Entrepreneur HE BUILT HIDDEN DOORS AS A SIDE HUSTLE WHILE FIGHTING FIRES. NOW IT'S A $28M BUSINESS

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Murphy Door

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Why it worked

The post tells an inspiring rags-to-riches story of entrepreneurship, highlighting the journey from a side hustle to a multi-million dollar business. It uses a clear narrative structure with visually appealing images and concise text to engage the viewer.

Summary

This slideshow tells the story of Jeremy Barker, who built Murphy Door, a hidden door business, from a side hustle while working as a firefighter. The business grew significantly, reaching $28 million in annual revenue and expanding to over 100 employees.

Structure

1Introduction of the entrepreneur and his success
2The spark of the idea and founding Murphy Door
3The grind of building the business alongside a firefighting career
4The turning point when the business hit $5M and he left firefighting
5The growth to $28M in revenue with significant expansion
6The lesson of adaptability in business

Product placement

Murphy Door is the subject of the slideshow, detailing its founding, growth, and business strategy.

Original caption

Jeremy Barker was a firefighter and paramedic when he started building hidden doors as a side hustle in 2012 — making $30,000 in year one while working nights and weekends. Murphy Door hit $5M in revenue by 2016, entered COVID at $7M and grew to nearly $28M in annual revenue in 2024 with 70% year-over-year growth. This is the story of Murphy Door.

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Entrepreneur HE BUILT HIDDEN DOORS AS A SIDE HUSTLE WHILE FIGHTING FIRES. NOW IT'S A $28M BUSINESS THE SPARK Jeremy Barker was working as a firefighter and paramedic in 2012 when he saw a gap nobody had filled: turning wall space into functional, hidden storage at scale. He founded Murphy Door while still on the job. THE GRIND Jeremy kept his firefighting career for financial stability, and Murphy Door made $30,000 in its first year. The breakthrough came when he shifted focus from secret compartments to multifunctional storage. THE TURNING POINT In 2016, Murphy Door hit $5M in revenue. That was the moment Jeremy finally felt confident enough to leave firefighting and take his first paycheck. Four years of nights and weekends had built something real. THE GROWTH Annual revenue hit nearly $28M in 2024. The business now has 102 employees, three manufacturing facilities and 200K unique installations, including Lionsgate projects and the set of Only Murders in the Building. THE LESSON: BE PREPARED TO ADAPT Jeremy's biggest pivot came from a trade show that didn't go as planned. The panic room angle was interesting but too niche — and that feedback pointed him toward a category with real mass appeal. The willingness to listen and adjust, he says, is what separates businesses that last from ones that don't.