5 mins with… Stefan Gol, founder and CEO, Ecig.com

We chat to Stefan Gol, founder and CEO of vape store, Ecig.com. He talks about the launch of the company, future plans and why his company has done so well expanding to the UK.

Please explain who you are, what your business is, and what it does/aims to achieve?

I’m Stefan Gol, CEO and Founder of Ecig.com.

Founded in 2014, Ecig.com offers a variety of quality e-cigarettes, e-juices, and accessories at the best prices found online. First established at our retail location in the heart of Austin, Texas, Ecig.com came into existence out of necessity. If you wish you can also start your own business by getting an LLC in Texas. We were frustrated about having to place orders from multiple stores to get what we needed, exhausted from the price-gouging vendors overcharging, and discouraged by companies that just didn’t seem to care about customers.

Since our launch in Texas, we’ve opened a second office in sunny Deerfield Beach, Florida. With these two offices, we’ve found that we’re better able to assist our customers in a timely manner without having to increase our prices like our competitors. Customer service is important to us and with our outgoing and knowledgeable customer service team on hand to answer all your questions, you’ll find your experience with us nothing short of outstanding! Our vapor shop products are all 100% authentic and the prices we offer bring a whole new meaning to the term “affordable”.

Ecig.com is ecstatic to claim the title as the world’s number 1 vape store and our next step is to keep the company growing worldwide.

What has been the biggest challenge in your role so far?

This is a very competitive industry and starting the business was one big challenge. But, we have two retail locations and that gives us one big advantage.

Have you made any mistakes along the way and how did you overcome them/learn from them?

One thing that I would’ve probably changed is the strategy. It’s been a good strategy so far but sometimes you need to be more aggressive.

What previous experiences have helped you to grow the business?

My career began in the web hosting industry and for 13 years I worked closely with customers from a broad range of backgrounds which helped me create successful brands in the international web hosting markets.

Why do you think your brand has been so successful in the UK?

For these three reasons:

• Eig.com offer affordable prices in an industry that’s saturated with overpriced devices.
• Ecig.com initiate unbeatable customer service.
• Ecig.com bring innovative brand-name products to the vaping community.

We only started shipping to the UK in January and now 15% of our sales are to UK customers. I believe this is just the start of our success in the UK as we are looking to grow within the UK market.

What’s the best piece of advice you could give on challenging bigger brands in the market?

You always need to improve, reinvent and get exposure.

What do you do to relax away from the hustle and bustle of work?

I travel a lot and sleep around 4-6 hours per night. I find the best time for me to relax is when I travel.