Chase Alley and his journey to financial success

Photo courtesy of Chase Alley

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Chase Alley began his journey to entrepreneurship at a young age. His story starts with selling trading cards as a preteen, which he quickly realized could be a lucrative business after discovering a store would remove cards from the packs and sell valuable ones from anywhere between $7 and $14. By the age of twelve, he had several thousand dollars saved from reselling the more desired cards for anywhere from $35 to $100 apiece. However, a jet ski accident and his mother discovering his cash in an “old velvety bag in his closet,” would teach him that surprise expenses can arrive anytime.

Later on, and after many hardships in his early life, Alley began his work in a cell phone repair business after a friend showed him how a $5 part, plus the repair of the device, could result in a marketable business. From there, he opened his own cell phone repair business. Eventually, he would replicate with two additional stores and created what he described as a “website with over 600 pages of optimized glory.” 

He claims the business’s website was “systematically unique” because it matches how a person searches different pages. The efficacy of a model built on repetition would lead to an investment deal he would ultimately choose not to take. This was in addition to his mail-in repair service, both of which were unique to the communities his businesses served.

He went on to sell this brand for a high six-figure number after creating a trademarked name, branding, retail, and digital strategy. Clients included the Morgan and Morgan Law Firm and Universal Orlando. Alley also utilized this business to create connections with major cell phone providers which would prove invaluable later in his career.

“I decided to grow organically,” Alley says. “I learned that money helps you make mistakes faster, and [also helps you] get feedback so that you can grow faster.”

Alley also spent time living and building a team in China to import electronics waste from major cell phone providers including ATT, Sprint, Verizon, and even the repair brand Ubreakifix (acquired by Assurion). These products were often sold in China, but Alley also imported various products and distributed to brands in the USA. Alley built this company to 3400 SKUs servicing over 400 customers, earning $20,000,000 in annual top-line revenue before moving to his next venture.

Digital commerce opened up a way for Alley to sell products internationally — and as a result, he has built a sustainable business for himself. In terms of challenges, Alley claims that there are several that he faced and still faces to this day.

He claims the first is “people management and leadership,” which is “one of the most challenging aspects of a business.” The second surrounds developing a brand, and marketing, while challenging, is essential. The location of the business factors into this, as do the people you hire to help run your business. He also says not to let others’ opinions determine one’s final decision.

“They don’t have to live with the consequences. I do,” he states.

Alley’s future in business and entrepreneurship sees him landing in Puerto Rico or another tropical locale that offers year-round surf that he enjoys, a nice breeze, and plenty of good restaurants. He wants to be married with children before he turns forty and have a horse ranch, allowing him to take a short ride down to the surf “before he sees [his] phone or any screen for the day.” He also wants to spearhead a startup and take it to IPO or an even larger exit. Through these things, he wants to establish a legacy through a trust or a charity that outlasts his existence but also has an impact worth remembering.

“Even if it’s not gargantuan, I want it to sustain,” he says.

Hard work and the consequences of imperfect actions have taught Chase Alley to stay true to himself and his principles. Through this, he has built a business that has carried him through his life and will continue to do so in the future.