Kingsley Earl, 29, a director from Woking, Surrey, is now earning over £100,000 a month on eBay after turning his university side hustle of restoring pre-loved trainers into a full-time business. He runs Kings Kleans, a live-selling-first operation on eBay, with a total online following of more than four million across various platforms.
From side hustle to six-figure sales
Within his first four months of selling, Kingsley generated about £300,000 in sales and has grown Kings Kleans from a one-person operation to a team of eight. He is now making six-figure monthly sales, with his highest so far being £127,000.
Streaming three times a week to thousands of viewers, Kingsley offers free giveaways and 'insane' offers for his customers. For example, a pair of Off-White x Air Jordan 1 Chicago trainers worth £3,500 is being sold by him for £450.
“When I first started, there was a stigma about wearing pre-loved shoes and no-one wanted to do it,” he says. “It was almost frowned upon. I felt that was ridiculous because I know I can clean them, make them look almost no different from the new pairs and they’re 80% less in terms of price, so it’s a no-brainer to me.”
“I just want to put everything into the business because it’s almost my baby, in a way… I just want to share that passion with everyone.”
How Kingsley started his side hustle
Back when he was studying media production at university, Kingsley realised he could buy cheaper pre-loved pairs and revamp them himself. He recalled: “It just started from always wanting the expensive shoes, these premium pairs that I’d always seen people wear but never been able to afford.”
“So, I started to find out that I can buy them online for cheap, more used, but clean them up, make them look new and then be able to enjoy them myself.”
From here, he began buying shoes in sizes other than his own, restoring them and selling them for profit. Seeking to 'combat fast fashion', Kingsley wanted to give others the opportunity to buy expensive shoes at cheaper prices.
He explained: “In the third or fourth year of university, I started to figure out that what I do love, and what I’ve got a passion for, could actually turn into a career. For a long time, it just felt like it was only ever going to be a side hustle.”
Gaining traction through 'word of mouth', Kingsley soon began selling on platforms such as Instagram and Depop. He also began making 'educational-style' content on shoe restoration, before launching his own shoe-cleaning service.
Due to him not seeing himself solely as a shoe cleaner, he set up Kings Kleans on eBay in March 2026. Offering 'competitive prices', he started improving the service by adding small freebies once sales began to rise.
Among the items available on his website, a pair of Jordan 3 Green Glow trainers sells for £6, with an RRP of £190; some Burberry Block Heels for £30, with an RRP of £690; and a pair of Yeezy Boost 380 Azure trainers for £20, with an RRP of £240.
“It showed me the power of that community as it doesn’t matter where you are, the people who love what you do will always show up, no matter where it is,” he said of his large online following.
'I never dreamt of this'
On his livestreams, auctions start at £1 with no reserve and customers determine the final selling price. He does three regular livestreams per week, ranging from three to five hours on average, with them all free to join.
“It’s not just people coming for the great deals, they’re coming for the bigger picture of the community. We’ve got people from every background, every location, and it’s nice that it brings people together,” he said.
Looking ahead to the future, Kingsley’s long-term vision is to have a 24-hour live streaming service on eBay, with even more categories for products, and he is soon planning to move into a larger venue.
“I always wanted to find a way to make money because I’ve always liked the finer things in life, I guess. But I never dreamt of even making £100,000 a year, never mind selling that much in a month. I just want to build a business in a sustainable way where we can give back, help out, leave a good imprint, give more than we take and just enjoy the journey as well,” he said.
