Online retailers open up in new video series

Heather McIlvaine

8th Jun 2017

Aussie entrepreneurs discuss what it really takes to start an online business in a new video series called The Real Hustle.

Aaron Kay, founder of The Swank Store, Ben Young, founder of Frank Green, and Charlie de Haas, founder of Clean Treats, are the first to be featured in the series created by smart logistics platform, Shippit.

Each entrepreneur tackles four key topics: turning an idea into reality, managing moments of weakness, building habits for success and giving advice to others.

Rob Hango-Zada told Internet Retailing the purpose of the video series is to support emerging online retailers as they pursue growth.

“Retailers come to us every single day with the same question: how to structure the business to handle an influx of growth? We wanted to give some really inspirational retailers a platform to share all their tips and tricks,” he said.

For Aaron Kay, founder of The Swank Store, sharing knowledge with other retailers is an opportunity to give back.

“We don’t just want to have a successful business, we want to build good energy and positive karma. We really believe in that,” he told Internet Retailing.

“I hope somebody will see this video and be inspired to start their own business. Anybody can do it.”

Kay said he had “no idea” what he was doing when he started The Swank Store in 2015.

“The whole process – from building the front end of an online store to figuring out how much money to spend on advertising – was a very steep learning curve. Passion and energy got us to where we are today,” he said.

Kay said the company expects to post $1.8 million in revenue at the end of this financial year.

According to Hango-Zada, the name The Real Hustle came about after Kay, Young and de Haas revealed the challenges they faced in the early days of their business.

Ben Young invested $200,000 of his own money in the business, only to find out the product was no good. And Charlie de Haas quit her job and lived off her tax refund for six months.

“That takes balls and courage,” Hango-Zada said.

The platform will continue to be updated with new retailer videos in future.

Shippit has also started a Facebook group called Rocketeers of Retail, which it hopes will give retailers another platform to share practical tips and knowledge.

“Our purpose is to help budding entrepreneurs become the next Jane Lu of Showpo or Lana Hopkins of Mon Purse,” he said.