Company Three: E-commerce Face Mask & PPE Business

Most Braggable Accomplishment

Successfully built and scaled an e-commerce business selling PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic from zero to over 100 daily orders across multiple platforms (Qoo10, Lazada, Shopee, Carousell), becoming a power seller with excellent ratings on all platforms. Expanded from an initial focus on masks to a comprehensive PPE product line, developed strong supplier relationships across multiple countries (Vietnam, Indonesia, China), optimized logistics and fulfillment operations, and ultimately sold the business for a significant exit, representing a remarkable return on investment within a two-year timeframe.

The Problem

The sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic created an urgent global demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) that traditional retail channels couldn't satisfy:

Consumers and businesses faced severe shortages of essential protective items like face masks, face shields, and disinfectants
Brick-and-mortar retailers had limited stock and struggled with supply chain disruptions
Existing e-commerce options lacked reliable information about product quality and availability
Price volatility and uncertain delivery timelines created anxiety for customers
Businesses needed to source PPE in bulk to protect employees and comply with regulations
The market required rapid adaptation to changing health guidelines and product specifications

The Solution

We built a nimble, customer-focused e-commerce operation across multiple platforms that addressed these critical market needs:

Multi-Platform Strategy: Established presence across Qoo10, Lazada, Shopee, and Carousell to maximize market reach and hedge against platform-specific risks
Diverse Product Portfolio: Started with masks and rapidly expanded to face shields, gloves, disinfectants, wipes, and other PPE to meet evolving market demands
Resilient Supply Chain: Developed relationships with multiple suppliers across Southeast Asia to ensure consistent inventory even during global shortages
Dynamic Pricing: Implemented sophisticated pricing strategies that balanced competitiveness with profitability, including bulk discounts and promotional campaigns
Logistics Optimization: Created efficient fulfillment systems handling 100+ daily orders, experimenting with various shipping partners (Qxpress, NinjaVan, J&T) to maximize delivery speed
Customer-Centric Approach: Maintained high ratings across all platforms through responsive customer service, quality assurance processes, and efficient issue resolution
Data-Driven Marketing: Leveraged platform algorithms, promotional opportunities, and customer insights to optimize product listings and maximize visibility

The Growth Journey

The business evolved through several distinct phases, each marked by increased sophistication and scale:

Market Entry (Jan-Feb 2020): Started with a modest inventory of masks on Carousell, quickly pivoting to Qoo10 after encountering platform restrictions. The first orders were packed by hand with labels printed on regular paper.
Rapid Scaling (Mar-May 2020): Expanded to multiple platforms as demand surged. Developed relationships with suppliers in Vietnam and Indonesia to secure reliable inventory. Daily orders increased from a handful to dozens as efficient processes were established.
Operational Excellence (Jun-Dec 2020): Refined logistics, implemented quality control procedures, and optimized pricing strategies. Achieved "power seller" status on major platforms, with daily order volume regularly exceeding 100 packages.
Diversification (Jan-Dec 2021): Expanded product lines beyond masks to include a full range of PPE and sanitization products. Explored B2B sales channels, developed bulk ordering options, and tested consignment opportunities with physical retailers.
Strategic Exit (Jan-Mar 2022): Negotiated the sale of the business, including inventory, supplier relationships, and platform accounts with established ratings. Successfully achieved a substantial valuation, representing an exceptional return on the initial investment.

Key Success Factors

Several elements were critical to our success in this highly competitive market:

Timing and Market Responsiveness: Our ability to enter the market quickly and adapt to rapidly changing conditions (regulations, product specifications, consumer preferences) allowed us to capitalize on opportunities as they emerged.
Platform Diversification: By establishing a presence on multiple e-commerce platforms, we mitigated platform-specific risks, captured different customer segments, and gained valuable insights into varying marketplace dynamics.
Supply Chain Resilience: Developing relationships with multiple suppliers across different countries ensured we maintained inventory even when competitors faced shortages, allowing us to capture market share during critical periods.
Operational Discipline: Creating efficient systems for inventory management, order fulfillment, and customer service enabled us to scale rapidly while maintaining quality and responsiveness.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Constant analysis of sales patterns, platform algorithms, and customer feedback informed our product selection, pricing strategies, and marketing approaches.

Lessons Learned

This venture provided invaluable insights into e-commerce, supply chain management, and entrepreneurship:

Platform Strategy: Different e-commerce platforms have unique strengths and weaknesses. Understanding platform-specific dynamics (algorithms, fee structures, customer demographics) is essential for optimizing performance across multiple channels.
Supply Chain Complexity: Managing international suppliers during a global crisis revealed the importance of relationship building, contingency planning, and quality control in maintaining a reliable supply chain.
Pricing Science: Developing sophisticated pricing strategies that respond to market conditions, competitor actions, and platform dynamics is both an art and a science that directly impacts profitability.
Customer Satisfaction: In competitive e-commerce environments, maintaining high ratings and positive reviews is essential for visibility and conversion. Investment in customer service and quality assurance pays significant dividends.
Exit Timing: Recognizing the optimal moment to exit a business is crucial. As market conditions began to normalize and competition intensified, we identified the opportunity to sell at peak valuation rather than competing in an increasingly commoditized market.

The business ultimately provided not just financial returns but invaluable experience in building and scaling an e-commerce operation during unprecedented market conditions. These lessons and skills have proven transferable to subsequent ventures and continue to inform my approach to entrepreneurship.

Expertise Gained

This venture led to the development of deep expertise in several areas:

China Sourcing & Supply Chain Mastery

Through managing complex international supply chains during a global crisis, I developed world-class capabilities in:

Direct manufacturer sourcing
International logistics optimization
Price negotiation (achieving 20-40% cost reductions)
Quality control and supplier management
Customs and regulatory compliance

This expertise has since enabled me to source over $2M in products across 15+ categories, working with 50+ suppliers directly.

Company Three: E-commerce (2020)