From homeless to millionaire: The sticker success of Damian Olivera
The life of Damian Olivera-Bergallo changed dramatically thanks to the creation of a series of stickers featuring Lionel Messi. This business idea enabled him to earn his first million dollars.
Damian Olivera Bergallo was homeless upon arriving in the United States as an immigrant. He recalls sleeping in a car with just $200 to his name—his entire funds at the beginning of his stay in the USA. Years later, he can proudly claim millionaire status.
The Latino invested his savings in producing collectable stickers featuring Lionel Messi. Damian Olivera Bergallo began selling memorabilia related to the footballer when Messi was just starting at FC Barcelona.
Damian Olivera Bergallo's products gained value and became highly sought-after by collectors. The stickers, once sold from the boot of a car, are now worth up to $300,000. Investing in the production of stickers turned out to be a perfect choice.
Damian Olivera Bergallo has met Lionel Messi in the past. The captain of the Argentina national team invited the sticker creator to his home.
In an interview with El Mundo, he recounted how Lionel Messi welcomed him after reading about his work in an Argentine newspaper. Messi was intrigued by what he did, and during the meeting, he demonstrated the cards, explained the distinctions, and answered numerous questions.
Damian Olivera Bergallo recalls that his stickers constituted 95% of the memorabilia market associated with Lionel Messi. He expresses concern about competition from China, which produces cards on a large scale. Therefore, Olivera Bergallo focuses on limited editions of high-quality products.
I moved to the United States twelve years ago, and the early days were tough. I even found myself homeless, living out of a car. I could never have imagined how much stickers would transform my life back then. This is what the American dream is all about, he reflected.
