We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cici Zhao. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cici below.

Cici, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

As a business owner, I feel extremely happy and fulfilled. Being an independent business owner has many advantages, but the most significant one is having plenty of time to plan your schedule. Unlike having a regular job, being a business owner allows you to wake up late and work late, as you may find more business inspiration at midnight. You don’t need to worry about time wasted in traffic or getting to the office late. That, in my opinion, is one of the happiest reasons for owning your business.

However, being a business owner is not easy. It’s more challenging than having a regular job. You need to think long-term for your business, develop each business segment, improve each progress, and most importantly, consider what’s best for your employees. You have to be there for them and support them in their growth. All of this can be overwhelming and challenging at the beginning, but in the end, it can be very rewarding.

One thing that I love about owning a business is the freedom to choose whom you want to work with. You can hire someone who shares the same values as your company, which creates a very pleasant work environment. You can create a work culture that prioritizes the happiness and well-being of your employees.

In the past, I worked as an accountant and marketing manager for a few years. During this time, I realized that accounting didn’t interest me much, despite studying it in university. It lacked creativity and communication with people, which didn’t match my outgoing personality. Doing something that doesn’t interest you can make it hard to fulfill your potential. So, I’m glad I had the chance to try a different field and fall in love with it.

As a business owner, I find it more interesting than doing a regular job. I love snowboarding and communicating with people. One reason for doing this business is that there are so many good, trendy, and functional brands out there, and they all need a place to be found. (I WANT TO SPREAD THEM TO THE WORLD). Finding customers wearing them gives me a great sense of achievement.

In conclusion, owning a business has its challenges, but the rewards are worth it. It allows you to create a pleasant work environment, do what you love, and fulfill your potential. It’s a privilege to be able to make a positive impact on people’s lives and connect with them through your business.

Cici, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Our platform, Snowears, is dedicated to providing the younger generation with stylish and functional snow wear. We work with both small and established brands to help them gain recognition among our followers, who are always on the lookout for something new and exciting. Our goal is to provide a platform where every rider can find their unique style and feel confident on the slopes.

We started this business because we noticed a growing trend of young snowboarding brands entering the market. These brands are relatively young compared to established brands. However, they have a great sense of design and offer different styles, from street to oversized to cute for girls. As snowboarding enthusiasts ourselves, we wanted to showcase these brands and their unique styles to the world. That’s how Snowears was born.

We understand that it takes courage and time for people to try out new and unfamiliar brands. Especially when it comes to snow wear, which is essential for safety and comfort on the slopes. Therefore, we make sure to work only with brands that we trust and believe in. We put in a lot of effort to ensure that our followers know we’re a legitimate business that delivers quality goods.

However, it wasn’t easy at the beginning. The majority of the brands we work with have only been around for 1-3 years, which can make it challenging to gain recognition and establish trust with potential customers. It took us a while to prove to our followers that we’re a reliable and authentic business. But after a year of hard work, our efforts finally paid off, and we gained more and more followers who were willing to give our brands a chance. We’re proud to say that our percentage of returning customers is high, which is a testament to our dedication and commitment to providing quality snow wear.

At Snowears, we believe in working with both small and established brands. We understand the importance of recognizing and supporting young, up-and-coming brands. We want to give them a platform to showcase their unique styles and designs while also providing our followers with established brands that they know and love. By doing this, we hope to create a community of snowboarding enthusiasts where everyone can find their perfect snow wear.

In conclusion, Snowears is more than just a platform for snow wear. It’s a community where we celebrate and support both established and young brands. We believe in providing quality goods and establishing trust with our customers. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far, and we’re excited to continue growing and providing our followers with the best snow wear out there.

How’d you meet your business partner?

There are two main partners involved in our project. The first is my friend Zhu, whom I met through a mutual acquaintance. He is a skilled IT professional but was looking for a change from coding and was interested in owning a business or pursuing marketing. Given his extensive technical experience, I knew he would be a valuable asset in managing the website, so I invited him to join the team. He has proven to be trustworthy and professional, always providing effective solutions.

Our second partner is Jason, a talented designer who owns a design studio in Britain. We actually met from another common Web3 project. Despite his busy schedule, we are fortunate to have him on board with us. His exceptional design skills make him an asset to our team. Having someone with a keen eye for design who can help us determine how we want to represent ourselves is crucial to our success. Additionally, his creativity is essential for brainstorming ideas and creating exciting new designs.

Both partners work very hard and are a pleasure to work with. Everything runs smoothly, and I feel lucky to have met such talented individuals.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

When it comes to starting your social media presence, the task at hand may seem daunting. There are a multitude of tasks to juggle, from regularly posting content to editing photos and organizing events such as giveaways, collaborations, and interaction questions. However, the key to success is to stay organized and focused.

To begin, it’s important to focus on your own products or services. By displaying more photos, models, and details, you’re able to showcase what your business is all about and let your audience know what events you have planned. This can help you gain a loyal following while also increasing your exposure.

It’s also important to understand the benefits of the platform you are using. For example, on Instagram, posting reels can increase your exposure and traffic. Reels are short, engaging videos that allow you to showcase your products or services in a fun and creative way. You can also use in-app captions, stickers, and background music to potentially expand your reach and connect with your audience on a more personal level.

Another way to increase your social media presence is to engage with your audience. This can be done through interaction questions, where you ask your followers to share their thoughts or opinions on a particular topic. You can also hold giveaways or collaborations with other businesses to increase your reach and attract a wider audience.

In conclusion, starting a social media presence may seem overwhelming, but with a little planning and organization, it can be a rewarding experience. Building a connection with your audience and letting them speak for your products and business gave me a sense of achievement and allow me to work harder since you know your hard work can be seen.

Another way to increase your social media presence is to engage with your audience. This can be achieved through interaction questions, where you ask your followers to share their thoughts or opinions on a particular topic. You can also hold giveaways or collaborate with other businesses to expand your reach and attract a wider audience.

In conclusion, starting a social media presence may seem overwhelming, but with careful planning and organization, it can be a rewarding experience. Building a connection with your audience and allowing them to speak for your products and business gives a sense of achievement and motivates you to work harder, knowing that your efforts are visible.

Contact Info:

• Website: snowears.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snowears_shop
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkGbG4MjsMh45tNCewGRpbA

Image Credits
Liam Taevis Jason