Students invent a small shelf, earning $ 2 million a year

LavCup is a small shelf with non-stick rubber pads, anti-microbial silver ions and a slot to hold ads. "Father" is a student.

In 2008, while he was a student in Villanova, Pennsylvania (USA), Matt Williams stopped by a bar. When he went to the bathroom, he had to bring a beer, so he had to put it on the urinal, and dirty water shot into the glass when he pressed the flush button.

He noticed that other people in the toilet were also trying to balance their beer by either placing it on a sink, on the floor, putting it in a pocket or using a pinch.

Matt Williams - (Photo: CNBC).

"I came out, saw everyone carrying beer, women carrying their purses when they went to the toilet. I thought it was crazy. Why didn't any of the items serve this in the toilet? " , he remembers.

So he imagined a simple shelf placed next to the toilet or urinal, to be able to safely place beer glasses, phones or books.

After that, he had a second idea. While at the toilet, he found a newspaper stuffed in the urinal, and he read it while in it, attentively.

I need a shelf for my beer. You also need something to watch while going to the bathroom."How to combine both things?" , he wondered. What if you create a shelf with ads?

Williams returned to his seat outside the bar, wrote the idea on a towel, then left the shop immediately for fear that he would forget it if he drank too much.

For the next few months, that idea kept playing in his mind. From a young age, he had blood for business. At the age of 10, he knew how to buy shoes at a local store and sold them on Ebay to make a profit. At 16, he tried to patent a scratch-resistant CD. He is the type of person who always sees any problems that need solutions.

So Williams borrowed $ 65,000 and borrowed from his father and two other investors. He used the money he had to hire an engineering company to develop a model shelf, and named his product LavCup .

Matt Williams LavCup product - (Photo: CNBC).

LavCup is a small shelf with a non-stick rubber pad , silver anti-microbial ion. There is a slot to contain the ad, which is locked to prevent theft.

He started marketing his products in 2013 at sports-related conferences.

The first person he met was Peter McLoughIin, president of the Seattle Seahawks in the American rugby league. But things started not going smoothly.

"He was going down the escalator, and I called to Peter! Peter! I have to show you this. I'll love it. He answers I'm busy, I have to get on the plane right away," Williams recalls.

But Williams still persevered to follow. "I will ask you for 30 seconds, and I showed you the product on my iPad. This is something I just invented. He is no longer angry and says God, what God This is great! ".

Within 10 weeks, LavCup received the first major order: 1,200 units for CenturyLink Field, where Seahawks competed.

Now LavCup has more than 21,000 units installed in 26 locations in major sports federations. 35 other locations are waiting for approval.

His business has raised $ 600,000 from 10 investors, and he said his 2017 revenue reached $ 2 million. He is also looking to step into new places like cinemas and yachts.

Reporter next to LavCup product - (Photo: CNBC)

And this is how your business is doing: LavCup does not sell, but is donated to free stadiums and venues, and then his company creates and sells ads on those shelves, and splits it up. collect with the place where you agree to install shelves.

For example, LavCup is paid to promote a product related to a Katy Perry singer concert at a certain stadium.

Williams is a big believer in simple, low- tech products . He used to develop a biscuit distribution business with over 100 million pieces per month for 10,000 Chinese restaurants and sell advertising space or coupons on the back of the cake box.

The above success is very meaningful to himself because he has been near failure many times. Now, with $ 2 million in sales, he has admirers.

"When they knew I was the inventor of LavCup, they said we have a compliment for you. I just said Jesus, there's nothing big. I can't solve any big problem in the world. However, everyone appreciates LavCup, and that's all I can say, " he said proudly.