This 23-12 months-Previous Turned a Facebook Marketplace Find Right into a Creative Household Product. It Exploded on Social Media and Made $150K in 2 Weeks.

Growing up, Oskar Flodstrom at all times cherished to attract and create. But he didn’t suppose being an artist was a practical occupation. He thought-about turning into an engineer, hoping it’d give him a artistic outlet. 

“But then I found out what an engineer actually was, and it was kind of sad to me,” Flodstrom, 23 years outdated and based mostly in Los Angeles, California, tells Entrepreneur. 

The pandemic interrupted Flodstrom’s senior yr of highschool. He determined in opposition to school; he didn’t have the cash for it or suppose it could assist him together with his creative pursuits. Inspired by the U.S. file producer and DJ then often called Kenny Beats, Flodstrom began making music. 

“There is something to be said about being a self-starter and having that courage,” Flodstrom says. “It doesn’t give you the immediate return on investment. People kind of think you’re an idiot for a bit.” 

Teaching swim classes to pay the payments, making artwork on the facet

Flodstrom taught swim classes to pay the payments and labored on his artwork on the facet.

One day, with little further money to embellish his house, he was scrolling Facebook Marketplace at no cost objects. That’s when he stumbled upon a transparent, rounded acrylic base — and thought he might use it to craft a chunk of furnishings. 

Flodstrom didn’t have a automotive on the time, so he took a bus to select up the piece and lugged it again to his house. 

“ I didn’t touch it for months, honestly,” Flodstrom remembers. “It was just sitting there. I did kind of know I wanted to make it [in the shape of] a pill bottle. I was going to either use wood or something else for the top. I finally just used foam.” 

Bringing the Facebook Marketplace discover to life: the capsule bottle

He introduced the capsule bottle piece to life earlier this yr. It didn’t price a lot. The base from Facebook Marketplace was free, in any case, and Flodstrom estimates he spent about $120 all-in for the remainder of the supplies: foam, paint, paper for the label. Flodstrom thinks his unassuming presence helped, too. 

“The Staples guy was pretty cool,” he says. “I don’t think I come off very presumptuous, so I think sometimes people want to help me, maybe. I got that label for like 12 bucks, printed big. Usually it’s supposed to be $30.”  

Flodstrom thought-about placing the capsule bottle desk within the background of considered one of his music movies. But then he bought the thought to seize the artistic course of on video and publish it on social media, the place he goes by Erik Oskr.

Flodstrom had posted movies that includes his work previously, even promoting a chair harking back to an avocado for about $500. He’d discovered the bottom at no cost outdoors, noting lots of people in LA depart objects on the road once they transfer.

The capsule bottle desk went viral and led to a collaboration

The capsule bottle was an prompt hit. Flodstrom’s video went viral this previous June and caught the eye of NO LOGO, an organization that works with founders and types to fabricate merchandise with out constructing factories of their very own. 

Flodstrom took NO LOGO up on its provide to make a free pattern based mostly on his photographs and measurements. They agreed to alter the fabric for the lid to make it extra steady. The firm additionally helped him arrange a Shopify web site. 

When NO LOGO delivered the pattern, Flodstrom was in between locations, dwelling out of a automotive he’d bought. An organization consultant requested him if he’d do an interview about his creation, and he agreed, not considering a lot would come of it.

He nonetheless didn’t understand how effectively the capsule bottle facet desk would promote. He hoped it’d make sufficient cash for him to get into an house. 

A gradual begin — then 1 million views per minute and 200 gross sales

With the pattern made and able to promote, Flodstrom started work on extra movies to advertise the piece on social media.

The course of bought off to a shaky begin. Instagram AI flagged the video as a result of the capsule bottle had an “Adderall” label. Flodstrom thought day one can be massive, netting at the least 10 to fifteen gross sales. Thirty-six hours later, solely a few gross sales had trickled in.

“I was kind of panicking because the first couple of videos hadn’t done well,” he remembers. 

Flodstrom determined to get artistic once more and file a distinct use case for the capsule bottle facet desk — as a laundry basket. 

“ I made that little video of me using it as a hamper,” Flodstrom says, “and I’ve still never seen Instagram do that, one million views per hour for like 10 hours straight. It was crazy. 200 sales. Still, I don’t think I’ve fully grasped it.” 

The capsule bottle piece grossed $150,000 in gross sales in 2 weeks

The product grossed $150,000 in gross sales inside two weeks. Sales have remained comparatively regular, usually between $1,500 and $4,000 a day, relying on advert push. Of that, NO LOGO takes a low reduce to cowl manufacturing prices, Flodstrom says. He estimates his margin is about 5 occasions bigger. 

Now, Flodstrom appears ahead to creating extra merchandise and scaling his enterprise.

The younger entrepreneur hasn’t modified his way of life drastically simply but, although on the time of this interview, he was days away from shifting into his new place. Flodstrom desires to verify his latest success isn’t only a flash within the pan. 

“ I don’t really want to be known as the pill bottle guy,” Flodstrom says. “I wanted that to be the start, but I have a bunch of cool ideas. A giant razor blade mirror that’s going to come out soon. A lava lamp out of a Sprite bottle. I just made a bong out of a milk jug.”

Additionally, he’s attempting to maintain the momentum up on social media, throughout TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, and reap the benefits of affiliate alternatives. He additionally intends to experiment with streaming, which has the potential to drive extra income. 

Flodstrom doesn’t declare to have all the things discovered, however he’s doing his greatest to construct an actual enterprise round his artwork, which he’s by no means executed earlier than. 

“ I don’t feel like an artistic genius by any means,” Flodstrom says. “I still want to prove myself in that realm. So I don’t even know what to say most of the time. It feels like a fantasy. A daydream.”

Growing up, Oskar Flodstrom at all times cherished to attract and create. But he didn’t suppose being an artist was a practical occupation. He thought-about turning into an engineer, hoping it’d give him a artistic outlet. 

“But then I found out what an engineer actually was, and it was kind of sad to me,” Flodstrom, 23 years outdated and based mostly in Los Angeles, California, tells Entrepreneur. 

The pandemic interrupted Flodstrom’s senior yr of highschool. He determined in opposition to school; he didn’t have the cash for it or suppose it could assist him together with his creative pursuits. Inspired by the U.S. file producer and DJ then often called Kenny Beats, Flodstrom began making music.