Specialize in what you have a great deal of interest and knowledge in. Are you an avid antiques or doll collector? Do you know good jewelry from across a room? Do you know the baseball statistics on your favorite teams since the turn of the 20th century? Are you an old movie buff with an attic full of posters? Are you a theater person with a million Broadway programs from the last 30 years? If so, these are obviously a passion. When you follow your passion into a hobby, you never resent the time you spend doing it. When you turn that hobby into online auctions (and eventually, a business), you have followed the dream. That means that you can still love what you do, while making a living. In fact, you have done as every motivational speaker recommends….you have followed your passion into doing what you love while earning income. So, even if you are dabbling now (and dabbling is good for learning and experimenting), work toward specializing in what you know and love. When you specialize, you take knowledge into the effort AND you constantly (and painlessly) learn as you grow, too. If you learn enough and work at it hard enough you acquire expertise that is useful in selling, buying AND teaching others. Specialization has other key benefits, too. When you are an expert, you get repeat customers who look to you for guidance and knowledge. Happy customers share sources in clubs and hobbyist meetings, spreading the news about a great source (YOU). Your knowledge inspires and acquires customer loyalty. I have several customers who have been coming to me for years now. They like the suggestions I make based on my experience with them personally and my taste generally. One informed me she regularly reads my quarterly newsletter and visits my site once a week – whether she needs anything or not!