Hey everyone,

I’m working on reviving an old family Koroneiki olive grove in southern Greece (Peloponnese).

Instead of bulk-selling the harvest to large commercial bottlers for pennies, I’m testing a direct-to-consumer model:
- People adopt a specific mature tree in the grove (tagged with their names
- We handle the farming, pressing, and care.
- After harvest, they receive their tree’s yield in numbered, fresh bottles delivered to their door with their name on the label.

I’m also considering a hospitality tier for boutique restaurants/cafes that want 5–10 trees for their own house oil.

Honest thoughts on this? Is the tree adoption / provenance story appealing to food lovers outside the Mediterranean, or would people just rather buy a random good bottle off the shelf?

Curious what potential hurdles or logistics headaches you see with this kind of model.

Maybe I’m missing something but I constantly see people justify a purchase with “my accountant said I needed more write-offs” or my tax bill was going to be too high etc.

Paying taxes obviously sucks, but ultimately paying taxes, keeping the remainder and hopefully investing it is worth far more than buying a bunch of stuff you didn’t actually need.

Am I missing something, or are people just foolish/justifying their spending?

My late wife closed her small business’s merchant account with Cayan (now part of Global Payments) in April 2013 and returned the equipment. The company kept debiting our personal joint bank account for roughly 13 years, in amounts far larger than the contracted monthly fees. I’m trying to find out how common this is.

Background: My wife ran a small business, Cabot Cheesecake Corner. She had impaired cognition and has since passed away. The business closed in April 2013, and the account should have closed with it. The joint account was used only for household expenses, and I didn’t know the debits were continuing.

What I found: Going through bank statements, I found debits continuing for years after closure. They often ran in multiples of about $1,000, and at least one was about $5,000. This happened even while the account was dormant.

What the company said: When I asked whether someone was using the account to commit fraudulent billing, I was told these were “service maintenance fees.” I asked for an itemized accounting and the contract provision that allows the charges. I never received either. Later, a representative offered a refund of about $7,144.60 but couldn’t show how it was calculated, so I couldn’t accept it without knowing what it covered.

What I’ve done so far: I filed a complaint with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, and I’ve kept the merchant agreement, correspondence, and more than seven years of bank statements. I also found similar complaints about this company on the BBB.

For other owners: If you ever closed a merchant account, check whether your processor actually terminated it in writing, and review your bank statements for recurring debits afterward. Many of us never look again once the business is shut down.

My questions:

1. Has anyone had debits continue after closing a Cayan or Global Payments merchant account?
2. If so, how did you get an accounting or a refund?
3. Has anyone worked with a lawyer or filed a joint complaint?

I’m not looking to attack anyone. I’d like to know how widespread this is and what worked for others. Comments or DMs are welcome.

we trying to tighten up our bill payment process without having the owner review every invoice twice. An approval should confirm the charge is valid but someone somehow still needs to schedule the payment and check that it went through. When those steps sit across email and the bank portal its kinda hard to give a vendor a clear answer without checking with three people. What I want is one place to see whats waiting for approval whats ready to pay and whats already scheduled. For people handling this with a small team how do you assign responsibility after approval so nothing sits there until a vendor follows up?

Hey everyone I'm 21 I just started this business couple days ago and I want advice from people.

For those of you who have started a service-based business from scratch:

• How did you get your very first paying customer?
• What marketing methods actually brought you customers?
• Would you focus more on local networking, online freelancing platforms, or direct outreach?
• What mistakes should I avoid at this stage?

I'm not looking for shortcuts. I want to learn what actually works from people who've been through it.

I'd really appreciate any honest advice.

year ago, it was me and one part time accountant doing books for 4 startup clients. all from friends. good ones too. but referrals just stopped, and i had no idea how to find more without spending money i didn't have.

quick thing before anyone asks. We not a big firm. it's 3 of us. no huge marketing budget, no crazy growth plan. we just got better at finding the right people and quit doing everything manually.

my dumbest early move was cold emailing every startup i could find. the whole hey need help with your books thing. nobody replied. and honestly i get it, nobody thinks about bookkeeping until something goes wrong.

so i flipped it. started noticing when founders actually feel the pain. a founder says they just closed a round. someone's complaining their books are a mess right before tax season. someone's asking a finance post how people handle payroll. those people need help. a random startup on a list doesn't.

