Framed Chalkboards Business

Framed Chalkboards Business Success Stories [2025]

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Updated: March 26th, 2025

In this list, you'll find real-world framed chalkboards business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a framed chalkboards business that makes money.

1. art.com ($100M/year)

Back in 1994, the internet was still in its infancy, and Josh Chodniewicz didn't even know what it was until his friend Mike Marston called him from Virginia Tech and told him it was going to be huge. Intrigued, Josh bought a modem and the two started brainstorming potential online business ideas. After passing on books and music, they decided posters and prints were perfect for the online market where people had limited local options for art.

They observed the struggles people had finding specialty posters, like a Boston Red Sox fan living in Texas trying to find team memorabilia. This made them realize the potential of a single online source for a wide variety of posters and prints. To validate their idea, they leveraged early internet marketing strategies, like pay-per-click advertising on Yahoo! Overture and an extensive affiliate program with 750,000 websites.

Throughout this process, they encountered challenges like low repeat sales and ineffective advertising expenses but refined their approach by focusing on profitable marketing channels and banding together for logistical efficiency. This experience taught them the importance of perseverance, innovation, and leveraging the right partners to bring their vision to life.

How much money it makes: $100M/year
How much did it cost to start: $35K
How many people on the team: 1000