Florida Entrepreneur Builds $1 Million-Per-Week Sports Card Business on Whatnot Without a College Degree

At just 25 years old, Dakota Peters has built a multimillion-dollar business by selling sports trading cards on the live auction platform Whatnot, all without attending college. Peters, a native of Florida, opted out of higher education after graduating high school in 2017. Instead, she joined her family’s commercial real estate business, gaining real-world work experience.

But by 2021, she was ready for a new challenge. That pivot led to the creation of Achickrips, a company now generating more than $1 million per week in gross merchandise value on Whatnot.

Shoes collection | Source: Pexels

From Sneakers to Sports Cards

Peters’ foray into e-commerce began in 2017, when she and her sisters started selling sneakers from their personal collection on Instagram. In 2021, they discovered Whatnot, an app that was at the time focused primarily on sports trading card auctions.

Initially, Peters joined the platform to sell sneakers but was captivated by the existing sports card streams. She described watching streamers "break" — a term for unboxing sealed trading card packs — as “mind blowing.” Intrigued, and with a lifelong love of sports, she decided to enter the sports card market herself.

“There was a natural tie-in,” Peters said, noting the parallels between athlete-linked sneaker demand and trading card value.

Her first live stream lasted four hours, aired late at night to avoid direct competition. Fewer than 20 viewers joined, but Peters recalls making about $500 to $600 — a modest start that validated the platform’s potential. “The buyer base was just there for the taking,” she said.

Person buying online | Source: Pexels

Relentless Commitment and Rapid Growth

Peters worked tirelessly during her first year on Whatnot. She often streamed for 12 to 24 hours at a time, followed by direct messaging customers, organizing inventory, and managing shipments. She also cultivated relationships with card box distributors to ensure a steady supply of premium products. “It felt like a 24-hour shift every day,” she said.

That commitment paid off. By the end of her first year, Peters had grossed more than $1 million in sales, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

To keep up with demand, she began hiring part-time help and made her first full-time hire in 2022. Today, Achickrips employs more than 40 people, most of them full time. The team handles order sorting, shipping, and customer service, with about half also serving as streamers.

Expanding the Business

Achickrips now operates five sports trading card profiles on Whatnot, specializing in football, basketball, and baseball cards. The company has also diversified its offerings to include thrift clothing and coins.

In 2023, Peters stepped away from live streaming to focus on the strategic direction of the company. Her new role involves overseeing operations and problem-solving, such as managing Wi-Fi issues or monitoring inventory of card sleeves.

Woman posing with her arms up | Source: Pexels

Looking ahead, Peters plans to extend streaming hours and explore content creation on YouTube. She’s intrigued by the entertainment value of card breaking, noting that many people now post videos of card unboxing purely for enjoyment, without monetization.

A Career Without Regrets

Five years ago, Peters had never heard of Whatnot. Today, she leads a thriving business and has no regrets about forgoing college. “I couldn’t dream of a better thing to call work,” she said.