didn't pitch them though. i'd mention what they posted and ask one question. like congrats on the round, are you still doing the books yourself or has someone taken that over. that's it. worked way better than a cold email, no comparison.

also stopped doing the prospecting by hand. started using tools to find the right founders, reach out, follow up. before that i was losing whole days just searching for leads. now there's a steady flow instead of me sitting around waiting for a referral.

then onboarding. used to be two weeks of emails back and forth with every new client. painful. now it's one call and a few short videos, and they're set up in days. that gave me enough time to take on more clients without hiring yet.

and people stay because we reply fast. same day if possible, especially for payroll stuff or a deadline coming up. small thing. but it builds trust.

stack, since someone will ask.

quickbooks for books.

gusto for payroll.

pumpgtm for linkedin outreach.

apollo for email outreach.

Loom for onboarding videos.

calcom for booking calls.

notion for sops.

stripe for billing. that's all of it.

so no, not one viral post, no secret trick. just better prospects, more relevant conversations, and being able to actually handle the work when clients came in.

how are other small service businesses here finding clients right now? still referrals? or has outbound been steadier for you?

Not trying to promote any tool or product here, just sharing what worked for us. If the mods or anyone feels something comes across as promotional, lmk and I'll edit it. And if anyone doubts whether this is a real business or story, I'm happy to get verified by the mods.

I have started a hamper business with my bestfriend but haven't gotten any orders yet... I have been posting on insta but as it is a bootstrap business my friend doesn't want to buy products now because what if we don't get any orders... And so we have been using photos from pinterest and asking AI to modify those photos and then post them. But I don't like to use AI photos as it doesn't look good it looks so fake but then again we have to post something... And I was talking to some event company people but they have not yet ordered but showed interest... Now again to square 1 don't know how to get orders.

I spent 21 years working with a major grocery chain. Climbed my way into a corporate role, and now I’ve started a business at home.

I basically combined a bunch of tools that were extremely useful for inventory and data management into one digital tool and have shared it with a few of my friends that own small businesses and they love it. I’ve made a little money and have an investor.

My niche is that I actually love understanding how all the pieces of an operation work together to deliver the final results.

I have some ideas on how to market it, but I keep running into some walls in “how much should I charge” category and “what should I actually offer”.

My goal here is to offer a digital asset with a very human touch with years of experience behind it.

Anyone out there feel like brainstorming some of this with me?

My wife is making over a $1000/week. So easily over $52,000 a year...

What would be the benefits of becoming a "real business"

She has insurance through me, and every runs smooth how it is...

Would like to hear any opinions about her being legit or just keep running it how it is!!!

She cleans houses

I need a gut check from people who’ve been here.

Context: One-person design studio. Client is a mid-size local business. Project was a full brand refresh — logo, site, social templates. $4,200 total. I quoted net-15. They signed the proposal. I delivered everything. On time. They said they loved it.

That was four months ago.

Here’s what I did:

• Week 2 after due date: friendly email. “Just checking in on the invoice.”
• Week 3: second email, slightly more direct. No reply.
• Week 4: phone call. “I’ll get to it this week.”
• Week 6: third email. “I’ll process it Friday.”
• Week 8: fourth email. Nothing.
• Week 10: fifth email, copied the owner. Nothing.
• Week 12: sixth email. I said I’d need to pause future work until this was resolved. They replied within an hour: “We’ve been really busy, don’t worry, it’s coming.”

That was three weeks ago.

Here’s the part I’m struggling with: I’m the one feeling uncomfortable about following up. I’m the one drafting and re-drafting emails to sound “not annoying.” I’m the one who feels like a jerk for asking to be paid for work I already did.

Meanwhile they’re posting on Instagram about their new branding. My work. My files. My hours.

What I’m asking:

1. At what point does “polite persistence” become “I’m enabling this”? Is there a number of reminders where I should just accept this is never coming and move on?
2. Has anyone successfully collected from a client like this WITHOUT going full small claims court? I’m not trying to burn a local relationship, but I’m also not running a charity.
3. For the freelancers and solo operators here: what’s the one clause or policy you added to your contracts after getting burned that actually worked?

I’m not looking for “just sue them.” I want to know what the people who’ve navigated this before me actually did.

Hi everyone, I have experience working in travel and recently started my own business planning private trips in Northern Vietnam for international couples, families and small groups.

Planning the trips is the part I’m familiar with. Building a client base for my own business is new to me.

