How I made 1.4 millions DOLLARS in a year, but still broke. Part 1 FilmNeverDie founder story

Summary

In this video, the creator shares his remarkable journey of building a $1.4 million business on Shopify, focusing on the niche market of Polaroid film. Initially starting by selling film to fulfill his own needs, he discovered a significant demand and turned it into a thriving business. Despite the success, he candidly discusses the challenges, including being let go from a prestigious job and the struggles of finding suppliers. The video also touches on the personal growth and the philosophy behind 'film never die,' emphasizing the value of storytelling through limited shots and the discipline it instills.

Takeaways

• 📈 The speaker made $1.4 million on Shopify by selling film for Polaroid cameras, despite the initial lack of availability.
• 🏆 They received an appreciation plate from Shopify for making 100,000 orders, showcasing the success of their business.
• 🎞️ The business started in 2011 when the speaker couldn't find film for a Polaroid camera they wanted to gift their partner.
• 🔍 The Impossible Project saved the last Polaroid factory, which led to the creation of new film but with only 8 shots instead of the original 10.
• 🛍️ The initial sales were made on eBay, where the speaker bought 60 packs of film and quickly sold them due to high demand.
• 📈 The business, Film Never Die, expanded from selling film to also selling Polaroid cameras after noticing the potential market.
• 🏡 They transitioned from an eBay shop to a physical location in Park Wheel, utilizing a unique apartment setup to run the business.
• 📸 The speaker's interest in film photography grew as they realized the storytelling potential of film cameras with their quality and limited shots.
• 💼 The speaker was let go from a Big Four consulting firm, which led to a full commitment to growing Film Never Die.
• 🏢 The business faced challenges like securing suppliers and maintaining a physical location without causing disturbance to neighbors.
• 🔗 The speaker mentions partnerships and collaborations, such as with Michaels and Susan SE, which helped in expanding their business presence.

Q & A

What was the initial reason for starting Film Never Die?

The business started in 2011 because the founder wanted to buy a Polaroid camera for his then-girlfriend but couldn't find any film. This led to the discovery of a demand for Polaroid film, which was scarce at the time.

How did Film Never Die transition from a side hustle to a full-fledged business?

Film Never Die began as a side hustle while the founder was working for a Big 4 consulting firm. After being let go from the firm, the founder decided to fully commit to Film Never Die, which eventually grew into a successful business.

What was the significance of The Impossible Project in relation to Film Never Die?

The Impossible Project saved the last Polaroid factory, enabling the production of new film. This was significant for Film Never Die as it provided a source of film that was in high demand but scarce.

Why did the founder decide to sell Polaroid cameras in addition to film?

After noticing the demand for Polaroid film, the founder decided to expand the business to include selling Polaroid cameras. This was based on research showing that secondhand Polaroid cameras were affordable and there was a market for them.

How did Film Never Die's initial sales on eBay go?

The initial sales on eBay were successful, with the founder buying 60 packs of film and selling them within three days, indicating a strong market demand for the product.

What challenges did Film Never Die face when starting out?

Film Never Die faced challenges such as securing suppliers, as established companies were not interested in dealing with a new entrant in the market. Additionally, the founder had to manage the business from a garage while working to cover rent.

What was the founder's background before starting Film Never Die?

The founder was previously employed at a top four big four accounting firm but was let go after not surviving probation, primarily due to writing skills not being one of his strengths.

How did Film Never Die's physical location impact its early growth?

Having a garage with a separate entrance in Park Wheel allowed Film Never Die to operate a physical store in addition to online sales. This unique setup contributed to the business's early growth, as it attracted walk-in customers.

What is the significance of the 'Film Never Die Uncensored' initiative mentioned in the script?

Film Never Die Uncensored is an initiative aimed at making the brand more vulnerable and transparent. It involves sharing behind-the-scenes stories, challenges, and lessons learned in growing the brand from zero to $1.4 million a year.

Why did the founder decide to focus on film photography and its storytelling capabilities?

The founder realized that the quality of photos taken with film cameras, made from metal and glass lenses, was amazing and that a compelling story could be told with just 20-30 photos. This realization led to a focus on the discipline and storytelling aspects of film photography.

What was the founder's experience like when he was let go from the Big 4 consulting firm?

The founder had a difficult experience being let go from the firm, having to pack his belongings and leave immediately. He used humor to cope with the situation, jokingly telling his girlfriend that he was promoted to CEO of Film Never Die.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Journey to $1.4M with Film Never Die

The speaker expresses excitement about sharing their entrepreneurial journey of making $1.4 million on Shopify with their brand, Film Never Die. They recount starting the business in 2011 due to a personal need to find film for a Polaroid camera they gifted their partner. They discovered a gap in the market when they couldn't find film and decided to import it themselves. After selling the surplus on eBay, they saw a demand and expanded to selling Polaroid cameras, leading to the establishment of Film Never Die. The brand has since grown significantly, with the speaker highlighting the importance of discipline in photography and the storytelling power of film over digital photography. They also mention receiving an appreciation plate from Shopify for making 100,000 orders and express gratitude to the Shopify community.

