Welcome to Money Making Story,

Today, we’re thrilled to share the story of Joe Popelus, 20 Years old boy who turned late-night work sessions into a thriving AI book brand valued at nearly $1M.

In this discussion, we’ll delve into his:

• Key Takeaway

• Minimum Wage to Millions

• Launching with Just a Few Hundred Dollars

• Creating a Book in Hours

• 6 Key Business Models

• The Rapid Rise of an AI Book Empire

• The Real Game-Changer

• Scaling to Nearly $1 & Facing Competition

• The Lifestyle of a 20-Year-Old Millionaire

• Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

• A Story Worth Reading

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Key Takeaway

“Business success often comes from recognizing an emerging trend and capitalizing on it early. Joe Popplus built a million-dollar AI book brand by leveraging automation, a unique marketing approach, and a relentless focus on learning.”

At just 20 years old, Joe Popplus transformed his side hustle into a lucrative business, generating over $1 million in revenue by selling AI-generated books. With no prior experience in publishing and only a student budget to start, Joe built a book brand now valued at $930,000. His secret? Leveraging AI for content creation and using Pinterest ads for targeted marketing. Here’s how he did it.

Minimum Wage to Millions

Before making over a million dollars selling AI-generated books, Joe Popplus was just a regular university student. He was balancing school while working a minimum-wage job, stocking shelves for $11 an hour.

Like many young entrepreneurs, Joe wasn’t content with working for someone else. He had a passion for technology and had been experimenting with AI long before it became mainstream.

His deep interest in AI eventually led him to a publishing company that was making millions selling books online. That conversation opened his eyes to a massive opportunity.

Joe left that meeting with a business idea, but he kept it to himself. Unlike traditional publishers, he planned to generate his books using AI.

Launching with Just a Few Hundred Dollars

Joe didn’t have a large budget to start, but he didn’t let that stop him.

He used his minimum-wage earnings to fund the project, spending small amounts on software, AI tools, and advertising.

For months, he juggled school, a job, and his book business.

• He dropped two university courses to focus on his business.

• He spent his days in school and his nights working five to six hours on his book brand.

• By August 2022, he had generated 10–20 books using AI.

• By September, that number had grown to 40 books.

Then, on October 3rd, he hit his first profitable day, making $20.

The next day, he made $40.

From there, his business began to grow exponentially.

By December 28th, just after Christmas, Joe had his first $1,000 profit day.

Creating a Book in Hours

Many people assume that selling AI-generated books is as simple as typing a prompt into ChatGPT.

But Joe quickly realized it wasn’t that easy.

To improve, Joe bought his competitors’ books and analyzed what made them successful.

After months of trial and error, he developed the most effective way to create AI books:

1. Use AI to generate a structured book outline (five chapters, each with five topics).

2. Generate content for each topic separately instead of generating the entire book at once.

3. Manually proofread the book or hire an editor to refine the content.

This refined approach allowed him to create high-quality books quickly, without compromising on quality.

6 Key Business Models

The Rapid Rise of an AI Book Empire

Joe started his journey into AI-generated publishing in August 2022, experimenting with AI to create books. Initially, he struggled with structuring his books properly but quickly refined his process through trial and error.

By September 2022, his efforts had significantly ramped up—he had produced a total of 40 books. His sales began to pick up, and on October 3rd, he had his first profitable day, earning $20. Encouraged by this early success, he pushed forward, and just a day later, his earnings doubled to $40.

The business continued to scale rapidly. By December 28th, Joe experienced a major breakthrough—he achieved his first $1,000 profit day.

The AI Book Creation Process

Joe refined his book creation strategy by studying competitors and perfecting a step-by-step system. His approach included the following key phases:

1. Structuring the Book – Outlining First

Before generating content, Joe developed a detailed outline for each book. This outline broke the book into:

• Chapters

• Subtopics

• Key points to cover in each section

Using AI for content generation without a solid structure often led to incoherent results. Creating a strong outline first ensured logical flow and consistency.

