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Inspirational Start-Up: Szczeciński Town Shop
A shop with inventive souvenirs of a visit to Szczecin run by Magdalena Walczyńska is among the companies that received the Inspirational Start-up commendation from Szczecinbiznes.pl and Polish Entrepreneurs Foundation.
Inspirational Start-up is awarded to owners of companies that are in existence for no longer than three years. In this way we want to publicly praise the courage, determination and consistence of young entrepreneurs who build their companies from scratch, who have a chance of success and who can be a paragon for other enterprising young people.
Szczecinbiznes.pl: How did you come up with the idea for a shop with souvenirs from Szczecin?
Magdalena Walczyńska: The idea hit me several years ago, when a friend from the US paid me a visit. I was looking for an interesting memento that I would not be ashamed to send over the ocean. Despite my genuine effort, I was unable to find an object that would meet my expectations in terms of design and practical use. At that point I decided that I wanted to combine my aptitude for creative work with the passion for my hometown.
What is your recipe for success?
I do my best to design unique and innovative products that remind people of the city and its culture. All the items tend to keep to a certain characteristic convention – they are associated with Szczecin in a light, humorous manner. In this way they are different from the souvenirs available so far. Apart from the online store: Szczeciński Town Shop, our products are also distributed in popular Szczecin locations, such as Stara Rzeźnia, Fabryka Lodów or OK Super.
A year has already passed since the launch of our business (the company started its operations during the first edition of OFF MARINA Design Days in October 2014), and we have learned quite a lot. We are still honing our skills and practices – we continuously improve the production processes, we are searching for new local partners. We are striving to improve the online store, we are looking for new points of sale. Saying “we” I mean me and my husband who helps me with the commercial matters. As far as the production is concerned, I have started cooperating with local craftsmen.
What is your greatest success so far?
Last summer, in collaboration with Galeria K4, we organized an event called “Szczeciński flow” which combined three forms of artistic expression: telling Szczecin-related tales, a show by Pod Pretekstem improvising group, and a musical performance. The attendance astounded us. The commendation we received during the Business Pearls gala this year under category: Inspirational Start-up also serves as a great motivating factor. It will lend fresh impetus to our work on the summer batch of products. I also treasure the photos showing my products which my customers take in different parts of the world, e.g. in Mexico, San Francisco or Maldives.
How did you obtain the funds necessary to start your business activity and what did you spend them on?
I opened my business with the help of my own private resources and a EU subsidy. First of all I purchased the necessary equipment and graphic design software - these were the basics underlying all other activities. I had to learn fast how to operate the production equipment to start making prototypes and the finished products.
Who buys your brand products?
Among my customers there are both tourists and the inhabitants of Szczecin. Companies operating in Szczecin have also recently begun to pay attention to how they identify themselves with their city – they want their gadgets to promote both their company and the city.
What is the hardest part of running your own business?
To run a successful business you need to know everything : how to manage time, set goals, motivate yourself and primarily, you must make sure that the work is done. It is a collection of tasks that help you on your path to self-improvement.
What are your business plans for the future?
New products and new points of distribution - these are my plans for the year. I want to surprise the inhabitants of Szczecin with their own hometown.
Interviewed by: Alicja Kowalska
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