Case studies: Click4abottle

Click4abottle
Katalin Egri Ku-Mesu

Tel: 0845 166 4091
Fax: 01592 756 700

Email: enquiries@click4abottle.co.uk

Click4abottle is an Internet based seller specialising in quality Hungarian wines and spirits.

Market Access – Hungary is a consultancy that provides Hungarian market intelligence, business opportunity searches, partner identification, culture briefings, translation, interpreting, as well as language and intercultural business communication training.

Background

Katalin Egri Ku-Mesu was very happy in her career as a Senior Lecturer, but came to Scotland to do a PhD and stayed here as her husband started working in Glenrothes. In the spring of 2000 she started looking for a job, first in academia, then also outside academia. Despite having an array of qualifications - a masters equivalent degree in English and Russian languages and literatures with teaching qualification, a PhD in American literature, a masters equivalent degree in international marketing, an RSA Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults, an MSc in applied linguistics and a PhD underway in applied linguistics – Katalin could not find a job. Not surprisingly she felt frustrated:

“I had desperately felt that I needed to find something to do where my knowledge, skills, experience and talents could be brought to fruition. After thinking about it for a couple of weeks, in September 2002 my husband and I decided to set up a partnership to import and sell fine wine and quality spirits from Hungary. At the same time we felt that I could also start a consultancy that focuses on Hungary. I saw this as something I was more or less forced to do, as my efforts to get a job had not been successful. As I had worked as Marketing Manager before, I knew it was not going to be easy but I was also confident that I could do it.”

Help from Business Gateway

Katalin took the idea of the two businesses to Business Gateway and has been working with them ever since. Together with her husband she has attended the business start-up seminars and other seminars relevant to their needs. “Our business advisor has been marvellous,” says Katalin, “she is very supportive, very experienced and has excellent judgement. We can only praise the rest of the team here in Glenrothes, too – the information advisors, event organisers, and support staff: they have all been excellent.”

Despite being turned down for an overdraft from their bank, Katalin and her husband pressed on and so far both businesses have been financed by the couple using their own resources.

Knowledge and experience

In both businesses Katalin uses her language and cultural knowledge and skills, an also her knowledge and experience in international marketing. She comments, “I believe that I have the advantage of a very good educational background and substantial and varied experience that I can draw on in my business ventures. Despite this, I have never felt that I do not need to learn more. There is always something that you have forgotten, have never heard of, or something that is simply new.”

“Both my husband and I attended the Business Gateway start-up seminars, and still attend those that are relevant to us. We also read professional and trade magazines and other literature to keep up with the latest developments in our areas.”

Katalin has shown that with a positive attitude, negative prospects can be turned into opportunities. She says; “I guess I do not take to defeat very easily.”

Challenges

“The most challenging stage both for Market Access – Hungary and Click4abottle has been the post start-up stage because it is at this stage that the clientele has to be created, which is not easy either for a consultancy or for a wine merchant. The biggest future challenge for Market Access – Hungary is to raise awareness about the business opportunities that exist in Hungary and convince businesses here of the advantages Hungary can offer.”

“For Click4abottle – to create a well-deserved positive image for Hungarian wine and convince customers that Hungarian wine is much more than a cheap bottom-shelf supermarket commodity.”

“Since both companies are relatively new, I guess that currently I am quite happy to concentrate on these two ventures. After all, I have two to concentrate on, not just one.”

So what advice would Katalin give to other businesses?

“Planning for the future is essential. If you do not have a vision for your business, you may as well pack it in. And if you do not plan for it, you may find yourself in difficult situations that can be avoided.”