I quit teaching to build a fidget business with my dad — it brings in $428K/year
Victoria Baumann quit teaching to start Victoria SE Studio, a fidget toy business run with her father Charlie Morton from their North Carolina homes. The business generated $428,000 in gross revenue and $94,000 in net profit in 2025, primarily through sales of fidget clickers and 3D-printed products.
Summary
Victoria Baumann, 32, and her father Charlie Morton, 51, operate Victoria SE Studio, a fidget toy business launched in May 2025 from their homes in North Carolina. Victoria transitioned out of teaching after realizing that the profession doesn't provide adequate compensation relative to the cost of a teaching degree, describing the shift as a refreshing departure from the traditional American dream narrative of steady workforce employment. The business sells multiple product categories including laser-cut acrylic jewelry, 3D-printed home decor, pill cases, fidget toys, and various knick-knacks. Their primary revenue driver is fidget clickers, which are self-spinning toys featuring mechanical components similar to mechanical keyboards that provide tactile and auditory satisfaction through clicking sensations. In their first full year of operation (2025), the business achieved $428,000 in gross revenue with $94,000 in net profit, demonstrating significant profitability and market demand for their fidget products.
Key Insights
- Victoria chose to leave teaching because the salary doesn't adequately cover the cost of the teaching degree, challenging the traditional American dream of stable workforce employment
- Fidget clickers use the same mechanical components as mechanical keyboards, providing tactile feel and clicking sensations that drive customer appeal
- The business started selling fidgets in May 2025 and achieved $428,000 in gross revenue by the end of 2025, representing rapid growth in under a year
- The fidget clicker product line is responsible for the majority of sales revenue compared to other product categories like jewelry and home decor
- The business maintains a 22% net profit margin ($94,000 profit on $428,000 revenue), indicating efficient cost management for a home-based operation
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] So, a fidget clicker is just a self-spinning toy. It has the same type of mechanical component as a mechanical keyboard. So, it has that really nice tactile [music] feel and click. My name is Victoria Baumann, and I'm 32 years old. >> I'm her father, Charlie Morton, and I'm 51 years old. >> We run my fidget business out of our homes in North Carolina. My business, Victoria SE Studio, brought in $428,000 in 2025. [music] You graduate college thinking, "I'm going to go into that [0:31] workforce and get a teaching job and have this regular American dream." And then you learn real quick that that teaching job doesn't pay what it should to cover the cost…
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