How I quit selling 9-5 on Amazon last year and earned $1.4 million

Want to learn how to make money on Amazon?

Today’s interview comes with Stephen from MarketPlace Superheroes, which is available on Amazon.

Stephen used to work in government. On paper it looked like a great gig. But deep down, he wanted more. More freedom, more time, and more purpose. That desire led him to the path of online business, and ultimately sold on Amazon.

Now his Amazon business exceeds the $1,000,000 annual mark and teaches others how to build a successful business.

In this interview, Stephen shares exactly how he did it, how much you can really make, and how beginners can follow the same simple system and make money online. He answers questions such as:

• Is there still more space for new Amazon sellers?
• How much can someone actually sell on Amazon?
• What kind of items can I sell on Amazon?
• What are some of the challenges people may face when selling on Amazon? What happens to items that are not on sale?
• Even more!

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to start a real Amazon business, this is a must-see!

Stephen has also put together a free step-by-step guide:A simple Amazon side hustle e-book. Even a few hours a week, it’s packed with tips to help you get started. になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do.Click here to get a free copy and start studying today!になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do.

How I quit selling products on Amazon last year and earned $1.4 million

If you want to learn how to start a business sale on Amazon, this interview is the perfect place to get started.

1. Let’s start with your story. What were you doing before Amazon and how did this all start?

Over 12 years ago, I had what you probably called “safe” work. He works in a government role at the Mental Health Commission in Dublin, Ireland. Decent salary, good benefits, stability. But every quiet moment during lunch break, I was Googleing “How to Make Money Online.” I didn’t want to be stuck in this “safe” job forever. Because I felt there was more. More freedom. More purpose. More possibilities.

Of course, the internet throws all the scams you can imagine when you search for something like that. Get Rich-Quick’s “Gurus”, Crypto Schemes, an app that promised passive income but paid a penny for your time. I’ve tried quite a lot. Most of it didn’t work.

Then, random conversations changed my life. My aunt’s friend was quietly crushing it in e-commerce or physical product business. I didn’t hesitate. I ran around the country to meet him, finishing with his freezing, cold warehouse (at the time you had to do everything yourself now – thankfully!). It was practical, unattractive and the best crash course I’d been looking for.

I started by reselling existing brands on Amazon. It was an easy and easy way to learn ropes and get quick wins. Over time, we expanded to private labels (where we build our own branded products) and finally launched Marketplace Superhero To help others do the same thing.

Fast forward a few years, and I’m running a business with my sister and CEO Lisa. We work with world-class educators in this field and sell millions of products across Amazon Marketplaces.

We currently run an online education platform, which helped nearly 10,000 people start their own Amazon business. In 2025, one of our own Amazon accounts cleared revenue of $1.4 million. And 2025? It’s shaped to grow even bigger.

But it’s here. You don’t have to be a marketing genius to create the next virus product or do this. You don’t even have to get on camera or come up with ideas about what to sell. You need to understand how to sell simple, everyday items that people already want.

That’s what we teach. And it works.

2. What does “sell on Amazon” actually mean? Can you explain this in beginner’s terms?

absolutely. Imagine this: you find products that people have already purchased. For example, shoes from a certain brand, such as Converse. Get some of those shoe boxes at discounts from other stores (local or online) and send them to Amazon’s warehouse.

There’s a magic here right now. Amazon stores those products, lists them for you, handles customer service and ships them when someone buys – they do all “hard” things. Focus on finding products that can be listed on Amazon profits.

That system is called Filling by Amazon (FBA) – And it’s what allows you to run a real business in your spare time.

Think about what this actually means. When a customer places an order for a product, you don’t need to do anything.

They don’t pack boxes, line up at the post office, or respond to customer service emails at 11pm. Amazon handles all that for you!

We’ll show you two main ways to get started.

Resale (retail/online arbitrage)
Discounted items are available on websites such as Walmart, boots and even the online retailer clearance section. After that, list them and sell them on Amazon for profit. Because it’s beginner-friendly:

• Even under $500 you can start small
• No need to create a brand or trade with overseas suppliers
• The results are seen faster – sometimes in your first week!

This model is something we’re talking about more in today’s blog post!

Wholesale (accelerate model)
Here, you will purchase branded products directly from domestic suppliers (for example, the US). You can usually get better pricing with permission to resell these items.

Next, you’ll want to list them on Amazon and get a share of your purchase box. This is the main “Add to Cart” section of the product page. When multiple sellers offer the same item, Amazon spins people who appear there throughout the day.

If you meet certain criteria at a competitive price, the offer will be picked up. This means that you can sell even if someone else sells the same product.

This is ideal if you want to get traction during resale and scale faster. Our wholesale expert Mike runs this side of the training and he is fantastic.

