Since I was young, I always had the desire to create my own business one day. Growing up in post-communist Poland, such plans were difficult to achieve. In one way or another, I knew it could still be done. With that in mind, I set off to the U.K. with a hand luggage and a couple of pounds, in hopes to return to Poland with enough money to accomplish my dream.
The first few years weren’t so easy though. Working extra-time week after week, I was beginning to feel hopeless. Then one Saturday, while working overtime, my life changed. I walked into work that day thinking it would be nothing more special than just another day – until I overheard my chatting colleagues. I listened carefully to their talks about bidding and reselling eBay job lot pallets. Something about this trade intrigued me. Right after work I hopped on my computer and started browsing rapidly. After some time, I realized that its business model wasn’t something I could easily fit into my tiny London box room, but the idea of an internet business stuck in my head. I was constantly researching the market, it’s value and realistic opportunity. I felt that there was something out there for me. I transformed my evenings after work into mini self-study sessions. I invested my time in broadening my skills in coding, web page design, photography, online marketing and much more to kick off my journey to become an entrepreneur.
Many late nights later, I had spilled coffee all over my desk. Frustrated with this repeated accident, I looked around the web for a mug that wouldn’t knock over. To my surprise, I couldn’t find that kind of cup anywhere! With desperation built up, a lightbulb lit up for me. I couldn’t be the only person in the world with coffee-stained papers. I had a problem that faced almost anyone at least once in their life; young or old, businessman or student. This was my “aha moment”. I realized it was my chance to put something great on the market that everyone could use.
After some time, I got in contact with someone who manufactured spill-free mugs and could bring my idea into a reality. With that factory, I could placed my first trial order. To my shock, I sold out! Restock after restock, I decided I wanted to be more hands on with the production process, but with the little income from my sprouting business was not enough for me to travel to the manufacturer in China. That being said, I hit to road to find another job. Soon after, on top of my regular job, I started working part-time for Deliveroo, a food delivery service, which allowed me to ironically monetize my cycling skills. I jokingly told everyone that “they pay me to be fit”, but the truth was that not too long after my trip to China, I was making enough as a courier to quit my dull 9-5 job.
My visit to China was eye-opening. I learned the nuts and bolts of production thanks to my amazing agent who showed me the whole production line. I soon grasped that I would eventually hit a financial block yet again. The biggest shock was yet to hit though.
Yearly, Deliveroo asks their employees to pitch ideas for their own start-up ventures. My drive, passion and hope hit again, and I said, why not give it a go. The company loved the idea so much that they had awarded me with £20.000 to help my business grow – and with that Magic Suction Mug bloomed.
Fast-forwarding to today, Magic Suction Mug has its own web shop https://www.magicsuctionmug.com/ and ships worldwide. There are various mug models ensured to keep worries of any messes away, the same problem I and the world around me experienced so many times before. In the beginning, I had worked in a warehouse. I wasn’t an entrepreneur with money. I was just a young man with a simple idea and an ambition to build a better life for myself. The biggest lesson from the process I had experienced, is that there is never a better moment to start than now. You just have to try and give it a go, stick to it, and keep plugging along.
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