How important is enthusiasm and innovation when starting a business? What are advantages does an entrepreneur have? What qualities does a leader need to have to motivate other people?
"Starting a business primarily entails the enthusiasm and desire to create something new, of presenting your ideas and personal vision to customers, which translates into the products and services you provide.
"I believe starting your own business means accomplishing something you are passionate about, pursuing an ideal that does not need to be 100% related to the value of the business in itself," says Victor Paicu, a partner in Cadouri Online, which owns DarDeNunta.ro website, an online store that specialises in wedding presents.
He started his first business in college, in 2001, together with a group of friends, while "the idea of an online store came to me as early as 2006.
After a long period throughout which I studied the market and ways to approach this type of venture, I launched the store in August 2007, at the age of 27," explains Paicu.
He says the main fear to begin with is linked to the uncertainty that your ideas will not be accepted or understood by customers.
According to Paicu, each new business has to bring some added value on the market, be a new field of activity, or an unexplored market niche.
For Paicu, being an entrepreneur means, among many other things, the responsibility of each action and the power to fulfil your purpose, irrespective of the difficulties.
From the moment they spotted the opportunity of being among the first online stores that provide wedding registry services, the two partners started researching the market by analysing established stores.
Then, they identified the main group of suppliers, the high-quality image they wanted to offer, followed finally by the website.
Brands sold by DarDeNunta.ro include Rosenthal, WMF, Montana, Leonardo, Samsonite, while for services the firm collaborates with Carpatica Dive Center, and soon with a travel agency that will provide honeymoon presents.
The two partners hope to exceed the average of 5,000 website visitors per month and a number of 300 wedding registries.
The business was primarily promoted online, and then in specialised magazines.
For 2008, they plan to add to the online store several new technical features to increase the appeal of the wedding registry concept and want to launch a new online store.
The budget for the first half of 2008 stands at 15,000 euros, including the promotion campaign for DarDeNunta.ro.
The estimated profit margin ranges between 2 and 4% of turnover.
Victor Paicu says he does not aim to become a euro millionaire from this business.
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