Cristian: Good morning Mr Deepak and welcome to www.entrepreneurship-interviews.com . I must say this is my first interview in the luxury property chains domain so be patient with me! Just to start by positioning correctly the interview, you were recently named “Entrepreneur of the Year Best in Asia by the HAPA (Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards)” to add to more than 60 awards your business has received in just 6 years. So what exactly is your company doing that others aren’t?

Mr. Deepak Ohri:  Yes, the honor came as a wonderful surprise as this is the second time I have been nominated and awarded Entrepreneur of the Year. lebua Hotels & Resorts has also received numerous accolades (please see attached) over the past 6 years – something all of the team is extremely proud of.

From the outset, lebua Hotels & Resorts has built its reputation on delivering unique and innovative experiences for our customers. As a luxury group, we’re committed to ensuring each and every guest enjoys our personalized, dedicated service every time they visit.  We pride ourselves on knowing our customers’ likes and dislikes and anticipating their needs before they know them themselves. It is this commitment and dedication to service that keeps our guests returning time and time again.

Cristian: Just by looking at the pictures from your restaurants I can only say: breathtaking views! Where exactly are they located?

Mr. Ohri: Our flagship property is Tower Club at lebua located in the heart of the Thai capital, Bangkok. This is also home to our signature restaurants and glamorous bars at The Dome at lebua including Mezzaluna – our signature fine dining restaurant where twin chefs Thomas and Matthias Suhring create new and innovative menus daily, using the freshest ingredients from both local and international destinations.

The Dome at lebua also houses Asian fusion restaurant Breeze and al fresco dining hot spot Sirocco – which is perched on the 63rd floor overlooking the city of Bangkok. A main feature of Sirocco is the Sky Bar, one of the world’s highest outdoor bars – a must visit for any traveler visiting Bangkok. Other establishments include Distil – the perfect spot for those who enjoy vodkas, cognacs and cigars, or our Oyster Bar which serves a selection of delicious oysters sourced from the USA and France.

The group also boasts an exclusive three suite lodge in Rotorua, New Zealand, nestled at the tip of a secluded peninsula and surrounded by unspoiled lush forest. The property has an in-house chef who creates dishes to each guest’s individual liking from the freshest local NZ produce. The dedicated front-of-house team ensures you can do as little, or as much as you like during your stay.  The Lodge can be exclusively booked, or individual suites can also be booked.

2012 will be an exciting year for lebua as we’re soon to open a new hotel with fine dining restaurants in New Delhi, India, as well as properties in southern France and the Caribbean.

The New Delhi property will be the first of a number of properties scheduled to be rolled out in India, each with their own distinct interpretation of lebua luxury.

Our five to ten year plan is to have a lebua property in key tourist hotspots across the globe.

Cristian: What are the main ingredients that make a luxury chain special? Besides the best accommodation and food, what are the feelings and sensations your customers get?

Mr. Ohri: Firstly, we treat each and every customer equally. Secondly, we pride ourselves on our personalized and consistently attentive customer service. Customers who dine or stay at lebua Hotels & Resorts will always feel special. As a business, we’re passionate about remaining true to the luxury and style for which lebua has become renowned.

Cristian: What’s the most interesting culinary experience we could get from one of your famous chefs?

Mr. Ohri: Mezzlauna at The Dome at lebua was recently named Restaurant of the Year (Best in Asia). With acclaimed twin chefs Thomas and Mathias Suhring at the helm – using the freshest ingredients in inventive ways – every guest will enjoy a different dining experience as the menus change daily – an unusual feature in a high-end restaurant.

Mezzaluna in the past was also involved in the Epicurean Masters of the World (2005 and 2007) and in 2007 saw 8 three Michelin Star awarded chefs prepare a meal for THB 1,000,000 (approx US$31,250) per person, which at the time was billed as the world’s most expensive dinner.

One of lebua’s bars is Distil and it is known for offering many items not available in any other outlet in Thailand including 10 cane rum, Belvedere IX vodka, Martin Miller’s gin, Jonnie Walker Blue Label, King George V whisky and, exclusive to lebua Krug Rose (the house champagne at Distil).

Another unique offering of Distil is its Oyster Bar, for which fresh Eagle Rock Pacific Premium Kumamoto and Fines de Claire oysters are flown in twice weekly from the USA and France.

