It has been a while since the last update, and a lot has happened across media, real estate, business, and personal growth. Some areas moved forward, others slowed down, but overall the direction is still the same. Build, improve, and keep pushing.
Media Updates
I missed my monthly YouTube update for February. I considered going back to record it, but by the time I thought about it, we were already in the middle of March. At that point, it felt like it defeated the purpose. I am giving myself a pass on that, as long as the business is actually progressing.
I did upload two random videos to YouTube, but I still need to follow up on them. The plan is to use those videos to backtrack and document everything that has been happening over the past month. Even if the timeline is out of order, the content is still valuable and relevant.
If I am being honest, I have been putting off a lot of media work. I have been justifying it by focusing on pushing the business forward. There is also a deeper reason. Sometimes I use media as an excuse to avoid the more annoying parts of the business. So lately, I have been forcing myself to lean into the work I do not enjoy.
The most frustrating part of reselling, for me, is listing. It takes hours and it is repetitive. But over the past few days, I can tell I am getting better at it. That is the trade off. Do what you hate long enough, and eventually it becomes easier.
Real Estate
A couple of months ago, I handled a mold issue at my Apopka property. I recently went back to check on it, and the ceiling looked just as clean as when I left it. That is one less problem to worry about.
The bigger situation came from the water bill. Toward the end of last year, it suddenly more than tripled. After calling the city, I found out the meter had not been working for a long time. They had only been charging me a base fee instead of actual usage. Once they fixed it, I started getting billed properly, which explains the jump.
What is crazy is that when I looked back at the statements, I realized I had not been charged for actual water usage since buying the property in 2022. That was an unexpected advantage while it lasted.
During the call, they also mentioned there was consistent water usage at the property. When I went to investigate, I found that one of the toilets had a bad flapper, causing water to leak continuously. Fortunately, the tenant had already fixed it by the time I got there. I am hoping that was the main issue and that the bill will settle down to something more reasonable.
Other expenses have gone up as well. Electricity increased, which was expected, and internet costs are higher. My next move is to switch providers. If Verizon has finished building out in the area, I will likely move over to them.
This weekend, the plan is to work on the house. If all materials arrive, I will be repairing the roof with a contractor friend. If not, I will focus on painting areas that need attention. Either way, work is getting done.
Business
On the business side, there has been real progress.
I finally received the business credit card and used it to purchase inventory and supplies that I have been needing. This marks a shift. I am no longer just operating, I am building.
As of today, I have sold 105 items on eBay. Every 20th, eBay reviews seller accounts and assigns tiers. I am aiming to reach top rated seller status to unlock better perks and advantages on the platform.
I also found a new refinery for scrap metals. I like this one a lot more than the previous one, although I still want to test others to find the best option long term.
Etsy has been performing well. I am back to a 4-star rating, and by the middle of March, I am already about 75 percent of the way to matching last year’s numbers. The interesting part is that I have not even been focusing heavily on Etsy yet, which shows the potential there.
Amazon Influencer is still slow. There has not been much progress, but that is the reality of being one person managing multiple moving parts.
Personal
On a personal level, there are a couple areas that need attention.
I have not spent much time learning AI, but I am starting to realize how important it is. There are tools and systems out there that could significantly speed up everything I am doing. I need to dedicate real time to learning and implementing this. The upside is too big to ignore.
Fitness is another issue. I have completely fallen off. The more I work and deal with stress, the more I find myself eating junk food. I did not expect stress eating to be something I would struggle with, but it is happening.
This needs to get fixed. Not casually, but with structure. I need a system that forces me back into discipline, because right now I am slipping into habits that do not align with where I am trying to go.
Closing Thoughts
Overall, this period has been about shifting into a more serious phase of building. Less talking, more doing. Less avoiding, more confronting the hard parts.
There are still gaps, especially in media consistency, AI usage, and personal discipline. But the foundation is getting stronger. Inventory is growing, systems are forming, and progress is being made where it counts.
Now it is about tightening everything up and executing at a higher level.