The savvy former finance worker now makes over £7k a month (Image: Collect/PA Real Life)
A savvy former finance worker is now pocketing over £7,000 each month from her own vending machine empire while working just three days a week. Megan Healey from has converted her childhood skill for selling treats at school into a
The 26-year-old has now built a overseeing an impressive empire of 27 vending machines spread across 18 sites in Manchester, Liverpool and Rochester. Her entrepreneurial journey began with purchasing a single machine on eBay, however it hasn’t been without its own challenges, with her initial venture earning her a mere £30 a month.
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Megan Healey has built a business empire (Image: Collect/PA Real Life)
However, with diligent research and determination, she has managed to scale her venture significantly and turned it into a booming business.
“I was working in finance but my manager was just awful and I’ve always wanted to make my own money,” Megan said.
The catalyst for her career pivot came after a breakup.
She said: “Then I broke up with an ex and I think that’s what drove me to change my life and buy a vending machine.”
Now gearing up to expand her team, Megan is optimistic about the future, believing “that the sky is the limit”.
Raised in Tameside, Greater Manchester, Megan left Wright Robinson College and initially pursued photography in 2017, collaborating with local fashion brands and modelling agencies in Manchester. After four years, disillusionment set in as she found the industry toxic and discovered her true passion lay in the business aspect.
“I think I just preferred making money,” she said. This realisation led her to a finance job in 2021 with a £27,000 annual salary, but dissatisfaction soon followed.
Megan bought a vending machine on eBay and hasn’t looked back since (Image: Collect/PA Real Life)
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She said: “I really hated it though.
“My manager there was awful, and I think I’ve always wanted to make my own money.”
Megan approached the business with diligence, investing nine months in research, learning about repairs and the commercial side of vending machines.
She said: “There was no one in the UK doing it online, so it was difficult to find any information but I stumbled across an American YouTuber and fell into a bit of a rabbit hole.”
Her determination paid off when she flipped an underperforming machine for a £300 profit. Encouraged by this early win, Megan invested in a new vending machine and strategically placed it in a Manchester care home – a decision that netted £300 in takings each month.
Across all Megan’s machines, Coca-Cola reigns supreme in sales and profitability (Image: Collect/PA Real Life)
“I did some sales analysis from the card reader and I was able to work out what people actually wanted. They were just drinking so much Coke, so I then bought another machine exclusively for Coca-Cola,” she said.
Thanks to its lucrative turnover, particularly in summer where it nets £1,500 a month, Megan counts the care home as her prime location.
Across all her machines, Coca-Cola reigns supreme in sales and profitability, with Megan revealing that she purchases bottles for 80p each and sells them for £2.
The 26-year-old is a master in splitting her time wisely. She currently spends two to three days stocking the vending machines and throughout the rest of the week she spends time pursuing another venture – selling trendy trainers.