Cristian: Here on www.entrepreneurship-interviews.com most readers are small business owners. Their first impression may be that the heights you’ve reached with your hotels and restaurants are beyond their reach. However, we hear you started way back in 1988?

Mr. Ohri: Absolutely, I’ve definitely worked my way up and have undertaken a range of roles in markets including the US, India and Singapore where I have also sat on a number of advisory boards including the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management (Singapore) before launching lebua Hotels & Resorts in 2003.

My career started in Delhi where I received a diploma in hotel management from Chennai and I started working with the India Tourism Development Corporation in 1988. After a number of years working throughout the globe with properties such as Kempinski and Taj Hotels, I was ready for a new challenge and decided to move to Thailand with my wife, where I was responsible for the opening The Dome by lebua restaurants including Sirocco, Mezzaluna, Distil Bar, Breeze and the iconic Sky Bar (all considered Bangkok’s top dining establishments).

From one hotel and a raft of high end restaurants we started to build a brand which prides itself on luxury and sophistication – and this will be carried through all our future developments.

For any small business it is important to know your target market, understand what they are seeking in terms of products and experience and ensure you remain committed to seeing your vision come to life – even if there are hurdles along the way.

Cristian: What motivates you to keep going despite having already achieved success?

Mr. Ohri: I firmly believe in never resting on your laurels and always keeping an eye out for the next venue. I love striving to improve and growing the business and am eagerly anticipating the opening of our first property in New Delhi, India, later last year.

Cristian: How is business different in Asia? Most success entrepreneurial stories come from the USA, so I don’t know that much about Asia.

Mr. Ohri:  Asia’s an exciting market for doing business, and particularly for launching new offerings in the luxury sector.  It’s highly competitive and already known for fabulous hospitality which puts the pressure on to stand out from the crowd, but at lebua we never shy away from a challenge!
The expanding economies of China and India are opening up a myriad of opportunities and delivering a new genre of Asian tourist who expects high quality, fresh experiences an unparalleled service. We’re striving to meet that demand and of course to continue to service travellers from further afield.

Cristian: Back in 2003 you were told “Don’t open a restaurant there, there’s no view” and yet by 2009 Sirocco at the Dome at lebua had been unequivocally hailed the restaurant with the “best view in the world”. Is that an example of your belief in your own ability to succeed, even against all odds?

Mr. Ohri: Listening to your detractors never gets you anywhere. If you know your market inside and out, and you employ the best possible team to support you there’s no reason you can’t pursue a dream. In our case, we had designers and architects who understood our vision for the lebua property in Bangkok and together we worked hard to achieve the dream.  The property is characterized by its thirty meter tall golden rooftop – The Dome, and neoclassical balconies. The golden dome is said to act as a beacon to those visiting Asia’s ‘City of Angles’, summoning them to enjoy the breathtaking, views of the city. And today, Sirocco is an iconic spot for locals and tourists to savour a meal; enjoy a cocktail at Sky Bar; and take in the panoramic views of beautiful Bangkok.

Cristian: If you were to start all over again, would you do anything differently this time? How do you know you’re doing things right?

Mr. Ohri: Of course you learn from your experiences along the way but I wouldn’t actually change any of them because it’s been an amazing experience and we’re delighted with the end result! I guess the biggest message from me is to research your market – and your customers – and to have faith in your vision and then work relentlessly to make it happens. Sure, you’ll encounter hurdles and setbacks along the way, but never let them dampen your enthusiasm. Passion for what you’re doing is paramount.

Cristian: What brings you most satisfaction in the luxury business? What makes you happy?

Mr. Ohri: Seeing my vision for the lebua brand come to fruition brings a smile to my face every time.
lebua is now an internationally acclaimed hotel, known for its innovative business strategies and use of cutting edge research and technology. Rated within the top 1% of companies in the world in terms of Customer Satisfaction by TNS research1 (TRI*M Index), lebua’s business management strategies have been the active point of discussion in several top business schools including Harvard, Kellogg, INSEAD, NYU, Columbia and IIMs. Currently, it is in the first stages of being a full-fledged case study at the Harvard Business School.

We remain committed to understanding our customers and ensuring they feel special, each and every time they visit a lebua property.

Cristian: Any wise words for entrepreneurs just starting out?

