Post by Alex Lai

On LinkedIn, we often see posts about prestigious internships at well-known companies and large-scale business projects. But sometimes, the lessons come from much smaller ideas such as a simple yard sale, something that might never usually make it onto this platform. Last week, while chatting with a friend, the idea of hosting a yard sale came up. What started as a joke quickly became serious when I thought about the heaps of clothes in my closet I never wore, and the childhood toys sitting untouched in my cabinet for years. I realized that someone else could make better use of them than I was. At the same time, it was the perfect chance to experience life as a vendor. After years of negotiating as a buyer at flea markets, I finally had the opportunity to see what it’s like on the other side of the deal. Once the idea took shape, I immediately reached out to friends to see who wanted to collaborate. I asked my friend Nicole Diep who has a background in marketing, to design a photo promotion, and my friend Joseph Lee, a journalism student, to create posters and draft captions for our Instagram post. The post quickly gained traction, especially among friends with an interest in fashion, reaching over 20,000 views in less than a week. From there, we began budgeting for essentials: a canopy, tables, blankets, a Bluetooth speaker, and clothing racks. We allocated the costs evenly among all participants to ensure everyone had a stake in the project. On the day of the sale, temperatures soared past 90°F, but despite the heat, the event was a success. Each vendor made a profit from the steady flow of visitors. More importantly, the sale became a chance to reconnect with old friends who decided to stop by and strengthen community ties. This experience showed me how a simple idea could bring together people from different stages of my life. Beyond the financial outcome, I walked away with a deeper appreciation for negotiation, communication, and the importance of having a strong group of friends who supported this idea since the beginning. Special thank you to Brandon Hang, Geraldine L., Grace Nguyen, Keynes Le, Austin Villasenor, Brian Widanta, Nicole Diep, Sebastian Fajardo, Sara Green, Ryan Trinh, Joseph Lee, Jonas Chung, Alden Do, Plus Chuensukanant and Bernice Li for supporting our yard sale from the very start.