This former policeman earned IDR 185 billion from an ATM machine, how come?

This former policeman earned IDR 185 billion from an ATM machine, how come? 

Photo: ATM illustration (Image by Sebastian Ganso from Pixabay)

 - A former police officer made off with IDR 185 billion due to a broken ATM machine. Paul Alex (35 years old) started his career as a police officer in San Francisco, United States. He is also listed as an accomplished police officer, having been a detective in the Narcotics Task Force before joining the Special Victims Unit. In 2020, his salary reached US$ 133,000 (Rp. 2.5 billion) per year. Plus bonuses and other benefits, the money he received reached US$ 272,000 (Rp. 4.2 billion). Even though working as a police officer provides financial stability, Alex admits that he has lost balance between professional and personal life. 

Working hours can be 60-100 hours per week. At one point, Alex was moved to change course. He stopped taking overtime with the consequence that his income was greatly reduced. 

He also started thinking about investing in movable assets, so he could get out of the monthly salary trap. That way, the salary he receives each month can be allocated to tertiary needs such as holidays, buying a car, and additional investments. 

Initially Alex thought about investing in property. However, the large amount of capital made him give up his intention. Moreover, the property business requires large costs for maintenance and operations. 

The Beginning of the ATM Business

As a result, in 2017, Alex was inspired to invest in an ATM machine. Initially, he got the idea from a colleague who was looking for information about the business. 

Then, he studied it by joining groups on social media, watching YouTube, and reading various materials related to the ATM business. You could say this business is very different from the knowledge he has. However, he was interested because the capital required was not too much. 

Compared to the property business, the capital to build an ATM can be less than US$ 3,000 (Rp. 46 million). Apart from that, the risks are also relatively minimal. If the ATM being built does not produce results in a certain location, the owner can relocate to a more strategic location. 

Therefore, he considers the ATM business to be a mobile investment. Not waiting long, he started running an ATM business in 2018 as a side job. 

When installed, the ATM machine quickly provides profits. Three years after opening his first ATM, Alex resigned from his profession as a police officer in March 2021. 

Based on documents seen by Insider, from January 2021 to April 2023, Alex's total sales were worth US$ 12 million (Rp. 185 billion). His net profit was US$ 2.5 million (Rp. 38.6 billion) through his 'ATMTogether' company. 

ATMTogether provides machine services and ATM services. After learning the ins and outs of the financial transaction business, he then founded the company 'Merchant Task Force' which provides credit card terminal services. His income was US$ 844,000 (Rp. 13 billion) with a net profit of US$ 742,000 (Rp. 11.4 billion) in the same period. 

ATM Location Searchp

In 2018, before opening his first ATM machine, Alex took 2 weeks off to look for a strategic location. He looks for busy areas, so he can get incentives when opening an ATM machine. 

Alex targets tourist areas and dense locations such as nightclubs, restaurants and offices. He also offers small businesses to place their ATM machines without any additional fees. 

He shared his experience of contacting hundreds of business people and traveling to more than 20 locations. "When I first started this business, I received a lot of rejection. It was very difficult for me to work [as a police officer] when I had to think hard about this side business," he said. 

Alex actually plans to open 3 ATM machine points. However, he finally succeeded in securing 6 ATM machine locations. Among others, 3 at liquor stores, 2 at barbershops, and 1 at beauty salons in the San Francisco area. 

When the machine started operating, Alex put around US$ 2,000-3,000 (Rp. 31-46 million) in it. 

Alex remembers that his minimum income from 1 ATM machine at that time was an average of US$ 200 (Rp. 3 million per month). Within a month, he finally realized that the location most frequently used to make ATM transactions was at liquor stores. 

The commission for withdrawing money at these locations gives a bigger profit, namely US$ 250-500 per month (Rp. 3.8-7.7 million) per ATM machine. Meanwhile, other locations only collect profits of US$ 25-100 (Rp. 385 thousand to Rp. 1.5 million) per ATM machine. 

