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Jan 31, 2024 · 1h 8m · my-first-million

6 Retro Business Ideas That Could Be As Big As LEGO ($11.8B)

Shaan Puri · 32m spoken Sam Parr · 26m spoken
0:00 / 0:00
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In this episode of My First Million, Shaan Puri and Sam Parr break down the massive 'kidult' economy, uncovering lucrative multi-million-dollar marketplaces built within the Lego ecosystem and pitching retro product concepts for adult consumers. They also introduce the 'Reverse Funnel' framework, demonstrating how catering to obsessive subcultures and executing simple ideas can lead to massive business success.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. The hosts hold 99.8% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

The hosts as informed peer 5.8 Guest teaching 4.6 Guest disagreement 1.6 The hosts pushing back 2.5
05100:0015:0030:0045:001:00:001:18–5:51 · The hosts as informed peer 4/10 Subscriber Milestones and House Size Experiments Shaan and Sam compare home sizes and discuss prototyping lifestyle choices through short-term rentals. Shaan challenges Sam's complaints about utility costs and maintenance with his personal bedroom allocation framework.5:51–8:22 · The hosts as informed peer 5/10 Sam's Lego Habit and Adult Toy Trends Sam shares his newfound Lego building hobby while Shaan highlights how NBA players and professional athletes have popularized adult Lego building. The dynamic is collaborative and conversational.8:22–30:16 · The hosts as informed peer 6/10 The Kidult Economy and Retro Business Pitches Shaan breaks down the kidult toy industry statistics, Calm's adult sleep stories, and pitches multiple retro business spin-offs. Sam playfully rejects Shaan's vague 'relaxation puddle' concept.30:16–36:44 · The hosts as informed peer 7/10 Analyzing Rebrickable and Custom Lego Marketplaces Sam delivers a deep-dive analysis of Rebrickable, detailing its marketplace dynamics, user stats, and revenue potential for custom Lego design blueprints. Shaan actively engages and validates the business model.36:44–44:19 · The hosts as informed peer 8/10 The Tragic Tale and Legacy of BrickLink Sam recounts the history of BrickLink, founder Dan Jezek's passing, the transition of the business to his mother, and subsequent acquisitions by Jay Kim and Lego. Shaan supplements the narrative with live research from Dan's memorial site.44:19–46:57 · The hosts as informed peer 2/10 Sponsor: The Six-Word Story for Support Shepherd The hosts run a playful sponsorship segment styled after Ernest Hemingway's classic six-word story for Support Shepherd.46:58–58:34 · The hosts as informed peer 7/10 Fan Fiction Economics, Reverse Funnels, and MFM Identity The hosts discuss fan fiction platforms like Wattpad, reverse-funnel community development, and how MFM meetup groups formed organically. Sam and Shaan exchange principles on maintaining niche audience authenticity.58:34–1:07:43 · The hosts as informed peer 7/10 Palworld's Viral Success and the Midwit Philosophy Shaan explains the viral breakout of Palworld and links its success to the midwit meme philosophy of building simple, obvious concepts. Sam adds anecdotes from the game founder's unconventional production blogs.1:18–5:51 · Guest teaching 3/10 Subscriber Milestones and House Size Experiments Shaan and Sam compare home sizes and discuss prototyping lifestyle choices through short-term rentals. Shaan challenges Sam's complaints about utility costs and maintenance with his personal bedroom allocation framework.5:51–8:22 · Guest teaching 4/10 Sam's Lego Habit and Adult Toy Trends Sam shares his newfound Lego building hobby while Shaan highlights how NBA players and professional athletes have popularized adult Lego building. The dynamic is collaborative and conversational.8:22–30:16 · Guest teaching 5/10 The Kidult Economy and Retro Business Pitches Shaan breaks down the kidult toy industry statistics, Calm's adult sleep stories, and pitches multiple retro business spin-offs. Sam playfully rejects Shaan's vague 'relaxation puddle' concept.30:16–36:44 · Guest teaching 6/10 Analyzing Rebrickable and Custom Lego Marketplaces Sam delivers a deep-dive analysis of Rebrickable, detailing its marketplace dynamics, user stats, and revenue potential for custom Lego design blueprints. Shaan actively engages and validates the business model.36:44–44:19 · Guest teaching 7/10 The Tragic Tale and Legacy of BrickLink Sam recounts the history of BrickLink, founder Dan Jezek's passing, the transition of the business to his mother, and subsequent acquisitions by Jay Kim and Lego. Shaan supplements the narrative with live research from Dan's memorial site.44:19–46:57 · Guest teaching 1/10 Sponsor: The Six-Word Story for Support Shepherd The hosts run a playful sponsorship segment styled after Ernest Hemingway's classic six-word story for Support Shepherd.46:58–58:34 · Guest teaching 5/10 Fan Fiction Economics, Reverse Funnels, and MFM Identity The hosts discuss fan fiction platforms like Wattpad, reverse-funnel community