Interview with Hairy Tornado (Josh and Hayley): YouTube Influencers and Full-Time Resellers on whatnot, eBay, and Beyond
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Introduction
In this interview, we take a closer look at the journey of Hairy Tornado (Josh and Hayley), unraveling the strategies, challenges, and insights that have shaped their path to success in the world of reselling and YouTube. Paul and Faith (cofounders of My Reseller Genie) have met Josh and Hayley multiple times and also had the privilege of being one of the sponsors of Josh and Hayley’s Flipcon 2023 (reseller meetup event).
From modest beginnings to building a dedicated following, Hairy Tornado's story offers valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and content creators alike. Join us as we dive into the world of one of the internet's most intriguing influencers in the reselling space and get to know Josh and Hayley a little better!
Can you tell us a bit about your background before you started reselling items online?
I (Josh) was in insurance as an underwriter for a home insurance company and Hayley was the lab director for the county wastewater treatment facility. Very boring jobs to say the least.
How did you and Hayley meet?
Hayley and I met while working at Chick-fil-A.
Do you both run all aspects of your reselling business or do you each have set tasks?
At this point, we can both do pretty much everything the other can. I think it’s important for each of us to know how the entire business works just in case. I used to do all the video editing but then I realized that if something were to happen to me, Hayley wouldn’t be able to keep the YouTube portion of the business going. I know it can be a bit morbid thinking of death, but you really want to make sure that your spouse is set up for success if something were to happen.
Have you run into any obstacles in working together and if so, how have you overcome them?
In terms of obstacles, I don’t think we have had any major issues. Obviously, when you’re with someone 24/7, you need to create some time for yourself. Sometimes we will work opposite “shifts” to create some alone time. I’ll edit videos inside while she lists in the warehouse. Sometimes I’ll do a whatnot show while she just takes some time to read a book or something. Giving each other a bit of physical space has really helped us avoid any major issues thus far.
Do you resell items full-time or part-time?
We are both full-time in the business. Selling items only accounts for around 30% of our income and the other 70% comes from social media (YouTube views, sponsors, and affiliates).
How do you balance reselling with other commitments?
Balancing everything can be really tough. We are lucky enough to have a separate space for our work in our backyard. It’s a large, climate-controlled detached garage that houses our listing station, inventory storage, live selling “set”, and shipping station. We work when we are out there and if we need a break, we come inside the house. Having that physical separation between work and life is probably the best thing for our work/life balance.
Do you specialize in selling items within a particular niche, or do you sell a variety of items?
We sell pretty much anything that we can find. We do try to avoid larger items like furniture just due to how much space it can take up. I think niching down to one category of items can work really well if that’s your thing.
What factors influenced your decision to focus on/not focus on a niche?
Only dealing with one type of item usually makes the entire reselling process a lot more streamlined (researching, sourcing, listing and shipping are all way easier if you only sell pants or golf clubs), but niching down doesn’t make for super entertaining YouTube content (in our experience). Viewers love variety and when your income is geared more towards content, it’s important to do what gets the most views.
In your experience, what has been the most effective platform for selling items (e.g., eBay, Poshmark, etc.), and why?
eBay is the best all-around platform, in my opinion. It has the largest audience of buyers which is super important. We also love live-selling on whatnot, but I know that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Whatnot is really fun for us and we buy so much stuff that it’s awesome being able to move it quickly and make room for more. Stuff typically sells for less on whatnot than it will on eBay, but we are fine with that. It’s the fast nickel/slow dime argument. We love fast nickels.
How do you stay informed about market trends and changes in the reselling industry?
There are lots of “what sold” videos on YouTube. People just show what they have recently sold online and those can be a great way to learn new brands or items to look out for. I’d make sure the videos are recent though. A what-sold video from 3 years ago isn’t going to be very helpful because the market changes so quickly.
What are your favorite tools or resources for managing your reselling business efficiently?
Obviously, we love My Reseller Genie. It’s SO much better than a simple spreadsheet and much more affordable than hiring a bookkeeper to do everything for you. We also love PirateShip. It’s a free website that allows you to purchase shipping labels at discounted rates. It’s SO much cheaper than buying labels at the post office or UPS store (literally like 90% cheaper in some cases) and there’s no membership or monthly fee at all. You can even link your eBay account to PirateShip for a seamless integration. Those 2 are game-changers for resellers at any level.
What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as a reseller, and how have you overcome them?
I think the biggest challenge facing all resellers is an increase in the difficulty of finding profitable inventory. We’ve adapted so much in the 5 years we’ve been reselling and I think that’s the key. Constantly keeping up with shifts in the market, learning new brands/categories, exploring new sourcing methods, and having capital on hand for large opportunities can all be ways to combat this.
Can you share some of your best tips or strategies for maximizing profits and success as a reseller?
Sourcing high-quality inventory and consistently listing that inventory. That’s all it takes.
What are some common mistakes that new resellers should avoid?
Stop buying so much stuff. Most people just buy anything and everything they think they can make some money on and they end up with a huge pile of low-quality inventory that they can’t even find the motivation to list. You need to be super picky with your buys and you need to get the stuff listed as soon as possible. It’s hard to stay motivated and the longer you let those items sit in their goodwill bags in your guest bedroom, the less likely it is that you will ever list them.
What advice would you give to someone new to reselling and looking to get started?
Shipping and sell-through rate. Those are the 2 biggest things to learn. Knowing how to ship an item correctly and cheaply is crucial. I’d recommend spending a day or 2 just watching some shipping tutorial videos on YouTube. Double-check your info as well because some people like sharing “tips” that aren’t actually legal. Make sure your sources are reputable.
Sell-through rate is also absolutely crucial. This is essentially learning supply and demand. If there are 1000 Princess Diana beanie babies listed for sale but only 3 have actually sold in the last 90 days, then there’s no point in you listing that item. Obviously, there’s a dismal demand for those (only 3 sold) and the supply is so large that it would take YEARS for all those to sell. This is the NUMBER ONE issue I see with new sellers. Don’t spend time listing stuff that isn’t already selling. Don’t list stuff and HOPE it will sell, source stuff that you KNOW will sell, based on the data.
Conclusion
We’d like to thank Josh for taking the time to answer our questions and share his invaluable insights with us! Whether you are a brand new reseller or a well-seasoned one, we hope that you can walk away with helpful information from this interview to help you grow in your reselling business endeavors. As Josh alluded to multiple times, it will always pay off to work smarter (not just harder) in your business. Knowing your sell-through rate, costs, and putting in the work to source quality inventory at a low price point are critical to creating a thriving reselling business.
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