WHILE many of us slog away in our dull 9-5 jobs, one man has proved that it doesn’t always have to be this way.
One savvy businessman revealed that he was working eight hour days in a warehouse before he started his side hustle, which has now turned into a very successful, booming business.
Matt Marshall, 32 from Bexleyheath, Kent, wasn’t enjoying his long 9-5 slog and was left feeling down – so made the decision to quit his job.
He tried selling various products to make money for years before finding his niche – and now he’s making six figures with his company Quote My Wall.
Matt told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: “I’ve always been a ‘Del Boy’, selling things and trying to make money. You name it, I’ve tried to sell it in the past!
“I first stumbled across wall stickers when I was trying to find something to sell on a Chinese wholesale website. I found it by complete chance, looking through random categories. So I bought a few from there.
Read more on side hustles
“When they arrived, the quality was poor, the adhesive wasn’t sticky, and they generally looked cheap! I’m not sure what else I was expecting.
“So I looked into ways to produce the wall stickers myself. After much research, I found out how to create them, and it all started there.
“I loved the idea of creating a brand and product range, allowing people to decorate their homes on a budget, and I’d hit the jackpot.
“The main piece of equipment I needed to create the products myself was a vinyl cutter/plotter. This machine is used to cut shapes from the roll of vinyl you feed into it.
“I’d found an entry-level cutter, which did the job, but it was so loud! As I started the business in my bedroom, the machine’s noise alarmed my parents, and every time the cutter was in action, it sounded like I was drilling into the walls!
“Once I’d got my cutter, I then sourced some high quality, sign writers’ vinyl. Then, it was all about designing! I’d spend hours, 7 days a week, adding designs, quotes, shapes – anything I thought could have sold and made me some money.
FABULOUS BINGO: Get a £20 bonus & 30 free spins when you spend £10 today
“I then set up my own website, and started working on the SEO. The real break was when I started listing on Etsy and Amazon, as there were millions of customers at my fingertips, and sales started to slowly take off”.
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Matt, as he opened up on the obstacles he has faced along the way.
He continued: “Like every business, there were obstacles. The main one was my cutter. The blade offset and settings I had for it were not correct, and every cut and test cut I was attempting was misaligned. This was a headache, as I spent a long time getting the settings just right.
“Once I sorted this, I soon realised after starting to make some steady sales that this cheap cutter wasn’t up to the job. It was too slow, and unreliable, and I just needed something better.
“This is when I purchased my Graphtec cutter, which is the Ferrari of vinyl cutters! I used a credit card to buy this, as sales were steady, but not making me enough money to buy this cutting machine.
“It was around £1,700, so it was a lot of money for me. I took the plunge and bought it using a credit card. I’m glad I took this risk as it turned out to be a great investment.
“Another big obstacle was the general realisation of how long it takes to create product mock-ups, descriptions, keywords, titles, good photos…the list was endless! This is something I’ve got better and better at over the years.
“I was working in a warehouse when I first started pursuing my business goals. I didn’t enjoy the job in the end, and it was getting me down.
“I remember taking pictures of myself in my dirty work gear after a long day, next to my brand-new cutter – it was kind of like a ‘look how far you’ve come’ photo, as I knew I’d make this work, and I could look back on it in years to come.
“I quit the warehouse job as I was offered a car salesman job. This didn’t work out for me either, and after around 3-4 months, I quit. I then helped my dad for a while with his plumbing business.
“The busier I got, I had to ask my dad to drop me off at the post office daily to drop off orders while we were on the way to a job. Unfortunately, whilst working for my dad, my mum fell very ill again, as she had battled cancer for a long time. My dad had to look after her a lot more, so I put all my effort into my business.
“Sadly, my mum passed away. She was so proud of me, and I know she’s looking down on me now, cheering me on!
The profit in the first year was around £16,000, but now the business is turning over around £200,000 per year.
“I started selling online around October 2016. Sales were very gradual to start. I was mainly selling on Etsy but I also started listing on Amazon and my website.
“The first few months, I was doing about 5-7 orders a day. This then picked up to around 10-12 after a few months.
“I put a lot of effort into keywords, SEO tactics, and found ways to be better. I have also been in the web design and online marketing game before, so after working hard on getting my business out there, after around 6 months I was doing 20-25 orders a day”.
Matt’s business has seen steady growth and is now a six-figure company.
He added: “My sales have grown year-on-year. The profit in the first year was around £16,000, but now the business is turning over around £200,000 per year.
“During the pandemic, I made some marketing videos for my wall stickers and advertised them on social media. Sales went crazy during this time, as everyone was at home, so I did 50+ orders daily. Sales have steadied since life has gone back to normal.
“Since the cost of living crisis, I still make good sales, as I’ve grown my online presence and social media following. I’ve also got over 2,000 products now, and the range is always growing.
“My sales have gone up slowly but surely, as people still love to decorate their homes and be involved with DIY projects. My products seem perfectly fit for this, as they aren’t expensive and look great.
“I’ve also expanded my range of products with vinyl wraps for furniture, window privacy films, tile stickers and more. So this has helped grow sales.
“I work in a converted garage at the end of my garden. It’s approximately 35 square metres.
“I employ 2 staff, my dad and my brother’s girlfriend. They help me with stuff like packaging bulk orders, designs and other things which help the business grow.
“My son, Harrison, inspires me each day. He’s just turned 8 months, and he’s the reason I work hard – to provide for him and my girlfriend, Danielle. It’s tough when the family, household and bills all rely on you and your business.
“It’s not like I’m guaranteed money daily, so this inspires me to work harder each day and keep going. My family means the world to me, and it’s great that hard work pays off.
“It’s easy to stay passionate about the business. Allowing people to decorate their homes and transform furniture, walls and rooms without breaking the bank is what keeps me going.
“I also love seeing customer photos – before and after pictures and transformations people have made using my wall stickers. Seeing my customers happy is really a great feeling as a small business owner”.
If you are looking to start your own business but aren’t sure where to start, Matt has shared his best advice.
He advised: “My advice for those looking to start their own business is simple – keep going! If you are passionate about something, then you have to stick with it. It’s a lot of graft, and you have to be prepared to put the work in.
“The amount of times I started a business and then gave up when I wasn’t making money quickly enough…Quote My Wall has been different, as I’ve kept going at it and have put all my heart and soul into growing the business. If you find something you’re passionate about, you are halfway there.
Read More on The Sun
“Another tip is to do your research. Find out if your idea can really make you money. Check to see if the market isn’t already saturated enough and what you can do differently compared with competitors.
“Passion, research and hard work are the main factors I would advise anyone to use if they want to start their own business and become a successful entrepreneur”.
