Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Davide Sartori, Owner of deeWheel, located in Cambridge, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I sell die-cast scale model Vespa, motorcycles, and cars, mainly vintage models. My best guess about my customers' profile is that they are collectors or simply passionate about some of the items that I offer, in particular Vespa and Harley-Davidson.
Tell us about yourself
I've been interested and curious about the "www" world for two decades and, in particular, in the last 10 years, about the evolution of e-commerce. In 2008, as part of a Web Designer course, I attended a class on how to develop e-commerce websites. I remember how 'out of context' it looked (who would have had their own online business??). Back then, in order to have your own online business, you would have had to hire professionals (who probably took a class like the one that I was attending...) and chase them every time that you had to make a change. But luckily, as time went by, the e-commerce world evolved a lot, with plenty of options that allow you to build and customize your own online business, in many cases also with minimal or no coding experience, as well as with a limited budget. And while this happened, my desire to have my own online store grew over time. But one thing was missing: what to sell?? Vespa and scooters have always been something that I enjoyed experiencing and using. I eventually decided to merge this passion with my interest in the e-commerce world. Needless to say that selling the real-size models would have been over my budget, so I scaled it down to the smaller versions. One more item from my checklist was to find the right supplier based on what I wanted to sell and on my budget. After some research, I narrowed down my list to the most appropriate one. With everything set up and with the products at my reach, I launched my online store, and after a struggle for the first 6-7 months, a customer base started to develop as well as some positive reviews, which is what gives me the push to improve my business over the time.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Having been able to be trusted by my customers, in particular considering that an online store might not be as transparent as a brick and mortar store, where instead you can see the products, the owner, the employees...
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
To properly set up your products in a way that you can guarantee satisfaction for your customers while making sure that your expenses are covered and your profits are potentially growing over time.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don't be afraid to try and take the risk. Nothing is guaranteed!
- Don't do something just because you think it'll be profitable or because you heard it might be the next best thing. Do/offer something that you like and that you would enjoy spending time on!
- If, at first, you think it's not working, don't give up! Make some adjustments based on current and future trends or make improvements.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/deewheel/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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