would cost to ship them so they were hard to move, because not everyone wants to pay a lot for shipping.
There was also the issue of missing out on cool items because I would not pre-order them. By the time I would get them the wave of people who really wanted them would already have them.
Working another job while pursuing your dreams can be tiring sometimes, which leaves me with the fact that sometimes I would struggle with time management when it came to my work.
Lastly, when you first start out, “unless you have been saving,” the funds may be hard to get. When it comes to wholesale to resell, those who buy in bulk get the best deals. Sometimes I would not be able to get the best prices since I didn’t have a bunch of cash to start off with. Funding a business from your own money can be hard at times.
Things may seem bumpy at the beginning, but they always get better if you stay at it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
So Strictly Animez is an online anime shop that specializes in anime products. We sell items from statues, blankets, wall scrolls, trading cards, etc.
I am currently the owner of the business.
We have completed a couple of shows, and so far, it seems that we accidentally became known as the people with a very good selection of anime items as well as the prices.
What I am most proud of at the moment is that each day it seems that the business is getting better and better. Looking back at where I started, I never would have thought I would have made it this far this quick =].
What sets me apart from others? I would have to say my love for the field I’m in as well as the knowledge that I have about the products. I also believe that my motivational level for the business is on a power level over 9000 😉
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My best advice for finding a mentor would be to always look for people who are doing what you want to do. Go to events that have to do with your business, and you are bound to meet people who are on similar levels as you or ahead of the game that would be willing to network with you.
If there are local shops around you that are doing what you want to do, I would advise you to poke your head in and ask to talk with the owner. You never know if they may be willing to help you and teach you the game. It never hurts to ask.
As I started to go to anime conventions, I’ve met so many other vendors that either have the same goals or who have mastered the game already and they were more happy to share the game! That’s free networking at its best. It’s always nice to talk to people who have similar interests.
Going to conventions has worked for me the best as far as meeting other people, and every once in a while, people who host other events will be there and invite you. When it comes to networking, you never know who you may run into.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.strictlyanimez.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strictlyanimez/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Strictlyz
