ESSEX MAN QUITS GYM MANAGEMENT FOR FOOTBALL CARD LIVESTREAM BUSINESS

Aaron Pearce, 38, from Suffolk and living in Essex, quit his job as an area manager in the fitness and leisure sector to pursue a side hustle centred on reselling football cards. According to reports, he generated £2.4 million in turnover during the past year and now employs a team of seven people from dedicated office premises. Pearce said he developed an interest in collectables such as Pokémon cards and football stickers during his childhood in the 1990s. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, he began exploring reselling as a spare-room hobby, initially trading individual cards for up to £20 each via social media platforms including Instagram.

Pearce's business model shifted significantly in 2023 after he discovered a live shopping marketplace website. Rather than trading individual cards, he began opening cases of cards during livestreamed sessions and selling participation spots to collectors. He purchases boxes of cards for £400 or complete cases containing 12 boxes for £4,800, with each box holding 150 cards. One report noted that a Liverpool supporter might purchase a £100 "spot" on a livestreamed case opening and receive all Liverpool-branded cards from that box. According to one account, a single July livestream had 340 participation spots filled.

Pearce transitioned his business to full-time operation by March 2025. One report indicated he generated almost £700,000 in revenue between July 2023 and July 2024, £1.2 million in his second full year, and £2.4 million in his most recent year. He stated that one notable card in his inventory was a Lamine Yamal rookie card described as a "one of one", meaning only one exists. Pearce has urged others not to "get stuck in their nine to five" jobs if they have alternative interests to pursue.