An Australian entrepreneur has revealed the argument that inspired his $12 million business – which was the “only time” his wife was wrong.
Kenny Lee quit his 9-5 job in 2018 to pursue his dream business, Light My Bricks.
The 39-year-old from Ferntree Gully in Melbourne’s east, who specializes in LED lighting for Lego sets, said the idea came from his own Lego obsession.
“The idea came purely from an argument with my wife when she questioned my excessive Lego spending,” Mr Lee said.
‘When we had children, we had a mortgage to pay, we had one income and my newfound passion drove me a bit crazy.
“So I thought, how can I win this argument by making these purchases without feeling guilty?” Start my own company.’
Mr Lee said he knew there was a gap in the market as adults were spending as much, if not more, on Lego as he was.
“I thought if I could write off these Lego purchases for business purposes, that would be another win,” Mr. Lee joked.
Kenny Lee is the founder and CEO of Light My Bricks. Photo: NewsWire / Aaron Francis
“It’s safe to say I won that argument, and if you ask my wife, she’d probably say that was the only time she was wrong.”
The very first piece of Lego that Mr Lee lit was a barber pole in a detective’s office.
‘I’ll never forget lighting the little barber pole – the moment I put flashing lights in there to bring it to life was a crazy moment for me. I immediately knew I was on to something,” Mr Lee said.
He said the Covid pandemic was a turning point for his business, describing it as “a scary moment” for him and other businesses.
“For me, it was a scary time to think I had to close the business,” he said.
Faced with lockdowns, he and his team focused on digital advertising, with Lego – like many other indoor hobbies – gaining traction.
“Because of all the content (Lego fans) were seeing online, of course they saw my bricks, and before I knew it, my business went crazy,” he said.
“The uncertainty turned into one of our greatest triumphs, helping us reach those eight figures.”
Mr Lee’s obsession with Lego led him to start his own company. Photo: NewsWire / Aaron Francis
Consumers can install the lights while building Lego sets, or add them to sets they’ve already built.
“It teaches people about electronics and adds a whole new dimension – many of our customers can’t see Lego in the same way anymore,” Mr Lee said.
The market for Lego and Light My Bricks among adults is huge, with Matt Nardella from Melbourne’s northeast revealing he has spent a whopping $70,000 on Lego sets, complete with Mr Lee’s lighting sets.
The Doncaster man said a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed Lego set caught his eye about 11 years ago when he was shopping for a gift for his niece.
“I had always played with Lego as a little kid, but I haven’t paid attention to them since,” Mr. Nardella said, adding that he bought a set “on a whim.”
“I came home, built that one set and from there I was just hooked.”
However, things changed when he discovered Light My Bricks after seeing photos online, with all his own sets now illuminated.
‘Since I discovered the light sets, I haven’t looked back. It really brings it all to life!’ said Mr. Nardella.
‘I think the difference between playing with Lego as a child and collecting them as an adult is that once you’ve built the Lego set you really come to appreciate the display you’re left with – and the lighting takes the display to the next level .
‘I enjoy building anything, but whether it’s a Star Wars or Batman scene, or a Lego City, part of the appeal is that you are immersed in the world you create and lights are just that magical bridge that makes it all feel so real.’
Light My Bricks has now generated over $12 million in revenue. Photo: NewsWire / Aaron Francis
Reflecting on his company’s climb to success, Mr Lee said he had no idea it would do as well as it had.
“One of the biggest challenges for me was overcoming that mindset… ‘How much money can you really make with this unique passion?’” Mr Lee said.
He said he had developed his own ‘create away’ philosophy, encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to think outside the box.
“My advice is not to look for validation, but to focus on what is unique, because the more unique it is, the better it is,” Mr Lee said.
“I’m very passionate about sharing that message and inspiring people (with) that whole ‘create-away’ message of not limiting yourself, because again, if you had asked me all those years ago how much money you can make selling Lego lights… it has been a constant work of improvement and thinking outside the box.”
Mr Lee revealed the next step was to expand beyond Lego, telling fans to ‘stay tuned’.
“All along we have based our success on Lego-related lights, but now we are expanding our boundaries and looking beyond that,” Mr Lee said.
‘I am so grateful for what I have been able to build and it has truly given me a life that I love to live. I call it my ultimate life, and it’s just the beginning.’