CEO of Casetify shares his No. 1 ‘super underrated’ small business tip
5 min read
Wesley Ng uncovered the fundamentals of jogging a organization by observing his mothers and fathers operate their cafe in Hong Kong.
“It was not undertaking-backed of course,” the 41-12 months-previous mentioned with a snicker. “What’s the most crucial point to have to survive? Profits.”
Ng now operates his personal business, Casetify, with the exact same philosophy. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the tech accessory brand is most properly-identified for its wide variety of fashionable telephone conditions.
It arrives down to one point — being financially rewarding. Remaining profitable, was super underrated until finally a short while ago.
Wesley Ng
Co-founder and CEO, Casetify
According to Ng, Casetify is on monitor to bring in $300 million in income this calendar year. To day, Casetify claimed it has offered a lot more than 15 million telephone instances around the globe.
“It comes down to a single issue — remaining successful. Being financially rewarding, was super underrated until eventually not too long ago,” he advised CNBC Make It in a digital interview.
“For some providers, they have to burn off [money] to improve their firms, but not all providers. I you should not feel in B2Cs [business-to-consumer] you want to melt away so a great deal to expand. If that’s what you need, I do not assume you are heading in the right route,” Ng extra.
“Study about operating a enterprise from your mother and father. Run a enterprise that can make funds and is worthwhile. Which is the way to go.”
Ng shares a lot more top ideas on how he turned his aspect-hustle into a multimillion-greenback business enterprise.
1. Bootstrapping
Casetify was 1st launched as an e-commerce system back in 2011 that lets shoppers to customize cellphone situations with Instagram photos.
It has given that expanded into offering tech add-ons, whilst collaborating with world-wide artists, firms like Disney, and now K-pop groups like Blackpink.
“Our buyers required something a lot more than just customization, they preferred to use it like a personal billboard, a resourceful canvas … and categorical who they are.”
On the lookout again, Ng claimed he never ever would have predicted this good results for a enterprise that he and his co-founder started out “in a incredibly lean way” with an original money of $200,000.
We are always doing items and operating out of the interests of the firm, somewhat than the shareholders. That is two unique issues.
Wesley Ng
Co-founder and CEO, Casetify
With global inflation and impending economic headwinds, Ng claimed Casetify has been “fortuitous” not to be greatly undertaking-backed, or it would have set the enterprise up for “unrealistic goals.”
“We are constantly accomplishing factors and functioning out of the pursuits of the organization, fairly than the shareholders. That’s two distinct issues,” he defined.
“We did not overly make investments in things in exchange for unnecessary expansion. So really fortuitously, we are healthy but we keep on being very careful.”
Even so, Casetify has bold designs — it aims to open up 100 retail suppliers in the up coming two many years, Ng reported. There are at present 21 retailers globally, in which buyers can design their own cellphone cases and “get it in just 30 minutes,” he additional.
Casetify was 1st begun selling customizable telephone conditions, but it has given that expanded to collaborations with world-wide artists.
Casetify
In June 2021, the firm reportedly raked in “eight-figures” in its pretty very first round of fundraising immediately after working for 10 decades.
“So if you look at it, we technically don’t have to have [to raise funds]. It is really extra like a strategic investment decision,” Ng claimed.
When questioned about the company’s valuation, he mentioned that it is “near to a billion” following the income injection in 2021 — allowing for Casetify to edge just one action closer to unicorn position.
As for his firm’s profitability, Ng answered without having missing a defeat: “Which is not a question. It has to be [profitable].”
2. Overshare your difficulties
For Ng, who has a background in broadcast structure, working his very own business obviously arrived with a slew of troubles.
The largest hurdle? Studying the ropes of the producing market.
“How can we obtain all this knowledge in a short time and apply it to the organization? One particular of the skills that business owners will have to have is that potential to master some thing in a incredibly short time and be appropriate about it,” he shared.
1 slip-up he recalled making was the obtain of his very first industrial printer, which turned out to be a completely wrong invest in.
It truly is about give and consider … you can be stunned how considerably you can study from other people’s encounter.
Wesley Ng
Co-founder and CEO, Casetify
“We dropped about $50,000 … But we even now retain that device in this article as a reminder, we realized that we should really just humbly go and question for aid from individuals who have encounter in manufacturing.”
Talking openly, or even “oversharing” your challenges as an entrepreneur, is a lesson Ng now holds intently to his heart.
“I satisfy entrepreneurs around the environment and there is one thing about those people in Asia, [we’re] not as open when it comes to the challenges that we have. It seems like you are weak, proper?”
“But that is pretty significant. Be open with talking about the troubles, converse about your learnings,” he explained. “It is really about give and acquire … you’ll be astonished how much you can study from other people’s working experience.”
3. Entrepreneurship ‘not for everyone’
As an entrepreneur himself, Ng admits that it truly is a title that’s been “glorified.”
“It really is important, that’s how you convey disruption and improvement to the environment. But you have to request oneself, is that actually a little something that fits you? It is really not for absolutely everyone.”
Ng reported the ideal way to obtain out if it is for you is to “work closely with a founder” or be part of a little begin-up to understand how rough it is.
Casetify is now eyeing world wide growth of its retail suppliers, the place shoppers can design and style their possess mobile phone case “proper on spot and get it inside of 30 minutes,” reported Wesley Ng, its CEO.
