How do people build million-dollar businesses from scratch with little to no capital?

Building a million-dollar business from scratch with minimal capital requires starting small and reinvesting profits. One entrepreneur who sold his food distribution company for $400 million bought it initially for $300,000 and grew it by focusing on the fundamentals: having the right products, building the best team, competitive pricing, and excellent service. Another founder of Kind bars walked the streets of Manhattan door-to-door from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. selling products, then personally delivering to stores, repeating this process for years while building distribution one location at a time.

Andy Frisella's path is instructive: he started with just $12,000, opening a retail store the size of a small flag. His first day in business, he made $7. For the first 3 years, he made no money. It took 6 years to open a second store. From year 3 to year 10, he made only $695 a month, while working other jobs like bartending to keep the business afloat. He and his team lived in the back of the store during those early years.

The consistent theme is that building wealth takes time, sacrifice, and relentless daily execution. As one billionaire put it: "It takes the same effort to make $1 than it does to make 100 million." The key is starting with what you have, bootstrapping the business by reinvesting every dollar, building a loyal team, and maintaining consistency over many years rather than expecting rapid returns.