Today we’d like to introduce you to Stewart White
Hi Stewart, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My reselling journey started in junior high when I discovered I could buy Blow Pops from a local convenience store and resell them at school for a profit. That early experience sparked an entrepreneurial mindset that stayed with me throughout my career.
In 1991, I began selling sports cards at a flea market in Nashville, which I did for two years before shifting focus to my career in Hospital IT and my growing family. Along the way, I was also involved with two startup companies, further reinforcing my passion for building businesses. Still, reselling was always in the background. In the late ‘90s, I started selling vintage and antique items through local “bulletin board” marketplaces before transitioning to eBay in 1998.
By 2002, as my two oldest daughters became active in sports, I stepped away from reselling to focus on family. Around 2010, I slowly began selling again, recognizing how much the online marketplace had evolved. By 2014, I was treating reselling as a part-time business under the name Franklin Hill Ventures. During this time, I was starting to refine my sourcing strategies and expand my inventory.
In September 2021, I made the decision to go full-time with reselling, turning my long-time passion into my primary business. Today, I sell across six online platforms and also do live selling on WhatNot. I have antique booths in three locations in the Knoxville area and co-host the Finders Flippers Resell Podcast on YouTube, where we discuss reselling strategies, share experiences, and connect with the reselling community. While reselling is my main focus, I continue to maintain some IT consulting relationships with hospitals and keep my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification current.
My sourcing methods have evolved over time. I still frequent yard sales, estate sales, thrift stores, and auctions, but the most valuable sourcing opportunities now come through relationships I’ve built. Word-of-mouth referrals have become an essential part of my business, allowing me to acquire unique inventory before it ever reaches the open market.
My journey has been one of persistence, adaptation, and a passion for uncovering history through the items I sell. Whether it’s finding a rare vintage piece or sharing knowledge with fellow resellers, I truly enjoy what I do.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Reselling, like any business, comes with its challenges. The biggest struggle has always been maintaining a steady supply of quality inventory—because in this business, you’re only as good as what you sourced yesterday. Without a consistent pipeline of great items, cash flow can quickly become an issue. Over time, I’ve learned that the key to overcoming this challenge is relationships. While I still source from yard sales, estate sales, thrift stores, and auctions, my best inventory now comes from word-of-mouth opportunities, thanks to the connections I’ve built. Another early challenge was relying solely on eBay, which meant riding the unpredictable waves of its ever-changing market. To mitigate that risk, I gradually diversified—expanding to multiple platforms, opening antique booths, and adding live selling on WhatNot. I also know firsthand that business ventures don’t always go as planned. The first startup company I was involved with folded within a year, but that experience reinforced my resilience and adaptability and the second startup led to an 18 year career. Whether in tech startups or reselling, I’ve learned that success comes from pushing through challenges, adjusting strategies, and always looking for the next opportunity.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Once I started treating reselling as a part-time business in 2014, I needed a name for the business. The idea for the name Franklin Hill Ventures came about through a mix of coincidence and curiosity. After moving to Knoxville, I noticed that photos I uploaded to Facebook were being location-tagged as “Franklin Hill”—a name I wasn’t familiar with, despite growing up in Knoxville. After some research, I found out it was a community just on the other side of the interstate from us. I thought “Franklin Hill” had a nice ring to it, so I decided to add “Ventures” to the end, and it became the perfect fit for what I was building.
From the beginning, Franklin Hill Ventures has been primarily about antiques and vintage items. I started out selling exclusively through online marketplaces such as eBay, Etsy, and Poshmark, but in 2017, I expanded into brick-and-mortar with my first antique booth at Granny’s Attic in Clinton, TN. That move not only allowed me to reach a different customer base but also opened the door to selling larger items—like furniture, artwork, and other pieces that are challenging to ship. In 2018, I added a second booth at Bearden Antique Mall in Knoxville, and in 2022, I expanded again with a third location at West End Antiques. That same year, I also added live selling through the WhatNot marketplace. Incorporating live-selling has allowed me to connect with buyers in real time and move inventory in a more interactive way.
In 2019, we branched out into private labeling with Franklin Hill Farms, offering jams, salsas, and pickles. These products are sold out of our booths and at various local festivals. While this is currently a small part of our business it has tapped into the growing market for specialty food items and have proven to be very popular with lots of repeat customers.
In 2023, I also expanded into hospital IT consulting, leveraging my background in the field. While antiques and vintage remain my primary business and passion, consulting allows me to stay connected to my previous career while maintaining the flexibility that reselling provides.
By leveraging a combination of online platforms, live-selling, physical booth locations, and specialty product offerings, I’ve been able to reach a wider audience and showcase unique pieces in the most effective way possible.
At its core, Franklin Hill Ventures is about more than just selling antiques—it’s about connecting lost vintage and antique treasures with new homes. Whether it’s a piece of history someone has been searching for or a unique item that sparks nostalgia, I love playing a role in bringing those connections to life!
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking is one of the most powerful tools in reselling, and in many ways, it has been the key to my success in going full-time. While sourcing from traditional places like yard sales and thrift stores is great, the best inventory often comes from relationships. My advice to any reseller is to be intentional about networking. Always carry business cards and hand them out at estate sales, yard sales, and antique booths—you never know who might have something to sell. Take the initiative to reach out to people who regularly handle secondhand goods, such as junk removal companies or estate cleanout services. Most importantly, build trust by being fair and transparent in your dealings. When people know you’re honest about pricing and respectful in negotiations, they’ll not only continue working with you but also refer others your way. Reselling isn’t just about finding great items—it’s about building a reputation that keeps great items coming to you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.FranklinHillVentures.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franklin.hill.ventures/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranklinHillVentures/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewart-white-01b83018/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FindersFlippersResellPodcast
- Other: https://www.whatnot.com/user/franklinhillventures
