“I started selling vacuum cleaners to save my wife from depression”: Sam’s story
This is a special story for our team, and it seriously has moved at least half of our team to tears, and we’re confident it will tug at your heartstrings as well, all while imparting valuable lessons on swiftly launching an online store.
But first, let’s pose a question: Does $2,346 strike you as significant? At first glance, it might not seem like much. However, for Samuel, a recent addition to our clientele who embarked on this entrepreneurial journey out of sheer desperation following a job loss, it was nothing short of astonishing.
Imagine making five sales with just one TikTok post on your account during your very first week as a dropshipping store owner. That’s precisely what Samuel achieved, thanks to the invaluable insights he gained from our Academy lessons. It’s a new reality for him, and it’s nothing short of incredible.
Intrigued? We thought you might be. Let’s delve straight into Samuel’s extraordinary story!
Allow us to introduce you to Samuel, whose life took a remarkable turn after venturing into the world of online business
Meet Samuel, not just a 31-year-old automotive technician, but also a devoted husband and proud father to Nicholas. Since June, he has embarked on a new journey as a dropshipping entrepreneur, and his story is one of resilience and inspiration.
In this blog post, our primary goal is to extend love and support to all those individuals who are silently battling their own challenges every day, often without anyone around fully understanding the extent of their struggles.
After learning about Samuel’s remarkable journey, our entire team held a Zoom meeting, and we couldn’t help but applaud this incredible man. By the time you finish reading his story, we’re certain you’ll agree that Samuel and his family truly deserve our admiration.
Interviewer: “Hello, Samuel! Thank you for joining us today. Please, tell us a bit about yourself, and feel free to share any insights with our community of dropshippers across the US and around the world.”
Samuel: “Hello there, thank you for having me. My name is Sam, and I hail from Nebraska. I earned an associate degree in automotive technology when I was just 21, and I’ve been working as an automotive technician ever since.
As is often the case in this industry, I had to switch jobs multiple times, a total of six times, in fact. It was a challenging journey, as I constantly felt like my job was at risk, with each of my bosses solely focused on making profits and showing little regard for their staff. It couldn’t go on that way, and I knew it.
However, I didn’t know how to change my situation until not too long ago when I stumbled upon dropshipping by pure luck. I had recently started my first store.”
Interviewer: “How is your store performing now? Do you feel like you’ve found what you were looking for?”
Samuel: “I can’t claim that it’s a massive success, but I’m confident I’m on the right path. In my first week, I managed to make five sales. While it may not seem like much, you should know that I started with a budget of zero dollars. I did experience a two-week lull with no sales, but during July and August, I generated a total of 34 sales. I’m working on expanding my success in the future.
I’m truly grateful for where I am today, and I can’t express enough how thankful I am to my wife and son for their unwavering support. They may never fully comprehend how much it means to me.”
As Samuel shares details and displays his store’s admin panel with impressive results on the screen, we can see the passion in his eyes and hear the quiver in his voice, hinting at a deeper, more profound story behind his success. Nevertheless, we continue with the interview, just as we usually do with our clients.
Interviewer: “Samuel, thank you for sharing these incredible details! You mentioned changing jobs six times… We all remember the challenging times during the COVID-19 pandemic, with businesses worldwide struggling. How was that period for you and your family?”
Samuel: “Absolutely, I want to emphasize that the COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly tough time for me, and I’d say it was the hardest for us. Three out of those six job changes occurred between the years of 19 and 21, and for nearly a year, I had to juggle my main job as a technician with part-time work as a delivery driver.
It was a trying experience, one I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. What made it worse was that in September 2022, just when I was starting to feel like I was regaining stability in my life, I faced job problems again. That same year, we received the news that Courtney, my wife, was pregnant. Unfortunately, she was also dealing with health issues at the time. Losing my job once more felt like a bombshell.
By sheer coincidence, a couple of weeks later, I was at a friend’s place, watching basketball as we usually did, when he casually mentioned that he had discovered dropshipping but wasn’t sure if he should give it a try. When I got home, I googled it and found your website, which offered a free trial.
Without hesitation, I decided to give it a shot. I chose to sell vacuum cleaners, for no particular reason, just because I had read somewhere that it could be profitable. I was desperate at that point, and I spent the next 24 hours in front of my laptop. I even overslept for my part-time job, but I launched my first TikTok post, sharing it with friends, cousins, and neighbors. That’s how my business began, with those initial five sales becoming my lifeline.
What you see on the screen is what I achieved in my first week, but I must admit, I took a bit of a shortcut. I didn’t create the ad myself; I simply copied one from your YouTube channel. Thankfully, your support team assured me it was okay.
I also received a bundle of free lessons on promotion from your Marketing Academy because I had no prior experience with launching ads. I didn’t believe it would work as well as it did, but it did!”
Interviewer: “Samuel, your journey is truly extraordinary! It’s always inspiring when someone takes a leap of faith and succeeds through determination and passion. If you have any words of advice or personal motivation to share with others who are just starting out like you, please feel free.”
Samuel: “I don’t want to delve into too many details, but all I can say is: Just do it. To see our son now, smiling, running, and jumping around, brings me immense joy. Courtney had to endure many complex medical procedures, and my store partially covered her medications. We faced the challenges of postpartum depression together, and she’s emerged stronger. I’m incredibly proud of her and our son. None of this happiness would be possible if I hadn’t taken the leap into my first-ever dropshipping business.
I’m eager to continue growing and expanding my business. To all the men out there who aren’t satisfied with their lives: summon the strength to take action and pursue your desires. You only live once. I hope you find the same level of happiness that I’ve achieved.”
At this point in our Zoom meeting, we were left speechless. Samuel’s personal journey through ups and downs had left us in awe. We gathered around, offering applause to Samuel and his family, recognizing that words alone could not adequately express our admiration.
Interviewer: “Sam, first and foremost, we extend our heartfelt sympathy for the challenges your family has faced. The applause you just received serves as a reminder for you to stay resilient and motivated. Courtney, Nick, and you are remarkable individuals, and we believe your story will be remembered not only by us but also by hundreds of thousands of our readers. Thank you for sharing your inspiring journey, and we wish you all the best!”
Feeling a bit overwhelmed after hearing Samuel’s story of trials and triumphs? That’s entirely natural. We’re still emotional ourselves. What truly matters now is the opportunity to learn from Samuel’s remarkable experience.
Samuel had never even heard of dropshipping until recently. He took a leap of faith, randomly starting a free trial store with Sellvia as the supplier. Samuel initiated his 14-day free trial store after a Google search for “dropshipping,” which was his first encounter with the concept.