development, and how MFM meetup groups formed organically. Sam and Shaan exchange principles on maintaining niche audience authenticity.58:34–1:07:43 · Guest teaching 6/10 Palworld's Viral Success and the Midwit Philosophy Shaan explains the viral breakout of Palworld and links its success to the midwit meme philosophy of building simple, obvious concepts. Sam adds anecdotes from the game founder's unconventional production blogs.1:18–5:51 · Guest disagreement 2/10 Subscriber Milestones and House Size Experiments Shaan and Sam compare home sizes and discuss prototyping lifestyle choices through short-term rentals. Shaan challenges Sam's complaints about utility costs and maintenance with his personal bedroom allocation framework.5:51–8:22 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Sam's Lego Habit and Adult Toy Trends Sam shares his newfound Lego building hobby while Shaan highlights how NBA players and professional athletes have popularized adult Lego building. The dynamic is collaborative and conversational.8:22–30:16 · Guest disagreement 3/10 The Kidult Economy and Retro Business Pitches Shaan breaks down the kidult toy industry statistics, Calm's adult sleep stories, and pitches multiple retro business spin-offs. Sam playfully rejects Shaan's vague 'relaxation puddle' concept.30:16–36:44 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Analyzing Rebrickable and Custom Lego Marketplaces Sam delivers a deep-dive analysis of Rebrickable, detailing its marketplace dynamics, user stats, and revenue potential for custom Lego design blueprints. Shaan actively engages and validates the business model.36:44–44:19 · Guest disagreement 1/10 The Tragic Tale and Legacy of BrickLink Sam recounts the history of BrickLink, founder Dan Jezek's passing, the transition of the business to his mother, and subsequent acquisitions by Jay Kim and Lego. Shaan supplements the narrative with live research from Dan's memorial site.44:19–46:57 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Sponsor: The Six-Word Story for Support Shepherd The hosts run a playful sponsorship segment styled after Ernest Hemingway's classic six-word story for Support Shepherd.46:58–58:34 · Guest disagreement 2/10 Fan Fiction Economics, Reverse Funnels, and MFM Identity The hosts discuss fan fiction platforms like Wattpad, reverse-funnel community development, and how MFM meetup groups formed organically. Sam and Shaan exchange principles on maintaining niche audience authenticity.58:34–1:07:43 · Guest disagreement 2/10 Palworld's Viral Success and the Midwit Philosophy Shaan explains the viral breakout of Palworld and links its success to the midwit meme philosophy of building simple, obvious concepts. Sam adds anecdotes from the game founder's unconventional production blogs.1:18–5:51 · The hosts pushing back 3/10 Subscriber Milestones and House Size Experiments Shaan and Sam compare home sizes and discuss prototyping lifestyle choices through short-term rentals. Shaan challenges Sam's complaints about utility costs and maintenance with his personal bedroom allocation framework.5:51–8:22 · The hosts pushing back 2/10 Sam's Lego Habit and Adult Toy Trends Sam shares his newfound Lego building hobby while Shaan highlights how NBA players and professional athletes have popularized adult Lego building. The dynamic is collaborative and conversational.8:22–30:16 · The hosts pushing back 4/10 The Kidult Economy and Retro Business Pitches Shaan breaks down the kidult toy industry statistics, Calm's adult sleep stories, and pitches multiple retro business spin-offs. Sam playfully rejects Shaan's vague 'relaxation puddle' concept.30:16–36:44 · The hosts pushing back 2/10 Analyzing Rebrickable and Custom Lego Marketplaces Sam delivers a deep-dive analysis of Rebrickable, detailing its marketplace dynamics, user stats, and revenue potential for custom Lego design blueprints. Shaan actively engages and validates the business model.36:44–44:19 · The hosts pushing back 2/10 The Tragic Tale and Legacy of BrickLink Sam recounts the history of BrickLink, founder Dan Jezek's passing, the transition of the business to his mother, and subsequent acquisitions by Jay Kim and Lego. Shaan supplements the narrative with live research from Dan's memorial site.44:19–46:57 · The hosts pushing back 1/10 Sponsor: The Six-Word Story for Support Shepherd The hosts run a playful sponsorship segment styled after Ernest Hemingway's classic six-word story for Support Shepherd.46:58–58:34 · The hosts pushing back 3/10 Fan Fiction Economics, Reverse Funnels, and MFM Identity The hosts discuss fan fiction platforms like Wattpad, reverse-funnel community development, and how MFM meetup groups formed organically. Sam and Shaan exchange principles on maintaining niche audience authenticity.58:34–1:07:43 · The hosts pushing back 3/10 Palworld's Viral Success and the Midwit Philosophy Shaan explains the viral breakout of Palworld and links its success to the midwit meme philosophy of building simple, obvious concepts. Sam adds anecdotes from the game founder's unconventional production blogs.

