Five months after the start of production they turned a profit

In 2017 they applied to Start-Up Nation, in February 2018 they received the machines from Danibrum and in July 2018, on Thursday July 26 to be exact, Gabriel told me that they managed to pay their debts of 80,000 lei to the bank and friends.

Gabriel Eke is the director of New Look Mob Napoca SRL. I went to him to find out whether or not Start Up Nation helps entrepreneurs. I discovered young people who analyze their own business in simple but very fair terms and still make their investment plans based on the reality of the market they are operating in.

After working abroad for a while, Gabriel returned to Romania determined to start his own business at home. His brother was already working in the furniture business so he decided that this would be the business they would start. He heard about Start Up Nation from a friend and they applied. The slowness of the program was a little confusing.

Unaccustomed to interacting with state institutions, they came up with a simple plan with which they thought they would move very quickly. Once their loan was approved at the end of last year, they started promoting their business and taking orders from customers. Delays in the bank actually making the money available meant they had some problems managing their relationship with their newly won customers. "We went on other people's promises and then we said that if by the end of October we would have the machines, then let's start taking orders. And we took orders and we said we were going crazy. Phone call after phone call. It was kind of hard. It was stress."But now those problems are somewhere in the past and Gabriel is focused on the current business and the future.

The machinery purchased from Danibrum helped them to increase productivity and pay off all the debts they had. "We are very satisfied with the cooperation with Danibrum. You can't find machines of the quality we have purchased from Danibrum in the country at this price. I'm talking about HOLZMANN Austria KAM 215 EPS automatic ABS edgebanding machine, from LOHMEYER - Germany, model FKS 350 IQof HOLZMANN KAM 65 PROSET corner milling cutter PROSET and a vacuum cleaner with 2 bags for sawdust HOLZMANN ABS 3880. These machines covered our debts of 80,000 lei. When the machines came into the workshop we had debts to the bank, to friends, around 80,000 lei. Since February, when the machines arrived, we have managed to reduce our debts to zero.”

Working abroad, in Belgium to be precise, has helped him learn a lot about processing machinery. "I am also very satisfied with the after-sales relationship. Danibrum are very friendly. Whenever I call the engineer there, he is always patient with me and explains everything I want to know. I'm not an expert, I worked in Belgium on a CNC and we know how to fix our machines.”

Gabriel doesn't wait to be found by customers. "We find customers on facebook, on olx. Yes, we promote ourselves on facebook and olx. Most of our customers come from olx.”

But Gabriel's plans don't stop there. He wants to develop the business this year with other friends. They noticed that there are no manufacturers of painted or wrapped fronts in Cluj. Only companies that do it nationwide. They want to buy more machines with which they can also do other operations such as milling, painting and skinning. Gabriel also wants a CNC to give customers the possibility to customize furniture even more.

Romania's labor crisis has hit them too. "Another problem we have is the lack of workers. Now we need another laborer and we can't find one. And I say we don't give a low wage. We're talking about 2,000 lei net for a worker that we train. We can't find him. For 2 months I've been looking for a man to come here and I can't find him. I only want to do sales, measurements, 3 workers in the workshop and 2 for assembly.”

The business started well and looks set to go from strength to strength. "From February to now we have produced furniture worth around €50,000. We don't compromise on quality. We don't use anything from China. We produce all kinds of chipboard furniture for all kinds of rooms. Here in Cluj there is a huge demand for furniture for apartments.”

Gabriel Eke is a young man who does not analyze his own business in complicated terms, but is always attentive to the profit and the risks that may arise. He realizes that the value of his business is also the people he works with. He is always geared to producing quality and honoring his agreements.

If you are from Cluj-Napoca and want to redecorate you can get in touch with Gabriel on their facebook page, New Look Mob Napoca.