How would you describe yourself and what you currently do?
I really don’t want to use this word because at this point it’s just a meme and no one really takes it seriously but I guess I’m an “entrepreneur.” I stared an e-commerce dropshipping business when I was 17 years old that did over a million dollars in revenue its first year of being live, shortly after I started a YouTube channel, which is what I am most known for.
What was the biggest factor behind your success with dropshipping?
I believe there are four pillars in a successful e-commerce business, the product, the website, the ad copy and then the marketing strategy. A lot of people get really caught up with creating a complex marketing strategy and looking for a perfect Facebook ad method when really they should focus on the other three factors. If you have a great product, solid website and a good ad copy people will buy from you when they see your ad. There’s no need to overcomplicate things.
Can you tell us about your early life and what influenced you to venture into the world of business?
I was born in the small Eastern European country of Belarus and at six years old my family moved to the US. Being an immigrant family of six, money was tight, which is why I started getting into side hustles, from selling candy to flipping bikes to doing graphic design on Fiverr, I pretty much did it all growing up. That didn’t stop as I got older which eventually led me into online business.
What would you be doing right now if your e-commerce business did not take off the way it did?
I would probably still be working two jobs and going to college for my nursing degree, that’s what I was doing prior to my business taking off. I would also still be trying to get my foot in the door with e-commerce, even if it wasn’t working out.
What was your biggest challenge in starting your business at a young age?
Once I started making money through e-commerce, my biggest problem wasn’t making more money but rather all the legal and tax filing duties that came with it. That’s something no one really talks about but it was definitely the most stressful part of it all as I didn’t have much guidance since I didn’t even personally know anyone that ran a business.
What advice would you give to someone just getting into online business?
I’d recommend reading some business and finance books as well as watching videos on these topics, that’s what shaped my mindset when it comes to money. But I think the most important part of starting any business is persistence. I was working on making money online for five or six years before I found any success, it doesn’t have to take that long for you but it also doesn’t happen overnight and it likely won’t happen on your first attempt.
Does money buy happiness?
Not having to worry about bills and everyday expenses is a huge blessing and is something I’m incredibly grateful for, but I wouldn’t say money can buy you happiness. There’s hungry kids in Africa who are happier than the smiling “influencers” you see on Instagram flexing Rollies and Lambos. I think true happiness can only really be found through a relationship with God and strong relationships with the people around you, so you can definitely be happy without money. But it is nice to not have to check your bank account every time you’re in line for Chipotle.
Future plans?
My goal with my e-commerce business is to graduate from dropshipping and move into building a strong brand around a product I believe in. Dropshipping is a great way to get into e-commerce as a beginner but now that I have some capital to work with I’d like to focus on something more long term and sustainable. I also want to continue growing my YouTube presence and my real estate investing. But my ultimate goal would be to eventually step away from actively running my businesses and move into some non profit and missionary type work.
Where can people find you?
I mainly post on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs5wAPodliO0oVxiTD8ruvg)
You can also find me on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/biaheza)