2. AI-Generated Content

Joe generated book content section by section rather than producing an entire book at once. This helped maintain coherence and relevance throughout the text. AI tools like GPT-3 enabled him to create content efficiently while maintaining a readable and engaging style.

3. Proofreading & Editing

Initially, Joe manually proofread all of his books to ensure clarity and readability. However, as his publishing output increased, he hired a proofreader to streamline the process and improve quality control.

4. Publishing & Marketing

Once a book was polished, it was uploaded for sale on self-publishing platforms. Marketing strategies included:

• Keyword Optimization – Researching popular topics and keywords for discoverability

• Cover Design – Using AI-generated or outsourced designs to attract buyers

• Pricing Strategies – Testing different price points to maximize conversions

• Advertising – Running targeted ads to boost visibility

The Cost and Profitability

One of the key factors behind Joe’s rapid success was the low cost of production. Using GPT-3, he was able to generate a full-length book for just $3. This made the business highly scalable, as each book had the potential to generate recurring passive income at minimal upfront investment.

With a growing portfolio of AI-generated books, Joe transformed his small experiment into a profitable and automated publishing business.

The Real Game-Changer

Creating books was only half the equation—Joe still needed a way to sell them.

Instead of relying on Amazon or traditional platforms, he took an unconventional marketing approach:

Pinterest Ads.

His Pinterest Ads Strategy

1. Start with Consideration Campaigns – Test different niches and see what gains traction.

2. Move to Conversion Campaigns – Once a profitable niche is identified, optimize the landing pages for sales.

3. Optimize Landing Pages – Joe emphasizes that a well-designed landing page is crucial. It should include:

   • Value Proposition – Clearly state what the reader will gain.

   • Chapter Previews – Give a sneak peek to entice buyers.

   • Professional Design – A polished look builds credibility.

Unlike most online businesses that rely on Facebook or Google Ads, Joe found Pinterest to be a goldmine—especially for reaching his target audience: middle-aged moms.

Scaling to Nearly $1 & Facing Competition

Joe’s business is now valued at $930,000, and he has profited over $390,000 to date.

His profit margins are exceptionally high—around 70-80%, with most expenses coming from ad spend.

Joe is now working with an investor who is purchasing 40% of his book brand, allowing him to build and sell additional brands in the future.

With AI books having a low barrier to entry, Joe acknowledges competition will grow. However, he’s not worried. His brand’s momentum and loyal customer base give him a competitive edge.

To future-proof his business, he’s also diversified by selling parts of his brand. An investor recently purchased 40% of his book brand, allowing him to repeat the process and build more brands for sale.

The Lifestyle of a 20-Year-Old Millionaire

Despite making a fortune at just 20, Joe remains frugal. His biggest purchase? A Rolex, chosen for its investment value.

For now, his focus is on learning over earning—a principle he wishes he had embraced earlier.

He avoids unnecessary spending and reinvests most of his money into growing his businesses.

His daily routine consists of:

• Mornings: Checking ads, managing his team, and reviewing performance metrics.

• Afternoons: Teaching others how to build their own book brands.

• Evenings: Producing house music—a personal passion.

Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Joe’s story proves that AI can be leveraged to build high-profit businesses—but execution matters.

Here are his top lessons:

• Prioritize learning over earning. The skills you build will make success inevitable.

• AI tools are powerful, but strategy is key. You can’t just generate a book and expect it to sell—you need structure, quality, and marketing.

• Find underutilized platforms for marketing. Pinterest ads were a game-changer for Joe, while most people focus on Facebook or Google.

• Think long-term. Instead of spending recklessly, reinvest profits into growth.

More about Joe Popelus

Joe Popplus capitalized on AI early, but AI entrepreneurship is still in its infancy.

For those looking to get started, Joe emphasizes the importance of persistence and continuous learning.

As AI evolves, new opportunities will continue to emerge—and those willing to experiment, adapt, and innovate will thrive.

A Story Worth Reading

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