The world of ecommerce has become extremely crowded and highly competitive over the years, so breaking into such an intense environment is definitely not for the faint of heart. While anyone can venture into the E-Commerce realm, only a select few are able to reach success in the field. As a newcomer, you’ll have to compete against a wide array of established businesses with limitless resources in order to survive, let alone thrive. But as difficult as it may be to make it to the top, entrepreneurial success stories like Ronnie Teja’s prove that it’s very much possible to overcome all challenges and turn your dreams into reality.
Having built multiple profitable businesses from scratch by the age of 30, Ronnie Teja established himself as one of the most prominent figures in ecommerce, as well as a highly acclaimed public speaker and startup advisor that shares his time between Vancouver, Canada, and Bangkok. But as you can imagine, the path to entrepreneurial excellence was not smooth, so let’s see what lessons we can draw from the inspirational story offered by this self-made Indo-Canadian entrepreneur.
A success story 15 years in the making
Ronnie Teja was born on February 17th 1985, in Jallandhar, India, where he spent his childhood years and began his education at two highly reputable boarding schools. Focused on advancing his education, Teja went on to earn a BA in Marketing and Microfinance from St. Xavier’s College..
His academic pursuits would later take him to London, where he began studying welfare economics at the prestigious London School of Economics. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to complete his studies here as his parents were offered the opportunity to immigrate to Canada in 2008, and so began a new chapter for him on the American continent.
Life as a new immigrant in Canada wasn’t exactly easy for Teja. During the first few years, he had to live with his family in a basement apartment they rented for $500 a month. As for his professional life, he was juggling three jobs at a time to make ends meet – he picked blueberries from 5 am to 2 pm and then he continued his working day selling door-to-door radio advertising from 3 pm to 10 pm.
Ronnie Teja’s first contact with the world of ecommerce happened in 2008, at a time when the industry was picking up pace. He became a self-taught digital marketer and started working as a digital manager for HSBC Canada and then for Best Buy Canada. For a short while, he also served as chief marketing officer for a small ecommerce brand. Activating in the field made him realize the vast potential that E-commerce held, so he decided to seize the moment and start his own online business, putting into practice the knowledge he had acquired over the years.
Fast forward to today, Ronnie Teja is the owner of several online businesses in different industries, such as apparel, accessories, and software, with a combined remote workforce of 75+ employees based all around the world. And as if managing 15 ecommerce websites and fulfilling countless orders on a daily basis wasn’t enough to fill his schedule, Teja is also a well-known public speaker and an ecommerce coach, traveling around the world to speak at public events like Affiliate World 2022 in Dubai, Barcelona and Bangkok.
The Big breakthrough
When people think of success stories, they tend to assume things happen in a logical sequence of events and achievements. However, reaching entrepreneurial success is very rarely a linear process, as Ronnie Teja’s experience also proves it.
Teja built his first company, a digital marketing agency, against his family’s advice and failed to turn it into a successful venture. However, this first failure didn’t stop him from trying again. Unfortunately, his second attempt, a men’s jewellery business, was equally unsuccessful. While these setbacks would have made most people refrain from any other entrepreneurial endeavours, Teja was determined to make things work. So, he persevered, and that’s how Branzio watches was created.
Teja used all the know-how and skills he gained by working in the ecommerce industry for 15 years to bring to life one of the most successful ecommerce businesses in Canada and beyond. Branzio watches is now a leading retailer, offering a range of high-end timepieces that combine quality craftsmanship with style and versatility.
Values and mission
Despite his massive success in the ecommerce industry, Ronnie Teja is still a very humble and down-to-earth person who wants to make sure others get the opportunity to achieve their personal and professional goals as well. He decided to channel his philanthropic spirit by donating $5 for every watch sold by Branzio to support disadvantaged communities in rural or urban areas.
Ronnie Teja learned through experience that determination, hard work, and perseverance are key ingredients in ensuring long-term success, and he wants to share these lessons with those who want to advance their careers in the ecommerce field. This has prompted him to engage with the community by attending various events and podcasts where he can share his insights and advice on a series of topics such as digital marketing, website development and more. So, those who want to get in touch with Ronnie and ask for entrepreneurial advice or guidance can easily contact him through his website or social media channels.
Ronnie Teja is determined to provide value to both his customers and his fellow entrepreneurs. Through his work, Teja hopes to create a more accessible and inclusive e-commerce space and thus open up more opportunities for entrepreneurs all around the world. Judging by the success of his endeavours so far, we can safely say that Ronnie Teja has every chance to achieve his objectives.