Mr. Ohri:  Firm up your goals and business plan early on. Always stick to your core values and ensure you have a dedicated and professional team to support the brand vision every step of the way. Above all, have fun, put your heart and soul into it and enjoy the ride – it will be rough at times but it’s exhilarating!

Cristian: Hi Bryan and welcome. You’re just 19 and already started your own business. What is it about?

Bryan: Hey Cristian, Thanks for taking an interest in myself and my business. Yes, I’m only 19 but my entrepreneurial ventures started many years ago when I was a sophomore in high school. I started taking an interest in graphic design when I was 15 and sold one of my first designs when I was 16. I tried my hand in the clothing line business but couldn’t find my niche or  identify a target market so I took what I knew with graphic design and began working with small clothing lines to help build their brands with creative and original designs. Now we work with Small Businesses, Independent Clothing lines, Independent Artists, Professional Athletes, and Fortune 100-300 companies, providing them with graphic design services for advertising, business stationery, logos, branding & identity, and much more.

Cristian: I think there is a lot of competition in your field. Who is your typical customer and how do you find them?

Bryan: There is definitely a lot of competition in my field, it seems nowadays that everyone and their brother is a freelance designer.  Since there are so many freelance designers and design firms our there it’s not like my phone is ringing of the hook, so I have take the initiative and make cold calls to potential clients that feel could utilize my services. A typical client for me would be a new or already established small business that never really put any time into graphic design or branding for their business.

Cristian: What makes your services different?

Bryan: I can’t say we’re different from any other company that provides services like ours because at the end of the day logos are logos and business cards are business cards. What I like to think gives us our niche is that we work closely with our clients, we are always in constant contact with them making sure that we bring their ideas and thoughts to life! Because our network of designers are so young one of our advantages is that creativity is always flowing!

Cristian: What is your most appreciated package?

Bryan: One of our most appreciated packages is the “Start Up Package” which can be found under the packages tab on our website at www.empoweredmediagroup.com. This package includes a logo design with 4 concepts to choose from, business card design, letterhead design, envelope design for only $699.00 and it includes 1,000 Gloss business cards full color front and back print. We have many more packages on there and we also encourage business owners to mix and match and let us create a custom package to fit their needs.

Cristian: Do you already have a portfolio? How did you get your first client?

Bryan: Yes I have a portfolio that I continue to add work to every week! I’m still building it and adding work but you can view some of my work at www.bryanangelodesigns.com. I got my first big client back in december of 2009 I was only a junior in high school at the time and I entered a design in the shirt design competition for our high school “Milkcan Game” and the company printing it liked my design and brought me on as a graphic designer, this company is Destination Athlete LLC. Since i’ve worked for them i’ve probably done over 200 designs and worked with them as they’ve gone from a local business to 10 franchises nation wide! Here are some samples of our work:

Cristian: Did you considered taking a job or how come you started a business?

Bryan: I worked a couple other jobs but I would always ask myself, “how is this helping me in the long run of life?” I never understood why I was working a meaningless job when I could be using my talents to help business owners bring creativity and design to their business. I started my business after selling designs to clothing lines as a high school student, I then started my own clothing line and it did alright and I won the Amazing Kids In Business Award from my local chamber of commerce. I then realized the clothing line business wasn’t working out and it’s not that I quit because it was hard, it really just wasn’t for me. I re-thought what I wanted to do and began writing the business plan for my business. The business plan is always changing and we always reach our goals and have to create new ones but I love using my talent to help small businesses grow and would give it up for anything!

Cristian: I believe you also have a partner? How important is to have a partner when you start-up?

Bryan: Yes I have a silent partner right now Blake Meacham. I got introduced to Blake over a year ago by one of my friends and clients David Leonard who owns a property management company in south Florida. It seems that I surround my self with business owners which is great for networking purposes. Blake owns a company called Perfect Shine Auto Management in Florida and works with high profile clients and top of the line expensive cars. For some people having a partner isn’t necessary but for Blake and I it really works out, We’re great friends and can handle business together with out any problems.

Cristian: And what would be the most important aspects of running a partnership like yours? Mutual understanding? Different skills that put together work better?

Bryan: With Blake and I, our partnership is like, E and Scott Lavin from Entourage haha! We joke around but have a mutual understanding of what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by and also which clients we need to approach. Blake has a great business sense and can work with clients to give them the necessary details to close deals which is great because then I  have more time to focus on design work, focus groups, creative planning and working with current clients on their projects.