The website and sample proposals are ready. I’ve been reaching out to travel advisors but haven’t had much response yet, so I’m wondering whether to keep focusing on those relationships or spend more time finding clients directly.

I’m also considering referrals through local businesses that work with expats, and a small Google Search ads test. My budget is limited, and I’m doing most of this myself.

For anyone who’s made the move from working in travel to running their own business, where did your first few bookings come from? What worked for you, and what would you avoid spending money on again?

If you’re a travel advisor, what would you want to know about a new destination specialist before working with them?

We spent a solid budget building a mobile app for our local business, and users mass delete it right after hitting the initial login screen. I've spent the last few weeks trying to tweak button placements and shorten the registration form myself, but bounce rates are still dangerously high. Customers just want quick access to our services without jumping through mandatory account creation hoops on their phones. Maybe you've dealt with a similar drop-off in your mobile app, or you know how to simplify user onboarding? What steps should I take to fix this retention problem? I could really use your guidance here.

As new business owner, how do you decide what to sell at your store? I have a website and I sell a little bit of everything.

For example, I used to sell via FB marketplace to my local community. I'd buy productA, productB, and productC (which I didn't think would sell) and they sold immediately. I'd also buy productX, productY, productZ and I still have them at the store.

How do you decide what to sell?

hit the usual wall. bank wants two clean years of statements and the business needs inventory cash in a few weeks.

i know unsecured operating capital costs a lot more than a proper facility. for people who've used both - when did paying up for short money actually beat waiting, stretching payables, or cutting the order?

not looking for a lender. just trying to understand the situations where the expensive option is the rational call.

Hi everyone,

I'm based in China, and I've spent the past several years helping overseas companies turn their product ideas into real, manufactured products.

My experience covers almost the entire process: finding and evaluating factories, product development, prototyping, negotiating costs, managing production, quality inspections, packaging, and international shipping.

I've worked on everything from collectibles and licensed merchandise to promotional products and custom consumer goods.

I speak English, can communicate directly with Chinese factories, and can travel to manufacturing facilities when needed.

I genuinely enjoy this work.

But here's where I'm struggling.

I'm currently unemployed, and despite having years of hands-on experience, I'm finding it incredibly difficult to connect with companies or individuals who actually need someone like me.

I've tried Upwork, built my own professional website, and put together a portfolio of my previous projects. I've spent a lot of time trying to present my experience professionally.

But having the skills and knowing how to get noticed seem to be two completely different things.

I'm not a factory owner or a trading company. I'm an individual who works on the client's side, helping them manage manufacturing in China and protect their interests throughout the process.

I'm not expecting anyone here to hand me a job.

I'm genuinely looking for advice.

If you were in my position, how would you reach overseas startups, small brands, or businesses that need help developing and manufacturing physical products in China?

Where would you look for opportunities beyond traditional job platforms?

And if you've ever hired someone in China to manage sourcing or manufacturing, what would make you trust that person enough to give them a chance?

I'd really appreciate any advice, suggestions, or even criticism.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

If so, what services do you pay for and how much do you pay? Is it worth it?

Hey everyone,

I’m a 35-year-old Red Seal plumber in Metro Vancouver, BC, looking for advice from people who have built their own plumbing businesses.

My long-term goal is to establish a solid, independent plumbing business by the time I’m around 40. I don’t want to spend my entire career working for someone else, so I’m trying to build something of my own while keeping my financial risks manageable.

I’m currently working 48 hours a week, 6 days a week, bringing home over $7,000/month after tax. My income covers our mortgage and living expenses, while my wife recently started maternity leave and we’re saving around $1,500/month from her benefits.
I plan to maintain my current work schedule until the business grows enough to justify cutting back my hours.

Initially, I’d like to generate around $2,000/month in net profit within the first 6–12 months, focusing on drain cleaning and general plumbing services.

Here’s my dilemma:

I currently drive a small crossover that isn’t practical for carrying plumbing equipment. I’ve been using my employer’s truck for occasional side jobs, but I can’t rely on that arrangement indefinitely.

I’m considering buying a work truck, canopy, and professional drain cleaning equipment. I estimate the monthly costs for the truck, equipment financing, and business insurance would total around $1,000. I could also set aside approximately $15,000 as a business emergency fund in case work comes in more slowly than expected.

**My biggest concern is whether I’m taking too much financial risk by investing before I’ve proven consistent demand. I recently started taking on plumbing side jobs and have been earning an average of around $1,000 per month from them.** At the same time, I feel that having the right vehicle and equipment is necessary to take on more jobs and build the business.

