A journey from zero to multi-million

An avid Poker player, when Reza Shojaei took the leap of faith in 2017 by moving his sales and marketing business to an online platform focused on internet gaming, there were countless apprehensions on how the business will scale. However, within a short span of time, the business grew multi-fold, marking the journey of a multi-millionaire.

Under the brand Value Marketing, presently Shojaei’s multimillion-dollar business caters to online gamers. The brand has casino affiliate sites that shares unbiased, reliable and trustworthy reviews, recommending high quality sites that users can depend on.  Today, Value marketing has three major products: CasinoTopp.net and CasinoTop.com all of them are amongst the top-rated sites.

For Shojaei who started his entrepreneurial journey from literally zero money, priorities and values have been the core mantra to success.

“Leadership plays a vital role in nurturing any brand. As a leader one has to take onus of everything. It is a very hard job and a harder journey of sleepless nights, tough calls, challenging times, late hours and so much more. You know that you have to stand tall and strong to your team that who looks up to you, every day. This is what has always inspired me to bring out the best version of me,” says Shojaei.

Even when the core purpose of business is to earn money, Shojaei adds that his top priority has always been the gamers.

“More than money, our gamers and readers who trust us to guide them in recognizing great casino sites to play has been our priority. In only a couple of years, our business has reached a multimillion-dollar status because we focused on people and I’m very happy about that,” continues Shojaei.

Sharing details on the recipe of a successful business, Shojaei disclosed the secrets of the trade.

Problem Buster & Solution Provider

Shojaei always had a strong proclivity for Poker game and being a user himself, he was very well aware about the pros & cons attached to it. So instead of living with the issues related to online Poker game, he took the problem upfront and started working towards it.

“A business cannot succeed if it does not solve a problem or cater to demand. For instance, our websites which are now present in 12 markets across the world, works with a team of reviewers, content creators, creative team & others to provide valuable guidance and solutions for gamers,” says Shojaei.

I-Gaming industry is booming and new casinos open every month. In fact, only within Europe, this industry is a multibillion-dollar market. This leads to massive loopholes in the system as players fail to differentiate between an unfair and fair platform. Shojaei decided to solve this problem.

“We are the most trusted platforms today that give the most accurate information to our readers. For us, it’s very important to have real and honest online casinos on our site that have all their licenses in place, before we list them and work with them. Shojaei adds.

Focus on Profitability

Several companies don’t make profits in the initial years. To ensure that one doesn’t lose sight of the road to profitability, some important questions that need answers are -- What are the revenues, how much is the cash flow (liquidity), working capital and cost cutting, areas that need more investments etc.

He adds, you can make millions and yet be broke. It is therefore necessary to focus on profits. Also, as business grows, there will be need to hire talent to take on responsibilities of the business in full throttle.

Explaining the importance of having a right team, Shojaei says that a successful business cannot run without a motivated and inspired team which is aligned with the company’s objectives. An effective and goal-oriented team will help you to build a sustainable seven figure business. However, it is also important to delegate, outsource, and focus on hiring professionals on different areas. As a leader, your job is not to do everything - it is to manage and redirect. 

ABC: Always be closing - or in other words, selling

Every successful business starts by focusing on keeping their customers happy and solving their issues. Preferably so well, that the old customers will speak to their friends about your business. 

However, sales should not be the only factor that drives business growth. One should not forget their old clients who are your top brand advocates.

“Providing customers, a service or product they need, makes selling easier. Also, if you price it correct, it will boom. Right price is a valuable key point. Charging too little will devalue your business and charging too much might make your potential customers turn around on their heels right at the door,” explains Shojaei.

Create your own opportunities

Value Marketing started out as an on-ground face-to-face sales company. However, it was not Shojaei’s passion. It did not make him look forward to every morning. This all changed soon as he found his calling in the online gaming portals.

“Every profit that we earn through Value Marketing goes back into the business, so they can hire more people and expand their business. We strongly believe in sharing maximum opportunities,” he adds.

The bottom line is that making any business blossom and turn into a multimillion-dollar business requires work, dedication and passion. Most importantly, it will not happen overnight.

Disclaimer : This piece only showcases the journey of a successful entrepreneur. It has been written by an external expert and Forbes India or its journalists do not, in any manner, either endorse the business or share the views discussed in this article.