Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ben Leonard, Co-Founder of Ecom Brokers, located in Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Ecom Brokers. A brokerage to help e-commerce business plan and then execute the best possible exit from their e-commerce business. Our customers are e-commerce business owners selling physical products through marketplaces like Amazon but also on their own websites. They are doing $1 million - $100 million in sales. They are ready to take their business through an exit process and get the exit they deserve.
Tell us about yourself
I got into e-commerce by accident. In 2016 I had a heart condition and had to stop both work and my fitness hobbies. I started a fitness brand as a hobby to give me something to do while I recovered. I ended up quitting my job and growing the business to $ 6 million in sales when I exited. Now I am motivated to keep building brands, but also helping others achieve their dream exit.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
You might think it was when I sold my brand. But actually, it was probably when I made my first sale on the internet to someone I and never met. I had taken my idea from concept to reality and was selling products to people I had never met - it was an incredible feeling.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Being kind to yourself. It is too easy to focus on what you coulda shoulda woulda done, or all the stuff you need to do - or how you need to keep growing. We forget to pat ourselves on the back for the progress we have made and what we have achieved.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start as you mean to go on. Take it seriously, and not like a side hustle. Put together a business structure from the start that you can manage and grow. Follow Michael Gerber's Emyth methodology in terms of org structure.
- As you grow, consider the end - and make sure you're future-proofing the business to make it attractive to a buyer. Think of what a buyer wants - a strong brand, a growing profitable business, intellectual property, growth opportunities, and a well-oiled machine they can bring into their own systems.
- Work hard. when you jump through the hoops your competitors shy away from, you get all the rewards on the other side.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.ecombrokers.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ecombrokers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecombrokers/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/benleonardpro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecom-brokers/
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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