Cristian: Most young entrepreneurs have a hard time finding funding for their ideas. How important is funding? 

Bryan: We never had any outside funding, We started everything with our own money, every dollar we make gets invested right back into the business. It would be nice to have a venture capitalist invest some money into the business to help with advertising, but other than advertising expenses, we don’t have many over head costs. We will be seeking funding and investors for a project we have been working on and building but we are currently keeping that under wraps until everything is set up.

Cristian: Do your customers have an issue with you being so young? What would be your advice for other young entrepreneurs

Bryan: So far none of my clients have had a problem with my age… as far as I know at least. When I meet with my clients face to face my age always comes up but luckily enough my portfolio and references are enough for them to take me seriously. I mean i’m only 19 and luckily my good friends over at www.Aphillyated.com hooked me up with Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies! Not many 19 year old designers can say that in a interview! I’ve worked with a lot of other entrepreneurs who are just starting out, and it’s great to see kids starting so young and my advice to them would be, if you have a dream, pursue it, don’t let anyone or anything stop you from pursuing your dream. You only live once and the only want to succeed is to do something no one has ever succeeded doing nothing!

Cristian: After the initial thought of starting a business, what were the next steps? Where did you get legal and business advices?

Bryan: Luckily my mom is a paralegal for a law firm and can help me immensely with any legal questions I may have. I never even took my business seriously until I started getting a huge influx of clients and needed to actually “work”! I started my business because I just loved graphic design and the appreciation businesses and clients gave me for my work was worth more to me than any check, but last year I got a lot of referrals and the clients started coming at a faster rate so I knew it was time to educate myself on business and graphic design so I read this book called Freelance Design in Practice “Dont Start Work Without It” and boy were they right it lists out everything you need to know about running a freelance design businesses! Books have been my main source of business advice you can ask any of my family members or friends I’m the last person to just read a book for fun, but I have really taken an interest in reading and I’m currently reading 3 books all based around graphic design and business.

Cristian: What do your friends think about your business? I guess you have less “party” time than them.

Bryan: My friends have been really supportive, My best friend Jake Sujansky- the one who set up this interview, has been my friend since 4rd grade and has always been very supportive of my business and helps in any way he can, as well as my friend Mark Warner who reaches our to potential clients and helps us find new jobs. My friend Conor who is finishing up his enlistment in the Marine Corps will soon be joining our team to help with advances in new technology to help our new project get off the ground. I surround my self with good people and it brings positivity to our businesses outlook. I definitely don’t get to party at college like my friends. I went to Bloomsburg University for a semester and hated the environment I was in and had nowhere and no one to network with so I’m at community right now and will be transferring next semester to a 4 year college. I have to say the lack of partying is probably what  has helped me stay focused and on track. It’s great to go out and have a good time with my friends but I really have no interest in “keggers” and “house parties” I honestly would rather work and find new business or further my knowledge of Graphic Design than party.

Cristian: I have a couple of more technical questions. When a small company needs some design (maybe for a site, maybe for the business cards) how can they decide on the colors and branding?

Bryan: There are many types of factors that would go into deciding a color, like what type of business are they, would a warm color describe their business or would a bright vibrant color be a better fit. There are so many factors I could never list them all. As for branding and logos we would educate ourselves on their business and what types of products or services they provide and create different logo concepts that we think would fit their business.

Cristian: And for websites, what should come first, the looks or the usability?

Bryan: Both! A design can look AWESOME but if the users get there and are like “ uhhh okay now what” because there is so much going on it will be completely ineffective and wont help business! My personal style is creative, but sleek, just enough design accents to catch the users attention but also easy to manage.

Cristian: What are the most important mistakes businesses do when working on their designs with a design company?

Bryan: A lot of design companies are so big that they aren’t able to work one on one with a client to meet their needs or put in their creative opinion. The client doesn’t always know what they want so sometimes they work with a company that has pre made templates that they use on multiple clients, this doesn’t allow the client to have a competitive edge and an original design. So many people go through Vista Print. I don’t want to take a shot at Vista Print but the reason they can give away business cards for so cheap is because they have pre-made templates, that multiple businesses probably have!

Cristian: How should a small business promote itself? Online? Stationery? What do you think?