speaking balance: gold is the hosts, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%0:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%3:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%3:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%6:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%6:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%9:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%9:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%12:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%12:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%15:00 · the hosts 99.6% · guest 0.4%15:00 · the hosts 99.6% · guest 0.4%18:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%18:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%21:00 · the hosts 99.3% · guest 0.7%21:00 · the hosts 99.3% · guest 0.7%24:00 · the hosts 99.1% · guest 0.9%24:00 · the hosts 99.1% · guest 0.9%27:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%27:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%30:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%30:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%33:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%33:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%36:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%36:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%39:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%39:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%42:00 · the hosts 99.8% · guest 0.2%42:00 · the hosts 99.8% · guest 0.2%45:00 · the hosts 99.5% · guest 0.5%45:00 · the hosts 99.5% · guest 0.5%48:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%48:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%51:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%51:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%54:00 · the hosts 99.8% · guest 0.2%54:00 · the hosts 99.8% · guest 0.2%57:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%57:00 · the hosts 100% · guest 0%1:00:00 · the hosts 99.8% · guest 0.2%1:00:00 · the hosts 99.8% · guest 0.2%1:03:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%1:03:00 · the hosts 99.9% · guest 0.1%1:06:00 · the hosts 99.3% · guest 0.7%1:06:00 · the hosts 99.3% · guest 0.7%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 28:44 Playful dismissal of the relaxation puddle pitch

Sam flatly interrupts and pokes fun at Shaan's pitch, stating that it is impossible to 'yes-and' an idea as poorly defined as a relaxation puddle.

 Hardest push from the hosts ▶ 12:54 Shaan refutes Sam's mechanical engineering claims

Shaan calls out Sam for boasting about building a functional Land Rover six-speed transmission, bluntly reminding him that snapping Lego bricks together is not real engineering.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 31:40 Sam reveals Rebrickable's organic traffic metrics

Sam educates Shaan on the exact traffic figures, creator earnings, and unit economics of custom Lego design marketplaces.

