Mike Navitsky is an e-commerce entrepreneur with a passion for sharing his experiences in the hope they will help others find freedom and success. Mike has always been an entrepreneur at heart. He started out selling flowers by the side of the road when he was just ten years old. At that young age, it gave him an appetite for success.
Mike was lucky enough to get a school scholarship in Washington state, but he soon realized that even if he worked every single day, without sleep, for a year, he wouldn’t make enough money to pay for tuition and living expenses. He knew then, he had to do his own thing.
From then on, he did everything from selling used car tires, collecting and recycling scrap metal, and home demolition. During a brief stint working for a manufacturing company, he was introduced to the notion of working with Asian suppliers. That was when a world of opportunity opened up for him.
He realized there was huge potential for manufacturing overseas, particularly in China. He started his first business selling coins, pins, and badges sourced from China, and that was when he discovered the power of e-commerce. He moved into the sports and outdoor niche, and that was when his e-commerce journey really took off, and he finally became FREE.
Fast forward to today, Mike is making seven-figure sales annually, and another seven figures helping people do the same.
His ambition now is to share what he has learned, to help others find not only SUCCESS through e-commerce, but FREEDOM.
What is Bastion all about?
I started my brand, BASTION in 2012, the sporting goods niche. In 2020 we have started a line of premium writing instruments, This is now our main project.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
I’ve been an entrepreneur since childhood. Graduated college in 2008 and worked for a manufacturing company for 3 years. Ending up quitting in 2011, been running my own business ever since.
What would you say are the top 3 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur, and why?
- Resourcefulness – being able to make things work with what you have, is super important.
- Learning how to delegate- once you start growing, you need a team you can rely on.
- Strong communication skills- nowadays, you are communicating with people worldwide. We have apps and technology, but being able to communicate and negotiate is critical.
What are your plans for the future, and how do you plan to grow this company?
We are scaling our global online sales now, and expanding to wholesale, and big-box retailers are on our list next.
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
I used to pay a lot of attention to our direct and indirect competitors, now I don’t. I am building a brand and an offer that is so different from everything else out there. In this case, customers don’t compare us to other companies. There is only one, and it is us.
What were the top three mistakes you made starting your business, and what did you learn from them?
- Jumping from one project to another- start one thing, see it through. Then take on more projects. When you are spreading yourself all over the place, nothing gets done
- Trusting/relying on one supplier- don’t put all eggs in one basket, diversify your product sourcing so if one supplier goes out of business, you still have a plan B, C, and D.
- Not paying attention to numbers- get in the habit of knowing your number, profit margins, cost of goods sold, cost per conversion, and lifetime value of your customers. All these are super important and allow you to make data-based decisions. Much better than making decisions based on how you are feeling today.
Tell us a little bit about your marketing process, what has been the most successful form of marketing for you?
Honestly, organic marketing has done really well for us. Paid is great and fast. Organic takes time to build up the momentum, but once you got it, it is ON.
So we are focusing on SEO, guest blogs, and so on.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
HR and finding talent- this is a never-ending process. You need the best people on your team.
The challenge was to find great talent here in the US. I overcame it by starting to look for talent around the world and it has paid off. We are working with super talented people with exceptional skills and work ethics in Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
What was your first business idea and what did you do with it?
My first real business was back in my elementary school days, I would pick wildflowers and sell bouquets on a side of the road. It felt amazing to be able to make my own money!
What are you learning now? Why is that important?
I am learning more about marketing and sales. I feel like I have product development and manufacturing under control. Marketing and sales are on my list now. These two are your business’s drivers, you might have the best product but if it is not generating any interest around it, chances to succeed are slim.
If you started your business again, what things would you do differently?
If I were to start again, I would set bigger, crazier, more ambitious goals from the start. It took me some time to realize that everything is possible. We are limiting ourselves with our own beliefs.
What are the top 3 online tools and resources you’re currently using to grow your company?
Youtube and Google are your best friends- so much valuable and FREE information on just about any subject.
This one is a no-brainer.
- Industry newsletters, for example, we are using an app called ZIPIFY, I really enjoy their newsletters and updates. Always so much value and things we can implement fast.
- Networking and events. Relationships matter, so it is important to find time and go out there to meet like-minded people.
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
START ONE THING, WORK ON IT, SEE IT THROUGH, then, only then move to something else. This is a game-changer to getting things done and staying focused.
If you only had $1000 dollars to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
I would create an online store (within one day), find a dropshipping product to sell (Alibaba, Aliexpress, 1688. com- basically you sell a product without having any inventory upfront, your supplier handles inventory and shipping) create an offer, and spend the rest of the money on ads/ promotions.
What is your definition of success?
FREEDOM to do whatever, whenever, and wherever. Total, absolute freedom.
How can readers get in touch with you?
You can find me on IG- @mikenavitsky, Brand- Bastion
