How Cecilia Tech Built a $1M/Month PPE & Plastic Company
Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?
Cecilia Tech was formed in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. US PPE shortages required imitate action but Cecilia Tech was focused on long-term sustainability.
Combining domestic manufacturing with import distribution created the foundation we stand on today.
How did you get started in your industry?
Disruptions in global trade combined with unfulfilled demand created an economic opportunity to invest in domestic manufacturing.
Why do you think that PR is the tool you need to implement in your business and how it help to grow your business?
Our domestic manufacturing competes in a global economy making us heavily reliant on the concept of “Made in the USA being a desirable selling point in the market. Marketing and PR functions to inform of the value proposition of domestically manufactured goods.
What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?
We are heavily investing in high-automation manufacturing to be cost and time-competitive in a global economy.
What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business and how did you overcome them?
First was disruptions in global trade that ultimately led us from an import model to developing our domestic manufacturing.
The second was inconsistent demand from government, business, and individual consumers which have required us to operate in all three markets.
Finally, was the impending notion that PPE sales will steadily decline as the pandemic subsides which is why we are focusing on new manufacturing capabilities not dependent on the pandemic.
As an entrepreneur, what is it that actually motivates and drives you?
Building something sustainable that benefits the community at large.
What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness and why?
We are currently experimenting with social media including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?
It is one component of an overall marketing mix. It does not stand alone as a revenue driver.
What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?
Be where your customers are. We work to make our products available in numerous sales channels to make the process of purchasing simple.
What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?
Ease of access is crucial in a saturated generics market. People want the process of purchasing to be as streamlined as possible.
What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?
To hold inventory when many of our competitors were beginning to liquidate.
What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?
Not so much a mistake as a learning opportunity. We tested a few different brands which led us to hold inventory that is not packaged in our current house brand.
What piece of advice do you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?
Branding wins in a saturated market.
Where did your first six figures come from?
Quickly responding to the global pandemic by developing PPE import and distribution channels.
What excites you most about your industry? Where do you see it heading in the near future?
High-automation manufacturing will create competitive domestic offerings. We intend to be at the forefront of that technological revolution.
What is one advice you still remember and that has practically changed your life?
Don’t be afraid to take risks, but keep your costs low.
If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?
Focus all of our energy on one specific brand.
Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Building one of the next big US manufacturing companies.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
We utilize the Microsoft Office 365 suite to manage internal communication and collaboration.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Good to great. Building a company requires getting the right people on the bus and letting them find their own seats.
What is your brand’s philosophy?
Produce high-quality and reliable products, consistently.
What are your achievements?
2020 US Manufacturing and Sales Highlights
Largest Federal Supplier of Face Shields & Goggles with 20,000,000 units manufactured and shipped in the US
7,000,000 Baskets/Buckets
1,200,000 Step Stools
1,000,000 Waste Containers
1,000,000 Coolers
1,000,000 Pet Food Containers
What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?
Be excited by the challenge.
