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Entrepreneurs

From Play to Pay: How a 12-Year-Old and His Dad Built a $50K a Month Card-Breaking Business

When 12-year-old Madden Forrest and his dad Steven started livestreaming football card breaks for fun in October 2024, they had no idea they’d turn a shared hobby into Bull Island Breaks—a booming business that now pulls in nearly $50,000 in monthly revenue. Their secret sauce? Passion, consistent livestreams, and smart pricing that gives fans affordable access to high-demand cards.

Impact of the Idea

1. Mindset – Commitment meets curiosity

Madden’s interest in card breaking turned serious when they realized others were doing it for profit. A casual ask—“Can we try it?”—became a full-fledged venture. They jumped in wholeheartedly, reinforcing that curiosity paired with commitment sparks opportunity  .

2. Skillset – Learning on the fly and adapting

They didn’t start with expertise. Instead, Steven watched other livestreamers, mimicked what worked, and learned as they went. Key skills: sourcing exclusive inventory (like Costco’s football card boxes), live selling, community engagement, and inventory strategy—all developed in real time .

3. Toolset – Leveraging live video + scaled buying

Livestreams: Daily broadcasts at 7?p.m. drive excitement and real-time engagement. Break format: Fans buy into a team, and if their card pops up they win it—if not, they still get value through freebies from Steven’s childhood collection  . Source diversification: From $1,000 Costco boxes to $1.25 packs from Dollar Tree, they scale both ends — premium and budget-friendly.

Why It Matters for Entrepreneurs & Leaders

Action beats planning. They improvised their way to success—starting small and scaling. Community builds brands. Fans tune in for live breaks, building loyalty and repeat purchases. Value isn’t just profit. Free cards for “losers” foster goodwill and differentiate them. Family synergy amplifies results. Madden & Steven’s partnership shows how aligning vision, intergenerational collaboration, and shared passion can accelerate growth.

Takeaway:

This father-son duo proves that turning a hobby into a high-earning side hustle doesn’t require perfect expertise—just curiosity, consistency, and a customer-focused model. For leaders and entrepreneurs, the key lesson is simple: start before you’re ready, refine as you go, and build value into everything you do.