Both models do not reinvent the wheels. It connects to the existing ecosystem, solves real issues with products that are already known to be on sale from major brands such as Crayola and Fisher Price, and incorporates pie slices.

Here’s an overview of what the process looks like…

But if you’re a beginner? Kickstarts are the perfect place to start. And our resale expert (and my business partner) Josh is the one who will guide you step-by-step within that program.

Ah, speaking of kickstarts, I’ve recently put together a free e-book that teaches you in detail how this model works and what results you can expect when you start…

Click here to get a free copy now!

3. Is there still more space for new Amazon sellers? Or is the market saturated?

This is probably the number one myth that people don’t start. And I get it – Amazon’s big. But let me clarify: Not once It was a good time to start.

why? Because Amazon is growing Faster More than ever. Currently, over 60% of product sales come from third-party sellers. People like you and me. They are need We are in order to keep up with demand.

And here’s the kicker: Amazon is a living breathing market. Stock levels change, prices fluctuate, and sellers move back and forth. There is always a gap. These gaps are opportunities for smart sellers.

In 2025 alone, a total beginner intruder came in and found simple products like kitchen tools and hair care items, and began to generate hundreds (thousands) of monthly profits in a few weeks.

What’s more, the way to teach Amazon sales is not just speculation or “get good fortune.” It’s strategic. Use proven tools and methods Spot Opportunities – Products that people are buying, products that don’t have enough competition and can source less information than they sell on Amazon.

Yes, there’s plenty of space. If you follow the system and treat it like a real business, opportunities are wide open.

4. Can someone actually make this?

It depends – and I don’t dodge the question, it really is I’ll do it It depends on a few things: how much you invest, how consistent you work, and how well you follow the system.

This isn’t one of these to do rich and fast things that you’ll be a billionaire next month. If so, I hope you don’t trust me much. I know this because I share these numbers. You cannot promise to get the same result. Of course, results may vary for any business.

That being said, let’s talk about real numbers.

With Kickstart resale methods, we have seen:

• People start at $500-1,000 and grow from $1,000 to $2,000/month.
• Others will reinvest and expand from $5,000 to $10,000/month
• Grow further, use profits to fund larger inventory, and ultimately become full-time

That’s Actual business model That reward consistency and wise decisions – but unlike most businesses, you can see sales within a few weeks. In fact, this is one of my favorite recent stories.

“I sent my first product to Amazon in March 2025 and got my first sales just three days later. I really needed it to work. Since then, I’ve made more than $8,300 in sales. I’m tracking towards $10,000.- Nicole, Kickstart Reseller

You can check out the full interview with Nicole below!

Nicole’s story is a great example of what happens when you follow a tried-and-true process. She didn’t all-in on trendy and dangerous products. She followed the steps and started small, but now she is confidently scaling up.

This model was built specifically for people like Nicole. This is people who want something realistic, flexible and practical. Whether your goal is $1K per month or you’ll end up going full time, reselling on Amazon is one of the easiest ways to get there.

5.How long does this take each week? Can I do this in my full-time job?

Absolutely – and many of our students do just that.

I’ll call this 2-hour Amazon shortcuts Because most people can run this model in just a little bit 2 hours a dayor about 10-14 hours a week. That’s enough:

• Find profitable products
• Order and send to Amazon
• Monitor your account and track sales

Also, Amazon is spending time because it packs, delivers, returns and customer service. The highest value task: Sourcing and strategy.

Early mornings, evenings, weekends, etc., you can build this into your life. Some even do it during lunch break at work.

As you grow, you may choose to spend more time or hire help. But to get started? A few hours a day is enough.

6. What items can I sell on Amazon? And how do you find them?

Simple answer: Many of the big brands already on Amazon are available as long as they can be purchased cheaply elsewhere.

This is how we teach our students to use us to find profitable products Kickstart Resale Method:

1. Identify proven products in demand
   We use certain tools and data points (bestseller rank, number of reviews, estimated sales volumes, etc.) to ensure that your products are already well sold on Amazon.
2. Find price gaps
   This is the core of the resale model. I’m looking for everyday products that are available somewhere for cheaper prices, such as Target, Walmart, Boots, Best Buy. If it sells on Amazon for $15 and can be purchased elsewhere for $7, then that’s a solid lead.
3. Check out the competition
   I avoid lists where there are too many other sellers or where the price is likely to crash. Ideally, you’ll want a product with only a few sellers spinning in the purchase box. This is the section where customers click “Add to Cart”. That’s how you can make a consistent sale.
4. Calculate all costs
   Before you buy anything, I’ll show you how to properly execute numbers. This includes product costs, Amazon fees, delivery, and prep center fees. So, profit margins are clear before committing.
5. Start small and test
   Do not immediately enter the product. It is best to test small quantities, check sales speeds and double the winners. This will reduce your risk and increase your confidence as you build.

