Do you remember where you were when bitcoin first really grabbed you? For me, it was 2017. I started reading up on it, and the more I read, the more I realized just how big this is. It never left my mind. On June 1, bitcoinstuffstore turned three. Time for an honest story, without any fancy numbers that aren’t there.
Table of contents
How it started: money, mistakes and tuition fees
Of course you start with money and exchange rates. You make mistakes by trading. And even worse, you buy shitcoins. That sounds stupid, and it was, but it was a learning path. Or rather, tuition fees. At a certain point I simply knew it: bitcoin only, of course.
Why bitcoin only? Because I have no patience for noise. I test miners and hardware wallets before they end up on the shelf. For me, that is the difference between selling something and knowing what you are talking about. No crypto knick-knacks, no shitcoins, no compromises. That is not a slogan, that is a conclusion. You can read more about that on bitcoin only.
The first order: 10 stickers, 2 euros
Do you want to know when I first genuinely got excited about that store? After a few months, my first order came in. Ten stickers. Two euros. I was as happy as a child. Not because of the amount, because you can't buy anything with that, but because someone thought: this is what I'm going to make.
In the meantime, more changes took place. I became a father. I got involved with the local ZwolleBitcoinStad community. And I launched bitcoinstuffstore.com, without any experience building websites. Starting a business had always been a secret dream of mine. I chose WordPress and had someone build the foundation on Fiverr for a few hundred euros. Really great, just start with what's there.
The eye-opener: collaboration
Through my network I came into contact with other entrepreneurs. What surprised me was how much fun collaborating actually is. And how almost every entrepreneur wants that too. I didn't see that coming. Who we are and why we do this can be found at about us.
Three years in numbers, honestly
Shall I just be honest about the figures? Fine. Year 1: break-even. Year 2: profit. Year 3: heavy loss, more costs than revenue. Business is dead in the water. I don't have the exact numbers for you, but that's roughly how it is. I'm not going to sugarcoat it, because that doesn't help anyone.
Still, I’m not giving up. Because beyond those sales figures, something else is happening. Behind the scenes, we’re learning a lot, investing, and continuing to develop bitcoinstuffstore.com. You won’t see that reflected in this year’s revenue, but that’s where the real value lies.
The little bridge: An AI team working together
And now? Today a lot can be done much faster with AI, and that is where I am now. I am building an AI team that collaborates almost autonomously. A CEO that delegates work to two marketing teams that compete with each other. The best output is rewarded with a token. TechSEO checks the latest techniques and the best score, and after that it goes to the executing CTO. Sounds big, and actually it is just the same as three years ago: start with what is there, make mistakes, learn, keep going.
Are you looking for a specific gift that fits this? Take a look at our Top 5 bitcoin Gifts.
On to year four
Three years of bitcoinstuffstore isn’t a success story complete with cake and confetti. It’s ten stickers, two euros, one year of profit, one year of loss, and a lot of lessons learned. And that’s exactly why I’m keeping at it. Thanks to everyone who ordered something, shared ideas, or just stuck on a sticker over the past three years.
P.S. Do you know any entrepreneurs in the field who sell great bitcoin products? I’d love to hear about them. Please refer them to me or have them stop by, after all, we can achieve more together than we can on our own.
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