Monthly promotional expenses total approximately $12,000.

Monthly promotional expenses total approximately $12,000.

From Auto Mechanic to Curtain Maker: A Tale of Transformation

Meet Sergey Kiskurno, a man who once wrenched engines but now crafts curtains. Now, he and his wife run their own curtain production company, "SuperTextStyle," with a team of 60 employees. Here's a tantalizing account of how this amateur door measurer silenced the doubters and carved a niche for himself in the world of home textiles.

Middlemen and Shackles to Growth

Born and raised in Molodechno, Sergey pursued an auto mechanic education, but it never materialized as a career. Instead, at 19, he found his calling in door and hardware sales, as he excelled at home measurements. After teaming up with an acquaintance, they ventured into suspended ceilings installation. The duo functioned in nearby towns and villages for 13 years, but competition began to bite into their profits. They were merely acting as intermediaries and could not influence costs or quality of the products. This realization sparked a shift.

Working as a middleman was a relentless phase; it was time to break free. In search of a less competitive niche, Sergey and his partner stumbled upon custom-made curtains. Appropriately, at a time when the market was experiencing a dearth of quality textile products, they decided to fortify their production lines.

Textile Troubles and a Leap of Faith

Revamping production was not an easy feat for the novice duo. Sourcing textile specialists and designers in Molodechno was a herculean task. The challenge? Designing aesthetically pleasing and functional curtains that would harmoniously blend with a space. It required expertise beyond measuring.

Katya, Sergey's wife, was instrumental in overcoming this obstacle. Having previously managed children's clothing stores, she gained new skills in textile interior design during her maternity leave. After careful examination of results, Sergey and Katya curated a perfect blueprint for the ideal candidate. Katya then designed an all-encompassing training program for new hires. This rapid growth and improvement were possible thanks to her dedication and keen eye.

When their partner departed in 2019, a hotel in Gomel reached out to Sergey for an emergency curtain and bedspread order. Facing this massive task, Sergey and Katya took a leap of faith and accepted the challenge.

With prepayment from the order and their personal savings, they hired a seamstress and invest $4k on two sewing machines and a high-end iron. Their work table was graciously provided by a friend.

The order was its own beast, with tight deadlines and significant pressure to meet expectations. Against all odds, Sergey, Katya, and their team worked tirelessly for two weeks, never taking a day off, to complete the project on time.

From Humble Beginnings to 'SuperTextStyle'

Taking risks often breed rewards. The success of the Gomel project saw the birth of "SuperTextStyle." Today, they produce curtains, bedspreads, and pillows. Their materials come from trusted European and Turkish suppliers, whom they buy from in bulk. Every month, they source around 5-7 thousand linear meters of material, depending on the season.

"SuperTextStyle" houses a 400 sq.m workshop in Molodechno, filled with state-of-the-art sewing machines, irons, and other equipment. There are 13 seamstresses, a workshop manager, and a production manager on the floor. Additionally, they employ a quality control department, a marketer, a bookkeeper, call center operators, designers, and legal entity specialists, all hailing from nearby Molodechno.

Navigating the Customer Landscape

"SuperTextStyle" caters to clients from two primary categories: individual homeowners and legal entities. Homeowners generally fall within the age group of 27-55, primarily busy professional women. Female clients constitute around 70% of their clientele, with 30% coming from legal entities.

Setting themselves apart from competitors, the marketing team works tirelessly, spending approximately $12k every month on promotional activities. Their prime marketing channel is Instagram, with a following of over 100k followers. Their videos often generate organic views, occasionally surpassing a million, offering insights on how to save on custom-made curtains, for instance.

They're also experimenting with TikTok, where a Roman blind video gained an impressive 5.4 million views, despite a smaller target audience compared to Instagram. This visibility has translated into affordable leads and orders.

The "SuperTextStyle" team actively collaborates with interior designers, architects, and contractors, as their target audience shares common interests.

Lessons Learned Along the Way

Entering the competitive e-commerce landscape hasn't been smooth-sailing. In 2021, they attempted to penetrate Wildberries, but faced challenges in scaling production to meet the market's demand. Following six months of relentless efforts and considerable expenses, they reluctantly conceded defeat.

Encouraged by the business growth momentum, however, they're in the process of re-entering e-commerce, collaborating with a professional company. Although the profitability and volumes aren't equivalent to tailor-made projects, they're projected to spur growth.

In January 2025, they opened production for all types of roller blinds, including vertical ones, and aimed to expand their dealer network nationwide by 2023.

Navigating the peculiarities of the industry remains an ongoing endeavor:

1. Client Expectations: When discussing designs and expectations with clients, it can be difficult to distinguish between genuine feedback and customer extremism. Some clients might fixate on minor details, or their preferences might seem overzealous. Kurt Vonnegut said it best: "Anything that makes a woman nervous about her looks gives men trouble."
2. "You're Too Expensive!": While not cheap, "SuperTextStyle" prides itself on quality craftsmanship and personalized service. Reassuring customers that the price paid provides more than just fabric is a continuous challenge.
3. Client Pressure: Some clients can be overbearing or manipulative, requiring the designer to acquiesce to their every whim. Finding the perfect balance between a professional's expertise and the client's wishes is crucial.

In closing, embarking on a new business journey is rarely easy, but with determination, adaptability, and a little bit of luck, success can be found in the most unexpected places.

1. Sergey, the former auto mechanic, transformed his career into running a small-business called "SuperTextStyle," producing home-and-garden items such as curtains, bedspreads, and pillows, with a team of 60 employees.
2. To expand beyond home measurements and door sales, Sergey and his partner delved into the less competitive niche of custom-made fashion-and-beauty items like curtains.
3. The fashion-and-beauty business landscape for "SuperTextStyle" involves serving two primary client groups: individual homeowners and careers in the field of business and finance.
4. The marketing strategy for "SuperTextStyle" prioritizes social media advertising, particularly on Instagram and TikTok, to attract customers interested in fashion-and-beauty products and home-and-garden items.
5. As an entrepreneur in the fashion-and-beauty industry, Sergey learned that managing client expectations, dealing with pricing concerns, and navigating client demands are challenging but essential aspects of running a successful small-business.

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