Bryan: Honestly both can be very effective!  If your business is run mostly online I would have to say that online advertising an promotion would be your best bet there are many outlets to use to promote your business online you have to find the right ones to make it the most effective. Now i’m not saying stationery is a bad idea, we have been implementing business card marketing which has been very effective for clients. A lot of potential clients will just discard brochures and flyers because of how big they are, but with a business card you can put necessary information on them and they can go right in the wallet of your potential client.

Cristian: By the way, you told me you also help other young entrepreneurs. How is that?

Bryan: Yes, I didn’t start my business for the money, I started my business to help entrepreneurs  and small business owners bring a creative edge to their company. Nothing is better then a satisfied customer that appreciates what you do for them! I have a couple “pro bono” clients like right now I’m working with Tom Boyd, Sean Bond, and Brain Bangley, the owners of See Me Apparel www.seemesawyou.com They invest all their profits back into their business, but I work with them to bring new designs and creative planning to their business. My goal is to help small businesses thrive in their market. If I can make a living off helping people do what they love while I do what I love then I will feel like I have reached success.

Cristian: Hi David and welcome. You’re a young entrepreneur that started an online business. What is it about?

David: Hi Christian, thanks for giving me the interview opportunity! CastleCasino.com is an online live casino which provides over 60 games, both for free and real-money. The mission behind the business was to create an online experience which is as close to the real life thing as possible, it has been an arduous task but we are definitely getting there!

Cristian: What makes yours different? Are there any special ingredients?

David: Yes, we have plenty of special ingredients! Our table games (roulette, blackjack and baccarat) are all streamed live with real dealers, 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, from a television studio. Players can do anything from tip the dealers, to talk with them about how their days were. It makes the experience a lot more real for the player and brings in a new dimension.
We’re also using the only live casino provider offering which broadcasts roulette from both a studio and a real casino (The Sporting Emporium, Dublin) – which gives us another different angle for players.

Cristian: Who is your typical customer?

David: Our typical customer is generally a male between the ages of 25-35 with a small disposable income. I think that being a young company definitely helps us identify and relate to our the needs and wants of our players.

Cristian: And what are the most appreciated games?

David: Roulette is by a long way the most appreciated game at CastleCasino.com, following that I’d say blackjack and then the video poker and slot machines. It is not too dissimilar from my experiences in real casinos.

Cristian: Previously you have worked for a SEO company? How did you decide to take life in your own hands and start your own business?

David: It definitely wasn’t an overnight decision, founding a successful business and making money is something which I’ve strived to do ever since I can remember. I still remember the days of buying a little Cadbury’s chocolate dispenser with my paper round money then charging my brothers and sisters and making a profit. Even when I finishing school I was buying and selling domains to get extra cash to go out with while working as a carpenters apprentice – crazy times!
I think the turning point for me was when I realised that the income I was getting in wasn’t just luck, it was constant and higher than my full-time salary. I was also waking up at 5AM and going to bed at 2AM just to fit in enough time to work on my projects, which wasn’t healthy. I came into the office one day after considering it the night before and then just decided to hand in my notice and go for it full throttle, all or nothing. I love working on my own projects and with the greatest respect to my old SEO Company, who helped me out a lot and I still regularly meet with, I wasn’t happy there because I wanted more.

Cristian: How old were you when you started the biz?

David: I was 20 when I started buying casino related domains and the plans for both businesses were realised and written, although by the time it was all complete and officially launched I was mid-way through being 21.
In fact, one of my strongest memories was on my 21st birthday; I got an email from my investor while I was celebrating with my friends in a bar saying that the funds for the purchase of the CastleCasino.com domain had been released. I remember it hitting me at that moment that this was actually going ahead and I couldn’t turn back!

Cristian: What does it take to start an online business nowadays? An innovative idea? Long work hours? Specialized know-how?

David: I’d say a combination of all three! The thing I love about being involved online is that a marketing budget can only get you so far, with enough work the small guys can challenge the mammoths. I’d say one of the biggest factors in our success has simply been predictions on how the market is going to go and the flexibility we have in developing in that direction. We can get 5 sites live by the time some of the larger companies have scheduled a meeting to discuss starting a future project.

Cristian: How did you get legal advice? Legal advice is expensive for start-ups that’s why I ask.

David: I’ve been quite fortunate in this area, not only do I have a number of people within the legal area in my family, but I’ve got a great company in the form of Visionary iGaming, who power the main software, standing beside me and always helping with when potential legal issues arise.

