Professional Finder Success Stories [2024]
Ever misplaced a crucial document, cherished heirloom, or vintage collectible? Start a professional finder business. This entails locating lost items or assisting clients in tracking down rare or hard-to-find objects.
Engage with clients, utilizing various resources like online databases, professional networks, and local contacts. The demand for such a service transcends industriesโwhether individuals seeking heirlooms or businesses searching for specialized equipment.
With minimal startup costs, primarily for marketing and networking, you can launch this venture quickly. Basic skills in research, communication, and problem-solving are essential.
Starting a professional finder business promises a unique blend of excitement and satisfaction. Helping clients recover valuable items or locate something they thought they'd never find again can be deeply rewarding. If you possess an investigative mind and enjoy the thrill of the hunt, this venture offers both challenge and fulfillment.
In this list, you'll find real-world professional finder success stories and very profitable examples of starting a professional finder that makes money.
1. Virtudesk ($6M/year)
Pavel Stepanov, the Founder and CEO of Virtudesk, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the dramatic results of hiring a virtual assistant for his own real estate business. He realized the power of delegating tasks and saw that other agents and entrepreneurs faced the same time constraints. With connections in the Philippines, he was able to start sourcing virtual assistants, and within two weeks of launching, he had already gained paying clients.
How much money it makes: $6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
How many people on the team: 367
Virtudesk provides virtual assistant services to entrepreneurs and business owners, helping them to scale and automate their businesses with highly-trained virtual assistants based in the Philippines, resulting in over $500,000 in monthly revenue and experiencing greater growth in 2020 than in previous years.
2. TutorCruncher ($1.2M/year)
Samuel Colvin, the Co-founder of TutorCruncher, came up with the idea while working at a tutoring agency and realizing the need for a software solution to streamline administrative tasks. Through hard work and collaboration with tutoring agencies, the TutorCruncher system was developed and launched in 2013. Today, it is the leading tutor management software in the UK, trusted by over one million users worldwide.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 0
TutorCruncher Co-founder Samuel Colvin details the success story of his tutor management software company, which has grown to become the leading software in the UK with over one million users worldwide and is set to expand its market through the launch of a new Tutor App.
3. Cobuild Lab ($1.08M/year)
Angel Lacret, the founder of Cobuild Lab, started the company 5 years ago after moving to Miami from Venezuela. As a software engineer with previous experience in creating products for startups and government organizations, Lacret saw the need to help entrepreneurs succeed by providing them with custom software solutions. Over the years, Cobuild Lab evolved its product development process, focusing on sustainable software development and establishing a strong customer service approach. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company adapted its strategy and saw significant growth, doubling its revenue and staff in 2021. Cobuild Lab's future goal is to continue expanding its sales and lead generation efforts, aiming for a 2x growth in 2022.
How much money it makes: $1.08M/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
How many people on the team: 45
Cobuild Lab's CEO and Founder Angel Lacret shares his journey of starting a custom software solutions company, starting from $20k and growing to a team of over 50, and offers insights on attracting and retaining customers through a strong digital marketing campaign and building personal relationships, as well as emphasizing the importance of product market fit and sales.
4. Delesign ($972K/year)
Delesign was founded by Kenny Schumacher to address the need for affordable and high-quality design services that businesses of all sizes could utilize. Through a rigorous vetting and training process, Delesign provides clients with dedicated senior-level designers who can complete graphic design, animation, web and app, UI/UX, and illustration projects with fast turnaround times. The company has seen rapid growth, reaching nearly $100k MRR in just four years, and relies on referrals, organic traffic, and targeted content marketing to attract and retain customers.
How much money it makes: $972K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 55
Delesign's co-owner explains how their fully remote-based graphic design service has scaled to nearly $100k MRR in just 4 years since providing entrepreneurs with a dedicated senior-level designer for a flat monthly rate with extremely fast turnaround times.
5. Panda Wish ($90K/year)
Mohammed Khonizi came up with the idea for Panda Wish after struggling to book a massage while traveling in the Philippines. He saw the need for a platform that would make it easier for clients to request beauty and spa services, while also helping massage therapists earn a good income. After conducting market research and piloting the app in Naga City, it quickly gained traction and attracted hundreds of therapists and clients.
How much money it makes: $90K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 1
Panda Wish, an on-demand beauty and wellness platform, built by Mohammed Khonizi, a Wayne State University MBA graduate, earned over $7.5k per month, following its successful pilot in the Philippines in 2019.
6. Shaadivaale ($24K/year)
Shaadivaale was founded in 2018 by an entrepreneur who had a difficult time finding suitable vendors for their own wedding. Recognizing the need for a platform where clients and vendors could easily connect, they launched Shaadivaale to help people find wedding vendors and to support vendors in growing their businesses. Since its inception, Shaadivaale has gained over 500 registered vendors and has seen success in terms of sales and customer retention.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 5
Shaadivaale is a successful wedding planning service in India, started in 2018 as a side business with a job, which now has over 500 vendors registered and plans to get into offline and real luxe wedding planning while staying true to their vision of providing a platform for clients and vendors to find each other.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
