From Corporate IT to Lego Empire: Kenny Lee's Remarkable Transformation

Did you know that 92% of passion-based businesses fail within the first year?

Kenny Lee defied these odds by turning his Lego hobby into a multi-million dollar global business with 30+ team members—all while maintaining work-life harmony and transforming his physical health.

In this exclusive episode of The Nathan Newberry Show, Kenny reveals how he built MyBricks, a company that creates lighting systems for Lego sets, by leveraging his passion, strategic marketing, and customer-first mentality.

"High performance is unlocking that mental barrier that a lot of people have on what you can and can't do." - Kenny Lee

Listen to the full episode here: The Nathan Newberry Show with Kenny Lee

Who is Kenny Lee?

Before becoming a successful entrepreneur, Kenny worked in corporate IT—secure but unfulfilled. Despite having what seemed like the perfect life on paper (stable job, loving family, beautiful home), something was missing.

Kenny rediscovered his childhood passion for Lego as an adult when buying sets for his children. This reignition of creativity sparked what would become a business revolution, but not without challenges.

The Turning Point: From Hobby to Business (5:34)

When Kenny's Lego spending started causing friction at home, his entrepreneurial mindset kicked in: "How do I find a way where I can buy Lego guilt-free?"

The answer came when he identified a gap in the market—no one was creating comprehensive lighting systems for Lego sets that could be easily installed by enthusiasts.

3 Key Business Strategies That Fueled MyBricks' Growth

1. Find Your Unique Value Proposition (9:28)

Kenny didn't just sell lights—he created an entire "lighting system" with plug-and-play functionality that enhanced the Lego building experience.

Implementation Steps:

• Identify what makes your favorite hobby or interest 10x better

• Create a solution that removes barriers to entry (Kenny's lighting kits require no electrical expertise)

• Design clear instructions that make implementation simple

2. Strategic Digital Marketing (11:51)

In the early days, Kenny's marketing approach was all hustle:

Organic Growth Tactics:

• Document and share his process through photos and videos

• Use strategic hashtags to connect with the Lego community

• Engage meaningfully with other enthusiasts' content

• Follow and comment on related posts to increase visibility

"It was a constant hustle of looking online and checking out everyone who was sharing Lego, their passion project for Lego, getting in with them, and then word of mouth." - Kenny Lee

This combination of organic content and community engagement allowed MyBricks to reach a global audience quickly, with America becoming one of their largest markets.

3. Customer-First Experience & Retention (14:09)

Kenny attributes 30-40% of MyBricks' business to repeat customers—an impressive metric in any industry.

The Customer Retention System:

• Deliver an exceptional first-time experience

• Implement a loyalty program for returning customers

• Create educational content about products and possibilities

• Share behind-the-scenes content about the team and design process

Kenny's Philosophy: "Make that first-time experience for your customer the best possible experience. No matter what it is, go above and beyond for that customer because once they're in and they have a great experience, the chances of having a repeat customer for life is very high."

The Leadership Evolution: From One-Man Band to CEO (18:51)

As MyBricks grew, Kenny faced the challenge many entrepreneurs encounter—how to scale beyond yourself.

Key Leadership Transitions:

• Early Stage: Doing everything himself from 9-5 job to late-night business building

• Growth Phase: Implementing systems and automation to save time

• Scaling Phase: Building a leadership team of specialists who could outperform him in specific areas

Buying Back Your Time: Kenny's Approach to Business Freedom (21:13)

One of the most powerful insights from Kenny's journey is his implementation of time buyback principles:

Time Buyback Strategies:

• Invest in people who can handle specific aspects of business operations

• Delegate both business AND personal tasks to assistants

• Build a leadership team of specialists in areas like logistics and supply chain

• Create space for family, personal development, and health

"I've been able to apply all these things to give me what I call my dream life or my ultimate life, because I've been able to buy back my time, build the company, and then focus on things that I love." - Kenny Lee

The Sacrifice Before Success: Embracing the Grind (25:53)

Kenny doesn't sugarcoat the early stages of entrepreneurship. For years, his routine looked like:

• Working 9-5 at his corporate job

• Coming home to spend time with family

• Working on the business after everyone went to bed, often until 3 AM

Critical Success Factors:

• Having a supportive spouse who believes in your vision

• Accepting that friends might not understand your commitment

• Embracing failure as a learning opportunity

• Keeping the future goal in mind through difficulties

The Physical Transformation: How Health Fuels Business Success (30:39)

After reaching a point of business stagnation and financial concerns, Kenny sought external support through business coaching and personal development.

This led to a complete mindset shift about physical health:

"The stereotypical way of thinking is as you get older, your body just starts shutting down... It was changing from that mindset to, no, I'm going to change the narrative and be at my absolute peak as I get older and be stronger." - Kenny Lee

Kenny's Health Transformation:

• Regular strength training

• Improved nutrition

• Mindfulness practices

• Cold plunges and recovery techniques

The result? "I'm the fittest I've ever been, strongest I've ever been, and my life is the best it's ever been. Not just in business, but in my relationships with my family, with my kids."

7 Actionable Takeaways from Kenny Lee's Success Story

• Identify gaps in markets you're passionate about – Kenny saw that no one was creating comprehensive lighting systems for Lego

• Document and share your process – Use social media to build interest and community around your work

• Focus obsessively on first-time customer experience – This drives the high retention rates that fuel sustainable growth

• Leverage digital marketing through both organic and paid channels – Kenny started with organic hustle but scaled with paid strategies

• Buy back your time strategically – Delegate both business and personal tasks to create freedom

• Invest in physical health as a business advantage – Kenny's physical transformation fueled his mental performance

• Accept the necessary sacrifices with a clear end goal – The early grind pays off when approached strategically

Success Metrics: MyBricks by the Numbers

• Revenue: Built a multi-million dollar business in 8 years

• Team Size: Grew from solo entrepreneur to 30+ global team members

• Customer Retention: 30-40% of business comes from repeat customers

• Timeline: Started generating more income than his corporate job within 6 months

The High Performance Mindset

Kenny defines high performance as "unlocking that mental barrier that a lot of people have on what you can and can't do or what you think you can and can't do."

This mindset has allowed him to:

• Build a global business from a hobby

• Transform his physical health

• Create work-life harmony on his own terms

• Continue setting higher goals rather than settling

Ready to Transform Your Passion into a Profitable Business?

Kenny's journey from Lego enthusiast to successful entrepreneur demonstrates that with the right strategy, mindset, and execution, passion can become a profitable business.

Are you ready to unlock your own potential and turn your passion into a thriving enterprise? Nathan Newberry helps elite business owners implement AI in sales, marketing, systems, and models to build rapidly successful brands.

Take Action Now:

• Learn more about Kenny Lee by following him on Instagram at Kenny Be Like Water

• Listen to the full podcast episode for all the insights: The Nathan Newberry Show with Kenny Lee

• Book your free strategy call to discover how you can apply these principles to your business: Book Now

• Subscribe to The Nathan Newberry Show on Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode full of actionable business insights

Join the growing community of entrepreneurs who are turning their passions into profitable businesses while maintaining balance in health, relationships, and personal fulfillment.

Book your strategy call today: https://calendly.com/high-performance-accelerator/business-growth

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About the Author: Nathan Newberry helps elite business owners implement AI in sales, marketing, systems, and models to build rapidly successful brands. He specializes in helping founders implement Sell By Chat strategy to buy back their time and double their revenue within 6 months using his Elite Sales Model.