Alfred Mai built a multi-million dollar business with his wife without hiring a single employee, raising outside funding, or managing a traditional warehouse. What started as a card game side hustle became ASM Games, a company that has sold over 3.5 million games worldwide. By leveraging Amazon’s fulfillment and seller tools, the couple scaled their business, reached #1 on Amazon’s Toys & Games bestseller list, and kept their team to just two people. In this episode, recorded at Amazon Accelerate 2026, Alfred shares how entrepreneurs can use Amazon’s tools to attract customers, reduce costs, and scale without needing a large team.

In this episode, Hala and Alfred will discuss: 

(00:00) Introduction

(00:58) Launching ASM Games as a Side Hustle

(04:11) Transitioning into Full-Time Business

(07:00) Navigating Inventory After a Viral Sales Breakthrough

(09:58) Scaling ASM Games as a Two-Person Team

(13:44) Using Amazon’s Seller Data and Ads to Drive Sales

(15:57) Managing Costs and Growth Without Hiring

(22:17) Simplifying Operations With Amazon’s AI Tools

(24:36) Starting a Business With Amazon’s Logistics

(27:51) Expanding Customer Reach Online and In-Store

(29:32) Best Advice for Aspiring Amazon Entrepreneurs 

Alfred Mai is the founder of ASM Games, a San Francisco-based card game company he launched with his wife, Sarah, in 2017. The couple has sold over 3.5 million games worldwide, including These Cards Will Get You Drunk, The Ultimate Game for Couples, and Do You Really Know Your Family?. Alfred brings a decade of Silicon Valley growth and customer acquisition experience to the company, which has earned multiple Amazon bestseller placements. He and Sarah continue to run the business as a two-person team, using Amazon’s seller tools and retail partnerships to grow without outside funding.

Sponsored By:

This episode is sponsored by Amazon and recorded at Amazon Accelerate 2026, Amazon’s annual seller conference. More than 60% of sales in Amazon’s store come from independent sellers, most of which are small and medium-sized businesses. Amazon provides tools and services to help these entrepreneurs grow their businesses. To learn more about how Amazon is helping independent sellers succeed, visit https://sellingpartners.aboutamazon.com.

Resources Mentioned:

Alfred’s Company, ASM Games: asmgames.com

Alfred’s Amazon Storefront: bit.ly/AM-Storefront 

Amazon’s Seller Tools: sellingpartners.aboutamazon.com 

Amazon Accelerate EP1 with Lisa Curtis: youngandprofiting.co/Amzn-EP1 

Amazon Accelerate EP2 with Katie Diasti: youngandprofiting.co/Amzn-EP2 

Active Deals – youngandprofiting.com/deals

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Transcripts – youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new

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Disclaimer: This episode is a paid partnership with Amazon. Sponsored content helps support our podcast and continue bringing valuable insights to our audience.

Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive Income, Online Business, Solopreneur, Networking