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Interview with Jason Weaver
This week, we cover the story of Jason Weaver, a college dropout from Pennsylvania who built a successful business selling jam in just one year.
Name: Jason Weaver
Age: 21
Profession: Entrepreneur
Background
Jason is the eldest of three kids. His dad worked as a food supplier to a local supermarket chain while his mother is a part-time music teacher.
The Covid-19 pandemic hit his father’s business hard, and Jason was forced to drop out of college to support his family.
Why did you choose to sell Jam?
This was not a conscious decision. I initially tried a bunch of things – I approached real estate agents and insurance brokers – but they offered commission-only jobs. I figured if I had no guarantee of making money working for others, I might as well start my own business.
I came across a company called Creoate that was a supplier for jam, along with a bunch of other things. I decided to sell jam because everyone knows what it is, and so, I could simply knock on doors to get going.
Why did you choose Creoate?
I love Creoate. Starting from zero, we are now a $750K business, but I continue to use them for most of my supplies. This is simply because of the wide assortment of products available.
Creoate is also RISK-FREE. You have FREE 60-day returns policy on all products. This was a HUGE plus when I started out because I would return any unsold inventory back to them. So, I incurred no loss.
I also became eligible for their Buy Now, Pay Later scheme. This has reduced my risk further because I do not have to pay upfront for any inventory. I make use of this for my B2B business since I can now sell to my clients first, and then use the money I get to place an order on Creoate. It’s magical.
How did you scale your business?
I’d say that the secret to my success is persistence. Growing from zero to $750K in a year may seem astronomical, but it involves staying painfully focused every single day.
I bought my first batch of jam from Creoate for $300. I spent $300 because they offered free shipping at this volume.
I initially knocked on doors but realized it took up most of my day and I would have hardly sold anything.
This is when I launched a simple website using Wix and advertised it on Instagram. I spent $100 on my first campaign and targeted just my town.
This turned out to be a brilliant strategy. When a lot of people from within a small community start following your Instagram account, your account gets recommended to others in the same community.
Retailers in my area noticed the sudden interest in my product and started placing bulk orders – and it took off from there.
What would your advice be for young entrepreneurs starting out?
Here are some lessons I have learned from scaling up.
First, pick a product that everyone knows. This way, you do not have to explain the product to your buyer.
Second, start marketing within a small community. It’s an underrated strategy that can be immensely successful
Finally, pick a reliable supplier. There is nothing worse than selling something but not able to fulfill the order because you picked a bad supplier. I was lucky to have found Creoate at the beginning of my journey. I can say for certain that they deserve a huge shoutout for who I am today.