Some hot categories?

• Health and personal care
• Home and kitchen
• Office supplies
• Toys
• Foods in strong demand

Today you may find fitness accessories at discounted prices. Next week, it could be a cleaning product. The key is Follow the numbersnot your personal preference.

The free ebooks and bonus workshops delve deep into which products to sell, what profits to expect, and how to find the best products possible in the beginning.

Download a copy and watch the bonus workshop.

7. How much does it cost to start this type of business and how much does it cost each month to maintain it? How much does Amazon cost?

Starting Amazon’s reselling business through the Kickstart method is one of the most accessible online business models available today.

One reason for resale is that it is a very good starting point. The lower advance costs. No commitment to thousands of dollars or huge inventory is required. Most people start $500-1,000 It grows from there.

Here’s a quick breakdown of typical startups and ongoing costs:

• Amazon Seller Account – $39.99/month per month for professional planning (recommended)
• Initial stock – Start your test for just a few hundred dollars. Unlike private labels, you don’t need to buy hundreds of units of a single product.
• Preparation Center (optional) – If you don’t prepare your own products, many sellers use the Preparation Center to receive, inspect, label, and forward the products to Amazon. Expect $1-3 per item.
• Shipping to Amazon (for self-recording) – $10-30 per box, depending on weight/distance.
• Basic consumables – If you are preparing at home, you may need tape, boxes and labels. Budget of 50-100 dollars.

One of the biggest advantages of the kickstart model is that it doesn’t have to be all-in with one product.

You can test some items in small quantities, see what you want to sell, and expand the winner. It helps you keep your risk low and build experience and confidence quickly.

Many of our students see their first sale, and even their first profit, within just a few weeks of sending their first product to Amazon.

8. What challenges do people face when selling on Amazon? What happens to items that are not on sale?

Like any real business, reselling on Amazon has its ups and downs (but compared to most other online business models, these are easy to navigate!)

The key is knowing what to expect and knowing how to handle things when they don’t plan accurately.

Some of the common challenges beginners face (and how we help you deal with them):

1. Choose the right product

Not all items that appear beneficial on paper sell well in reality. Therefore, it is recommended to test a small amount first. There are no major risks or speculations. Improve your product research skills with just a little time and practice (and there are tools that can help you to significantly speed up your progress).

2. Price competition

Amazon is a dynamic market. Prices can fluctuate based on demand and competition. Here we show you how to find a product with enough margin to get through what happens, and how to know when to hold or adjust the price.

3. Inventory management

Learn how to balance out having enough stock to continue selling without too much cash on your slowly moving products. This becomes even more important during seasonal shifts.

4. Account Health

Amazon expects to follow certain performance metrics (order defect rate, cancellation rate, etc.). Luckily, the FBA handles most of this for you, but we will help you stay obedient and keep your account in good condition.

Since you’re testing small batches of multiple products, if something doesn’t run, it’s not a big setback. You can pivot quickly, learn from it and keep moving.

Over time, you will become better at choosing winners and building systems that will make everything smoother. These little bumps on the road? They are just part of building a genuine, sustainable business.

9. Tell us more about your course. How does it actually help beginners?

absolutely. Ours Kickstart Resale Programled by resale expert (and my business partner) Josh, is built for all beginners. No experience, product or technical skills required.

This is what you get:

• 8 weeks of training: A step-by-step system for moving from scratch to first sales
• Procurement Safe: Personal list of websites to find profitable products
• Daily Trading Alerts: We’ll even help you find real-time opportunities
• Weekly coaching calls: Ask questions and get help from our team
• Private Community: Meet other sellers, share your victory, get support
• Scaling Tools: Learn how to outsource, expand and change this to a full-time business if necessary:

It’s not fluff. We teach you practical, practical strategies and explain every step of the way.

Kickstart also focuses on resale models (find discounted products online and circulate them for profit on Amazon).

It is led by our wholesale expert Mike. Mike is amazing how he helps people take them to the next level when they’re ready.

But to be very clear: If you’re just starting out, kickstart is the perfect place to start. You will learn everything you need to make your first sale and build a business that suits your life.

I’d like to see how everything works, but in stages? Click here to unlock our free ebook + bonus workshop

And if you’ve been stuck for this long, thank you for reading this post that our best friend Michelle asked us to write.

Being interested in personal funding gives most people such leg ups when it comes to income flows, investments and other topics.

So, continue on an amazing learning journey even if we don’t work together.

Are you interested in starting a business selling on Amazon?

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