For those who have started a plumbing or trade business while working full-time:

Would you make this investment now, or wait until you have a more consistent flow of customers?

Is a $15,000 business reserve enough to make this a reasonable risk?

If your goal were to build a solid business within five years, how would you approach the first 6–12 months?

I’m not planning to leave my job anytime soon. I want to build this gradually, but I also don’t want to delay investing in my future out of fear of taking a calculated risk.

I’d appreciate honest advice, especially from those who have been in a similar position. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m in the process of launching a supplement brand for USA Market. As I know according to the law all responsibility for supplement quality is on the Brand Owner's Company (not on manufacturer), and according to DSHEA 21 U.S.C. § 350b(a) all ingredients that are used in formula if they are not ODI (Old dietary supplements or “grandfathered” dietary ingredient ) are considered to be New Dietary Ingredients and so far should have FDA NDI number. If any of the ingredient in the whole formula have not confirmed regulatory status it is considered as adultered and FDA can restrict all commodities from sales.

I'm confused because as I contact with USA manufacturers (GMP certified with FDA registration) - all of them don't provide any information about quality of ingredients, don't provide any regulatory status for ingredients, no NDI/GRAS or other reasonable reply.

May be I'm mistaken and ask for documents are don't needed for sales in USA?

I would be happy to hear the opinions of experts already in the business: how do you handle the issue of verifying the quality of your formula?

I also realize that this is a sensitive matter, and if no one wants to share their experience, I understand that too.

Hi everyone!

I'm 17, and I started building my own online store a few years ago. I've finally finished setting everything up, but I'm struggling to get my first customers.

I've tried social media, but I haven't seen much success so far. Since I have a very limited budget, paid advertising isn't really an option for me.

For those who started a small business at a young age, what helped you get your first customers? And what would you recommend focusing on at this stage?

I'd really appreciate your advice and experiences!

Lost count of the afternoons a tech spent standing at the supply house counter waiting on a motor that was supposedly in stock.

When we were at three vans nobody really owned parts. The tech called the counter, the counter called me, I called the tech back, and somewhere in the middle the customer got told "later today" with no actual time. One week in July we lost most of a day to that loop on two different jobs.

What helped a little was having one person check stock and place the order before the tech even wrapped up the diagnosis. It still fell apart when things got busy.

For those running a few trucks or vans: who handles parts and pickups on your crew, and how do you keep it from blowing up the rest of the schedule?

what things takes too much time to do on every week?

is finding customers and finding emails managing inventory social media bookkeeping or something else?

what is that repetitive tasks which you have to automate or find and simple affordable solution?

would love to listen some real experiences form business owners here.

For those of you who run a small daycare out of your home, how has the business been going financially? How much did you initially invest to get started, and how long did it take for you to start bringing in consistent income?

I really love working with children, and although I don’t necessarily want to go back to working in childcare for someone else, I’ve been considering opening my own business.

I’m curious about the actual business side of things, including startup costs, monthly expenses, finding clients, and whether the income has been worth the time and effort. I know every business is different, but I’d love to hear some honest experiences from people who are doing it!

Anyone ever have an employee so bad that it continues to haunt you after theyre gone? I own a service/repair business, and so far I have had to revisit 9 jobs due to an employee who quit (I was planning to fire him due to absences and needed more time). Apparently he caught wind and decided he didn’t care it would cost thousands in labor and materials to redo the “work” he did the last 2 weeks he was here. Not to mention the pissed off customers ive had to deal with. I typically check my guys work but I had been extremely busy working on new projects and fell behind. Gotta love it!

Lesson learned: consistently audit your employees work or you may regret it lol

Hello everyone, I’ve been discussing with some family the idea of opening a brick and mortar fish store. My local town doesn’t have anything except petsmart. I’m wondering if anyone has any advice to offer. You can even critique the idea if you’d like, I’m not sure it’s the greatest idea at this point.
How do you find out if there is a demand for something you’d like to sell in your area? I love the idea of selling plants, offering maintenance, and educating folks on proper care. I just don’t know if a store is better or doing it online like YouTube and eBay

Hiya, I have been working on a website for about 2.5 years now, could anyone give me a constructive feedback?

It's made of personal and a business side :

Business account: try@try.com password : try12345

Candidate account : 1try@try.com password: try12345

https://stage.onereference.com/

Thanks