This Teen Makes $10K in One Month Selling Mushrooms from Home?!

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:27:24 +0000

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Mushrooms turned out to be more than just a hobby for Hunter Vargo. What started with a simple grow kit during quarantine became the beginning of a business that changed the direction of his life.

At 17 years old, Hunter had no fancy equipment or big budget. He learned the basics from YouTube, built a small grow setup with things he found around the house, and started growing enough mushrooms to bring to a local restaurant. That first “yes” gave him the confidence to keep going.

Over time, his mushroom business outgrew his bedroom and moved into a nearby farm, where he traded feeding animals for space to grow. Today, he supplies restaurants and one of the biggest farmers markets in Scranton, but getting there wasn’t easy. From contamination problems to long workdays and constant trial and error, every step taught him something new.

In this episode, Hunter shares what mushroom farming is really like, how he found his first customers, why relationships matter more than fancy marketing, and the lessons he learned by building a business instead of following the path he thought he had to take.

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👉 Check out Hunter’s website - https://mountainvmushrooms.com/

Timestamps:
00:00 - Start
01:00 - It all started with a Grow Kit
02:12 - “Mushrooms are just like you and I”
03:26 - Don’t overthink (or overspend!)
03:59 - The simplest way to get it done
05:19 - Just one way out of many
05:52 - Welcome to the lab!
08:33 - Build this business right from home
09:41 - When tech and DIY collide
11:09 - Turning rent into a win-win partnership
12:42 - Reps build confidence
14:50 - Boring can make bank
16:36 - Choose easy BUT premium
17:31 - Your kitchen table is enough
18:19 - The weird gear mushrooms need
19:06 - Outcompete mold and bacteria
19:54 - Startup costs
21:39 - Twist and pull
23:08 - Retail, wholesale & farmers markets
24:24 - Definitely worth the wait
25:20 - A typical order
25:49 - It only takes one believer
26:29 - Less packaging, more product
27:04 - Let’s talk numbers!
29:08 - Revenue sources
30:20 - If only there were more hours in a day
31:15 - The good stuff
32:05 - What chefs actually want
32:44 - Customers for the long haul
33:48 - Build trust, not transactions
34:39 - Find the model that fits
35:25 - This mushroom tastes like steak?!
36:25 - Growing a little piece of heaven
37:08 - Nick DiGiovanni, this one’s yours…
37:38 - Outro