He gave his ATM machine 2 months before deciding whether to maintain the same location or relocate to another area. 

Alex admitted that he had a mentor from Facebook who had already been involved in this business and was successful. Based on the input he received, he finally moved 3 ATM machines from beauty salons and haircut salons to supermarkets and other liquor stores. 

From the decision, he started to get bigger profits. The average monthly profit from one machine reaches US$ 600 (Rp. 9.2 million) per month. Within 6 months, the ATM machines were getting busier and profits per unit reached US$ 3,000 (Rp. 46 million) per month. This means that within 6 months, he will be able to return his capital. 

ATM Business Strategy

When Alex had collected enough money to add an ATM machine, he realized he still needed capital to provide cash at the ATN machine. Finally, he registered two credit cards and used them to buy the machine. 

He deliberately chose a credit card that had no interest for the first year. That way, he has time to collect more cash without spending interest every month. 

When he first bought 6 ATM machines, Alex thought he had made a profit because he got a discount. However, recently he realized that this mechanism was not profitable because he had to pay a commission of 30% of his income. 

The agent he worked with said it was normal, but he ended up finding a better way to make money. The next machine he bought directly from the manufacturer, without going through an agent. Not all machines are new, but some are refurbished. The price range is cheaper, US$ 1,800-2,200 depending on the model. 

From this mechanism, he does not need to pay another commission of 30% to the agent. As a result, he made more profits and was able to buy additional ATM machines more quickly. 

In 2020, Alex already has 30 ATM machines spread across San Francisco. Each provides a profit of US$ 250-1,500 per month. 

The average combined profit from the ATM machine he owns reaches US$ 9,000-12,000 (Rp. 139-185 million) per month. Even though he doesn't have the same salary as his main income as a police officer, he is increasingly focused on working on the ATM business. 

Finally, in 2021 Alex was able to get several times the profit. He also decided to quit his profession as a police officer and enjoy a more flexible life as an ATM businessman. 

He then met with the ATM provider and worked together to become a machine provider. Through this mechanism, he can be much more relaxed in managing his business. 

The valuable lesson Alex took from this experience was to keep trying to invest in yourself. 

"Adding knowledge to yourself is the most important thing," he said. 

"It all started with a colleague of mine who had this idea. I then took the idea and looked deeper into it. I used various media and read many sources. Finally, I had the courage to execute it until now." he concluded. 

Mantan Polisi Ini Raup Duit Rp 185 Miliar Gegara Mesin ATM, Kok Bisa?

Foto: Ilustrasi ATM (Image by Sebastian Ganso from Pixabay)

 - Seorang mantan polisi meraup uang Rp 185 miliar karena mesin ATM yang rusak. Paul Alex (35 tahun) memulai karirnya sebagai polisi di San Francisco, Amerika Serikat. Ia pun tercatat sebagai polisi berprestasi, pernah jadi detektif di Satuan Tugas Narkotika sebelum bergabung di Unit Korban Khusus.Pada 2020, gajinya mencapai US$ 133.000 (Rp 2,5 miliar) per tahun. Ditambah bonus dan benefit lainnya, uang yang dia terima tembus US$ 272.000 (Rp 4,2 miliar).Meski pekerjaan sebagai polisi memberikan stabilitas keuangan, namun Alex mengaku kehilangan keseimbangan hidup antara kehidupan profesional dan personal.

Jam kerjanya bisa 60-100 jam setiap minggu. Pada satu titik, Alex tergerak untuk mengubah haluan. Ia berhenti mengambil lembur dengan konsekuensi pendapatannya berkurang jauh.

Ia pun mulai berpikir untuk investasi pada aset bergerak, agar bisa keluar dari jebakan gaji bulanan. Dengan begitu, gaji yang ia terima tiap bulan bisa dialokasikan untuk kebutuhan tersier seperti liburan, membeli mobil, dan investasi tambahan.

Mulanya Alex berpikir untuk berinvestasi pada properti. Namun, modal yang besar membuatnya mengurungkan niat. Apalagi, bisnis properti memakan biaya besar untuk perawatan dan operasional.

