10 Diy Business Success Stories [2024]
Here are some real life success stories of starting a DIY business:
1. Cooking Gift Set Co. ($866K/year)
Kim and her best friend came up with the idea for Cooking Gift Set Co. in 2016 after realizing the limitations of a highly skilled service-based business. They saw an opportunity to create cooking kits with beautiful packaging and design, taking advantage of the growing demand for last-minute gifts on Amazon. With a focus on quality and originality, they quickly gained a competitive edge and have since generated $866,000 in sales in 2020.
How much they make: $866K/year
How much did it cost to start: $12K
Current team size: 0
Cooking Gift Set Co. generated $866,000 in sales in 2020, with 70% on Amazon, 26% Wholesale, and 4% e-commerce, using their strengths in design to create cooking kits with beautiful packaging, customized instructions, and high-quality lifestyle photos to differentiate from copycats.
2. Battic Door ($1.62M/year)
Mark Tyrol, founder of Battic Door Energy Conservation Products, came up with the idea for his business when he realized that many homes with pull-down attic ladders were experiencing energy loss and drafts. As an engineer, he built an insulated cover for his own ladder and soon discovered that many other homes had the same issue. He designed, manufactured, and distributed the cover, eventually expanding his product line to over 100 products and growing his business into a million-dollar ecommerce venture.
How much they make: $1.62M/year
Current team size: 2
An ecommerce business, founded with one product in 2003, offering energy conservation products such as insulating covers for pull-down attic ladders that reduce heat and energy loss by sealing the attic, grew into a million-dollar business through a mix of low-cost website design, direct sales, online channels including Ebay and Amazon, word-of-mouth referrals and targeted influencer campaigns aimed at building code officials and architects.
So... can you actually make money with a DIY business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Concrete Countertop Solutions ($13.2M/year)
Ed Baldoni, the founder of Concrete Countertop Solutions, came up with the idea for his business after discovering concrete countertops at a national home show. As a developer with 40 years of experience, Baldoni saw the potential in offering a simpler way to build concrete countertops and created the Z Counterform System. With the help of instructional videos, strategic partnerships, and a focus on attracting the DIY market, the business has grown to generate over $12 million in revenue in just 10 years.
How much they make: $13.2M/year
Current team size: 10
Concrete Countertop Solutions, a small but dedicated team that has grown from an idea to over $12M in revenue in 10 years, has succeeded by expanding into the swimming pool industry and investing in advertising, with their instructional videos and targeted social media campaigns contributing to their accelerated growth.
4. Ship Our Wedding ($75K/year)
Rob, the founder of Ship Our Wedding®, came up with the idea for his business after realizing that many clients couldn't afford the expensive prices of his local wedding company. He believed that if clients were able to do it themselves, they could plan an event they deserve. With a background in Event Management, Supply Chain, and System Design, Rob and his wife Nicole developed a streamlined DIY service that offers affordable and easy-to-setup online wedding decor rentals.
How much they make: $75K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
Current team size: 4
Ship Our Wedding® disrupts the wedding industry with DIY event rentals backed by over 5,000 events experience, promoting a Super Local Initiative to help newer companies grow.
So... can you actually make money with a DIY business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. TCB Designs, Florida ($60K/year)
Crystal, the founder of TCB Designs, Florida, started her business in 2017 as a side hustle and creative outlet. She began by selling small rustic farmhouse signs on Facebook, which gained traction and led her to expand her audience reach on Etsy. Over the years, she has added smaller items and personalized gift ideas to boost sales, with the last Christmas season generating over $20k in revenue. Crystal's mission is to provide affordable decor options for people who love the farmhouse style but may not be able to afford expensive items.
How much they make: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $8K
Current team size: 1
Mompreneur builds thriving rustic home decor business that hit $20k in sales during last year's holiday season and continues to grow through Etsy, Shopify, and Faire wholesale.
6. Jennifer Maker ($396K/year)
How much they make: $396K/year
Current team size:
Learn how Jennifer Marx transformed her DIY crafting website from a side-hustle blog that earned $33/month to one that now earns more than six figures per month, using Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube to get exposure for her business.
So... can you actually make money with a DIY business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
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- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
