Published: Friday, 13th February, 2009 11:48am

Flash idea to beat recession

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AS RECESSION grips Britain and people seek extra money, increasing numbers are turning to the internet, writes Harriet Marsh.

Paul Selley, 33, from Caversham, has found success with an online entrepreneurial sideline worthy of the Dragon's Den. Paul was looking to supplement his income when he came up with the idea of combining an eco-friendly material with a high tech product - the result was ‘flashsticks', handmade wooden USB pen drives.

The full-time broadcast salesman launched www.flashsticks.co.uk a year ago and has not looked back. Paul said: "My sales, although not huge, have been pretty constant over the last year and I do not expect to be too greatly affected by the credit crunch."

He added: "The beauty of an internet business is that my overheads are so low, it doesn't really matter. I don't spend on marketing either, although when I have done, it's been responsive."

Paul makes all the flashsticks himself, in his garden shed. He said: "I go into Caversham woods and collect sticks which have fallen from the trees. I store and dry them before drilling a cavity into the stick, then I'll add the electrical component in, secure it with filler and shape the wood."

Paul makes the flashsticks in batches of 10 to 15, which then just need dispatching when an order is placed. He also makes sticks to order, for example when companies ask for a large supply.

He is enthusiastic about the internet-based business phenomenon and said: "It's so easy, and requires very little effort. To anyone thinking of starting an online business I would say, just do it. You've got nothing to lose. Go out and get started. For £40 a year you can get a domain name, and you're away."

He added: "Internet sales are growing and growing. Now is the time to do it."

Paul intends to branch out with a new online project later this year, retailing a line of ipod skins.

l www.flashsticks.co.uk