Air & Water started as a home-based business
Growing an online business requires research to find a niche that is profitable yet underserved. Air & Water is an online retail company in Santa Ana selling a range of products like portable air conditioners, portable heaters, and wine coolers.
Company founder Luke Peters says he spent 18 months from getting the initial idea, to starting the business, and getting enough orders to quit his job and sustain his family:
My brother had successfully started up his own online business, and he was convinced that all I needed to do was find the right niche. I started to research the online retail industry, and during that time I saw there was a high demand for air conditioner-related searches online.
It certainly looked like a viable niche to start with, but I still wasn't sure. I had been going over the idea in my head for a while, and then one day while driving home from work, the name “Air & Water” randomly popped into my head. I guess you could call it inspiration, but either way I knew at that moment that this was what I should be doing. I went home that night and immediately began working on the site.
Today, Air & Water employs more than 30 people full-time. The company has reached the Internet Retailer Top 500 list and earned a number 19 spot in the Home Improvement category.
Click here to read Growing an online business while juggling a job
Click here for a starting a business guide online.
Comments