Jaron Lodge’s entrepreneurial journey began as a Cub Scout when he exceeded sales goals selling popcorn. By age 18, he had saved $25,000 from various jobs and used his sales skills to sell high-end cutlery. Inspired by YouTube entrepreneurs and his passion for stone skipping, he developed SKIP ‘NN Hole, a game combining stone skipping with corn hole. Enrolling at Arizona State University, he joined the entrepreneurship program and honed his skills.
Lodge experimented with making skipping stones from fish food and later 3-D printed them at the library. After conducting market research and receiving feedback from homeowners, he developed SKIP ‘NN Hole, raising $35,000 and participating in programs like Venture Devils. He graduated in 2021, earning accolades from the university for his success. With ongoing self-education and Kickstarter support, he grew his business, raising $53,378 in just eight hours.
Currently, Lodge sells SKIP ‘NN Hole on various platforms, including Amazon, sporting goods stores, and his website. His revenue increased from $60,000 to an anticipated $3 million, reaching $1 million by March 2024. He credits his success to marketing efforts on social media and the assistance of an agency. Lodge’s story is part of the growing trend of million-dollar, one-person businesses in the U.S., showing the potential for solo entrepreneurs to achieve significant revenue.
The rise of these businesses can be attributed to the wealth of online resources, entrepreneurship education, and digital tools available to aspiring entrepreneurs. The top industries for such businesses include professional services, retail, construction, wholesale trade, and finance, among others. While these businesses may evolve over time, achieving seven-figure revenue offers growth opportunities and options for scaling up.
As Lodge prepares his business to scale up, he is focusing on addressing supply chain issues and expanding production capacity. He plans to enhance marketing efforts to emphasize SKIP ‘NN Hole’s appeal as a family-friendly game. Lodge’s innovative approach to business exemplifies the evolution of million-dollar, one-person businesses and the potential for solo entrepreneurs to reshape the traditional business landscape.