05:02

🏢 From Big Four to Film Never Die CEO

The speaker discusses their transition from working at a top accounting firm to fully committing to Film Never Die. They reveal that they were let go from their job at the accounting firm due to not excelling in writing, which was a requirement for their role. After being dismissed, they humorously refer to themselves as the CEO of Film Never Die, indicating a full-time commitment to their business. They faced challenges such as finding suppliers and securing a physical location for their operations. They also mention a collaboration with a local gallery, which provided them with a small space to sell their products. The speaker emphasizes the struggles and growth of their business, highlighting the shift from a side hustle to a full-fledged company.

Keywords

💡Shopify

Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows entrepreneurs to set up online stores to sell their products. In the video, the speaker mentions making $1.4 million on Shopify, indicating that this platform was instrumental in the growth and success of their business, 'Film Never Die.' It showcases how Shopify can be leveraged for significant financial achievements.

💡Film Never Die

Film Never Die is the brand that the speaker is associated with, focusing on the revival and sale of Polaroid cameras and film. The term symbolizes the brand's mission to keep the analog photography experience alive amidst the digital era. The video discusses the journey of this brand from its inception to achieving substantial sales figures.

💡Polaroid

Polaroid refers to the instant film cameras and film that were popular for their ability to produce physical photos immediately after taking a picture. The video discusses the speaker's initial difficulty in finding Polaroid film, which led to the creation of Film Never Die. Polaroid cameras and film are central to the brand's identity and product offerings.

💡The Impossible Project

The Impossible Project is mentioned as the entity that saved the last Polaroid factory, allowing for the continued production of Polaroid film. This project is significant in the video as it enabled the resurgence of Polaroid film, which was a catalyst for the speaker's business venture. It highlights the importance of innovation and preservation in the face of industry decline.

💡eBay

eBay is an online marketplace where the speaker initially started selling Polaroid film and cameras. It served as the initial platform for Film Never Die to test the market demand and establish a customer base. The video uses eBay as an example of how the business began and grew, illustrating the power of online platforms for small businesses.

💡Analog Photography

Analog photography refers to the traditional method of photography using film and chemical processes to capture and develop images. The video emphasizes the speaker's passion for analog photography, contrasting it with digital photography. It discusses the unique storytelling and discipline that analog photography offers, which is a core value of Film Never Die.

💡Big Four Accounting Firm

The Big Four Accounting Firms are the four largest professional services networks in the world, providing audit, consulting, and advisory services. The speaker mentions being set from a Big Four firm, indicating a significant career change to pursue the entrepreneurial path with Film Never Die. This highlights the risk and commitment involved in leaving a stable career for the uncertainty of starting a business.

💡Side Hustle

A side hustle refers to a part-time business or venture undertaken alongside one's primary job. The video describes Film Never Die as starting as a side hustle while the speaker was still employed at a consulting firm. This term illustrates the common path many entrepreneurs take, starting businesses part-time before transitioning fully.

💡Garage Sale

In the context of the video, a garage sale refers to the physical sale of goods, in this case, Polaroid cameras, from a garage. The speaker shares an anecdote about selling cameras from their garage, which signifies the grassroots and organic growth of the business before it became a fully-fledged online store.

💡Subletting

Subletting is the act of renting a property from a primary tenant and then renting it out to others. The video mentions subletting the house to cover rent, which reflects the financial struggles and resourcefulness required in the early stages of the business. It also shows the practical measures taken to support the growing business.

💡Suppliers

Suppliers are companies or individuals that provide goods or services to a business. The video discusses the challenges faced in securing suppliers for Film Never Die, especially as a new venture. It underscores the importance of supply chain management and the hurdles that small businesses can encounter in establishing reliable supplier relationships.

Highlights

Creator made $1.4 million on Shopify with film photography business.

Started the journey by leaving a top-four accounting firm to pursue own business.

Received a token of appreciation from Shopify for making 100,000 orders.

Initiative to open up the brand and be more vulnerable on camera.

Business began in 2011 due to difficulty finding film for a Polaroid camera.

Polaroid was selling its factory, and The Impossible Project saved it, leading to new film production.

The Impossible film had only eight shots compared to the original ten.

Bought 60 packs of film and sold them on eBay, realizing the high demand.

Expanded the business to include selling Polaroid cameras.

Moved the business from eBay to a physical location with a unique setup.

Ensured neighbor approval by communicating and offering gifts.

Experienced immediate sales from their physical location.

Grew an interest in film photography due to the quality of photos from old cameras.

Film photography teaches discipline in storytelling through limited shots.

Film Never Die started as a side hustle while working at a Big 4 consulting firm.

Creator was let go from the consulting firm due to writing skills not being a core strength.

After being let go, fully committed to Film Never Die as CEO.

Faced challenges in securing suppliers as a new player in the market.

Sold film on all Spas for $2 as a starting point.

Was invited to have a space in a gallery, indicating growing recognition.

