Jude has been fascinated with business from an early age. His first sale was a book that he purchased for $1 with birthday money and sold for $8. He’s come a long way since then and expanded his business to include clothing, electronics, and other items.
Check out his store, J&L Making a Difference.
7 Questions with Jude Lugo of J&L Making a Difference
- How did you start selling on eBay?
I still remember my first sale. It was a nutrition book that I bought at the dollar store with my birthday money. I listed it, waited a few days, and then one day when we were about to go to dinner, I heard the notification sound—cha-ching. I had sold my first item! I remember the rush of excitement I felt in that moment and it's what got me hooked. I made a few dollars on that first sale and so I went back and bought more copies of the book. They all eventually sold, and it just cascaded from there.
I soon realized that this was not a hobby—it was a business. We then reinvested those profits and looked for more items to source.
- What’s your process for sourcing or producing merchandise?
I started sourcing at garage sales and thrift stores, but I now look for bulk inventory online, at auction marketplaces, or at in-person connections that I have here in Dallas. Sometimes, great inventory can be hiding in plain sight. Which is why I recommend you look for things that you’re interested in and passionate about. You must really know the item and why people would want to buy it.
- What does community mean to you and your business?
When J&L Making a Difference started, I'd put a coin in a jar every time we sold an item. We donated that money to food banks or organizations that helped people in our community. While it isn’t practical to put a coin in a jar anymore, we still find ways to give back to local, national, and global communities. To me, that’s important because we are funded by individual people all over the globe who help us grow our business.
Since we're so focused on electronics, one of the charities that we donate to is Tech to Empower. It's a small charity created by students at my high school who want to help bring electronics into places where they’re needed—like nursing homes, schools, and homeless shelters.
- What’s your top productivity hack?
My biggest productivity hack is using software to help me automate my business. I initially started doing things manually by writing every sale out in a binder, tracking my fees, shipping, and things like that. But now I use some of eBay's tools and they’ve been a game-changer.
- What eBay tool do you find most useful? Why?
My favorite is the volume discount tool. I sell a lot of office supplies that people order in bulk. If you think about it, when you're ordering office supplies, you want to get everything you need in one go. So, we reward our customers for ordering more. We save on shipping and cut down on packing time—it's a win-win for all!
- Where do you see your business in 1 year? 5 years? 10 years?
Our business has grown from the humble beginnings of $1 and a book. Well, I don't exactly know what the future holds, but I see continuous growth as we become experts in niche categories and help other sellers grow their business.
One thing I do know—I’ll be doing things that I am passionate about. eBay has shown me that I can not only do that, but also make money while doing it. I can be comfortable while doing the things that I love and to me, that's a beautiful thing.
- Who inspires you?
I am inspired by my family in so many ways, especially when I hear stories of what my grandparents and parents went through to get to where we are today. It's extraordinary!
Sometimes, it's a lot of pressure as well as I've been given this wonderful gift and I am afraid to drop it in some way. But being on eBay as a business owner while I'm young has been great. It taught me how to deal with obstacles and overcome hurdles.
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This interview has been edited for concision and clarity.