Cristian: A little after starting your first business, you started a second one. What is that about?

David: Right Casino Media is in short a company which provides online advertising solutions for online casinos, which is why it ties in great with CastleCasino.com.
It all started in the live industry with liveroulette.co.uk, and nowadays has around 10 large sites, 50 small sites and 100’s of domains. The wheels which set Right Casino Media going actually started before CastleCasino.com and ultimately generated the entire idea behind it. Although I didn’t consider it a full-time business operation until I looked into advertising solutions for CastleCasino.com and realised the costs and efforts of others could be replicated, at which point I got my brother and good friend Michael Charalambous in too help it grow into its own entity. Neither company would be around today if it weren’t for each other and I’m glad it panned out that way.

Cristian: You’re also work with affiliates. What exactly are affiliates?

David: Yes I am both an affiliate, with Right Casino Media, and work directly with affiliates with CastleCasino.com. An affiliate is someone who promotes a product or service to potential customers, in exchange for a commission on the sale when one occurs.
The simplest example in the casino world would be if you built a website and then put one of the CastleCasino.com adverts on it, anyone who came to your site and then clicked through to CastleCasino.com from the advert would be tracked and marked in our system as your player. We would either pay you a one-off fee for that player or you could take the option of making 35% of what that player lost at the casino. It is a lucrative market in the casino world, especially when players lose 1000’s in one night!

Cristian: Could they work for any type of business?

David: Yes the affiliate world can work for nearly any type of online business; the beauty of the affiliate industry is that it only works when both partners deliver results, so neither can end up out of pocket. There are affiliate programs for electrical; dating sites, kitchen appliances, cups, food, hair dye… you get the picture! Nearly anything which can be sold has an affiliate program.

Cristian: What is most important when working with affiliates?

David: I think the most important thing when working with affiliates definitely understanding that it has to be a partnership to work at 100% capacity. A lot of merchants (the side which sells the product) treat affiliates simply as casual advertisers; simply because if they don’t sell they don’t pay.
A true merchant provides them with the right materials to market their products, will always pay affiliates on time and fairly and will always work on improving their site to convert customers further. Helping an affiliate help you is crucial in my opinion.

Cristian: Any big mistakes you did and could advice other young entrepreneurs how to avoid?

David: As a young entrepreneur my advice would be don’t get carried away with your previous successes and keep your feet on the ground. After one success I felt like a maverick which could take the world with my eyes closed, but you quickly realise after losing money that it is not the case.
I became involved with the formation of a building company, a fireworks company and also a leisure company which specialised in physical slot machines. These ate months out of my schedule and in the end I overstretched myself trying to juggle everything and literally couldn’t sleep at night for a period. I had to let a lot of people down and leave the opportunities which I’d created on the table, something I’d never done previously. This enabled me to focus on what I have now and continue growing Right Casino Media and CastleCasino.com – something I am very glad I did in the end!

Cristian: Any plans for the future?

David:  I’m enjoying working at expanding the companies at the moment and don’t really see myself anywhere different in the next 5 years. I’d love to be retired from full-time business by the time I’m 30 and purely be an investor of some sorts living in the Cayman Islands, as always, I’m thinking big!

Cristian: Hi Leslie. You just started a family business. What is it about?

Leslie: We manufacture and sell a designer style cloth diaper which includes organic and sustainable fabrics. Our diapers also have a hidden waterproof barrier, which makes them all in one, no additional cover necessary.

Cristian: What are the main advantages of cloth diapers over the paper ones?

Leslie: The list is long! For one, you never have to worry about running out! It is not fun having to make an impromptu trip in the middle of the night because you didn’t realize you were down to the last disposable. They are also much more stylish and eco friendly.  I think there really is no argument for a disposable vs. cloth once you investigate what chemicals a disposable consists of.  Because it’s not always easy to tell how wet a disposable diaper is, babies who wear disposables may sit in their own urine longer than those who wear cloth diapers, does that really sound appealing?

Cristian: How much can a family save on average using your diapers?

Leslie:  Over a 3 1/2 year time period, you may end up using over 8,700 disposable diapers on one child, totaling $2358 for discounted name brands and $1862 for generic/store brands. If you have a baby who is large for his/her age, you may pay even more. This is not including disposable wipes.

