Rusbenja Pops

Previously demonstrating his agility with figures of a numerical kind as an apprentice at a prominent accountancy firm, the entrepreneur is now proving himself as being just as adept at handling figures of a vinyl variety.

Turning a passion into profit, Ben was quick to identify the resale value of pop-culture inspired toys when he opted for a career change in 2022 and recognised that although the discontinued Funko Pops he now trades are diminutive – standing just shy of 10cm tall – the demand for them is anything but.

And having successfully cut Rusbenja Pops a small slice of a secondary market estimated to be worth between £525 million and £750 million globally by buying stock from collectors looking to cash in on their cache of characters with oversized heads and compact bodies, Ben did not need to crunch his numbers for long to determine that signing up for storage space was a sound investment.

“I realised it was going to be a viable venture with longevity within a few months of buying my first bundle of stock,” said the 28-year-old, explaining the reasons behind his company’s arrival at Big Yellow’s Bracknell store. “Getting a business off the ground can be tough, and it is even more consuming mentally when you are working out of home and every single corner you look in has a Funko Pop sat in it. 

“I don’t know why but I initially had it in my head that a storage unit was going to be extortionate,” continued Ben, whose company now boasts a staff of three and sells circa 2,500 TV, movie and music-related figures a month. “But when I looked into Big Yellow, I found the opposite; the space was reasonably priced and, more importantly, there were no hidden costs – you don’t have to worry about things like the electricity bills or business rates that come with leasing a building or retail space.

“To anyone interested in turning a side hustle or hobby into a business, I would recommend taking space so that work doesn’t encroach on the rest of your life.”

Big Yellow, however, has become far more than just a means for Ben and his partner Alexandra – a fellow collector – to declutter their home. Rusbenja Pops currently occupies 650 square feet of space across two units and runs “99 per cent” of its operations from the Bracknell store – from the storage of stock and packing materials to order fulfilment and live streams showcasing the latest collectables available through the company’s portfolio of online platforms.

“We had a phone line and Wi-Fi installed in our unit, which means we have a fully functioning office and can create social media content with all of our figures within easy reach,” said Ben, who scours online auction sites and social media selling pages for further highly sought-after additions to Rusbenja Pops’ shelves. “I rarely bring anything home other than my laptop now.”

Crucially, the retro retailer has no concerns for the wellbeing of the vast inventory of collectables he does leave behind at the end of the working day, which, he says, is a ringing endorsement of his trust in the security afforded to Big Yellow customers. 

“Peace of mind is important to me,” he said, highlighting that while Rusbenja Pops is unlikely to ever eclipse the record $100,000 paid for a Funko – a special edition Willy Wonka and Oompa Loompa Pop – in May 2022, it does sell a selection of high-ticket items and previously sold a lone figure for an impressive four-figure sum. “Our stock is covered by Big Yellow’s insurers, but I have not thought once about any items being stolen because the store is extremely secure with keypad entry to the building and padlocks on every unit. Nowhere is Fort Knox but I am very comfortable having my stock and business based out of Big Yellow.”

And Ben has no hesitation in recommending other businesses follow suit.

“For us, it’s been great to have a dedicated space to work, but you could get space anywhere,” he concluded. “It is the convenience and flexibility of Big Yellow which have been awesome. I rented some retail space before coming to Big Yellow and any changes meant getting signatures witnessed on lease agreements by lawyers – it was more expensive and way more of a headache. Being at Big Yellow is way more convenient, cheaper and easier in every way; it has been a godsend to us as a small business.

“Changing the amount of space you have is as simple as walking to reception and asking and that’s Big Yellow’s big selling point – if your business grows two weeks after you’ve moved in, you can literally just get a bigger unit or if you don’t like it, you’re not tied in and can walk away without the worry that comes with having a 12-month lease on a traditional property.”

For more information, visit rusbenjapops.com/