 The host holds their own ▶ 15:00 Shaan explains the kidult toy boom and Calm's pivot

Shaan cites industry data explaining that 25% of toy revenue comes from adults and illustrates the broader kidult behavior through Calm's sleep stories.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicThe hosts as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementThe hosts pushing backWhy
Subscriber Milestones and House Size Experiments 4323 Shaan and Sam compare home sizes and discuss prototyping lifestyle choices through short-term rentals. Shaan challenges Sam's complaints about utility costs and maintenance with his personal bedroom allocation framework.
Sam's Lego Habit and Adult Toy Trends 5412 Sam shares his newfound Lego building hobby while Shaan highlights how NBA players and professional athletes have popularized adult Lego building. The dynamic is collaborative and conversational.
The Kidult Economy and Retro Business Pitches 6534 Shaan breaks down the kidult toy industry statistics, Calm's adult sleep stories, and pitches multiple retro business spin-offs. Sam playfully rejects Shaan's vague 'relaxation puddle' concept.
Analyzing Rebrickable and Custom Lego Marketplaces 7612 Sam delivers a deep-dive analysis of Rebrickable, detailing its marketplace dynamics, user stats, and revenue potential for custom Lego design blueprints. Shaan actively engages and validates the business model.
The Tragic Tale and Legacy of BrickLink 8712 Sam recounts the history of BrickLink, founder Dan Jezek's passing, the transition of the business to his mother, and subsequent acquisitions by Jay Kim and Lego. Shaan supplements the narrative with live research from Dan's memorial site.
Sponsor: The Six-Word Story for Support Shepherd 2111 The hosts run a playful sponsorship segment styled after Ernest Hemingway's classic six-word story for Support Shepherd.
Fan Fiction Economics, Reverse Funnels, and MFM Identity 7523 The hosts discuss fan fiction platforms like Wattpad, reverse-funnel community development, and how MFM meetup groups formed organically. Sam and Shaan exchange principles on maintaining niche audience authenticity.
Palworld's Viral Success and the Midwit Philosophy 7623 Shaan explains the viral breakout of Palworld and links its success to the midwit meme philosophy of building simple, obvious concepts. Sam adds anecdotes from the game founder's unconventional production blogs.

Statements from this episode (9)

Assertion Supported
Puri: Kidults account for 25% of all toy sales
“And that sounds like a pretty fringe thing, but it actually makes up 25% of all toy sales.”
Shaan Puri Jan 31, 2024 ▶ 8:44
Assertion Supported
Puri: 60% of toy industry growth comes from kidults
“So toy industry, if you look at how fast it's growing, 60% of all the growth is just coming from this one segment.”
Shaan Puri Jan 31, 2024 ▶ 9:27
Assertion Partly supported
Puri: 40% of Build-A-Bear revenue comes from adult customers
“You know that 40% of their revenue now comes from adults?”
Shaan Puri Jan 31, 2024 ▶ 18:46
Insight
Puri: Find working product categories by analyzing successful MLMs
“If you want to know what products work, go look at what MLMs work and work backwards from there.”
Shaan Puri Jan 31, 2024 ▶ 27:22
Assertion Contradicted
Parr: 30,000 creators sell custom Lego build instructions on Rebrickable
“And he has roughly 30,000 people who have uploaded a variety of MOCs that you can buy from 10 dollars, probably all the way up to a hundred dollars.”
Sam Parr Jan 31, 2024 ▶ 31:12
Assertion Not publicly verifiable
Sam Parr: Rebrickable Generated ~160M Page Views in 2023
“And his page views last year, 2023, were around a hundred and sixty million page views.”
Sam Parr Jan 31, 2024 ▶ 32:36
Insight
Parr: Expensive Hobbies With Nerdy Fanbases Create Massive Business Opportunities
“What other products Costs a lot of money. Have a passionate nerdy following and where you can build a large audience and then eventually sell them everything. And Lego fits that perfectly.”
Sam Parr Jan 31, 2024 ▶ 43:54
Insight
Parr: Passionate niche businesses fail when scaled too quickly
“The second thing is, I actually think, I think these types of companies, you shouldn't build quickly. These are slow bird businesses where you don't want to get too big too fast. Otherwise, the nerds, the passionate ones will be like, oh, this is lame. This is…”
Sam Parr Jan 31, 2024 ▶ 49:00
Assertion Supported
Puri: Palworld generated $200M in revenue within seven days
“Pal World in like seven days has done two hundred million in revenue.”
Shaan Puri Jan 31, 2024 ▶ 59:53
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