Hi. Having been laid off for over a year with no job prospects in sight, I'm now thinking of starting my own business. I would like to talk to and exchange ideas with anyone who does "vendor sales" , i.e. candles, T-shirts, jewelry, etc. to offices, hospitals, etc. I am thinking of selling giftware items via vendor sales (whereby you go to a company's cafeteria for the day, set up and sell your items to employees). I volunteer at two hospitals that have several "vendor sales" throughout the year and it seems like it could be a good circuit to hook up to. Just wondering if anyone else has this type of business, what you sell, how lucrative is it and do you couple these weekday sales with craft/festival show sales on the weekends? Public or private email messages would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Deb, Upstate NY. Kaisermust@aol.com :-)

I, for one, have never heard of such a thing, but I have attended "Trunk Sales", parties to present certain product lines, etc. So, it is a viable, if not lucrative concept.

I think that the better your product line, the more success you can have.

I suggest putting together a business plan so you know exactly how you're going to do it, but it sounds like a great way to create a home business, so to speak.

Good luck.

Tina Brooks, VP Marketing
Brooks Pepperfire Foods, Inc.
Makers of Peppermaster Hot Sauces
http://www.peppermaster.com

Eat more peppers!

I sell to a number of hospitals, along with many, many other businesses, but not the way you are considering.

I sell promotional advertising, custom imprinted t-shirts, ink pens, calendars, pill boxes, decals, folders, tote bags, beach towels, jar grippers, and more, with the hospital's name, logo, and contact info on the various items.

Instead of selling one or two items to an individual, I sell 24 to 1000 pieces at a time.

And my clients include a Motorola FM Communications Sales and Service Center, 4 different credit unions, a number of insurance agents, tire stores, auto mechanics, Red Wing Shoe stores, veterinarians, financial advisors, a radio station, chemical refinery, food wholesaler, vo-tech school, tax preparers, CPA firms, an engineering firm, furniture store, quick lube shop, and many others.

Almost any business is a prospective clients, regardless of their industry. If you have a background in health care, your income potential could be much better selling to the hospital, rather than individuals in the vendor business you mentioned.

Good luck in finding the right opportunity.

Dennis