Cristian: I believe some might think cloth diapers are more difficult to use. Are they?

Leslie: Not at all, I believe they can be as hard or as easy as you want them to be. Adding one more load of laundry to your routine is not so difficult when you really think about it and you get the added bonus of natural and organic fibers.

Cristian: Do you target a specific buyer ?

Leslie: We not only focus on those who are already parents of infants but also those who are trying to conceive or considering having children. Our brand works hard to be a client’s first exposure to cloth diapering.

Cristian: Being non-disposable makes them a fashion item also, doesn’t it?

Leslie:  Absolutely. We only manufacture diapers with an attractive high quality designer print, our brand is the only one of its kind currently on the market that offers a wide selection of prints in large quantities, in stock and a waterproof barrier making them comparable to disposables in every aspect.

Cristian: Which are the top selling ones ?

Leslie: Certain prints are more en vogue then others so it just depends on the current trends, right now we see Michael Miller is a favored designer as is Alexander Henry.

Cristian:  What exactly is the manufacturing process?

Leslie: We source our materials from the US and import others, then we cut and prewash the fabric in house, sewing and snapping the diaper from start to finish.

Cristian:  The diapers are hand-made ?!

Leslie: Yes! Our company is entirely family owned and we are real people in the USA sewing these diapers. Our production house is in Dallas, TX and the rest is handled in Phoenix, AZ.

Cristian: How exactly do you manage to be economically viable with hand made products? Everything is now done in China…

Leslie: Handmade is making a resurgence in todays day and age and with the attention towards being more eco friendly and “going green” comes the demand for Made in the USA. We are a one of a kind product in a growing cloth diaper market and with the increased attention on organic and reusable, our brand is quickly making its way to the top.

Cristian: You are working with your family to do this. How difficult is to work with the family? What happens if you disagree on something?

Leslie: It’s not difficult at all when you go in with a clear mind and nothing left up in the air unanswered.  Everyone has a specific job and we all give 110% in our assigned areas. We are constantly in communication and we all trust each other in making the right decisions as far as the tasks we are responsible in completing. Disagreements are handled with discussion and compromise, we also work to keep each other motivated and focused.

Cristian: Who is doing the non-manufacturing things like marketing, legal, shipping?

Leslie: I am! My aunt and uncle operate the production house in Dallas while I handle the face of the company. It has been the most enjoyable position I have held so far.

Cristian: Do you need special marketing or legal skills to run a small business like yours?

Leslie: I think it is necessary to have thick skin and Internet savvy. When selling a product online you have to be prepared for negative reviews and questions or complaints. 100% of people will not like your product 100% of the time; you need to be prepared to be able to solve any issues and work until your customer is satisfied whether they found use for your product or not.

Cristian: Any advice for people willing to start a small home business?

Leslie: Be prepared to never have any time for yourself! A successful business requires times, patience and capital. I think marketing and gaining a clients trust to try and buy your product when you first open is the highest mountain you need to climb. I would say thoroughly researching your market and client is key prior to even producing your product.

Cristian: Hi Andries and welcome. When everybody complains about the great depression you have started yet another business. What is it about?

Andries: SME Discounts is like “Groupon” for B2B Businesses. We promote discount deals on business products and services. On our site you can find as much as 90% off things like PR services, contact databases, email marketing, office supplies, website reviews, social media and much more.

Cristian: How did you come up with the idea?

Andries: I’ve been working with SMEs and starting my own businesses for well over 10 years. Every time I start a new venture I’m amazed by how hard it is to find good quality business partners who are willing to discount their services initially to help out new start-ups and growing businesses. Along came Groupon, which made offering discounts as a way to attract new clients “fashionable” again, and viola. I thought to myself: this can work in the B2B space just as well.

Cristian: How does it work exactly?

Andries: It’s actually very simple: We broadcast (through email, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter) to our fans, followers and users when we have negotiated a great new discount for them. Our audience can then buy the deal (with a 40-90% discount) and share it with their friends, contacts or colleagues. Our members, who sell B2B themselves, can feature their own products and services on the site. Most importantly, it’s free to sign up and feature your products. We just ask for a commission on the sales we generate for our business members.

Cristian: I always say you can take an existing idea and with a small tweak turn it into a completely new business. What is the tweak that makes SME Discount work?

