Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Newbold.
Hi Jamie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I began my career search at a young age. I felt destiny sent me into paleontology, but in San Diego, there was little educational options at the collegiate level for that career. I took all the considerate classes a junior college had to offer in the sciences. I lost focus and desire when survival became an issue. I quit college and went into construction for the money. I risked my future on the skills I sought working with wood. I took classes and taught myself fine woodworking. Then, I grew restless again and went the opposite direction to become a police officer. The inherent risks speak for themselves. That career is nothing but risks, but risks born with greater confidence as I acclimated to those new skill sets. That career lasted twenty years until I was injured on the job, again, from taking risks. The injuries cancelled my future as a cop. My options for a replacement source of income were narrow. I took the greatest risk and became a comic book dealer. I was a hobbyist for two decades before losing interest. The hobby had changed greatly over the years I was out. I risked ignorance, money and pain to become a comic book dealer and a businessman. Years passed as I grew into place as an adequate back-issue dealer. I swallowed pride, disappointment and wasted money to get to where I could make wages selling comic books. I have a good national reputation, which has increased the status of my business and the income. My business and my store thrive through the years from risks. Granted, my life is not in peril, but running a small business in San Diego and California is no easy task.
I wrote a book, the Forensic Comicologist, to teach the uninformed how to pursue this hobby as a fan and as a professional. I still see dozens and dozens of comic book guys chase easy money with no comprehension of their future. They want it easy and don’t get that effort and education pay off in the long run. I made my business work because I paired up with others, both in the short and long term. Team efforts put multiple minds to task as a team and thrived off of mutually agreed risks. The effort is reduced when shared with others. We learned our craft at comic book conventions. Those roadshows provide the greatest experiences for comic book dealers, but they require massive cash expenditures to retail at the largest, busiest shows.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Every obstacle a small business in San Diego that impedes has happened to my comic book store. Federal, state and local fees increase even when sales do not. We survived the mortgage crisis of 2008-2009, which lessened the number of customers. Covid had imperiled our business in 2020, but we’ve survived well into 2021. Fire, theft, scams and water damage have all impacted the store and we are still here. While the various rise and fall of the economy threatens many businesses, we survive through caution, money-management and versatility. Other stores lacked vision or finances and dropped from view.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Engage in our social networking and attend our events.
Contact Info:
- Email: socalcom@aol.com
- Website: socalcomics.com
- Instagram: @socalcomics
- Facebook: facebook.com/socalcomics
Image Credits
Jamie Newbold
