Networking is hard, especially for an introvert like me. But I have learned to step out of my comfort zone and reach out to people that I want to learn from. I would be lying if I said that it always goes smoothly. Sometimes I reach out to dozens of people and only hear back from a couple of them. I don’t take it to heart though, that is to be expected when there is no personal connection or mutual benefit involved.

Luckily, as I was struggling to find someone to interview next, I managed to schedule an online meeting with the founder of an international company known as ‘The Sox Box – Korea’. It is a company that exports unique and funky socks from Korea worldwide.

Here is a snippet of our conversation:

My first question was: “What is one thing that you wished you had known when you first started out?”

“If there is one thing that I wish I had known before embarking on this journey is that the entrepreneurial path is far from being linear and you have to adapt all the time.

I had other ideas before ‘Sox Box’, always in the trade, but some administrative aspects had proved too complicated at the time, and finally none of them succeeded.

However, realizing that a project on which I worked for several months will not see the day was never a fatality. On the contrary, I always took it as a preparation for my new or real project.”

I have been struggling myself with the thought that I have dozens of potential business ideas that I have had to give up after realizing that my ideas were not sustainable.

“Of course, it’s not easy to realize that there will be no outcome and it can take a few months to get back on track before starting again with a new business idea.

But entrepreneurship is also knowing how to constantly question yourself.”

For my business partner and I, ‘The Sox Box’ is an adventure which aims to create, to nurture, to make live a company and to be proud of its result.”

 

Q: “I have frequently been told that building a team can sometimes be the most challenging part in the initial phases? Is it true? How did you find the right people to partner with?”

“To carry out this project, we relied on our entourage: brothers, parents, and friends. This project is not only the adventure of two friends who create a company, it is also the opportunity to work with people who are dear to us and with a single goal: to succeed in pampering our customers.

One thing is for sure, I have learned a lot since the creation of my company. For me, an entrepreneur must be versatile, but at the same time remain realistic about his skills.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help, especially for all the administrative steps: like calling upon organizations for your market study, a lawyer for the drafting of your company statutes, a consulting firm for your finances or a communication firm to promote your company.

It is a question of being versatile, of being able to recognize your own limits, and of knowing how to surround yourself with the right people.

In my case, starting a business without external help would have been a very bold and somewhat risky move. We were supported by a consulting company for all the steps of the business creation, I also called upon a banker and a graphic designer friend.

My business partner and I have always been able to remain humble about our journey. Even if we are the leaders of the Sox Box, we don’t forget that this adventure could not have been done without the help of our relatives. In our entourage, we have all the human resource needed to make a company live, and we rely on them to make this project live (accountancy, marketing, bank, sales, data processing…). We owe the success of ‘The Sox Box’ to the interaction of these people.”

 

Q: “What advice would you give someone who is considering starting a business?”

“If I had only one advice to give to someone wishing to start a company it would be “Surround yourself well.”

Finally, starting a business is very exciting, but it can also be a very stressful adventure. You can never be 100% sure that it will work, but if you believe in it, then you have to give it your all and above all, not regret it.

And remember, “daring is the beginning of succeeding.”