Awal Mula Bisnis ATM

Alhasil, pada 2017, Alex terinspirasi untuk berinvestasi pada mesin ATM. Mulanya, ia mendapat ide tersebut dari rekan kerja yang sedang mencari tahu soal bisnis tersebut. Lantas, ia mendalaminya dengan bergabung ke grup di media sosial, menonton YouTube, hingga membaca berbagai bahan terkait bisnis ATM.

Bisa dibilang bisnis ini sangat berseberangan dengan pengetahuan yang dia punya. Namun, ia tertarik karena modal yang dikeluarkan tidak terlalu banyak.

Dibandingkan bisnis properti, modal untuk membangun ATM bisa kurang dari US$ 3.000 (Rp 46 juta). Selain itu, risikonya juga relatif minim. Jika ATM yang dibangun tak menghasilkan di lokasi tertentu, pemilik bisa melakukan relokasi ke tempat yang lebih strategis. Karena itu, ia menilai bisnis ATM merupakan investasi bergerak. Tak menunggu lama, ia mulai menjalankan bisnis ATM pada 2018 sebagai pekerjaan sampingan.

Saat dipasang, mesin ATM dengan cepat memberikan profit. Tiga tahun setelah membuka ATM pertamanya, Alex mengundurkan diri dari profesinya sebagai polisi pada Maret 2021. Berdasarkan dokumen yang dilihat Insider, dari Januari 2021 hingga April 2023, penjualan total Alex senilai US$ 12 juta (Rp 185 miliar) . Profit bersihnya US$ 2,5 juta (Rp 38,6 miliar) melalui perusahaan 'ATMTogether' miliknya.

ATMTogether menyediakan jasa mesin dan layanan ATM. Setelah mengetahui seluk-beluk bisnis transaksi keuangan, ia lalu mendirikan perusahaan 'Merchant Task Force' yang menyediakan layanan terminal kartu kredit.

Pendapatannya US$ 844.000 (Rp 13 miliar) dengan profit bersih US$ 742.000 (Rp 11,4 miliar) pada periode yang sama.

Pencarian Lokasi ATM

Pada 2018 sebelum membuka mesin ATM pertamanya, Alex mengambil cuti selama 2 minggu untuk mencari lokasi strategis. Ia mencari area yang ramai, sehingga bisa mendapatkan insentif ketika membuka mesin ATM. Alex menyasar area turis dan lokasi padat seperti klub malam, restoran, dan perkantoran. Ia juga menawarkan pelaku bisnis kecil untuk menempatkan mesin ATM-nya tanpa ada biaya tambahan.

Ia bercerita pengalamannya menghubungi ratusan pelaku bisnis dan jalan kaki ke lebih dari 20 lokasi.

"Ketika pertama kali memulai bisnis ini, saya banyak mendapat penolakan. Sangat sulit bagi saya untuk bekerja [sebagai polisi] ketika harus berpikir keras soal bisnis sampingan ini," ia menceritakan. Alex sebenarnya berencana membuka 3 titik mesin ATM. Namun, ia akhirnya berhasil mengamankan 6 lokasi mesin ATM. Antara lain, 3 di toko minuman keras, 2 di salon potong rambut, dan 1 di salon kecantikan di area San Francisco.

Ketika mesin mulai beroperasi, Alex menaruh duit di dalamnya sekitar US$ 2.000-3.000 (Rp 31-46 jutaan).

Alex mengingat penghasilan minimumnya dari 1 mesin ATM kala itu rata-rata US$ 200 (Rp 3 juta per bulan). Dalam sebulan, ia akhirnya menyadari lokasi paling banyak dipakai untuk melakukan transaksi ATM adalah di toko minuman keras. Komisi penarikan uang di lokasi-lokasi itu memberikannya profit lebih besar, yakni US$ 250-500 per bulan (Rp 3,8-7,7 jutaan) per mesin ATM. Sementara lokasi lainnya hanya mengumpulkan profit US$ 25-100 (Rp 385 ribuan hingga Rp 1,5 jutaan) per mesin ATM.

