Negotiating With Factories as One Person

The hardest part of the first SOHO year is surviving no-order periods. Cultivate 3-5 potential clients before leaving your job. Save 6 months of expenses. Your first order doesn't need to be big — complete the cycle.

Time management is the biggest challenge. Handle emails and order follow-up in the morning. Develop new clients in the afternoon. Learn in the evening. Use a CRM — your brain isn't a database.

Finding factories as a SOHO trader is challenging. Visit in person, present your client resources and sales capability. Pay promptly after orders. Build trust one transaction at a time.