Student Turns LEGO Resale Hobby Into $50,000 Business

In the world of online collectibles, timing can matter as much as the item itself. For one Cedarville University student, that lesson helped turn a $3,500 Craigslist purchase of LEGO minifigures into nearly $6,000 in sales.

What began as a hobby for Micah Torres has grown into Rusty's Figs, an online resale business that has generated about $50,000 in revenue through livestream sales and collectible investing. Along the way, Torres has used the business to save for life after graduation, apply what he is learning in his accounting classes and lean on the faith-based mentorship he has received at Cedarville.

LEGO Minifigure Investment Nearly Doubles in Value

One of the biggest tests of that growth came when he spent $3,500 on Craigslist for LEGO minifigures.

Torres, a senior accounting major from Summerville, South Carolina, had already found success reselling minifigures, but he had never made a purchase this large. In the month following his big purchase, Torres and his roommate navigated around piles of LEGO pieces that filled their residence hall room, but eventually, he got his space - and nearly doubled the investment he used to grow his business.