Ia memberikan waktu bagi mesin ATM-nya selama 2 bulan sebelum memuturkan apakah akan mempertahankan lokasi yang sama atau relokasi ke wilayah lain. Alex mengaku memiliki mentor dari Facebook yang sudah lebih dulu menekuni bisnis ini dan sukses. Berdasarkan masukan yang ia terima, akhirnya ia memindahkan 3 mesin ATM dari salon kecantikan dan salon potong rambut ke supermarket dan toko minuman keras lainnya.

Dari keputusan, ia mulai mendapatkan profit lebih besar. Rata-rata profit bulanannya dari satu mesin mencapai US$ 600 (Rp 9,2 jutaan) per bulan.

Dalam waktu 6 bulan, mesin ATM-nya makin ramai dan keuntungan per unit mencapai US$ 3.000 (Rp 46 jutaan) per bulan. Artinya, dalam waktu 6 bulan, ia sudah bisa balik modal.

Strategi Bisnis ATM

Ketika Alex sudah mengumpulkan duit yang cukup untuk menambah mesin ATM, ia sadar masih perlu modal untuk menyediakan uang tunai di mesin ATN. Akhirnya, ia mendaftarkan dua kartu kredit dan menggunakannya untuk membeli mesin.

Ia sengaja memilih kartu kredit yang tak memiliki bunga untuk 1 tahun pertama. Dengan begitu, ia punya waktu untuk mengumpulkan tunai lebih banyak tanpa pengeluaran bunga tiap bulan.

Ketika pertama kali membeli 6 mesin ATM, Alex mengira sudah untung karena mendapat diskon. Namun, belakangan ia sadar mekanisme itu tak menguntungkan karena ia harus membayar komisi 30% dari pendapatannya.

Agen yang ia ajak bekerja sama mengatakan hal itu normal, namun ia akhirnya mendapatkan cara yang lebih cuan.

Mesin selanjutnya ia beli langsung ke produsen, tanpa melalui agen. Tak semuanya mesin baru, melainkan ada yang refurbished. Kisaran harganya lebih murah, US$ 1.800-2.200 tergantung model. Dari mekanisme tersebut, ia tak perlu membayar komisi lain sebesar 30% ke agen. Alhasil, ia pun makin untung dan bisa membeli mesin ATM tambahan dengan lebih cepat.

Pada 2020, Alex sudah memiliki 30 mesin ATM yang tersebar di San Francisco. Masing-masing memberikan keuntungan US$ 250-1.500 per bulan.

Rata-rata keuntungan gabungan dari mesin ATM yang ia miliki tembus US$ 9.000-12.000 (Rp 139-185 jutaan) per bulan. Meski belum menyamai gaji dari pendapatan utamanya sebagai polisi, namun ia makin fokus menggarap bisnis ATM.

Akhirnya, pada 2021 Alex sudah mampu mendapatkan profit yang berkali-kali lipat. Ia pun memutuskan berhenti dari profesinya sebagai polisi dan menikmati kehidupan sebagai pebisnis ATM yang lebih fleksibel.

Ia lalu bertemu dengan provider ATM dan bekerja sama untuk turut menjadi penyedia mesin. Melalui mekanisme ini, ia bisa jauh lebih santai dalam mengatur bisnisnya.

Pelajaran berharga yang diambil Alex dari pengalaman ini adalah teruslah berusaha untuk berinvestasi pada diri sendiri.

"Menambah ilmu untuk diri sendiri adalah hal terpenting," ujarnya. "Semuanya bermula dari rekan kerja saya yang memiliki ide ini. Saya lalu mengambil ide itu dan mencari tahu lebih dalam. Saya menggunakan berbagai media dan baca banyak sumber. Akhirnya, saya berani untuk mengeksekusinya hingga sekarang." pungkasnya.