Andries: Most definitely the B2B focus. Because we are experienced entrepreneurs ourselves, we understand the pains and frustrations business owners have and we’re trying to offer a service that solves them. We know SME Discounts is not perfect yet (very few businesses are so early in the game), but we are continuing to mak tweaks and adjustments to deliver something that really helps SMEs at ground level – operating more efficiently, safely and cheaply.

Cristian: By the way do you need technical background to start an online business?

Andries: Yes and no. I think an online business is a function of knowledge (trained technical skills or gained experience), network (on and offline) and money. You either need to have massive amounts of one of the three, or a balance of all three to make it work. Secondly, I just want to highlight that it’s easier than ever before to get started with an online business (via a big choice of “off-the-shelf” kits), but it’s also harder than ever to grow your online business because of the competition.

Cristian: Who can take advantage of your services, who exactly is in your target?

Andries: We focus our marketing initiatives on 25-54 year old business owners, professionals, home based businesses, consultants and startup entrepreneurs. But anyone who’s in business or thinking about going into business could benefit from our deals.

Cristian: Are small businesses heading more towards online purchases during hard times?

Andries: In a developed country such as the UK, yes definitely. SMEs are all really cost conscious, so we found that they “price shop” a lot more. The most effective avenue for this is online.

Cristian: What would be the main advantages proposed by your service opposed to a classic coupon site?

Andries: Our aim is to only feature “exceptional” deals, as I mentioned earlier. We want to distinguish ourselves from the competition by offering:

• Relevance – We only feature products and services that can truly benefit SMEs, we never spam our members and if we don’t have something good to promote to individual members then we don’t bother them.
• Quality – We do quality checks on all our suppliers.
• Value for money – We do not promote deals that are merely a “x% discount” on the suppliers inflated website price. We benchmark it against the industry to ensure that it really is a bargain compared to what’s available.

Cristian: And what type of products or services can businesses buy from the site?

Andries:  Some of the deals we have already featured include professional PR writing at 50% discount, expert website reviews for only £25, web videos for £60, premium business cards for £12, business valuations for £97 and 1,000 business leads for £19. We’ll soon be featuring new deals on telesales services, virtual assistants, telecommunication services and many more.

Cristian: Are there any kind of guarantees regarding the price and the quality of the products?

Andries:  In terms of price, the price you see is the price you pay. In terms of quality, as stated earlier we do quality control on all suppliers, products and services to ensure that our members only receive the best.

Cristian: What kind of companies can join the program and list special offerings?

Andries: Any company selling B2B, i.e. to other businesses.

Cristian: Is the UK market somehow specific when it comes to online sales, or the same principles can be applied anywhere?

Andries: Although much of what businesses need is the same cross-border, we believe each market is unique in culture, preferences and habits. So the trick is finding the right “packaging” in terms of message and feel.

Cristian: How does an online business like yours get exposure? Most entrepreneurs focus primarily on the product and do not realize until it’s too late that marketing and sales are hard.

Andries: I absolutely agree with you. This is the most common mistake. There is unfortunately not one golden technique or fail-safe method of marketing that can guarantee success. We believe in testing everything and maintaining what works. It’s as simple as that.

Cristian: Is there any way an entrepreneur could validate his idea before starting? Most are afraid they will fail so they never start.

Andries: No is the honest answer. You just don’t know until you’ve tried it. However, at SME Discounts we are at least trying to make it cheaper and faster to try, by pre-vetting suppliers for you AND doing the hard negotiations to discount those products and services. Most experienced entrepreneurs will tell you that the secret is not to fear failure and to ensure that if you fail, you fail as cheaply as possible.

Cristian: What would be your best advice for people willing to start an online business nowadays?

Andries: It’s a bit of a cliché, but just start! Start by setting up a WordPress blog, get on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. Subscribe to many sites in the industry that you want to move in. Take 6 months and completely immerse yourself in 1) the technologies available and being used in your industry, and 2) the conversations taking place in your market. Once you’ve done that, decide what you want to do and create a plan to learn, buy or network the skills required to start your venture.

Cristian: Any plans for the future?

Andries: We have many plans, as I’m sure ALL entrepreneurs will tell you, but we’ve learned the hard way that it’s important to focus on one thing at a time. So currently the plan is simple: Grow SME Discounts to be a market force that really makes a positive and tangible impact on all SMEs in our target markets.