Transcripts

hi everyone welcome back to my Channel

today I'm very excited to share about my

journey on how I made $1.4 million on

Shopify with film never die ups and down

and at the end I'll tell you why I'm

still broke even I can make $1.4 million

a year the journey will includes being

set from a top four big four accounting

firm to studing my own business I I

received this plate from

Shopify they sent me a a a token of

appreciation how with film never die we

make

100,000 orders so I just want to take

this opportunity to thank Shopify

everyone with film never die past

present and future and just to share a

bit my about my journey uh with film

never what I learned today we're going

to do film neite uncensored it's just an

initiative to try to open up the brand

and make it more vulnerable be more on

camera and talk about things that

normally people don't talk about and go

behind the scene to tell you more about

film never die how we grow a brand from0

to $1.4 million a year and all the ups

and downs and everything we learn in

between so back in 2011 the business

started because I want to buy my wife

now wife back then girlfriend a polaro

camera but I couldn't find any film at

all if you want to do a deep dive on on

that story Kelly our friend did an

amazing video and you can check the link

below but just a g of it is I bought my

girlfriend back then now my wife a

Polaroid camera Polaroid Spectra camera

but we could not get any film at all and

what happened back in 2011 was Polaroid

was selling every one of the factory and

and The Impossible Project came along

and saved the last Factory of

Polaroid and because of that they were

able to make new film but they were

losing a lot of raw materials and then

you go back to the drawing board to redo

the formula as a result

The Impossible film or now polar

original film only have eight shots

compared to the 10 shots they used to

have and if you look at all the cameras

which try to show all the old Polaroid

cameras they will try to show 10 shots

but in fact you run off film when you

are to Polaroid were able to um start

making film again where I can buy uh any

amount of pack of film I won and only

paid $60 or $50 in DHL shipping back in

201 11 Australian dollar is still very

strong so was about one to1 to the US

dollar so I bought just 60 packs of fil

just under the $1,000 GST

trash and um so I get all the film I

have 60 packs I give 10 packs to my

girlfriend back them and resell the rest

on eBay and they sold within three days

I couldn't believe my eyes what there

such a demand for Polaroid film or

Impossible film but no one was selling

it so we started on eBay just doing the

same thing again ordering 60 pack of

film use a few sell them off that's how

we start a film never die because of the

demand we thought why don't we sell

Polaroid cameras as well so we went and

did a bit of research and find out you

can buy secondhand Polaroid camera for

quite affordable and we just double

check make sure it works and resell with

6 months warranty but fast forward now

uh the business has morph and

transform um just very quickly so from a

eBay shop uh we were very blessed to

have a garage back in Park Wheel that

has a different opening at the back of

the laneway uh we were living in a

unique apartment so I asked the landlord

if I can run a business off there I

asked the council I make sure that um I

make sure my neighbors are happy because

the council pretty much say shouldn't be

a problem as long as you're not making

annoyance to your neighbors so make sure

I give them chocolate and just let them

know what we're doing and clearly

remember um the first day while we still

stacking our Polaroid cameras um one guy

just walked in from um into the back

Lane uh and bought a camera off us so

we're like wow that's definitely a

demand for this um so my interest of

Photography or I should say interest of

film photography also grow from there

because I realized look there's this

still amazing quality cameras make from

Nice metal and Glass Lens they can take

amazing quality photos and to be

honest um if you really want to tell a

story you might not need all the three

trillions or gazillions of um photos you

have that you can take on your iPhone or

your digital

camera a beautiful story can be

Illustrated or portray within like 20 30

photos so film 36 shots train you how to

be disciplined to a to be able to the

thing is shot through and see how you

can tell the whole story so film Nei was

started as a side hustle while I was

still working fulltime for Big 4

consulting firm in R&D

TX um but I did not survived my

probation I would argue if cat GPD was

here I'll probably still have my job

maybe looking at being a partner but

unfortunately writing is not one of my

core skill and I naively thought that

really good writers just write once and

everything be perfect and later to

realize even good writers write a few

times or I say write a few times and get

them edited and pro a few times before

they have a really good work so that's

where I was lagging and was uh I was

actually being let go uh by uh the big

four consulting

firm um basically I remember that day um

taking a cap hard with all my back bags

of stuff because literally uh when they

let you go you pack your bags and go

straight away and there's no more e for

butts so I pack my bag grab my uh

plastic bag took a cap home and I told

told the cap driver that was at he even

give me a discount thank you cap driver

if you're looking at this so I grab my

bag walk into the house uh with my

girlfriend um sorry I grab my bags walk

into the house see my girlfriend and

tell her that hey I guess I was just

promoted film never I CEO Chief email

officer where we just reply emails all

day but that's how the journey began it

was struggle um working off um the

garage I need to sub list the house so

that I can cover my rent we faced

numerous challenges um was very hard to

get suppliers because if you're new guy

like the big boys would not look at you

um I remember um we did sell some film

on all Spas for like $2

um so I'll show you which is quite

interesting we were invited by Michaels

and suzan SE from magnet gallery or

photonet gallery they're very kind to

say Gary do you want to come in and have

a small space and they will have a

gallery and just make it up