Two hours of inspiring talks on starting a business, approaches to online marketing, unique products and visions. A total of four speakers and four stories. What do fashion, bag-making, sushi and speciality coffee have in common? A great deal.
On mothers and daughters: stories of generational differences and new shoes
The first to take the floor was Pavlína Louženská from H1.cz, who was here not so much on behalf of the company as for herself. As Pavlína lives and breathes fashion, she shared with us a story about shopping and her mum. Success in the fashion industry hinges on the shopping behaviour of two distinct groups: Generation X and Generation Y. Whilst the older Generation X, raised in an offline world and a time of scarcity, goes to brick-and-mortar shops to buy clothes, Generation Y no longer wants to go to shops.
Our self-centred generation, which craves recognition and is obsessed with ‘selfies’, wants to pop into a shop to try clothes on and then buy them online. Some brands have already got the message, others haven’t. So tell a story, show yourself, bypass traditional media and think online first.
AITOM’s view: A simple, brilliant and, above all, true idea. Anyone who thinks about fashion the same way as Pavlína does is on top of the world.
Photo source: Tuesday.cz
Brašnářství Tlustý: unique leather goods and online
On stage stands the likeable Ivan Petrův, who oversees the development of Brašnářství Tlustý, a business built on the tradition of Czech craftsmanship. In 2013 they were just starting out, calling themselves an ‘industrial start-up’, but a lot has changed in less than two years. People crave quality products, handcrafted items that will last for years. Tlustý Leatherworks has focused on uniqueness and spreading the word via social media, where they have over 20,000 followers.
You won’t find any high-street shops selling products from the Tlustý workshop. Want a belt, a wallet or a bag? Come straight to the workshop. They’ll be happy to let you get a taste of the craft, and you can even try punching a hole in your own belt. What about Brašnářství Tlustý and online marketing? “Social media is what keeps us going,” says Ivan Petrův.
AITOM’s view: It’s a shame that Ivan doesn’t trust online marketing tools such as PPC campaigns. We applaud the uniqueness of the product and the interaction on social media, as well as the protagonist’s likeable manner.
Sushiqueen: once upon a time, nobody knew what sushi was
Bára Rektorová is Sushiqueen. Bára fell in love with sushi and knew straight away that she wanted to make it; the year was 2006. She didn’t think much about starting a business back then; she made sushi herself at home and then offered it in restaurants that didn’t cook it. She didn’t even have a business card, let alone a website. She only launched her website after three years in business and began writing a blog about sushi.
Today, she’s featured in the press, gives talks at various events and is a familiar face. Bára’s philosophy is not to criticise the competition; she never writes reviews and tries to be modest (although she did boast, rather immodestly, that her sushi is the best).
AITOM’s view: Bára managed it even without much online promotion; she built her business on a personal approach. The question is where Sushiqueen would be today with a greater emphasis on online strategy.
Photo source: Tuesday.cz
Doubleshot: how we launched our business with the help of the internet
Jaroslav Tuček from Doubleshot has one thing in common with Bára Rektorová. Both launched their businesses based on what people enjoy, at a time when hardly anyone else was doing so. It would be much harder today, admits Jaroslav, who is co-owner of a specialist coffee roastery. Doubleshot has its own story, about curious lads who learnt about coffee in Panama and Vancouver and knew exactly what they wanted. Czechs no longer wanted to drink just Turkish coffee or espresso, so they set up their own business. They currently run two cafés in Prague and are doing well.
An interesting idea was setting up the Alza Café, which is located right inside the Alza collection point. A brilliant way to meet customers halfway. What about Doubleshot and online? We have our own e-shop and microsites; we communicate on Facebook and Twitter, and we send out a newsletter. At the end of his talk, Jaroslav admits that their success is partly down to the fact that coffee is a drug; if a customer likes it, they’ll come back – we’re actually selling drugs.
AITOM’s view: An addictive product, good timing, an inspiring story and brilliant promotion. As a bonus, we had the chance to taste Doubleshot’s coffee.